"There is more treasure in books than in all the pirate's loot on Treasure Island." - Walt Disney

Sunday, August 28, 2022

First Love Tour Dates

It's almost time! The official release date for the First Love anthology is September 6, 2022. My short story "Paper Faces" is included in this sweet YA romance collection. If you are interested in learning more, or supporting the authors, here is the official tour schedule:

TOUR DATES:

 

9/1 – IWSG Anthologies Blog, http://iwsganthologies.blogspot.com/

Book blurbs

 

9/5 - Kelly F Barr, https://kellyfbarr.com/blog/

Interview

 

9/6 - Kelly F Barr, https://kellyfbarr.com/blog/

Review

 

9/7 – Diane Burton, http://dianeburton.blogspot.com

Interview

 

9/7 - Cathrina Constantine, http://cathrinaconstantine.blogspot.com/

Book feature

 

9/9 - Sandra Cox, https://sandracox.blogspot.com/2022/09/your-weekend-read-first-love-anthology.html

Book feature

 

9/12 - Elizabeth s. Craig, https://elizabethspanncraig.com/blog-3/

Article - Working on an Anthology

 

9/14 – C. Lee McKenzie, https://www.cleemckenziebooks.com/blog/

Interview

 

9/16 - Louise M. Barbour, https://selkiegrey4.blogspot.com/

Review

 

9/19 - Susan Gourley, https://susangourley.blogspot.com/2022/09/first-love-art-of-making-doughnuts.html

Interview


Please stop by to say hi! If you're interested in helping to spread the word, please contact one of us and let us know how you would like to help. We'll send you a media kit.


What is your favorite part of a Book Tour?

Tuesday, August 23, 2022

The Language of Ray Bradbury

I've spent a lot of time over the last couple of months reading Ray Bradbury. The more I read of him, the more I admire, and feel I learn from this writer. He is one of the most celebrated American authors of the twentieth century. Bradbury strongly believed that writing should be developed through a combination of studying the authors you enjoy and one’s own life experiences. 

A few of my favorite reads and lines so far...


Fahrenheit 451: 

“It was a pleasure to burn. It was a special pleasure to see things eaten, to see things blackened and changed. With the brass nozzle in his fists, with this great python spitting its venomous kerosene upon the world, the blood pounded in his head, and his hands were the hands of some amazing conductor playing all the symphonies of blazing and burning to bring down the tatters and charcoal ruins of history”

and...

“The books are to remind us what asses and fool we are. They're Caeser's praetorian guard, whispering as the parade roars down the avenue, "Remember, Caeser, thou art mortal." Most of us can't rush around, talking to everyone, know all the cities of the world, we haven't time, money or that many friends. The things you're looking for, Montag, are in the world, but the only way the average chap will ever see ninety-nine per cent of them is in a book. Don't ask for guarantees. And don't look to be saved in any one thing, person, machine, or library. Do your own bit of saving, and if you drown, at least die knowing you were headed for shore” (82).


Something Wicked This Way Comes:

“You two feet taller… you looking down at me Jim, and what’d we talk about, me with my pockets full of kite string and marbles and frog eyes and you with… empty pockets and making fun, is that what we’d talk, and you able to run faster and ditch me…” (127).

and 

A stranger is shot in the street, you hardly move to help. But if, half an hour before, you spent just ten minutes with the fellow and knew a little about him and his family, you might just jump in front of his killer and try to stop it. Really knowing is good. Not knowing, or refusing to know is bad, or amoral, at least. You can’t act if you don’t know” (198). 




The Halloween Tree.

“See, boys?” Moundshroud’s face flickered with the fire. “The days of the Long Cold are done. Because of this one brave, new-thinking man, summer lives in the winter cave.” “But?” said Tom. “What’s that got to do with Halloween?” “Do? Why, blast my bones, everything. When you and your friends die every day, there’s no time to think of Death, is there? Only time to run. But when you stop running at long last—” He touched the walls. The apemen froze in mid-flight. “—now you have time to think of where you came from, where you’re going. And fire lights the way, boys. Fire and lightning. Morning stars to gaze at. Fire in your own cave to protect you. Only by night fires was the caveman, beastman, able at last to turn his thoughts on a spit and baste them with wonder. The sun died in the sky. Winter came on like a great white beast shaking its fur, burying him. Would spring ever come back to the world? Would the sun be reborn next year or stay murdered? Egyptians asked it. Cavemen asked it a million years before. Will the sun rise tomorrow morning?” “And that’s how Halloween began?” “With such long thoughts at night, boys. And always at the center of it, fire. The sun. The sun dying down the cold sky forever. How that must have scared early man, eh? That was the Big Death. If the sun went away forever, then what?” (60-62).

and

The unemployed of all midnight Europe shivered in their stone sleep and came awake. Which is to say that all the old beasts, all the old tales, all the old nightmares, all the old unused demons-put-by, and witches left in the lurch, quaked at the call, reared at the whistle, trembled at the summons, and in dust devils of propulsion skimmed down the roads, flitted skies, buckshot through shaken trees, forded streams, swam rivers, pierced clouds, and arrived, arrived, arrived” (Bradbury 97). 


How about you? Are you a Bradbury fan? What are some examples of written language that you enjoy?


Tuesday, August 9, 2022

Happy National Book Lover's Day!

I hope you're enjoying an excellent read today!

If you've never heard of this celebration, National Book Lovers Day harnesses all the excitement bibliophiles feel about books into one celebration on August 9th. *Bibliophile – a person who has a great appreciation for or collects books.

A day for all those who love to read, National Book Lovers Day encourages you to find your favorite reading place, a good book (whether it be fiction or non-fiction) and read the day away.
Curious about the history of this day, or how others are spending it? Check out:
WHAT ARE YOU READING?

Wednesday, August 3, 2022

IWSG: Original, or Crowd Pleaser?

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.


AUGUST QUESTION -
 When you set out to write a story, do you try to be more original, or do you try to give readers what they want?

MY ANSWER - Neither. I guess you could say my first draft is always from the heart. It's usually based on a vision I have of a scenario - total pantser style. After I get as far as I can on that draft, I take a break from the piece and then I return to plot out a set of goals for the story. While I do want readers to enjoy my tale, I do not chase trends intentionally. I also try not to get bogged down in concerns of originality. I hope it's original as it's in my voice. However, is there any truly 100% original idea, anymore? All we can do is tell the story we are passionate about.

How about you? When you set out to write a story, do you try to be more original, or do you try to give readers what they want?