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.