Bayou Writers Group - June 2nd Meeting and October 13th Conference

I'll be speaking at the Bayou Writers Group meeting this Saturday, June 2nd. I'll be talking about setting goals and becoming a prolific writer. If you're in the area, I'd love to visit with you.

This Lake Charles, Louisiana group is amazingly supportive, and they have a great lineup of speakers for their October 13th writer's conference. Speakers include:

Michael Bracken: Decision-Tree Story Creation

L Diane Wolfe: Market Your Books Like a Professional

Gina Ardito: Ten-Hut! Fall in for Basic Boot Camp!

Jerica Guillory:  The Key to Publication, Inspiration, & Motivation

John M Floyd: Writing & Selling Short Stories

For more information about their monthly meetings, or their wonderful conference, check out: https://bayouwritersgroup.com/

Have you attended this conference before? Have you met, or heard from, any of these speakers? Any great workshops or conferences that you are looking forward to attending?

Memorial Weekend Writing and Reading

It's the start of Memorial weekend in the USA, and an opportunity to enjoy some extra time reading, or prepare a submission for a few anthology calls:

1) Southeast Missouri State University Press and the Warriors Arts Alliance have joined together once again to create the seventh volume in a series of anthologies about military experiences. The JUNE 1st due date is fast approaching. For more information: http://www.semopress.com/events/proud-to-be-writing-by-american-warriors/

2) Chicken Soup for the Soul is seeking submissions for nine different anthologies. The first is due July 15th, but if that's too soon for you the others are spaced between then and December 30. More information can be found: http://www.chickensoup.com/story-submissions/possible-book-topics

If you're looking for a good read, see my previous post or try:

SOME VERY MESSY MEDIEVAL MAGIC

By C. Lee McKenzie

Pete’s stuck in medieval England!

Pete and his friend Weasel thought they’d closed the Time Lock. But a young page from medieval times, Peter of Bramwell, goes missing. His absence during a critical moment will forever alter history unless he’s found.

There’s only one solution - fledgling wizard Pete must take the page’s place. Accompanied by Weasel and Fanon, Pete’s alligator familiar, they travel to 1173 England.

But what if the page remains lost - will Pete know what to do when the critical moment arrives? Toss in a grumpy Fanon, the duke’s curious niece, a talking horse, and the Circle of Stones and Pete realizes he’s in over his young wizard head yet again...

Release date – May 15, 2018

Juvenile Fiction - Fantasy & Magic/Boys & Men

$13.95 Print ISBN 9781939844460

$3.99 EBook ISBN 9781939844477

C. Lee McKenzie has a background in Linguistics and Inter-Cultural Communication, but these days her greatest passion is writing for young readers. When she’s not writing she’s hiking or traveling or practicing yoga or asking a lot questions about things she still doesn’t understand. http://cleemckenziebooks.com

Links:
Barnes & Noble - https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/some-very-messy-medieval-magic-c-lee-mckenzie/1127622061?ean=2940154648575
Kobo - https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/some-very-messy-medieval-magic
iTunes - https://itunes.apple.com/ca/book/some-very-messy-medieval-magic/id1324257652?mt=11

Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/Some-Very-Messy-Medieval-Magic/dp/1939844460/

Kindle - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079V72G8R

Foyles - http://www.foyles.co.uk/witem/childrens/some-very-messy-medieval-magic,c-lee-mckenzie-9781939844460

Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/37537343-some-very-messy-medieval-magic

I hope you all enjoy a wonderful weekend with friends and family. Happy Writing! What projects are you trying to complete? Any big plans for this holiday weekend?

Reading Recommendations

I have found some very enjoyable reads from a variety of genres this month. I thought I might share a few:

The funny and talented Chip Gaines is well known to millions of people as a TV star, renovation expert, bestselling author, husband to Joanna, and father of five in Waco, Texas. But long before the world took notice, Chip was a serial entrepreneur who was always ready for the next challenge, even if it didn’t quite work out as planned. Whether it was buying a neighborhood laundromat or talking a bank into a loan for some equipment to start a lawn-mowing service, Chip always knew that the most important thing was to take that first step.

Now a #1 New York Times bestselling book, Capital Gaines offers readers a ringside seat as Chip relives some of his craziest antics and the lessons learned along the way. His mentors taught him to never give up and his family showed him what it meant to always have a positive attitude despite your circumstances. Throw in a natural daredevil personality and a willingness to do (or eat!) just about anything, and you have the life and daily activity of Chip Gaines.

Capital Gaines is the perfect book for anyone looking to succeed not only in business but more importantly in life.

I really enjoyed this one. I have not read his previous book Magnolia Story, but something about this one just spoke to me when I saw it on the shelf. I highly recommend this read to ANYONE - not just fans of the show.

The clock is ticking...

Can a dead child's cross-stitch pendant find a missing nun? Is revenge possible in just 48 minutes? Can a killer be stopped before the rescuers are engulfed by a city ablaze? Who killed what the tide brought in? Can a soliloquizing gumshoe stay out of jail?

Exploring the facets of time, eleven authors delve into mysteries and crimes that linger in both dark corners and plain sight. Featuring the talents of Gwen Gardner, Rebecca M. Douglass, Tara Tyler, S. R. Betler, C.D. Gallant-King, Jemi Fraser, J. R. Ferguson, Yolanda Renée, C. Lee McKenzie, Christine Clemetson, and Mary Aalgaard.

Hand-picked by a panel of agents and authors, these eleven tales will take you on a thrilling ride into jeopardy and secrecy. Trail along, find the clues, and stay out of danger. Time is wasting...

I might be a little prejudiced on this one as I have several friends appearing in this anthology, so I'll just leave it here as a recommendation for anyone who enjoys mysteries.

David Galloway can’t die.

How many lifetimes can God expect one man to live? Over a century old, David Galloway isolates himself from the mortal humans who die or desert him by making a quiet life as a used bookstore owner in Northern Michigan. But then he spots a news article about a man who, like him, should be dead.

Daredevil celebrity Zachary Wilson walked away unscathed from what should have been a deadly fall. David tracks the man down, needing answers. Soon David discovers a close-knit group of individuals as old as he is who offer the sort of kinship and community he hasn’t experienced for decades—but at what cost?

David finds himself keeping secrets other than his own. . .protecting more than himself alone. He’ll have to decide what’s worth the most to him—security or community. When crimes come to light that are older than any mortal, he fears the pressure is more than he can stand. What does God require of him, and is David strong enough to see it through?

While the idea of immortality is not a uniquely original concept, I have never seen it explored in Christian fiction like this. Very interesting and enjoyable with thought provoking and moving moments. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.

Have you enjoyed any of these? What are you reading?

Literary Travels and Inspiration

This is the time of year that my family starts planning and taking trips. We all enjoy traveling, the sun, and being together.

Of course, I usually try to work in a few literary stops along the way. Anything from where an author stayed or lived, to towns or building mentioned in favorite stories are options on my list. Our travels usually inspire my own writing as well. We haven't decided for sure what we are doing this year yet, although several options have been shared.

Below you can see a few of our literary inspired wanderings:

Literary Travels:
17 New Orleans French Quarter Literary Hot Spots
26 Days of Literary Scotland
7 Austin, Texas Literary Locations
10 Italian Literary Hot Spots
10 Places You Can Drink Like Your Favorite Writer
10 Reading Venues Worth a Visit
7 Literary Locations to Visit With Kids
5 Writers Homes for Literary Vacations
Poe Museum

How about you? Do you enjoy travel? What have been some of your favorite locales? Have any of them inspired your own stories?

3 Ways to Surprise Your Reader with an Unexpected Villain

You don’t want your stories to be too obvious, or your reader won’t finish them. The audience needs to be challenged and surprised to want to continue reading. One of the best ways to do this is to camouflage your villains.

I’ve written several times about strengthening my own villains, and techniques I’ve used to show the antagonists deceit, cunning, and manipulation. The truth is, you don’t always recognize the bad guy – in real life or in fiction. The ones who surprise you can often be the scariest ones of all. Remember that when creating your own tale.

Here are a few ways to hide your villain in plain sight so you can surprise, thrill, and excite your reader. WARNING – Possible spoilers may be offered as examples.

1)      Charming and lovable – how often do we hear people on the news claiming “he was a likable guy” or “we never would have thought him capable of...” Most forms of evil have an appealing coating. Very seldom is it visually evident such as in a cartoon. You usually can’t tell a person is bad right away because they have learned how to cover their goals with social skills, good looks, or carefully designed acts to impress. They have learned to make themselves likable or lovable when they are really cruel, selfish, and even downright wicked. When you create your own villain, what is their goal and what would they do to ingratiate themselves to achieve that end? Think of Hans in Frozen or Loki in Thor.

2)      Friend not foe – readers don’t usually expect the villain to be close to the hero. Certainly, they don’t expect it to be someone who has been helping the hero up to this point. Ulterior motives can often put the bad guy in proximity of, if not outright partnering with, the main character. This villain might be a mentor, friend, or family member. Readers shouldn’t be able to see the hidden agenda until the reveal. Think about Magneto’s character in the X-Men universe or the end of Doctor Strange.

3)      Harmless or Incompetent – the bumbling and clumsy idiot, fool in a wheelchair, or victim in a coma can’t possibly be the villain, right? WRONG! We expect the bad guy to be strong, or at least able-bodied. However, don’t forget they are deceitful. Of course they will “hide in plain sight”. Think about Unbreakable or the Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.

Remember, the best villains have learned to become whatever suits their purpose best. These dark crusaders of injustice can appear kind, heroic, or inept. The more your reader likes you character, the less likely they will be to recognize them as a villain until the end. They won’t want them to be the bad guy, but it will make sense once they see the whole picture.

Have you ever read a book, or watched a movie, where the identity of the villain totally surprised you? Which one was your favorite?

IWSG: Spring Inspiration

It’s time for another group posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. Time to release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to those who are feeling neurotic. If you’d like to join us, click on the tab above and sign up. We post the first Wednesday of every month. Your words might be the encouragement someone needs. You can also join us on twitter using the hashtag #IWSG, or on the Facebook page.

Now, IWSG hosts have changed up the format in an effort to make it more fun and interactive.Every month, they will announce a question that members can answer in their IWSG Day 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. 

Don’t forget to visit others that day to see their answers. Want to join, or learn more? Visit our - Sign-up List.

MAY QUESTION: It's spring! Does this season inspire you to write more than others, or not?

MY ANSWER: Yes, and no. I have SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) so the fact that we are finally getting more sunshine is a huge boost to my energy level, and subsequently my motivation to write. However, I also have seasonal allergies so I spend a lot of this time of year itchy, sneezy, and somewhat miserable. At times, the severity of my reaction to mother nature has sent me to bed heavily drugged, dizzy, and extremely ill. So, while I thrive on the return of sunnier days and beautiful blooms, sinus issues can often interfere with productivity. 

How about you? Does Spring inspire you to create more frequently?