November 26, 2018: The Book Signing of Christmas Past−As I approach my second book’s release date (BLOOD MONEY, TWRP) on December 10, 2018, I can only think back to my very first book signing last year for my very first book, and make a list and check it twice for future signings:

·        If outside, the temperature should be ABOVE freezing

·        Portable heaters should be present and nearby, as in under my feet

·        Free hot-chocolate should be plentiful

·        Cute Christmas costumes should include scarves, hats, gloves…and thermal underwear!

·        And last but not least, beg for a backup plan to move the venue inside if the snowflakes threaten

Weather in East Tennessee is unpredictable, to say the least, but wouldn’t you know on that long-anticipated day, the temperature dropped so low that vendors cancelled right and left at our local Christmas street festival. Even the Humane Society thought it too inhumane to bring promised pets for petting. Not me. I was riding a high on the thoughts of autographing my book, and I never considered for one minute that no one would come. Kudos to those few die-hard friends that did, and to one very special lady who drove hours just to support me--that was definitely the highlight of my first book signing; but alas, after three hours, my fingers grew so numb, I barely could sign my name−and those I did mirrored chicken-scratch. I was only too happy to call it quits. I cannot state it enough: book signings in “fowl” weather should be inside…even Santa was cold! www.sandiu.blogspot.com

August 30, 2018: The end of August is in sight. How did that happen? This has definitely been a month of writing for me. I had two revisions due almost at the same time. Deadlines. Isn’t that what life is all about? Writing deadlines are a good thing, though. In most cases, they mean you will soon have a published book. I’ve probably revised my adult mystery more than twelve times. The story has worn me out. The characters words, thoughts, and actions I know almost as well as my own; but each revision has taught me patience and determination. I’ve grown as a writer. I’ve disciplined my time to meet the schedule. I’ve learned to prioritize. One way I do this is to keep a running list. I know what I need to do when. As each task is completed, I feel a sense of accomplishment. Another way is to reward myself. I told myself if I can just make it through August, I’m going to the beach in September where I plan to do little more than lie on the beach during the day and eat seafood at night. “Yeah right,” a little voice inside my head says, “you know in the third book of The Baker Manor Series, the setting is at the beach. You need to jot down exactly how the moonlight strikes the shore, how does it feel to run for your life in the scorching sun on an empty stretch of sand, and what does a killer think as he/she stares out at the horizon?” Welcome to a writer’s world.

August 14, 2018:

#woohooanothercontract #number3- On Friday of last week, I received my third book contract. This one is for Mountain Laurel - the story I began back in 2009 and probably the one I’ve most wanted to see become a book. This is the story about Mom and Dad’s first date. It is chocked full of family lore, with a whole lot of creative liberty thrown in to make a good read, but the stories are basically true, some told by Mom and some by Dad, but each one means something to me. The old sayings, passed down by my Grandparents through my Parents, will live on through me to my grandchildren. The setting is The Smoky Mountains and there’s a nod to many things important to my family: Church homecomings, railroad trains, growing a garden, canning and, with the help of an expert, even burley tobacco (okay, that’s not something we grew, but its history goes way back and was an important crop to East Tennessee). However, I couldn’t write a story about this area without throwing in a chapter about moonshining. This book is near and dear to my heart and I’m excited to see it finally coming to life-due out March 2019. You will know how important it is to me when you read the dedication: 

To my granddaughter, Hannah Elizabeth, named after my mother, the real Mountain Laurel. 

(Onie Elizabeth Bowers, 1918-2011).

 July 30, 2018: Promote, promote and then promote, again! The publisher for my adult novel coming out soon offers lots of advice on how to promote your book. They are big on social media and encourage their authors to get an Instagram account, if they do not already have one. I don’t, so guess I need to look into that soon. Think of it this way…just another means of embarrassing my grandchildren. 

 July 24, 2018: Are you ready for a sequel to THE SECRET AT ONE BELMONT LANE? When a great idea for a new story lands in your lap, what do you do? You jump for joy, that’s what. That happened this past weekend. My daughter-in-law came up with a great idea for a sequel to THE SECRET AT ONE BELMONT LANE. When she told me her idea, it just clicked…and it’s one I had not thought of, but when I heard it, I just knew it was the sequel of all sequels. I’ve been asked by six different people for a sequel. Does that happen to everyone, you ask. I don’t know. I’m new at being a published author. I have made several attempts to write a sequel, but I’ve barely gotten past the first chapter…and to be honest, I wasn’t happy with it. This new idea is super-duper mega-licious and so enticing I can’t wait to read it!  But first, I have to write the story. 😓

July 16, 2018: What to do while waiting to hear from an Editor? Market research. And lots of it. The more submissions you have out there, the higher your chances of a contract. Simple math, right? I try to have ten-twelve active submissions at all times. Now to take that advice one-step farther, be sure to study the submission guidelines or you stand the chance of wasting, not only your time, the publisher’s, as well. Is your story a Picture Book? If so, there’s no need to send it to an editor who clearly states they are closed to Picture Books. Matching your story with the best publisher takes time and effort. Many will clearly state what they’re looking for. Spending a few hours studying their guidelines will up your odds. If your story checks most of their boxes, you stand a greater chance for a contract. And isn’t that what’s it all about?

June 26, 2018: 

Where do you get your ideas for your stories? That’s probably the number one question a writer gets asked. I don’t have a set answer, but I do have an answer for my latest idea--Sunday School class. You never know when an idea might pop up, or in this case, be provided by someone to you. In addition to writing adult romance mysteries, I also enjoying writing children’s books. My latest effort is a picture book about, of all things, field mice. Now I’m not personally acquainted with farm life, so I had to ask a lot of questions about behavior on the farm. One thing that kept tripping me up was where/how to position a baby goat in the barn in order for him to provide transportation for my mice when they jump from the hayloft. Do I tie him up? No, I dislike the notion of tying up any animal. Do I have him a free-roaming goat? Or do I have him in a corral in the barn? I chose to go with the latter. That scenario just worked in my mind for the goat to be the unwilling getaway “car” for my run-for-your-life, it’s them or us, mice who made their home in the hayloft. In Picture Books, where every single word counts, twists and turns often can needle your noodle for days until you come up with the perfect notion. Now let’s see if I can find an editor who will agree.

From contract to publication

June 14, 2018: This weekend I hope to complete the final read-through of BLOOD MONEY (the first book in the Baker Manor Series), and sign off on Monday for release for publication.  If you’re lucky to have a publisher like mine, they will provide helpful tools as you work toward publication. One way is through a weekly online chat for their writers. This week, they suggested I use the next few weeks to prepare for promotion of the book. Here’s my first draft:

•   Blog every week about the upcoming publication of Blood Money
•  When the book publication date is set, notify the local paper and request an interview
•   After publication, visit the local library with a free copy in hand
•   Contact the local book store and request a book signing
•  Ask local shops if you can place a few books in their stores (for commissioned sales)

In the meantime, cue the coffee.

May 29, 2018:  How important is revision? “If the story is good, I will look past the many mistakes,” said no editor ever. So buckle your seat belts, pour another cup of coffee, and hold on because after more revisions that I can possibly count, I’m fixin’ to tell you the truth. Each time I’ve sent Blood Money back, I thought it was the absolute best it could be. Each time I received it back, mistakes jumped off the page. How could there possibly still be mistakes after all these years and revisions? Still, there they were. I’ve read many times, the mind (especially YOUR mind) sees what YOU meant to write. That’s Sandi-lish, not necessary English, but the meaning still holds. So I spent the past two weeks reading though Blood Money for the umpteenth time, and I found more than 25 edits…on the first 100 pages! In addition, this time something new surfaced. I identified a weak area involving an important sub-plot, but for the life of me, I didn’t know how to tie it together. Several days later, viola! The missing piece fell into place. Only a few words were required, but the story melded into a nice little nod to our Veterans. The timing could not have been better, as it preceded Memorial Day by only two days.  No matter how many times I’ve read through Blood Money, I still find something to improve. Are revisions tiring? You bet’cha. Will it be worth it in the end? Absolutely! Don’t be a lazy writer. Don’t fool yourself into thinking somewhere there’s an Editor just chomping at the bit to receive your underdeveloped, error-ridden manuscript. I’ve been subbing for almost ten years and I never found that fairy god-mother. I doubt you will, either. If you do, please email me his/her name!

Blood Money...coming soon!

In Alex Baker’s small world, where she’s in love with Greg, the man of her dreams, everything is perfect. When she inherits Aunt Ria’s vast estate in Boston, Massachusetts−complete with a huge mansion, stables, staff, and more money than Alex could spend in two lifetimes, she finds a new interest in lawyer Kyle Patterson.

After a series of unexplained accidents, Alex fears someone is trying to harm her. Her perfect little world is turned upside down, and she narrowly escapes with her life. Could Greg be responsible?

Needing to sort through her emotions, Alex escapes to Aunt Ria’s beloved cabin in Maine—a decision that could cost her everything.

Stay tuned on release date and how to get your signed copy!

April 30, 2018: How Important Is The Title? My adult mystery, Blood Money, went through three titles before I settled on the final one. It started out “The Love of Money,” then became “Root of All Evil,” and finally, “Blood Money.” All three depict the essence of the plot--greed leads to evil thoughts, evil thoughts lead to evil actions, evil actions lead to death.

In my middle-grade time-warp fiction on the life of young Davy Crockett, the title started out as “Creepy Caves” and wounded up “On The Banks of The Nolichucky.”  In that particular story, the tale is more about young Davy and his early life near Limestone, Tennessee--about 15 miles from where I live. Yes, my story began when the two MCs went cave exploring, but the story happens when they came out (up) on the other side--in 1795! Oftentimes, the story must evolve before the title surfaces, but here are some things to consider:

1.      Descriptive - “On The Banks of The Nolichucky” doesn’t exactly roll right off the tongue, but it definitely points to the gist of the story.

2.      Easy to remember - For local people, at least, the birthplace of Davy Crockett and the existing site for the State Park is located in East Tennessee, a place rich in history. It’s also near the capital of The Lost State of Franklin--the pre-runner of Tennessee. This allowed an opportunity to bring more history into the plot--facts studied in Tennessee history. I also wanted to clarify Disney’s “Born On A Mountain Top In Tennessee”--it’s more like on a riverbank in Tennessee.

3.      Easy to Repeat. Be prepared to say the title many times. Think of it as naming your unborn child. Make sure it rolls off your tongue, at least; and that you can string the order of words correctly. Nothing worse than having to google your own book to see what the title is.  I doubt that will ever happen to me, though. J

  April 23, 2018: The End …and a contest!

The End. Two words that sounds so final, indicating there is no more to come. Two small words, but what a huge responsibility. When I reach that point in my story, I feel like doing the happy dance. It means I did it, no matter how long and bumpy the journey was, I have a beginning, a middle, and an end. The importance of every ending centers around the emotional attachment the reader has once the book is closed. Did you wind up feeling ‘meh’; sad and weepy; or warm and fuzzy? That goal should be determined before the first keystroke−doesn’t always happen to me, though. The second-most important thing is to tie-up all loose strings. There is nothing worse than closing the book and saying, “hey…what about Marla? What happened between her and Nick?”

I’ve mentioned before I’m not big on outlining. I do have a beginning, a middle, and an end; however, sometimes my characters go off on a journey of their own and leave me panting to catch up. Basically, I do know the ending−but oh the twists and turns my characters often take on their way to it can be mind-boggling.

In my story coming out this year (Blood Money), I always knew with whom Alex would wind up. I always knew the bad guy, the actual crime, and the hero. My characters filled in the blanks as the story evolved. However, it wasn’t until after I wrote the first draft of the sequel (Blood Moon) that I knew who was really behind the whole devious plot. In that book, the final scene identifies the culprit to the reader, but not to Alex. The reader must wait for the third and last in the series, yet to be named, to have the bad guy’s crimes catch up with him. That book is only briefly outlined with the beginning (I know the location), the middle (I know the horrendous crime he will commit−my fingers are scorching to write it…THE CAD!), and the one loose string that will blow his cover and seal his fate.

Contest: Anybody have a good suggestion for the title of the last book in the series? It must be two words, the first one Blood, and the last word must begin with an “M”. A free copy of Blood Money to the winner!

April 9, 2018:  The Middle

I will get to the middle section of a story after I share the good news about BLOOD MONEY. I received the .pdf version and the correction sheet, which according to my editor means it is nearing the last stage before going into production. Whoo hoo! With each revision this story gets stronger, better, and tighter. Yes, it’s hard work, but the benefits will be worth it; and I have to confess that even at this late date, I’m seeing mistakes: a period here, a comma there…a stronger word, and even an entire sentence that needed to be flipped. I cannot stress enough the importance of revision. It’s so important NOT to submit to an editor before the manuscript is ready. If after so many revisions, one tends to STILL miss some boo boos (and it’s almost certain you will), then submitting before the work is ready will almost guarantee rejection. I've even seen a rejection that said, "love the story line, but we feel the manuscript is not ready." If I were a publisher, I’d consider the stronger submissions over all others−no matter how good the plot is. Does it matter that much? You darn tootin’. Revise, revise, and repeat!

As for the Middle section of a story, sometimes this is where I, personally, get off-track. I have been known to chase too far and too long down the rabbit hole on a plot. Readers lose interest, back-story overpowers, and the plot stagnates.

Some questions I ask during this phase include:

•         Are the secondary story lines critical to the overall plot or have I twisted and turned too many times?
•         Do these chapters move the story forward or are they just taking up space?
•         Do my characters grow and evolve or have I created one too many example of their bad behavior or wonderful charity work that leaves the reader falling asleep?
•         Have I built enough tension into the plot that forces the reader to turn the page?

A couple of things to avoid in the middle section are:

•         Lengthy long chapters that repeat the same thing three different ways in order to add to my word count. You only need to tell it once, no matter how interesting it may be. Build off the idea, solve the conundrum, but don’t fall into the trap of retelling the same situation using different words.
•         Floppy, ho-hum middle unable to make good on the mind-blowing first paragraph’s promise of a good read

If the beginning is geared to grab a reader’s interest to make them want more and the ending ties up all the unanswered questions and leaves the reader a better, happier person for having spent time there; then the middle must be the conflict, the shock and awe, the ‘boy I didn’t see that coming’ section. The middle is where your characters live on the edge, every minute cheating death, losing hope and suffering crushing blows at every turn. I also call that Monday.

 April 2, 2018:  So now, you’ve written a story…

When I finally got serious about writing, I started reading everything I could find on the subject and was surprised to learn there’s actually a right and a wrong way to write. One of the first things I remember reading was all stories have a beginning, a middle, and an end. It didn’t take me long to realize there’s more to that simple statement than meets the eye. Soon, I began to outline all my stories using this simple structure: the beginning needs to introduce the main character and state a brief summary of what the story is about, using very little backstory until chapters two or three. One thing to focus on: grab your readers and draw them in from the beginning or no matter how good the middle and ending are, if they aren’t committed from the get-go, they won’t make it to the good parts. I enjoy opening the story with action, when possible; using dialog vs. prose; and showing the personalities rather than telling about them. Take my first book, THE SECRET AT ONE BELMONT LANE. The main protagonist is on her way home from school. I could have begun the story by: Twelve-year old Erin hopscotched down the sidewalk, dodging puddles left from the morning rain when she became aware Elwood, her nerdy neighbor was in hot pursuit. (Ho-hum!)

Instead, I began with action:

“Splash the puddle, skip the crack. Skip the puddle, break my back," I chanted. My fancy footwork sounded out a splat, tap, tap as I hopscotched across the wet sidewalk. I tossed a glance over my shoulder at Elwood, my nerdy neighbor who thinks he’s my shadow.

By beginning with action, it’s easy to identify both the age of my main character and her nemesis, Elwood. In the next few paragraphs, I introduce the phenomenal twist when the kindly school guard disappears and a monster-dog arrives in his place. By setting the pace of the story and introducing a mystery on the first few pages, you’ve hooked your reader. Think of the beginning of the story as the appetizer--just enough to tantalize the reader into wanting more. As always, the first goal is to write the story, from beginning to end, and then go back and revise. After the first chapter, ask yourself these three questions: Who, What, and Where? Those answers should fall into place in the beginning.

Stay tuned for the middle and end in the following weeks.

March 26, 2018 - On The Banks Of The Nolichucky

My last revision of Blood Money has been back to the editor for a couple of weeks now, and I’m cooling my heels, waiting for the next go-round. This is a perfect time to work on new submissions, so I’ll bring you up to speed on what I’m doing while waiting. I have a revision under-way of my story on the young Davy Crockett. Since I live 15 miles from his birthplace, what a perfect fit, right? Now if only a publisher will see it that way. To draw inspiration for this story, I made the trek back to the site of The Davy Crockett Birthplace State Park in Limestone, Tennessee. As I gazed at the crude cabin, reconstructed to simulate what his cabin would have been, resting on the banks of the Nolichucky River, how could I not title my story “On The Banks Of The Nolichucky?” My mind flashed to the Disney song: Born on a mountaintop in Tennessee, and while the area is mountainous compared to flatlands, that song might be a little misleading. As I walked the hillside, gazed out over the rushing river, and realized young David Crockett surely spent many days fishing in that same river and exploring those same hills, it brought a sense of connectivity to a period of history I know little about--other than what I’ve read. History books have detailed the life of Davy Crockett, what could I possibly have to add? Instead, I wrote a story of modern-day twins who traveled back in time to find themselves unprepared in a world of no internet, smart phones and GPS. These two teens would have perished if not for the assistance of young David - there is no reference of him ever being called Davy as a lad - Crockett and his family. Once you choose to write historical fiction, OH! THE PLACES YOU'LL GO!  You'll be on your way up! You'll be seeing great sights! You'll join the high fliers who soar to high heights. - Dr. Seuss

March 19, 2018: Missed deadlines

   My second revision was supposed to go back to the editor a week before it actually did−my deadline, not my Editor’s; still I missed it. I finally finished my second read-through of the 383 page novel that will soon become Blood Money­−the first in the Baker Manor series, and I found edits every single time. I was thankful to find them, but horrified at what I was missing. Small mistakes−a comma where a period should be, too many “shes” beginning a sentence, (one of my downfalls!) and misplaced quotation marks abound.

I can’t help but compare the read-throughs as the difference between driving a red corvette with a souped-up engine and a rusty outer shell vs. one with a good-looking body that won’t run. If I’m chugging down the road, limping on four bald tires, and blowing smoke out the exhaust like there’s no tomorrow, what good does it matter if the face looks good? (Disclaimer: this is not intended to reference in any way, shape, or form my vast-approaching old age!)

Science tells us the mind is capable of scanning entire blocks of words in a matter of seconds, but often leads to less comprehension. Proofreaders, on the other hand, are expected to read slowly and catch every misplaced comma, every incorrectly placed word, and every incorrect verb tense.

Today’s software programs offer great tools in proofreading, i.e., spell-check, find and replace, and grade level; however, hard-copy reading is still the best way to go. At least in my humble opinion−or IMHO (what did we do before emojis and acronyms? We certainly wouldn’t be able to have a decent text conversation with our grandkids, that’s for sure). For now, Blood Money is back to the editor a’waiting the next go-round; not sure what that is, but, well, time to pursue another contract.😉

March 5, 2018: Revision can be fun.

Can you believe we are already in the third month of the New Year? Time flies when you’re having fun…it flies whether fun is involved or not, actually. Long evenings of revision can sometimes be fun or it can be stressful. I’m forever looking for ways to relieve stress; otherwise, I go to bed with it and rise with it after very little sleep. When a particular word, phrase, or sentence eludes me during revision, I twist it and turn it a thousand different ways before I’m satisfied. Chamomile Tea is a favorite at 8pm, stretching after hours of revision helps, but until I get that darn wording correct, nothing will free my mind completely. 

Take for instance that sentence on which I learned to type, (boy, did I just date myself, or what?). The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. We could also say: Muddy in color, the fleeting, flying fox darted right and left before sailing over the snoring canine. The first sentence utilizes as many keys on a typewriter as possible. The second sentence tickles the tongue and paints rosy pictures. Both sentences say the same, but it’s not so much what you say in writing as how you say it.  Granted, without a strong plot, the story won’t hold interest; but even with a strong plot, if your reader isn’t drawn in, the story falls by the wayside.

Be honest, in the first sentence, what kind of picture did you see in your mind as you read it? I saw a brown fox jump over a sleeping dog. In the second sentence, I saw a brownish colored fox, darting hither and yon−possibly shielding himself from view behind a boulder or tree, before stretching out to his maximum length to sail over an unsuspecting dog, snoring away. Think Roadrunner and the poor fox that constantly fell victim to his own antics. No matter how that fox sneaked around, over and through, he never succeeded; but the viewer didn’t mind. The entertainment was part of the journey. 

Writing is a journey. Revision is your road map, or GPS to the millennials.

February 26, 2018:

So many projects, so little time. After my first book was published, it warmed my heart to hear comments back about how much someone enjoyed reading it, but to see my first legit review on Goodreads, was in the neighborhood of amazing. Now, I’m being asked when will the sequel come out. Never did I ever think I would be slammed with writing projects, but fast-forward to 2018, and I am. I keep a submissions spreadsheet and, looking back, I realized I sent my first submission to a publisher in 2000. The existence of that spreadsheet is worth its weight in gold. It simply states the title, the date submitted, the publisher, by what method (i.e., online form, snail mail or email) and how long I should expect to wait. 

When I hear back, I do not delete, but strike-through the line (if it’s a no). By doing so, I maintain a record. Over the next seventeen years, I had a couple of magazine publications, one poem, and a few near-misses. No wonder I was on the verge of giving up! I took a year off from writing, but the pull was always there in the back of my mind. My critique partner kept me involved by sending me her work, all the while, encouraging me to write. I owe the success of my first book to her. I may not be an overnight wonder, but I’ve clearly proved perseverance pays off. 

Remember to set goals for yourself and strive to meet them. This week, I’m finishing up the 2^nd revision of Blood Money. My goal is to return it to the editor this weekend. While I’m waiting for the next phase, I plan to revise my story on the life of Davy Crockett. 

Always grow as a writer. Always strive to become better at your craft, no matter what it may be. Always learn, always try, and always submit--or here’s how I sign the majority of my books: Always Believe!

February 20, 2018:

Thursday evening at 6:52 p.m., I received the next revision of Blood Money. I read the editor’s comments, and was both overwhelmed with happiness and gobsmacked with anxiety at the same time. While the editor was very encouraging in saying I did a good job on the first revision, she also stated this would be the last opportunity I would see the manuscript in editable form. She encouraged me to take my time and do my best revising without changing the format. Once she receives it back, the story goes into production.  Once in production, there will be very little opportunity for changes. Wow. The pressure. I’m questioning every word, comma and period. That’s a big responsibility. What if the book comes out and it’s full of mistakes? I’m sure a copy editor (or two) will go through it with a fine-tooth comb, but I’m also sure every writer goes through the nervous stage and the “what ifs?” Saturday, I spent eight hours on this revision and only got through page 101 of 338.  My house needed cleaning, clothes overflowed the hamper, and there was no food in the house. Also, I would have loved being out and about, after a long work-week; but I hunkered down and concentrated on editing. However, Gus received his normal belly rubs at his command. I do have my priorities in order, after all. The payoff of another book to hold in my hands will be worth it. That’s why I do this.

 Five weeks until spring!!

February 12, 2018: What exactly is a first draft? Did you know there are some successful writers out there who can churn out a novel in three-four weeks? According to a chat room in which I recently participated, the best way to do this is to plot the story from beginning to end before you write the first word. Once plotted, write the first draft−completely mindless of typos, misspellings and format. The person conducting the chat stated without plotting the story, her last novel took over a year to write the first draft. Oh my, I thought this was normal; but then again, my adult novel coming out sometime this year (I hope!) was written during my one and only NANO Challenge−where I finished the rough draft (40 thousand words) in one month. Talk about rough copy, it sincerely was. I didn’t stress over typpos, misspeled wordes or fragaments--no matter how hard Word tried to get me to correct them. Lol! 

So for all those of you who ask for my writing advice on how to get started: BIC (butt in chair) and just write that first draft. Worry about how it looks later. My current writing goal, is to find a home for ON A SCALE OF ONE TO TEN−my MG novel on child abuse. This story (along with MOUNTAIN LAUREL−a story about my parents) is dear to my heart, and I hope to find a home for it soon. However, I know all too well if I do not submit to publishers, my chances of failure are 100%.

 Bo watching the dog show. Nothing to do with writing. It just makes me happy. 😆

February 5, 2018:    My wish is to grow as a writer. With every blog I read, every revision from an editor, every rejection from a publisher − these are all opportunities for improvement. In my last revision (BLOOD MONEY - due out sometime in 2018), I learned not all editors appreciate the MC talking to herself. I received the same bit of advice through a rejection of my YA story about abuse. A few words, here or there, work; but telling the story through the MC’s thoughts does not work. Instead, my editor suggested I write the sentence in past tense about her. So ‘not everyone cares what I think, I guess’; becomes ‘not everyone cared about her opinion, apparently.’

There are some helpful blogs out there to aid you in your quest to be a better writer. Unfortunately, you might need to wade through some mediocre ones before you find the jewels. When you find one dedicated to helping writers become better writers, you’re in luck. Take Nancy Kelly Allen’s blog (http://nancykellyallen.blogspot.com); her purpose is to provide tips to writers and those who teach writing. I recommend this blog because I can speak personally about how it has helped me. Anything that helps me grow as a writer, I’m going back for more.

Parting words: revise, revise, and revise some more − then put your manuscript up for a week or so. Look at it once more with fresh eyes before you ship it off to a publisher.

January 29, 2018:  Market/Target Age

My goal last week was to take my Young Adult story - ON A SCALE OF ONE TO TEN - down to Middle Grade, or ages 8-12. Did I succeed? Nope, it’s definitely a WIP (work in progress). I read several MG and YA books, looking for comparisons, likes, and differences; and lately, I’ve read several chapter books, to get in the right mindset of the character and to grasp a better understanding of how the authors play with words.

There are many articles out there that address age-appropriate books. One bit of helpful advice I found: Bookstores have a shelf for MG and another for YA, but there is not a shelf in-between.

However after that, the information turns gray. Apparently, there are upper MG or lower YA. Another article suggested a good target age for MG is 14 years old, but then, another one stated a writer should aim higher or lower as 14 years old represents change, hormones, on the cusp, etc. I guess there’s no real set-in-stone rule when it comes to writing MG or YA, other than one publisher recently stated the YA market didn’t “take off” as it was anticipated. Since my story, SCALE, cannot jump from YA to Adult, my goal of taking it down to MG seems to be my only option. How do I accomplish that? The most obvious is to make sure my Main Character is involved in age-appropriate scenes, i.e., year of school, activities, and angst. I also read the MG character isn’t necessarily involved in edgy activities, but can certainly have a parent who is a drunk, on drugs, etc. That’s all fine and dandy, but my MC’s best friend is a victim of child abuse, and don’t even begin to tell me that doesn’t happen to MG age children…and younger. Child abuse can happen at any age, and at the end of my story, there’s a list of agencies that offers assistance. The message is important. The story is edgy. The age is fluid, but I must narrow it down to one genre and the way to do that is to read, read, read what the market is selling. Middle Grade it is.

(Blood Money-due out in 2018)

 January 22, 2018:  Hello again and Happy New Year. I took a little hiatus from my blog to concentrate on writing. I received the first-round edits of Blood Money on New Year’s Day and spent almost three weeks revising. This Editor provided great feedback and instructions, so it became a labor of love. Here are a few tips they provided:

Find and correct “reached (I’m guilty of writing she reached out her hand and caressed his face. Of course she did. Better: she caressed his face.); felt (Wrong: She felt as if she could cry. [That is wrong for so many reasons-better to show the action instead of telling it.]); he said/she said (replace with action to show who is talking-as in: she turned to face him.); that (so many “thats” can be deleted and won’t change the meaning), to him, for her, and at her (normally found at the end of a sentence and not needed, as she smiled at him.). And did you know blond refers to him, while blonde refers to her? Ditto for brunet/brunette, and fiancé/fiancée.  

Blood Money is my adult mystery, started in 2009--the first of three in the Baker Manor Series. It has gone through many changes; however, the basic plot remained the same. Every revision makes me a better writer. And now, while waiting for the next round of edits to come back, I will use the same revision tips with book # 2 in the series. After that, my goal is to outline the third and final book in the series. Then, I begin the revision on my manuscript on child abuse. One editor recommended I take it from young adult to middle-grade. I will take my own advise I gave yesterday to a wannabe writer: BIC (Butt In Chair, step one to being a writer).