IWSG: Reading, Reviewing, and an Update

Today, the first Wednesday of the month, is the day that writers share their thoughts, support other writers, and may respond to that monthly question posted by the Insecure Writer's Support Group. 

Okay. You may have noticed I didn't post anything for November's IWSG. Thank you, IWSG, for not taking me off the list of participating writers. Simply put, I forgot, entranced sideways into participating in National Novel Writing Month, kindly nicknamed NaNoWriMo, or NaNo for short.

 This crazy challenge asks writers to write 50,000 words in one month. That's about 1,500 words a day, a hearty challenge when I write 300 words on a good day. But, celebrate with me! At least until Thanksgiving, I wrote 600 words a day! And then, real life interceded once again. Foot surgery, then a truly nasty cold laid me low until pretty much yesterday, although I'm thankful for that nearby box of Kleenix and the joys of Sudafed.

Kitty meme from cheezeburger.com

In fact, today is the first time I've sat down in front of my computer pretty much since Thanksgiving.

What do I take away from this short hiatus from writing? First, I'm truly grateful for family and friends who supported me with phone calls, cards, visits, yes, even bringing dinner, for that recovery period. I can now walk without pain. At first, I thought I was appreciative enough. Then, the nasty cold came, about 6 days of not being able to do anything, no stamina at all. I began to realize this is what people experience when they are facing life changes, those serious illnesses that don't go away. That time when support from family and friends (if it's possible) means everything. Did I say today is my birthday? Today, I am 80, grateful for each day past and yet to come with my husband, family, and friends who are near and those online. I'm still hopeful a few adventures (and more stories) are yet ahead, and I'm humbled by this rich gift of life.

This month's IWSG's question: Book reviews are for the readers. When you leave a book review do you review for the Reader or the Author? Is it about what you liked and enjoyed about your reading experience, or do you critique the author?

The short answer for me is IF I love the book, I will write a review for readers, sharing strengths of the story, hopefully just enough to entice them into reading it. I do not believe in negative reviews. Just because the 'shoe' doesn't fit for me, doesn't mean someone else might take joy in a story. If I have something constructive to say to the writer, I hope to write that person directly. Sometimes the responses make me smile, as in when I let one writer know her work had a lot of typos, 3-4 per page. She wrote back a lovely note, letting me know her readers didn't care about typos and neither did she.

So, in the true spirit of the Insecure Writer's Support Group, let the end of 2023 be a time to celebrate our accomplishments, our bravery, our perseverance, and our hopes for a better world. Maybe I'm not quite ready to "rock the neurotic writing world," but if you play an old tune from the 60s, I'll dance with you, celebrate your success, and cheer you on to 2024.

Please take a moment to visit those wonderful co-hosts for IWSG's December 6 posting: C. Lee McKenzie, JQ Rose, Jennifer Lane, and Jacqui Murray!  And maybe 10 more or so from IWSG's list of participating writers!

Just one more question. I experimented with offering a free read to folks who sign up for my newsletter (see below). The reality is this strategy hasn't worked for me. Should I dump this and list my little collection of short fiction on Amazon? Has something like this worked for you? Any advice?

If you sign up for my occasional newsletter (sent out about once a month), 

you'll receive a free copy of SNAPSHOT,  

a collection of very short fiction.

You can click on the SIGNUP at the side of this page or HERE 

(and, yes, you can unsubscribe at any time).

IWSG: What about NaNoWriMo? Should I? Shouldn't I?

Yes, it's first of the month, kicking off an event and a deeplly appreciated connection to that writing community known as The Insecure Writer's Support Group.

First, heads up about that Zoom event on November 1. Linda Bond, of Auntie's Bookstore fame here in Spokane, will be interviewing me about writing and Mothers Don't Die on Wednesday, November 1st, at 2pm. You can e-mail Linda at auntiesbooks@gmail.com to have the Zoom link sent to you. I am excited to be a part of this Local Authors Book Club, and looking forward to many future such events for our local authors. 

This month's challenge prompt from the Insecure Writer's Support Group is right on schedule! November 1 begins National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). Have you ever participated? If not, why not?

The short answer is, Yes. Since 2008, NaNoWriMo has kickstarted my writing with challenges in November (drafting), and April (revising). I love being able to set my own writing goals.

Just a little background: I worked my way through college, found jobs in international banking (San Francisco and Los Angeles), corporate consulting (Philadelphia), and teaching (Oregon), always writing "between." Now retired, I combine indie writing with traveling anywhere my stories take me.

Thanks to the jumpstart that NaNoWriMo inspires, my four-volume family saga/historical fiction set in mid-19th Century is now complete: Standing Stones (Scotland), Years of Stone (Tasmania, Australia), Rivers of Stone (Canada), and Scattered Stones (back in Scotland at readers' requests). The Seventh Tapestry, my first art crime mystery, also kickstarted on NaNoWriMo, is now available on Amazon as well.

This year's project, Unleashed Pursuit, began with a dream about a woman police officer on the run who's befriended by a golden retriever. I'm about 20K into the rough draft and hoping to get close to doubling my current word count.

And that's just one of the reasons I'm a fan of NaNoWriMo. If you want to write 50,000 words in one month, that's 1,500 words a day. For me, that's a giant reach, as I usually write between 300-600 words/day. But, with NaNoWriMo, you can set your own goals. For this year, my commitment is 500 words a day. That's 15,000 new words by the end of the month, something to celebrate! 

You can find out more info directly at  NaNoWriMo

You can set up a free account on Nano's website to track your word count every day (another incentive), earn badges, connect with other writers, and even participate in F2F or online write-ins. 

The most important part of this writing month is the commitment you make to yourself about what project you want to work on and how much progress you want to make. 

If you are new to NaNo, jump right in. Have fun and just maybe you'll be surprised by how much you write this November!

Similar to NaNoWriMo, The Insecure Writer's Support Group is another online community that supports us all on our writing journey. All that is asked is to post your IWSG post on the first Wednesday of the month. You may choose (as I have done) to answer the question-of-the-month. Then, read what others have written. IWSG suggests trying for 12 new folks each month. I really enjoy finding out what other writers are up to, especially now that the winter temps have come early (22F last night). 

You might start by visiting (and thanking) the hosts for November: PJ Colando, Jean Davis, Lisa Buie Collard, and Diedre Knight! If you are active on social media, the IWSG Twitter handle is @TheIWSG and hashtag is #IWSG.

Happy Halloween! Happy IWSG Day, November 1, and may your writing go well!

NOTE: If you sign up for my occasional newsletter (sent out about once a month), you'll receive a free copy of SNAPSHOT, a mash-up of very short fiction drawn from science fiction, historical fiction, memoir, and coming of age. You can click on the SIGNUP at the side of this page or HERE to sign up (and, yes, you can unsubscribe at any time).

First Snow . . . And a Recommendation

Last week, temperatures hovered around 70F. This coming week, the first snow fell (just a dusting), but temps will plummet down to 22F.

Update on my writing. Between doctor visits, minor foot surgery, and sitting in that darn chair for six weeks with no laptop, I haven't gotten much done, though I'm slowly drafting Unleashed Pursuit, that story about a female police officer on the run. Since my only experience with police was completing a Police Academy many years ago, I'm diving into research. The best nonfiction book I've found so far is So You Want to Be A Cop by Alley Evola, jam packed with day-by-day stories about what it really means to be a police officer.

Frank Zafiro is another amazing resource. His twenty years of police experience has led him to write forty novels. One series is set in River City, a pseudonym for Spokane, which happens to be where I live. 

Not only is Frank an excellent writer, honest and with gritty details, he also introduces a side of Spokane I don't know much about -- the dark side, that is, what happens after midnight on those not always quiet city street.

He also generously gives insights into the day-by-day work of police officers, gutsy and committed, in their quest to protect their community. He recently presented a zoom workshop for local Spokane writers, sponsored by Auntie's Bookstore, on all aspects of writing police procedurals, separating commonly held beliefs about the police from harsh reality. And, Frank was a featured panelist at Boucheron 2023, in San Diego, a major conference for crime writers.

You might be interested: I just finished reading (and enjoyed very much) Frank's Worst Kind of Truth (Book 11 in his River City series), which follows Detective Katie MacLeod as she balances a heavy case load. Some cases she can resolve, even if they take time; others she doesn't have quite enough solid proof to bring about a satisfactory resolution whether through a court case or an arrest. This remains the 'worst kind of truth,' that even despite our best efforts, sometimes we're not successful.

This story unfolds with strong characters, real emotion, and a realistic appraisal of what police can or cannot do to protect others. If you like police procedurals, you'll find a complex story about a female detective and the many challenges she faces. 

You can find out more about Frank on his website HERE -- with much information about his novels, podcasts, events, and more.

Meanwhile, happy Halloween. May you enjoy the coming months of winter, as we move to Thanksgiving and, hopefully, a happy New Year's ahead.

Write . . . Edit . . . Publish . . . Phantom of the Opera!

This month, Write...Edit...Publish's prompt is The Phantom of the Opera, rather a dark prompt, perhaps just in time for Halloween.

Tagline: What do we learn when we close our eyes?

"First Time"

Christine stood in the wings of the makeshift theater, a sheet for a curtain, the audience, her classmates. She shivered. They didn’t like her. She peeked at the slip of paper Mr. Gaudet had given her. Improvise, he had said. This is how we learn to act. Maybe, if she did well, she could make friends before her family moved. Again.

She shook her head. Mr. Gaudet nodded at her. Now. She stepped to the front of the raised platform, closed her eyes to the darkness within, and began to speak slowly into a room of silence. Her words lifted into the air, as if they were birds flying away from her, carrying all her sadness and fear with them. In that moment, she was truly someone else, lost in thoughts of another time, another world.

She stopped and opened her eyes. The students burst into applause. Mr. Gaudet stood at the back of the room and smiled at her.

Her heart stuttered, grew light. So, this is theater. I’ve found my home.

However beautiful the music or popular the play and movie, The Phantom of the Opera is a dark story that asks us to consider how we nurture creativity in ourselves and what happens when we become mired down in jealousy. Does the Phantom redeem himself when he releases Christine to follow Raoul, her true love? Yes, but the themes of seduction and betrayal remain. Despite Christine being vulnerable throughout most of the play, she forgives and truly accepts the disfigured Phantom – who then releases her to return to Raoul. Does the Phantom pay for his violence, his murders? Only his cape and mask are found, a reminder that he may remain among us – or within us.

Image from Wikipedia

Word Count: 173 (FCA)

About Write...Edit...Publish...  Every other month, writers are encouraged to post a flash fiction and read what others have written. You can go HERE to see more about the guidelines. 

NOTE: For this October prompt, the deadline is October 18-20.  It's not too late for you to write your response!A lovely prize awaits you -- a developmental read for your latest novel from Yolanda Renée. See DETAILS HERE. If writing flash fiction is new to you, Denise Covey has written a helpful 'how to' Read it HERE.

By the way, are you looking for a free read? If you sign up for my occasional newsletter (sent out about once a month), SNAPSHOT offers you a mash-up of very short fiction drawn from science fiction, historical fiction, memoir, and coming of age. You can click on the SIGNUP at the side of this page or HERE to sign up (and, yes, you can unsubscribe at any time).

AND HERE'S ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR WRITERS: You may want to submit to WEP's upcoming 2024 FLASH FICTION ANTHOLOGY (release approximately May, 2024). Submissions are due by December 31, 2023, with DETAILS HERE.

May you enjoy every bit of candy as we move closer to Halloween. I'm savoring the seasonal pumpkin spice latte and can highly recommend a slice of pre-Thanksgiving pumpkin pie! 

Have a wonderful fall season!

Welcome to Fall . . . A Writer's Notes

Walk with me through the Japanese Garden here in Spokane, at Manito Park. When all else is dark, the news relentless, here we can find a moment of hope and peace.

These last few weeks, I'm more aware of how vulnerable we are. Minor foot surgery put me in that chair, foot elevated, with limited weight-bearing activities. But, I rarely sit quietly, unless it's early in the morning and I'm writing. Aargh! And I feel guilty, for so many of us must face down larger challenges. And they do so with courage. So, I'm grateful. For friends, for other writers who persevere, and for quilters who manage to create beauty out of scraps of fabric!

Update on the writing: Still drafting away on that 'doggone mystery,' Unleashed Pursuit. I'm only aboout 18K into the story, but National Novel Writing Month, affectionately known as NaNoWriMo, begins in November with that maybe overwhelming goal to write 50,000 new words in one month. I'll keep you posted!

And what are YOU up to? As fall may quickly turn to winter, thanks to this year's El Niño, what are you working on? Any projects to report? Advice to share? Maybe even a new recipe or photo?

Are you looking for a free read? I just happen to have one to offer you IF you sign up for my newsletter (maybe sent out once a month). SNAPSHOT offers you a mash-up of very short fiction I've written, now in one place. These stories are drawn from science fiction, historical fiction, memoir, and coming of age. You can click on the SIGNUP at the side of this page or HERE to sign up (and, yes, you can unsubscribe at any time).

Meanwhile, enjoy that pumpkin spice latte, or even indulge in some early bird pumpkin pie. 

Have a wonderful fall season!

IWSG October: AI is ramping UP and I don't care . . .

Ever see one of those bell curve charts transformed into a line going straight up? Usually, a fad comes, sticks around a while, and then fades with the passing decade. AI (artificial intelligence) is like a tsunami. Even now, not widely understood, it has the power to do more than raise eyebrows everywhere.

Last month, I uploaded a new book on Amazon, and Amazon wanted to know if I used AI. Check the box.

So this month's question from the very helpful online writing community, Insecure Writers' Support Group, is timely: The topic of AI writing has been heavily debated across the world. According to various sources, generative AI will assist writers, not replace them. What are your thoughts?

Assist writers, not replace them? One of my first jobs, many decades ago as a pool typist, came with a rumored computer app. Keyboard strokes were counted and reported to management. Today, DNA samples and cell phone pings are routinely used to track down criminals. This does raise privacy issues, but in the interest of the greater safety of the public . . . .  So, efficiency? privacy? Saving money? Do I trust technology to do what is "right"?

And the real question, have I used it? Science fiction has appealed to me since I discovered boxes of paperbacks in the basement as a teenager. Well before the moon flight, space beckoned. Aliens. Superhumans transformed by technology. Who hasn't wondered what's beyond our little solar system. 

So, when ChatGPT came along, I wanted to play with it. As a writer. I posted prompts for titles, character development, outlines for new stories, and was shocked by what happened. What took me hours, days, weeks, and months, churned out on my computer screen in seconds. 

Was it any good? Simply put: No. But the bones were there, and with editing . . . it could be. It just felt wrong. Writing, for me, is deeply personal. I had the feeling that I could use ChatGPT to increase my productivity. What routinely takes me about 3 years, could take under a year, if I used this technology. Who would know? Amazon could ask, but truly, who would know? The answer is I would know. So, sorry, folks, ChatGPT is not for me.

Do I believe generative AI will assist writers and not replace them? Nope. Given that tension between the bottom line for individuals and corporations to earn more money, and government inability to build policies that could protect us, and that drive to create the new, as well as technology's ability to improve itself, I think we're in deep do-do. 

My husband likes to tell a story about how one of these new computers was taught to play chess. Within seconds, it played hundreds of games, capable of beating a chess master. And the computer continued learning. This ability to 'self teach' does not bode well for us mere humans. Even Elon Musk is raising concerns about "uncontrollable" artificial intelligence, and Bill Gates has said we should "cautiously embrace" AI.

Now I'm wondering what others will say about this pretty complex issue that will change the lives of our children beyond our imagination.  And just in case you're interested in reading one of my books (historical fiction, art crime mysteries, or psychological thriller), each one taking about three years to write, check out my BOOK PAGE!

Why not visit the HOME PAGE of IWSG to find out and stop by the awesome co-hosts for the October 4 posting to say THANK YOU to: Natalie Aguirre, Kim Lajevardi, Debs Carey, Gwen Gardner, Patricia Josephine, and Rebecca Douglass!

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer - aim for a dozen new people each time - and return comments. This group is all about connecting!

Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!

Our Twitter handle is @TheIWSG and hashtag is #IWSG.

Weds: Getting Ready to Pack

 Wednesday morning, almost our last day here on Vancouver Island. I'm sitting out on the verandah, enjoying the quiet view of golfing green and forest as I enjoy breakfast waffles. Across the way, a dog barks, then another. A chain of different dogs take up the chorus, ending with a deep, baying howl. Something's wrong. Silence, as if we all wait to see what's next. The absolute quiet continues. No deer breaks from cover. A car starts up. Construction ratatatat echoes from a distant jackhammer. And the forest breathes again.

We leave Friday morning for the 2.5 hour Ferry ride and will cross back into the U.S. at Blaine, then down the coast cutting east just below Everett, home to Spokane. Yes, I'm eager to be home, but I will remember the quiet peace of the mornings and the beauty of this island, our trip south to Victoria (and Butchart Gardens, the Royal British Columbia Museum).

Butchart Gardens (September 2023)

Update on writing. Not much to report. I'm working on two projects at once, so slow but steady going on both. My 'doggone mystery' has new scenes, and the collection of short stories for subscribers to my newsletter is taking shape. Allen said that it sounds like some of my stories come from dreams. Perhaps. And perhaps they start when I sit on the verandah on that red swing and listen to the morning.

At the Swan's Pond (September 2023)

What's next? Football season? Settling into that time of year when the leaves change and we're reminded that winter's on its way? What one thing would you like to accomplish this winter? in the coming year?

IWSG September 5: From the Beginning!

This month's Challenge Question from the Insecure Writer's Support Group took me back in time. All the way back to July 2015, just 8 years ago, and I'm already at 46 (out of 118). Go HERE to read that original entry! 

What I've appreciated most . . . is how effectively this vibrant online community connects writers who care about other writers and writing, regardless of genre or level. Each month, I appreciate not only those words from those who visit me. Visiting others who post for IWSG has introduced me to others who very quickly become mentors and friends. I feel like cheering at each success, each new book released, each challenge faced down, and I learn from each IWSG member I visit.

Writing, for me, is essentially a solitary act, even when I'm doing research. Being a part of IWSG is an important way to stay connected to others who care about writing. IWSG also creates a certain discipline for looking within, to asssess where my goals and commitment to writing are taking me. This process of reflection opens up new understandings of what is possible, what I might like to do next.

And one more resource I've become addicted to: that connection IWSG has to Write ... Edit ... Publish, an every-other-month writing challenge for flash fiction. October's prompt is inspired by the appropriately ghoulish Phantom of the Opera. Just a little different way to keep those writing wings moving.

Thank you to generous IWSG members who volunteer as hosts each month. And thank you for those who work somewhat behind the scenes to create anthologies that celebrate our work. 

I hope we all will celebrate this wonderful resource!

More words next time!

May your own writing go well.

Nanaimo Cove, Vancouver Island (Sept 2023)

Our temporary home.

About the Insecure Writer's Support Group: Our goal is to share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Each month, an optional question is posted. You can post your response on your own blog OR talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer - aim for a dozen new people each time - and return comments. This group is all about connecting! Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!

Our Twitter handle is @TheIWSG and hashtag is #IWSG.

The awesome co-hosts for the September 6 posting of the IWSG are:

 Sonia Dogra, J Lenni Dorner, 

Pat Garcia, Sarah - The Faux Fountain Pen, 

and Meka James!

Why not grab a cup of coffee, visit our co-hosts AND maybe 12 others to see what they've posted?

Walk in the woods . . . and a psychological thriller . . .

Yesterday we spent nearly an hour, strolling through the Milner Gardens, just about a 30 minute drive away from where we're staying on Vancouver Island. Billed as "an ancient forest and garden oasis by the sea," I can agree. Even royalty has sipped tea here. 

We took in the views and admired the hidden fountains and rhododendron shrubs so large, their gnarled branches looked like trees.

Old growth Douglas firs stretched hundreds of feet to the sky as we followed forest trails down to the beach, overlooking the Strait of Georgia. 

Feet tired, on the way home, we stopped at the Mykong River Restaurant to feast on a seafood hot pot (shrimp and scallops in a delicious oyster sauce). Nearly a perfect day. OK, it was truly a perfect day.

Update on the writing. Just for this month, I'm working on a side project, final edits on a psychological thriller, not my usual genre. In fact, most of the people I know don't read dark stories, and I'm really not sure what my next step is. 

I began writing Mothers Don't Die when I first retired. Excited to begin serious editing, I took a writing class. On the very first day of class, our teacher warmly welcomed us and said, "Work on any project you wish. Any stage -- prewriting, drafting, or editing. But, please, no violent stories." I set my story aside and said to myself, "I might as well write about mermaids!"

That led to my first book, The Mermaid Quilt and Other Tales. One of those short stories morphed into Standing Stones, and thus began a series of historical fiction set in the 1840s in Scotland, Canada, and Australia. 

Inspired by the Lady and the Unicorn tapestries, I then switched genres to write The Seventh Tapestry, an art crimes mystery.

Mothers Don't Die is now ready for your reading pleasure, if you like dark, psychological thrillers. I'd love to hear what you think. Click HERE.

Meanwhile, I'm back to drafting that doggone mystery, Unleashed Pursuit and hope to have a workable first draft by the New Year! 

Happy September and happy reading!

A Writer's Drought?

 

We are staying the month on Vancouver Island, near Nanoose Bay. This picture shows the cove just a 6-minute walk down the hill. Despite daily news of wildfires all through Canada, and the aftermath of the devastating fires in Hawaii, here, the air is clear blue and the temperatures are averaging about 70F. So, of course, I feel a mix of guilty and gratefulness as I watch the deer come down out of the forest to graze on the golf course just outside our patio.

And we did escape the high temperatures and smoky air back home in Spokane. At least for this month. I still remember those drought restrictions in San Francisco so long ago. The water shortage was so bad, we could only flush the toilet once a day. Ewww! Somehow, we all survived. Yet, it's hard to watch those firemen and those voracious fires that are increasingly so difficult to stop.

I also thought of a writer's drought. When do we simply stop writing and cannot seem to start again?

Actually, we could see a writer's drought as somewhat of an ebb and flow, for we do persevere. Sometimes the story itself carries us on. Sometimes a morning's reflection brings new ideas, new images, or new words.

Sometimes writing a poem, even a haiku, short and disciplined, nurtures our creativity. That's one reason I do like writing challenges -- such as NaNoWriMo (the challenge to write 50,000 words in one month), or WEP's Flash Fiction challenge every other month (that's Write...Edit...Publish...).

Sometimes belonging to a writing group or having a writing partner to share new words with brings helpful feedback and new understandings. Either can be a rare gift.

If you have ever encountered a writer's drought, what strategies or events brought you back to writing?

Meanwhile, I will return to the patio, to sit in the swinging chair, to watch the deer, and simply reflect on this complex and still beautiful gift of life.

Image from Ignited Moth

Write...Edit...Publish: A Summer Taste of Chocolate . . .

 Just in time, here is my flash fiction post for the August prompt from Write...Edit...Publish:

Chocolat

I sat on the somewhat lumpy swinging chair on the veranda, hoping no one would find me. Ever since Wanda Jane began the tradition of afternoon tea, I wanted to hide. If you didn’t want to drink any of the teas she provided, from mint to ginger to green, she did offer hot cocoa. But that was nothing like the chocolat chaud we tasted in Paris. Allen wasn’t here with me now, to tease me about the lumps in the cocoa or even Wanda Jane’s officiousness, as she moved around the tables, offering hot water to dilute the chocolate.

So long ago, yet that had been our first time in Paris. We walked to the top of the Eiffel Tower, entranced by the fireworks at the end of the day, the flashes of color every bit as bright as the city lights arrayed below us. We rented a small pension, five flights up a circular stone stairway with no elevator. I smiled. No way could I walk up those stairs now. How many museums we wandered then, even that small Picasso Museum, a little out of the way in the Marais District with its rows of 17^th Century houses.

We found Van Gogh’s last self-portrait at the Musée d'Orsay. A tour guide set a fast pace as she led a crowd of some forty tourists past us, pointing to the left and the right. We simply stood in one place, drinking in every moment as if we had nowhere else to be. What a joy it was to be an independent traveler.

Ah, I wouldn’t go on that long flight without him. Better to sip the hot cocoa and remember. If I close my eyes, I can still see him before me, holding out that steaming cup of rich, hot chocolate, embellished with crème, and beside it, an unforgettable crusty, warm croissant, and saying, “One day, we’ll return to Paris, my love. Even if only in our memories.”

Word Count: 437 (FCA)

About Write...Edit...Publish...  Every other month, writers are encouraged to post a flash fiction and read what others have written. You can go HERE to see more about the guidelines. 

As you may have guessed, this month's prompt was inspired by that deliciously romantic movie, Chocolat! NOTE: For this August prompt, the deadline is August 16-18. 

I barely made this deadline between problems with internet access and problems accessing files saved by that useful but sometimes frustrating iCloud! But you can still participate. A lovely prize awaits you. See DETAILS HERE.

And if writing flash fiction is new to you, Denise Covey has written a stunning and helpful 'how to' that features her take on the prompt, chocolat. Read it HERE.

HERE'S ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR WRITERS: You may want to submit to WEP's upcoming 2024 FLASH FICTION ANTHOLOGY (release approximately May, 2024). Submissions are due by December 31, 2023, with DETAILS HERE.

NOTE: That inspirational picture of chocolat seen just above my flash fiction came from BarTalks.net with their fascinating and detailed discussion of how to make the best cappuccino! This might be fun to try once we're back home. 

May you enjoy every day of these last days of summer.

Vacation . . .

 

Here's the view from our temporary apartment at The Swan's Pond on Vancouver Island. I don't think I've ever simply sat on a swinging settee to simply enjoy the view without a round of tasks prompting me to work. The morning quiet was marred only by the trickle of water at a nearby pond and an occasional passing flock of Canada geese. So far this morning, I've seen three young deer scampering along a woodland trail across the way. This is our home for the next month, and barring a limited kitchen (hot plate?), I think we'll do just fine.

Yesterday, we walked about 5 minutes over to a nearby cove to discover a winding path through a sunlit forest of pine, cedar, and eucalyptus. Once at the cove, we discovered giant granite rocks to climb on and a series of little beaches overlooking Nanoose Bay. We should not have climbed on those rocks! We are too old. But the view of the cove before us, once again, was simply beautiful.

Overhead, another small flock of Canada geese just flew low over the patio. I guess they're headed north, and we'll need to think of winter some day soon. For now, it's enough to simply sit here on the patio, and, I guess more true than any other time, to be in the moment.

IWSG August 2: Conflicted over Writing?

This month's Challenge Question from the Insecure Writer's Support Group had me thinking about where my stories come from. August 2 question: Have you ever written something that afterwards you felt conflicted about? If so, did you let it stay how it was, take it out, or rewrite it?

This month, I'm co-presenting at our local author's group on how cultural diversity (our own and that of others) may influence our writing. At times, this issue can be controversial, so I'm digging pretty deep into what cultural diversity is and what issues it raises for writers. I was surprised to learn that what I write about comes directly from very early childhood experiences. Probably not a surprise to some of you writers out there!

I grew up in a pretty gritty blue-collar family. My mother was a Hollywood starlet and an alcoholic. One of my stepfathers was a steelworker. We moved so often I don't know how many high schools I attended, but my dream was to go to college, and one day I did.

The very first book I wrote is still in a drawer. Mothers Don't Die is about a serial murderer who terrorizes young women.

I didn't like the subject, but I loved to write, so shifted to historical fiction, inspired by that great economic disruption known as the Industrial Revolution, where rich landowners ousted sharecropper farmers from their land and replaced them with sheep. Standing Stones began a family saga set in 1840s Scotland and led me to write four books. Much of my fiction is about that struggle to create something good, despsite formidable odds. Fun to write. Happy endings. Mostly.

Fascinated by art and culture, I began a new series about art crime, starting with The Seventh Tapestry. I was about 50% into a second art crime story set in Egypt, when a dream about a dog and a runaway woman led me to a new series, organized around the working subtitle: A Doggone Mystery. Maybe I could write a cozy mystery, I thought. Here are my two working covers.

Which one do you think pulled me right in?

What I learned pretty darn quickly, despite excellent advice from Paul Tomlinson's Mystery: How to Write Traditional & Cozy Whodunits, is that the cozy mystery genre is a shoe that doesn't fit. Right now, I don't care. The words are coming. I love my story, and have not quite resolved if my heroine will achieve that happy ending.

So, my answer to IWSG's question: Have you ever written something that afterwards you felt conflicted about? If so, did you let it stay how it was, take it out, or rewrite it? Maybe I left that first story in the drawer (and maybe one day, it will come out), but now I know those themes that I have struggled with and have felt conflicted about stay with me. They influence what I write today.

James Baldwin said, "“Every writer has only one story to tell, and he has to find a way of telling it until the meaning becomes clearer and clearer, until the story becomes at once more narrow and larger, more and more precise, more and more reverberating.”

Thank you, IWSG, for a question that challenges us to rethink the issue of conflicts -- both at the story and the personal level, perhaps leading us to understand anew what and why we write.

I'm looking forward to seeing what others have written this month, and you can too. As Rick Bylina says, "Write on!" And, check out the links below.

About the Insecure Writer's Support Group: Our goal is to share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Each month, an optional question is posted. You can post your response on your own blog OR talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer - aim for a dozen new people each time - and return comments. This group is all about connecting! Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!

Our Twitter handle is @TheIWSG and hashtag is #IWSG.

The awesome co-hosts for the August 2 posting of the IWSG are

Kate Larkindale, Diane Burton, Janet Alcorn, and Shannon Lawrence!

Why not visit them to see what they've posted?

Marketing for Indie Writers? Take a Leap of Faith . . .

Today has certainly been exciting! And you can take advantage of some 150 writers offering (with no strings at all) their cozy mystery books for free in three categories: Contemporary, paranormal, and historical -- including my own art crime mystery, The Seventh Tapestry.

What are you waiting for? You can go to Amazon direct for The Seventh Tapestry OR jump onto the Cozy Mystery Book Club Book Blast page to snag some freebies until midnight tonight.
 

You may already know how challenging marketing can be for a self-published indie writer (that's me). So when I found out about this opportunity from the Sisters in Crime Puget Sound (a regional group linked to the national SinC group that supports and encourages those who love mysteries), to list my cozy art crime mystery, I jumped right in. By the way, my personal Kindle freebie will run through July 29.

What did I anticipate from this Cozy Mystery free book blast that runs once a quarter? Maybe some downloads. Maybe some trickle through purchases or an increase in numbers of pages read. Perhaps a review or two. But most importantly, I'm hoping for new readers who will like my stories.

What did I do to support this Cozy Mystery blast? I set my book, The Seventh Tapestry, free for four days. Sent out a ton of e-mails, posted to Twitter and Facebook, and sent out a newsletter.

So how did I do? Truly, I wasn't sure what would happen. By this afternoon, I heard back from a few e-mails, which was so nice, and I sold maybe 4 books. But the exciting results? Some 1,191 people downloaded their free copy. Even if only a few people go on to read another book of mine on Kindle Unlimited or actually buy a copy, this is the biggest response I've ever gotten on any promotion. So, playing the numbers, if even 5% read any of my other books, that's an increase of 60 people. Perhaps some will go on to write a review, and maybe some will even sign up for my newsletter! 

So, what do you think? The ability to reach new readers is an amazing opportunity -- at least for cozy mystery writers. Perhaps this opportunity will motivate me to write the second art crime mystery sooner!

Happy reading, happy writing, and happy summer! We have a few days of respite here in Spokane, but the sun will be back out with temps in the 90s next week.  Stay cool!

Source: Jenna Sauber, "10 Things You’ll Understand If You Prefer to Stay Inside and Read."

Everything's Heating Up . . .

 Today's high is 81F, and tomorrow, we head into the 90s. My sister lives in Tucson, too close to Phoenix and those record-breaking heat blasts. Sigh. Surprisingly, I find myself missing the snow, just a little!

What I'm reading. Just now, I'm reading Olga Godim's delightful Squirrel of Magic: Short Stories. And I want to learn much more of this young witch. Olga has that ability to bring adventure and a sense of innocence to life wth a slight paranormal twist. 

On the craft side, I'm diving into Paul Tomlinson's Mystery: How to Write Traditional & Cozy Whodunits. A former librarian, Tomlinson has produced an amazing list of 'how to write' books, along with some intriguing science fiction (Robot Wrecker, Bounty Hunger: Outlaws of the Galaxy). His website has more info and maybe some free short stories.

Today, I have a snippet for you from a story that may stay in the drawer for a long while. 

Last week, I was at a local writer's meeting. One of the writers told us about a woman he'd been helping with editing. She stopped writing her memoir because it was too intense. I understand that. 

A writing friend I admire always says, "Write what you love! Tell the stories you want to tell." Yes, some stories need to be told. We need to know and maybe help those who have suffered. We can also heal ourselves and others by telling stories of light.

So, dear blog readers, what do you think? Should this story be told?

FLIGHT

    I unlocked the door between the two apartments and led the young girl clutching her four-month-old baby inside. “You’ll be safe here. Just stay one hour, and then . . . .” I pushed a slip of paper in her hand. “Go to this address. They’ll take care of you.”
    The young woman whimpered. “They’re going to come after us.”
    “No,” I smiled. “They’re gonna come after me. Not you.” I touched the baby’s cheek. “Just look ahead and make a new life for this little one. Promise me.”
    She looked around the apartment. “But someone lives here. They’re going to come home and find me.” Her lips trembled.
    “Nobody lives here. It’s a cover. This and next door. Both are under assumed names. Just do what I say, and you’ll be fine.”
    Her hand loosened on my arm. “Alright.”
    I checked the living room, tiny kitchen, and bedroom. “Rest and then go. Check the fridge and eat something. I’ll maybe see you again later.”
    She stared at me as if she were still back in that basement with the other women that Caleb and I had gotten out, after two months of undercover. She nodded slowly. “I’ll never forget you, Serena, or that man who helped us.”
    “I gotta go. Don’t worry about me. Think about this little one.” Touching the baby’s soft cheek one last time, I went back into the first apartment, locking the door behind me.
    But I was too late. A circle of bullets snapped into the door of the first apartment. One pinged the edge of my arm, and pain blossomed. I heard cursing as whoever was on the other side shoved the door, trying to break in. I ran into the bedroom, snapped the window open, and pushed through to the fire escape. Closing the window behind me, I raced up, knowing they’d be looking for me to escape going down. I puffed my way up three stories, stopping only once to catch my breath, grateful again I was wearing all black, not especially a good look for me, but useful now. I slipped only twice, because, of course, it would be raining, and a cold rain at that. Once on the roof, I opened my mic and updated Headquarters. “Need a safe way out. I’m on the roof.”
    Sirens sounded below, and I sighed with relief. We were safe. This time.

Blue Butterfly (Pixabay)

May you stay cool these coming weeks of summer!

IWSG July 5: Writing Inspiration? In your dreams . . .

 This month's Challenge Question from the Insecure Writer's Support Group had me smiling:

July 5 question - 99% of my story ideas come from dreams.

Where do yours predominantly come from?

The very first historical fiction novel I wrote, Standing Stones, came from a dream about mermaids off the coast of Northern Scotland  and morphed into a four-book family saga in the mid-1840s. My next series, inspired by our travels, kicked off The Seventh Tapestry, an art crimes mystery about a mysterious tapestry that began in Scotland with ties to Paris. 

Just two weeks ago, I was about 50% into drafting book 2 of this art crime mystery series, this time set in Egypt, when I had a dream.

My dream began with a woman on the run who finds herself in a small town, befriended by the local sheriff and his dog, Max.

Now, most of the time, I'm a slow writer, 250-400 words a day. But this story is flying off my keyboard. My working outline is complete with lists of possible scenes, and my character sketches are slowly building. I'm so entranced by this story that I already made the cover using images from Pixabay and templates from Book Brush.  Here's my latest version of the cover (the first cover is posted below).

All I can say about being inspired by dreams is that I'm grateful for the dream that brought me this story. Writing this story is simply fun. I'm learning more about the mystery genre and dogs, Golden Retrievers to be precise. And I can't wait to see where Max the dog will take me next!

May your dreams inspire YOUR writing!

The Insecure Writer's Support Group (IWSG) is a database resource site and support group for writers and authors. Featuring weekly guests and tips, a monthly blogfest gathering, a Facebook group, a book club, and thousands of links – all to benefit writers! 

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The awesome co-hosts for the July 5 posting of the IWSG are PJ Colando, Kim Lajevardi, Gwen Gardner, Pat Garcia, and Natalie Aguirre!  With special thanks to Juneta Key for facilitating this month's post! 

Why not join in by visiting our co-hosts and checking out the amazing IWSG bloggers!

IWSG Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

IWSG Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer - aim for a dozen new people each time - and return comments. This group is all about connecting!
Our Twitter handle is @TheIWSG and hashtag is #IWSG.

May summer be a good month for you -- for dreaming and writing!