FREE First Chapter Download (Oh, the fear!)

On June 15th, the first chapter of this book will be available for FREE download.  Although I am excited, I am also petrified.  This will be the first public release of any part of the book.  There is fear of how it will be received, will readers like it, will they hate it, will the chapter do what it is intended to do; create a conversation among the

Versatile Blogger Award

Recently I was honored (and I truly mean honored) by JenniferChow.  She kindly nominated me for the Versatile Blogger Award.  (sniff, sniff, tear)  Thank you Jennifer very much.  Visit her blog and show her some love.

According to the rules, I must

Writer's Corner

Through the research I have done for the publishing of my book, I have gathered TONS of information about self publishing and writing tips and tricks I have found useful in the writerly process.

Keeping this information tucked in my reference binder for only my eyes seems a bit selfish.  I don't want to be a selfish clod, so I am posting the information in the Writer's Corner.

I will add

Fifty Shades of Grey…The Critics, The Reviews, The Readers, The Success

People either LOVE this book or they HATE this book.  According to Amazon’s star ratings at the time this was typed, the book had 1,963 5-stars and 1,309 1-star and the combined total of  2- through 4-stars was 1,158.

4,430 Reviews

5 star:		(1,963)
4 star:		(464)
3 star:		(312)
2 star:		(382)
1 star:		(1,309)

I have read some of the critic reviews

Women and Children Camping

Our Circle

There is the saying; Girlfriends are sisters we choose for ourselves.  Which is true in my life.  There is the saying; Sisters by Chance, Friends by Choice.  Which is also true in my life.

There comes a point in your life when you realize who really matters, who never did, and who always will. - Unknown

I came to that point of realizing who matters and who doesn’t.  I got rid of the riff raff and

MNINB (MY NAME IS NOT BOB)

In April, I took part in the April Platform Challenge hosted by Robert Lee Brewer through his MY NAME IS NOT BOB blog.  It was amazing how many people took part in this challenge.  We would comment on the daily task post with our opinion of the task, an update when we completed the task, and advice to others participating.  It didn’t take long before

Time Management for Working, Writing, and Platform Development

Writing requires time management and social media (platform building) management and that schedule takes a little while to get right...and even then there is always something that alters the schedule a bit.  I sometimes still get a little overwhelmed.  I felt extremely overwhelmed when I first added platform building last fall on top of a full time job and writing my book.  I had Facebook, RedRoom, Twitter, Google+, and a few other sites I was trying to manage.   My commute to work is an hour each way, I am

Novel Outline Tool

Outline…I need to do an outline for the novel.  How can I write a novel from the story idea in my head and make sure I answer all the questions, resolve all the situations, assure each character is as strong as they need to be, etc., etc., etc.?

Outlining a novel is a tool, a necessary tool (in my opinion) to writing a full length novel.  Each writer needs to find the outlining tool that works for them.  What I use may seem too simple or too convoluted for another writer.

I took the concept of this tool from J.K. Rowling.  It is the same tool she used for the

Beta Readers Wanted

I wanted to ask all of you a question...

Are any of you interested in being a Beta Reader for some of the stories contained in So, Whatcha Think?
You probably already know this, but our book is a collection of stories that are intended to take the reader on an emotional journey.  Each one is tailored to present a life lesson in one way or another.  Some are intended to be controversial and some are intended to teach that life lesson by having the

Easter Magic

Life gives me endless story prompts.  My spiral notebook has dozens and dozens of story beginnings that I will finish writing.

I have so many story beginnings because I look for the magic moments everyday life offers.  I would like to share one such moment of magic I experienced on Easter morning.

Don't Let Me Die!

Friday Fictioneers

This is the Picture Prompt for this week's Friday Fictioneers.  I will be writing wrote an approximate 100-word story to go with this picture.  Check back on Friday to see what I was able to come up with.  =)  See below for what I managed to come up with.  

I have to mention right here and right now that I had a hard time with this one.  The prompt just refused to talk to me.  Without my friend Kristin, this story would not exist.  She gave me

MICHAEL!!

Friday Fictioneers

Picture Prompt and the story.

Please go to Madison Woods site (she is the hostess of this Flash Fiction exercise) to read her story and the stories others have written.  http://madisonwoods.wordpress.com/flash-fiction/expectations/

Hope you enjoy!!

“I don’t see him anywhere!”

“I thought you were watching him!  Damn it, why weren’t you watching him!  He’s only four!  You never take your eyes off of a four year old!!  Damn it!”

Aunt Ellie and Mrs. Barris

Shown below is a flash fiction prompt and the story I wrote to go with it.  Instructions were the words "I heard it too" had to be in the story and the story had to be between 101 and 1,000 words.  This story is 926 words.  This prompt was posted by Quill Shiv at http://quillshiv.com/.  The flash fiction Quill Shiv and others have written can be seen here http://quillshiv.com/2012/04/12/flash-fiction-faction-from-agatha/.

I hope you enjoy!!

Aunt Ellie and Mrs. Barris

The grand Victorian home sat on a 2-acre parcel inside city limits.  It is said to have been built in the 1850s as the city home of a very wealthy plantation owner.  In the 1920s, the house was purchased from the plantation owner’s family by Mr. Berris.  It was to be a gift for his new bride, Mary.  He had the home painted inside and out in all the colors that he knew Mary would adore.  She didn’t see the home until their wedding night.  Her eyes were wide

Flash Fiction Faction-Due April 12, 2012

Shown below is a flash fiction prompt...a fun exercise.  I have decided to participate in two such exercises every week.  This one is posted by Quill Shiv at http://quillshiv.com/

The rules are:

DETAILS FOR FLASH FICTION FACTION

Spend Time Showing and Telling

I know that I have a skewed view of life most of the time. I also know that my skewed view can be hard for other people to understand. Although I know some don’t get it, I honestly don’t understand

Fish On

Shown below is a picture prompt.  The concept is to write a Flash Fiction story of approximately 100 words.  Click here to find links to other stories written for this picture. Friday Fictioneers  Read on to read my story.  

His silhouette is etched in my memory.  Standing on the bank, with his fishing pole in his strong hands,

Your Challenge

Wouldn't it be fantastic if a better outlook on life could be found just under the soles of our shoes?  If during a stroll, we could read jokes and quips?  If these words were able to lighten a trouble or two?  If the simple act of reading these words could brighten a mood?  They do.
Everyday.  Many times a day.

http://comedycarpet.co.uk

If only every day you could feel this way even if you are not spending the day on the Comedy Carpet. You can. You really can.  

It takes practice, but you can.

How we choose to deal with a situation determines how we feel about that situation.  Simple,

The Colors Life Paints Us

Every emotion has a color that represents it.  Each of us has a Life Book in our hearts.  Each event in our life paints a page of that book with colors.  Please, Please, Please, do all you

Reminders

"In the end, we only regret the chances we didn’t take, relationships we were afraid to have,

A Blank Page

A blank page can become many things; a sketch, a note, a journal entry, a doodle, an entry in a wonderful story.  I have done all these things to blank pages and I have had a great time in the