Unpredictable

There are lots of quotes about making  plans and how God laughs at us. Life is uncertain and can surprise us in every facet of our world.

Few of us followed the exact career path we had planned on when we started out on our own. I'm sure some of the readers of this blog are still going to find a few zigzags along the way to a fulfilling job. Many of those twists and turns are not things we can see ahead of time.

Personal and family relationships can be very unpredictable. I have four sisters and two brothers and all my relationships with those siblings are a little different. I would never have thought when growing up that miles and miles would separate us. Now my own children are grown and starting to scatter. My youngest son moved to Colorado yesterday to begin a six month internship that will

Colorado

hopefully lead to a good job placement ... anywhere.

Writing careers are like that. At times I've felt that my writing would develop into writing all epic fantasy, my first love for reading and writing. But I've been so pleased by the performance of some of my recent romances and have enjoyed writing them, that I now think my career will likely stay divided into my Susan Gourley, fantasy author and Susan Kelley, romance author. And I'm feeling very comfortable with that.

What unexpected turns has your life taken in your career, your home, and perhaps your writing life? Do you expect to have twists and turns along your path to fulfillment?

The Right Choice

About a year ago, I asked my friends in the blogosphere their opinions on keeping a website and a blog.  I collected and weighed the information so generously shared with me by those with more experience in online networking.

I had started up this blog two years previously but I posted less than once per week.  In two years I had only a little over 100 posts and at the same time I was spending hours updating my website every few weeks.  I had slowly expanded my circle of blog friends and noticed how great their blogs were.  They had nearly everything on their blogs that I had on my website and blog combined and many of them didn't have websites.  I decided to try the way that had been working so well for so many.

I haven't regretted it getting rid of my website for even one day.  I've increased the frequency of my posting, found lots of wonderful blogs to follow and increased my own flock of followers from around forty to over two hundred.  Last week marked the three year anniversary of Susan Says and I intend to keep it going as long as blogging remains popular.  I not try to post at least twice a week but sometimes manage as many as four posts.

I know from attendance at conferences, agents and editors will recommend keeping a website and a blog, but I'm going to stick with just the blog.  I get ten times the visits and page views I ever got on my website and hopefully it will keep increasing.  Concentrating on my blog was the right choice for me.

How many of you maintain websites and blogs?  Do any of you own more than one blog?  Is your blog the main focus of your online promotion?

The Week That Was

The first week of my blog tour celebrating the release of book #2 in The Futhark Chronicles, Beyond the Gate has been a blast. I hope you had a chance to join me on some of my stops around the blogosphere.

On Monday I visited Alex Cavanaugh with a short post about world building. You can still check it out here.

Tuesday I visited The Susquehanna Writers group blog and shared a brief opinion on creating interesting characters. Add your take here.

Wednesday found me guesting at Jon Sprunk's blog, Fear of the Dark, where I shared some secrets on how I name those unique characters I create. You can find some great ideas visitors shared with their comments right here.

Thursday Megan Hart interviewed me on her blog. She's a very funny, creative writer and you can tell by the questions she asked. Read her quirky interview here.

I finished Friday on my blog with some advice on getting past a rough spot. You can still comment.

Blog tours are meant to promote a book but on my tour I'm trying to share some of what I've learned and start discussions on said subjects. There have been so many clever comments I think I've learned more than the visitors to my posts. Thank you to everyone.

My tour will continue into the beginning of next week. More on that tomorrow. I've made this my first ever blog tour a short one of only nine stops. I wasn't sure if I could handle the time demands of a longer one. I only had a few days of stress but for the most part I handled it with ease. If I do another one it will be during the summer months when I'm not teaching.

How much time do you spend on social networking? How many blogs do you visit each day? Do you consider the time well-spent?

Do You Want Pickles With That?

I did a blog before on what you do when you get bogged down on your WIP.  Since then I've whittled down the suggestions and made some more specific and others more general.  So what should you do when the words won't go on the page?

#One: Step away for a littlet bit and work on another project.  Or even read a book by an author you would like to emulate.  See what they're doing right that you want to do also.

#Two Go back to the beginning and find why you were excited to start the project in the first place.  How did you let your interesting characters become dull?

#Three Check out your outline of the plot.  Was it thorough enough or are you stumbling because you left a hole in it.

#Four Read over what you wrote and take notes where the manuscript is weak and doesn't work.

#5 Just pound the keys and push through sometimes works.

#6  What I do when I get really stuck is add pickle.  Cause trouble for your characters, complicate the solution or make their current situation worse.

In my latest release, Beyond the Gate, I wanted my characters to discover this peaceful wonderful part of their world but peace can be boring in a fantasy book.  So I sent some demons to force the characters to not only defend themselves but come to some hard decisions in the aftermath.  A big pickle.

So what kind of pickle do you add to your story to keep the plot moving forward? What do you do when you get stuck or lose enthusiasm for a project?

Hart Me

Thank you for visiting me at Jon Sprunk's blog yesterday.  I'm traveling still today and you can find me at Megan Hart's very active blog.
I've know Megan since before either of us were published.  Since then she's sold nearly a library's worth of books.  She also has a new release this January, Precious and Fragile Things, available in all fine book stores.
If you haven't met Megan before you'll learn something about her from the interview questions she asks me about my new release, Beyond the Gate.  The characters in her books reflect her interesting personality.  I'd love to hear from you today and I know you'll enjoy meeting Megan.

Fantasy Names

Thank you for visiting me at The Susquehanna Writers blog where I wrote about creating compelling characters.  Today I have the privilege of appearing on Jon Sprunk's Fear of the Dark blog.  Jon is a successful fantasy author who I met through Pennwriters.  Later in 2011 he will have his second fantasy novel released and hopefully will guest here.

My fantasy series, The Futhark Chronicles, has a medieval setting so when I named my characters I tried for interesting names while keeping in mind popular contemporary names might seem out of place.  In the second book, Beyond the Gate, I believe the reader will see the connection between the names and the personalities of my characters.   I'll be interested to hear your thoughts on how I selected the names.  Please join me at Jon's place today.

Characters At Susquehanna Writers

Thanks for visiting me at Alex Cavanaugh's blog yesterday.  Today I'll be appearing on The Susquehanna Writers blog where I'll be discussing character. 

The first book in my fantasy series, The Keepers of Sulbreth, received much praise from reviewers for the depth and complexity of the characters.  Beyond the Gate, book #2 in The Futhark Chronicles, will expose even greater insights in the lead characters and those who surround them.  I would love your comments on characters and what you do to make them compelling for readers. Stop over at Susquehanna Writers today.

Follow Me to Alex's Place

Today I'm appearing at Alex Cavanaugh's blog today.  I'm discussing world-building.  The topic could actually make a book and I've only brushed the surface with a few points.  There is so much to creating a fantasy world different from good old Earth.  I'll appreciate your comments on how you build a world for your writing.
Of course I'll use details from my newest release, Beyond the Gate, as examples in my post.  After all, the purpose of a blog tour is to call attention to my work.  Hopefully you check it out further right here.
Tomorrow I'll be talking about character development and giving them depth over on The Susquehanna Writers' blog. 
So please hop on over to Alex's place.

Beyond the Gate: Blog Tour

I was warned when I started my career as a writing, it can be a very lonely business.  But it's not so bad when you make so many friends through blogging, writers' groups and other social networks.  Using advice from them and many others I'm going on my first every blog to tour to celebrate and promote the release of Beyond the Gate, Book #2 in The Futhark Chronicles.
Tomorrow, January 10th, I'll appear on Alex Cavanaugh's blog and share some thoughts on world-building.  If you don't already know Alex, he runs a very successful blog with lots of interesting material.
Tuesday, January 11th, I'll be talking about giving your characters depth over at The Susquehanna Writers.
Wednesday, January 12th, I'm happy to guest on Jon Sprunk's blog and talk about how I select names for my characters.  Hopefully you give me examples of how you picked the names in your manuscripts.
Thursday, January 13th, I'm visiting Megan Hart's blog for an interview.  Megan also has a new release this month, Precious and Fragile Things.
Friday, January 14th,  I'm back here with more ideas on working though the bog downs in your WIP.
On Monday, January 17th, I'm appearing in an interview on Cate Master's blog and giving away a copy of The Keepers of Sulbreth, Book #1 in The Futhark Chronicles.  I hope to see lots of you there.
Natalie Damschroder welcomes me to her blog with an interview on January 18th.  She also has a new release coming out later in the spring.
I'm excited about the tour but what to warn everyone I work all day and can't respond to comments until the early evening. I promise to read everything you write.
Have you ever done a blog tour?  Do you prefer to read interviews or posts about craft or promotion?  Do you think blog tours are effective promotion tools or just fun?

Drugged and Dragging

The heroes and heroines in my books are tough and brave.  It is fantasy after all.  Some of you know I had ankle surgery yesterday.  Today I'm dragging and still trying to shake off the anesthesia.  I don't do well with any kind of meds.  I'm actually taking only ibuprofen but not because I'm tough or brave or stupid about pain. I just get really sick taking any kind of narcotics.  I'd rather be in pain than sick in my stomach.
The good news is that without the mind-fogging narcotics, I'll hopefully be clear-headed enough to keep working on my WIP.  And I'll have a new perspective on my characters' physical discomforts.
For more on dealing pain to your characters please visit the group blog I share a few other members of Pennwriters.  The Susquehanna Writers can be found here.  I'd like to hear your opinions on how TV, Movies and Books handle pain and injury.

What Makes a Successful Blog?

I'm trying hard to make my blog a successful tool in my writing career.  Over the past few months as I slowly came to the decision to drop my website and go blog only, I did a lot of reading about what makes a blog successful and I thought I'd share what I've compliled.  I'm not claiming all this is factual and not even if I agree with it all. 
One thing everyone seems to agree upon is posting frequently.  It doesn't have to be everyday as that would cut into one's vital writing hours.  But three or more times a week is strongely advised.  I've been trying to do that. 
When should you post? Many experienced bloggers have statistics to prove there is less traffic to their blogs on weekends.  Some can name a specific day they have the most visits and comments.  I'm not sure if this means people do a lot of blog reading at work or not.  I can't read blogs at work but I'm sure many can or they can follow them on their mobile devices. 
Don't make your blogs too long.  Most advise something between 250-1000 words.  Remember your blog isn't about writing a novel.  Have short paragraphs.
Make sure people can comment on your blog and follow their blogs and comment on them.  Don't always be snarky or sarcastic in your posts or comments.  Sometimes is okay but if you do it all the time you'll eventually offend some people.  And learn how to put some of those blogs you follow in your sidebar.  I do this and I'm always adding more and switching them in and out.
People will visit your blog more often if it isn't always about you.  You don't have to be an expert on everything to be able to share your experiences and opinions (like I'm doing here).  But consider who your target is as you decide on the subjects of your posts.  People don't come to my blog expecting to read political rants. 
Keeping a notebook with you always will help you collect ideas for blogs.  I pick up little journals for a dollar a piece at the craft store and jot down anything I might be able to use.  Some pages have only a title with no outline under it, other pages are filled with full outlines where I've collected information from many sources.  This post is right off one of those outlines.
One blogger advised the use of photos where they could be fit in as they add interest and catch a quick-clicker's eye.  Make sure they're qualitiy photos and permitted to be used.
And finally, take the long view.  Be patient and let your following grow.  I started concentrating on building my blog about two months ago.  Before that I was posting less than once per week.  Since the beginning of November, I've doubled my number of followers and make some great connections to other bloggers and readers.  I hope to double that number again over the next few months. 
What advice above don't you agree with?  What would you add? 

Beware the Googley Eyes

Is there anyone who doesn't know how to 'google' things?  It's even a popular comic line in movies and on TV.  Google can be used as a noun or a verb but either way be careful how you use it.
Like most authors, I set up Google Alerts to catch any new reviews or other news about my books circulating the web.  I have them set up for all my books, those already released and those yet to come.   Lately I've been rejoicing in the alerts telling me someone is searching out news about my latest release, Beyond the Gate.
It's very easy to waste precious writing minutes 'googling' yourself and then clicking around the Internet to read every little tidbit or stare at every online picture of your book cover.  And what you find isn't always inspiring.  You might find a poor review or a simple unfavorable comment when you follow one of those links.  It can not only waste time but deplete your emotional energy.

But what I'm most wary of is the knowledge that, yes, everybody does google.  It's only human to wonder what other people say about you.  So be careful whom you offend online.  If I write a blog flaming a particular agent, editor, or even another author, chances are good they will learn of it.  Take care with personal attacks on organizations or groups.   If I post on facebook a unflattering depiction of someone in the publishing world, I must remember that person might see it.  How might it affect my career?

A number of years ago at the very first writer's conference I'd ever attended, I attended a panel discussion of where the business was going.  The panel consisted of editors, agents and a few very successful authors.  A question was asked and one of the authors answered in a way one could only construe as racist.  I was shocked but I didn't run home and share it on my yahoo groups or my young blog.  I did stop buying her books though I expect her remarks resulted from ignorance more than true bigotry. 

So be careful what you say.  It may affect your career in unintended ways even it only loses you a few fans.  It could cost you friendships, connections and even trust with others in the industry.  Have you ever been shocked by what someone posted on a social network?  Do you know someone who has suffered those unintended consequences by speaking their mind? 

To Spin a Web or Not

I spend hours over Thanksgiving break redoing my website.  But the more author friends I make in the blogosphere, the more I wonder if it's a good use of my time.  I enjoy keeping my blog up to date and can procrastinate hours of my writing time visiting interesting blogs.  Some are fun, some informative and others combinations of the two. 
Cate Masters helped me figure out how to add pages to my blog and I've been working on them.  Soon everything on my website will also be on my blog.  My blog will actually be like a website but it will get updated a couple of times per week and it will have great links everyday to my friends' blogs. So is my web page redundant?
I'm starting to think so and already a number of other authors have told me they only do a blog though they maintain multiple pages on it like a website.
So I'm throwing out the question.  Website? Necessary? Just a lot of work? Keep it or dump it? I'm very interested to hear not only opinions but your reasons to help me decide.

Does It Get Any Better Than This?

If you read my blog before you've probably seen the great cover my publisher designed for The Keepers of Sulbreth. I could barely hope for another one half so cool for the second book, Beyond the Gate. Earlier this week, James Tampa sent me a preview of the cover. I nearly screamed with excitement. How am I supposed to wait until next January to see this in stores? And now I wonder, how will they top this for books #3 and #4?

It brings me back to the age old question. Have you ever picked up or bought a book because you loved the cover?

Ten Things

I realized today I forgot to share ten things about me when I was thanking Helen Ginger for honoring me with the One Lovely Blog award. I'm not sure my life is so interesting but here goes.

1. I am one of 7 children and now have 6 of my own. I love a crowd at Thanksgiving.

2. I coached my third son's little league team and those boys still call me coach even though they're freshmen in college now.

3. I grew up on a dairy farm and often rose at 4:00 AM many days to milk the cows.

4. One of my very favorite hobbies is doing jigsaw puzzles, the tougher the better.

5. I bake bread at least once per week. I'm always experimenting with different ingredients.

6. I've been a high school teacher for nearly 30 years. Yes, I'm counting the days until I retire.

7. I keep my fingernails cut very short because I can't type with nails.

8. My favorite candy is swedish fish. (I don't care that much for chocolate.)

9. My grandfather was a bootlegger during prohibition.

10. I have a sister who lives in Forks, WA.

Sometimes writers only share things with each other about the craft and our careers. So now you all know a little bit more about me. Nothing worth blackmailing me for.

One Lovely Blog

Super duper thank you to Helen Ginger for One Lovely Blog Award. If you don't have Helen's blog bookmarked, you really should stop by. She always has something interesting to say and usually provides some great links to useful information for writers.

As a recipient of the award I get to pass it along. The choices are so difficult because I follow so many great blogs. Here's a few I can't resist mentioning.

Natalie Damschroder

Ava Quin

Rowena Cherry

These three super ladies often make me laugh, sigh and especially get back to work. Rowena is a pirate hunting captain of the literature seas. Natalie has answers to every question one might need an answer to when it comes to writing and Ava always has some entertaining video up to make me smile.

I hope you'll visit them and leave a comment and hopefully they'll pass on One Lovely Blog to someone else.

Bless This Mess

What does it take to bring comfort and keep the creative vibes flowing for a writer? Some of us like complete silence and others prefer the background sound of music pounding out a beat to fit the mood of our story.

What about our physical surroundings? For me, warmth is the top priority and after that is something to put my feet up on. My day job, the bill-paying one, expects me to be on my feet all day. When I write in the evenings and on weekends, I like to rest my poor tired legs on a soft stool.

Then there are the tools of the trade. I used to think that meant my computer and the journal I kept all my characters and world building straight in. Now I know better. Convenient to hand must be my Flip Dictionary which I love over any Thesaurus and my massive Websters Universal College Dictionary with the incredibly small print. On the other hand is my 2010 weekly schedule book. One or two reference books helping me with my current WIP. This book they happened to be my mineral and crystal reference, Herbal Medicines and a lore book about all kinds of legends.

Spinning my desk around I can grab one of my three ring binders I use to keep my different series and all their paperwork organized in. Since I'm published with three different publishers I often refer back to their guidelines for formatting issues. Each one has a few different things in the style they prefer. Here I have lists of contact information, copies of contracts, hard copies of any interview or review for those books and of course, color copies of the covers. There is one for my newest fantasy series but since I haven't sold it yet the binder is a bit empty.

As you can see from the pictures, I actually work at two desks. One is a simple writing desk ($99 at Office Max) where I work on my laptop. Often the surface is covered with sticky notes reminding me of tasks I must complete or simply the time of an appointment. The other desk holds promotional items, files of things I'm getting to someday and usually one or two magazines I'm going to read someday. Here is my the folder I toss my tax receipts in until I take the time to organize them. There I put my alpha smart until I'm ready to use it again. So many untended but not unloved folders languish there with half started or outlined novels. Someday.

My chair is a simple one I paid less than $50 for at another office store. And a little bookshelf with my most used reference books on sits by my left hand. I have a bunch more of those but I have to get up to get them.

The room itself is a small sitting room at the front of the house I made into my office. It even has a fireplace and gets the morning sun. Completing the entire comfy set up is a folded paper towel I use as my coaster for cups of coffee or hot tea, iced seltzer water or perhaps a goblet of chilled wine. I'm finishing up my ice coffee right now and will probably had one glass of wine later tonight.

How do you arrange your writing area for comfort? Is it private or does the family interrupt you constantly? Do you do anything special to keep different WIPs organized and separate in your mind?

Radio of the Future

I did my very first radio interview ever. Blog radio will air my interview about my new release, The Keepers of Sulbreth, on starting today. Hopefully one or two people will pull themselves away from tonight's bowl game and listen. If not, the interview will be available at my publisher.

As you can imagine, I was quite nervous going into the interview, but Kristina smoothed the way. Fortunately, everything was recorded so she will edit out any fumbles. She expected it to take an hour but we finished in less than that so I hope that means it went well. I can't wait to hear the finished version.

The publishers I work with for my romance novels both maintain blogs but I think I like blog radio better as far as ease for me in speaking. You can get a lot of information in a few minutes that will take much longer to type and proof. And Kristina did the hard work of cleaning it up.

How many of you have experienced blog radio either as a listener or a blogger? Do you see a big future in it or will other technology overtake it? Or has it already?

Futhark Chronicles Have Arrived!

Happy New Year! This year is special to me as my very first fantasy novel has been released. The Keepers of Sulbreth, Book# 1 of The Futhark Chronicles, is now available in all bookstores choosing to carry it and on Amazon and other online retail stores.

This first book in an epic fantasy introduces readers to the island kingdom of Futhark and all the complex characters involved in, what else, saving the world. That is what epic fantasy is about, saving the world from evil and sometimes from ourselves.

It's so difficult resisting the temptation to check those Amazon numbers constantly. One number I have enjoyed peeking in on at the number of copies in stock. Not that I know the exact number but at least twice now Amazon has posted their little red-lettered warning that only a few are left and more are on their way. Hopefully that doesn't mean they only had two to begin with!

So I hope this new year brings moments of peace when people can stop worrying about war and money for a short time and relax with a good book (mine, please). I wish for work for all those capable so they have money to buy books and the hours to enjoy them.

What I Will and Won't Do This Week

I have so much stuff piled up on my desk there's barely room for my coffee. I keep writing reminders, lists, and stacking things into meaningly piles. I need to catch up, but I also need to finish up some other things. So I writing a public list reminder to myself of what I will accomplish this week and what things I will set aside until later.
#1. I will finish the edits on To Tame A Tiger for The Wild Rose Press.
#2. I won't waste any more energy or emotion complaining about my books being on all those pirate sites for free download.( But it makes me so mad).
#3. I will take the time and do the paperwork to join PAN.
#4. I will set up my squidoo page.
#5. I won't start reading the third book in Brent Weeks' shadow series because I can't seem to put his books down once I start.
#6. I will send all that paperwork off the TWRP and join their yahoo groups.
#7. I won't visit Facebook twenty times a night to see what interesting things my friends are up to.
#8. I will visit all my favorite blogs once a day and leave comments. They're so funny and informative.
#9. I will not under any circumstances visit Borders or any other bookstore this week including and not limited to online booksellers.
#10. I will get on the treadmill each day and run instead of walking no matter how many other things I can think of that I need to do.

I intend to stick to this list and complete all ten by this time next week. Wish me luck.