Online trolls really do exist . . .

 cj Sez: Because it’s beautiful . . .

"The Yellow Wood"

  A fellow writer was grieving and questioning what to do about a one-star review on Amazon that complained about something that wasn’t even in her novel. Obviously, the reviewer hadn’t read the book.

  One- and two-star reviews can be devastating, both for
future sales and on the author. Wherever there’s an opportunity to post a review, there will be trolls with low ratings—whether they’re warranted or not. I’ve seen reviews by people who purchased an item online then rated the product one star because they thought delivery took too long. Had nothing to do with the quality of the product.

  So where am I going with all that? It’s to reinforce why authors need to put comments and reviews in perspective. I go back to the bell curve example (the one I usually use for my critique group comments). Don’t let peak ravers persuade you that you've written a best seller, and don't let the bottom naysayers persuade you that your work isn’t good. Hiding within the electronic wafers of the Internet are nameless, faceless, and wretched on-line trolls. (Whew! I feel better now.)

  We can’t realistically expect all reviews to be five-stars (okay, we do, anyway). I admit to having desperate pangs when someone dings a story. Yes, it skews the “average,” but then I re-read the good reviews that I have gotten (some posted, some not) and calm down a bit. I remind myself that I cannot please every reader out there. Duh. That’s the reason there are a gazillion different stories in multiple genres for a gazillion different readers.

  If an author receives a poor review from an on-line troll, I suggest s/he consider the source, and please do not respond to the reviewer. That might dig a deeper, darker hole than you want to dive into. For a review like that mentioned in my first paragraph, perhaps a conversation with Amazon (if that’s where it was made) might get the unfair/unjustified review removed. Might.

  In the meantime, if you’re like me, you’ll console yourself with a treat.

  Speaking of reviews . . . have you taken the time to give an on-line review for the latest book you read? You might be able to refute some troll.

§§

For readers and writers (In case you didn’t know)

√  Artistic personalities (and that includes writers) often need and have multiple outlets for their creative energy. Here is a column about three successful authors who have side hustles . . . https://www.janefriedman.com/the-secret-writing-side-careers-of-successful-authors/?utm_source=ActiveCampaign&utm_medium=email&utm_content=RSS%3AITEM%3ATITLE&utm_campaign=Daily+Blog

√  Staples (the office supply company) recycles a lot of tech equipment besides ink and toner cartridges. If there’s a Staples store near you, do some research and find out if that particular store participates in the program and what they recycle. The store not too far from me recycles a great variety of obsolete, broken, and just plain unwanted tech—items such as old adapters and cables, calculators, CD/DVD/Blue-ray players (I’ve been wondering what to do with a 20-year-old portable CD player), keyboards and mice, modems, and a slew of other stuff. Find out more here:  https://www.staples.com/deals/it-s-recycling-day-every-day/BI3000592

√  Community. Courage. Compassion. The Hometown Heroes anthology brings you five romances that celebrate everyday heroes. The anthology has a Christmas theme, yet the stories are timeless. From paranormal to contemporary to historical, there's something here for everyone.

  A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the Hometown Heroes anthology will be donated to Cajun Navy Relief, an organization dedicated to helping neighbors in distress. As I type this, the Cajun Navy Relief organization is helping out in Florida after Hurricane Ian tore through the state, so your purchase of this anthology is a two-fer. You get delightful, short stories to read while you contribute to a wonderful charity at the same time.

The ebook of five stories is available for 99 cents at the time of this post …. Buy Hometown Heroes now

§§

  That’s it for today’s post. You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same. Raising prayers for your health and safety.

cj

  You-all guys know that we’re into the autumn/pumpkin/ Halloween season, right? Well, I want to tell you that the Mobile Writers Guild's Halloween Pieces anthology(18 stories by 17 authors) is still available. And, and . . .  the ebook is on sale as of the time of this post. Hurry on over to the Big A and grab some hauntingly good reading. Buy Halloween Pieces Now

  No inflation here: THE DAWGSTAR and DEATH ON THE YAMPA, my fast-paced, exciting suspense/thriller ebooks, are now low-, low-priced at $2.99.

P.S.  The Haunted Book Shop has signed paperback copies of my books in stock. TO ORDER, contact The Haunted Bookshop here: https://www.thehauntedbookshopmobile.com/contact-us  

Happy reading!

➜ 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

Dog daze of summer and hurricane season

cj Sez: The dog days of summer were historically the period following the heliacal (sunrise) of the star Dog Star, Sirius. Sirius is one star in a group of stars that form the constellation Canis Major, meaning “Greater Dog.”

   Greek and Roman astrology connected Sirius to heat, drought, sudden thunderstorms, lethargy, fever, mad dogs, and bad luck. For Egyptians (according to the Farmer’s Almanac), “Sirius came into view just before the Nile River’s flood season. They used Sirius as a 'watchdog' for that event. Because it also coincided with a time of extreme heat, the connection with hot, sultry weather was made for all of time! Some ancient peoples believed the summer swelter was due to the combined heat from Sirius and the sun. The name Sirius means ‘scorching’ in Greek.”

   The Farmer’s Almanac also says, “the 40 days beginning July 3 and ending August 11” are the traditional timing of the Dog Days. It also says that “some of our hottest and most humid days happen after August 11.” Seems there’s a lot more hellacious heat and humidity to come…so we have that going for us.

֍֍

Here’s an offer to cool you down, at least visually.

   You-all guys know it’s Hurricane Season on the Gulf Coast, don’t you? Well, have I got a deal for you. The HOMETOWN HEROES Christmas anthology is available at the low, low price of 99 cents (one week only, folks) or free on Kindle Unlimited.

And you’ll be getting a two-fer!

   Part of the proceeds from the sale of the book go to the Cajun Navy, those hometown heroes who trailer their personal boats to hurricane devastated areas to help those in need. And they do their incredible volunteerism on their own nickel. You can help out and read some wonderful stories at the same time by buying this book—the stories are lovely reads for any time of the year.

   Discover the role this fox plays in my story, “Hobbes House Noel,” one of the five romance stories in the anthology. (Well, actually not THIS fox. This photo was taken in my back yard.)

֍֍

   That’s it for this week’s post. You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same.

cj

By the way, if you read/heard about the U.S. Navy ship that recently destroyed an Iranian drone by laser, I found that amazing because I proposed that concept in DEADLY STAR in 2008. To read what else I wrote about, the novel is still available free on Kindle Unlimited here:  https://amzn.to/30JqTMq

For your summertime/beach reading pleasure, stop by my Amazon Central Author Page = https://amzn.to/2v6SrAj 

To order an autographed copy of DEADLY STAR, CHOOSING CARTER, HOMETOWN HEROES, and THE POSSE, contact The Haunted Bookshop here: The Haunted Bookshop  Angela Trigg, the awesome owner and a RITA Award-winning author in her own right (writing as Angela Quarles) will be happy to ship you the book(s) of your choice, and I shall be forever grateful.

Visit me on Facebook at:  cjpetterson/author on Facebook

The research rabbit hole

cj Sez: I think another day of celebrating the 243 rd birthday of the United States of America is in order, so here’s a shot of the July 4 fireworks over Mobile, AL (says the proud mother whose son took the photo).

Click on the picture to get a better view.

Jeff called the tiny, white sliver of moon in the middle of the photo a “waxing crescent moon.” My friend in South Africa took a photo of that same moon at dusk and described it as a “sickle moon.” Yep, that’s how an author/poet shows the lunar shape to her readers.

***

   It occurs to me that doing research for a story is therapeutic in a way, almost like getting lost in a good book.

   I can get so caught up in searching hither, thither, and yon that hours pass before I realize I’ve just spent half a day or more absorbed in collecting information, a lot of which is just interesting trivia that has little or nothing to do with the story I’m writing.

   Some days all those hours are productive, some days they’re minutes I should not have wasted. There are other days, however, when doing a deep dive into research becomes a kind of meditation. I get so mesmerized by all the words in that research rabbit hole that the mortal worries of the day disappear.

   I don’t think I’m alone in this. Do you? Besides, when the afternoon heat/humidity index in Mobile climbs to a helacious 107° F, I’d rather be meditating in front of the computer in my air conditioned office than outside…anywhere.

***

Quote of the Day: 

The historian will tell you what happened. The novelist will tell you what it felt like.           E. L. Doctorow

***

That’s it for this week’s post. You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same.

cj

Hurricane Season is heating up along the Gulf Coast, and that brings to mind HOMETOWN HEROES, the Christmas anthology that gifts a portion of the benefits to the “Cajun Navy.” The Navy is that magnificent group of volunteers who help (on their own nickel) people in hurricane-stricken areas. The anthology may have been released at Christmas, but the stories are timeless.

You can order an autographed copy of the anthology (as well as CHOOSING CARTER, DEADLY STAR, and THE POSSE) from The Haunted Bookshop here: The Haunted Bookshop  Angela Trigg, the awesome owner and a RITA Award-winning author in her own right (writing as Angela Quarles) will be happy to ship you the book(s) of your choice.

If you send me a note, I’ll personalize the book of your choice, and drop it in the mail to you (cover price plus mailing).

If you prefer Kindle, at the time of this post, HOMETOWN HEROES, CHOOSING CARTER and DEADLY STAR are free on Kindle Unlimited

Contact me at cjpetterson@gmail.com and visit me at

Amazon Central Author Page =  https://amzn.to/2v6SrAj

Simon&Schuster Author Page = https://bit.ly/2uo1M0Z

and on Facebook at:   cjpetterson/author on Facebook  

Two days until launch, MWA, and . . .

cj Sez:  Only two more days until the launch of Hometown Heroes, A Christmas Anthology.

Available now on Amazon

   "HOMETOWN HEROES, A Christmas Anthology" is scheduled to launch on Dec. 4, and a portion of the proceeds will benefit the Cajun Navy. I'm excited to be one of the authors in the book and to share my contemporary romance short story titled "Hobbes House Noel."

   As of the time of this blog post, the Kindle version is 99 cents and Kindle Unlimited is free. Paperback will also be available. 

https://amzn.to/2Rrdy7b 

   After you’ve read the stories, I hope you will consider writing an Amazon review. (Please and thank you.)

***

“Mystery Writers of America Withdraws Fairstein Award  November 29, 2018 – New York, NY – On Tuesday, November 27, Mystery Writers of America announced the recipients of Grand Master, Raven & Ellery Queen Awards, special awards given out annually. Shortly afterwards, the MWA membership began to express concern over the inclusion of Linda Fairstein as a Grand Master, citing controversy in which she has been involved.”

Read more here: https://bit.ly/2zzfe7N

***

Hallmark Publishing news

“Hallmark Publishing is not currently open to unagented submissions. However, we will have a reading period for unagented submissions of full-length novels in February 2019.
 Follow us on Twitter, @HallmarkPublish, to be the first to learn about future calls for submissions.”

cj Sez: Do you have what Hallmark is looking for and don't have an agent? If so, mark your calendar for February 2019, and when you’re ready to submit your novel, go to Hallmark submissions:

 http://www.hallmarkchannel.com/hallmark-publishing/write-for-us

***

   If you tried the NaNoWriMo challenge, I hope you met the goal you set for yourself. Now go rest a while. I didn’t try, but I did do some writing in November, two short stories in fact. One was a revision/edit of a personal essay I had posted on Lyrical Pens years ago. The other was brand new from the first word to the last, both in idea and in genre: I attempted my first cozy mystery. That was the one I had the most fun writing.

   Both of the anthology publishers had November 30 deadlines, so I was working without a critique group or beta readers, but I took a chance and submitted the stories anyway.

   Now comes the waiting. Will they or won’t they (be accepted). Of course, I’d love for them to be accepted for publication, but I can tell you I had fun writing them. If they’re not accepted, I’ll file them away for a while and work on them again when I can get more eyes on the manuscripts.

   Have you submitted any of your work recently? Are you working on something to submit soon?

   That’s it for this week’s post. You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same.

cj

   A book is a gift that gets opened again and again and again. Here are some of my stories for your consideration:

Christmas Through a Child’s Eyes

The anthology is still available on Kindle.  Buy button   https://amzn.to/2Kcgr9k

Choosing Carter    https://amzn.to/2CJxs8Z

Deadly Star   https://amzn.to/2O8NFGZ

The Posse, a Western anthology   https://amzn.to/2EKUA9B

Pieces, a Mobile Writers Guild Anthology   https://amzn.to/2Dk84Yr

Cover sneak peek and two halves of a villain

cj Sez:

I am honored to have a short story in the soon-to-be-released Christmas charity anthology, “Hometown Heroes,” compiled by Bienvenue Press and benefiting the Cajun Navy.

Sneak peek at the preliminary cover.

   In case you don’t know who they are, the Cajun Navy is an amazing group of civilian volunteers who travel the country trailering their boats to help rescue victims of storm (read “hurricane”) flooding. Most recently, they rescued many Hurricane Florence and Hurricane Michael victims. Members are awesome in their volunteerism and generosity. I’ll post the final cover reveal soon and info on when/where to purchase. I hope you’ll help support them as well.

***

"Taijitu"

   Let’s talk about how to write a “real” villain. The antagonist, like the protagonist, needs a yen and a yang to be a whole person—i.e., a personality where” seemingly opposite or contrary forces may be complementary . . . where two halves together complete a whole.” Both protagonist and antagonist need a flaw; the villain’s flaw is perhaps that s/he is not thoroughly evil, but has some spark of “good” in him/her. Maybe s/he sends

money to an animal rescue shelter because of a childhood pet. Or supports an invalid mother with some of the money earned from doing evil deeds.  

   The antagonist needs motivation, a goal, and some psychological reason for that motivation. A perfect villain is the same thing as a perfect hero, a cartoon of a character. You have to ask the same question of the antagonist that you do of the protagonist; the question that leads to the plot and theme: What does s/he want, then ask why, and what will s/he do to reach the goal?

   Maybe s/he wants to do something as benign as cause a little family ruckus. Or maybe s/he wants to kill someone. But why? The answer to that is what helps give the character dimension as s/he pushes toward the goal. 

   I write little bios for all my characters, including the villain. When I've created their background worlds, I know what makes them tick, how they will react, and what they will say in the situation I create. Their backgrounds are never inserted as an info dump; rather pieces and bits may surface during their dialogues. Knowing my characters inside and out also helps me develop deep point of view scenes. 

   How do you get to know your characters? 

***

http://www.sistersincrime.org/

   Sisters-in-Crime is an international writers’ organization founded thirty-one years ago by Sara Paretsky, the American author of detective/mystery fiction perhaps best known for her novels focused on the female protagonist V.I. Warshawski. SinC’s mission is to “promote the ongoing advancement, recognition, and professional development of women crime writers.”  SinC president Sherry Harris is quick to add that the organization does have male members as well. Ms. Harris was interviewed by “spawn” (small publishers, artists, and writers network) and you can read more about Sisters in Crime and all that the organization does for writers, bookstores, and libraries here:  http://spawn.org/sisters-in-crime/

***

That’s the post for today. Hope you found something interesting. You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same.

cj

For fast exciting reads, stop by Amazon and pick up copies of DEADLY STAR and CHOOSING CARTER. Great for Christmas gifts that keep on giving. (A hint in case, like me, you have only two more paydays until Christmas.)

GIVEAWAY CHALLENGE . . .

Send me an eMail that you’ve left a new review for me to read (Goodreads, Amazon, wherever and good, bad, or simply “I read it.”) and I’ll put your name in the raffle hat. The random name I draw on December 6 will receive a nice gift bag of goodies. I’ll post it on my Facebook page, so be sure to stop by.

Qrtly newsletter sign-up:  cjpetterson@gmail.com

cjpetterson/author on Facebook   

Amazon Central Author Page =  https://amzn.to/2v6SrAj

Simon&Schuster Author Page = https://bit.ly/2uo1M0Z