Nearly Missed It

I'm going to get my Monday post up with three hours to spare. I have no excuses for not having it up earlier today. Tired? Lazy? Busy? Probably all three.

Being late does allow me to link to the IWSG post today. Bestselling author Mary Buckman talks about websites, hooks, and plotting. Lots of good advice from an expert.

The book event I attended on Saturday was fun and I made contact with many of my writer friends I hadn't seen for a while. You'll be meeting some of them as guests on my blog in the next few months. As for the book sales, blah. There was very little patron traffic except for family and friends. I only sold three books which probably paid for my gas and the snack I bought on the way home.

The leaves are turning and beautiful as they float to the ground. I'm enjoying the mild weather and the cool nights. It's the best of fall right now. Seeing lots of butterflies. They are very beautiful for cannibals.

"October, the extravagant sister, has ordered the most gorgeous forest tapestry for her grand reception." Autumn by Oliver Wendell Holmes

50/50 going slow but steady. I hope to finish the book I'm working on and move onto my next project by the start of December. Big plans.

I won't be posting next Monday but on Wednesday instead for IWSG. In the meantime, I'll be writing. When I'm not I'm re-watching Stranger Things. I'm sure lots of you will be tuning in next weekend for season 2. Can't wait. Can it possibly be as good as the first season? Lots of pressure on those writers.

Are you looking forward to Stranger Things? Do you love fall? Did you know those cute little butterflies were cannibals? Ready for some scary Halloween fun this coming weekend?

Upcoming Book Event

I know most of my blogger friends don't leave in Pennsylvania or Maryland, but if you are nearby, I hope you'll support the York Book Expo Event held at the Wisehaver Event Center in York, PA this coming Saturday. This is the third annual event featuring local authors and run by Demi Stevens who has been a guest on IWSG where she posted about organizing such a book event.

I'm excited to see some of my writer friends I haven't seen for a while and meet the hundreds of readers and book lovers who attend this every year. Last year I had the pleasure of speaking with a young couple who had returned just to see me again and purchase more books. It's great fun and if I sell some books (or a lot of books) it's even more fun.

Tomorrow I'm signing my granddaughter up for the next session of 'Born to Read.' Hard to believe how quickly the first session is going. My granddaughter has lost all her hesitation and last week plopped her butt right in front of the instructor and listened to her reading a story. She probably wanted to chew the book like she does the ones she has at home.

And in answer to all the emails I'm getting, Yes, Panera, I am enjoying my free month of bagels. I don't go everyday but I've been in three times this month and received my free bagel. I also purchased the special ribbon-shaped bagel they're selling to support breast cancer research. Also impressed the other day when the person taking orders told the soldier standing in line behind me that his meal was on the house to thank him for his service. No flash, no TV coverage, just a business doing a good thing. Good on you, Panera, and thank you for the free bagels.

50/50 writing challenge is going okay though I'm not off to the running start I was the last time we did it in the spring. After I get this booksigning out of the way, I'll have no other big events to take up my weekends for a while.

Yearly checkup today so I'll get to your blogs later today and find out how your fall is going. Wonder what those free bagels are doing to my numbers on the scale? Guess the doc will let me know. Ouch.

Are than book events in your area? Ever attended or been part of one? Are you a Panera fan? My daughter loves their soups.

Big Plans and an Anthology for Charity

I hope you'll take a look at the upcoming box release from my friend, Michelle Howard. Michelle is a very successful author of all types of exciting romantic adventures. And this set is not only a good bargain, but part of the proceeds go to a good cause.

Embrace the Romance:  Pets in Space 2 Anthology

Release Date: October 10, 2017

 The pets are back! Embrace the Romance: Pets in Space 2, featuring twelve of today’s leading Science Fiction Romance authors brings you a dozen original stories written just for you! Join in the fun, from the Dragon Lords of Valdier to a trip aboard award-winning author, Veronica Scott’s Nebula Zephyr to journeying back to Luda where Grim is King, for stories that will take you out of this world! Join New York Times, USA TODAY, and Award-winning authors S.E. Smith, M.K. Eidem, Susan Grant, Michelle Howard, Cara Bristol, Veronica Scott, Pauline Baird Jones, Laurie A. Green, Sabine Priestley, Jessica E. Subject, Carol Van Natta, and Alexis Glynn Latner as they share stories and help out Hero-Dogs.org, a charity that supports our veterans!

10% of the first month’s profits go to Hero-Dogs.org. Hero Dogs raises and trains service dogs and places them free of charge with US Veterans to improve quality of life and restore independence.

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://buff.ly/2xa41Kb | BN: https://buff.ly/2xabZTy | Kobo: https://buff.ly/2x9CMzc | iBooks: https://buff.ly/2xajI3R

On Thursday of this week, my local chapter of CPRW is starting the second of our writing motivation 50/50 projects. The idea is to write at least 50 new words for fifty straight days. Of course, most people write many more than that. Just making yourself sit down at the document and typing a few sentences almost always leads to writing more. We time this second 50/50 to overlap with NaNo for those members who are diving into that craziness. Wish me luck.

Please hope over the Insecure Writers' Support Group. They've been having some terrific guest posts and have another one up today.

If Columbus had an advisory committee he would probably still be at the dock.  ~Arthur Goldberg

Hope you had work off for Columbus Day. If it's not raining, I'll be mowing and raking leaves. And Happy Thanksgiving Day to my Canadian friends. Hope you enjoy a feast today.

Poldark was good last week and a two hour premier special. My daughter and I have watched The Good Doctor together. Interesting so far. Hope the writers can keep it up. Inhumans isn't really catching my interest but I'll give it a few more episodes. Supernatural is back this week. About time.

Are you taking part in NaNo or have you ever? Did you get a long weekend for whichever holiday? Are you a fan of any of those shows I mentioned? Raking leaves yet? Need a good boxed set to read on a cool fall night?

IWSG: October Already

It's time for the monthly bloghop started by the awesome Alex J. Cavanaugh. Insecure Writer's Support Group posts on the first Wednesday of every month and we share our fears, successes as well as asking for and giving advice. Hope you'll join us by signing up here and visiting more members.

This month's co-hosts are Chemist Ken, Tamara Narayan, Olga Godim, and Jennifer Hawes. Thanks to them for volunteering to help.

IWSG is running a contest where you post of a picture of your IWSG swag. Alas, I didn't take any pictures despite having some pretty great swag hanging about my writing space. I will enjoy checking out all the pictures.

The optional question for this month: Have you ever slipped any of your personal information into your character either by accident of on purpose?

No, I haven't. Something that does often appear in my novels are siblings with special, supportive relationships. Not only do I have 6 siblings that are wonderful, but I have six children who love each other. I love brothers and sisters working together in books I read and on TV shows I watch. It's one of my favorite things.

“A brother is a friend given by Nature.” – Jean Baptiste Legouve

“Our brothers and sisters are there with us from the dawn of our personal stories to the inevitable dusk.” – Susan Scarf Merrell

Making some progress on my WIP though slower than I want. I'm determined to finish it soon so I can start on my next project. More on that later.

On the entertainment front, I forgot all about Poldark coming back on this past Sunday. I really enjoy the show now going into its third season. Lots of drama, history and romance. It doesn't ignore the plight of the poor like some period pieces do.

My granddaughter continues to amaze. She turns seven months old today and is already walking around things and behind push toys. And at the weekly library group, she is the only one who will sit quietly and listen and watch the leader reading a story. The other kids distract her at times, but she turns her attention back to the reading. It's great fun to be with her doing things that I didn't get to do as a mother to my own children because I was working full time.

Did you show off some swag today? Do parts of you show up in your writing? Have any siblings you adore? Are you a Poldark fan?