IWSG: Book Launches

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.

MARCH 4 QUESTION - What elements do you include in your book launch? Or what do you have in mind for your future book launch? Or what advice do you have to offer to others planning to launch a book?

MY ANSWER - I've never launched a book alone because I've never attempted to publish an entire book. I have had the pleasure of working with many others on launching anthologies I was fortunate enough to appear in alongside. So, I look forward to reading what the other IWSG members say on this subject. 

How about you? What elements do you include in your book launch? Or what do you have in mind for your future book launch? Or what advice do you have to offer to others planning to launch a book?

A to Z Blogging Challenge 2026

It's almost time for the annual "A to Z" blogging challenge. Most repeat participants have already begun planning their posts for this April and will soon be posting theme reveals. Are there any themes you would particularly care to see, or learn about in April?

Sign-ups usually begin in March.  Followed by a schedule similar to below:

Theme reveal sign up: March 9
Theme reveal closes: March 14
Master list opens: March 23
Master list closes: April 4
After-survey: May 4-9
Reflections: May 3-8
Road-trip: May 11

To learn more about this challenge, or what you can expect to see this April, be sure to follow their website http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/ 

Have you ever participated in this challenge? Will you be taking part this year? What other hops or challenges do you enjoy?

15 Reminders of Love

Valentine's Day may be over, but celebrating love doesn't have to be forgotten. As a reminder of this to myself, here are a few of my old loves and reads:

1) My family

2) My friends

3) Reading

4) Writing. 

5) Love is in the Air - Time to spread some love... a few of the authors of FIRST LOVE, IWSG Anthology #7 would like to share some lovely thoughts about how they and/or their characters romanticize Valentine's Day!

6) These are a Few of My Favorite Weird Things - a few things about myself that readers found interesting or funny.

7) 5 Step Formula for Plot Structure - a quick and reliable formula to help plot or revise a story of any length or genre.

8) When God Says Wait - a good read for anyone struggling with patience.

9) Loving Castle - a favorite television series that I'm enjoying rewatching.

10) Creativity, Inc - a great book on creativity and leadership.

11) Bernard Pivot Blogfest - one of my favorite questionnaires of all time.

12) Loving a Great Character - some of my favorite characters of all time.

13) Dulcinea and New Links - my dogs favorite questionnaires of all time.

14) Show, Don't Tell - a favorite exercise I use with students when teaching inferences and the concept of Show, Don't Tell.

15) Summer Literary Trips

How about you? Did you revisit any old loves this month?

2026 Week of Love

Many are already making plans for the next holiday, but did you know there is actually an entire week of love that thousands celebrate? Most of the people I know only celebrate, or dread, the most famous day which is Valentine's. However, according to multiple sites, there is an entire week of love and each day leading up to Valentine's has a significant meaning or purpose.

According to those love experts, the days are as follows: 

For more information, check out: Valentine's Week Full List 2026: Rose Day, Propose Day And Kiss Day; How To Celebrate These Days

While I love flowers and jewelry, my family and friends know my favorite gifts are a good book and chocolate.

Interested in a few FREE romantic flash fiction pieces? Try my stories:

Thankful Every Day
Madame Tooshkas Spell
Masters in Love
Love's New Beginning

Or order the last IWSG anthology on the right - First Love: The Art of Making Doughnuts.

Not sure what to get the writer in your life? Check out this list of suggested Valentines day gifts for writers or check out these Six Ways to Participate in Romance Week at Goodreads.

Want to share the theme of love with children? Check out these 10 Best Children's Books About Love.

So many of us love reading and writing. We have favorites that we return to again and again. How about you? 

I am especially grateful for a warm home full of books as I've been seeing the massive freezes and storms sweeping parts of the world. I hope you all stay safe, warm, and loved. Happy Valentine's!

Will you be participating in the week of love? What is your favorite genre? Favorite author? Favorite book from childhood? Are you doing something special that week, or for Valentine's Day?

IWSG: Rereading Early work

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.

FEBRUARY 4 QUESTION - Many writers have written about the experience of rereading their work years later. Have you reread any of your early works? What was that experience like for you?

MY ANSWER - Yes, and the experience is a mixed bag. Sometimes, I'll read something, and I feel like "That was so amazing! Did I really write that? Why isn't all of my stuff this good?" Then, other times, it has been completely embarrassing. "This is so bad! Did I really write that? I hope no one else ever see this. I better burn/delete this." 

How about you? Have you reread any of your early works? What was that experience like for you?

Mark Twain Tonight!

One of the books I received for Christmas was a Mark Twain biography, by Ron Chernow, that I've had my eye on for a while. I have not started it yet, but I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments if you have read it.

However, I did recently get to enjoy an evening with Mark Twain at my local theater. Mark Twain Tonight!, featuring actor Richard Thomas, offering an acclaimed performance bringing the wit of Mark Twain to the stage.

I saw this show years ago when the amazing Hal Holbrook was still performing it. Written, and originally performed by Holbrook for more than 63 years, Thomas is the first and only actor authorized to perform the play since the original.

If you don't know anything about it, the show was designed to give a dramatic recitation selected from several of Twain's writings, with an emphasis on the comic ones. The material changes slightly and periodically to highlight and match Twain's original work with the location and social climate of the time in which the show is performed.  

I was worried I would not be able to enjoy this show because I had loved the Holbrooks version so much. More than 2300 performances as Twain, Holbrook mastered embodying the author in what may very well be the longest running show in theater history. It was difficult to imagine anyone else doing this show. Yet Thomas does an amazing job continuing this role. It's so wonderful to see a new generation enjoying the material.

Developed in a Greenwich Village nightclub in 1956, it landed on the "Ed Sullivan" show; Holbrook opened off-Broadway in 1959 to rave reviews; and in 1960 The State Department sent his Mark Twain to Europe. In 1966 he won a Tony Award and in 1967 CBS aired a 90-minute special of the show which was seen by 30 million people. When he decided in 2017 to retire the show, his first instinct was to thank the people who came to see him throughout the years. They kept him going. The Mark Twain Tonight! Trust was set up to continue Hal’s legacy with Mark Twain.

Thomas is the first actor authorized by the estate Trust to perform Holbrook's one-man show since Holbrook's passing. According to the Trust, the two men had a warm and supportive relationship. Holbrook's estate is said to have initiated contact with Thomas to revive the show due to their positive connection in the past.

"Every time I go out there, I try to honor both of them," Thomas said of Holbrook and Twain. "I'm very humbled..."

If you're curious, you can find many interviews with first Holbrook, and later Thomas, about this show. You can also find clips of each man in that respective role.

How about you? Are you a Mark Twain fan? Have you seen either man in this role?

2026 National Polka Dot Day and Writers

 Thursday is National Polka Dot Day!

It's also the day Minnie Mouse finally received her own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame several years ago - a mere 40 years after her counterpart, Mickey. You can find out more about that here. 

Many of my family members are Disney fans. I'm from Southern California, and even though I live in Texas, we head back as often as possible to visit family and friends. We also visit Hollywood and The Walk of Fame from time to time. You can see pictures here. We also visit the Florida Parks.

Another reason I mention all of this is because the original article I read announcing Minnie's big day, as well as a visit to Hollywood, led me down a rabbit hole of reading. I became curious about writers who have earned a star on that famous walkway. I knew of a few, but I was surprised at the number. Some of these authors I know have brought joy to many and will be immediately recognized: Raymond Chandler, Ray Bradbury, Stephen J. Cannell, Frank Capra, quite a few others I recognized, and a few I didn't. Here is a list the Los Angeles Times has comprised of all the writers who've earned that coveted star.

Have you been to the Hollywood Walk of Fame, or a Disney Park? Which authors are your favorites? Who would you like to see earn a star? Are you celebrating National Polka Dot Day?