 Post by Arielle Haughee 25 Sensory Winter Writing PromptsSensory details add realism to your writing and make the reader feel more connected to the work. Let’s get those creative juices going and do some practice working with sensory details as writing prompts. Look at the suggestions below and see if anything stands out to you. Can you combine more than one of these in a story? Scent
Tactile
Sound
Taste
SightThere were so many great images, we included one extra! Have fun and let us know which one(s) you worked with!
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 Guest Post by author Carissa Turpin Writing Through Unprecedented TimesI was born in 1985, cementing my classification as an elder Millennial. If you poke around the internet—particularly Tiktok—looking for stereotypes about Millennials, you’ll find lots of muttering about side parts, skinny jeans, and participation trophies. There’s one attribute, however, that is often overlooked: the influx of trauma Millennials dealt with in their formative years. I watched the events of September 11th, 2001 unfold on a television cart in my Social Studies classroom. The years that followed introduced additional moments of fear on a national and global scale: anthrax scares, school shootings, wars and bomb strikes, recessions and the bursting of bubbles, a bleak economy and job market. For this reason, breaking news alerts with their intense music and stoic-faced anchors still send a peal of panic through me. I still get my news in short bursts as watching 24-hours news channels still brings back a suffocating, expectant feeling. In March of 2020, the world received news of the COVID-19 virus. Businesses, schools, events, and life as we knew it quickly ground to a halt. I watched all the developments with fear, yes, but also with a selfish degree of exhaustion. I had already dealt with my share of unprecedented times—how would I survive yet another? Stuck within my house for the unforeseen future, I looked for ways to distract myself. Ordering delivery and panic buying toilet paper and watching entire seasons of television worked for some time, but eventually even these activities felt stale. It was time to address that frightened, tired Millennial within me. Thinking BackI thought back to the first time I felt a sense of fear and helplessness and landed squarely on the predicted—and eventually underwhelming--Y2K disaster. Inspired by a conversation about Y2K I’d had with my middle school students only a few months before, I decided that I would channel my uncertainty into a story about an anxious pre-teen who didn’t know what the new millennium held for her. It felt good, as the author, to know that ultimately my young protagonist would be alright and perhaps even stronger for her experiences... That therapeutic writing sprint turned into Doomsday Dani, my first middle grade novel. It will be published in March of 2023. An Outlet During Uncertain TimesWriting during moments of uncertainty needn’t take a global event. Writing buoyed me through my divorce, work related stresses, loneliness, and fear of all kinds. When I find myself in the midst of a unique situation—be it a newsworthy, historical event or a day that leaves me feeling glum—I try to produce something. If I’m not feeling up to tapping away at a novel or short story, I at least try to scribble in my one-line-a-day journal. So, yes, Millennial stereotypes claim that we baby our dogs and make impulsive financial decisions. But don’t forget, too, that we’ve endured our share of uncertain global events. No matter your generation, I encourage you to write through unprecedented times. It will bolster your hope until you come out unscathed on the other side.
 Guest post by author Alicia Griffin The Road to Self-WorthThe perception of a woman can be portrayed as one who holds many qualities and skills. She is one of grace and beauty, which amplifies her femininity. She masters composure and leaves you to wonder how she continues to do so under such extreme measures. Her skillful tactics are admirable yet expected. A beautiful woman indeed. But what happens when she questions her own self-worth? There are so many factors that can play out in the, I’m not worthy, scheme of life for many of us. They can be detrimental. I can’t remember exactly when it all started for me. It could have been the minute I was exposed to what the media advertised what beauty should look like - slim with small waistlines, long legs, and full breasts. We tend to compare ourselves to other women, which has become the downfall spiral that most of us fall into. Nowadays, it’s much easier to do so. With social media and the internet just a swipe or click away, we can’t help but be exposed to this reality. Besides media exposure, rejection is another factor that plays a role in this scheme. I’m almost positive that I questioned my self-worth the minute I got rejected by the boy my heart throbbed for because his heart was set on someone else; in my opinion, someone prettier. Maybe it’s a combination of these, as well as other factors, which made me feel less worthy of the things I wanted. The Under-Average ScaleAs a child, I fell under the average weight scale. As a matter of fact, I fell under the average scale of practically everything! I was petite. By the time I was in high school, my girlfriends were far more developed than I was. They had, what I considered to be, the perfect bodies - while the occasional acne breakout was the only sign of puberty I exposed. It was embarrassing. I had no curves to claim my own. Nonetheless, there I was, far from the average group of well-developed teenage girls. As a result, I didn’t get much attention from the boys. In fact, I was ridiculed, which made me the result of their amusement. Their hearts were set on curvy girls, and I didn’t fit in their category. Unfortunately, they were influenced by society and how beauty was defined. We tend to look past a person’s personality and qualities because our first instinct as human beings is to size up their physical appearance. Is it wrong? Maybe so, but who are we to judge? The irony of it all. A number of us fall under these well-developed adolescents. We may have been more easily desired if humanity would focus more on inner beauty rather than a woman’s breast size. Needless to say, and due to the lack of, insecurities crept its way into my subconscious mind. As a result, my self-esteem fell short, and I felt compelled to alter my physical appearance when I became of age. Did it improve my self-esteem? Only temporarily. I wasn’t aware that I had a lot of work to do - from the inside out. Poor JudgementAs if dealing with self-image wasn’t enough, I always seemed to get wrapped up in poor relationships. They were anything but healthy and functional. These relationships left me confused and doubtful; more so of myself. They were manipulative, which in turn, made me believe that every obstacle we faced in the relationship was solely my fault. I recall a time when the way I dressed wasn’t desirable by my significant other. What was so wrong with the way I dressed, anyways? Yet, to appease him, I wore what he chose - leaving myself feeling so uncomfortable in my own skin. I felt completely lost. Was it worth it? Absolutely not, but I didn’t know it at the time. I was young, and unfortunately, blooming in confidence was not my forte. Was I not enough?Can we discuss infidelity? This is a big one! It can leave you questioning your self-worth as a whole. It did for me. Was I not enough? This question seemed to sneak into my psych daily. If I didn’t feel inadequate before, infidelity really shook the foundation beneath my very own two feet to make me feel exactly that. If he couldn’t be faithful to me, who possibly would? It’s interesting how such a traumatic experience - and yes, infidelity can be traumatic to someone’s whole being - can alter the way you perceive yourself. It left me doubting whether I could trust or love again, whether or not I was worthy of love. It left me questioning whether I could have done something different to keep my significant other happy. Why can’t I be enough? But the truth is, and always was, I am enough. I am more than enough. So many of us get consumed with the grief we feel from the betrayal that we fail to see our value. I had to dig deep to see that I am worthy of real love. Only then I realized that I was no longer willing to tolerate this kind of behavior. In the trajectory of my divorce, I learned that not everyone will value a person the way they deserve. It’s our job to know our self-worth, not anyone else’s. The MilestoneWith the trials and tribulations that in essence, we all do face, I grew to learn more about myself than I ever have. I drew into the silence and did much needed reflection. Soul searching was deep, and in turn, it allowed me to learn to accept my flaws just as much as my perfections. However, it didn’t come without hard work. I had to succumb to the painful memories. Only then was I able to learn to forgive. And that’s when the magic started to unfold. With time, I began making changes within myself. I learned to love myself the way I deserved to be loved. I no longer needed acceptance or validation from others. If I decided to wear a pair of denim jeans, a t-shirt, and no make-up on a Friday night instead of getting all dolled up, so be it. I was now making decisions for myself. With self-acceptance, I craved authenticity, and I made the decision to age naturally and gracefully. I gave myself the greatest gift I could have ever hoped for - self-worth and love. When women know their self-worth, they demonstrate power, resilience, and beauty. We don’t need to seek validation from anyone. We can truly conquer anything in this world if we believe that we are truly enough.
 Guest post by River Jayla Four Female Writers |
 | River Jayla studied creative writing and has spent several years volunteering at a public library. These experiences helped shape her as an advocate for expanding the accessibility of literature and education in general. |
Guest post by Elizabeth Little
This Is Your Life. Really.
There is no “someday.” If there is an afterlife, it doesn’t matter.
Not making the most of your life now is spitting in the face of God.
As an adult, do you ever look back at your time in grade school or high school and think. “Oh my gosh, if I had only known what power I had, how little I had to fear and how much I could have shaped my experience?” That is the way to approach your life now! Things that you think are a big deal now will mellow in time. You have more power to shape your life right now than you credit yourself with. You can laugh at yourself when you feel like a mouse scurrying through a maze because you made the maze.
Who says you can’t sell everything and move?
Who says you can’t have two partners?
Who says children must be raised by a nuclear family?
Who says you aren’t an artist?
Who says you can’t sing?
Who says dinner must be eaten at a table?
Who gets to tell you how your life should go?
As my little sister used to tell me every time she refused to follow my directions, “You are not the boss of the mother!” And then she did as she pleased. Be the little sister!
The mother is energy. Energy is the stuff of life and has no judgement. You are allowed all the energy you need to create your life. Nobody gets to boss your energy.
Not making the most of your life now is spitting in the face of God.
As an adult, do you ever look back at your time in grade school or high school and think. “Oh my gosh, if I had only known what power I had, how little I had to fear and how much I could have shaped my experience?” That is the way to approach your life now! Things that you think are a big deal now will mellow in time. You have more power to shape your life right now than you credit yourself with. You can laugh at yourself when you feel like a mouse scurrying through a maze because you made the maze.
Who says you can’t sell everything and move?
Who says you can’t have two partners?
Who says children must be raised by a nuclear family?
Who says you aren’t an artist?
Who says you can’t sing?
Who says dinner must be eaten at a table?
Who gets to tell you how your life should go?
As my little sister used to tell me every time she refused to follow my directions, “You are not the boss of the mother!” And then she did as she pleased. Be the little sister!
The mother is energy. Energy is the stuff of life and has no judgement. You are allowed all the energy you need to create your life. Nobody gets to boss your energy.
Your Story
How do you get a life story? In the beginning you are born into your story with others around you to teach you your character and place. My roll was broadly known as “bad child” which included “mean sister,” “unruly daughter,” and “poor student.”
As you grow, you get glimpses of other stories and character possibilities. You are allowed to change your narrative and character. All the happenings in your life become a part of your story. Hard things like death, illness, and despair. Wonderful things like, love, birth, and joy. How these events fold into your life depend on how you have decided to be and live in your story. I struggled away from my given roll over several years to become a new character who was wicked smart, industrious, and loving. I still carry my “bad girl” origins. It gives me a special understanding of others living their own bad child stories, but it does not damage my current narrative.
As you grow, you get glimpses of other stories and character possibilities. You are allowed to change your narrative and character. All the happenings in your life become a part of your story. Hard things like death, illness, and despair. Wonderful things like, love, birth, and joy. How these events fold into your life depend on how you have decided to be and live in your story. I struggled away from my given roll over several years to become a new character who was wicked smart, industrious, and loving. I still carry my “bad girl” origins. It gives me a special understanding of others living their own bad child stories, but it does not damage my current narrative.
When your story changes.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with any of the stories we’ve lived or characters we have been. For as long as the story is true and fulfilling it is the perfect story. You will know when the story does not fit anymore. There will be a painful growing toward your next life. There is indecision, confusion, and regression. But there is also, epiphany, a feeling of “rightness” and increasing joy to let you know your path is true.
The character I was living in my second marriage was that of mother, homemaker, wife, and teacher. I had a successful preschool and two wonderful children. My story title was “The Domestic Bliss of the Average American Family.” I enjoyed it for many years until it began to unravel. I began to regret not choosing a deeper relationship with my husband. My husband turned to alcohol rather than me. My daughter showed signs of stress and withdrew from the family story. I began to see my preschool business as a cage instead of an opportunity. It was time for a new chapter.
The character I was living in my second marriage was that of mother, homemaker, wife, and teacher. I had a successful preschool and two wonderful children. My story title was “The Domestic Bliss of the Average American Family.” I enjoyed it for many years until it began to unravel. I began to regret not choosing a deeper relationship with my husband. My husband turned to alcohol rather than me. My daughter showed signs of stress and withdrew from the family story. I began to see my preschool business as a cage instead of an opportunity. It was time for a new chapter.
Creating your story.
There are many who don’t know they are in a story. Hopefully it is a satisfying story that will always fit. It can be an ignorance-is-bliss situation or a continuous feeling of unease and dissatisfaction. In the latter case the blame is thrown around onto things, situations, other people or even self-blame that however renders no changes.
Then there is the knowing without the support or courage or desire to make changes. One can decide, “It isn’t all the life I wanted but it’s good enough.”
Finally, there is knowing fully that life is what you make it. Your eyes are open to knowing, doing, making, being, and living in the raw! It means taking responsibility for welding this great power and gift of life on the planet right now. We cannot consciously know anything else exists except shaping this experience. If you have glimpsed behind the curtain, you know we are supposed to live “as if.” As if this is all there is. You are all, the universe, experiencing itself. You have been dropped into a body that experiences only three dimensions and linear time. Constraints that breed creativity due to the limitations. You are a distilled part of the divine everything. You exist to experience and create. Feel all the feels, do all the things, it is the essence of what you are meant for.
Then there is the knowing without the support or courage or desire to make changes. One can decide, “It isn’t all the life I wanted but it’s good enough.”
Finally, there is knowing fully that life is what you make it. Your eyes are open to knowing, doing, making, being, and living in the raw! It means taking responsibility for welding this great power and gift of life on the planet right now. We cannot consciously know anything else exists except shaping this experience. If you have glimpsed behind the curtain, you know we are supposed to live “as if.” As if this is all there is. You are all, the universe, experiencing itself. You have been dropped into a body that experiences only three dimensions and linear time. Constraints that breed creativity due to the limitations. You are a distilled part of the divine everything. You exist to experience and create. Feel all the feels, do all the things, it is the essence of what you are meant for.
 | Liz Little likes to do the things Mama says you can’t do like have babies before college, or start a new business with no money, or move across the country and open a cafe/toy store or let people know who you really are and expect them to love you. She is a mathematician, writer, teacher, dancer and serial wife. Find her blog at https://cicadatreeproductions.wordpress.com |
Guest post by Tonya Spitler
NaNoWriMo: What I learned
For years I have listened to author friends talk about their experiences taking on the NaNoWriMo challenge. Each year I shake my head and cringe. It sounded so impossible.
Up until about a year ago, writing was a dream of mine. Something I had always wanted to do, but never felt confident enough to start. Sound familiar?
This year I decided I would jump on the NaNoWriMo challenge bus. Here is what I have learned along the way.
Up until about a year ago, writing was a dream of mine. Something I had always wanted to do, but never felt confident enough to start. Sound familiar?
This year I decided I would jump on the NaNoWriMo challenge bus. Here is what I have learned along the way.
Preparing
I am somewhere between a pantser and a plotter, so I'm going to call myself a plantser. I need to have an idea of where I am going, or I get stuck in the middle and walk away. To set myself up for success, I sat down and brainstormed several ideas. I discarded ones that seemed to need more research than I could handle in thirty short days and came down to one pretty solid idea.
Once I had my idea, I started jotting down what I thought might happen, who the characters were, where I wanted the story to end up, etc. This was the easiest part of the process for me.
Once I had my idea, I started jotting down what I thought might happen, who the characters were, where I wanted the story to end up, etc. This was the easiest part of the process for me.
Finding the Time
Plan in place, I figured I could squeeze time in before my kids woke up, or maybe after they went to bed. How hard could writing 1,667 words a day be? After all, I had a plan - sort of- who needed a set time?
Turns out I did. Some days I sat and 2,000 plus words would flow easily from my fingers to the page. Other days, I'd stare at the screen and wonder why on earth I publicly announced this crazy plan.
Much like needing a rough idea of where the book was going, I needed to have a time devoted to writing that was quiet and distraction free. I could never quite guess when my kids would wake up, and some nights, they stayed up later than I did. (Teens am I right?)
So, I decided to block off time. I would let everyone know I was writing, and unless the house was on fire, or someone was seriously hurt, they needed to figure it out until I was done.
Time doesn't just appear, you have to make it happen.
Turns out I did. Some days I sat and 2,000 plus words would flow easily from my fingers to the page. Other days, I'd stare at the screen and wonder why on earth I publicly announced this crazy plan.
Much like needing a rough idea of where the book was going, I needed to have a time devoted to writing that was quiet and distraction free. I could never quite guess when my kids would wake up, and some nights, they stayed up later than I did. (Teens am I right?)
So, I decided to block off time. I would let everyone know I was writing, and unless the house was on fire, or someone was seriously hurt, they needed to figure it out until I was done.
Time doesn't just appear, you have to make it happen.
Losing the Faith
About halfway through, I started to really question my sanity. What on earth was I thinking trying to write a book! I'm no *insert name of crazy bestselling author here*. I am me, a mom, wife, business owner with a dream. No one would want to read this rubbish anyway, right?
Self-doubt crept in and sunk its sharp teeth right into my sensitive writing spots. Feelings of inadequacy and imposter syndrome quickly took the wheel. I leaned heavily on my author friend group for encouragement during this time. If you don't have a group of authors who write in a similar genre to bounce ideas off of and be encouraged by, I highly suggest you go get one.
Right now.
I'll wait.
Okay, I won't wait, but seriously look into critique groups, author Facebook groups, or reach out to your favorite authors. You never know where these people might be hiding. Having a group of people to support you and who understand this journey you are on is vital to success. Not just during NaNoWriMo, but throughout your writing career.
Self-doubt crept in and sunk its sharp teeth right into my sensitive writing spots. Feelings of inadequacy and imposter syndrome quickly took the wheel. I leaned heavily on my author friend group for encouragement during this time. If you don't have a group of authors who write in a similar genre to bounce ideas off of and be encouraged by, I highly suggest you go get one.
Right now.
I'll wait.
Okay, I won't wait, but seriously look into critique groups, author Facebook groups, or reach out to your favorite authors. You never know where these people might be hiding. Having a group of people to support you and who understand this journey you are on is vital to success. Not just during NaNoWriMo, but throughout your writing career.
Finishing Strong
I won't pretend like all 50,000 words flowed from my fingers in a beautiful arrangement that left me with a #1 Best Seller on my hands. That's not how it works unfortunately. At least not for most people.
I *did* end up with a pretty good first draft though. So, what did I learn?
I *did* end up with a pretty good first draft though. So, what did I learn?
- Have a plan.
- Make the time.
- Find your tribe.
- KEEP WRITING.
- Make notes about what you need to come back to.
- Erase NOTHING.
- Research later.
- Kick self-doubt to the curb.
NaNoWriMo is not for everyone. The pressure of hitting a certain number of words each day can be overwhelming for some. For me, it was a great exercise in getting from the beginning to the end. Not stopping and getting sidetracked by other ideas and research was a challenge I had to overcome. It was great to have some experience with writing on a deadline as well.
Will I do it again next year? Not sure, it was tough to get done with the holiday season starting up, but that feeling of accomplishment... NOTHING BETTER!
Will I do it again next year? Not sure, it was tough to get done with the holiday season starting up, but that feeling of accomplishment... NOTHING BETTER!
 | Tonya Spitler is the author of the upcoming Focus Journal The Caregiver's Journal for Avoiding Burnout. She is also a contributing author to the upcoming anthology Along the Shore: Strategies for Living with Grief edited by Cheryl Lynn West. When she isn't writing or reading, Tonya is homeschooling her three tween/teen children. Tonya is a recent transplant to the central Texas area and enjoys exploring her new home with her family. Currently, you can find Tonya at her website www.anovelchoicellc.com or on Instagram @anovelchoicellc and Facebook https://www.facebook.com/anovelchoice/. |
By Arielle Haughee
Make Big Book Sales
During the Holiday Season
The Halloween candy is long gone from stores and the shelves are already sporting goods in reds, greens, and blues. Many people complain about how early this type of merchandise appears. Why is it out already? Because people buy it. Holiday sales make up a whopping 20% of annual sales for retailers. You can cash in on the biggest spending season of the year with a few simple strategies to get shoppers to notice and buy your books.
Start Promoting Your Holiday Book Sale Now
November is here and it’s the perfect time to begin your holiday promotion. First, decide what book price you will use. Are you going to discount your regular price to entice buyers? Perhaps you’d like to keep the normal price since people are more likely to purchase during this time of year anyway. Whatever you decide, begin spreading the word about the perfect holiday gift—your book! Take pictures of your book with holiday decor and share them on social media and in your author newsletter. Remind people there’s nothing like a book signed by the author for that book lover on their list. Once you start promoting, keep it up throughout the holiday season to increase the probability of making sales.
Check Your Inventory and Order Books
Check what books you already have in your home stock. Printers get slammed in November and December with orders from authors. Plan ahead and order early. Otherwise you may pay extra fees for rush printing and shipping. This cuts into your profit and makes it quite stressful waiting for delivery. IngramSpark recommends ordering hardbacks by November 26th and paperbacks by December 3rd in order to have your books arrive in a timely manner. (KDP hadn’t released holiday order recommendations at the time of this post.)
Entice Readers with Something Extra
There is a lot of competition for those seasonal dollars. Think about what you can do to make the buyer feel like they are getting something extra they won’t get during the regular year. You could include a gift-with-purchase, perhaps something related to a topic in your book. If you write fantasy, you could give out a fun dragon keychain with each purchase for example. Gifts-with-purchase don’t need to cost a lot of money. Be creative and resourceful to come up with something economic for you and enticing for buyers. Another extra you could provide is gift wrapping. People love saving time, especially if it’s offered free. Including free gift wrapping with purchase is an easy way to make your book more appealing. You could also offer a bundle discount. If one book is $12, you could make two books $20 and three books $28. Bundling gives an incentive for a larger purchase. Any one of these strategies will help elicit a purchase.
Participate in Holiday Craft Fairs and Bazaars
Churches and community organizations frequently have events featuring local retailers where their members can shop. Often vendors pay a table fee that acts as a donation to the organization. Research popular local events and contact their coordinators to find out about table fees and availability. Shoppers at these events enjoy unique and interesting finds, something special for that one person on their list. Be sure your table is decorated and inviting, and use your buyer enticements to encourage a purchase. Being friendly and chatting with attendees is the best way to make sales at table events.
Online Advertising for Your Book
Last year, Amazon took almost 40% of all US retail sales for the holiday season. It will likely be even higher this year. Amazon began as a book seller, and according to Bloomberg, Amazon currently sells 88.9% of ebooks and 42% of physical books. People will definitely be going there to buy books this season, a lot of people. Make sure your book has visibility among the millions of others. Look at your budget and determine how much money you have to spend on AMS ads. If you’ve never done an ad on Amazon, check out their Getting Started Guide. There are also many useful tutorials on YouTube such as this one from KDP University and this one from Kindlepreneur. Take the time to learn how to create and manage AMS ads and you will soon be seeing the benefit.
Planning ahead will help you sell more books and have less stress during the holidays. Make things fun whenever possible and be sure to keep up your marketing and promotions. Wishing you many, many book sales this shopping season!
 | Previously an elementary teacher, Arielle Haughee (Hoy) is a five-time RPLA-winning author and the owner of Orange Blossom Publishing. She is an editor, speaker, and coach. She is the author of The Complete Revision Workbook for Writers, the children’s books Grumbler, Joyride, Pling’s Party, and Sixth Sunday, the editor of the How I Met My Other anthology series, and the creator of the Focus Journal line of journals. She was also honored with the President’s Award from the Florida Writers Association in 2020. She has a serious reading addiction, fantasy romance her absolute favorite, and loves nothing more than good conversation paired with a good wine. She is surrounded by males at home—a husband, two sons, and an energetic dog—and tries to integrate as much purple and flowers in the house as possible. |
Guest blog by Karen Pederson Travis
Small Treasures
Kids say the funniest things. Which is why as a young mother I started writing down the things my daughter, Emily, would say when she was little. They were moments that, at the time, I was sure I’d remember forever. But life has a way of flooding the mind with other things, and I didn’t want those precious memories to be drowned out.
When Emily was two years old, I started scribbling notes in a blue, spiral-bound journal. I didn’t write in it every day. I’m not disciplined enough for that. I just captured the highlights. The moments she’d never remember—moments I never wanted to forget.
Some entries were only a couple of words, like “livinging room” or “Baby Cheez-Its” (a crowd favorite at Christmastime). Others were longer to provide context. All were written in black or blue pen, the messy scrawl of my handwriting a testament to my exhaustion.
When Emily was two years old, I started scribbling notes in a blue, spiral-bound journal. I didn’t write in it every day. I’m not disciplined enough for that. I just captured the highlights. The moments she’d never remember—moments I never wanted to forget.
Some entries were only a couple of words, like “livinging room” or “Baby Cheez-Its” (a crowd favorite at Christmastime). Others were longer to provide context. All were written in black or blue pen, the messy scrawl of my handwriting a testament to my exhaustion.
- June 6: Went shopping the other day. You got mad at me, and when you get mad, you pinch me and say “ouch.”
- June 12: We took you to the zoo. You saw the bear and said “bear.” You saw the tiger and said, “tiger.” Then you saw the giraffe, zebra and elephant and said, “cows!”
- August 7: Yesterday I asked if you wanted me to carry you on our walk. Now you want to be carried everywhere. The minute we step outside, you raise your arms and say, “Carry you?”
- December 10: When you sneeze, you say “bless you” to yourself.
- May 22: Today you pretended to read me a story. A book on tape (without the tape). “This is the story of Pocahontas,” you said with great drama. “You can read along with me in your book. You will know it is time to turn the page when you hear this sound…beep!”
- July 6: You love grocery shopping. As we walk through the aisles you explain to me, “I love cookies” and “I love donuts.”
- July 10: We went to a baseball game last night and church this morning. When the organ began its prelude, you stood up in the pew and began belting out “Take me out to the ballgame!”
- August 10: At dinner, you said “Look Mom, I’m a camel.” Then you just sat there, staring blankly at the wall, not making a sound. I’m sure in your mind, using your imagination, you were, indeed, a camel.
- October 20: Today you asked me to marry you.
- November 15: When you don’t like something, you think it’s “gusdusting.”
- June 30: Tonight, you asked me: “Can I come to your bed for a couple of whiles?”
- October 16: We were walking through the cemetery by our house the other day and a gust of wind blew the leaves in a swirl in front of us. “Leaf fight!” you shouted.
- December 14: “Mom, can we go on a rocket ship to Mars sometime?”
I kept writing as often as I could, adding a few mementos between the pages--a note to the tooth fairy instructing her not to take away the baby teeth, home-made Mother’s Day cards, drawings, a few photos. Fragments of childhood and motherhood, our lives deeply intertwined.
Until one day, I stopped. I hadn’t planned to. I don’t even remember doing it. I just remember finding the journal in the back of my nightstand. I opened it up, dusted it off, and realized it had been years since I’d made an entry. I wondered how many memories had been lost in that time. My nest now empty, I missed the little girl I spent so much time raising.
With no way to reconstruct the past 22 years, all I can do now is thank my younger self for taking the time to capture those moments. And every so often, I sit down in the livinging room to re-read the journal for a couple of whiles, and I can’t help but smile.
Until one day, I stopped. I hadn’t planned to. I don’t even remember doing it. I just remember finding the journal in the back of my nightstand. I opened it up, dusted it off, and realized it had been years since I’d made an entry. I wondered how many memories had been lost in that time. My nest now empty, I missed the little girl I spent so much time raising.
With no way to reconstruct the past 22 years, all I can do now is thank my younger self for taking the time to capture those moments. And every so often, I sit down in the livinging room to re-read the journal for a couple of whiles, and I can’t help but smile.
 | Karen Pedersen Travis is a retired communication consultant, a mom, and emerging writer. She received a BS degree from the Newhouse School of Communications at Syracuse University and now writes creative nonfiction from her home in Eden Prairie, MN, with her husband and two aggressively loving golden retrievers. She is currently working on a book about her experiences growing up in Southeast Asia in the 1960s, where her parents worked as Lutheran missionaries. |
Guest post by Carol Paur
Five Ways to Have a Successful Book Fair Without Selling Books
Author fairs are events that stir hope for most authors. You get the invitation. Excitedly, you register and send in your money. You post it on social media. On the day of the event, you drive, sometimes hundreds of miles, to your destination. Often you have to park blocks away and haul your books over uneven gravel. You don’t mind. You’re going to sell books. Upon arrival there might be someone to help you set up but there might not be, so you find your spot and set out your books and swag.
And wait.
Five o’clock rolls arounds. Books sold? Zero.
“What was the point?” you ask yourself. “Why did I spend the money and all my time preparing to be at this event? I am not doing another one again.”
It’s especially frustrating when the author next to you has swarms of people buying her books.
Five o’clock rolls arounds. Books sold? Zero.
“What was the point?” you ask yourself. “Why did I spend the money and all my time preparing to be at this event? I am not doing another one again.”
It’s especially frustrating when the author next to you has swarms of people buying her books.
Recently I interviewed author Jerry Apps, who wrote Meet Me on the Midway: A History of Wisconsin Fairs. He said the original idea behind county fairs was to gather farmers together to discuss best farming practices. Today county fairs make money but learning that the original fairs were about networking shifted my focus.
Selling books was no longer my primary goal.
I would be dishonest if I told you I don’t like selling books. My pulse quickens when someone looks at one of my novels and starts asking questions. After what seems like forever, he buys the book and wants me to autograph it. I try not to jump up and down but calmly ask, “Who should I write this out to?” If I hold that as my only objective, however, I am losing all the other benefits of author festivals such as networking, adding to my author email list, promoting myself or a new book, inspiring future writers, and having fun.
Networking
They say writing is a lonely profession but when you go to author fairs, you get to meet other authors. Some of my favorite author friends were made through author festivals. We exchange business cards, send support emails, and offer helpful advice to each other. Sometimes we go to lunch after the festival.
It’s also a great way to connect with bookstores. They need us as much as we need them. Being a gracious author at an author festival might get you an author book signing at a bookstore.
It’s also a great way to connect with bookstores. They need us as much as we need them. Being a gracious author at an author festival might get you an author book signing at a bookstore.
Grow your email list.
Another advantages of having an author table is growing your email list. More and more authors are discovering that they are able to reach more fans via email than relying on the algorithms of social media. Print out a sign-up sheet and attach it to a clipboard. When you’re talking to potential fans, get them to sign up. It helps if you have a blog or podcast but if you don’t, tell them it’s for updates of your events, speaking engagements, and book signings.
Often, people might not buy your book, but they will sign up to be on your email list.
Often, people might not buy your book, but they will sign up to be on your email list.
Connect with readers.
Since most of us are not J.K. Rowling or John Grisham, festivals are a great way to promote yourself and your books. I’ve been to festivals in my own city and people didn’t know I was an author.
“Yes, I am,” I reply. “Do you want to buy a book?” Okay, I don’t go that far, but back to the social media algorithm – you can’t expect your website to surface to the top when people “Google” your name. But your name will pop up in their email boxes.
If you have a new book coming out, this is also a terrific way to promote it. From your publisher preorder link, create a QR code. (Test it before going). Insert that along with an image of your book into a plastic sign holder. If you have a book trailer, bring a laptop (or iPad) and play it. If it’s on YouTube, put it on the loop feature so it replays. I don’t understand the psychology, but people seem genuinely excited when they see you have another book coming out.
“Yes, I am,” I reply. “Do you want to buy a book?” Okay, I don’t go that far, but back to the social media algorithm – you can’t expect your website to surface to the top when people “Google” your name. But your name will pop up in their email boxes.
If you have a new book coming out, this is also a terrific way to promote it. From your publisher preorder link, create a QR code. (Test it before going). Insert that along with an image of your book into a plastic sign holder. If you have a book trailer, bring a laptop (or iPad) and play it. If it’s on YouTube, put it on the loop feature so it replays. I don’t understand the psychology, but people seem genuinely excited when they see you have another book coming out.
Inspire new authors.
When you’re at author festivals, there are people who come out to learn about writing. They don’t want to buy your book; they want to pick your brain. The conversation might start like this, “How do you write a book?”
I usually ask, “Do you want to be an author?”
If they say yes, then I give them a few pointers and my business card. “Please email me so we can discuss this further.”
One woman wrote back who was trying to figure out the correct genre for a children’s book. I sent her an extensive email, which she said was very helpful. Taking time to inspire and encourage authors is a great way to pay-it-forward.
I usually ask, “Do you want to be an author?”
If they say yes, then I give them a few pointers and my business card. “Please email me so we can discuss this further.”
One woman wrote back who was trying to figure out the correct genre for a children’s book. I sent her an extensive email, which she said was very helpful. Taking time to inspire and encourage authors is a great way to pay-it-forward.
Enjoy yourself!
Finally, enjoy yourself. I’ve been to festivals where some authors are grimacing and hiding behind their tables as if they’re about to get dragged to a root canal. Relax. Smile. Pat yourself on the back, even if you didn’t sell any books. There’s a lot to celebrate. You stepped out of your comfort zone, you engaged and encouraged others, and you promoted yourself and your hard work.
 | Carol L. Paur is an Orange Blossom Publishing author with her YA Mystery, Early Summer out November 1, 2023. Check out her website at www.clpaurauthor.com |
Post by Arielle Haughee
Five Activities for Mastering
Multiple POVs
Point of view is one of the trickier story elements to master. It is the perspective through which a story, or portion of a story, is told. A narrative may have one POV or multiple, depending on the structure of the piece overall. When writing with multiple POVs, it is important each one has its own flavor, or essence, of the character’s view so that the reader can easily differentiate between them. Different perspectives should not read the same or it will be boring, or even worse, confusing for the reader.
So how can a writer create a distinctive voice for each character telling their part of the story? Here is a collection of exercises to get you focused on the different mindsets of your fictional personalities.
So how can a writer create a distinctive voice for each character telling their part of the story? Here is a collection of exercises to get you focused on the different mindsets of your fictional personalities.
1. Colored Glasses
This will likely be an exercise in your imagination. Pretend that you have a set of glasses with colored lenses, one pair for each of your characters. Bonus points if you actually have glasses to wear! If you have a pessimistic character, imagine you put on a pair of glasses with blue lenses. Look at the room around you. How would this character perceive the room? Someone walks in and talks to you. How would this character think and react? For an optimistic character, pretend you have yellow lenses on. Now how does the room look? How does this character perceive the same conversation? “Put on” your colored lenses for each character as you change POVs in your story.
2. Dressing Up
This can be as involved as you want! You can put on a full costume for each of your characters and sit down and write as that person. Or you could make things a bit simpler. If you have a type-A, more uptight character, you can button all the buttons up to your neck on your shirt or sweater. For a more sensual character, you could slip on some sassy heels and wear red lipstick. You get the idea. Wearing different outfits or accessories can help you get into the mindset of each persona.
3. Music Playlists
Open up your Spotify, Apple Music, or whatever other streaming service you have and get ready for some fun! Create a playlist folder for each character whose POV you use for your story. Fill the playlist with music that personifies the character. Perhaps some sweet love songs for the female lead who loves romance novels. Maybe you have another female who is a badass warrior. What music represents her? Turn on your character playlist when you are writing in that specific character’s POV.
4. Vision Boards
Pinterest is perfect for this. Create a pin board for each character. Pin images, videos, news stories...whatever seems to call out that character’s personality. Scroll through your board whenever you are about to write from the perspective of that character. Beware! This can be a lot of fun so don’t let it take up too much time. You need to get to that writing!
5. Sketching
Calling all artists! Do you like to sketch or doodle what your character looks like? Dedicate a few pages per character in your sketchbook. Spend some time drawing each of your POV characters. Before you are about to begin writing, draw one important item that belongs to the character. A weapon, a necklace, a journal...whatever is key to that character. What details about it really show who the character is? After you finish drawing that special item, hop onto your computer and start writing from their POV.
Whatever your personality, hopefully one of these activities calls out to you. Switching between POVs requires a shift in mindset and sometimes reacquainting yourself with that character’s perception. Hopefully with practice you can ease the transition and jump back and forth without issue. Happy writing!
| | Previously an elementary teacher, Arielle Haughee (Hoy) is a five-time RPLA-winning author and the owner of Orange Blossom Publishing. She is an editor, speaker, and coach. She is the author of The Complete Revision Workbook for Writers, the children’s books Grumbler, Joyride, Pling’s Party, and Sixth Sunday, the editor of the How I Met My Other anthology series, and the creator of the Focus Journal line of journals. She was also honored with the President’s Award from the Florida Writers Association in 2020. She has a serious reading addiction, fantasy romance her absolute favorite, and loves nothing more than good conversation paired with a good wine. She is surrounded by males at home—a husband, two sons, and an energetic dog—and tries to integrate as much purple and flowers in the house as possible. |
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Arielle Haughee is the owner and founder of Orange Blossom Publishing.
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