Blog

Catching Up

84 Ribbons

Catching Up

The past six weeks have been a flurry of both activity and inactivity. The active part included a trip to Austin, Texas for a visit with a writer-friend and a book event in Wimberly. Both were fun and gave me a chance to connect with other writers and with readers. I appreciate their support as I move forward with another active item: book two in my ballet trilogy: When the Music Stops: Dance On. It feels good to be able to say I’m turning the second book over the publisher for layout, which is the step just before printing. You...

Replenishment

musings

Replenishment

Writing books is a solitary activity. It’s easy to get ‘in the groove’ and become a hermit. That’s why it’s important to step away from work often and return to life in the real world. I have several ways to replenish myself; many are related to writing but a few take me to distinct alternatives. 1. I read books from a variety of genres, discuss them with my book club and friends and write down sentences or paragraphs that stop me and request I consider their images/sentence structure/loveliness. 2. I visit with fellow writers. I know, that like a bus...

Part THREE: Sending the Book Forward (publisher and printer)

editing

Part THREE: Sending the Book Forward (publisher and printer)

My publisher, Tendril Press, is called a small press. It produces about a dozen books a year. I’m lucky enough to have extra support as well as input with regard to book title, character names, and cover details as well as final approval of the almost finished book. The publisher, Karin Hoffman, is also a graphic artist. She’s the one who designs the cover, the page details, etc that I feel sets my book apart from mass marketed books. She does the final layout then sends it to me one last time for my read-through and final approval. After that,...

84 Ribbons wins Moonbeam Children’s Award

84 Ribbons / award

84 Ribbons wins Moonbeam Children’s Award

I’m especially grateful for the honor of 84 Ribbons being selected as the Bronze book in the YA-General category by Moonbeam*. Their selection of my first novel shows how important it is for writers to have support from their team: caring critique groups, a strong editor, a personable publisher, professional web support for a tweeked storyline that resonates with readers.  Thanks to my team, my village, that elevated my  idea to a valued story.   *The Mooonbeam awards are designed to bring increased recognition to exemplary children’s books and their creators, and to support childhood literacy and life-long reading. The...

Part TWO: The Editing Process (formal edits)

editing / musings / writing process

Part TWO: The Editing Process (formal edits)

I am fortunate to have excellent editors helping me refine my books. The first editors offer informal feedback, the second editors are people I pay to work out the kinks. Both serve an important purpose. Let me introduce you to my second level of editors, my formal editors. After my critique groups suggestions are incorporated into my writing, I contact and pay for edits by people who help me ‘fix’ errors in story line, overuse of favored words, punctuation, etc. Usually they are not familiar with my story which is a distinct advantage for me; they do not know anything...

Part ONE: The Editing Process (my critiques groups)

editing / musings / writing process

Part ONE: The Editing Process (my critiques groups)

I am fortunate to have excellent editors helping me refine my books. The first editors offer informal feedback, the second editors are people I pay to work out the kinks. Both serve an important purpose. Let me introduce you to my critique groups first. My informal editors are my two critique groups. The members of the groups are fellow writers who are willing to share their writings, their time and their advice on my writings. We meet at least once a month to critique each other’s work. If truth be told, my first days attending the groups were wrought with...

Finished!

editing / musings / new works / When the Music Stops / writing process

Finished!

There is a certain thud in my stomach as I  finish book two, When the Music Stops: A Second Chance to Dance. It’s a mixture of pride, fear and excitement. I did it!  Will anyone read it? Will anyone like the way the characters made their decisions? Will people stick around for book three? But I get ahead of myself. I’m finished, but my wonderful editor has yet to ‘take a crack’ at the story. She asks amazing questions, shares her ideas and we go back and forth until we reach agreement on the best way to make the story...

Why Write a Book Series?

84 Ribbons / musings / When the Music Stops

Why Write a Book Series?

People ask that question often. My answers are usually the same: I like my characters and they have more to share than will fit in one book. Also I enjoy following characters in books I read beyond more than one experience. For example, Howard Fast wrote a sage about a family across several generations. If you like l-o-n-g series there are others that stretch on and on, but Marta’s characters are not letting that happen. They will give me one more book after When the Music Stops which is Letters to Follow, and then I need to butt out of...

Inspired Words

quotes

Inspired Words

It’s fun to record words that impact me from books I read. Here are a few for you  to ponder. Enjoy! It was getting late. Knife-sharp shadows fell across the lane, dividing everything into light and darkness. Tiger Tail Soup by Nicki Chen She changed the gravity in the room.  Paris Wife by Paula McLain Jake always said we were like undercurrents the way we lived our lives under the surface of society. Whiskey Cove by Denise Frisini The line between her old life and her new one had been marked in six feet of soil.   Lighthouse Bay by Kimberley...

Writing and Lemons

editing / When the Music Stops / writing process

Writing and Lemons

Writing is related to a bushel of juicy, ripe lemons. After you receive them, you must decide what to do with them: draw them, wash your hair with their juices, dry the skins for potpourri, make lemonade or unfortunately, let them rot. It takes bushels of time to get my manuscript, When the Music Stops, ready for formal editing. I open the file, work my way through each chapter then give myself a quick pat on the back as I  turn off the computer, but not my brain thinking about the story. I’m hoping I’ve used their succulent juices and...