MONDAY MOTIVATION - Back On Track!!

Good morning, everyone!

Wow, after last week I'm ready for a fresh start.

I didn't get any writing done last week because I crunched to get things out of the way in preparation for a FREE on-line writer's conference I heard about from Sarra Cannon earlier in the week.

WEBSITE

I encourage everyone to check out the website and watch the videos. Just go to SCHEDULE 2022 then click on the YouTube icon next to the sessions that interest you.

This was an intense three days of great information on both Writing and Publishing. My brain is kind of on over-load as I took copious notes and screenshots from most of the sessions. I still have a few to go back and watch thanks to a migraine that hit on Friday. I made connections with some really great people and found some new sprinting groups I hope to take part in. 

One thing that was a REAL eye-opener is how much time this whole writing business thing is going to take. I mean, I KNEW but I just didn't absorb the enormity of the process. I know the over-all journey is an evolution and I'll get there. That's what Sarra Cannon's HB90 course is all about - avoiding the overwhelm while still moving the needle forward.   

The coordinators realized they probably could have timed this better, since this is Camp Nano month so they've scheduled the 2023 YouTube conference for June 23-25, 2023.  Mark your calendar for an amazing conference from the comfort of your own home!

Speaking of Sarra Cannon, She did an awesome presentation on Saturday talking about Planning To Thrive. She is a planner girl and pretty much everything she does involves a planner. She also just opened registration for the Publish & Thrive course that starts in a few weeks. Here's her video with all the details:

PUBLISH & THRIVE INFORMATION VIDEO

Note that she does offer payment options as well as a bundle savings when you purchase Publish and Thrive PLUS the HB90

I do have a busy week but one I'm SUPER excited about.

I have an interview later today with a retired combat training officer from Ft. Polk Army training grounds. This interview should clinch the research I need to finish An Ozarks Homecoming. I don't recall if I mentioned but a few months back I finally realized what my hero's internal struggle is - all stemming from an incident when he was stationed at Ft. Polk. However, I'm determined to not misrepresent the military in any way so I needed to find someone who could tell me if the incident that led to his struggle is plausible. Jason should be able to answer those questions. 

For this week:

1 - Continue work on studio

2 - Kanban board

3 - Write 500 words per day minimum - beginning today!

The 500 word per day challenge came as a result of meeting  Joe from SixCats Press during the AuthorTube Conference. I'll link his video down below. I'm a few days behind to be in sync with him but as Amber McCue would say - I'm right on time!

That pretty much brings you up to speed. I'll be back tomorrow and Wednesday with the next two Something Blue anthology authors - Robyn Neeley and Annie Rains.

All my best

~ Angela

 

THE WRITER'S NEST - Denise N. Wheatley

 Good morning, everyone!

It's time to peek into another author's creative space. I love these posts!

Here's a quick reminder Bio:

I am a lover of romance, happy endings and the art of storytelling. My first novel, I WISH I NEVER MET YOU, was published by Simon & Schuster in 2004. I've since traditionally published several novels and novellas, including contemporary suspense and paranormal romance. I am currently working with Harelquin Intrique and Tule Publishing. I strive to create characters who are strong, colorful and relatable, and tell entertaining stories that embody matters of the heart.

If you missed other posts from this week, check out Tuesday and Thursday's posts this week.

Let's go inside!

Describe your writing nest?

While I do have a desk, I love sitting on my purple leather couch and writing in front of the television. It’s so cozy and doesn’t feel too formal.  I also like sitting on my gray suede stools and writing at my kitchen island. Again, this feels less formal than a desk, and the open space helps me keep a clear head. But that area can be dangerous considering I’m so close to the snacks!

What is it about this space that inspires you?

When I’m writing from the couch, the tv is on but the volume is very low. This space inspires me because the sofa is so comfy, and I usually have a true crime program playing in the background. That’s very motivating when I’m writing my thrillers. As for my Christmas novels, I love playing holiday movies while I write, no matter the time of year. Seeing all the snow and holiday decorations on screen, while snuggling underneath a blanket and working on a laptop, really helps get the creative juices flowing. 

Has finding your space been an evolving journey? How so?

Finding the right space has definitely been an evolving journey. If I’m not comfortable in my surroundings, then my writing will suffer. I’ve actually moved homes in order to find the perfect space, where I feel inspired to churn out my best work. Meeting deadlines is important as well. If you’re not content with your writing space, not only can your writing suffer, but it may be difficult to get your manuscript handed in on time.

Anything you would change?

I should probably try getting behind my desk every now and then since the comfy couch is a welcome space for napping! But for now, it’s working for me. Danelle Steele has a handcrafted desk designed to look like a stack of her books. It is absolutely gorgeous. I’d love to add my own bookstack desk to my writing nook one of these days.

Be sure to check out Denise's latest book:

AMAZON

THE HEART-SHAPED MURDERS is Book 1 in the West Coast Crime series.

Catching serial killers is her specialty
Until one follows her home

Attacked and left with a partial heart-shaped symbol carved into her chest, forensic investigator Lena Love finds her latest hunt has become personal. But leaving LA to return to her hometown comes with its own danger—like detective David Hudson, the love she left behind. And soon sparks fly, even as Lena is targeted and stalked, and bodies—all marked with the killer’s signature heart—are discovered in David’s jurisdiction…

I've not read this book (just purchased on Kindle to read this afternoon) to post a review as of yet. Please check back later in the week.

In the mean time, you can find out more about Denise N. Wheatley by following any of the links below.

WEBSITE   FACEBOOK   TWITTER   INSTAGRAM    TIKTOK   

AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

You can purchase any of Denise N. Wheatley books by clicking the following links:

AMAZON   B & N   KOBO   Books2Read

I'll see you back here tomorrow when I'll pop in the Something Blue author I missed last week - Tif Marcelo

All my best

~Angela

 

WRITER'S TIP THURSDAY - Denise N. Wheatley

 Good morning, everyone!

As a prelude to the Writer's Nest post tomorrow, Denise N. Wheatley is sharing her advice on finding your 'writer's nest'.

When creating your own writer's nest, you want 'Comfort and tranquility are number one in my opinion. Create a space that’ll allow you to feel good and be creative. Make it a style all your own. If Hello Kitty inspires you, then add a touch of that. If color gets the ideas flowing, then include lots of it in your space. A nest is all about having a personal nook that’ll allow you to achieve your goals. So I say do whatever you can to make that happen.'

You'll find everything you need to know about Denise and her books by clicking the links below:

WEBSITE   FACEBOOK   TWITTER   INSTAGRAM    TIKTOK   

AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

You can purchase any of Denise N. Wheatley books by clicking the following links:

AMAZON   B & N   KOBO   Books2Read

I'll see you back here tomorrow when I'll pop in the Something Blue author I missed last week - Tif Marcelo

All my best

~Angela

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT - SOMETHING BLUE - Tif Marcelo

 Good morning, everyone!

AMAZON   B & N   KOBO

Getting back on track so I can introduce you to the next author in the SOMETHING BLUE anthology line-up, Tif Marcelo

Here's a bit of background on Tif Marcelo:

Tif Marcelo is a veteran US Army nurse and holds a BS in Nursing as well as a Masters in public administration. She believes and writes about the strength of families, the endurance of  friendship, heartfelt romances, and is inspired daily by her own military hero husband and four children. She hosts The Stories of Love Podcast and is the USA Today bestselling author of  In A Book Club Far Away, Once Upon a Sunset, The Key to Happily Ever After, (which was a Target Diverse Book Club pick), The Holiday Switch, and The Heart Resort and Journey to the Heart  series. She and her books have been featured on The Today Show, Shondaland, Real Simple magazine, The Asian Journal.

A WEDDING AT THE USO – Tif Marcelo

An unexpected extended layover at the Las Vegas Airport brings together an easy-going, reluctant best man and a type-A, straightforward, replacement maid of honor along with their best friends soon to be married in Hawaii. But when flights are cancelled, and wedding plans subsequently changed, the two loyally attempt to plan a Vegas wedding for their friends…if they can get along.

This is a definite read to find out how the USO ties in with the description. You'll see, I promise. ;-)

f's latest book... Know You By Heart is Book 2 in the Heart Resort series

AMAZON

You'll find Book 1 (It Takes Heart) as well as other great reads by following her author page, listed below.

AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

Ti

Want to keep up with what Tif Marcelo is doing? Click on any of her social media links:

WEBSITE   FACEBOOK   TWITTER   IG

All my best

~Angela

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT - Denise N. Wheatley

 Good morning, everyone!

I have a special guest for our Author Spotlight today. 

I first 'met' Denise N. Wheatley a couple of weeks ago when her movie news came up in my twitter feed. Because she announced on twitter, I feel safe in sharing here. Her book, Christmas In Full Bloom has been optioned for film and Love At The Icicle Café  is under contract with who she describes as 'an amazing executive producer'.

Here's a bit about Denise:

I am a lover of romance, happy endings and the art of storytelling. My first novel, I WISH I NEVER MET YOU, was published by Simon & Schuster in 2004. I've since traditionally published several novels and novellas, including contemporary suspense and paranormal romance. I am currently working with Harelquin Intrique and Tule Publishing. I strive to create characters who are strong, colorful and relatable, and tell entertaining stories that embody matters of the heart.

AMAZON

THE HEART-SHAPED MURDERS is Book 1 in the West Coast Crime series.

Catching serial killers is her specialty
Until one follows her home

Attacked and left with a partial heart-shaped symbol carved into her chest, forensic investigator Lena Love finds her latest hunt has become personal. But leaving LA to return to her hometown comes with its own danger—like detective David Hudson, the love she left behind. And soon sparks fly, even as Lena is targeted and stalked, and bodies—all marked with the killer’s signature heart—are discovered in David’s jurisdiction…

I've not read this book (just purchased on Kindle to read this afternoon) to post a review as of yet. Please check back later in the week.

In the mean time, you can find out more about Denise N. Wheatley by following any of the links below.

WEBSITE   FACEBOOK   TWITTER   INSTAGRAM    TIKTOK   

AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

You can purchase any of Denise N. Wheatley books by clicking the following links:

AMAZON   B & N   KOBO   Books2Read

I'll see you back here tomorrow when I'll pop in the Something Blue author I missed last week - Tif Marcelo

All my best

~Angela

MONDAY MOTIVATION - Slow Start

 Good morning, everyone.

Last week got so messed up fast. 

I did get some prep work done on the novel using Renee George's workbook. I came home on Sunday to be greeted with my husband's plan to forge ahead with purchasing a 'newer' vehicle. A bit of back story.

While in town on Saturday, my dependable truck decided not to be so dependable. I had to call Bob to drive two hours round trip to trade vehicles with me. He instantly decided it was time to further pursue trading in my truck for a 2012 Toyota 4-Runner he'd had his eye on. Mind you, this trade in is supposed to replace MY vehicle.

Courtesy of Pixabay

The other challenge was I've been saving for three years to pay cash for whatever vehicle I decided on. I was about $5k short for the 4-runner. I spent Sunday and 4th of July crunching numbers to see if we could make it work - for a vehicle I wasn't sure I wanted.

Tuesday was a very long day. We gathered the cash, went to our favorite cafe for breakfast then into the dealership. I was very dubious about the vehicle but I slid into the driver's seat, positioned everything and found myself quite comfortable. I was surprised when we could take it for a test-drive without a sales rep. My biggest concern in any vehicle is being able to see and not having blind spots. I'm 5'4". The seat has to be almost all the way up to reach the pedals and I need to be able to see over the backs of seats, etc. I drove the SUV out of town a ways and back so that I had both in-town and highway traffic to check for those blind spots and get a feel for how she handled. Yes, I said SHE... I name my vehicles. They have to get me through a lot of travel and be dependable. 

One of the things that sold me on the 4-runner is that the 2012 model was the last one they put the 4-runner body on a truck chassis... helping to make me feel as if I'm driving my truck but with a lot of interior space.

After the test drive we went to the bank to see about a personal loan. We've not had a car payment in 15 years and I wasn't starting this close to Bob's potential retirement (though he keeps moving the date farther and farther out.

Courtesy of Pixabay

I can not believe it took the bank FIVE HOURS to approve a very small personal loan for someone who's had the same job for 12 years, has a credit score of 840 and had twice the amount sitting in our checking account (part of which we were applying with my savings) I miss small-town banking. Mind you, we were using a trade in vehicle (NOT my truck) that did not have AC and it was 104* with a heat index of 110*!! We ate lunch, ran a couple of errands than camped out in the bank lobby, hoping to hurry the process along.

After a grueling day, we came home with ANGEL:

Snowball is the truck in the background.

Yes, she looks like a police vehicle LOL but I do love her. I'm ordering personal plates this week and part of my author account paid the sales tax. Though, Bob has announced he gets to take the first road trip with her! That's okay. He'll need the amazing AC as he drives across KS to visit his brother.

Bob even took off an extra day of work so we could take care of this. He wanted to insure I had a dependable vehicle while he's on the boat. Good thing. Two days later, Snowball started to creak and grind so she is parked indefinitely. Without Angel, I would be too. LOL

So where does this long story leave me regarding my writing?

I didn't get any writing done last week. I just needed to decompress. I spent yesterday getting ahead on as many blog posts as possible for the entire month. I'll spend today setting up the rest of this week - with a Writer's Nest Guest.

The whole car thing last week did throw off the Something Blue anthology schedule. I'll be adjusting that this week. Last Wednesday's missing post will run this week then we'll be back on track next week.

1 - Set up rest of blog posts

2 - Finish workbook and start writing on An Ozarks Homecoming

3 - Kanban board set up (I did finally get to finish setting up my HB90 and 6 M4L planners on Saturday. I'm getting there!)

So how crazy is your summer? Are you driving your dream car? If not, what would that dream car be? Share in the comments below and inspire everyone else to Manifest their desires.

All my best

~Angela

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT - SOMETHING BLUE - Janice Lynn

 Good morning!

I hope everyone had a safe and happy 4th of July. If you didn't watch the video I posted yesterday morning, please go back and watch. I think that scene is a Hallmark movie in the making!

AMAZON   B & N   KOBO

We're continuing our Something Blue series today, with author Janice Lynn.

As you'll note from her bio, Janice is a very busy lady.

USA Today Bestselling author Janice Lynn has a Masters in Nursing from Vanderbilt University and works as a nurse practitioner in a small-town family practice. She lives in the southern United States with her husband and ever-expanding family, including an adorable Maltese named Halo.

After writing for Harlequin for over a decade, she has expanded to sweet romance and is excited about her Hallmark Publishing releases featuring the Quilt of Valor Foundation. As a Blue Star Mom, the organization is near and dear to her heart.

Janice has won numerous awards including the National Reader’s Choice Award, the Golden Quill, the Holt Medallion Award of Meri, and RT Book Club’s The American Title Contest. She has also been a finalist in prestigious contests such as The Golden Heart, Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence, and Book Buyers Best. She’s a Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and Publisher’s Weekly best-selling author.

WEDDING AT WINDING WOODS – Janice Lynn

Lacey Collier had been dreaming of walking down the aisle to Luke Evans all her life. Only, she’d hoped they’d be the bride & groom rather than Maid of Honor and Best Man in her brother’s wedding. Could a weekend wedding in the mountains have him finally realizing she’s all grown up and worth taking a chance on love with?

I loved this story. Very reminiscent of how slow men can be when it comes to women. Spoiler alert - In true Hallmark fashion, Luke figures it out eventually - like they always do. 

Janice has a new book coming out in October:

AMAZON

Wrapped Up In Christmas Hope is Book 3 in the Wrapped Up In Christmas series. 

Book 1 - Wrapped Up in Christmas 

Book 2 - Wrapped Up in Christmas Joy

Blurb:

Morgan’s late husband was a daredevil…and now she’s a widowed single mom. All she wants now is to set up a stable life for herself and her son in the small town of Pine Hill, Kentucky.

Andrew’s a firefighter who thrives on the rush of saving others. His secret dream is to become a smokejumper and fight raging wildfires across the country. But it’ll mean leaving his hometown and the people who rely on him.

Morgan and Andrew are drawn together as they both volunteer to make quilts for veterans at the local quilt shop. Morgan’s son looks up to Andrew, and Morgan can’t help but notice how good Andrew is with him. Meanwhile, Andrew’s torn between his ambition and his growing attraction to Morgan. They both have choices to make about their future…and about each other.

You may order your copy by clicking on any of the following links:

AMAZON   B & N   WALMART    TARGET

You can find Janice Lynn by following any of the links below:

WEBSITE   FACEBOOK   TWITTER   INSTAGRAM  

 

AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

All my best

~Angela