Care Giving and the Writer's Life

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TIME is precious. Days pass in the blink of an eye and suddenly you realize the days have turned into months.

Finding time to write becomes last on your list of priorities. However, if writing brings you joy, and if you're reading this blogpost, I suspect it does, then we must write.

I have been in this place. I'd missed my critique group meetings. When I did manage to attend, I had nothing to share. My wonderfully supportive members understood, but encouraged me to write. They know how much writing means to me.

Some caregivers may find that writing down their feelings is cathartic. If this helps to relieve stress or heartache, please do it. 

For me, writing is a wonderful form of escapism. Losing myself in a world of silly, simple, and happy stories helps me to let go of the feelings that tug on my heart throughout the day. As I get lost in my make believe world, I feel my mood lift and my shoulders relax.

Now, I'm getting back into the groove. I take a little time at night, when the day is done to write. I print out my short stories and do some edits while sitting in the doctor's waiting room. Any time I can sneak in a bit of writing or spend time mentally creating, I take it. And it's happening! I've submitted a short story to Chicken Soup for the Soul and I've made the short list. I'm hoping to get the final notice any day now.

I'm finishing the final edits on a little children's story and a YA entry for a contest. Wish me Luck! 🤞

As an added bonus, I'm sharing my stories with my ill Dad and he's loving it!

Big Hugs to all of the caregivers out there 😍

Keep Writing, Keep Smiling, and Keep Submitting

 

 

Keep Updating your craft. Like all things change, so do the rules of craft.

Hello Fellow Writers 😎

Studying the craft of writing is an important aspect of being an author.

Writing is the fun part and attending workshops can be too. It's great learning from professionals. In  person or online, I enjoy the different topics and personalities of the presenters.

Last month I attended the August 2023 Writing Romance Mastery Summit, hosted by Paula Judith Johnson. It was amazing! And to make it even more amazing is the fact that this five day Summit was offered free with the option to purchase the event. By the end of day four, my hand was cramping from taking 67 pages of notes and I still had another day of workshops to attend! At this point, I knew I had to purchase the entire summit. So, I did. Here's how it worked:

There were 30+ different workshops offered over a 5 day period. Attendance was free of charge so long as you registered for the Summit. If for any reason attendees missed a day, we had 48 hours to view the recordings free of cost. At any point during the summit, attendees were offered the opportunity to purchase the workshops which included MP3 versions as well. If you purchased the summit at the time of registration, the complete summit cost $67. During the 5 days, you could purchase the complete summit for an additional $30. and after the summit the cost went up a bit more. But of these 3 price tiers, it was still an incredible value. Have you checked out the prices of single classes and workshops being offered out there? Some are very expensive and I know we all don't have unlimited education budgets.

Along with the workshops, many presenters offered free gifts to further help writers. Some gifts were for all attendees and some additional gifts were offered to those who purchased the premium package.

The information shared by the presenters was current and invaluable. You may be asking yourself, why are the presenters doing this for free? There are professionals who believe it is a wonderful thing to give back to the writing community. Also, this is an opportunity for the presenters to offer their professional services such as editing, ghostwriting, coaching, etc. And why wouldn't they? Don't think of this as a negative. After all, if I am in the market for an editor or an agent for instance, wouldn't it be beneficial to have some knowledge of this person rather than searching the internet blindly? 

I'd like to send out a Huge Thanks to everyone involved! Writers Helping Writers is a beautiful gift of their time and expertise. 

Another big tip to writers, If a free workshop or podcast is described as being in a genre that you do not write in, please don't count it out. I have found that there are so many good tips shared in most every podcast that applies to writers of all genres. This was certainly the case with this Romance Summit. There were great workshops on How to Write a Query Letter, How to Market for Amazon, How to tackle Writers Block, and much more.

When you finish a workshop, podcast, or find a blog post that lights a fire in you, "follow" that presenter. Check out their social media pages. More than likely, they'll have more great information to share with you.

I'm sure you can tell how much I enjoyed this workshop and for less than $100. I'll be able to enjoy the information for a lifetime.

Keep Writing, Keep Smiling, and Keep Submitting!   

 

Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Advice that Changed my Life

 

I am thrilled to announce this book officially went on sale March 2023. 

My contribution is titled Assertive vs Aggressive.

It is wonderful being welcomed into the Chicken Soup for the Soul family. All of the contributors in this book were invited to a ZOOM party. 30+ writers from all across these great United States and Canada had the pleasure of meeting the wonderful Amy Newmark, Editor-in-Chief and Publisher, D'ette Corona, VP Associate Publisher, Shelby Janner, Chief Publicity Officer Zilker Media, Barbara LoMonaco, book distribution, Maureen Peltier, head of marketing, and the rest of the staff who turn these book ideas into reality.

This was my second invitation to attend a Contributors Zoom party. It is such a treat to put faces to the names we see at the end of each great story. Thank you, Chicken Soup for the Soul!

There are new books in production all year round. I would love to hear that you've decided to write a story for CSS and took the leap and submit. To learn more about CSS and the submission guidelines visit www.chickensoup.com

Chicken Soup for the Soul books are available in retail stores like Books-a-Million, Walmart, Barnes and Noble, etc. They are available online where books are sold. 

Keep Writing, Keep Submitting, and Keep Smiling!

I Received an email asking me for advice on Protecting our Online Writing ...

 😓  Unfortunately, Plagiarism is all too common when posting our work on the World Wide Web. It's exciting to think people from all over the world may read our words. Yet, there are those who may decide your words are interesting enough or wonderful enough to copy it without asking for your permission.   

Here is a link with great information on this subject. I would advise everyone who reads this post to take a moment to visit the link below, especially if you are concerned about your work being plagiarized. 

From www.wikihow.legal

As of today, the information states it was last updated August 10, 2021. The advice here relevant, easy to understand, and offers a "Print" option at the end. If you don't want the images to print, be sure to click on the text only option.

A personal thought from me, Be cautious and consider only posting articles or blog posts that you've written specifically for it to be shared. If you have work that would hurt your career or your heart if it is illegally copied, don't put it out on the web, especially if you've not registered it with the U.S. Copyright Office. There are instructions in the above link on how to notify a person using your work that you are aware and requesting they remove it. If you get no satisfaction, then consider taking legal action. After all, you have that right.

There is a lot of information on this topic on the World Wide Web. Read as much as you can to educate yourself on this topic.

I hope the fear of Plagiarism will not prevent you from becoming the great author you want to be. 

Keep Writing, Keep Submitting, and Keep Smiling! 

  

Holiday Fun! If I can do it, You can too

 

Lining up the red balls ... I can do it!

It takes a steady hand ... I can do it!

                                                          

I've got this ... YES!

KEEP WRITING, KEEP SUBMITTING, AND KEEP SMILING!

Learning the Craft of Writing without a Budget

 Hello Fellow Writers,

I've been attending ProWritingAid's Romance Writers' Week. It is a week of live webinars beginning in the morning and ending in the evening. There are hour breaks in between sessions. The amazing thing is that all of these sessions are FREE. The presenters have a wealth of knowledge and they are generous in sharing.

Now you may say, "I don't write romance, so this doesn't apply to me."  I'd like to challenge that. The authors and professionals talk about so much more. They discuss topics that apply to writers of all genres and at any level in their/your careers. 

Yes, there are published romance authors speaking about the romance genre, but they also share their journey to publication, writing schedules, and how they stay motivated. They discuss whether they outline or pansters and so much more.

I just finished a session on marketing your romance novel. Everything discussed applies to marketing any book. This evening we'll hear the Indie Author's guide to Indie Editors. I'm confident this will apply to all genres.

Many of the free webinars do add in a sales pitch for a product or an author's book, etc. Why shouldn't they since they're offering free education? There is no shame in not being able to buy at the time of the webinar. Maybe one day you may buy the product, and if not, pay-it-forward one day by offering your knowledge to other writers.

There are also endless Youtube videos on the craft of writing. Libraries loan books relevant to learning the craft of writing. Some public libraries host writing critique groups that are open to the public for free.

 There are many ways to continue to educate yourself with little or no budget. The next time you're in-between novels or are feeling stuck with your work in progress, consider looking into some of these options. You may find that the

stimulation will spark your creativity and help you get back on track.

Keep Writing, Keep Submitting, and Keep Smiling!

CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE SOUL - MY CLEVER, CURIOUS, CARING CAT - Official Launch date is September 14, 2021

 My short story Learning to Be Sassy appears in this book! 

I'm very excited to have my story chosen by the Chicken Soup for the Soul team. All stories selected for books in the Chicken Soup for the Soul anthologies are true. This book sends profits to the American Humane  

The 250+ Chicken Soup for the Soul books cover a multitude of subjects. The submitting process is easy and I recommend all my writer friends to go to the website  https://www.chickensoup.com and take a look at the various topics currently open to submissions. I look forward to seeing your work there!

This book is full of wonderful cat stories. The two cats starring in my story are shown below. Although they are both now romping around in Cat Heaven, they are always in our hearts.

 Sassy is the star and Pumpkin her loyal co-star who practically steals the show.

 Pumpkin was forever crushing on Sassy and Sassy did her best to live up to her name. Deep down, I know she loved him.

Keep Writing, Keep Submitting, and Keep Smiling!

A New Book! Imagine Your Story Flash Fiction 2020

 Last Year, before Covid19 hit the U.S.A. our local library system advertised their annual Flash Fiction contest. The guidelines said to take something ordinary and reimagine it.

I was looking through some pictures of my late fiance'. I'd taken a picture of the Survivor Bell during a tour of MUSC hospital after an appointment with the amazing Organ Transplant Team. That was our goal; Randy would one day, ring that bell.

Seeing this picture again, brought back memories of conversations we'd had late at night while Randy waited and contemplated all that receiving an organ transplant meant.  

 I wrote a short piece titled, Ring That Bell, in his memory. I entered it into this contest and it was selected to be in the book.

This book is not for sale. It is a Lending Library Book Only. I love the idea of writing a story for my community. The book is available for lending from the Land O Lakes Library. I also donated money so two copies would be put in the Centennial Library as well. These are libraries in the Pasco County Library System. 

I am also excited to announce that another story I submitted was chosen as well. The title of that story is The Tip. This is a story that came straight out of my vivid imagination and does not relate to anyone or anything in my life. I enjoyed writing it.

As you can see in these pictures, the book cover says "2020". With all that has occurred over the past year and a half with Covid19, and people leaving jobs, etc. It has taken much longer than originally thought for this book to come to fruition. It is finally here! 

If you happen to be perusing the library, I hope you'll read them and enjoy. The photographs in this book are gorgeous. 

Putting your work out there for others to read is rewarding, whether the readership is huge or available to only a community. So, Keep Writing, Keep Submitting, and Keep Smiling!

Something Wonderful Will Happen!

 I am a proud member of the Florida Writers Association. FWA

Each year the organization offers two writing contests. The Royal Palm Literary Awards (RPLA) is a prestigious writing competition for adults members and provides written assessments to all entrants. I entered the 2021 contest. The contestants won't know the results for a while yet.

The other contest is Florida Writers Association Collection. For the 2021 contest adult and youth entrants wrote to the theme Footprints. The winning submissions are published in an anthology. I entered this contest too and my entry, One legged Seagull-My Story, is a winner! My entry will appear  in the book! Here is a sneak peak at the cover. The release date is in October 2021. 

To add to that bit of wonderful news, I was then asked to be a judge for the 2021 RPLA contest. I began judging after completing the application process.

I'm enjoying the process very much. I won't be judging the category I am entered in.

So you never know what opportunities will come to you from submitting. So finish up those stories and take the leap.

Keep Writing, Keep Submitting, and Keep Smiling!

Waiting to hear about a submission is like waiting for the fisherman to return!

Sometimes news of the catch is good and sometimes not so much, but always worth the anticipation.

Comparing the wait for news of a submission's status with pelicans waiting for fishing boats to come in is a stretch; but isn't it fun!

I mentioned in an earlier post, that two of my contest flash fiction stories were chosen for publication in a local authors 2020 anthology, sponsored by our public library system. Unfortunately, the latest news from the library reported delays, (I'm guessing Pandemic delays), and the book publication date is on hold. I checked in a second time, and the news was possible publication in December 2020. It didn't happen at that time. As of this post, it's been a year. I decided to submit the work in two other flash fiction contests with WOW-Women on Writing. I was excited when both pieces made it through first phase judging. They didn't win prizes, but I received great feedback from an editor/judge. Although I didn't catch the big fish prize, I do feel like I received the smaller bait fish, just as nourishing from encouraging feedback.

Another story I submitted to Chicken Soup for the Soul has made it through the first phase of consideration and I was sent a contract to read, sign, and return. I was told the story has to go through one more person before it's a sure thing. I was told most pieces that make it this far do make it into the book. I was as happy as the pelican who is tossed an even bigger fish. I'll keep you posted when I receive the final update. 

I have two more stories submitted for consideration to Chicken Soup for the Soul future books. No word yet. Submission periods are still open.

I've submitted two short story pieces for the 2021 contest through the FWA, (Florida Writers Association), the prestigious RPLA awards, and a poem for the annual FWA themed anthology contest. The guidelines for these two contests are strict and I was thrilled to receive an email saying the submissions qualified and moved on to judging. Although I've been a member for three years, I've never entered due to being intimidated by the many rules. Fortunately, this year, the guidelines were reviewed and cut by 50%. Qualifying for this particular contest may seem to be a small fish to some, but to me it was a wonderful accomplishment.

Please note: Always, Always, Always, read the guidelines for every contest and submission. Follow the guidelines or risk being disqualified. You've worked hard on your piece and you want it read. Many guidelines will state, if you get disqualified, you lose your contest submission fee.

The RPLA contest will send feedback either way. Always appreciate professional feedback. It's important to accept the feedback graciously and to give it serious consideration. 

I had a few pieces that didn't toss me any fish at all. Like fisherman, we have to take the bad days with the good. But every new day brings a new opportunity to put yourself out there, submit, and work hard for the great catch of your life!

I'd love to read how your submissions are going. Leave me a comment.

Keep Writing, Keep Submitting, and Keep Smiling!   

We're nearing the end of March 2021 ALREADY! I hope your writing has helped you during isolation.

 Hi Fellow Writers and Readers!

I've been looking forward to our lives getting back to normal after the sadness of Covid19 and all of the pain it caused the world.

I feel very fortunate to be a writer with a vivid imagination. Writing allows us to vent or to escape the real world and lose ourselves in a happier world of our creation.

I'm excited to see more and more authors arise during the Pandemic. Not only is it simply an awesome thing to do ... writing stories, but it is cathartic. I hope writing has allowed you to release your feelings and experiences into journals. These journal entries are a part of history. Future generations will want to know what it was like to live and survive a pandemic.

I want to send my deepest condolences to all of the families who have lost loved ones. I continue to send prayers of healing for those whose health has been damaged long-term by this terrible illness.

Finding our way back to normalcy is a long journey. We will get through this.

Keep Writing, Keep Submitting, and Keep Smiling