Conferences Rock by Linda O. Johnston
March 6, 2019 by Linda O. Johnston in category Pets, Romance & Lots of Suspense by Linda O. Johnston tagged as California Crime Writers Conference, California Dreamin' Conference, conferences, Linda O Johnston, Malice Domestic, RWA National Conference, Writing conference
Writing conferences rock.
Mostly. Whether you’re a writer or reader or both, I can recommend that you attend one or several each year. You can learn a lot—and have fun doing it.
This year is one of my busy ones for conferences. Since I write both romances and mysteries, I belong to a lot of writing organizations and attend conferences that specialize in both.
This year, I’ll be attending Malice Domestic, featuring mysteries, in May, in Bethesda, Maryland, and the Romance Writers of America annual national conference in New York City in July.
In addition, I’ll be at the California Dreamin’ conference held by local Southern California Romance Writers of America chapters in April, and California Crime Writers, held by local Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime chapters in June. These two conferences are both held every other year locally to me—and they’re always the same year!
So, this is one of those years that I’ll attend four conferences. I enjoy doing that, partly because it’s a wonderful way to network both with other writers in the genres I love and with readers, too, who attend.
Sometimes I participate by giving talks or being on panels. Not so much this year, although I think I’ll be on a panel at Malice.
There are a lot of other conferences, too, that I sometimes attend. Some of the mystery-oriented ones that I’ll miss this year are Left Coast Crime and Bouchercon, both excellent conferences—but I unfortunately can’t attend them all!
And yes, in between all of those conferences I need to get some writing done. Travel now and then with family. Attend local chapter meetings of some of those organizations. And, of course, take care of my dogs.
So it appears that 2019 has started out busy and will only get busier.
And you? Do you attend book-related conferences? Which do you like most?
0 0 Read moreRebranding…The Production Schedule
March 5, 2019 by Tracy Reed in category Pink Pad by Tracy Reed tagged as new covers, production schedule, publishing, rebranding
This is where the rubber meets the road. The Production Schedule can be a scary thing. It’s where you set your money plan for the up coming year. It’s one thing to say you’re going to do something insane like write a title a month. It’s another thing to actually do it. Oh man, I just had a flash back to 2016.
There’s a scripture that says to write the vision and make it plain, for in due time it will come to pass. It might feel like it’s slow, but it will happen. I did a little paraphrasing [Habbkkuk 2:2-3], but it’s true.
When we write things down, we give them life. When you put those words on an 11” x 17” piece of paper and post it on your office wall where you see it every day, it becomes your silent assistant, constantly reminding you of the tasks at hand.
I have been using a production schedule for a few years. The last two years, I sort of ignored it, which meant, I had subconsciously decided not to make that much money. Insert gasp and call me a bad writer. I know why I ignored the schedule on 2017, I was exhausted from 2016. But last year, I haven’t got a clue what happened nor a justifiable reason. I started the year with these grand plans of writing four books, possibly doing a couple of short stories and creating another boxset.
Last year saw me publish one fiction book and one non-fiction book. I did however, write another book which I held until after I attended RAM. I figured I’d use what I learned to release it. That was before I realized I needed to clean up a few things before I could release anything.
So here I am sixty-four days into a new year and I’ve yet to release a book. According to my production schedule, I should have released all of my new covers. There’s been a little hitch in my plan. This rebrand has taken a little longer than I thought. Rebranding is sort of like redecorating. You start out thinking a fresh coat of paint is all you need and then you realize the sofa looks horrible, even though you matched the paint against before you attacked the walls. So now it needs to be recovered. Now the carpet and drapes don’t work. Before you know it, you’re knocking down walls, ditching the carpet for hardwood floors, changing the light fixtures and buying a new sofa.
So when I changed the covers, I had to update the blurbs. When I started loading the covers to the website, they didn’t fit. The wall had to come down . . . a new website . . . a new logo . . . new color scheme. This December I will celebrate five years as a published author and so far, instead of doing special celebrations, I’m in the middle of a major remodel. Oh yeah, and I have a few books I need to write so I can make some money.
In January, Skye Warren published an explosive mini course on RWA which was a game changer for me. If you haven’t read it, I highly recommend it. It was scary, but it was also very enlightening. It forced me to look at my writing career differently as if RAM hadn’t already got my juices flowing. I did the assignments and started a new production schedule. I saw things a little differently. I didn’t realize, I had as many titles sitting around waiting to be shared.
I had decided I was going to put four titles out this year, but it was looking a little bleak while rebranding. But I when I looked at my catalog, I discovered four boxsets. I could easily call it a done deal, but I look at these titles as four unexpected new revenue streams. I attacked my Production Schedule and now it wasn’t as scary. Instead I saw the potential to make money. I haven’t released anything yet, because I’ve been busy redecorating, but the new titles are on my website as coming soon. If I stay focused, before the end of the month, I’ll start releasing titles and sharing the new covers to all the selling platforms. The new website and newsletter design will be live as well.
So here’s a peak at my production schedule.
MARCH
Release New Covers
- The Good Girl Duet
- Miss Match
- The Fix Up
- The Night I Fell In Love
- First Encounters Of Love Box Set
- A Southern Gentleman Vol One
New Website
New Newsletter Design
APRIL
- A Southern Gentleman Vol 2
MAY
- Secret Love Box Set
JUNE
- Loving Her Box Set
JULY
- First Love Box Set
AUGUST
- The Good Girl Part Trois
SEPTEMBER
- Miss Match Part Two
I’m going on vacation . . . this isn’t a title.
OCTOBER
- Unexpected Love Part Two
NOVEMBER
- Real Love Box Set
DECEMBER
- Special Anniversary Title
I know it looks a little insane and almost as nutty as my book a month project. Keep in mind, most of these things are written or down. This is more less a proposed release schedule. Once I complete the website, all I have to do is load the files to Vellum for the box sets. I’m cleaning up A Southern Gentleman Vol 2. The other three books on my schedule are in my head and waiting to be written. There’s something I want to try with those . . . I’ll let you know if my plan works.
I almost forgot, here’s another set of covers. If you’re counting, you’re correct, I have only shared six. I’m holding the seventh, A Southern Gentleman because it’s part of the launch for A Southern Gentleman Vol 2.
Have a great month and write a lot.
0 0 Read moreCritique Groups or Beta Readers?
March 3, 2019 by Janet Elizabeth Lynn and Will Zeilinger in category Partners in Crime by Janet Elizabeth Lynn & Will Zeilinger tagged as Beta Readers, critique groups, editing, Proofreading
What’s the difference and why do we need them anyway?
by
Will Zeilinger
Janet and I co-write the Skylar Drake Mystery series and we’ve had people say to us, “I guess you proofread each other’s work.”
Both of us are intimately involved in the writing and initial editing, as such, we can get too close to it and sometimes miss big issues. That’s why we would never submit something for publication without the help of critique groups and/or beta readers to assist us.
What exactly, are we talking about? Maybe this will help.
Beta Readers are individuals who evaluate your manuscript by reading it through and telling you about flaws or holes in your story. Beta has come to mean a sort of testing phase and that is what a beta reader does. You have them read your work as a way of testing it for readability, and overall structure.
A Critique Group is made up of several people (usually writers, but sometimes includes readers) who meet together. You as an author, provide a short story or maybe a chapter from a novel for the group to read and critique.
Let me stop here—The very word ‘critique’ is based on the word criticism, and in our culture that word has taken on a negative connotation, since to criticize someone’s writing usually means to tear it apart. However, the dictionary definition of the word ‘critic’ indicates it is “someone who passes judgement on something, usually in reference to art and literature.”
That is a neutral statement…judgement can be either positive or negative, or a combination of both. So, it’s not, necessarily a bad thing.
This may all sound scary, especially to a beginning author. They’re taking your baby away from you and who knows what they will return in its place? Will your prose become something unrecognizable? After all the hours, days, and nights of sweat and deprivation…will they drop a piece of crap in your lap?
Here’s the truth: Having another set of eyes and an impartial opinion of your work-in-progress is an essential step if you are planning to self-publish, but it can also help you in the quest to secure an agent or publisher if your plan is to go the traditional route with your work.
“But it’s gonna hurt!” you say. Don’t look at it that was. This is where you have the power to accept or reject any suggestions or critiques of your work.
As a career graphic designer, I remember vividly, the first critiques in my college classes. We all posted our concepts on the wall of the classroom. The professor would walk back and forth, making “hmmph” and “umm” noises before turning and asking the rest of us in class what we thought of each piece. There were, of course, a variety of reactions to them.
As students, we’d take each into consideration. I didn’t always accept their suggestions, but I needed to hear and see it because I’d been too close to my work to be objective.
One of the things my professor said that I’ve carried over into my writing was when he would hold his hand over a portion of the drawing and ask, “Does this still work without this part?”
I found that eliminating nonessential pieces has helped streamline my work and make it read easier.
I needed to learn to accept constructive, positive critiques in either my designs or my writing, and discount those that were not pertinent or objective.
Letting others check your work-in-progress is a great way to improve your writing and make friends too. Your choice: Beta Readers or Critique groups or both. Find the right one for you.
1 0 Read moreCharmed: An Interview with Tari Lynn Jewett
March 2, 2019 by Jann Ryan in category Jann says . . . tagged as #Charmed Writers, #PleaseSayYes, Flash Fiction 2019, Tari Lynn Jewett, The Charmed Connection
Joining us today is A Slice of Orange author Tari Lynn Jewett. Tari lives in Southern California with her husband of nearly thirty years (also known as Hunky Hubby). They have three adult sons, all who live nearby. For more than fifteen years she wrote freelance for magazines and newspapers, wrote television commercials, radio spots, numerous press releases, and many, MANY PTA newsletters. As much as she loved writing those things, she always wanted to write fiction . . .and now she is.
When she’s not writing, you can find her at the beach, in her sewing room, or curled up with a good book. She’s also been known to play a mean game of pool.
Tari believes in happily ever afters . . . because she’s living hers.
You can follow Tari on social media:
Website: tarilynnjewett.com
Facebook: Tari Lynn Jewett
Facebook reader group: Tari’s Tribe
Instagram: Tari Lynn Jewett
Instagram: Tari Lynn Jewett
Tari’s A Slice of Orange column “Charmed Writers” posts on the 10th of every month.
Jann: The #CharmedWriters Facebook group is such a wonderful group. What motivated you to start it?
Tari: Charmed Writers began kind of by accident, the way so many things I do begin. I was Pro Liaison for my very favorite writing group, the Orange County Chapter of Romance Writers for America. Many of our writer friends were going to the 2016 Romantic Times Conference. I decided that the rest of us shouldn’t be left out of the fun, and at the last minute created a Stuck at Home writing event on Facebook. I invited the PRO group, and told them to invite their friends, so it was open to everyone. Twenty-five people participated in that first event. I wanted to find a way to motivate and reward everyone for participation, so I ordered charms to give out for reaching different goals. We wrote all week, motivated each other, inspired each other and got to be very good friends. At the end, we didn’t want it to be over, and Charmed Writers was born.
Jann: Did you expect it to be so well received?
Tari: I thought it would be a place for the original members to keep working together, but they started asking to invite friends, and people started hearing about the group and asking if they could join. I never expected it to grow as it has.
Jann: What’s the best part of #Charmed Writers?
Tari: Oh, my gosh. The best part of Charmed Writers is the amazing friends that I’ve made, and seeing the love and support that people are willing to give each other. I’ve learned so much from Charmed Writers, and I’m so honored to be part of this amazing group of writers.
Jann: Tell us about Charmed Writers Presents: Flash Fiction 2019
Tari: Charmed Writers Presents Flash Fiction 2019 is an anthology of 41 stories, by 41 authors who are members of Charmed Writers. All of the stories are approximately 500 words long, and are in a variety of genres. This is another project that started by accident. Last year on June 13th I saw a post that Friday, June 16th would be National Flash Fiction Day. I thought it would be to create an event to challenge Charmed Writers members to write a 500-word story. 16 people participated in the event. I told everyone we would do something with the stories. I thought it might be a good time to start a Charmed Writer website, and post our stories there. However, Slice of Orange owner, and Charmed Writer, Marianne Donley, sent me some book covers she’d created for an anthology, and we went with the idea. We opened it up to the Charmed Writers group again, and ended up with an amazing mix of stories from bestselling authors, to debut authors. I truly was an amazing experience. Marianne Donley did the heavy lifting on this project, without her it wouldn’t have happened.
Jann: Will there be more Flash Fiction anthologies?
Tari: LOL, I’m not sure yet! But it’s possible. The current anthology will be available for one year, and the only way to get it is through a Charmed Writer, or by being a member of The Charmed Connection. And did I mention that it’s free? I think you can get it here through A Slice of Orange as well.
(Editor’s note: Click the Book Link or the cover to go to the page where Flash Fiction 2019 is available.)
Jann: You also started The Charmed Connection for readers–another very successful group. Why did you start The Charmed Connection?
Tari: Thank you. The Charmed Connection started naturally as a place for Charmed Writer authors to connect with readers. We have ‘bookshelves’ in the group where readers can find books by Charmed Writers, and various authors drop in and share their lives, play games and most importantly get to know our readers.
Jann: What fun things do you have planned for The Charmed Connection?
Tari: There’s always something going on in The Charmed Connection. We have parties, special guests, giveaways and games. We’ve done one Book Club selection, and I’m hoping to do more of them. I’d like to see more Facebook Live events in the group, those are always fun, and I’d like to do a reader project that’s been rolling around in my head for a little while. I’ll have to let you know more about it when the idea is fully formed!
Jann: How does a reader or an author join?
Tari: To join The Charmed Connection just go to The Charmed Connection group on facebook, and click “join” and answer three questions about reading. It’s that simple! Then just jump right in and join the fun.
Jann: Your fun romantic comedy, #PleaseSayYes (#HermosafortheHolidays Book1) was just released. (I love the cover!) Tell us a little bit about the book.
Tari: Thank you! #PleaseSayYes is a novella, and a romantic comedy that was released first in Valentine’s boxed set last year with stories by 12 other authors. It’s set just down the street from me in Hermosa Beach. Lucy, my heroine, a kind of bookish schoolteacher finds she has a social media secret admirer, and when his posts to her go viral her world turns upside down. It’s the first in a holiday series set in Hermosa Beach. It’s very sweet, as Hunky Hubby says, it’s a story you can share with your mother and daughter.
Jann: So, Book 1 implies there will be a Book 2—When will it be published and what can you tell us about it?
Tari: Book 2 #SilverBracelets, is a full-length novel, the story of Lucy’s friend and colleague, Ashley. There’s some payback for Lucy in the story as Ashley finds herself also part of a social media campaign, only Ashley doesn’t find this one so amusing. Many of the same characters are in this story, and I’ve had so much fun writing it. It will release in April.
Jann: What else do you write?
Tari: I freelance wrote non-fiction for magazines and newspapers for about 15 years, but as far as fiction goes, I’ve been working on a women’s fiction novel set in the 1920’s, and it’s also part of a series. It’s very different from my romcoms. This is darker and edgier, and I love writing every word of it, but it’s also the reason I started writing the romcoms. I needed to get my head out of the darker places every now and then.
Jann: When will it be released?
Tari: I wish I knew! I’m submitting this story to an agent, so when I get the good word, I’ll share with you!
Jann: Do you find yourself returning to certain themes in your stories? What? Why? I do.
Tari: Yes, definitely. The theme of ‘perfection’, trying to be perfect or have the perfect life frequently shows up in my writing. I didn’t realize it at first, and it’s subtler in the romcoms, but in most of the stories I write, the heroines seem to be working out a need to be perfect. I’d have to say that it’s something I struggle with myself, and I think many women do. We strive to be perfect, which of course is impossible, so we’re constantly setting ourselves up for failure. Hopefully, we eventually learn that we’re never going to be Perfect, all we can be is our best. And the truth is, that’s better than being perfect.
Jann: What’s the best writing advice you ever received?
Tari: I’m not even sure where I heard it first, and it goes back to that idea of Perfection. But, I’ve heard many successful authors, often at our OCC RWA meetings say There’s no wrong way to write a book, don’t worry about what other writers are doing, do what works for you. I think that’s absolutely true.
Jann: How do you stay motivated? What drives you to keep writing?
Tari: For me writing doesn’t require motivation. I’m compelled to write, good or bad, whatever is going on in my life, writing is my first outlet, both creative and emotional. It’s not a choice, I just do it… although, it’s a choice I would make if I had to.
Jann: Do you ever run out of ideas? If so, how did you get past that?
Tari: Running out of ideas is never a problem. In fact, the problem is generally not letting new ideas distract me from the current project! So, finding enough time is the problem!
Jann: What sound or noise do you love?
Tari: I think my favorite sound is the sound of my husband’s voice. I love picking up the phone and hearing him talk, or sitting across the table and listening to his voice.
Jann: What sound or noise do you hate?
Tari: Funny you should ask. We were at a fast food restaurant last night, and a man kept spinning the chair next to him. The chair needed oil and made a terrible screeching sound. I pretty much hated that!
Jann: What profession other than your own would you love to attempt?
Tari: I think I’d love to teach elementary school. Especially, 3rd or 4th grade.
Jann: What profession would you hate to do?
Tari: Anything to do with math. I couldn’t be an accountant, it would be very bad.
Thank you, Tari for answering our questions! Tari’s book are shown below. Click on the covers for buy (or free) links.
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March Featured Author Alina K. Field
March 1, 2019 by A Slice of Orange in category Apples & Oranges by Marianne H. Donley, Featured Author of the Month tagged as Alina K. Field, March Featured Author, Regency Romances
Award winning author Alina K. Field earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English and German literature, but her true passion is the much happier world of romance fiction. Though her roots are in the Midwestern U.S., after six very, very, very cold years in Chicago, she moved to Southern California and hasn’t looked back. She shares a midcentury home with her husband, her spunky, blonde, rescued terrier, and the blue-eyed cat who conned his way in for dinner one day and decided the food was too good to leave.
She is the author of several Regency romances, including the 2014 Book Buyer’s Best winner, Rosalyn’s Ring. She is hard at work on her next series of Regency romances, but loves to hear from readers!
Alina’s column Quater Days, is published on A Slice of Orange the 28th of March, June, September, and December.
You can also visit her at:
Website
Facebook
Twitter
Goodreads
Pinterest
Instagram
Bookbub
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