Tidbits for writers and readers

 cj Sez:  Here’s a tip for authors from my fellow Mobile Writers Guild member Joyce Sterling Scarbrough:  “Chicken Soup for the Soul has a number of submission calls out right now, including one for kids and teens dealing with the challenges of this pandemic.”

Changing Your World One Story at a Time®

   “If you or a young writer you know has a story or poem you'd like published, please submit!”  

Submission guidelines here:   https://www.chickensoup.com/story-submissions/possible-book-topics?fbclid=IwAR3r5WuvM54nyWcBXYQYdT2QeEOrwAF4dRUQHulwUCgSY_OuxBQ3VTE7mVE

And cj's tip for readers…these are great books for your to-be-read stack.

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Rooting for you… This is how you do it: you sit down at the keyboard and you put one word after another until it’s done. It’s that easy, and that hard. — Neil Gaiman

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   Nearing the home stretch and worried you aren’t going to succeed? Here are some words from Kurt Vonnegut:

   “When I was 15, I spent a month working on an archeological dig. I was talking to one of the archeologists one day during our lunch break and he asked those kinds of “getting to know you” questions you ask young people: Do you play sports? What’s your favorite subject? And I told him, no I don’t play any sports. I do theater, I’m in choir, I play the violin and piano, I used to take art classes.

  And he went WOW. That’s amazing! And I said, “Oh no, but I’m not any good at ANY of them.”

   And he said something then that I will never forget and which absolutely blew my mind because no one had ever said anything like it to me before: “I don’t think being good at things is the point of doing them. I think you’ve got all these wonderful experiences with different skills, and that all teaches you things and makes you an interesting person, no matter how well you do them.”

   And that honestly changed my life. Because I went from a failure, someone who hadn’t been talented enough at anything to excel, to someone who did things because I enjoyed them. I had been raised in such an achievement-oriented environment, so inundated with the myth of Talent, that I thought it was only worth doing things if you could “Win” at them.”

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   John Floyd is a prolific author (he’s written 32 stories in 2020), and his short mysteries are favorites of mine. In a recent Sleuth Sayers column, he recounts how he reworks old, unsubmitted stories he’s had stashed away for years and then submits them…some moved on to become award winners. Maybe there are points you would find worthwhile…I sure did: https://www.sleuthsayers.org/2020/11/the-same-old-story.html?fbclid=IwAR05pLxJJr9NcZGJ1E4LtmsAc7WUbYRHLjUfSrMxkikY1mBmwGyGoTSFP_0

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   HOMETOWN HEROES eBook is on sale now. This anthology brings you five Christmas romances that celebrate everyday heroes.

   From paranormal to contemporary to historical, there's something in this anthology to fill everyone with the spirit of the season.  

   On Amazon: https://amzn.to/3ncvCS5

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   99 CENTS !! PREORDER PRICE for Bienvenue Press’s upcoming charity anthology HOMEROOM HEROES. Look for it on Amazon Saturday, December 5. The final cover reveal coming soon.

   In “The Substitute,” my short story in the anthology, an FBI agent’s undercover assignment as a substitute teacher gets complicated when he falls in love with a first-grade grade teacher. Here are the opening lines:

     “Will Miss Melanie Andrews please report to the office,” the voice blared over the school’s intercom system.              

    Mel stopped setting out the materials she was readying for her first-grade students and stared at the speaker mounted in the corner of her classroom. She frowned, hurriedly dropped the last few crayons on the work tables lining the walls, and sealed the hazmat bag where she’d put the paper towels she used to sanitize the desks.

    “What now? I haven't had time to do anything wrong yet.”

    Being called to the principal’s office wasn’t how Mel wanted to begin her first day back in the classroom after summer break.

    How embarrassing, she thought. Everyone in the school heard that and will be wondering what I’ve done this time.

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

cj

P.S.  TO ORDER my autographed books or any book of your choice on-line from a favorite, indie bookstore, contact The Haunted Bookshop here: https://www.thehauntedbookshopmobile.com/contact-us

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Welcome fall and first page turn-offs

cj Sez: Fall—my favorite season—when cooler, shorter days inspire flowers and trees to outdo themselves in a kaleidoscope of color.

   My photographer son took his camera gear in search of fall color this week. The picture of aspens above is one he took in Colorado a few years ago. He used a computer technique on the photo to create the look of watercolor art.

  On the home front, Mobile doesn’t have a lot of leaf-peeper red, orange, and gold on deciduous trees—but I have my camellias in many colors. I especially love the fuchsia blooms in front of the house.

  What fall doesn’t do, though, is inspire me to sit my butt in a chair behind a computer and write when I could be outside. What’s your favorite season where you live?

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   I’ve been re-reading some of my old “how-to” files and came across this reminder as I edit my current WIP:

Writing miscues that can cause an agent to stop reading your manuscript:

*  The story’s opening paragraphs fail to establish where the story is taking place, the time, and the setting.

*  The beginning is too slow. Too many details, too much description, too much backstory, or too many characters. The opening paragraphs lack action or a hook to entice the readers to continue to read.

*  The writer didn’t establish a clear point of view.

*  Mechanical errors can earn a speedy rejection. Mechanical errors are the typos, punctuation errors (a lot of them involving dialogue), and unclear syntax that can destroy a good story.   

  What agents or publishers see in the first few paragraphs of a manuscript is what they expect to see throughout each chapter and scene, and they have to reason to continue to read.

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Buy Now

   The book signing event at The Haunted Bookshop for HALLOWEEN PIECES was a good time.
   Masks, social distancing, candy, wine, and authors signing books at the entrance to The Haunted Bookshop in downtown Mobile on ArtWalk night. What a treat it was to interact with real people, mask-to-mask. The bookshop had a live video feed to Facebook. And surprise, surprise: It was chilly enough to wear a coat.

   The anthology is available on Amazon (free on Kindle Unlimited), and signed copies are available from The Haunted Bookshop (see where to order below).

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 Coming soon . . .

   My short story, “The Substitute,” in Bienvenue Press’s annual charity anthology, HOMEROOM HEROES.

  “The Substitute” is about an FBI agent working undercover as a substitute adapted physical education teacher for physically and mentally challenged students while he investigates Federal fraud and tax evasion. He is, at the same time, making a move on the beautiful, first-grade teacher assigned to help him with his students.  (p.s. My daughter-in-law is an adapted PE teacher and my inspiration for the story. 

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PLEASE REMEMBER TO VOTE

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

cj

P.S.  TO ORDER my autographed books or any book of your choice on-line from my favorite indie bookstore, contact The Haunted Bookshop here: https://www.thehauntedbookshopmobile.com/contact-us 

  The store has re-opened to limited hours, so you can stop and shop, too.

➜ Follow me . . .       
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Tropical storms and anthologies

cj Sez: I don’t have to ask what’s next for 2020 because the weather channel informs me there’s a good chance that TS/cum Hurricanes Laura and Marco which are entering the Gulf of Mexico might just make a visit to my home.

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Passing along writerly info . . .

Why anthologies can be good things…this from author Chuck Jackson:   

  “I have often seen promotions for a writing contest. There seems to be a proliferation of them covering every genre of writing. Daily, when I’m scanning the many blog post that I follow, I see their announcements. I frequently wish I had the time needed to write something original or unique to submit. But I’ve learned if you will invest the time in a contest that fits your style, you can get the recognition you seek. The ones that catch my attention aren’t the ones that offer only cash prizes; although, I wouldn’t refuse the money. I notice the ones that provide their anthology to include my writing. 

  If you win a cash prize only contest, after they make the announcement on the host site, and you spend the cash prize, that ends the acclamation. What does an anthology offer? An anthology doesn’t stop at the communiqué. Every time a reader sees and hopefully purchases the book, you get the desired effect.”

  Read more of his blog post here:

https://chuckjacksonknowme.com/2020/08/20/the-advantages-of-anthologies/?fbclid=IwAR1h9Tglj9i7VJZDCKvd4tkoy7p_Ap2o85eqK-TvT-a4KNZZ-fBTpJfk-MMA

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  Killer Nashville announced the winners for their Claymore and Silver Falchion contests. Read all about it here:  https://mailchi.mp/killernashville/killer-nashville-awards-announcement?e=cacf12f8e4 

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A flash fiction contest with no entry fee and a cash prize! 

  This from Bienvenue Press: “We are pleased to announce our 2020 Halloween Short Story Contest! 1st place winner receives $50!”  Submission info here: https://bit.ly/3goH3Dj 

  Last day to submit is September 30. (cj sez: I can’t believe I’m writing that, because it’s only a little over a month away. The last thing I remember before the earth went spinning out of control was being treated by my grandson to “Sunday Afternoon Tea with the Mobile Opera” … on March 8.)

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Speaking of anthologies . . .

   

  My romantic suspense short story, tentatively titled “The Substitute,” has been accepted for inclusion in Bienvenue Press’s 2020 Christmas charity anthology, HOMEROOM HEROES.

  My tale is about an FBI agent working undercover as a substitute adapted physical education teacher for physically and mentally challenged students while he investigates Federal fraud and tax evasion. He is, at the same time, making a move on the beautiful, first-grade teacher assigned to help him with his students.

  The inspiration for the story is my lovely daughter-in-law who is one of those special adapted PE teachers as well as a Special Olympics volunteer.

  Part of the proceeds from book sales will benefit the Acadiana Writing Project. Be sure and watch for news of the pre-order and launch date! 

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  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

P.S.  I dropped off signed copies of my short story (“Love is Immortal”) in the BIENVENUE TO THE CHATEAU ROUGE anthology at The Haunted Bookshop. TO ORDER my autographed books or any book of your choice on-line from my favorite indie bookstore, contact The Haunted Bookshop here: The Haunted Bookshop  The store has re-opened to limited hours, so you can stop and shop, too.

➜ Follow me . . .

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➜         on Facebook:   https://bit.ly/3bdwcZu

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

➜         on Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3fcN3h6

Slowly reopening

cj Sez: Businesses around Mobile closed by the 2020 coronavirus pandemic are tentatively re-opening, and the ones I’m most interested in are the restaurants. I am getting so tired of cooking that I've even opted for a McDonald’s spicy chicken sandwich. I know, I know. Don’t judge me, but desperate times require desperate measures.

   Then!  I saw some of my favorite “real” restaurants advertising family meal bundles. That’s five (sometimes six) whole meals…choice of meat (grilled chicken, chicken Parmesan, small steaks, mahi and shrimp), veggie, salad, rolls, and one place even offers chocolate chip cookies.  And it’s drive-through, curbside, or delivery services. With my handy-dandy microwave, I can enjoy full meals for a week without having more than a plate, coffee cup, fork, and knife to wash. Now I can carry on…and probably gain weight.

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   The Christmas charity anthology to which I submitted my short romance story will be titled HOMEROOM HEROES, and, of course, the stories are all about teaching and teachers. It’s too early to expect any reply from the publisher whether they’ve accepted my short story, which, by the way, I tentatively titled “The Substitute.”

  My tale is about an FBI agent working undercover as a substitute adapted physical education teacher for physically and mentally challenged students while he investigates Federal fraud and tax evasion. On day one at Hillger Elementary School, he finds himself attracted to the beautiful, first-grade teacher assigned to help him.

   An author friend of mine always builds an album of inspiration photos of her characters—Carrie Dalby writes a marvelous Southern Gothic historical fiction series. I’ve never thought to do that for anything I write, but she inspired me to do the same for this story.

   The first grade teacher in my story is a Special Olympics volunteer, and there is one student in a wheelchair that I’ve chosen to name. The picture that struck me as the perfect inspiration for a scene described in the story is this photograph of my granddaughter, Maggie Rose, at the 2019 Special Olympics event in Mobile. Her love for those challenged kids shines through, and needless to say, I think she is a beautiful inspiration.

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Passing along writerly info:

   Thinking about trying to make a little extra income by freelancing as a side hustle? Jane Friedman talks about the 3 Ps of freelancing in her latest blog post.

   “When you’re starting out as a freelancer, it can be tempting to say yes to every project that comes your way. This is a trap that full-time writers, as well as those who supplement their income with freelance editing or coaching, can fall into.
    But, as in writing, the key to success is often to go narrow. You can develop a more successful freelance business—and in particular an editing business—by being more focused and strategic with the three Ps: positioning, packaging, and pricing.”   

Read more here: https://www.janefriedman.com/3-keys-to-freelance-editing-position-package-and-price/

 

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   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.)

Last little note: Blogger is changing it's format requirements, and so far I hate them...ergo, there may or may not be a blogger Lyrical Pens next week. If not, know that I am working on a new site and will be back as soon as possible which, being a seriously flawed computer geek, may be a while. 

cj

TO ORDER my autographed books or any book of your choice on-line from my favorite indie bookstore, contact The Haunted Bookshop here: The Haunted Bookshop  The store has limited re-opening hours, so you can stop and shop, too.

➜ Follow me . . .

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

➜         on Facebook:   https://bit.ly/3bdwcZu

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

➜         on Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3fcN3h6