P.J. MacLayne - P.J. MacLayne

My Newest Favorite Book #OpenBook Blog Hop

By P.J. MacLayne September 10, 2023 September 10, 2023 Open Book

Sept 11, 2023

It’s been a long time since we’ve done this – what is your favorite book (not your own.) Has it changed in the last few years?

You would think, being retired, that I would have more time for reading. That’s what I thought. I was wrong.

Oh, I have the time. But not the habit. Shoot, I haven’t visited the library in the past few months. There’s always something to do in the yard, or the house, or for my WIP. I feel guilty about it.

My next project is painting my front steps (purple) . I bought the paint, but then found out I need to scrape off all the old stuff. But we’re in the middle of a rainy spell, so that has to wait.

And then there’s the project to divert some of the ground and rainwater water flow to different parts of my yard, and eliminate the soggy places. I need to go buy more gravel.

I have accomplished a few things. I dug out all the mulch and gravel from the spot in my yard where there used to be a swing set. I don’t know if I’ll put in a firepit or a flower garden there. And we planted an apple tree and a lilac. I couldn’t get my hands on a mountain laurel, so I’ll settle for a rhododendron to be put in this fall.

But back to reading. I have read a few books in the last year, but none of them were memorable. Certainly, no new favorite. I have failed miserably in my goal to read at least one book from each author in this hop. (Maybe this winter!) And I don’t remember what I mentioned as my favorite the last time we talked about this, so this will be fresh to me.

My old favorites are the Anne McCaffrey Dragonrider books, specifically the Harper Hall series. If I had to pick one, it would be the first, Dragonsong. I love the twist that book brought to the ongoing Pern series. I think I’ve read all of McCaffrey’s books, although I stopped reading the Pern books when her son started writing them.

A more contemporary book I fell in love with is The Devil’s Caress by Angela Pryce. I love the way the story deals with fudging the lines between good and evil. But there are lots of authors I admire even if their books don’t rise to my personal favorite. I won’t list them here, because I’d leave someone out and it would make me (and them) sad.

I’ll bet when I read the favorite books of the other authors on this hop, I’ll be adding to my ‘To Be Read’ list. Find out by following the links below.

Until next time, please stay safe.

Sept 11, 2023

It’s been a long time since we’ve done this – what is your favorite book (not your own.) Has it changed in the last few years?

Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.

Happy Birthday Insecure Writer’s Support Group! #IWSG

By P.J. MacLayne September 5, 2023 September 6, 2023 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!
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.
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! HAPPY TWELTH BIRTHDAY INSECURE WRITER’S SUPPORT GROUP!!!

September 6 question: The IWSG celebrates 12 years today! When did you discover the IWSG, how do you connect, and how has it helped you?

I’ve been participating in this hop for a long time, off and on. I’m not sure when I started. The oldest post I can find was back in 2019, so four years ago. I think I ran across the group from through another author, when she posted about it on FB. (She doesn’t take part anymore.)

I’m not very good at the connected part, and that’s my fault. Although I read lots of interesting posts, I’m bad at commenting or following those blogs. I try to tweet (is that the right term anymore!) posts I’ve read but I don’t know how many views that gets for the other authors.

Why do I stick with it? It forces me to step away from whatever project I’m working on and think about something new, depending on what the topic of the month is. When I return to my WIP, I can look at it with a fresh eye.

So, Happy Birthday, #IWSG, and thank you to Captain Alex Cavanaugh, our founder.

Delving Into The Dark Side #OpenBook Blog Hop

By P.J. MacLayne September 3, 2023 September 4, 2023 Open Book

Sept 4, 2023

What’s the biggest problem you have in your writing right now?

For those of you that have read my Harmony Duprie Mysteries, you know they are on the ‘light’ side. No on-scene murders, no blood and gore every other page, no one dies weekly. They were fun.

What I’m working on is the opposite of that. And it’s tough, changing my mindset.

My new main character is Cheyenne McGregor, Annie to her friends and co-workers, a divorced woman in her late twenties. She was in a major car accident before the story starts, and bears the scars to prove it. The story takes place in Pittsburgh, PA in the mid 1980s, when computers were about to go personal and change the world. But Pittsburgh was having additional issues because the steel industry that funded the local economy was dying.

I’m making the setting as realistic to the time as possible, using a mix of real and fake places. It’s harder to research than I expected, because so many of the records of that time are not widely available on the internet. Shoot, I spent an hour trying to figure out if police uniforms were blue or black back then. (They were blue – I think.)

I’ve put Annie to work in a barely-staying-afloat private investigating firm, working part time as a PI and part time as a bookkeeper. The scene I’m currently writing takes place in a wrong-side-of-town bar, searching for her abusive ex. Her boss, Mike Edwards, is helping her, against his better judgement. Making the bar low-life enough in a few choice sentences is tough, although I think the cockroach scuttling across her shoe is a nice touch. Having her squish it is a bonus.

My biggest current problem in my writing? Letting the dark side of life have free rein on my story. I’m pretty sure Annie will have at least one hospital stay. Maybe more. I’m not sure how big the body count will be.

What about the other authors on this hop? What are their biggest problems? Find out by following the links below.

As always, until next time, please stay safe.

Sept 4, 2023

What’s the biggest problem you have in your writing right now?

Snack of the Day #OpenBook Blog Hop

By P.J. MacLayne August 27, 2023 August 27, 2023 Open Book

August 28, 2923

What snack do you like with your cuppa (coffee/tea?)?

Many of you may know that I don’t drink coffee. Not that I have any objection to it, I just don’t like it. I tried to learn to appreciate the flavor so I could have a cup of coffee in the morning with my husband, but it never happened. I’d still make him a pot, but I wouldn’t drink it. Now that we are retired and have a single-serve coffee maker, he makes his own.

Tea is different. I enjoy the occasional cup. Flavors may vary, depending on my mood, the weather, and what is currently in my cupboard. But a morning cup isn’t part of my daily routine. When I have a cup, it is a treat by itself and I don’t have snacks to go with it. Water, plain, boring water is my current daily drink.

That’s not to say I don’t give in to the munchies during my day. As much as I like to pretend I eat healthy, chocolate in various forms is my downfall. Yes, I keep my fridge stocked with a variety of cheeses, but they aren’t as satisfying as good ‘ol chocolate.

Although I’ve gotten choosy about my chocolate. No more of the big US brands. The market has become saturated with at least one of my old favorites, and I rarely buy it anymore. It feels like the quality has gone done. Or I’ve become pickier. I’m even tired of some of the better quality brands—or my willpower is getting stronger.

I’ve never been much for salty snacks, either. Chips don’t thrill me. I’m okay with pretzel sticks in limited amounts.

But I’m no saint. I eat what is handy. The trick is buying only the ‘good’ stuff. I fail at that regularly.

Oh, I don’t limit my characters to my beverage peculiarities. Coffee earns frequent mentions in my stories. For example, from “Her Ladyship’s Ring”

It threw me for a loop when I woke to the smell of freshly brewed coffee. Even in the days when Jake and I were together, I’d always been the first one up. I pulled on my robe, put my hair into a ponytail, and went to see what he was up to.

Greeted by a scene of domestic tranquility, I wondered if Jake had been replaced by a house brownie in the middle of the night. Last night’s dishes, including the cups we’d used for hot chocolate were washed and drying in the rack. Two mugs sat on the table, along with the sugar, and a spoon neatly placed on a napkin beside each. Jake was nowhere to be found.

How about you? Do you have a snack to go with your daily beverage? Let’s see what the other authors on this hop drink by following the links below.

Until next time, please stay safe!

August 28, 2923

What snack do you like with your cuppa (coffee/tea?)?

Beta Readers – Another Step in the Process #OpenBook Blog Hop

By P.J. MacLayne August 20, 2023 August 20, 2023 Open Book

August 21, 2923

Do you use beta readers? Have they been useful in improving your writing?

My books get seen by lots of eyes before I ever release them to the world. And some of the eyes are beta readers.

But they are more than readers. I am part of an on-line group that critique each other’s works. Not the same people all the time, and some of them may read several selections and not stick around for an entire book. The setup can be both enlightening and frustrating.

Enlightening because it’s helpful to get fresh eyes on your writing in the middle of the book. If the new readers don’t get the gist of your story from a synopsis and the selection itself, it may indicate the plot needs tightened. If those new readers fall in love with the writing, it can be a great compliment.

Another benefit is that the site attracts users from a variety of skill levels, different writing types, and from around the world. So, while getting a variety of opinions, there is also the opportunity to learn from the stories that the others share.

The frustrating part is finding someone whose opinion you respect and they disappear after a few chapters. It’s the nature of the platform—people come and go as they have their own work that needs critiqued, and don’t stick around at other times.

What I don’t have are readers that I can send a complete manuscript to for general impressions. I’m not sure how useful that would be. It’s just not my style.

How about our other authors? Do they use beta readers? Find out by following the links below.

As always, until next time, please stay safe.

August 21, 2923

Do you use beta readers? Have they been useful in improving your writing?

Icebreakers – And Not Of The Cocktail Variety #OpenBook Blog Hop

By P.J. MacLayne August 13, 2023 August 13, 2023 Open Book

August 14, 2923

What is your favorite icebreaker (meetings, parties, dates, socials)?

Back when I was involved with training, I had a plethora of icebreakers in my ‘toolbox.’ Many of them would break today’s rules of personal space when done in mixed-gender groups. I wouldn’t dare suggest using the one where you stand in a circle, close your eyes, and reach to the middle of the circle to find someone else’s hand. (One for each hand, of course.) Then, as a group effort, the resulting knot must be untangled without ever letting go of the other hands. The results can be hilarious and anything but welcoming to lots of people. Yes, there was much close contact and occasional shenanigans needed to accomplish the goal.

Now, icebreakers are like ‘Introduce the person sitting next to you,’ and ‘Tell us two truths and one lie about yourself.’ I’ll have forgotten most of the names from the first one before I ever leave the room, depending upon how large the group is. And I like to keep my home life separate from my work life, so I make the answers to the second as basic and boring as possible.

Do I have a favorite icebreaker? Stop at my booth at a community event and tell me about your favorite author or ask me about my writing. Or tell me about yours. I’m happy to encourage a budding author or trade ideas with other writers on where to sell our work. In the last two weekends, I have developed a small list of potential spots to sell my books.

What this boils down to is that I despise ‘artificial’ icebreakers. How about the other authors on this hop? Find out by following the links below.

Until next time, please stay safe.

August 14, 2923

What is your favorite icebreaker (meetings, parties, dates, socials)?

New Release: Raising Hell – How to Survive the Terrible Twos By Katie Zaber

By P.J. MacLayne August 9, 2023 August 10, 2023 Uncategorized

I had the pleasure of meeting Katie Zubar at the recent book signing, Committed at the Hill View Manor in New Castle, Pa. She’s got a new book out, and I thought I’d share it with you!

Excerpt:
A woman in her mid-twenties sits on a stool, staring at her phone. She’s not even trying to entice
customers to come in for a reading.
She sees me and says, “No.”
I smile. “Hi, Lynn.”
A long cinnamon braid twists and turns down her back, ending past her knees. Her phone in
her hands shakes slightly. She stares at me with wide green eyes. “No. I barely slept after your
last reading.” She sighs, deflating like a popped balloon, sinking her shoulders down low. “I
wanted my dream last night to be another nightmare, not reality, but here you are. Another
nightmare come true.”
“It’s nice to see you, too.”
“Please,” she says, looking up at me with begging eyes, “find someone else to give you
readings.”
“I wish I could, but I trust you, and I know that you have the gift.”
“The curse,” she replies under her breath. “Fine. I’ll put the kettle on. But I’m charging
double. The stress that comes from your powerful readings, the sleepless nights…” She mumbles
under her breath, getting off her stool, and heads into her shop. “It’s not worth it. Not worth
double.”
“Then I’ll pay you triple. I’m sorry that I cause you so much misery, but I could really use
your help. Please.”

“It’s not your fault that the gods have picked you for something,” she says while turning on
the electric kettle and prepping the mugs.
“What do you think they picked me for?” I ask as Mal squirms and farts but settles down.
Thankfully, he’s not pooping just yet. I have limited time.
“No clue. Just that you’re special. I have strong readings with other people, but nothing that
seems so important. There’s an air of fate around you that affects everyone and everything you
touch.”
“What do you mean?”
“I don’t know. It’s a feeling that I’ve only had with you. I give readings and I see things, but
never have I felt that anyone was truly meant for something. Not like you.” She places the mugs
on the table and asks, “So, what brings you here today?”
I sit down and recline back for a moment and think about what she just said. She thinks the
gods handpicked me for something. Something important. Could it be stopping Crystal and
Shade? No. Nothing in my life is that easy or makes that much sense. They must need me for
something else. How lovely.
“It’s about Melisa. My friend that came with me that last time. She’s in love and about to
pop the question. The woman she loves has two boys. You predicted that. Is there anything we
can do to stop her pain? Is there any way to prevent it? Can I save her and her family?”
Lynn holds out her hand and rubs her pointer and thumb together.
“Oh. Here.” I pass her a handful of hundreds, more than triple her fee.
“Thank you. Do you need change?”

I shake my head.
“Thank you. Give me your hand. Let’s see if I get a vision. They don’t always come.”

Blurb: The voices tell me to wake up, but with two children under three, I’m awake. Believe me.
There’s just so much pressing on me.
Crystal, the woman who runs Shade, the secret group who imprisoned me, is still out there and I
cannot rest until I have ended her. I need supernatural allies to do that, though, and they are hard
to come by. Witches, vampires, and weres refuse to unite against their common enemy, choosing
to hide in seclusion while innocents are hunted and turned into lab rats.
Meanwhile, my best friend is entering a new phase of her life, and I don’t want to miss a second
of her happiness, despite the dire warnings from a powerful psychic in the mall.
And then there’s Lucas, the man who will never say he loves me and rejects the idea of marriage.
He loves me even if he can’t say the word. Right?
So what if there are dire predictions popping up all around me? I have more than enough to deal
with. My kids will be fine. Just fine.
Won’t they?

Raising Hell – How to Survive the Terrible Twos https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0C9L1M94D

Katie Zaber, author of the series Dalya and DNA, is a fantasy author whose imagination knows no
bounds. As a child, her parents read stories about Atlantis and other fictional places that she dreamed of
exploring, fueling her love of history, adventure, and fantasy. She loves to spend what little free time she
has winemaking, baking, and reading. When she has a full day to herself, you can find her at the beach or
at a winery. Her favorite meals are the ones her boyfriend cooks, and she loves spending quiet nights at
home with him, binge watching new fantasy shows or play video games.
Newsletter and FREE ebook of Ashes and Blood – https://www.subscribepage.com/s4t6x8
Stranger Shores – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B3HHSMQ3

Ashes and Blood – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B087YJ8W87
Below Dark Waters – https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08GTX3MFP
DNA Demons N Angels – https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0975417BJ
DNA Demons N Angels Chapters 1-4 – https://storyoriginapp.com/giveaways/c9c1d002-1fb2-11ec-
86db-a3186d5491f2
Amazon Author Page – https://www.amazon.com/Katie-Zaber/e/B087YXPDF2
Website- https://zaberbooks.com/
Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20290665.Katie_Zaber
BookBub – https://www.bookbub.com/authors/katie-zaber?follow=true
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/dalyaseries
Twitter – https://twitter.com/Zaberbooks
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/zaberbooks/

A Fateful Meeting In The Woods #OpenBook Blog Hop

By P.J. MacLayne August 6, 2023 August 7, 2023 Open Book

August 7, 2023

What is your author origin story? (Or make one up.)

Be aware – this story may or may not be true. I will neither confirm nor deny the reality.

At the age of seventeen, I met a Celtic god.
I didn’t know that was what he was, of course. It took a long time for me to understand what had happened.
Which was basically nothing. It was a late summer day, and I was on one of my strolls through the fields and woods near my parents’ home when I bumped into him. Not literally, of course,
There wasn’t a path to where I’d wondered, a house and property that had been bought for a new park. The home had been torn down, but the old stone foundation remained. I was in search of a small spring rumored to be nearby.
And there he was, on the other side of the overgrown lawn, the largest “deer” I’d ever seen, with a huge spread of antlers. My first thought was that I was glad it wasn’t hunting season, and I didn’t have to report it to my dad.
We stood there for a long time, staring at each other, neither of us blinking, me hardly breathing. Then he was gone. I don’t remember him leaving. I continued my walk, forgetting to continue my search for that spring.
It was after that encounter I started writing more. I’d experimented with essays in school, but never contemplated taking my writing further than that. After the moment, my attempts at writing poetry became more frequent and intentional.
There was another benefit to the contact. I’d broken my collarbone in a bicycle accident a few weeks earlier. At my next checkup, it amazed the doctor how quickly it was healing. It healed fast enough that by fall, I was scaling cliffs as part of a mountain climbing class.
What was a Celtic god doing in the forests of Western Pennsylvania, USA? I have no theories, but it makes more sense that the researcher who is convinced Bigfoot roams those hills. I keep thinking I should make a return trip to the spot to say thank you. Can someone in the comments tell me what an appropriate offering to leave behind would be?

How did the other authors in this group get started? Check out the links below to find out.

As always, until next time, please stay safe.

P.S. Aengus is the Celtic god of youth, love and poetic inspiration. He has the ability to shapeshift.

August 7, 2023

What is your author origin story? (Or make one up.)

After Reaching The End #IWSG

By P.J. MacLayne August 1, 2023 August 1, 2023 IWSG

Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!

The awesome co-hosts for the August 2 posting of the IWSG are Kate Larkinsdale,Diane Burton, Janet Alcorn, and Shannon Lawrence!

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?

Easy answer: All the freakin’ time. I worry about the last few words, the last sentence, the last paragraph, the last chapter. Is the story going where I want it to go? Am I setting the right tone? Staying true to my characters?

But I suspect the question is referring to an entire story. The answer is still yes. I’ve written total books that are filed away because I don’t believe they are good enough. If they don’t meet my standards, I won’t foist them off on my readers.

For example, I’ve tried to write romance. Just can’t do it.. At least, I’m not meeting the expectations of the genre. I can’t write the deep emotions that readers anticipate. Give me action/adventure, mixed with a touch of romance, and I’m in my element.

I’ve handled those failed attempts in several ways. I have set some aside. Sometimes I take elements of the stories to reuse in a whole new work. I am currently working on a remake of a manuscript I set aside over a decade ago. As I set to work, I realized the new story was more of a tribute to the original, rather than a rewrite. I’ve shed some of the major plot points from the first version while strengthening others. (The working title is The Edwards Agency. )

I don’t consider any of those set-aside books as failures. I see them as learning experiences. Each one has improved my writing skills.

To see how other authors feel about the question, check out a few of the links below.

Sunflowers In A Full Moon #OpenBook Blog Hop

By P.J. MacLayne July 30, 2023 July 30, 2023 Open Book

July 31, 2023

A field full of sunflowers on a bright morning? Or rolling hills on a clear, full moon night?

I hate these kinds of questions. I don’t believe in shades of black or white. Well, they exist, but answers to problems often aren’t strictly defined.

Have you ever seen a field of sunflowers in the light of a full moon? A lifetime ago, I was on a bus trip halfway across the United States when I woke in the middle of the night. I’m not even sure what state we were driving through, and it took me a while to figure the scene outside the windows, but on either side, there were fields of sunflowers. The moon was playing hide-n-go seek in the clouds, and, aided by the bus’s headlights, I’d catch glimpses of individual flowers.

It was a long trip, and before too long, I drifted back to sleep. I slept a lot on that trip, in the days before cell phones and tablets, especially thru desolate landscape of Nebraska. But I ended up in the foothills of the Big Horn Mountains., so it was worth the trip.

I once came across a cluster of wild sunflowers in the mountains of Colorado after a rainstorm, their heads rotating to seek out the sunshine as the storm clouds moved away. I guess I’ve been honored to experience several versions of the answer.

Now I have returned to the rolling hills of Pennsylvania, where the trees can get in the way of the scenery. I don’t do much driving at night anymore, because my eyes aren’t as good as they used to be. But I love the soft sounds of the night. The quiet bird calls, the soft hum of insects, the whisper of the evening breeze.

Back to the original question—a field of sunflowers or rolling hills? I’ve made my choice. How about our other authors? Check the links below to see what they choose.

Until next time, please stay safe.

P.S. Don’t forget I will be at the Pleasantville PA Community Festival Aug 3-5. If you are joining the fun, stop by and say hi!

July 31, 2023

A field full of sunflowers on a bright morning? Or, rolling hills on a clear full moon night?

Author: P.J. MacLayne

My Newest Favorite Book #OpenBook Blog Hop

Happy Birthday Insecure Writer’s Support Group! #IWSG

Delving Into The Dark Side #OpenBook Blog Hop

Snack of the Day #OpenBook Blog Hop

Beta Readers – Another Step in the Process #OpenBook Blog Hop

Icebreakers – And Not Of The Cocktail Variety #OpenBook Blog Hop

New Release: Raising Hell – How to Survive the Terrible Twos By Katie Zaber

A Fateful Meeting In The Woods #OpenBook Blog Hop

After Reaching The End #IWSG

Sunflowers In A Full Moon #OpenBook Blog Hop

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