IWSG December 2024

Today is the first Wednesday of the month, which means that for me and many others, it is Insecure Writers Support Group day. This group has been going on for more than 12 years. We meet online on our own blogs by writing articles and then reading each other's articles.

All are welcome. Even if you aren't a member, you can definitely join by going to page with the list of links at the IWSG website.

Each month, several people volunteer to help out with the blog hop by checking to see if people have posted and reading posts, and commenting on posts. This month, those volunteers are: Ronel, Deniz, Pat Garcia, Olga Godim, and Cathrina Constantine! The founder, Alex J. Cavanaugh, also goes through the list and comments on various posts each month.

It's interesting to note that blog hops like this were very popular about 10 years ago. I think we are one of the rare groups that are still doing them. It's a good community.

We've helped each other build our platforms. We've helped each other build our knowledge. We've helped each other grow in our writing craft and in our business knowledge as writers. The Insecure Writers Support Group website has won awards and been named as one of the top 100 websites for writers.

Today I am skipping the optional question about cliffhangers, although if you've read my work, you probably know what my answer is to that.

Instead, I want to simply celebrate this community.

One of the keynote addresses at Author Nation this year in November focused on how writers who have a healthy professional network are 4.1 times more successful than the average author.

I talked about this in my podcast last week and went more in depth there, but mainly I want to focus on this community piece - the network we can build and how IWSG can help us build that.

There are three parts to it.

1. Building a network of peers.

That's something that the Insecure Writer Support Group has excelled at over the last 12 years. And I'm thankful for this group.

2. Building a network of mentors.

I have never entered a formal mentorship-type relationship with anyone, but I have been inspired by various members' success, their knowledge, and by their encouragement to others.

3. Building a small network of accountability partners.

While IWSG doesn't do this formally, it's possible to find accountability partners within the group, and it's possible to use our monthly blog hops as a massive sort of accountability network.

I think one of the strengths of IWSG is the way we network.

So all of this is to say, thank you, IWSG.

To all reading this, I want to wish you a Happy Holiday Season, a Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year!

I hope your beverage of choice is exactly as you like it and your writing is strong.

I hope you have a wonderful, merry, loving, and joyful end to this year and beginning of 2025!

Stuff that I've been doing lately:

If you are looking for a new read, try Dark Blade Forged!

If you are looking for a writerly podcast, check out The Truth About Storytelling.

Looking for free reads, try Tales of Fellowship: Amazing Friendships & Found Family in Fantasy and Science Fiction

In Brief: IWSG and Fast News

 

Insecure Writer's Support Group

Hey, I need to be brief today because I'm off and about, plus, Wednesdays have been busier in general this last year. I will do my best to come around to comment.

IWSG is HERE. The awesome co-hosts for the November 6 posting of the IWSG are Diedre Knight, Lisa Buie Collard , Kim Lajevardi, and JQ Rose!

Optional November 6 question - What creative activity do you engage in when you're not writing?

Quick answers: singing, drawing, and painting.

What creativity do you engage in when you're not writing?

News

I'll be at Author Nation and Rave on November 11-15 in Las Vegas! If you're there, let's say hello. :)

I'm taking part in the November Fantasy & Scifi Freebies Bookfunnel with two books this time - Champion in the Darkness, and Dark Secrets: A Prequel Novella for The Dark Blade Trilogy.

Happy Thanksgiving Month! 

IWSG Ghost Stories and New Books

 This last year has contained some busy Wednesdays, many of which I have unintentionally "ghosted" IWSG's monthly blog hop. I love this group, so I am considering how to remedy my MIA status in the next few months, although I know November, again, I will be MIA due to a foreseen event.

This month and recently it's all been unforeseen events, like going with my dad to the ER five times.

Many thanks to all who are helping with IWSG - the admins, the monthly help for October, and for our faithful captain, Alex J. Cavanaugh. You all rock!

The awesome co-hosts for the  October 2 posting of the IWSG are Nancy Gideon, Jennifer Lane, Jacqui Murray, and Natalie Aguirre!

This month's optional question is: Ghost stories fit right in during this month. What's your favorite classic ghostly tale?

My fast answer: Ghostbusters. Way back when I was in junior high, our local small town theater (a single screen place with history that had been purchased by small business owners who renovated over time), had a free Halloween movie night. My friends and I sat in a crowded theater, a seat broke, popcorn was thrown, everyone laughed, oohed and aahed together during the movie, and that kind of experience is why I love going to the movies, and why Ghostbusters is my favorite ghost story. :)

This month, there are many new books out - including one of my own. All the info about Dark Blade Forged can be found on this page: Dark Blade Forged and I'll add a bit at the end, but first I want to mention Sherry Ellis and the Fifth Book in her Bubba and Squirt Series:

Bubba and Squirt’s Legend of the Lost Pearls
By Sherry Ellis

Journey to the past!
Bubba and Squirt embark on their most dangerous quest yet. Whisked away through the vortex to Japan, they must find two fabled pearls that hold the key to saving their father.
To top it off, they must go back and change the events of the past. As they race against time, the fate of their father, and their own lives, hang in the balance.
Will they outwit the cunning creatures that stand in their way or face their own demise trying to save their father?

Release date – October 1, 2024
Print ISBN 9798988625124 $8.95/ eBook ISBN 9798988625131 $3.99
eBook $3.99 in all formats
Juvenile Fiction - Action Adventure / Fantasy & Magic / Legends, Myths, Fables – Asian

Sherry Ellis’ Bubba and Squirt’s Big Dig to China won the Reader’s Favorites Silver Medal for the Children's Grades 4-6 category.

Sherry Ellis is an award-winning author and professional musician who plays and teaches the violin, viola, and piano. When she is not writing or engaged in musical activities, she can be found doing household chores, hiking, or exploring the world. Ellis lives in Atlanta, Georgia.
https://www.sherryellis.org/
https://www.bubbaandsquirt.org/
https://www.facebook.com/sherryellisbooksandmusic
https://twitter.com/513sherrye

Links:
Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CTWN8PSS
iTunes - https://books.apple.com/us/book/x/id6477321103
Barnes & Noble - https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/2940167677777
Kobo - https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/Search?Query=9798988625131
Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/206994546-bubba-and-squirt-s-legend-of-the-lost-pearls

Congratulations to Sherry!

Meanwhile, I released a book that's been in my files and on my shelves in some way or another since 2016. Dark Blade Forged is a Christian Fantasy novel set in the same world as The Champion Trilogy, and is a sort-of prequel about Dan Torren, one of Clara's mentors in The Champion Trilogy. When I finished that trilogy, I realized I really wanted to write his backstory, about how he received his strange, obsidian blade of power, and why he said he was an angry young man when he picked it up. This is that story.

An ancient blade buried deep within an abandoned tower of the Watch Guard calls for its next wielder.

In a world where ancient powers stir and darkness threatens, Dan Torren seeks to escape his noble family's corruption by joining the mysterious Watch Guard. As Dan and his allies uncover a sinister plot involving the Red Hand, an organization trafficking in human lives, Dan will need to confront his own inner desire for vengeance.

Dark Blade Forged Buy Links:

Books 2 Read Universal Link Updated

Dark Blade Forged is out today!

 Started as a project back in 2016, Dark Blade Forged is the first book in The Dark Blade Trilogy!

This series takes place in the World of Aramatir, the same world as The Champion Trilogy. In The Dark Blade Trilogy, we see how Mastor Dantor started as Dan Torren, a Junior Lord of Septily who seeks freedom from the political corruption of his family by joining the Watch Guard, an interkingdom agency tasked with keeping the borders safe and protecting ancient weapons between the rise of Champions.

Dark Blade Forged

Author: Tyrean Martinson

Genre: Sword Fantasy/Christian Fantasy

Series: The Dark Blade Trilogy, Vol. 1

Publication Date: October 1, 2024

ISBN: 979-8-9870648-6-3

ASIN: 979-8-9870648-4-9

Number of Pages: 330

Word Count: 93k

An ancient blade buried deep within an abandoned tower of the Watch Guard calls for its next wielder.

In a world where ancient powers stir and darkness threatens, Dan Torren seeks to escape his noble family's corruption by joining the mysterious Watch Guard. As Dan and his allies uncover a sinister plot involving the Red Hand, an organization trafficking in human lives, Dan will need to confront his own inner desire for vengeance.

When he discovers a legendary and strangely shadowy blade, he's thrust into a destiny greater than he ever imagined. Alongside his friends—Alex, a conflicted prince, and Farrald, a would-be Shepherd—Dan must navigate political intrigue, confront dark forces, and face his own family's twisted legacy.

Dan's journey will challenge everything he believes about justice, power, and his own identity. With the fate of Septily hanging in the balance, can Dan forge a new path for justice?

Dark Blade Forged is a gripping Christian Fantasy tale of friendship, betrayal, and the price of power in a world where the lines between good and evil blur with every choice. 

Dark Blade Forged is book one of The Dark Blade Trilogy! Perfect for fans of the faith themes of The Book of the Infinite Series by RJ Larson, the action adventure of The Staff and the Sword by Patrick W. Carr.

  Excerpt:

  The tug brought Dan to a door carved with several figures. The tautness of the pull intensified again him as he swept away the dirt over the carving. The figures on the door were old Champions. He could tell by the familiarity of some likenesses found in some places in Skycliff, although others weren’t as familiar to him. The group of Champions surrounded a single box in which a shattered blade rested. The carving was intricate, and Dan ran his fingers over the shattered blade, and then opened the door.

Inside, he could see the box from the carving. It was an iron trunk with a strange padlock. The grooves of a handprint lay over the top of the lock. Sand, dust, and mist swirled around the trunk, but Dan moved toward it.

Behind Dan, Terese murmured something, but he did not make out the words. Consumed now by the need to open that box, he placed his hand over the handprint. A rational part of his brain wanted him to stop, but the compulsion moved him forward, despite the unlikelihood of his hand fitting the handprint.

His hand fit perfectly in the grooves. A glow emanated around his fingers, but it was not a glow of light, but of textured shadow, a shimmering black that seemed deeper than even the dark shadows of the chamber beyond the light from Terese’s blade.

An audible click resonated through his hand, his chest, and the chamber, and the lock fell open. With trembling hands, Dan opened the lid of the iron box and gazed down at the broken blade within. It was shimmering obsidian, alive with power from within each of the seven, jagged pieces. Dan ran his fingers carefully over the tip of the top piece of the glowing shards, feeling a sensation of warmth and power running from his hands to his heart. He couldn't let this blade lay here unused any longer. He touched each of the seven shards, traced his hands over the engravings on the cross guard, and then reached for the hilt.

As his fingers came around the leather-wrapped grip, a heavy, warm wave rushed through him, from somewhere within his fingertips to the hilt, and somehow, resonated in ripples through the shattered pieces of the sword which began to melt and reshape.

In the deepest recesses of his mind, Dan wanted to let go of the blade, but he did not. He held fast as it took shape in front of him, perfectly balanced for his hand, for the extension of his arm. It was a part of him and it was hungry for justice, for vengeance, for righteousness against those who would do harm to his people, and peace for those who would live with kindness. It opened up parts of him he had closed off, even from his own thoughts, and he felt as if a part of him had been hollowed out and refilled, then hollowed and filled again.

Short Social Blurb with hashtags: Dan seeks to avoid politics by joining the Watch Guard, an interkingdom agency protecting ancient knowledge, as the Red Hand attempts to corrupt the world of Aramatir. Dark Blade Forged. #christianfantasy #swordfantasy #epicfantasy https://books2read.com/u/4AM5nK

Buy Links: Books2Read Universal Link

Amazon Universal Link with Books 2 Read

Book Tour: Bloodstone

 Congratulations to H.R. Sinclair for the publication of her novel Bloodstone! This is the first book in the Lost Witch series, and it is coming out on September 22nd, in paperback and eBook!

My short review:

In this intriguing paranormal fantasy, hidden magics are unveiled as Katelyn unexpectedly discovers she’s inherited an estate, a place in a family lineage, and possibly some kind of treasure. While she thinks she’s having some kind of panic attack induced visions, the truth is far stranger as she unpacks her bags and cleans out musty corners in her Aunt’s house. With new friends, unexpected enemies, and a strange affinity for her new house, Katelyn has a short time to figure out where she fits. This paranormal fantasy has all the elements of a cozy mystery mixed with urban paranormal fantasy with attempted murders, magical objects, and an interesting community. This book contains some fun twists and excellent worldbuilding.

Katelyn Grey is a gardener in Southern California. She’s content with pruning shrubs and looking after her step-mom, the only family she has left. That is, until a lawyer shows up and tells her that her long-lost aunt died, leaving her the family home on the other side of the country.

Though Katelyn hates to travel, a weird clause in her aunt’s will forces her to visit a quaint New England seaside town. Her world changes when she discovers she’s inherited a haunted brownstone, fickle magic, and a hidden key that someone else wants. And they’re willing to kill for it.

Now, she must learn how to use magic, find the key, and figure out what it’s for before she ends up like her long-lost aunt. Dead.

Excerpt:

Small colored flecks danced in the sunlight. They darted back and forth. They rushed me, encircling me, round and round, faster and faster, creating a whirlwind of color that made me woozy. I began swaying before the flecks scattered. They swooped and gathered in front of me, coalescing into the shape of a small, translucent woman. She hovered several feet off the ground, sparkling like multicolored glitter and moving like an ethereal ballerina.

When she spoke, it echoed a thousand voices speaking in harmony. “Fáilte. Welcome. We are the Breena. You are of Andraste.”

“I’m Katie.” Wariness crept into my voice. The family books read Andraste. “Yeah, I think I’m Andraste.”

“Yes. You wear the Taith, a gift of the Breena.” She gestured to the traveling boots. “We are pleased to see them in this form. It has been long since the clan Andraste has visited. Tell us, what has become of sweet Clara and her quest?”

She—they—knew Clara? “I’m sorry, she died.”

“That is unfortunate. We liked Clara. You are taking up the quest?”

My stomach dropped. They may have said it as a question, but it sounded like a statement. “I ... I didn’t know my Aunt Clara, and I don’t know anything about a quest. I’m not the right person to talk to.”

“Yes, she was given the quest. As she is no longer, the task falls to the next in line.”

“Is this an optional type of quest?”

“It is your charge.”

“Well, I’m not the next in line. That’s probably my uncle. I’ll put him in touch with you.”

The Breena moved closer to me. One of the little flecks zipped from one side of her face to the other. “You are next in line. You wear the blessing. You are of Andraste, Keepers of Secrets, Guardians of Mamwlada. You are the Legacy. Protector of the Light. You will take up the quest. Find the Oubusch. Find the Others before the gates open. Stop the disciples of Morus.”

“Find what now?”

“Find the Oubusch. Find the Others before the gates open. Stop the disciples of Morus before they break the lock.” The Breena’s voice reverberated off my skin.

I swallowed. “Who’s Morus? What gate? What others? What’s an Oubusch, and how do I find it?”

“The Oubusch will lead you to the Others. Find the Stone, find the Others.”

“But how?”

“Open the box. Use the sundial.” The words rhythmic like a song. Her essence oscillated, and her form began to melt away.

“Wait, what box?”

“What is there is here, what is here is not there. You must hurry, time is ending.” With that, the flecks disbursed, and she was gone.

“Wait, please, I don’t understand.” No one answered.

Buy Links:

Amazon: amazon.com/dp/B0CTHQJJTF

Apple: books.apple.com/us/book/bloodstone/id6587574545

Kobo: kobo.com/us/en/ebook/bloodstone-42

B&N: barnesandnoble.com/w/bloodstone-h-r-sinclair/1146070561

Books2Read: books2read.com/lostwitch

H. R. Sinclair

author • artist • dreamer

H. R. Sinclair is a left-handed hermit prepping for the squirrel apocalypse. She was born and raised in Southern California, but now lives and works in New England. She writes fantastical stories and visits cemeteries for inspiration.

Website: iamhrsinclair.com

Seeking ARC Readers

 

Readers,

If you're looking for a fantasy adventure that mixes noble-bright themes, faith themes, and some dark fantasy elements, look no further. Dark Blade Forged is coming in October, and before that, for a limited time only, you can sign up to be an ARC reader. Check out the form below for more information.

Google Form

IWSG, Podcast Transcript and Rules that Cause Problems

 

Many thanks to Alex and the co-hosts!

I am running a bit ragged this month, so I will be posting the transcript from today's podcast which includes an answer to our month's question, and hopefully visiting around this evening.

Transcript:

00:00

Hello, and welcome to the truth about storytelling. This is Tyrean Martinson and today is an extremely short episode and it's not going to be one of my World building episodes. I will do that again next week on Wednesday, I will be talking about work and play in World building (next week). 

00:17

But today, I am going to do a short little bit for Insecure Writer Support Group because our question of the month is: what's a writing rule you learned in school that messed you up as a writer? So I'm going to name two.

The first one, I learned in school and I think it was only one teacher one year.

00:39

So, I don't really know why I took it to heart, but her rule was "Put a comma every time you would naturally pause in your speech." Now, this doesn't sound bad, actually, because commas are meant to indicate when we're pausing when we're reading. So, if you were going to read something out loud, a comma is whether you kind of have like a half a breath.

01:04

And a period is when you have time for a full stop, or maybe a full breath, right? So when you're reading out loud, you can do that and do it well. So, again, having a comma, every time you pause is not a bad idea on the surface level of it, but the reality is that's not how commas work.01:24

I took a college grammar class and we learned a lot about commas. However, I can't say that I've remembered all of it. It was a long time ago, but I actually enjoyed the class, which is another, another Side Story, but let's just say that putting in comma wherever you pause in a sentence when you're normally speaking is not a good idea especially if you're like me and you actually watch the original Star Trek series in the 70s, and you were hearing William Shatner, pause. Every dramatic. Moment. You would not want to put a comma after every one of those words to the sentence when you are writing. 

02:07

But that's again, that's the common rule that stuck with me for a really long time even though I think it was just one teacher one time. And I don't think any other teacher ever said that. Another writing rule that messed me up that did not come from school that I remember, but it came from peers, family members community and actually from one of the fiction books that I liked as a kid Anne of Green Gables. If you read the Anna Gray, Gable series, she becomes a writer. But the story (she writes) that does well (in a contest) is a story that's about her life and there's sort of this implied, "Write what you know."

Okay. So I don't often write when I know I write fantasy and science fiction. And I've definitely had some pushback on that for different people in my life at different times who were disappointed. They want me to write about what my life is really like, they want me to write about things that happened in my childhood and show how you know, hard things can be overcome.

03:11

And I'm kind of like well I do want to write about hard things being overcome but I want to write about hard things being overcome in a fantasy and sci-fi world because that's what I enjoy imagining. And I like the exploration part of fantasy and science fiction. Because exploration and discovery are part of who I am.

03:35

So in a way, I'm still writing what I know because I'm writing what's true to myself because I like to discover things, I like to explore. And some of the first fiction that I really enjoyed was fairy tales and then also, again, I watched the old Star Trek show, and my parents took me to see the original Star Wars movies, even though I was a really little kid the first time.

04:02

So for me, discovery and exploration and wild ideas are actually kind of what I know in my imagination because it's what stirred my imagination for so long. And yes. I did have many oral storytellers in my family and yes, they did mainly focus on real world events that had happened to them.

And I love those stories. So I think there is a great place for their stories in the world. And maybe someday I will write more of those stories but right now, I write what I can imagine. I write what's true to what I know that inspires me. 

 IWSG has been this wonderful encouraging group that I've been a part of for over a decade and I think that it's just a great group to be a part of and we encourage people to write and write.

And I am looking for a street team, or a launch team or a release team, however, you want to put it for my book, Dark Blade Forged, which is coming out in October. So if you're interested in that, please drop me a note in the comments section.

Book Funnels

Spectacular September Book Sale for Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and other Speculative Fiction!

STARSHIPS & CYBERPUNKS: Must Read Science Fiction - September Edition

IWSG, AI, and Some Photos from Realm Makers and St. Louis

Happy IWSG Day!

Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!
Our Twitter handle is @TheIWSG and hashtag is #IWSG.

 

The awesome co-hosts for the August 7 posting of the IWSG are Feather Stone, Kim Lajevardi, Diedre Knight, C. Lee McKenzie, and Sarah - The Faux Fountain Pen!

Many thanks to Alex J. Cavanaugh for starting this hop!

In addition to this IWSG Post, I wanted to share some photos with you from my recent trip to St. Louis for Realm Makers so those are at the end. 

Yes, there’s a lot here. Please feel free to skip to the sections you want to see.

The IWSG Question was worded as follows: Do you use AI in your writing and if so how? Do you use it for your posts? Incorporate it into your stories? Use it for research? Audio?

My Overall View of AI: God is greater. Human creativity is more imaginative. Human relationships are more important. Many aspects of life are more important to me than AI. But it is a tool and we need to consider how we view it, and how we use it. Human creativity is always going to win the day. Believing that, and sticking with that, is going to help us alleviate the issues surrounding AI use. I’m not saying “let’s stick our heads in the sand,” but I am saying, let’s be positive and refocus the way we view AI - as a tool.

AI use as a tool is widespread already: Unless you are currently using pen and paper, you are using AI. If you are reading this on a smartphone or a laptop or a desktop or a screen hooked to the internet, you are using AI. If you use autofill, you are using AI. If you use email, you are using AI. If you use search engines, you are using AI. If you use Amazon, you are using AI. If you are using social media, you are using AI. If you use Google translate, you are using AI.

From a faith and creativity perspective: I have heard Pastors speak in favor of AI use and I have heard Christians say it’s the work of the devil and users are turning their mind over to evil. I’ve heard proponents share how much AI tools have improved their creative life and I’ve hear naysayers say it is killing creativity. Either side of the argument is not new to me.

To me, AI is a tool and will always be a tool, until we decide to give it more power over our minds, hearts, and creativity. By fearing it, by judging or bullying those who have used it in some measure or another, I think we are giving it more power than we need to.

How have I used it:

Have I used it to write a blog post? No.

Have I used it to brainstorm and do bits of research? Yeah.

Have I used it for writing? I experimented with it, but I like my own creativity more. I would rather write because I love to write.

Have I used it for grammar issues? Yep. Prowriting aid is one of the tools I use regularly - although I rarely do for blog posts. That may change in the future.

Have I used it to create art for fun? Yeah.

Have I used it to create book covers? Not wholesale, no.

Have I used it to create book cover elements? I tried it, but wasn’t happy with the results. However, this may change. I’m going to be honest. I already have Canva Pro and I use their design templates for books and then rearrange elements, using their stock art (paid for art) and their design tools. I also don’t have a ton of money from previous book sales to put into this area, regardless if said previous books had professional art or I made the covers on my own. Some of my own covers have brought in better sales.

I like being human. I’m messy. I’m quirky. I also don’t mind using AI tools. I don’t plan on it taking over my life or allowing it to whisper to my soul and suck me down into a fiery pit - partly because I don’t think either of those is possible. I have a choice, as does each person reading this.

Pictures from my trip to St. Louis and Realm Makers - more are out on my IG page.

At the Realm Makers Banquet, you can dress casual, dress up, or go in costume.

Some really cool authors

My husband helping with the tech in one of the rooms, with the head tech guy looking on

Who doesn't love to take photos of ancient weapons at museums?

St. Louis Museum

My husband (my favorite model) with a Degas sculpture

And one of my favorite photos from the St. Louis Museum was a particular one from their ancient weapons exhibit. Note how tall the double-handed broadsword is compared to my husband. (And yes, we're short, but not that short. That sword was huge.)

I write fantasy with plenty of sword-fighting, so I’m always happy to admire an old sword on display at a museum.

What are your thoughts on AI?

Have you done anything fun lately?

Links:

The Truth About Storytelling on RSS

Substack Newsletter

Tyrean’s Tales Website

Summer Fantasy Adventures Book Funnel

Blaster Cannons, Aliens, Space Opera, and Really Big Ships Book Funnel

Noblebright Scifi and Fantasy Book Funnel

IWSG: Writing Tools

 

Happy Insecure Writer's Support Group Day!

The optional question for the July post is: What are your favorite writing processing (e.g. Word, Scrivener, yWriter, Dabble), writing apps, software, and tools?

I'm keeping my answers brief today, but my favorites are: Word, Google Docs, Atticus, Canva, Dragon Naturally Speaking (dictation software), ProWriting Aid, and Book Funnel. I also use RSS Feeds and Substack for this podcast.

Word is the word processing software that I find the most familiar. I am able to change around chapters and do most of what I need to do within word and the familiarity makes it easy to use.

I also use Google Docs for projects I plan to work on via my phone and my computer. I write on the go this way and keep my writing with me.

Atticus is a great piece of software and has an incredibly helpful team for writers who are PC users. Atticus software allows authors an easier process of formatting their books for ebooks and print than any other I have used. It's also possible to write within their program. I haven't learned how to use all the features yet but their team has plenty of helpful videos.

Canva.com offers a free and pro version of their online image program for anyone who wants to create images for their business. I find it helpful for book cover creation and images for marketing for my books, website, podcast, and more. I find Canva to be an addictive creative tool, and I enjoy using it for fun as well as for business.

Dragon Naturally Speaking is professional dictation software and I've tried plenty of the inexpensive types of dictation software, but this one is the best. I haven't used all the features yet, but I find it helpful for specific types of writing.

Prowriting aid was a piece of online software I didn't want to use, but once I started using it, I found it helpful for finding typos, grammar errors, and repetitive words. I don't like their "replace all" type substitution ideas, so I take all their suggestions and then rework them in my own document.

I have found Book Funnel helpful for building a newsletter audience and selling books and I have a current Book Funnel running, so you can see what it's like (you don't have to click my book or buy anything if you click the link below to see what a campaign looks like).

I use both RSS Feeds and Substack for my podcast hosting, and I host my newsletter through Substack.

And, I'm sure I'll think of something else as soon as I finish this post, but that already feels like a lot.

What are your favorite writing tools?

My links:

NobleBright Scifi and Fantasy Book Funnel - 37 Free Books, including Champion in the Darkness

Tyrean's Tales

Tyrean's Writing Spot Blog

Substack

BTW - I have had and will have a busy morning today, so I will be briefly hopping in the afternoon/evening today. 

IWSG - What are writers looking for in a writer website?

 

Insecure Writer's Support GroupA database resource site and support group for writers and authors. Featuring weekly guests and tips, a monthly blogfest gathering, a Facebook group, a book club, and thousands of links – all to benefit writers!

 #IWSG Website / Facebook Group / Twitter / Book Club
Reedsy Discount 

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!

The awesome co-hosts for the June 5 posting of the IWSG areLiza at Middle Passages, Shannon Lawrence, Melissa Maygrove, and Olga Godim!
Every month, we announce a question that members can answer in their IWSG post. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience or story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSG post or let it inspire your post if you are struggling with something to say. 

June 5 question - In this constantly evolving industry, what kind of offering/service do you think the IWSG should consider offering to members?

I'm rephrasing that question a bit: What are authors looking for from writing websites like IWSG?

I know I have found the community and general encouragement of IWSG to be what I am looking for here. But, I do know that I also enjoy reading the 20Booksto50K posts on Facebook, and I found them rather late in the game (just last year), and there are a number of helpful bits of advice/thoughts/questions for authors who are in the trenches of their work, and who are asking craft, publishing, and marketing questions, or sharing insights on what has worked for them.

That is something we have at IWSG as well, and I like that, but I would love to see more community involvement with those kinds of specifics.

I know we all write different genres and may be coming to this from different places in our careers, but I think we can continually benefit from some idea/tip swaps about specifics with craft, publishing, and marketing. These could be on the website, but also here in our monthly hops.

What do you think we need for the IWSG website? What offering/service do you want to see offered, if any?

Also, I am taking part in two Book Funnels for June, and they are as follows:

Author Help Books features ten books for writers, including

 A Pocket-Sized Jumble of 500+ Writing Prompts.

Fierce Fantasy includes 140 books of Fantasy Fiction which range from epic to urban. 

Many authors in this group are new to me, so I plan on picking up new reads, and I recommend checking out Karyne Norton's Blood of the Stars, along with my book Champion in Flight.

My podcast is ongoing through my Substack and other platforms. My favorite episode I've done so far was on character names. 

Thanks for joining me for this post!

IWSG, Dealing with Distractions, Pivoting, and Promos

 Yes, I'm tackling a bunch of items this month, so I will try to keep each section brief and readable. I like to ramble, but... I have a new venue for that. :)

IWSG - Insecure Writer's Support Group

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer - aim for a dozen new people each time - and return comments. This group is all about connecting!

The awesome co-hosts for the May 1 posting of the IWSG are Victoria Marie Lees, Kim Lajevardi, Nancy Gideon, and Cathrina Constantine! And we are led, as always, by Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh! 

Dealing with Distractions (and IWSG cont)

May 1 optional question - How do you deal with distractions when you are writing?

I deal with distractions daily. I use particular playlists of music, alarms on my phone, timers, prayer, and specific routines to deal with my bouncy brain distractions. I recently moved away from having visual images about my books and a bookshelf on the wall opposite to my desk, and hung a huge image of a green forest. (I actually used curtains I found online to do this inexpensively.) I find the color green to be both calming and helpful for focus. 

However, one of the biggest ways I deal with distractions is to set aside "deep work" times for my writing, revision, and "business sessions" as an author. During these deep work sessions, I turn off or mute most distractions. But the most important part of these sessions is how I start.

I start with affirmations about being a writer, like so: I am a writer. I am an author entrepreneur.

When I say those things out loud at the beginning of my work sessions, I find it easier to overcome distractions. 

Pivoting

If you've followed me for long, you know I've pivoted before. I think it is something to do with my bouncy, easily distracted brain. I decided to pivot away from video for now and stick with audio for my rambling bits about writing and sharing our work. You can check it out here: The Truth About Storytelling on Substack. It's also on Spotify, and I am trying to wrangle it to be in the right place on Youtube, but I haven't gotten there yet. In today's episode, I discuss our optional question and the IWSG. 

One pivot I am glad I tried last year is BookFunnel. I have found the service to be helpful for growing my newsletter and for gaining new readership.

New Promos With Bookfunnel

Clean Scifi and Fantasy on KU

Magic and Mayhem Newsletter Builder

How do you deal with distractions, the need for pivots, and the like?

IWSG and 3 Lessons I Learned from a Social Media Fast

 

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer - aim for a dozen new people each time - and return comments. This group is all about connecting! 

The awesome co-hosts for the April 3 posting of the IWSG areJanet Alcorn,T. Powell Coltrin,Natalie Aguirre, and Pat Garcia! The founder of IWSG is Alex J. Cavanaugh.

3 Lessons from a Social Media Fast

I decided to do a partial Social Media Fast during Lent, only posting once a week unless I had already committed to post about something, like a Storybundle or a BookFunnel, or for the IWSGPit. 

What I learned: 

My sales numbers didn’t plummet. 

My newsletter subscriptions increased. (Although I did take part in a newsletter subscriber BookFunnel, so that probably helped.)

I am healthier in mind, body, heart, and soul when I only check social media platforms once a week, and not even on every platform.

The Optional Question for IWSG is: How long have you been blogging? (Or on Facebook/Twitter/Instagram?) What do you like about it and how has it changed?

I have blogged since 2008/9 and I have been on Facebook since 2009. I feel it has changed in tone. Since the beginning, I have always felt this need to produce more content to create a stronger platform, but I think this is changing. I think this was encouraged and may still be.

Currently, I am cross-posting over three platforms and “highlighting” my posts on other platforms. This will change drastically this year as I take the three lessons I learned from my social media fast and start applying them over time.

The Deep Work Principle

I recently learned the idea of doing Deep Work and I am implementing it into my writing and media posting. This is my “next” step for online content.

What have you learned lately about writing, blogging, and life?

IWSG, Comic Con, and News

IWSG

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds! Find more information at the website: Insecure Writer’s Support Group.

The awesome co-hosts for the March 6 posting of the IWSG are Kristina Kelly,Miffie Seideman,Jean Davis, and Liza @ Middle Passages!

March 6th question: Have you "played" with AI to write those nasty synopses, or do you refuse to go that route? How do you feel about AI's impact on creative writing?

To the first question, yes, I have played with AI to write a synopses, with mixed results. I don’t feel guilty about using AI for ad copy of various kinds because this kind of writing is short, necessary, and not something I am good at. I still have to revise everything - so this is not without work.

For the second part of the question, I think AI has already had an impact on creative writing, when we consider the use of grammar programs. Creative writing includes the joy of knowing the rules and knowing when to break them. AI doesn’t feel joy, or sorrow, or any other emotion. Only humans do. I maintain that this will always be what makes human powered creativity full of depth.

 

An Emerald City Comic Con Reflection

Massive, fun, interesting, overwhelming, frustrating, joyful, and full - these are just a few words to sum up my experience at Emerald City Comic Con last weekend, from Thursday through Sunday.

Authors from left to right: Peter V. Brett, Saara El-Arifi, Django Wexler, Katherine Arden, Terry Brooks, and moderator Madeleine Roux.

It was my first ECCC, and I loved the panels with writers they had for the literary track. I didn’t get to meet, but at least did get to see, Terry Brooks (Shannara, Magic Kingdom for Sale).

Authors: Jasmine Skye and Marissa Meyer on the Battle of the Tropes panel. (Yes, I wish I had a better picture.)

I finally met Marissa Meyer (Cinder, Renegades, and more) and she was also on two panels and a spotlight session I attended. Friday was my best day at the con, when I managed to go to three panels, a spotlight, and a class on fighting in fiction.

Left to right: Moderator, Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, and John Rhys-Davies

Saturday was the day I only really made one event - the Lord of the Rings event on the main stage, which meant I had to stand in line for two hours. Lines were mismanaged and there were three rows of empty seats in the main stage area, which seats around 5000 people, but even with that, there wasn’t a way for everyone into that area. The crowd of 85,000 people were decked out in awesome cosplay, enthusiastic, and sweet, but I felt overwhelmed, and went home a bit early.

Sunday, in line, and taking photos with a few cosplayers. My friend has been to a number of comic cons before and knows how to pose. :)

On Sunday, my friend and I decided we wanted to meet Sean Astin (Goonies, LoTR, more) for an autograph and so we did that. This meant standing in line for hours, but we met some really nice people who we chatted with about various books, movies, and shows. I managed to sell an audio version of Liftoff and get a pre-order for Dark Blade: Forged, just by talking about writing, which was cool. When we met Sean Astin for the quick autograph session, he was kind and humble - talking about how wonderful the rest of the LoTR cast is and how he never expected so many fans would want to meet him. Then, we wandered through the merch tables, and they announced closing time. Where did the time go?

News

I will be on four panels at Norwescon, March 28-31! This event includes cosplay, panels, interviews, merch, and the Philip K. Dick awards. The panels are: “I Wrote a Song for My Story!” with Amanda Cherry, Metaerie, and Karen Eisenbrey; “Developing Strong Teen Characters” with Lish McBride, Kara Swanson, Karen Eisenbrey, and Anastasia Wilde; “Worldbuilding: The Burden of Being God” with Brenda Carre, Sandra Rosner, Thea Prieto, Lish McBride, and Kate Alice Marshall’ and “Short Stories vs Novels” with Camden Rose, Karen Eisenbrey, Tom D. Wright, and Kendare Blake. I’m excited to be a part of Norwescon this year!

I’m in the revision cave for a project and I will have news about it next month, I hope.

Are you looking for a #free, clean fantasy or scifi read? Check out this Book Funnel with over 70 authors and 80 books! This is only running until March 17th. https://books.bookfunnel.com/cleanepicfiction/c7jutgzu16

I have a book in The Galactic Mystery Bundle, curated by Simon Kewin! You can find out more at the Storybundle Website, but just to note, this sale is on for only two more weeks.