Yesterday a dear friend dropped by, someone I hadn’t seen for awhile. During our visit I mentioned I’d won the silver medal from IP Awards for BROKEN BUT NOT DEAD. She was delighted. But as I spoke, I heard a disturbing sound in my voice. It was my apologetic tone. I was embarrassed I’d won when so many others hadn’t. …
I received exciting news yesterday from my publisher Theytus Books. Over 2,400 independent authors and publishers participated in the 16th annual, 2012 Independent Publisher Book Awards contest. My suspense thriller BROKEN BUT NOT DEAD won the Silver Medal for Canada-West — Best Regional Fiction. WOO-HOO! As authors, you write these stories because they have to be written, but you never …
Our home of twenty years has been under construction since the first of March. No sooner do I think we’re nearing completion and something else needs to be done. Most recently we replaced the railing in the loft with a half-wall. What I like best about the change is that we turned the area into an actual room… and because …
Q: If authors want to self-publish, how do they choose between the overwhelming array of self-publishing options for books and ebooks? Excellent question – and one for which there is no answer. But there are some signposts to consider on this particular path. Here are my notes by category on some of the options now available (and remember that this …
You can’t tell unless you look closely, but the ice is so clear it’s almost invisible. But it’s there. No, it’s not going away fast enough. Someone was so anxious to get out on the water yesterday, that they were spotted boating along the edge where the water’s open. I’m not that brave. I’d get out there and the wind …
Folks, I’m shocked to reveal that Cluculz Lake is still covered in ice. I was so sure it would be off by today. Goes to show what I know. The closest guess will win a copy of my suspense thriller Broken But Not Dead. I’ll be sure and let you know when that happens. Here’s a recap of April. April …
Not long ago, over four years now, I was in the thralls of a fear so incapacitating I couldn’t see a way out. I was certain I’d never be published. My family and friends said it would happen. I even smiled confidently when asked if I believed that. But the fear had a strangle hold on my throat, and I …
Q: What does the new format for Facebook Pages mean for authors? The new format for Pages (formerly fan pages) offers new opportunities for authors. First, though, let’s talk about an author using a Page to connect with her or his fans: On Facebook everyone starts off with a profile in his or her own name. (It is in violation …
Last month I had the honour of being the featured author of Wendy Laharnar CALAMITY’S CORNER, an ezine dedicated to sharing books, films places and leisure pursuits. AUTHOR OF THE MONTH MARCHJOYLENE NOWELL BUTLER Her books are riveting. She’ll take you on a non-stop rollercoaster ride of suspense and intrigue.__________________________Joylene Nowell Butler draws on her Métis Heritage when spinning compelling novels …
My dear friend, fellow blogger and Canadian, Carol J. Garvin of Careann’s Musings has tagged me with the Lucky 7 Meme. (Merci beaucoup, Carol) The challenge is to go to page 77 of my current WIP, count down 7 lines, then copy the next 7 lines and insert them here on my blog. My first reaction was that I wasn’t …
I joined my first online writer’s group in 1994 and submitted Dead Witness for critique. Three writers read my manuscript and gave me great suggestions and comments. They also had some big criticisms. The first one told me that she had to stop herself from hurling the book across the room. Lucky for me she was reading it from her …
Q: Is blogging no longer worthwhile? For a writer I believe blogging continues to be very important. Remember, we authors are NOT targeting the world. We are targeting people likely to be interested in what we write. And the operative word is WRITE. Therefore, to continue to demonstrate to our target readers the value of what we write, we need …