Tag: #Writing

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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!

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

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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?

8 Comments

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.

Becoming Someone Else #IWSG

  By IWSG, Uncategorized
It’s the first Wednesday of March (already!!!) and time for another post in the Insecure Writer’s Support Group blog hop. 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.

The awesome co-hosts for the March 5 posting of the IWSG are Ronel Janse Van Vuuren, Pat Garcia, and Liza @ Middle Passages!

March 5 question – If for one day you could be anyone or *thing* in the world, what would it be? 

Describe, tell why, and any themes, goals, or values they/it inspire in you.

There are a few different jobs I wanted to be at various points of my life. But since this prompt calls for only a one day switch, I won’t touch on this. I’ll go for a radical change. But I really am happy with who I am, so this is tough.

Maybe I should be a tree. An old, tall and strong tree. It wouldn’t matter if it was in a park or in a forest somewhere. (As long as it wasn’t near a forest fire at the moment.)

Okay, I should pick something different. Or someone.

I considered the idea of being a forest ranger in one of the US National Parks. But with the current state of politics in the US, that would bring a whole world of stress that I don’t want to deal with.

So, for one day, I want to be a librarian in a major library somewhere.

(Yes, they have the stress of funding right now, but it isn’t as immediate as what the forest rangers are facing.) To be surrounded by books and other media, as well as other book lovers, would be a wonderful way to spend a day.

I’ve been a librarian in a very small town library and some of my characters were librarians, so it seems to be a natural fit. Now, if the swap lasted more than one day it would require living in a large city, and I have no interest in that. So, one day is enough.

What about you? Who or what would you be for a day?

Don’t forget to check out some of the other posts on this hop.

As always, until next time, please stay safe.

In An Alternate World #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By Open Book

March 3, 2025

If you had to become one of your characters, which one would you choose?

It isn’t who you think.

No, it isn’t Harmony Duprie From the Harmony Duprie Mysteries. Or Annie McGregor from The Edwards Investigations. Or even Jake Hennessey. I’ve put those characters through hell and back, and I wouldn’t wish that on anyone (including myself.)

Now, I’d love to sit and chat with Harmony on the steps leading to her apartment. Or take a seat in Jake’s bar and drink a beer and shoot the breeze with the regulars. But the moments of peace that either have are limited. Plus, despite his outgoing nature and broad circle of friends, I see Jake as a lonely person. He has to hide who he really is, and has no one to confide in.

I don’t want to overlook my Free Wolves series. It’s fun to write a shapeshifter story, but I wouldn’t want to live that way, dealing with a patriarchal pack structure. Although I love my main characters in those books, I don’t want to be one of them.

And Annie McGregor from the Edwards Investigations? No, thank you. Now, it might be interesting to spend a day as Mike Edwards, her business partner. But I haven’t figured out his entire backstory yet, so I’ll wait.

I’ll take the safe route.

And pick one of my secondary characters. One of Harmony’s dearest friends, Janine Janson, is also a trained librarian like Harmony, and was hired as the chief librarian of the Oak Grove Public Library. She lives a quiet life, surrounded by books, friends, and as a respected community leader. I can see myself fitting into that life. In fact, there was a short time during which I pursued a similar career path. But I don’t see her ever writing books; she’s happy reading them.

Which characters would the other authors on this hop become if they had to? 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

March 3, 2025

If you had to become one of your characters, which one would you choose?

 

A Letter To My Readers #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By Open Book

Feb 24, 2025

Write a letter to your readers.

Dear Readers,

I knew this prompt was deceptively simple as soon as I saw it, but I’ll take my normal stab at it, and start with the easy stuff first.

Thank you.

A million times, thank you. (Although there aren’t a million of you. I wish.) I value every one of you and love meeting you at events and having the opportunity to talk with you, see your smiles. Each time another book is sold, I still get a thrill. It keeps me motivated to write the next one.

Toni Morrison advised authors they should write the book they want to read.

Which may be true, but I write for you, my readers, too. I want you to be entertained by my stories, and maybe even create the story you would write if you could.

But I should note that some of you aren’t reading my books, but are reading this, my blog. I see some of the same names show up in my likes week after week. (I see you, DirtySciFiBuddha and Esther.) I’m glad that my weekly meanderings continue to draw you back.

What else would I like to say? I want to ask y’all a favor. If you haven’t done it already, leave me a review on your favorite platform. Even a few kind words would go a long way. And maybe, just maybe, tell your friends about my books, if you’re comfortable with the notion. Maybe they’ll buy one.

But no matter what, thank you.

I appreciate you, I really do. It doesn’t matter if you’ve bought one of my books, or most of them. (Or none of them!)

How about the other authors on this hop? What are they saying to their readers? Find out by following the links to their blogs.

And, until next time, please stay safe.

Feb 24, 2025

Write a letter to your readers.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

I Can’t Be Good At Everything, Right? #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By Open Book

Feb. 17, 2025

What has been the hardest format to write in for you?

Feb. 17, 2025

What has been the hardest format to write in for you?

I broke my writing teeth on historical essays.

Sure, they were for school projects. An essay on Molly Pitcher that won an award from the local Daughters of The American Revolution. A young teen’s understanding of the Mafia. Another one about the Gulf of Tonkin.

But until I immersed myself in writing poetry, I didn’t feel like I was writing for myself. I played with many forms, but found my voice in free form. It nurtured me for many years.

Eventually, I found my way into writing fiction. I’ve told that story on my blog before, so I won’t repeat myself now and bore you. My effort to integrate poetry into my stories didn’t go well, but, now and then, I slip in a phrase that “sings.”

But then I decided to try my hand at a short story.

It would be a reader magnet, the pundits degreed, a way to draw new people to my books. So, I wrote a story about the initial meeting of Harmony and Jake. It was supposed to be from Jake’s point of view, but he wouldn’t cooperate, and it ended up being from Harmony’s. Long story short, it didn’t work. (But I ended up using part of that work when I wrote The Fall of Jake Hennessey, which was from Jake’s viewpoint.)

But it wasn’t easy. Short stories were a new format to me. I’ve written several since then, two for collaborative efforts with other authors. (Those collections are no longer available, but the stories are hosted on this website.) What the experience taught me was how hard it is to write short stories.

I’ve never written epic-length books. The longest one I’ve published in The Ranger’s Dog Tags, which is just over 90,000 words. But trying to fit a complete story into 10,000 words has taken me as long to accomplish as finishing a whole book. After all, a short story had all the same elements – setting, plot, characters, conflict, theme. Fitting them all in is tough.

But I’ve committed to another one, this time for an anthology to support K9s for Warriors. I’ve started it, but am putting too much effort and too many into the setting. (I think.) It might work for a full book, but I need to tighten it to fit the short story format. The plot I’ve envisioned needs tightened, too.

At least I’m aware of my weaknesses.

In writing, anyway. Like I can’t write a decent romance, but that’s a different discussion.

What format is the hardest for the other authors on this hop to write? Find out by following the links to their blogs below. (Remember, most links will be posted throughout the day on Mondays.)

As always, until next time, please stay safe.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Rules:

 

Revisiting An Old Manuscript #IWSG

  By IWSG

Insecure Writer’s Support Group (IWSG) is enjoying its monthly blog-fest invented by Alex J. Cavanaugh. IWSG is a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds.

The awesome co-hosts for our February 5th posting of the IWSG are: Joylene Nowell Butler, Louise Barbour, and Tyrean Martinson!

QUESTION: Is there a story or book you’ve written you want to/wish you could go back and change?

I’ve done this!

The first draft of The Edwards Investigations was written over a decade ago. Back then, it was called The Edwards Agency. I knew it held promise, but it just wasn’t there. I attempted several times to revise it, and I even started a second book, but I never made a commitment to the changes.

And I knew what the problem was. The book was ‘dated’ but wasn’t old enough to be historical. It just felt like it was something I’d pulled out of a box and presented to the world.

But it bugged me. I’d fallen in love with the characters, and didn’t want to abandon them.

 So, I started over.

First thing I did was to pinpoint what years I wanted the book to be set in. That helped define the settings. I didn’t even open the old manuscript, except to verify the main characters’ names. But I didn’t need to. The story had taken up a permanent residence in the archives of my brain. And stayed there. It became no more than a background for the new plot.

Still, it took me over a year to complete the new and improved product. (Partly due to personal issues I won’t go into here.) But when I finished it, it came with a sense of accomplishment. I’d finally done justice to the original premise without replicating it.

Now, I’m working on a second book in the series. It’s slow going, but it’s going to take time to weave together the threads I envision.

That’s it for me. Hope you’ll check out some of the other authors who are part of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group

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

My Favorite Hot Beverage #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By Open Book

Feb 3, 2025

What’s your favorite hot beverage?

And how do you prepare it?

My beloved mother, when we were young, would occasionally make hot cocoa the old-fashioned way. You know, mixing sugar, cocoa, and milk in a pan on top of the stove. (Although she used powdered milk to make it more economical for a large family.) It was a rare treat, and hot chocolate remains my favorite beverage.

But thanks to modern technology, it’s a lot easier to make now. I simply grab a pre-packaged envelope of mix from the cupboard and go about my merry way. With some slight updates.

First, I will name names. I use the Swiss Miss brand. I haven’t tried another type I like as much.

But I make a slight upgrade. I add a little milk in with the water before I heat the liquids. (Call it two splashes worth of milk.) If I think about it, I might add a dash of cinnamon. The standard mini-marshmallows add nothing special, in my estimation.

I’ve got a runner-up,

that I probably drink more often than hot chocolate. It’s hot tea. Peach tea, to be more exact. No sugar, no milk, just a good quality teabag steeped in hot water for however long I let it sit. It’s a no-calorie, no-fuss, no effort, no guilt treat. Oh, and no caffeine, so I can drink it in the evenings without worrying about it keeping me awake. (Although I sometimes think a little caffeine at supper helps me sleep better. Weird, I know.)

What’s  your favorite hot beverage? Perfect for a snowy day like today? (Or any day, really.) How about the other authors on this hop? You can find out by following the links below.

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

Feb 3, 2025

What’s your favorite hot beverage, and how do you prepare it?

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

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