From Love Stories to Lovecraft
August 10, 2025 by Tari Jewett in category Charmed Writer by Tari Lynn JewettI write romcoms. And women’s fiction, although I’m not sure it counts yet, because I haven’t been brave enough to submit or publish it. I’ve even written a children’s bedtime book. And, as you may know, I wrote for magazines and newspapers for many years. I also wrote some advertising, press releases, and even a cable infomercial…although we didn’t call it that back then. I wrote a parenting column, a law column, two cooking columns, was a copywriter for an auto accessory catalog. My writing has been diverse.
So, why do I find myself struggling with my current project? It’s definitely out of my writing sphere, but my writing background tells you that the lines of that sphere are a little fuzzy.
My reading history is even more varied than my writing. As a little girl, I would read anything I could get my hands on, including several versions and interpretations of the Bible, the dictionary, even the Yellow Pages. For those of you too young to remember, the Yellow Pages came in print, downloading books was not a thing, and in the summertime in my small town, the bookmobile didn’t come, so I would read whatever I could find around the house, which eventually led to my mother’s romance novels.
But, to get back on track, currently, I’m flailing. My son, Gerrod, is a board game designer, and he asked me to write a short story for an upcoming H.P. Lovecraft anthology his company is publishing. Since he’s also my book cover designer, and romcom isn’t his genre, I definitely feel like I need to meet this challenge. I hadn’t read Lovecraft before this project came up, so I downloaded (yes I can do that now) the complete H.P. Lovecraft, and began my research. And, my son pushed me to stay somewhat in my genre, but add the Gods, and Lovecraft elements.
I’ve started the story, and it doesn’t have to be long, I even know where it’s going…which is unusual for me because I’m pretty much a pantser and let the characters tell their story through me, but this time I know, and I like where it’s going. I think it’s fear that’s holding me back. (Well, Lovecraft is a little scary.) It’s not writer’s block, it’s more not trusting myself, or maybe I’m afraid of the wrath of the gods.
Hunky Hubby came in and read over my shoulder as I wrote this, and of course, he believes I can write anything. He’s my biggest supporter. You might say that I’m a goddess in his eyes. And right behind him, my three sons always push me to be more. Clearly, the oldest son believes I can do this.
So, now that I’ve used all of you to bolster my confidence, I’m going to call on my ‘goddess’ powers to finish this story.
I’ll let you all know when it’s released. In the meantime, what do you struggle with? Do you write or read in one genre? Is there one genre you know you could never write? (I won’t say what mine is…I’m positive one of my guys would hand me a project to write in THAT genre.) Tell me what, if anything intimidates you at the keyboard, or on the bookshelf?
Balancing Writing in Your Life by Kitty Bucholtz
August 9, 2025 by Kitty Bucholtz in category It's Worth It by Kitty Bucholtz
Last month, I explained my WHOLE PATH System for Writers, an acronym encompassing nine main areas of life: Writing, Heart & Soul, Organization, Laughter, Economics, People, Accountability, Time, and Health. Today, I’d like to talk more about the first (and sometimes, but not alway,s the most important) area, Writing.
The hormone changes from perimenopause had devastating effects on my mental health. It’s been several years and I’m still trying to get back to myself. Being angry, anxious, depressed, and antisocial is not a good mindset for writing, especially in my current genre, Romantic Comedy. I’ve gotten very little writing done since I published my last book in August 2017.
But a new doctor and some changes to both my HRT (hormone replacement therapy) and vitamin supplements have helped me feel almost like “the real me” the last couple weeks! I took a sabbatical from my coaching business so I could focus on my health, and it’s been remarkably difficult to relax and rest and play. Not doing any work has been a struggle I don’t always win — and that in itself underscores that I needed the rest. I am THRILLED to say that I’m finally feeling like writing! Woohoo!!
Just in case life circumstances have taken the joy out of writing for you as well, I wanted to share what I’m doing in case it helps.
- As I said, I’m trying to manage the chemistry in my body with HRT, supplements, and better nutrition as well as more exercise. Not just running, but more strength building as well. (I just heard about Japanese HIIT walking and I’ve started that, too. I love it!) I’ve also been cutting way back on sugar and processed foods.
- I’m trying to manage my mindset by returning to things that have kept me positive and strong in the past (Bible reading, especially the praise Psalms, and music I love to sing to), and I’m trying to focus on what I’m grateful for rather than what’s bothering me. I want to journal more, but it has been like pulling teeth; I’ll keep trying.
- Now that my brain fog is lifting (I still have problems remembering the word I’m trying to say, but it seems to be cyclical during the month with easy weeks and hard weeks), I’m finding myself thinking about all the unfinished stories! I started trying to write for at least 30 minutes every weekday, but that brought my anxiety back. So now I am writing 2-5 days a week, anytime, for any amount of time, on anything that feels fun at the time. I’ve been focusing on “fun” over anything else to get my brain back into a joyful space. It’s slowly working!
- Which leads to the next major point — sadly, I’ve found I need to retrain my brain in how to have fun again. So I’m trying to focus on anything that I think might fit the bill — going to a new town on the train, wandering through secondhand shops and anything with a shop window that catches my eye (yesterday I went into three shops that sell new or used electronics, looking at CD players and record albums 😄), re-reading the Harry Potter series, putting together puzzles, etc. I’ve also been spending a lot more time with friends without looking at the clock to see when I have to be back.
- This is almost a repeat of the above — Prioritizing play and exercise. It’s making it a priority that is so important. In fact, I took a week where I got on a writing sprint call at 5:30 am my time with friends in Australia, but on those days I did little to no exercise because I couldn’t get myself to stop working on my computer after the writing. So now I’m back to exercising first so it gets done. Play is next in importance, and writing comes after that. But when I think of something funny and fun that I want to put on paper, that counts as play so I do it. Again, training my brain to remember when writing was always play and go back to that.
I hope this gives you some ideas for things you might want to try or change in your life. Writing is important to me! But in order to enjoy a sustainable writing life, writing needs to not always be in the #1 slot in my life. I want to be as joyful and healthy as I can be for the rest of my life, which is going to take some degree of work on my part for the rest of my life. It’ll be worth it!
If you have found other things that work for you, please share them with everyone in the comments! Also, check out Johnny B Truant’s current Kickstarter for The Artisan Author (ends August 14) for more ideas on how to relax and be yourself and create your own version of a sustainable career. Maybe I’ll see you in his Artisan University next month!
Self-Review
August 5, 2025 by Tracy Reed in category Pink Pad by Tracy Reed, Writing tagged as corrections, editing, errors, review
Recently, I was given the opportunity, to assist a couple of writers with proofreading. For the record, when I complete a project before sending it to my editor, I send my book to a proofreader. I ask my proofreader to check story flow, grammar, punctuation, and spelling. The projects I worked on, involved those basic items.
Once I completed the first proofreading project, I needed a palette cleanser and read one of my books. Let me clarify, this project wasn’t the only reason I re-read my books. I wanted to amp up my special edition omnibus. So, I dove in ready to be entertained, only to discover the book was crawling with errors. I was shocked. The very things I tell people to look out for in their books, is what I was guilty of in this book. I don’t know how I or my editor missed the glitches. I’m not sure if errors happened during the formatting process, or when.
What’s the lesson? Don’t assume the file is clean just because you used it make a different version of the book. I assumed, because all I was doing was cutting and pasting, the files were clean…error proof. The joke was on me, they weren’t. I hear you asking, how many errors…is it even worth your time to update the book? I maintain, readers will forgive approximately five errors (I know there’s no set amount of acceptable errors). Anything over that and your book and writing gets a bad reputation. In this case, there were enough noticeable errors to make me look like a novice writer.
So, while kicking myself for the over abundance of errors, I noticed how different my writing had become. In case, I hadn’t mentioned, the books I’m talking about are the first book I published and the other two in the series. When I started writing, I was writing a different genre…steamy Christian fiction. Now, my preference is Contemporary Romance with faith elements and heat. This series is a prime example of how my writing has changed. Although the books center around one couple, the tone in all three are different.
The other thing about these books is, they’re told in third person. Again, this is because I was trying to fit into a certain romance genre. I personally like multi-voice. That’s not to say I won’t write in third person. I will when I feel that’s what the story calls for. I have a duet, which works well in third person, but the books in the omnibus really would read better in multi-voice. I’m seriously considering re-telling these stories in multi-voice.
There’s just one major problem. If I rewrite them, what do I do with the original books? My solution is to repackage them with new covers, titles and update the original stories. And possibly make the repackaged books exclusives to my bookstore.
Have you thought about or repackaged a series? If so, what was the reader response? How often to you re-read your books?
Books by Tracy Reed
Picture This
July 30, 2025 by Dianna Sinovic in category Quill and Moss by Dianna Sinovic, Writing tagged as crime fiction, short fiction, writing
When Kristi saw the blue ribbon, she smothered her surprise. Yes, she should have been ecstatic—first place for acrylics in the local arts festival. But the backstory for the painting, “Raging Storm,” was still too raw, too fresh.
“Love that piece,” gushed the festival director, who appeared at her side. “And it sold. Congratulations.”
“Ah … thanks,” Kristi sputtered.
“Those oranges and reds and dramatic splashes of purple,” the director continued. “The person who bought it remarked on the powerful emotions it seems to embody.”
Like searing anger? Soul-sucking depression?
But Kristi didn’t share that. “Yeah, well, I was just letting my feelings flow.”
Looking back, she should have seen the mismatch from the start: she, with her creative spirit—which Trey later dismissed as “flaky”—and he, with his dedication to rules and order. Hah. Their marriage vows had mentioned the rule about being true to each other. Then the news camera doing a feature on beach towns caught him unawares, walking arm-in-arm with a blonde, a senior VP at his company. Neither was dressed for the office. In fact, they were at the Jersey Shore.
Becca had warned her when Trey proposed and she’d accepted.
“You’re so different.” This from her bestie who was still searching for Mr. Right. “I’m trying to be honest but kind,” Becca said. “You won’t be happy with him. As I’ve told you, I always find corpses—those hidden flaws that lead to ruin. That’s what I’m feeling for you.”
But Kristi was positive about Trey. He was the one; differences made a relationship stronger, didn’t they? Being too much alike was boring. And everyone has flaws.
On their honeymoon, also at the Jersey Shore despite the wind-whipped October weather, she’d whispered in a moment of bliss, “Tell me everything.”
He, while amorously tracing the line of her arm, responded coolly. “I don’t have to. We all have secrets.” He continued his line drawing along her body, unaware she had recoiled. “I don’t expect you to tell me all of yours.”
Those first few years were glorious and satisfying, or she pretended they were. She painted and sold a few pieces; he spent long days at the office and climbed the corporate ladder. The whimsy he said was charming about her at the outset soured into a dirge of complaints. She could do nothing right.
When Kristi saw the news clip Becca forwarded, finally understanding what his latest secret was, she grasped that there had been others. She’d been played for a fool.
It’s midnight and I’m blue, she texted her friend. What now?
The reply came immediately. Leave the bastard.
She did, in her own way, by giving into her anger. He had it coming. That’s how she justified it. What had Becca said about finding corpses? Trey’s would never be found.
Then she got out her acrylics and a blank rectangle of canvas. It was too soon to compose an image of her life ahead. First, she needed to exorcise her sorrow and wrath.
“We hope you’ll enter a piece in our next festival.” The director was still nattering on about her painting and the other artwork on the walls that surrounded them. “You’ve got a good eye for color.”
More of Dianna’s Stories
Dianna Sinovic, Featured Author
July 29, 2025 by Dianna Sinovic in category Featured Author of the Month tagged as Dianna Sinovic, Featured author, new release, Scream of the Silent Sun
Author of the Month: Dianna Sinovic
Born and raised in the Midwest, Dianna has also lived in three other quadrants of the U.S. She writes short stories and poetry, and has just released a full-length novel, Scream of the Silent Sun.
She is a member of Sisters in Crime, Horror Writers Association, The American Medical Writers Association, and The Bethlehem Writers Group, LLC.
Dianna is a contributing author in the last four anthologies from The Bethlehem Writers Group, Season’s Readings: More Sweet, Funny, and Strange Holiday Tales, An Element of Mystery: Sweet, Funny and Strange Tales of Intrigue, Fur, Feathers, and Scales, Sweet, Funny Animal Tales and Untethered, Sweet, Funny & Strange Tales of the Paranormal. She has also contributed stories for the Bethlehem Writers Roundtable ezine, including “In the Delivery.”
Dianna also has a regular column here on A Slice of Orange, titled Quill and Moss, in which she frequently includes short fiction.
Other books by Dianna Sinovic
Featured Books
SEVERED RELATIONS
Detective Finn O'Brien catches the call: two kids and their nanny are dead behind the gates of Freemont Place.
More info →
