12 Days at Bleakly Manor

November is here, and we are preparing for Thanksgiving in the United States. You can read my article  Hassle Free Thanksgiving Planning in the November issue of Thrive.

However, this also means Christmas is right around the corner. Many people, and especially stores, seem to gloss right over Thanksgiving and head straight into the Christmas season. Hallmark channels are already playing Christmas movies 24/7 - and yes I'm one of the sappy females already watching and recording them.

My house may be decorated for Thanksgiving now, but I am also enjoying several Christmas books as well. I would like to recommend a new release: 12 Days at Bleakly Manor: Book 1 in Once Upon a Dickens Christmas.

A mysterious invitation to spend Christmas at an English manor home may bring danger...and love?

England, 1851: When Clara Chapman receives an intriguing invitation to spend Christmas at an English manor home, she is hesitant yet feels compelled to attend—for if she remains the duration of the twelve-day celebration, she is promised a sum of five hundred pounds.

But is she walking into danger? It appears so, especially when she comes face to face with one of the other guests—her former fiancé, Benjamin Lane.

Imprisoned unjustly, Ben wants revenge on whoever stole his honor. When he’s given the chance to gain his freedom, he jumps at it—and is faced with the anger of the woman he stood up at the altar. Brought together under mysterious circumstances, Clara and Ben discover that what they’ve been striving for isn’t what ultimately matters.

What matters most is what Christmas is all about . . . love.

Pour a cup of tea and settle in for Book 1 of the Once Upon a Dickens Christmas series--a page-turning Victorian-era holiday tale--by Michelle Griep, a reader and critic favorite.

Reminiscent of an Agatha Christie book, this tale is a quick and moderately enjoyable read. Fans of the movies Murder by Death and Clue may enjoy it as well. 

This book started out strong, but about half way through it some of the circumstances and character reasoning no longer worked for me. I didn't feel as strong a connection to the atmosphere or people in the second half of the book. Characters and situations became too predictable, and the ending was only moderately satisfying and believable. An interesting twist happens, but I never felt like that was fully fleshed out.

This was still a light and somewhat enjoyable read that I think others may enjoy. The cover design and packaging were beautifully appropriate to the genre of the book. Overall, I would give this story 3.5 stars.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review

Are you preparing for Thanksgiving, and/or enjoying the beginnings of the Christmas season?

New Goals

I won't be posting here as much for the rest of this month; certainly no where near the 26 posts I had for April. However, I am still writing. 

In addition to the work I'm producing for several other publications, I have set myself a new goal this month. I'm taking Ray Bradbury's famous advice: "Write a short story every week. It's not possible to write 52 bad short stories in a row."

However, instead of writing 52 short stories in a year, I am going to attempt to write 20 flash fiction pieces by June. I don't have much experience with this length, but I have attempted a few. If you have time, and wouldn't mind offering some feedback, you can read those here:

Romance - Madame Tooshkas Spell
Romance - Masters in Love
Romance - Love's New Beginning
Horror - I've Had a Great Time, But...  

I've talked before about goal setting, new experiences, and how both can help not only your writing, but your life overall. To read more:

Take A Chance
New Experiences
Goal Setting
Reevaluating the Plan
5 Ways to Become a Better Writer

My article in this months Thrive magazine: 8 Tips to Control Blood Pressure Without Medication

How about you? Are you setting any goals, or trying new things?

10 Tips for Working With Magazines

I'm often asked how I cultivate a relationship with editors that offers me a chance to continue writing for magazines. The truth is there is no SIMPLE or quick answer. I can only offer these ten tips.

1) Do Your Research  - Whether I've been seeking publication in a specific magazine, or if the editor has reached out to me, my first goal is the same. Before putting pen to paper or words to a computer document I have to do research. I need to know the target audience of the publication, standard length of articles, angle or stance on a variety of issues, as well as their preferred formats. The best way to learn this is to obtain several copies, and read them to get a good feel for the style. This serves as a guide when writing an article for them. 

2) Discuss the Idea With the Editor First - If you have an idea for a story you should discuss it with the editor of the target magazine. Most editors are more than willing to discuss an article. So, be sure to learn whether an editor prefers to be contacted by phone or email and talk to them about your ideas. Don't forget - most editors, agents, and publishers will NOT read completed articles without a prior proposal acceptance. 

3) Submit a Proposal - Most contributor guidelines say that you must submit a proposal first by sending an email to the editor. This is so editors can steer you towards an angle they will WANT to publish. Many magazines will refuse to read articles they have not previously been contacted about because they have a limited amount of reading time. Others will reject those article because it doesn't meet their current needs. So, save yourself, and the magazine, some time by querying ideas first.

4) Listen to the Editor's Advice - The editor wants you to be a successful writer. They want to know you are a reliable professional. So, if an editor points out issues with your work, don't take it personally. They are rooting for you to provide them with successful and necessary material, just as much as you want to be published.

5) Grab the Reader - The lead of any story is the most important. No matter how good your grammar, how many details you provide, or the quality of sources you site, if you don't hook the reader immediately then nothing else you've said will matter.

6) Provide Good Images - the old adage "a picture is worth a thousand words" still reigns in most publications. So, be prepared to offer high quality digital photos or artwork with your article. Sometimes, the offer of these images can increase your amount of pay, or even determine if your article is published at all.

7) Submit Electronically - Most magazines in this digital era prefer to have articles and images submitted electronically. There are a number of benefits in this; it is fast and gives the editor something easy to cut, paste, copy, mark up comments, etc. Digital files increase turn over time and reduce paperwork.

8) Deliver -You will find it very difficult to get published if you renege on an article. That is, to get the go-ahead for an article after a successful proposal and not deliver the final product as or when stated. Committing to a particular article means sticking to the proposal outline and delivering the product. If you cannot meet the deadline or produce the product as proposed, then contact the editor to work out the issue. You must maintain a positive working relationship with the editor.

9) Above and Beyond - Be willing to step up and deliver work quickly. Several of the editors I work with know they can rely on me to help pull up the slack when other writers are overwhelmed. I always try to turn in my work BEFORE deadline, and am willing to take on rushed assignments. I know these facts have helped me in earning several assignments I might not have otherwise been given.

10) Multi Purpose Topics - Most magazines do not want to republish work you have done for others. They specifically request original and unpublished works from their writers. However, you can sill write several articles about the same topic, but from different angles. For instance, this month I have articles about the 2017 Super Bowl in two different publications. I wrote an article on "What Happens When the Super Bowl Comes to Your Town" for Houston Family Magazine which can be read here and an article on "How to Throw a Winning Super Bowl Party" for Thrive which can be read here.

While none of these tips can guarantee you will be published, your willingness to put in the required work will reflect a spirit of success. Never let rejections deter you. Receiving a byline followed by pay can require time and hard work. Just remember what Winston Churchill said, "Never give up on something that you can’t go a day without thinking about."

Independence Day Weekend!

It's July 1st and the official beginning of the United States Independence Day weekend.

It's also a new month which means several of my publications are hitting the stands today. I have a few articles in the regional magazine Thrive (see my "Publications" page for more information on this). A new issue of Southern Writer's magazine is out today as well, and you can read my interview with fantasy author Frank Tuttle inside. You  can visit http://www.southernwritersmagazine.com/  if you'd like to learn more about him or this publication.

I'll be enjoying some time with family this weekend. What are you doing for the holiday?

Happy 4th of July!

Thrive

I recently mentioned a new string of markets that I've been writing for and I thought I would share one with you.

Thrive is a publication local to southwest Louisiana. I have several articles in the June issue, and I have already submitted several articles for upcoming issues. So far, working with them has been a very positive experience. To view their FREE online versions, please visit: http://www.thriveswla.com/

Here are a few thoughts on how to: Pad Your Resume, and Wallets, by Writing for Smaller Markets

What projects have you been working on lately?