Please welcome another writer bestie I met where???? That’s right ding-ding-ding! TWITTER! Get on twitter people! I meet the funnest writers over there and Emily is one of them. She’s written a YA fantasy that’s sure to rock. She’s witty and bright and I can’t wait to introduce you. She’s also giving away a digital copy of her new story to a commenter, so be sure to leave your” Hi There!” Without further adieu…here she is!
I’m Not a Cool Person, but I Write About them in Books
A lot of people think that authors write characters based on what the author wishes they could be. Well let me clear things up a bit: That’s completely true.
At least, it’s true for me. Sure, Ivy has her faults. She’s stubborn and impulsive. She gets herself into all kinds of trouble and tends to be a loner. But Ivy is cool. So my guest post today will be all about why Ivy is cooler than I am.
First, I’m the nerdy type. Not the shy, awkward kind of nerdy. The goofy, foot-in-the-mouth type of nerdy. I say things without thinking, then an hour later I realize that what I said wasn’t as funny as I thought. In fact, it could have been flat-out offensive.
Ivy, on the other hand, says offensive things on purpose and wishes she had written them down to use again later.
Also, I’m not a big fan of surprises. (I mean, okay, you can throw me a surprise party if you *really* want to.) But I’m the kind of person who likes to see things coming. I like to prepare and be ready for what’s ahead. And when something unexpected falls in my lap (like making dinner for twice as many people as I planned, or having to pick someone up two hours earlier than I thought) I just want to curl up in a ball and forget I ever signed up for the thing in the first place. (Pathetic? Yes.)
And Ivy? Well, she hates surprises, too. But when they happen, she totally kicks butt. What’s that? A pixie kidnapped her and wants Ivy to entertain him? Sorry. “You may not know this about me, fairy, but I’m nobody’s monkey. I don’t do tricks… Especially not for an Oompa Loompa with wings.” And she takes off running into an enchanted forest.
Why can’t I do something awesome like that? I guess we can’t all be as cool as Ivy Thorn.
The Fairy Tale Trap by Emily Casey
A beautiful girl falls in love with a beast. Ivy’s heard the story before, but now it’s a reality.
Ivy has always been afraid of mirrors, but she never knew why. Then one of them sucks her into the fairy tale Beauty and the Beast.
So what if she’s been pulled from her home and talks to pixies now? That’s no big deal for a military brat. Ivy’s used to adapting. All she wants is to find her way home.
But when she tries to escape, Ivy breaks the wrong spell. Now Beast is not so gentle-on-the-inside, Beauty is falling for the wrong prince, and Ivy is no closer to figuring out how to get through the enchanted forest that traps her.
With magic mirrors, dancing fairies, a sadistic pixie, and other random fairy tale twists, Ivy doesn’t know what’s safe or who to trust. Can she escape the fairy tale trap?
About Emily:
Emily Casey is a writer from Tallahassee who chases two crazy kids around the house all day before collapsing in front of her computer. Her debut young adult fantasy, THE FAIRY TALE TRAP is on Amazon and Smashwords. If you want a taste of the book first, you can watch the book trailer.
Other little tid-bits: I’m a dog person (I have a German Shepherd named Guybrush), I like to run (I ran my first half marathon while 4 months pregnant) and majored in Psychology (which explains why I’m a little nuts) with a minor in English (which explains the whole writing thing).
I’m often asked for advice for writers in waiting. And for the record all writers are in waiting. I promise you. At this moment, I am waiting to hear back on a YA manuscript on submissions. A sweet romance on submissions. From my editor of Death by Chocolate – (contracted and coming in 2 months – there’s always another step we’re waiting on). And from my agent on a new project. It doesn’t matter where you are in the writing life. If you’re a writer, you’re waiting for something. So, if you’re waiting, pat your back and take a bow. You must be a writer! LOL
Writers chewing nails to hear back from their submissions wonder what to do while they wait. Today I want to suggest writing a writer’s resume. Not for an agent, per se, but for you. Getting your successes on paper will build your confidence, remind you you’ve accomplished plenty and keep you focused on the next step. When the time comes to talk to an agent, or pitch at a conference, you’ll have those successes ready for quick reference in your mind.
Ideas for your resume:
If you have these, give yourself another pat on the back. If you don’t, you might consider adding them to your list of accomplishments and square up those shoulders. You’re making progress and every step matters!
1. Do you have an active blog? This is fun, easy and free. It shows you understand the importance of an online presence and it give you a chance to write every day or so, gain readers, make friends and gives agents and editors a place to stop and learn a little bit about you. We arent’ the only ones who stalk you know!
2. Make a twitter account. A FaceBook Page. Join G+, GoodReads, etc. Anywhere you have a profile will help with your online presence.
3. Guest blog! What an awesome opportunity to help out another writer and gain exposure for your charming smile and showcase your personality. Offer to guest post for another blogger. Lots of them. I love guest bloggers! Especially at times like these when it’s hard to find time to write posts for Musings. Guest posting is GOOD!
4. Write shorter. Look up opportunities to enter your short story into anthologies and other collections online. The minute you get published in anything you can set up an Amazon author page or a GoodReads author page too. Taking part in an anthology is a great way to gain exposure and it feels great to see your work in print!
5. Consider small presses. Don’t be quick to discount presses you think are too small. This is faulty thinking. Try considering every opportunity as exactly that. Opportunity. Small presses often accept novellas or short works for publication. You can take a month or two and polish up a 20K-40K word story. You have time, especially if you’re waiting on a submission. Submissions take up to 6 months. It’ll keep you busy and distracted. Then, if they accept your novella, you’ll have another publishing credit for your resume, and be building readers too. Working with an editor is experience. And who knows, you might fall in love with your new press and want to stay Some small presses are the bomb-diggidty *cough* Turquoise Morning Press. What?
6. Enter free online contests, especially ones hosted or judged by your dream agent or publishing house. Get your name and writing in front of them. The more they see it, the more it’ll stick out when your query comes across their desk Plus, ALL writing counts toward perfecting your craft. Writing in all forms is good for a writer. So, keep writing. But since you’re already writing…why not turn something in? <– see how that works
7. Check your local library, college or writer’s guild for workshops. Attend a conference. Find ways to get your face, name and work out there. Its can be free and local. Don’t use money as an excuse. Where there’s a will there’s a way. Can I afford to get a babysitter for a week and travel to NYC to take part in BEA? No. But I don’t throw my hands up and say, well, that’s it. I can’t go to conferences. I find opportunity I can afford or attend and I go.
Important note here: This is your dream. No one’s going to reach it for you. If you can’t find an opportunity – Make One.
Who else has a great suggestion for gaining experience in this industry?
Kurt von Daniken wants only one thing from Glenna Ryan: The key to making Eiswein – Ice Wine. Five years ago, while working at his family’s California winery, she’d begun developing the method to simulate wine made from grapes gathered after a freeze. Now, when the winery desperately needs it, the only person who might be able to duplicate Glenna’s process, Kurt’s tyrannical Uncle Otto, lies paralyzed by a stroke and near death.
Glenna wants only one thing from the von Danikens: To be left in peace to raise her son, Robbie, who suffers from a birth defect and needs an expensive surgery to repair it. When Kurt suddenly appears at her home, demanding she return to Cresthaven and complete the process, Glenna knows the money she’ll earn by doing so will provide Robbie the treatment he needs. She also knows she’ll risk having her heart broken, again, by Kurt, the only man she’s ever loved. But, what if he discovers the real reason she left Cresthaven?
Following a career in engineering, Suzanne has returned to her first love of writing and literature. Born in Southern California, Suzanne, along with her husband and an elderly cat make their home in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Suzanne is also a jewelry designer, and her wirework is shown at various arts and wine events throughout the county. (Visit her jewelry website at www.bellerustique.com.) In addition, she has an Irish travel website with articles, recipes and an extensive photo gallery. When she’s not writing or designing jewelry, Suzanne loves to garden.
First published by Kensington Books, Suzanne’s first novel for Turquoise Morning Press wasLate Harvest a Mendocino California wine country story, followed by her two-time Golden Heart finalist book In Love and War a story set in County Waterford, Ireland. Her next offering is Taming Rowan set in England’s Cumbria district and one borne of her work in aerospace.
Suzanne has several novels scheduled for publication in 2011 and 2012.
Thanks to the very talented graphic artist Michelle the Amazing, I have a book trailer for Death by Chocolate! Enjoy the cuteness
Death by Chocolate by Julie Anne Lindsey <– ME!
Ruby Russell has reached her limit. When she discovers her hipster husband has a dirty little secret, she whips him up a Viagra-infused-chocolate mousse punishment, but in the morning, her husband’s a stiff. Armed with a lifetime of crime show reruns and Arsenic and Old Lace on DVD, Ruby and her best friend Charlotte try to lay low until after Ruby’s son’s wedding, but a nosy therapist, meddling minister and local news reporter are making it very difficult to get away with murder.
“You should write a book” my friends said to me after reading my journal. In 2004, eight people I knew died, including my mother-in-law and brother. As 2005 began, I was paralyzed with grief. A counselor suggested I write about my feelings. This was cheaper than therapy, so I agreed. I felt that my story was interesting, as well as inspirational, and so blindly I plunged into writing my first book. What I didn’t know then was that this would be one of the hardest things I ever did.
Once I started transforming my journal notes into a manuscript, I knew that I was in over my head. In my middle fifties, it had been many years since I attended school. I knew very little about writing. This can’t be much harder than doing a church bulletin or Christmas letter. But I was wrong. I immediately signed up for online writing courses and joined a local writers group. Then I started to look for an agent and a publisher.
Rejection took on a whole new meaning. Having a sales background, I was used to doors slamming in my face. In past jobs when someone told me no, I learned not to take it personal. They just didn’t need my product or service at that time. But now I was selling my story, my life and it was very personal. The best way to deal with this was to keep writing and in time I learned to put everything in perspective.
It was difficult writing about my personal life. I relived the experiences I wrote about. Sometimes this was fun but mostly it was painful. I found myself doing a lot of deep soul searching and self analysis. I had made a lot of mistakes. Why, I wanted to know. As I explored this, I beat myself up. Eventually, I discovered the positives in my story and felt that others could benefit from my experiences.
Even though I was willing to share my life with others, some of the people in my book were not ready to have their actions revealed in such an honest and permanent way. Its one thing to have disputes with your family – everyone does – but it’s potentially explosive when they find out you’re going to immortalize the family. Some family members and friends supported me while others openly expressed their opposition. It was my story but I was sensitive to the feelings of others. I changed the names of everyone in my book, as a courtesy to them. I left out personal, painful details that I felt would not dilute my message.
Writing is good therapy, but telling true life stories isn’t easy. Even when you take the advice of experts and do what you believe is best; nothing prepares you for what happens once the book is published. For me, I don’t think my family thought I’d finish this big project. But I did. Seeing it in print forced them to deal with how they treated me and the reactions varied greatly.
Would you do it again? I am often asked. Yes, I think so. It’s hard to honestly answer that question. I made a lot of mistakes – like picking the wrong publisher and not fighting for the cover I really wanted. I have thousands of hours and dollars invested – sometimes I think maybe I should have lived abroad for a year, instead of writing my memoir. But then I get an email from a stranger telling me how much my story touched them and the changes they are making because of my book. No, it’s not a best seller – yet – but it does touch one person at a time. This makes it all worthwhile.
When Ties Break: A Memoir About How to Thrive After Loss
Margaret Norton’s When Ties Break: A Memoir About How to Thrive After Loss chronicles one woman’s struggles through life, encumbered by far more than her fair share of burden, and her eventual triumph. The author provides an excellent guide through the tribulations of life, having survived divorce, abuse, abortion, excommunication, chronic illness, homelessness, death, bankruptcy, sibling rivalry, adultery, single parenthood, drug addiction, low self-esteem, and depression.
Although many of her triumphs are faith-based, her story still has a widespread appeal; having survived extreme hardship and betrayal, her tone is not preachy, rather it is inspirational, teaching us about the transformative power of forgiveness and our abilities to become the masters of our own destinies. Her rocky history has provided Norton with an excellent foundation both for an inspirational novel and for her career as a life coach, helping others to unlock the patterns of abuse in their lives and heal as she did. Norton admits to having made many mistakes throughout her life, but has paid for them dearly, proving that mistakes and regrets should not ruin us, merely serve as hurdles for us to overcome and use to strengthen ourselves, our spirits, and our faiths.
Many readers can relate to the traumas and oppressions of Norton’s life, having faced similar situations in their own lives. Reading the story of someone who not only survived, but mastered and tamed the hardships in their lives to thrive is inspirational and gives hope to many readers. Even if you have not experienced severe loss, betrayal, or hardship in your own life, Norton’s story is riveting and compelling, and is a testimony to the power of the human spirit.
About Margaret:
Margaret has always pushed the envelope – never totally accepting the status quo. A people person, her greatest joy comes from helping others. Preventing abuse, empowering women and improving health are her passions. As a Personal Life Coach, Margaret founded Life Transitions to help individuals deal with change. In addition, she’s a Stephen Minister and Dale Carnegie Coach. This training, along with her personal life experiences, makes her a caring and compassionate coach. She’s also a graduate of the Creative Writing Program at Long Ridge Writing Academy. Her stories have appeared in A Light along the Way, the Upper Room, various local newspapers, on-line and more stories to appear in 2012.
Margaret currently resides in Greensboro, NC where she spends as much time as possible with her four grandchildren. She has a monthly radio show, volunteers with numerous agencies and is a passionate distributor for It Works educating others on healthy living, anti-aging and weight maintenance. She believes that all life experiences are valuable and by sharing our stories we learn from each other. In her memoir, When Ties Break, she shares her incredible journey as she attempts to answer gut wrenching questions like why bad things happen to good people.
Please welcome another writer bestie I met where???? That’s right ding-ding-ding! TWITTER! Get on twitter people! I meet the funnest writers over there and Emily is one of them. She’s written a YA fantasy that’s sure to rock. She’s witty and bright and I can’t wait to introduce you. She’s also giving away a digital copy of her new story to a commenter, so be sure to leave your” Hi There!” Without further adieu…here she is!
A beautiful girl falls in love with a beast. Ivy’s heard the story before, but now it’s a reality.
Some small presses are the bomb-diggidty *cough* Turquoise Morning Press. What?
Plus, ALL writing counts toward perfecting your craft. Writing in all forms is good for a writer. So, keep writing. But since you’re already writing…why not turn something in? <– see how that works 
My very FIRST book is available on Amazon & I am a happy dancing mess!
