NaNoWriMo What's Next and a call for submissions

cj Sez: NaNoWriMo writers, raise your fingers. The race to finish the National Novel Writing Month challenge is over.

  Now that you’ve reached your 30-day/50,000-word goal, or some portion thereof, the NaNoWriMo organization has some tips on what to do with your incredible manuscript: Take a breath and . . . “Step 1. Wait.”

https://blog.nanowrimo.org/post/180591717410/what-to-do-with-your-manuscript-in-december 

§§

Chicken Soup for the Soul has submission calls for 2025 anthologies out right now. 

  Here’s the link to find out more:

https://www.chickensoup.com/story-submissions/possible-book-topics/

§§

  Jennie Liu, a young adult and middle-grade readers author, asks “Is it necessary to write an author’s note?” and answers “No, but some genres and categories naturally lend themselves to further discussion.”

  She goes on to explain why, if you don’t already do so, you should consider writing what she says might be “an arduous task.”  Read the post here:  

https://janefriedman.com/writing-the-authors-note-for-a-novel/

§§

 With this year of turmoil coming to a close, I’ve been thinking of the quietude of home and people I miss dearly—all year long, but especially at this time of year.

  I think of childhood-me sleeping next to an open window under a warm quilt in the chill of a country starry July night in West Texas. 

  I think of adult me sitting around the kitchen table harmonizing some favorite old hymns with my mother and my sisters. 

  Precious, precious memories.

  Where do your precious memories take you?

§§

  Okay, that’s it for today. You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same. Raising prayers for a happy and safe you and yours.

cj

  Tis the season for holiday shopping but forget Amazon. Shop local. The best gifts are closer than you think (think your local indie bookstores), and books are gifts that don’t need charging and keep on giving. 

  To order one of my novels or a book by any author and support a small business indie bookstore, contact The Haunted Bookshop here: https://www.thehauntedbookshopmobile.com/contact-us

  Blatant Self Promotion: Books are gifts that keep on giving year-round, and anthologies are even better because there’s more than one story to read. With that in mind, let me help you out with a couple of ideas. The stories in these Christmas anthologies may have a holiday theme, but each one is a year-round enjoyable read.  

Christmas Through a Child’s Eyes

  You’ll find 70 short stories written by adults recounting their extraordinary childhood holiday memories.

  My story, written under my maiden name of Marilyn Olsein, is titled “Dancing with Daddy,” and relates how six-year-old me reconnected with my Swedish-born father after a thousand-mile, years-long separation.

  The anthology is available on Kindle click on ( Amazon.com : Christmas Through a Child's eyes )

Finally Home

  This anthology gifts you with eight Christmas stories, all about our four-legged friends and the special people who rescue them. From funny, to sad, to romantic, there’s something here to tug at everyone’s heart strings.

  In “Puppy Love,” I write a tale about a woman who is passionate about giving abandoned kittens a second chance at happiness. My character’s carefully curated life is disrupted when she becomes a foster hu-mom to a puppy with an amputated leg. Then she is surprised by an even harder challenge when the man who broke her heart asks for a second chance, too.

Finally Home Buy Now

  My fast-paced novels, The Dawgstar and Death on the Yampa, are available on Amazon or through your favorite e-Tailer and bookstore.

  Nota bene: Angela Trigg, the RITA Award-winning author and owner of The Haunted Book Shop has a few signed copies of my paperback books in stock. TO ORDER, contact: https://www.thehauntedbookshopmobile.com/contact-us 

➜ Follow me on        

➜ Amazon:    Amazon Central Author Page

➜ Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/CjPettersonAuthor

➜ BookBub:   https://www.bookbub.com/authors/cj-petterson

➜ Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3fcN3h6

 

 

 

Thanksgiving! And words to the wise

cj Sez: Since we won’t be together for the Thanksgiving Day holiday . . .

  In the Did You Know Department: 

  In 1621, the Plymouth colonists from  England and the Native American Wampanoag people shared an autumn harvest feast that is acknowledged as one of the first Thanksgiving celebrations in the colonies.

  For more than two centuries, days of thanksgiving were celebrated by individual colonies and states. 

  It wasn’t until 1863, in the midst of the Civil War, that President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national Thanksgiving Day to be held each November.

  “As an annual celebration of the harvest and its bounty, Thanksgiving falls under a category of festivals that spans cultures, continents, and millennia. In ancient times, the Egyptians, Greeks and Romans 

feasted and paid tribute to their gods after the fall harvest. Thanksgiving also bears a resemblance to the ancient Jewish harvest festival of Sukkot. 

  Finally, historians have noted that Native Americans had a rich tradition of commemorating the fall harvest with feasting and merrymaking long before Europeans set foot on America's shores.”

(Excerpted from: https://www.history.com/topics/thanksgiving/history-of-thanksgiving )

§§

  Doubters, this post from Wrangling the Doubt Monster: Fighting Fears, Finding Inspiration (Bancroft Press, 2025) by Amy L. Bernstein offers hope on how to deal with those negative thoughts.

“What do we have here?

  A doubter’s manifesto. An article of affirmation. An artist who says: I see you.

  The hope is you see yourself, realize you are not alone, learn that doubt is not your assassin.”

Click the following link to read the post: 

https://janefriedman.com/doubt-the-near-constant-companion-of-writers-and-artists/

§§

  Okay, that’s it for today. You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same. Raising prayers for a happy and safe you and yours.

cj

  Tis the season for holiday shopping but forget Amazon. The best gifts are closer than you think (think your local indie bookstores), and books are gifts that don’t need charging and keep on giving. To order a book by any author and support an indie bookstore, contact The Haunted Bookshop here: https://www.thehauntedbookshopmobile.com/contact-us

  Blatant Self Promotion: Here are a few books to put on your shopping list. The stories in these Christmas anthologies may have a holiday theme, but each one is a year-round enjoyable read.

Christmas Through a Child’s Eyes

  You’ll find 70 stories written by adults recounting their extraordinary childhood Christmas memories.

  My story, written under my maiden name of Marilyn Olsein, is titled “Dancing with Daddy,” and relates how six-year-old me reconnected with my Swedish father after a thousand-mile, years-long separation.

  The anthology is available on Kindle.

Amazon.com : Christmas Through a Child's eyes

Finally Home

  This anthology gifts you with eight Christmas stories, all about our four-legged friends and the special people who rescue them. From funny, to sad, to romantic, there’s something here to tug at everyone’s heart strings.

  In “Puppy Love,” I write a tale about a woman who is passionate about giving abandoned kittens a second chance at happiness. My character’s carefully curated life is disrupted when she becomes a foster hu-mom to a puppy with an amputated leg. Then she is surprised by an even harder challenge when the man who broke her heart asks for a second chance, too.

Finally Home Buy Now

  My fast-paced novels, The Dawgstar and Death on the Yampa, are available on Amazon or through your favorite e-Tailer and bookstore.

  Nota bene: Angela Trigg, the RITA Award-winning author and owner of The Haunted Book Shop has a few signed copies of my paperback books in stock. TO ORDER, contact: https://www.thehauntedbookshopmobile.com/contact-us 

  P.S.: Pop on over to my Amazon Central Author Page for links to anthologies in which I have a short story.

➜ Follow me on        

➜ Amazon:    Amazon Central Author Page

➜ Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/CjPettersonAuthor

➜ BookBub:   https://www.bookbub.com/authors/cj-petterson

➜ Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3fcN3h6

 

Questionnaire: Why that book?

cj Sez: I found the questions below at another blog and thought, "What a great idea." So, here are some questions for you authors and readers.  

What makes you want to buy a book? Is it the cover or the blurb on the back of the book?

  For me, it's both. The cover has to grab my attention, then the blurb has to make me want to know more about the story, so I browse through the beginning pages and a few more.

When you get into a story, what keeps you reading? Is it the bad boy hero or the tough, strong-willed woman or the cast of characters that help push the story forward?

  Really doesn’t make any difference to me. That said, whether heroine or hero, I am drawn to a fast-paced story, and I have to find a plot. I also like to find humor and some quick repartee in even the darkest of moments. It’s kind of a release valve from the danger.

What makes you like one author more than another?

  I’m a wordsmith. That is, I want to be enchanted by the author’s voice and choice of words…how she/he uses a few precise words and syntax to evoke some visualization and/or visceral reaction in me.

If you’re into reading a series, when do you get tired of it…or do you?  

  As long as the author keeps the storyline and characters fresh, I don’t have a problem with continuing to read a series. It’s when the storyline get stale. The characters change but the story takes the same direction over and over. Sometimes stand-alones have that same problem, and that’s when I’m on to the next author.

Which brings me to reviews:  Do you take the time to write a review?

  Without readers, authors have no audience, and without an audience, authors are out of a job. Honest feedback—Amazon, Facebook, Goodreads, etc.—is what keeps us going. We want to know our strengths and our weaknesses. We’re polite; we say please and thank you. . .  except to trolls. A Facebook friend once wrote that someone seemed to have joined Goodreads just to give her latest book a one-star rating. The problem was, the book hadn’t even been released.

  I’d love to know your answers to these questions. So write in, already.

§§

  Okay, that’s it for today. You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same. Raising prayers for a happy and safe you and yours.

cj

  Books make perfect gifts for everyone, and it’s not too early to do some holiday shopping.

Blatant Self Promotion: 

  Here are a few books to put on your shopping list. (The stories in the Christmas anthologies may have a holiday theme, but each of them is a year-round enjoyable read.)

Christmas Through a Child’s Eyes 

  You'll find 70 stories written by adults recounting their extraordinary childhood Christmas memories.

  My story, written under my maiden name of Marilyn Olsein, is titled “Dancing with Daddy,” and relates how six-year-old me reconnected with my Swedish father after a thousand-mile, years-long separation.

  The anthology is available on Kindle at

Amazon.com : Christmas Through a Child's eyes

Finally Home

  This anthology gifts you with eight Christmas stories, all about our four-legged friends and the special people who rescue them. From funny, to sad, to romantic, there’s something here to tug at everyone’s heart strings.

   In “Puppy Love,” I write a tale about a woman who is passionate about giving abandoned kittens a second chance at happiness. My character’s carefully curated life is disrupted when she becomes a foster hu-mom to a puppy with an amputated leg. Then she is surprised by an even harder challenge when the man who broke her heart asks for a second chance, too.

Finally Home Buy Now  

  My novels, The Dawgstar and Death on the Yampa, are available on Amazon or through your favorite e-Tailer and bookstore.

  If you’re looking for free versions of these fast-paced reads, break out your library card. You can read the ebooks free from Hoopla.

  Nota bene: Angela Trigg, the RITA Award-winning author and owner of The Haunted Book Shop has a few signed copies of my paperback books in stock. TO ORDER, contact: https://www.thehauntedbookshopmobile.com/contact-us  

  P.S.: Pop on over to my Amazon Central Author Page for links to anthologies in which I have a short story.

➜ Follow me on        

➜ Amazon:    Amazon Central Author Page

➜ Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/CjPettersonAuthor

➜ BookBub:   https://www.bookbub.com/authors/cj-petterson

➜ Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3fcN3h6

 

They are all one and the same

cj Sez: Veterans Day, Armistice Day, Remembrance Day, Poppy Day: They are different names for the same day, depending on in what country it's observed (and how old you are, I guess). On Monday, November 11, the U.S. respectfully commemorates Veterans Day, a day set aside to honor all the war veterans whose heroism made and keep this country free. Amen, and thank you!

   “When first celebrated as Armistice Day, the day marked the end of World War I, formally recognized on the ‘11th hour, of the 11th day, of the 11th month’ in 1918. The U.S. continues to honor the original connection to WWI, and Veterans Day is on the same day every year—November 11—regardless of which day of the week it falls.”  (Source: https://www.military.com/veterans-day )
 
  Excerpted from an American Legion page: “Poppy seeds can lay fallow for years, yet bloom brilliantly when the soil is disturbed or when the soil is freshly dug. After the battles were fought in World War I, the blood red poppy flourished in France and Belgium when battlefields became burial grounds. 

  The red flowers suddenly bloomed among the newly dug gravesites of fallen service members, turning the new graveyards into fields of red.

  Surviving soldiers came to see the poppy as more than a flower—–it became a symbol of their sacrifice; a tribute to the price of freedom.”
 
  Canada honors its veterans also on November 11 by celebrating their heroism with “Remembrance Day” and wearing red poppies.
 
  In England, many people wear paper or ceramic red poppies also as they commemorate Sunday, November 10, as Remembrance Day.

§§

 
  For all you word warriors: NaNoWri deadline is still more than two weeks away. You have time to reach your NaNoWriMo goal of 50,000 words on or before November 30 . . . Keep up the good work…you got this!

§§

  November 30? Now that I think about it, since I get paid monthly, that means I have only one more payday before Christmas. Aarrgh

§§

 
  Okay, that’s it for today. You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same. Raising prayers for a happy and safe you and yours.

cj

  Now some words from my sponsors:
 
  Books make perfect gifts, and it’s not too early to do some holiday shopping. Blatant Self Promotion: Here are a few books to put on your shopping list:
 
Christmas Through a Child’s Eyes

  This anthology has 70 stories written by adults recounting their extraordinary childhood Christmas memories.
 
  My story, written under my maiden name of Marilyn Olsein, is titled “Dancing with Daddy,” and relates how six-year-old me reconnected with my Swedish father after a thousand-mile, years-long separation.
 
The anthology is available on Kindle. Amazon.com : Christmas Through a Child's eyes
 
Finally Home

  This anthology gifts you with eight Christmas stories, all about our four-legged friends and the special people who rescue them. From funny, to sad, to romantic, there’s something here to tug at everyone’s heart strings.
 
  My story, “Puppy Love,” tells a tale about a woman who is passionate about giving abandoned kittens a second chance at happiness. My character’s carefully curated life is disrupted when she becomes a foster hu-mom to a puppy with an amputated leg. Then she is surprised by an even harder challenge when the man who broke her heart asks for a second chance, too.

The anthology is availaable here: Amazon.com: Finally Home (Christmas Romance Anthology)

  The stories in those Christmas anthologies may have a holiday theme, but each of them is a year-round enjoyable read.

  My novels, The Dawgstar and Death on the Yampa, are available on Amazon or through your favorite e-Tailer and bookstore.
 
  If you’re looking for free versions of these fast-paced reads, break out your library card. You can read the ebooks free from Hoopla.

  Nota bene: Angela Trigg, the RITA Award-winning author and owner of The Haunted Book Shop has a few signed copies of my paperback books in stock. TO ORDER, contact: https://www.thehauntedbookshopmobile.com/contact-us 
 
  P.S.: Pop on over to my Amazon Central Author Page for links to anthologies in which I have a short story.
 
➜ Follow me on        
➜ Amazon:    Amazon Central Author Page
➜ Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/CjPettersonAuthor
➜ BookBub:   https://www.bookbub.com/authors/cj-petterson
➜ Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3fcN3h6 

Today we have Plan B

cj Sez: Apologies, apologies. Author Anne Louise Bannon was unable to appear as our guest today. I’m hoping we can schedule her for a later date.  Plan B topic of the day is the time change. I hope you set your clock back one hour Saturday evening. Here's a tidbit you may not know: We writers adhere to our own kind of clock.

  I actually did set back all my clocks way too early on Saturday and then spent the rest of the day not really knowing what time it was. By the by, I think I found the answer to why there is a time change twice a year. According to one news dot com site: “Daylight saving time was first enacted by the federal government March 19, 1918, during World War I, as a way to conserve coal.” 

  I just wish they’d make up my mind and keep one time or the other. Which would you prefer?

 
  Authors, there is a correct way to write DST in your stories. The correct term is daylight “saving” (not savings) time, and the AP Style Guide says when written out, it’s properly all lower case. (P.S. The rule really applies to everyone.)
 
  And that finishes that topic until next March, when the clock will reclaim that hour you gained.

§§

 

  

A couple of Jane Friedman recent (and helpful) blogs:
 
   This post is by author and book coach Kristin Melville who writes:

 “Story structure promotes the concept that every scene of your story should serve a larger purpose—e.g., the inciting incident sparks the problem, and the climax eventually brings everything to a head.

So what do you need to succeed?”
 
  Click on the link to read more.
Murky Middles Begone: Ensure the Middle of Your Book Stands Strong | Jane Friedman
 
  The following post is by developmental editor and book coach Hannah Kate Kelley. Ms. Kelley writes:
 
“What is Gothic fiction?
Gothic fiction, also referred to as gothic horror, is a subgenre of Romantic literature born out of the late 18th century. These stories typically feature a hauntingly beautiful and dilapidated setting, suspenseful narratives, and dark themes like oppression, guilt, shame, and insanity.”

The link below will take you to the post:  
How to Outline a Gothic Novel | Jane Friedman

§§

 
  Okay, that’s it for today. You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same. Raising prayers for a happy and safe you and yours.

cj

  Now some words from my sponsors: Books make perfect gifts, and it’s not too early to start your holiday shopping.

  THE DAWGSTAR and DEATH ON THE YAMPA are available on Amazon or through your favorite e-Tailer and bookstore.
 
  If you’re looking for free and fast-paced reads, break out your library card. You can read the ebooks free from Hoopla.

  Nota bene: Angela Trigg, the RITA Award-winning author and owner of The Haunted Book Shop has a few signed copies of my paperback books in stock. TO ORDER, contact: https://www.thehauntedbookshopmobile.com/contact-us 
 
  P.S.: Pop on over to my Amazon Central Author Page for links to anthologies in which I have a short story.
 
➜ Follow me on        
➜ Amazon:    Amazon Central Author Page
➜ Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/CjPettersonAuthor
➜ BookBub:   https://www.bookbub.com/authors/cj-petterson
➜ Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3fcN3h6

We're baa-ack!

cj Sez: Lyrical Pens is back . . . Let’s kick off the blog’s return with a “It’s Fall, Y’all” sale.

A Mobile Writers Guild Anthology @ Amazon.com

  My short story, "Once in a Blue Moon," is one of 18 short stories and poems in the anthology HALLOWEEN PIECES, book 4 of 4 anthologies from the Mobile Writers Guild. As of the time of this post, the Kindle edition of HALLOWEEN PIECES is sale priced at $1.99 and available instantly.

  Click on the link below to watch a YouTube video as I read an excerpt.  And if you have the option, choose to open in “Duck Player” (no ads).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PUlZ7kUswE

§§

  Old adage: Truth is stranger than fiction. Why? Because truth is harder to write and make it believable. As a writer, fiction is my choice because I can lie and be applauded for it. Now if I could only remember which lie I told.

§§

"Paths Not Taken" will release in March 2025. Pre-order is available.

§§

  That’s all for today’s post. You-all keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same. Thanks for stopping by.

cj

Now a word from my sponsors:

  THE DAWGSTAR is a suspense/thriller filled with international political gangsterism, nanosatellites (real things), assassins, fears of frankenfood, and more! A fast-paced Jane Bond-ish read with a touch of romance.

 

  DEATH ON THE YAMPA is a contemporary suspense/thriller tale with a touch of romance. A woman and the man she loves are rafting the Yampa River through the delicious scenery of Dinosaur National Monument when they encounter her fugitive brother who's joined a terrorist group.

   You can ask your local library to order my eBooks for you to read with your library card. You’ll need to give them the ISBN number of the title you want to borrow.

THE DAWGSTAR … ISBN 978-17369146-0-1

DEATH ON THE YAMPA … ISBN 978-1-7369146-1-8

And P.S.: Pop on over to my Amazon Central Author Page for links to anthologies in which I have a short story.

➜ Follow me on  

➜ Amazon:    Amazon Central Author Page

➜ Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/CjPettersonAuthor

➜ BookBub:   https://www.bookbub.com/authors/cj-petterson

➜ Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3fcN3h6

  

Something's come up

cj Sez: Labor Day (it was Sept 2 in case you missed it) is sometimes called the unofficial end to summer. Witness: Most schools are back in session, and stores have already begun their multi-holiday advertising and sales. So let me be the first to wish you . . .

cj Sez: So did I. 

  That said, Lyrical Pens is on hiatus. The current plan is to return online in mid-October. Sorry for the abrupt notice, but life doesn’t always give warnings.

§§

  Okay, that’s it for today. You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same.

cj

Now some words from my sponsors:

  THE DAWGSTAR and DEATH ON THE YAMPA are available on Amazon or through your favorite e-Tailer and bookstore. Got a library card? You can read the ebooks free from Hoopla.

  Nota bene: Angela Trigg, the RITA-Award-winning author and owner of The Haunted Book Shop has a few signed copies of my paperback books in stock. If she’s out, she’ll order one for you, and I’ll pop over to sign it. TO ORDER, contact: https://www.thehauntedbookshopmobile.com/contact-us 

  P.S.: Pop on over to my Amazon Central Author Page for links to anthologies in which I have a short story. The Haunted Book Shop has a couple of those, also.  

➜ Follow me on        

➜ Amazon:    Amazon Central Author Page

➜ Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/CjPettersonAuthor

➜ BookBub:   https://www.bookbub.com/authors/cj-petterson

➜ Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3fcN3h6

 

A GUEST POST today by author Kathleen Kaska

cj Sez: Lyrical Pens is excited to present a guest post today by Kathleen Kaska, the author of the Kate Caraway Animal-Rights Mystery Series as well as the award-winning Sydney Lockhart Mystery Series set in the 1950s.

 

  Kaska generously shares her experiences as she pursued new publishers for her books that had been previously published. Following is the author's “Here’s My Road to Reissue,” a very interesting take on that process.  

“I learned a long time ago to take advice and seemingly factual information with a grain of salt. Once, a librarian told me that if my first book didn’t become an instant best-seller, I’d have a difficult time getting anyone to publish my second book. Thirteen books later, I’m glad I didn’t act on her information. Later, when the publisher of my first four Sydney Lockhart mysteries folded, someone also told me that it would be nearly impossible to find a new publisher for books that were previously published. I didn’t listen to them either. I had big plans for several more books in this series, so when the rights were reverted to me, I began doing my homework and searching for a new publisher.

When my first book came out in the early 90s, the publishing options were simple and straightforward but limited. Writers looked for an agent or contacted publishers directly, sent their submissions, and waited, and waited, and waited. Simultaneous submissions were frowned upon, so the process worked against the writer.

Over the years, I’ve signed with numerous publishers. My experience with the university press that published my biography, The Man Who Saved the Whooping Crane: The Robert Porter Allen Story, was/is amazing. When I have questions or need something, I call them. And guess what? They answer the phone! They were open to negotiating my contract, and my royalty statements are accurate and arrive on time. The same is true for the publishers of my trivia books. Not so true with the first two publishers of my mysteries. So, I learned to be cautious. I’ve learned to ask questions. I’ve learned to recognize publishers who accept manuscripts despite not having read them.

The good news is that now there are thousands of traditional small presses, hybrid presses, and self-publishing options. The less-than-good news is that a writer has to know the business, study the contracts, know when to negotiate, and be able to recognize a good deal. With this in mind, I knew I wanted a publisher who would work with me, answer my emails, listen to my suggestions, give me honest, helpful advice and feedback, brainstorm with me on promotion and marketing ideas, give me reasonable discounts on purchasing my books, connect me with her network of published authors, and above all, care about my books. I know that’s asking a lot, but writing is hard work, and I did not want to sell myself short.

   Three years ago, I signed with Anamcara Press, and I couldn’t be happier. My publisher conducted a thorough edit on each previously published book, rebranded the entire series, which now includes two new books, and provided me with a publicist who helped me schedule book tours and kept me involved every step of the way. We meet virtually several times before each new release, tweaking the cover, metadata, and book blurbs. 

   I trust her expertise and experience. I’m selling more books than I ever have. And to top it all off, she is a nice person.”

§§

cj Sez: 

   For your reading enjoyment, here’s the cover and buy link to the reissue of MURDER AT THE ARLINGTON, Book 1 (of 6) in her Sydney Lockhart mystery series.

Buy the Kindle Now  

  Thank you, Kathleen, for the tips and reassurances. Yep, it’s going to take work, but if we writers will do our due diligence research, there are several publishing options available for that previously published book. 

§§

  Okay, that’s it for today. You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same. Raising prayers for a happy and safe you and yours.

cj

Now some words from my sponsors:

  Summer is winding down, kids are going back to school, and there is available downtime. Having a book to read is the perfect relaxing entertainment for those moments of R&R. THE DAWGSTAR and DEATH ON THE YAMPA are available on Amazon or through your favorite e-Tailer and bookstore. Got a library card? You can read the ebooks free from Hoopla.

  Nota bene: Angela Trigg, the RITA Award-winning author and owner of The Haunted Book Shop has a few signed copies of my paperback books in stock. TO ORDER, contact: https://www.thehauntedbookshopmobile.com/contact-us 

  And P.S.: Pop on over to my Amazon Central Author Page to find links to anthologies in which I have a short story. 

➜ Follow me on        

➜ Amazon:     Amazon Central Author Page

➜ Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/CjPettersonAuthor

➜ BookBub:   https://www.bookbub.com/authors/cj-petterson

➜ Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3fcN3h6

Readers' wants and expectations

cj Sez: I rediscovered one of my archived posts about my path to creative writing, and I’ve excerpted it here. Hope you can find a useful nugget in here:

Readers have different expectations/wants

  My first drafts are crappy and sparse, mainly for two reasons: First, first drafts are supposed to be crappy, and second. before a screenwriter course turned me on to creative writing, I was once a corporate journalist/editor tasked with relating the gist of a story in limited line space.

  When I’m finished with the first draft, and the manuscript has its usual dearth of details, I start work expanding details: The five senses…hear, see, taste, smell, feel… and the who, what, when, where, why, and how of the plot.

  I incorporate some action descriptors, but I consider too many of them stage directions. Some writers use them much like adverbs to “tell” their readers what to think or as a way to add words to a short manuscript.

 

  Action needs to have purpose. If describing an action doesn't contribute to the reader's knowledge of the character, scene conflict, or mood, then it’s stage direction. I write mostly suspense and thrillers and have a minimalist approach to action—using few words speeds up the pace and heightens the tension. On the other hand, readers of cozy mysteries or more narrative-based novels want, and expect, to know every detail.

  Adding or withholding detail is a good way to control the pace of your novel. Even in suspense and thrillers, there are places where the reader needs a breather from the action. These would be the spots where I add more detail or beats. Places where I can reveal more of the characters’ growth, i.e., transformation, as the plot progresses.

  Hint: Adding detail words slows the pace; being stingy speeds it up.

  When action is needed to set some mood for the scene, then yes, I detail the action. Sometimes I add details to slow the action and increase the tension. If I want a character to give the reader a sense of impending danger and fear, then I add more description to the action. I tend to follow the lead of my favorite authors—Robert Parker and James Lee Burke. Their succinct style of writing is what I like to read, and it is their fans who are my target market.

§§

Author and Reader Notes

Be sure to stop by next week when Kathleen Kaska, author of the award-winning Sydney Lockhart Mystery Series shares her path to securing a publisher to reissue her books.

///

  In a recent Jane Friedman blog post, Susan DeFreitas (@manzanitafire), an award-winning author, editor, and book coach, says writers can make their protagonist “too good.”

When It Comes to Characters We Love, Vulnerability, Not Likeability, Is Key | Jane Friedman

///

Author quote:

  “All writing is difficult. The most you can hope for is a day when it goes reasonably easily. Plumbers don’t get plumber’s block, and doctors don’t get doctor’s block; why should writers be the only profession that gives a special name to the difficulty of working, and then expects sympathy for it?”  —Philip Pullman

///

Congratulations to fellow Mobile Writers Guild member Carrie Dalby on the upcoming release of LOYALTY, the third book in her meticulously researched historical Washington Square Secrets series. 

  LOYALTY will launch August 27 and is currently available for preorder.  Buy Loyalty Now      

§§

  Okay, that’s it for today. You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same. Raising prayers for a happy and safe you and yours.

cj

Now some words from my sponsors:

  THE DAWGSTAR and DEATH ON THE YAMPA are available on Amazon or through your favorite eTailer and bookstore. Got a library card? You can read the ebooks free from Hoopla.

  Nota bene: My local indy book store, The Haunted Book Shop, has a few signed copies of my paperback books in stock. TO ORDER, contact: https://www.thehauntedbookshopmobile.com/contact-us 

➜ Follow me on        

➜ Amazon:    Amazon Central Author Page

➜ Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/CjPettersonAuthor

➜ BookBub:   https://www.bookbub.com/authors/cj-petterson

➜ Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3fcN3h6