Music I love to listen to while I write.

The music I listen to when I am writing depends on what I'm working on. If it's editing or new work on Immortals-the series, The Sylph Ayekah, and will soon be published VIRGINS, I favor Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. If I'm doing stories, blogging or poetry, I listen to Music by Charro or The Beatles and The Doors, and other like that. How about you?

Two freebies you don't want to miss!

Who the heck ever said writing is glamorous, creative, fun and natural? It's the hardest, loneliest, most unpredictable work one can ever wish for, and one could put in an existence doing and NEVER even earn a dime or get read much less be accepted as an author. Moreover, there is the NEVER ENDING learning process of refining, editing, and marketing! But as one writer to another, could you, would you, do anything else? I started my writing "vocation" (if one could call it that) after I raised three children, a husband and retired from 30 years of going to college while working an 8-5 and at times an extra job. What the heck! Am I nuts or what?   

It is, from K.M. Weiland on CRAFTING UNFORGETTABLE CHARACTERS! 

http://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/crafting-unforgettable-characters.pdf

You will find a link to it on her article: Common Writing Mistakes: http://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/common-writing-mistakes-much-description/

The 7 Deadly Sins of Paranormal Romance | WritersDigest.com

The 7 Deadly Sins of Paranormal Romance | WritersDigest.com: SLOTH: Info Dumps. Nothing turns me off faster than a book that starts off with a long narrative explaining all the world building. Info dumps are lazy. They’re bad form. The details of your world should come to light slowly, layer upon layer, immersing the reader in the experience. For hints on how to do this, paranormal romance writers should study the best written fantasy. LUST: Fetishism of the Supernatural. There’s a tendency for paranormal romance writers to fetishize the supernatural elements in the same way that science fiction writers sometimes fetishize the buttons and gadgets of their worlds. That your character is a werewolf isn’t all that interesting in and of itself.

Steven James, on story telling

Here is the YouTube on Steven James on telling stories and writing as published on PNWA.

 http://www.authormagazine.org/interviews/James_Interview_2016_09.html?utm_source=Author+Magazine+October+3rd%2C+2016&utm_campaign=Author+Magazine+April+4%2C+2016&utm_medium=email

From paper to screen

Do you think your book would be a great movie? You will never know until you try. 

On The Aspiring Screenwriter’s Guide to Page One are some interesting guidelines. 

https://screencraft.org/2016/05/23/aspiring-screenwriters-guide-page-one/

Freebies I share with you

I love to share information that can help all, not just writers, live a good life and prosper. Here is one for writers:
The Freelance Writer's Battle by Ian Chandler

Slugging on blogging

It's not so much that I have a full plate, and not just with food. It's not that I am a social media (sm) glutton - Facebook, Twitter, Google, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Stumbleupon (forgot one or two?) I might engage in some more than others but gosh, golly, gee what the heck and whatnot. 

I am actually writing and submitting a lot!

But this whole media thing is like the biggest boomer, hippie, flower child, gossip circle, club, and what-have-you, and with millions online someone is always posting.

A woman said, not long ago, "social media is evil." "Well," I said, "you mean like when TV, phone, cars and airplanes first started?  Should we go back to smoke signals or?" I think her husband uses sm for porn; who knows.

The very next thing I will blog will be, I hope, is to announce the publishing of my book! Drum roll anyone???

I wish you all a happy 4th of July; stay safe and grateful to be safe.

A freebie you don't want to miss!

Free memoire writing seminar with Brook Warner and Linda Joy Myers. "Wondering why addiction memoirs continue to be so popular? Register today for this free webinar with She Writes Press publisher Brooke Warner and writing coach and memoir guru Linda Joy Myers and learn more about what it takes to write a bestselling memoir. "  REGISTER NOW>>

http://writeyourbookinsixmonths.com/addictions-memoirs-free-webinar?inf_contact_key=6a434463d8f44c84dd53da3f0d610b74ea4886898bcac6b01b6ad825f0ea814fJ

Don't take it to hard

On SheWrites author Garine Issas posted  ". . . THAT TIME A FAMOUS WRITER ANSWERED MY EMAIL!: GETTING ENDORSEMENTS FOR YOUR DEBUT NOVEL" An article on the rejections and successes when requesting a "blurbs." 

It is a worthwhile read; it gives helpful suggestions on how to go about getting blurbs and what not to do when it doesn't; yup, it's a balancing act. 

Glad I read it, there are people who I gave copies of the first 100 pages of my book, months ago, to get some feedback, "Oh yes, I would love to read it" they said, and then... then... then... nothing. Except for my nephew Carlo, who gave me significant and constructive comments.

Now I know I am not the only one ignored, most of all know not to take it so hard when authors I know will not give me a blurb and also how it feels when I am asked for blurbs and don't give one; ouch.

To sequel or not

It a blessing to us writers when an author shares skills and experience such as K. M. Weiland and her latest article: How to Write a Sequel That’s BETTER Than the First Book is truly worth reading. Here is my question: K. M. Fist off thanks for the great articles and ongoing comments. How my sequels developed: In my work life I wrote technical and training material, for fun my thing was mainly poetry. So when I started writing my novel the technical part and prose left too much unwritten and in critique groups I was asked to write more about this and that. Before I knew it, a 300-page novel developed into 900+pages so I decided to do sequels. I think the story, a paranormal Sci-Fi, and characters are perfect for sequels since it starts, in prehistoric times to the present and then travels to the future. I finished my first book and am working on the second as I send queries to publishers and authors. Each book can be independent of the others, and my question is: when I query, do mention that there are sequels?

Are you done yet?

Those who know me and let me say two words, and end up getting stories from my childhood to my life now, ask questions such as "Are you done yet?"  They are talking about my novels.

I never feel like my writing is good enough or ready, this why I am sharing this article Writing Life: Jilted – and Still Jazzed by Tina Lincer on Author; it hit a chord. I wrote every place and on everything I could find, from napkins to (unused) toilet seat paper. Finally, since I retired, and I can write most of the time in my office on my laptop or iPad, I am bogged by never feeling that my books are ready!  So, this article I'm Out of My Comfort Zone by Jill Jepson on She Writes set me straight. I am willing to post my synopsis and start sharing my books.  Hope you like the articles.

Brief Up-date

Hi friends, Life can get busy, so many things to do and distractions. One has to decide what is most important (or what someone used to say - apology in advance  - "what fire to piss on")

A writer friend shares that he writes two hours a day or twenty pages no matter what. I am doing revisions and trying to follow his advice.  Started to submit my writing and poetry, also attending a good writers group. I say "good" because the feedback is useful and kind. So with their comments and John's help I am making changes that enhance VIRGINS, the first novel from my SYLPHS series.

Also, almost finished reading Gone Girl and a bit into Pope Joan, different books, both excellent. Will write about them when done.

Family, thank God, all are well and those that graduated this year did so with high honors. Summer is here full blast, green foothills are turning brown, but I don't mind. Trees are full and so is the lake. John and I are thankful to be in good health and sprit. I continue to attend a group of wise and spiritual women and I'm back enjoying Qi Gong. Had stopped after getting hurt doing Yoga - I was not focusing - made a bad move, one of those that is nothing terrible but turns into icing, visits to the therapist and rest. It had me down because it felt as if I was going to be lame forever.

I am sad to report that the Mama Turkey, on the photos of my May 20, 2015 post, Wildlife In Our Property, is no longer nesting. Some ill-meaning person took the eggs from the nest. He/she trespassed on our property at night, knockdown one of our solar lights. In the morning, all John found where feathers on our driveway and an empty nest with the Mama looking for her babies, no shells. The eggs already had embryos.  I have a feeling who it was but no proof so I've had to turn it over to the God of my understanding. Will not report on the critters in our property until after the fact so creeps don't hurt them.

We wish you all a great Fourth of July; have safe and fun time celebrating our freedom and liberty. For my social media activity please see me at:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hoyecomovas

Twitter: @USAFLOC

I must stop doing the "False Hustle"

The article on 99U, Stop Doing The False Hustle, made me realize how I crowd myself with stuff as a procrastinating tactic. Fully aware that the “BIG thing” looms while I do the "other." I work on poems or short story or a business project instead of the largest task of finishing edits to get my book out. Worst yet, I do housework or shop, make phone calls, etc., but I find that in doing outlier tasks I meditate and plan in a distracted state. However, these “delayers” let fear invade and soon the voice of negativity gets me down.

Share before publishing

This article [SWP: BEHIND THE BOOK]: SHELTER US, PART 2 Posted BY LAURA NICOLE DIAMOND on She Writes grabbed my attention. Laura tells how she shared her book Shelter Us before she published.

I have shared the coming out of VIRGINS, my paranormal breakthrough novel, and the first in my ROLO series, for several months. I am still working on edits after I sent it yet another editor and friend I really trust.

Once done, I think I will download the first few chapters, about 30 pages into a PDF, and offer them for free. To those that read them and send me a review, I will provide the rest of the book on a PDF for free.

There are so many how-to

I get many emails on how to sell, market and stand out, I scan them and usually delete. Times have changed so it feels that a writer's passion should be to become a master marketer and approach writing as if selling water by the riverbank. And, what is the best way to sell water by a river bank of publishing that is miles deep in vendors?
I ask my self: Self, would you continue to write if you knew for certain tha you would never sell your book, poems etc.? Would you continue to blog, FTL etc.? Self said: well, if you are just trying to make a sale go find something else to do. Then, I read a quote posted by Brian Tracy:  "I was just pursuing what I enjoyed doing. I mean, I was pursuing my passion." -- Pierre Omidyar, eBay founder and Internet Entrepreneur
I ask myself again: Self, if you didn't write what would you do? Its not that I write 24/7, I think that I live a well rounded life but the idea of not writing filled my gut with uninteresting options so, I decided to continue enjoying the pursuit of my passion.

I will soon publish Virgins 

getting ready to submit

I am getting easy to send out my paranormal novel and my poetry. This is the armor I am going to wear as I wait for replies from publishers, contests, agents and editors. 

Note: Hubcap Creatures on Devíant Art has made many sculptures from hubcaps sínce 2001.

- See more at: http://funnyvilla.com/entertainment/what-this-guy-does-with-hubcaps-and-other-junk-by-2221#sthash.PD1xpc6o.dpuf

Your best shorty in 50 words or less

A real shorty with a beginning, middle, and end in 50 words or less. 
50 Word Story Contest | Writing Sensehttp://www.everywritersresource.com/writingsense/50-word-story-contest/#.U0Q5C2xADfk.blogger

Free tutorial on Facebook for business.

With Internet and social media scaling a virtual box, the world is not out-there it is at our finger tips.

An article published Wednesday, July 21, 2010 on Facebook sums it up: Scaling Facebook to 500 Million Users and Beyond, and 100 billion hits per day. Nothing wrong for one that doesn’t subscribe to "things used to be better" Than caves, smoke signals,  life in constant peril?

This freebie I share just got it, "An Introduction To Facebook For Business" from HubSpot, downloaded to PDF,  eyeballed it but haven't studied it. Business is selling: products, ideas, image or writing.