Tag: #Writing

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Remodeling #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By Open Book

June 16, 2025

Hypothetical: Someone will pay to redecorate your living room. what would you like it to look like?

Thanks, but no thanks.

My living room doesn’t need much, other than a lighter color paint on the walls. (Maybe even just one wall.) It already has two matching deep brown recliners you can sink into, a matching sofa, a coffee table with a faux marble top that looks straight out of a Victorian room (and a matching side table) a curio cabinet, a full-height bookshelf, and a gas fireplace. It’s a room that wraps around you and welcomes you in when you enter through the front door. The house is an old Victorian era house (but not Victorian style—it looks more like an old farmhouse) and the room matches the house’s personality.

Now, my kitchen is a different matter, and I’d welcome a full remodel.

It’s smaller than I expected from the pictures. The first thing it needs is more square footage, and that requires an addition. It also needs new cabinets, sticking with a natural wood (I’m guessing these are over fifty years old) and new flooring. The laminate was installed badly, and it can’t stand up to the amount of foot traffic it gets. (The flooring is on my to-do list.) A large family were the previous owners, and I can’t imagine cooking for a family that size in the current space.

I want the room to be big enough to have space for a small kitchen table. I’d prefer to not sit at the dining room table to eat every meal. Seriously, I don’t think anyone who does any real cooking would get along with the room.

The color of the walls needs changed, too. They are currently a millennial gray-blue and I’d prefer something bright and airy. A pale blue could work. A shade of yellow might look okay, but I’d need to ponder my choices. The appliances should be replaced, but I doubt I’d be able to find any with the personality and reliability of what is there already.

I have no clue how much this would cost. (The addition alone would likely be an arm and a leg.) But unless I get rich off my next release, it won’t happen.

One thing I should note: I have no experience as an interior designer. I’d be leaning on others for help.

What about the other authors? What are they remodeling? Find out by following the links below.

As always, until next time, please stay safe.

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 June 16, 2025

Hypothetical: Someone will pay to redecorate your living room. what would you like it to look like?

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My Favorite Summer Plans #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By Open Book

June 2, 2025

What are your favorite summer plans?

In childhood, summer meant long walks on the backroads of Pennsylvania,

And thru the fields and forests. Bicycling. Hours of reading and doing crafts. Fishing in the “crick” down past the neighbor’s pasture.

For many of my adult years, it meant trips to the mountains. The Big Horns. The Beartooths. The Never Summer Range. Or maybe walks on the Oregon Coast beaches with my children, where the hills tumbled down to the ocean. There were also the years when the West Coast got switched to the East Coast, and the walks were on the long, sandy beaches of Florida and the Atlantic.

Since I retired, my summer plans have changed. I spend my time in my yard, tending to whatever flowers and other plants I’ve managed to keep away from the local white-tailed deer. I no longer have to go to the mountains, since I am living among the rolling hills of the northern Appalachians. I’m there. Or maybe I will repaint my front steps. (Yes, they are purple.) Mornings, I can birdwatch from my little deck. Of course, I have a list of normal chores to take care of.

Then there are the weekends.

And a whole range of festivals and similar events. (You can check the front page of this website to see the current list. https://www.pjmaclayne.com/  ) This year, I’m trying something new. Our borough has a community yard sale the first weekend of June that brings in lots of people, and I’m going to attempt to sell my books this year. It’s free, so worth the try. I’m also adding a few new events to my repertoire. (Waterford and Lancaster.)

So, those are my plans. And somewhere in there I have a short story I need to finish. (I’ve restarted it three times now. Each version has been an improvement.)

How about the others who are  posting on this hop? What are their plans? Find out by following the  links below.

As always, until next time, please stay safe.

June 2, 2025

What are your favorite summer plans?

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It’s A Kick In The Pants #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By Open Book

May 26, 2025

What are your triggers for writing? (For instance, what gets you hyped or starts the story in your head).

What chills your drive to write?

Let’s start with the easy one. What chills my drive to write? There are two main ones: stress and lack of privacy. Stress can come from a variety of sources, but financial is the primary one. (Isn’t that true for many of us?) You’d think writing would be a way to relieve stress, but that doesn’t work for me.

Then there’s the lack of privacy. My writing space is now in a public area of our house. There’s frequent foot traffic passing by. Even if I’m deep in writing, I can be interrupted frequently. Not just when I’m writing, either. I could just be surfing the net or listening to music and I’ll get a tap on the shoulder. I frequently feel as if someone is watching me. Plus, there’s too much noise. My headphones cancel out a lot, but not all of it. It makes it hard to concentrate. (I think I have a harder time concentrating in general these days.)

What gets me hyped? 

I didn’t use to need to get hyped to write. It was a constant state of being. Give me ten minutes and a piece of paper and pen, and I’d be spitting out words. But I’ve slowed down. It might be that I’m trying to work on too many stories at once. (I’m working on three.) I used to work on one at a time, so my concentration is scattered. Or it’s all the outside pressures I’m dealing with. Or maybe I’m worried no one cares about my writing.

But a good idea will spark my urge to write every time. I’m currently working on my third version of a short story, and the more I work with the main character, the plot keeps shifting into something new and better. Or maybe a twist will pop into my head as I crawl into bed after a writing session, as my character tells me what I’ve missed. (His name is Amos Headley. Love that name.)

Anyway, the longing to write is still with me constantly, even if I don’t get to it. (Which makes me feel guilty. Which, in itself, is a deterrent to writing. Vicious cycle.)

What triggers the other authors on this hop? Find out by following the links below.
As always, until next time, please stay safe.

May 26, 2025

What are your triggers for writing? (For instance, what gets you hyped or starts the story in your head).
What chills your drive to write?

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

 

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We’re Living In The Future #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By Open Book

May 19, 2025

Which sci-fi invention would you like to see made real?

We’re living in the future.

A few years back, I had a few episodes of vertigo, and my doctor was trying to find the cause. They referred me to an ear, nose and throat specialist, and I went through a battery of standard tests. As we were discussing the preliminary results, I mentioned the injury I’d received as a teen when I’d had a bicycle accident. The technician asked if I’d had an MRI back then to examine potential damage to my inner ear. I laughed and reminded him MRIs didn’t exist back then. He blinked, cocked his head, and quietly said “oh” before moving on to the next test.

I’ve also been involved with personal computers since the early days. In the early days, there was upper and lower memory, accessed through DOS commands. That was before gigabyte hard drives were a thing. Now, we have access to storage thousands of times larger that we hold in the palms of our hands.

How about phones? When I was a child, party lines were a thing. Yes, you could pick up the phone attached to the wall or sitting on a desk and listen to your neighbor’s conversation (if they were talking to someone,) and you had to wait your turn. And long-distance calls cost an arm and leg. Now, land lines are almost a novelty.

Speaking of phones, cell phones didn’t exist back then. And the first ones were strictly phones. Now, we hold more computing power in the phone stuck in our back pocket than the first computers that sat on our desks.

But what does the future hold?

What hasn’t happened? How about teleportation? In these days, when our lives often take us far from friends and families, how much easier would it be if we could get from place to place in a matter of seconds? It sounds good, but I wouldn’t want to be one of the early users. From what I understand of the technology, it sounds risky. Not one I want to be a part of.

How about interstellar travel? That sounds like fun. I’d love to see far-off planets. But I’m old, and I don’t believe I’ll see it happen. That’s okay, because there are plenty of places on Mother Earth that I haven’t seen yet.

But if I could choose which sci-fi inventions would happen, it would be in the medical field. Cures for cancer. Diabetes. Alzheimers and so many more. Heck, throw better vision correction and a cure for the common cold in there. Medical care for free, of course. I’ve seen too many people who live in pain every day. I’d like to see an end to that.

So, we’ve come a long way since I was a youngster, but there’s a long way to go. 

What invention in sci-fi would you like to see become reality? Tell me in the comments. And to find out what the other authors that take part in this hop hope for, check out the links below.

As always, until next time, please stay safe.

 

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May 19, 2025

Which sci-fi invention would you like to see made real?

 

What Word Do You Despise? #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By Open Book

May 12, 2025

We’ve talked about our favorite words. Is there a word you despise?

One you refuse to use in your writing?

Finding my favorite words was easy. But one I despise? Not so much. There are many ugly words in the English language. Some sound rough, while the meaning behind others is hurtful. I won’t list them here, because many people are offended just reading them. 

That doesn’t mean I won’t use those words. But they rarely come up in my writing. 

You want an example? How about racism? The word isn’t hard on the ears, but the philosophy behind it is against my beliefs.

Then there are words that are used to denigrate women. You know them. I don’t need to spell them out. I have used them in my stories, but sparingly. The words carry a punch, but if overused, become meaningless. Which may be a good thing, but defeats the reason I include them.

So, I haven’t run into a word that is off-limits. Besides, eliminating the word doesn’t put an end to the ideology it represents. Words are tools for writers, and we need to keep all of them available for our use.

Check out if any of our authors do have words they won’t use by following the links below.

And, as always, please stay safe until the next time.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

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May 12, 2025

We’ve talked about our favorite words. Is there a word you despise? One you refuse to use in your writing?

 

Falling In Love Again & Again #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By Open Book

May 5, 2025

Which of your characters do you have the biggest crush on?

I fall in love with most of my characters.

Even several of the villains. (Or maybe they never crossed the line from being a bad guy to a true villain.) But a few stand out.

If you’ve followed me for long, you know about how much I love Harmony Duprie, my ex-librarian turned internet researcher, turned female sleuth. I’ve mentioned more than once how I’d love to spend a quiet summer’s day with her, sitting on her steps, drinking ice tea, and swapping stories. But while she’d be a good friend, she’s not my crush. Even Eli, her good-looking retired Army Ranger boyfriend, now tech company owner, doesn’t qualify as my main crush. (In fact, I often worried about not giving him the attention he deserved.)

Neither Dot nor Gavin from Wolves’ Pawn qualifies either. As they were the main characters in the first book I released, you’d think they’d have a special place in my heart, and they do. But not as crushes. They were made for each other, and I was an outsider from day one.

But a very secondary character stuck with me. 

Lori Grenville only appeared in two or three chapters of Wolves’ Pawn. She was sassy and unafraid of authorities in any form. She was also averse to recognition, preferring to work behind the scenes. But she wormed her way into my brain.

It wasn’t until four years later that Lori demanded her own book. Of course, the story went a different direction than I’d planned. And as I wrote it, I developed a crush on her. She may have been the runt of the litter, but had developed the skills and attitude to stand up to the biggest opponents. (And allies.) She was a master of manipulation, but used the tactic sparingly. I’ve always loved the underdog, and if you looked up underdog in the dictionary, you’d find her picture next to the definition. And I absolutely love her. But …

You know he’s going to make an appearance.

Jake Hennessey, He always shows up. Jake is my gentleman, sometimes down-on-his-luck, jewel thief. He’s very much the bad boy with a heart of gold and an interesting set of ethics who I kept trying to write out of the Harmony Duprie stories, unsuccessfully.

But what makes him my top crush is how much he loved Harmony. He loved her enough to let her go, right into the arms of his cousin, who would be better able to take care of her. This, despite the fact that he’d sacrificed his own future to protect hers. She’d never known. No one, beside me and him, knew. (Well, and maybe any of you that read all the Harmony and Jake books.) How could I not have a crush on him?

Do you have a book crush? Share in the comments. And to find out which characters our other authors have a crush on, follow the links below.

As always, until next time, please stay safe.

May 5, 2025

Which of your characters do you have the biggest crush on?

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The Wandering Path #OpenBook Blog hop

  By Open Book

April 21, 2025

Do you write your stories start to finish, or do you write scenes out of order and then assemble them in the proper order?

Most of you know I’m a pantser.

That means I don’t plot my stories out before I start writing. I may know where I want to start and finish, but everything in between is uncharted territory. That contrasts with friends who have the storyline all figured out before they put pen to paper. (Or fingers to keyboard.)

So I write chronologically. Otherwise, I have no idea where my characters want the story to go. They’ll give me hints of what is going to happen, but take me there in their own time. I’m more likely to delete a scene than to work ahead.

But there are always exceptions. My next book in the Edwards Investigations (Still unnamed) is one of those. I wrote an absolutely kickass opening scene, and then realized it wasn’t an opening scene at all. It belongs later in the book. I’ve saved it, and will pull it out to add when the plot demands it.

And then there’s Jake.

Jake Hennessey, a secondary character in the Harmony Duprie series, loves to break the rules. After the third book, I attempted to write a short story about how he and Harmony met—it didn’t work. He wouldn’t reveal his secrets to me. So, when I’d wrapped up the series and moved on to other things, he surprised me by demanding I write his story. That’s how the prequel to the series got written after everything else. Talk about out of order!

But that wasn’t planned. And those anomalies don’t change what happens when I sit down to write.

Now, I admire the folks who can plot out their books. But I’m good not being one of them.

How about the other authors on this hop? Find out by following the links below.

As always, until next time, please stay safe.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Do you write your stories start to finish, or do you write scenes out of order and then assemble them in the proper order?

Farewell NaNoWriMo #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By Open Book

April 14, 2025

It’s official. The NaNoWriMo organization (National Novel Writing Month) is shutting down.

What’s your reaction?

My first attempt at NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) was in 2011. I’ve talked about it before, but I didn’t “win” that year. The goal is to write 50,000 words in November, and I made it to 49,000 words, but the story ended and I didn’t have more words to add.

It was my first attempt at writing fiction, and I wasn’t satisfied. But I was also hooked. I rewrote that story four or five times, including changing point of view twice, before I gave it up. Not because it was bad, but because it was too derivative of someone else’s work. That story is archived now, and will never be resurrected.

I tried again the next year, and “won.” I made it to over 50,000 words and had an almost complete story. After finishing it, I started the process of revision. But the writing was stiff, and it needed a lot of work. I set it aside, ready to work on the next story that was tumbling around in my head. I’ve won several times, but eventually stopped participating because I had other writing to do.

It’s a shame to see NaNoWriMo come to an end.

The challenge helped a lot of people get a taste of writing, and the rewards for winning assisted writers in developing their skills. But all good things come to an end. I haven’t delved into the details, but I understand that it has to do with opinions on the use of AI in writing. (We’ve previously discussed that topic on this hop.) I worried about how AI would affect writers, but shutting down NaNo wasn’t part of it.

I predict there will be efforts to replace NaNoWriMo with something similar. Probably more than one. I can’t imagine any of them will be as successful as the original. (Think about the number of attempts to compete with Facebook.)

How do the other authors feel about NoNoWriMo shutting down? Find out by following the links below.

As always, please stay safe until the next time.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter


April 14, 2025

It’s official. The NaNoWriMo organization (National Novel Writing Month) is shutting down. What’s your reaction?

Make New Friends But Keep the Old #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By Open Book

April 7, 2025

How do you know you’re going to become friends with a new person you’ve just met?

My criteria have changed as I get older.

It’s a matter of broadening my social circles, things I learned during the Covid crisis, and the political climate in the US.

It’s sad, but I don’t trust people as much as I used to. I’m friendly with lots of folks that I wouldn’t call a friend or seek a long-term relationship with. The fear of betrayal has grown, so I am more closed in revealing my deeper thoughts and feelings.

That may have stemmed from my involvement in computer security, and seeing how naive people are. Not only did I have to protect myself, I had to protect others as well. (And yes, I can take myself too seriously.)

But I have an escape in my writing.

It is also a shield of sorts. A safe topic. Even when people don’t truly understand what I do, it’s always an easy – and perhaps forgettable – subject of discussion.

So, back to the original question. How do I know if someone will be a friend?

You’d think at my age, the signs would be obvious, but I can’t give you a list. Despite my outgoing public persona, I’m an introvert. (Well, most of the time). True friendship grows slowly. And that’s on me. It’s even harder to maintain those friendships. I can be too clingy or too distant. Finding the right balance is difficult.

And the title? It’s from a song we used to sing around the campfire in Girl Scouts. (In rounds.) Even then, I didn’t quite fit in. The song advocates for a great philosophy, but it’s hard to follow when age and miles keep you apart. (And that is on me as well. If you follow this blog, you may remember that I’ve moved all over the United States.) I’ve never gotten good at maintaining friendships over the internet.

How about the other authors on this blog? How do they know when a new acquaintance will become a friend? Check out the links below to find out.

And, as always, until next time, please stay safe.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

April 7, 2025

How do you know you’re going to become friends with a new person you’ve just met?

Sharing A Beer With Kethry #IWSG

  By 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!
The awesome co-hosts for the April 2 posting of the IWSG are Jennifer Lane, L Diane Wolfe, Jenni Enzor, and Natalie Aguirre!Every month, we announce a question that members can answer in their IWSG post. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience or story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSG post or let it inspire your post if you are struggling with something to say.

April 2 question – What fantasy character would you like to fight, go on a quest with, or have a beer/glass of wine with?
I’ve often remarked that I’d like to have a glass of ice tea with Harmony Duprie, my ex-librarian turned internet researcher. We’d sit on the bottom stairs leading to her third-story apartment in an old Victorian home, and  enjoy a quiet summer’s day. If I was lucky, she’d tell me all the things she didn’t reveal over the course of the six books in the Harmony Duprie Mystery series. Although I got to know her pretty well while writing her stories, I always suspected that there were secrets she kept hidden. Shoot, it wasn’t until the third book that I found out she was afraid of flying!
And then there’s Jake Hennessey – the bad boy of the series, who turned out to be a gentleman jewel thief. At least, on his good days. I don’t think I could get Jake drunk enough to reveal the dark corners of his story. The two books I wrote about him only touched on the harsh side of his life. And I couldn’t risk my own life going on one of his “adventures.” The possibility of getting arrested would be a constant worry.
But using one of my own characters is too easy. So, I’ll go back to a series that first got me interested in the sword and sorcery genre, the Valdemar books by Mercedes Lackey. Although Tarma and Kethry were partners in adventure, I always felt as if Kethry didn’t get the recognition she deserved.
When a was younger, I might have enjoyed being part of one of their quests. Now that I am much older, sharing a brew with Kethry and letting her entertain me with her stories sounds perfect. We’d sit by the fireside in a faraway tavern, listening to the winter wind howl outside, while I got her point of view of everything she’d done. Because., like Harmony and Jake, I’m sure she had secrets that weren’t revealed in the books.
There’s a long list of folks who take part in this hop. Please take the time to visit a few of the. The list is below.
As always, until next time, please stay safe.