With the arrogance of a novice writer...

Photo by Apieling Pictures

When I was laid-off from my mortgage job, I decided that everyday after I sent out my resumes and made my cold calls; I would do what I always dreamed I wanted to do.

That was write.

Well, with pen in hand (so to speak) I penned my first book. AND...with the confidence of the novice, I sent it out. I'm talking first draft, folks.

Not understanding why I recieved all these form rejections letters, I continued to send out my story and write a new one. Somebody out there had to love it as much as I did. Right?

It wasn't until one kind editor took the time to write a personal rejection letter, did I understand what was wrong with the story. He loved the story, but I had head hopped too much. He recommended websites that offered both paid and free seminars on POV, editing and much more. He also recommended I join writers associations to network with other writers.It was the best writing advise I received.

I don't know about you, but I could have been a professional student. I love to learn. So, I took his advice and scoured the internet until I found conferences and organizations for writers.

His kindness lead me to aquire the knowledge necessary to be published. My first book, If I Fail, A Jake Carrington Mystery will be released in September 2012 by MuseItUp Publishing. And the second book in the series Burn in Hell, A Jake Carrington Mystery will soon follow in January 2013. This is a very exciting time for me.

What classes, seminars, organziations or conferences have you attended? How have they futured your writing career?

Thanks for sharing with me and I hope all your dreams come true also.
Marian

A special thanks to photographer Brenda Piel of Apieling Pictures for supplying all the lovely photos for my website and blog. Including my author picture for my books.

The picture above puts me in a writing mood! How about you? CLICK on the picture to enlarge it and see all the details. Awesome!

Look at page 120 in your current wip then...

Post it here and get feedback on your work.

Today I'm posting the last paragraph on page 120 of my current wip. This site is open to all ages, please keep that in mind when posting your passage. Thanks, Marian


Mated for Life, A Jake Carrington Mystery, book three.

     He opened his mouth to apologize. Taking a step toward the bed, he stopped short, changed his mind. What was her problem anyway? She was close enough to the phone to have heard the conversation. He didn’t need two hundred questions first thing in the morning. This was why he previously avoided relationships. They were mind fields waiting to explode.

You're invited to join me every Friday at the Nights of Passion blog

Photo by Apieling Pictures

Hi, Folks. I'm honor to announced that I've been invited to blog at the Night's of Passion blog every Friday, starting on June 22nd. Please come over and visit me there each Friday.  On the 22nd and every fourth Friday, I'll be borrowing an idea from author/blogger Kristina Knight and asking everyone to post their first paragraph from their WIP or finished book.

The address for the blog is: nightsofpassion.wordpress.com


I will still be posting here twice a week and will continue to look forward to your visits.

Thank you,
Marian

Last week I interviewed author Anne E. Johnson and wanted to showcase her book again. Today Anne has posted an excerpt from her book Ebenezer's Locker which was released on June 1, 2012.

Excerpt:

Last period on Fridays we had gym class. I didn’t mind it much for most of the year. But when the weather turned hot in May, I couldn’t stand all the running around. All I wanted was to cool down. It would have been different if we could have gone swimming after school. Sadly, there weren’t any public pools in Marklebury. We had to go all the way to Lancington just for a swim. So we got hot and stayed hot.
As usual, we changed into T-shirts and shorts in the girls’ bathroom. The high school had gym locker rooms, but we didn’t. Once we changed, we all tromped out onto the school’s back lot to jog in a big circle in the 90-degree outdoor oven. I was actually relieved when our gym teacher, Mr. Turner, sent me back inside to fetch the kick balls from the supply closet.
Breathing in the wonderful air conditioning, I opened the door of the little room and clicked on the light. Right away, I spotted the net bag with the kick balls. But as I reached for it, the door slammed shut behind me. And suddenly it was cold, so cold all my blood turned to jelly. Just as suddenly, I burned. Every bit of me sizzled. And then a strong wind started blowing from one side of the closet to the other, knocking me against a wall.
The light bulb swung sideways and lit up a row of boxes on a shelf. In huge red capital letters, words had been scrawled across the cardboard:
IT’S NOT E’S LOCKER. IT’S MINE.
The wind swirled into a hurricane. Baseball gloves, gym uniforms, and lacrosse sticks blew upward from the floor and downward from the shelves. Balls of all sizes, golf clubs, and bowling pins circled and crashed into each other. I covered my face partly with my arms, but I couldn’t stop staring at this magical storm. Over and over I screamed, batting bats and gloves out of my face.
A case of gallon jugs of cleaning fluid teetered on the brink of a shelf next to a box of bowling balls. Suddenly CRACK! The shelf came loose. Cleaning fluid bottles slid toward me. Bowling balls came hurtling down at me. I rolled up like an armadillo and hoped for a quick death.
And then total silence.
I wasn’t dead. I wasn’t even hurt. Just to be safe, I stayed balled up for a couple of minutes in case the tornado started up again or something else broke loose. But there was no motion besides my shaking body and no sound besides my gasping for air. Peeking out of my invisible armor, I looked for a pool of spilled cleaning fluid and chunks of cracked bowling balls on the floor around me. Nothing but soccer balls and baseballs. I glanced above me at the broken shelf. It was propped up with a golf club, and the heavy boxes had been pushed back to a safe position. Somebody had saved me from the angry ghost!
But who would save me from the angry gym teacher? The door of the supply room flew open, and Mr. Turner braced himself with both hands on the door frame. His mouth fell open so wide I could have fit a softball in it. There were several to choose from near my left knee.
From my position on the floor, Mr. Turner looked like King Kong. It didn’t help when he roared at me. “What is going on? I gave you a simple task. The kick balls are right in front of you. Why did you have to go messing the whole place up?”
King Kong must have noticed I was about to cry so he turned back into Turner. “Okay, okay,” he said in a softer voice. “You grab the kick balls and take them out onto the field. I’ll call Mr. Besserman to work on this disaster.”
I got up without meeting Mr. Turner’s gaze. My knees shaking, I dragged the heavy mesh bag of balls over all the loose debris and past him.
“I hate ghosts,” I kept saying as I struggled with my load.

Thanks so much for inviting me to your blog, Marian.

It was my pleasure, Anne. Good luck with your book.

About the Author:

Drawing on an eclectic background that includes degrees in classical languages and musicology, Anne E. Johnson has published works on a wide variety of topics.

She's written non-fiction books for kids with the Rosen Group and feature articles for adults in serials such as The New York Times and Stagebill Magazine. Her short stories, in several genres and for both children and adults, can be found in Underneath the Juniper Tree, Spaceports & Spidersilk , Hogglepot, and elsewhere, and she has upcoming works in and several magazines and anthologies.

Anne lives in Brooklyn with her husband, playwright Ken Munch. 

 Your readers can learn more about me on my Website, http://anneejohnson.com/ and can get updates on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Anne-E-Johnson-Author/249053641780972

Ebenezer’s Locker is available directly from https://museituppublishing.com/bookstore2/index.php?
page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=317&category_id=197&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=1

By mid-June it will be released on Amazon, Barnes& Noble, and other sites. I’ll announce this on my website and Facebook page.

Back Cover:

A hundred years ago, Corbin Elementary School's building housed Dr. Ebenezer Corbin's School for Psychical Research. It seems that a couple of old spirits are still wandering the halls. It's up to Rhonda Zymler to find out what they want.
Ebenezer's Locker follows the adventures of Rhonda, a sassy sixth-grader who's having trouble finding her place and identity. Getting to know these spirits becomes Rhonda's quest. The more she digs, the more perilous her task becomes, and to complete it she must take two trips back in time. This story blends the realities of an economically challenged modern American town with supernatural elements. What Rhonda finds not only gives her life a sense of purpose but changes the fortunes of her entire town.

It's Monday! Are You Writing?

Photo: Apieling Pictures.

     Today I decided to write on the writing process. Do you write full-time or part-time? If you're a full-time writer, do you write on the weekends also? If part-time, do you only write on weekends?

     I ask these questions to see how disciplined we are as writers. And to share tips for improving the quality and quantity of  our out puts. Are you producing over a thousand words per day? If so, do you care to share your secrets with others? I invite you today to share you writing tips here.

     The writing day for me starts with a two to five mile walk, which helps my mind set up the scenes for the day. Everyday in my journal I write my word goal for the day or the research that is needed. My word goal everyday is two thousand five hundred. I don't beat myself up if I don't achieve that, sometimes life gets in the way. What I do the next day is pick up the slack and continue to strive for my word count goal.

     Next on my list, I review the previous days work, making edits or revisions before I continue with the story. This puts me back into the story and helps me minimizes the amount of revising needed when the story is complete.

     The last secret I have if the words or story don't flow is I work on another story; either outlining it or writing down ideas for it. After you write for awhile you'll find you can go back into your current wip without missing a beat. As long as you're writing, the story should start to flow.

     Now I'm ready to write. Let the adventures continues.

Looking to be reviewed or want to read a review before you buy?

Check out Kate Felix's  Read2Review website:

www.read2review.com

Where reading matters!

Below is one of Kate's latest reviews:

Abandon by Meg Cabot

Review by Kate

I have enjoyed many of Meg’s previous works and when I received Abandon it lived on my shelf for entirely too long!

The book is about Pierce, a NDE (near death experience) and John a Death Diety. A love story at its heart with some brilliant scenes set in the school and with flashbacks to Pierce’s past. I became quite attached to both Pierce and John for different reasons. Pierce because she wants to be a normal girl, although she knows that this will never happen and has to learn to deal with that. John because he really was the tormented soul that just wants to love Pierce and protect her.

I loved the book and read it in one sitting because I couldn’t stop reading it. The only downside for the book was I felt the ending was a little rushed. I didn’t know when reading it that it is a series. This excites me beyond belief. I will definitely be in line to get a copy when it is released.

I feel that the pacing apart from the end was well set, the places were entirely believable and I really felt like I was part of what was going on. This is a MUST for any PNR fan. I also think that all readers of Meg’s previous work will enjoy this book. For me let the countdown to book two begin!

On a sidenote – I have looked at the different covers for Abandon and I have to say that my favourite has to be my ARC silver copy. It may be simple in style but i love it!

Abandon get a 4.5/5 – it would have been a 5 if I hadn’t felt the ending was rushed.

To get your copy of Abandon (Abandon Trilogy #1) please check out the following Amazon links:

UK: Abandon

USA: Abandon (Abandon (Quality))

Welcome author Anne Johnson

      Today;s guest is author Anne E. Johnson whose book Ebenezer’s Locker was released on June 1, 2012.  Anne, I have some questions not only pertaining to your character Rhonda, but your writing process.

Marian: Rhonda Zymler is a very inquisitive sixth grader. How did she become interested in spirits?

Anne: Rhonda doesn’t have a choice. She starts getting messages on her desk, books, and other places around the school. They’re from somebody who signs his name “Ebenezer” and seems to be invisible. This spirit won’t leave her alone. And then another spirit, even more aggressive, starts trying to communicate with her, so she has to investigate, if only to get them off her back. 

Marian: As an adult how did you create such a believable and interesting sixth grader?

Anne: I was once a sixth grader! Frankly, my middle-grade years are full of happy memories for me. Not that I was really popular or anything, but I was truly coming into my own as a person. I think that’s why I enjoy writing for and about ages 9-12. I was a smart and curious sixth-grader, and there’s some of me in Rhonda. But she’s more of a trouble-maker than I ever was. 

Marian: Are you able to tell us how she can go back in time?

Anne: There’s only so much I can explain without spoilers, but I will say that she is sent back in time using a technique invented by one of the spirits, back when he was alive. The special technique was supposed to send someone forward in time, but an elderly psychic in Rhonda’s neighborhood figures out a way to use it for backward time travel, too. 

Marian: If so, how did she change her town? I know spoiler here—just a little hint would be good? :)

Anne: Marklebury, Rhonda’s town, is suffering hard economic times. Many people have lost their jobs or moved away. Her school is in danger of being shut down. Rhonda’s adventures with the spirits have a big effect on this situation. 

Marian: How did you come up with the idea for Ebenezer’s Locker?

Anne: I attended a number of different schools growing up because my family moved a few times. My favorite schools were always those that clearly had a long history. That gave me the idea to make Rhonda’s school building very old, and the former residence of a training school for psychics.

But I’m actually getting ahead of myself in this answer. My original idea was simply to write about a girl who finds something amazing in a locker. I had no idea what it would be. The story grew out of that concept. 

Marian: What other projects (novel & short stories) are you working on now?

Anne: Well, first, there are other novels coming out this summer! On June 19, my noir-inspired science fiction novel Green Light Delivery (for adults) will be released from Candlemark & Gleam. In August my tween medieval mystery novel, Trouble at the Scriptorium launches from Royal Fireworks Press. I’ve just finished the sequel to Trouble at the Scriptorium, and am making good progress on the sequel to Green Light Delivery. I have a whole stack of other plots, outlines, and partial manuscripts in various genres.

I also have started a series of short-story trios for tweens, called Aliens & Weird Stuff. I published volume 1 in March, and volume 2 is coming in July. I try to write at least one short story per month, either for adults or for kids. 

Marian: Will we see Rhonda again in another story?

Anne: I think so. I have some plotting done on a sequel. But I’m very busy with some other works right now. Rhonda will have to wait for a bit, but I’ll get to her as soon as possible. 

Marian: If any, what lesson has Rhonda learned in her travels?

Anne: I’d say she gains some self-confidence, is reminded why her best friends are her best friends, and certainly appreciates her town and its residents more than she did. 

Marian: Last but not least. What is your daily writing process to get into your characters?

Anne: I always have more than one work in progress at a time. That way, if I’m really stuck on one, I can probably manage to focus on another. Once my head is into my writing, I don’t find it difficult to focus on the characters. They’re living in my head, so I just have to let them out! 

Synopsis:
A hundred years ago, Corbin Elementary School's building housed Dr. Ebenezer Corbin's School for Psychical Research. It seems that a couple of old spirits are still wandering the halls. It's up to Rhonda Zymler to find out what they want.
Ebenezer's Locker follows the adventures of Rhonda, a sassy sixth-grader who's having trouble finding her place and identity. Getting to know these spirits becomes Rhonda's quest. The more she digs, the more perilous her task becomes, and to complete it she must take two trips back in time. This story blends the realities of an economically-challenged modern American town with supernatural elements. What Rhonda finds not only gives her life a sense of purpose, but changes the fortunes of her entire town.

Thanks so much for inviting me to your blog, Marian. Your readers can learn more about me on my Website, http://anneejohnson.com/ and can get updates on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Anne-E-Johnson-Author/249053641780972

Ebenezer’s Locker is available directly from https://museituppublishing.com/bookstore2/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=317&category_id=197&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=1 

By mid-June it will be released on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other sites. I’ll announce this on my website and Facebook page.