Saturday coffee is always better…

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Why is Saturday coffee better than any other day? It’s the same coffee… I think it’s the fact that you get to sleep a little later so it’s not just for pulling your lazy self out of sleep. Or maybe it’s the fact that you can actually sit down and enjoy it.

For me, it’s the fact that I can sit, relax and sip my coffee, not just gulp it. Coffee pulls me from sleep into the day time. Only I have a bad habit of writing and sipping coffee until I’ve down three or four cups. When I’m writing I can go through half a pot before I know it. Especially on Saturday morning.

This morning as I sip my coffee and reflect on 2015, I can hardly believe that it’s almost over. Last night I finished the last book in the Five Oaks Ranch series. It’s been a busy year, publishing six books in a series, but that’s the goal I set and I saw it through.

The last book, A Christmas to Remember was such a sweet story. I cried during some of it and I hope that the readers will feel the nostalgic pull that I tried to put into it. It contains recipes at the end, but you’ll get the reason why as you read the book.

So, here’s to a great Saturday of writing and May God Bless You…

Throwback Thursday Cowboy!

Ghost Lover Advertising

This is the cowboy that started it all, my writing career that is. It’s hard to believe how long it’s been since Ghost Lover was published. 2012 was an exciting year, I took the leap into publishing my writing.

Let’s take a look at the book that led me down this wonderful road as an author.

Ghost Lover letter

I know, this was a sneaky thing to do, but this is one of my many favorite parts of this book. The letter that took them to a whole new world. Go by and check out Ghost Lover. I know you’ll fall in love with the love story of Jessie and Jared, I did!

As always, good writing and May God Bless You…

Monday planning…

How many of you make lists? I make them all the time. It helps me to realize my goals, finish tasks and stay somewhat organized. I make grocery lists, to-do lists, cleaning lists and my favorite, writing lists.

Writing lists? It’s my way of keeping up with what I’m working on, future projects and the maybe-one-day projects. Here’s how I go about making the writing lists…

Now projects list: This is the list of things in the hopper now, like the manuscripts that are due out soon. They are already outlined, just waiting to be completed. I keep a current list so that I don’t lose track and it also keeps me in focus on my release dates.

Future projects list: I love this list. It’s the list of projects that maybe are already outlined, but are on the back burner until my now project list is whittled down some. These are the books that I can see the whole story in my mind. This list gets a long look each week as I long for the characters and their unfolding lives. I have to strive not to dip into this list until its time.

Maybe one-day projects: Here’s where I play sometimes. All writers will understand this one. You’re sitting, playing with story ideas and something sneaks in, but the whole idea isn’t quite there, just yet. I put these in this list for future writing. If the story suddenly and without warning comes through and into focus I bumped it to the future projects list.

Included in all of these lists are items like finished covers, finished blurbs, characterizations, etc. Usually, I just mention that these items are saved in the books dedicated file on my hard drive.

Funny how the mind of a writer works. Mostly I’m just willy-nilly and let the characters take over where they may, but for the sake of my sanity I try to keep up with what’s happening. So, I do lists…

Hopefully one day I’ll be doing lists for a big publisher or I’ll be doing writing lists that will fill my day with writing, not just accounting and taxes mixed in 😉 A girl can dream, right?

As always, good writing and May God Bless You…

Research? That’s it…

Good Friday morning! I know I’ve been away from the posts for a lot, but it’s been really busy around here. I’ve finished Maggie, she’s in edits and I’m busy working on the Christmas edition that will end the series…

This morning as I sat here, writing and sipping coffee by the Christmas tree, I watched Breaking Dawn, Part 2. When I’m alone and writing, I love to listen to music or watch a romantic movie, keeping the inspiration flowing. So this morning it was the last Twilight movie. Yes, I cried at the end. You have to admit, the moment Bella sends Edward through the history of their romance and that beautiful song, A Thousand Years plays in the background, it touches you. My fingers were flying over the keys as it inspired the romantic thoughts.

Some say movies are not research, but I call foul. They’re great research. Just watch how the plot plays out, how the couple’s relationship is planned out. It’s the perfect research material and enjoyable at that.

I listen to the dialogue between characters, the way they work with one another and flow. Watch how the intense moments come about and how the writer/director has made it into a nail-biter that pulls you in. Try using it in your story, it will help.

So, do you watch movies to inspire?

As always, great writing and May God Bless You…

Five Oaks Ranch Coming to a Close!

It’s hard to believe it, but my Five Oaks Ranch is coming to a close soon. Maggie is in editing and will be out in a little over a week, then the Christmas edition will be out before Christmas. I’m excited about the Christmas book. It will feature recipes and so much more, but there will be romance as always…

I’ve grown to love all of the Cauthen’s and will miss their lively banter and all the fun they have. But they’ll live on in fiction.

My new series is already in the works, without a name of course, but in the works. The first book in a chapter in and I can’t wait for you to get a glimpse of it. It’s something I’ve been playing with for a while, so start looking for tidbits before Christmas.

Keep a watch out for bundle specials on the Five Oaks Ranch! Some great deals will be coming before Christmas so don’t miss a post. If you haven’t caught a Five Oaks book, then get one soon. The Cauthen’s are a fun, loving family and you’ll love their stories as they unfold in each book.

As always, good writing and May God Bless You…

Release for Luke

release ad

What does writing mean to you?

What does writing mean to you? Is it just a way to pass the time, or do you consider it your job? Some writers struggle with this question. Maybe you haven’t sold anything or published anything, but when you sit down to write, is it from habit or need? Strange question, huh?

I’ve been asked these questions many times. When I was a young teenager, it was fun to write down the ideas in my head. I could sit for hours filling notebooks with stories, but it was more of a hobby to fill my time, or was it? I choose to think it was training for my future.

As I grew older, college, marriage, children, life, all of these took over, leaving my writing on the back burner, but not out of my head. Then it all came tumbling back in. At first when I started writing again, it was more of a hobby. I’d type in the words, print them, read them occasionally, but they didn’t speak to me.

Of course in 2012 it went beyond a hobby, it became a part of my life. Now I have a writing schedule, daily word count and street team. I’d say it means a lot to me. What about you?

As always, good writing and May God Bless You…

Let’s do a little Throwback Thursday!

Good morning! It’s Thursday, which means it’s almost Friday. Today is the final day for 2014 tax returns to be filed, so you know how my day will go, pants on fire, yep…

Let’s go back to May 2012! I published Tender Flames, a sweet romance. It actually met with reader approval and some disapproval. As I’ve done with some of my earlier publishings I’ve revised this book and made it better. My writing has changed drastically from the early days. With that said, let me give you a look at the new cover.

If you’ve read Tender Flames, then you totally get this cover, if not, then I hope you’ll grab a copy. This romance is a love triangle that pulls you in and takes you on a ride. I love this story for the unique quality of the romance that has grown from childhood for the main characters and yes I mean the three in the triangle. That’s what makes it special.

http://www.amazon.com/Tender-Flames-Revised-Love-Book-ebook/dp/B0084USOE2/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

As always, good writing and May God Bless You!

P.S. Still waiting on the results for the Harlequin SYTYCW15 contest. Keep those fingers crossed.

Harlequin Top 50!

Good morning all! I’ve got some exciting news… I’ve made it to the top 50 in the Harlequin So You Think You Can Write contest. And yes I’ve been dancing, jumping, screaming and all the normal things, but after a somewhat good nights sleep it’s time to get to work. I need your help!

What help you might ask? Well, I need your votes. In order to get to the top 25, I need as many votes after 5:01 EST today on the pitch part of my entry. I’ll post later the promotional package from Harlequin. Boy, that sounds good saying that. If you can, please forward, share, do whatever you have to do to get it out there. I’m forever grateful for whatever help you can give. You guys have had my back for a long time.

As always, good writing and May God Bless You… He blessed me with this opportunity!

The Struggles of a Writer…

Good morning… If you’re a writer you know some of the struggles of a writer. Maybe you’re not a writer and you ask what I’m speaking of, well here goes. As a writer you have many struggles and I’m listing just the top five.

Time – A lot of writers aren’t full time. They work other jobs and have to fit their writing in between business meetings, job hours and family time. It’s a true struggle to meet deadlines and get everything else done. But as a writer, you strive to get that few minutes here and there to write. The story has to be told.
Being seen – This is a real struggle in a market that is bursting at the seams with other writers just like you. You have to find the right niche, then make sure you stand out among the thousands, in some genres, millions of other books.
Money – If you haven’t had that break out moment, then you’re having to pay for a lot of advertising and promoting. It’s a struggle when you spend more than what comes in.
Reviews – Oh yeah, this is a struggle for traditional and indie authors. You don’t want to buy reviews, you want genuine, heartfelt reviews that draw in more readers. But more and more I hear fellow writers say it’s almost impossible to get their readers to post a review. Reviews help us authors build our reader base.
Respect – Wow, this one is hard to gain. Most people look at you strangely when you say you’re a writer. Some even say, oh I can do that, but don’t have the time. Then they say, can’t you find a better way to spend your time, or you need to do something other than write. In my opinion those people don’t have a clue as to the draw of a writer to the writing. We have to do it.

So, do you feel the struggle?

As always, good writing and May God Bless You…