Monday, April 25, 2011

Interview at Karen Cote's Chaise Lounge--See the New Me


Hooray! The day is finally here! I am a guest at Karen Cote's Chaise Lounge this week. What an honor and a privilege to be a "star" on her innovative website. Karen is a creative author at Muse It Up Publishing. She uses her talent to generously promote MIU authors on her site.


Muse It Up Publishing

I have had an extreme make-over by Karen. It was so much fun deciding how to wear my hair, a hat or not, my tropical attire, right down to the special jewelry selection. So click here to see the new me and hear the behind-the-scenes discussion about Sunshine Boulevard.

Sunday, April 24, 2011

Wishing you a Happy Easter, Happy Spring!

 
Happy Easter, Happy Spring

Wishing you Easter blessings, sunshine, love and joy this spring season and all year!

Friday, April 22, 2011

FREE FREE FREE Authors Blog Conference

Exciting news! A first of its kind–a free conference at the Muse It Up Publishing blog  presented by authors at Muse It Up. The topics are aimed at making you a better writer offering information on character development, researching, social media, critiques and more. Each day a different workshop is offered, so yes! 30 different ways to help you in your writing journey.

Sign up to be eligible to win free books when you participate and discounts for readers.

Every day at noon..99 cent books–yes! full priced books on sale for one day only for 99 cents!!
http://museituppublishing.blogspot.com/p/muse-blog-conference.html
I will be presenting a workshop on June 9 on Writing Memoirs. I hope you will be able to join me anytime that day. Looking forward to seeing you in June.

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Blog Hop Thursday-Writing in Logical Order

THIS WEEK'S AUTHOR BLOG HOP QUESTION IS:
Do you write in logical order?
I like to think that I am more left brained than right brained. Left brained people are more organized, ordered, and systematic in their approach to life I usually think of accountants and IT people in this group. Right brained folks are, well, NOT so I imagine artists in this category.

Because I feel writing is a form of creative arts, I should fit into the right brained area, but when writing, I do follow the logical steps in progressing from the beginning to the conclusion of a story. I never write the middle before the beginning and would never think of writing the end before the beginning. However, having said that...I am flexible when writing so I can take twists and turns that add more to the story than what I had originally imagined.

So are you confused with this non-answer? I guess I am not writing too logically, eh?

Check out how other bloggers answer this question at Alternative Read. Scroll down the page and find the blogs participating this week.

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Snowbird Heading Home

Here I am under the palm tree in our back yard in Florida.

This snowbird is headed north...not flying away on snow white wings, but rather plodding along in our big blue truck. It is heavily loaded with all our possessions plus more stuff we just had to bring along for the kids. I have been offline while we traveled.

I love Florida in the winter. It is a great place to be to escape the snow and blizzards of the north country. But I am so ready to return home for kisses and hugs. Emails, Facebook and phone calls, not into texting yet, will never replace the actual touch, smell, and loving embrace of my family.

We surprised our grandsons at McDonald's in Muskegon. When our eight year old saw us, he raced across the parking lot and jumped into Grandpa's arms. Thank goodness he didn't knock gramps down! We were all thrilled to be together.

Go hug someone you love right now.

Sunday, April 10, 2011

Meet New Members of Our Family

Welcome Piper!

Let me introduce you to two new members of our family. A couple of weeks ago, my older daughter brought home this adorable, eight week old puppy, Piper. She is a mix of chihuahua and poodle. Turbo, a 95 pound chocolate lab loves playing with her. There's only a 90 pound difference between the two dogs. LOL  Otis, the enormous 14 year old orange cat, is not as thrilled about the intrustion into his domain.


And a big welcome to Ace!

Last Sunday my younger daughter attended a pet show with her two sons with no intention of coming home with a pet. But....they couldn't resist this little guy, a three year old red Pomeranian she adopted from an animal shelter at the show. My grandson, Noah, explained they saw Ace sitting in the corner of his cage looking so lonely. The dog's sad eyes looked at Noah and said "Take me home." It worked. Ace joins black and white cat, Zazoo who is just ignoring him for now.

I'm looking forward to meeting them too. I guess we're going to the dogs...!!

Friday, April 8, 2011

I'm a Guest at Karen McGrath's Blog

Please come on over to Karen's blog, Boston Daydreaming, and visit with us today.



Karen McGrath is an editor and author at Muse It Up Publishing. Check out her new book just released this month-- Primordial Sun, the Heart of the Amazon. She was one of my editors on my book. I learned a lot about writing from her. Thanks, Karen!

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Plotter or Pantser

THIS WEEK'S AUTHOR BLOG HOP QUESTION IS: 
Are you a plotter or a panster?
This is a fundamental question posed to writers. Does the author plan or outline or know before she writes the book how the story will play out on the pages? OR does she sit down and just begin writing and let the characters, plot, etc roll out as she writes?

I don't know why we ask this question of fellow writers, just curious to learn tips on how to get that book down on the page perhaps. Readers are interested in how a book develops too.

I have found that plotters are at one end of the extreme and pantsers are at the other. I, like many writers, are in the middle. I don't make a three page outline or a 35 page outline as one author told me, nor do I just jump in willy nilly with no idea how the story will go.

Plotter ------------------------------------------ME---------------------------Pantser

I do scribble down ten to fifteen key ideas to take me in the direction from the beginning of the story to the end. When I begin writing I know the setting and the time frame and I have had the story bubbling up in my head for days. I turn over ideas while I am showering, walking, washing dishes, and right before going to sleep at night (which is annoying). When I sit down to write, I can't wait to get started on the rough draft and race to the end. Then I go back and flesh out the story improving, adding, deleting, etc.

Writing a book is a process. There is no right or wrong way to do it. Just write the way that works best for you...plotter, pantser, or in between.

To read other authors' methods of writing click here.

Monday, April 4, 2011

Buy a Book and Help Japan

Available at Smashwords
Karen Cote has done it again with her virtual interview of Lindsay Below. Lindsay wrote a story which she tells us just enough to tease us during the interview. All proceeds from the sale of her book will go for relief  for those in the Japan earthquake. These interviews are so unique and fun. Find  out for yourself.

Friday, April 1, 2011

Sunshine Boulevard on Sale April 1-14


Save now! Get 20% off my mystery/light horror e-book, Sunshine Boulevard April 1-14 through Muse It Up Publishing! Regularly $3.50, now just $2.80! Go here now to get this deal before it expires.

Read it and let me know how you liked it. Leave a review at the publisher or at amazon.com. Thanks so much!


There are also several books on sale and some $1.99 promotions at MIU Bookstore.

Enjoy!

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