I'm back blogging after a couple weeks away. One of those weeks I was in Las Vegas for the first time ever. What a place! Definitely somewhere to see at least once in your life. But it’s always wonderful to be home and get back to the usual routine. This week on the Romance Writers Weekly Blog Hop, we’ve been asked… Are you superstitious? Tell us about it. It’s coincidence this was the topic this week, but I think it’s timely because of my recent visits to casinos LOL! Good luck charms and favourite teams are definitely on the list of things people are superstitious about. While I wouldn’t think I go overboard on it, I did find myself gravitating to the same slot machines because I thought they “liked” me better. Riiiigggghhhtttt. When it comes to Friday the 13th, walking under ladders, and black cats, I’m not superstitious at all. But when we play cards, I don’t touch those dealt to me until the dealing is done, because my grandparents told me that was bad luck. And I have been known to get up and run around my chair to try and change my luck…another thing my grandmother said would work! What about you? Are you superstitious? I’d love to hear some of your good luck charms…maybe one will work for me! Then hop over to Andie Fenichel to read what she is...or isn't...superstitious about!
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This week on Romance Writers Weekly, Elizabeth Schechter asks: Playlists - what's in your Spotify? Lyrics or instrumental? What's your favorite writing jam? If you joined me from Clair Brett, welcome! Here’s the thing. When I started writing seriously about ten years ago, I didn’t want to be unavailable to my family for more hours than I already was, given I had a day job and had to write on evenings and weekends. My "office" became the living room, which is slightly separated from the kitchen and family room (where the TV lives). From there I could still help with homework, keep track of the hockey game on TV, monitor what was cooking on the stove, and generally be accessible if someone needed me. Adding music to the soundtrack already surrounding me would have been one distraction too many! Things have changed over the years, of course, and it is becoming more and more common for me to be along( or at least the house to be quiet) while I am doing my writing. I’ve grown so used to the background babble that I am finding the silence a little unnerving, and am not nearly as productive as I would like. In the new year, things are going to change again, as I am leaving my day job and plan to focus even more on my writing, which means a new routine is in order. I’ll definitely be exploring how music might help me keep up the word count and get the creative ideas flowing. Now it’s time to move on to instigator of this topic, Elizabeth Schechter. I am sure she’ll have much more concrete suggestions for music to writing by. And you should check out Elizabeth's newest release, FORGED IN FIRE. It's book two in her "Heir to the Firstborn" series. Find out more here!
Pre-order for only 99 cents, and it will be waiting for you when you wake up on Tuesday morning!
It’s drizzling as I write this, but yesterday was a true blue summer’s day, so here’s hoping the sun comes back to Northern BC soon. This week on the Romance Writers Weekly Blog Hop, Dani Jace says: We’re on our beach vacation this week. Post a recipe of your favorite summer cocktail or thirst quencher and your favorite place to drink it. Oh, yum! I love recipe swaps with RWW! I’m not a huge fan of sweet drinks, and one of my favourite flavours is lime. So you might be able to guess my favourite summer drink – a mojito! It’s even better if you make it with fresh mint from your own garden, but not required, of course. Some people like simple syrup in their mojitos, but I prefer them without. In a tall Collins glass, muddle together about 10 fresh mint leaves and 3 thin slices of lime. Add sugar (I only put in a half teaspoon, but if you like yours sweeter go ahead and add more to taste) and mix. Fill the glass half full of ice cubes, add an ounce of vodka and club soda to fill. Garnish with a wedge of lime (if you like to get fancy). As for my favourite place to drink a mojito – well, I was introduced to the drink on a beach in Puerto Vallarta, so that’s my holiday choice. But a hot sunny day in my own backyard is a very close second. What’s your favourite summer drink? Do you prefer sweet or sour? Feel free to share in the comments, then hop over to A.S. Fenichel for another summer drink recipe!
We’re back! The Romance Writers Weekly Blog Hop starts up a gain for 2019, and I’m leading things of. This is the time of year to set goals. But I think it is important make sure those goals are realistic and achievable, or all we do is set ourselves up for failure. What achievable goals are you setting for yourself this year? If you joined me from Dani Jace, welcome! Many of us have heard the term SMART goals: specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely. I think this is where a lot of people fail in their New Year's resolutions—they make them too broad (I’m going to exercise more this year) or so difficult they immediately fail (I’m never going to forget the kids at school) (Okay, maybe that last one isn’t THAT hard) that they give up almost before they’ve started. When I am writing a new manuscript, my goal is 500 words a day, seven days a week. If things are going really well, I let myself have one day off. I came up with the number by analyzing how long I wrote each evening (I only have so much energy after the day job and family chores) and also by my long-term goals for my writing. Since I don’t do it full time, I only expect myself to complete one manuscript a year. At 500 words a day, I can complete an 80,000 word novel in about five and a half months, which allows plenty for revisions, beta reading and more revisions within my one year timeline. I haven't released a new book since April 2016, as I’ve been working on a trilogy of romances about the Bendixon Sisters. While Book Three is still in revisions, Books One and Two are done from a writing standing point. This year, I’m setting myself the following goal: Release Bendixon Sisters Series in 2019: Allegro Court in March, Gateway Crescent in June, Crossroads Corner in September. Bonus Goal: Release an e-book Box Set in December. I’ve now independently published three books, so I know how much work goes into each. I have to line up reviewers to read advanced copies, hoping to have reviews pop up on my release day. I’ll have to buy some advertising to let people know what’s going on. I need to reactivate my newsletter. And there’s so much more. But all those things are subsidiaries to the main goal of releasing all three books this year. If I can do that, I’ll have achieved my goal, and have something solid to celebrate. What about you? What achievable goal are you hoping to reach this year? Leave a comment below, and I'll send you a sneak peak of the cover of Allegro Court before I reveal it on social media. And don't forget to keep the hop going with Leslie Hachtel - she's up next! Time is running out for you to join the Romance Writers Weekly Advent Treasure Hunt! Since December 2nd we've been posting holiday themed blogs on the RWW blog - and best of all, been giving you a chance to collect clues and maybe win a $100 Amazon Gift Card. To keep up with the posts, be sure to subscribe to the RWW blog, or follow us on Twitter or Facebook. Even better, do all three - that way you're sure not to miss out! We only have a few posts left before Christmas! Links below go to the writer's own websites. To enter the contest, visit the Romance Writers Weekly blog! POSTING SCHEDULE December 22 - Victoria Barbour December 23 - Carrie Elks December 24 - Sarah Hegger December 25 - Round Up & How to Enter So the members of Romance Writers Weekly decided to have some fun in among all the holiday chaos. On the RWW Blog, we've been posting about Holiday traditions, songs, stories and movies. To make it sweeter still, we have a treasure hunt buried in each post, giving you a chance to collect all the clues and a maybe even win a $100 Amazon Gift Card. Plus there will be daily prizes to win, so make sure to read each blog! To keep up with the posts, subscribe to the RWW Blog, or follow us on Twitter or Facebook. Even better, do all three - that way you're sure not to miss out! Here is the posting schedule. Links below are to the writers own websites. Be sure to go to the Romance Writers Weekly Blog to enter the contest! POSTING SCHEDULE December 15 - Collette Cameron December 16 - Gemma Brocato December 17 - Tracey Gee December 18 - S.C. Mitchell December 19 - Eden Ashe December 20 - Kristi Rose December 21 - Jo Richardson December 22 - Victoria Barbour December 23 - Carrie Elks December 24 - Sarah Hegger December 25 - Round Up & How to Enter It's my turn to blog about the holidays over at the Romance Writers Weekly blog. Click on over, and enter to win an e-copy of either Mountain Fire or Chef d'Amour - as well as get your chance at $100 Amazon gift card!
Here's the link. The Romance Writers Weekly Advent Giveaway is in full swing. If you have dropped by our blog, make sure you head there soon. You'll have a chance to collect the clues that will lead to someone wining a $100 Amazon Gift Card. Plus there will be daily prizes to win, so make sure to visit every day! To keep up with the posts, subscribe to the RWW blog, or follow us on Twitter or Facebook. Even better, do all three - that way you're sure not to miss out! Here's whose coming up next! Links below are to each writers personal site. For the contest, be sure to go to the Romance Writers Weekly Blog! POSTING SCHEDULE December 8 - Juliet Cross December 9 - Susan Scott Shelley December 10 - Brenda Margriet December 11 - Leslie Hachtel December 12 - Jami Denise December 13 - J.J. Devine December 14 - Xio Axelrod December 15 - Collette Cameron December 16 - Gemma Brocato December 17 - Tracey Gee December 18 - S.C. Mitchell December 19 - Eden Ashe December 20 - Kristi Rose December 21 - Jo Richardson December 22 - Victoria Barbour December 23 - Carrie Elks December 24 - Sarah Hegger December 25 - Round Up & How to Enter Happy Holidays! Or at least, myself and all the members of the Romance Writers' Weekly hope that they are. But we know what it's like to be moms, dads, daughters, sons, workers... you name it, we have it covered. It doesn't matter which hat you're wearing, December can be the most stressful and busiest time of the year. So we've decided to have some fun in among all the chaos. Starting tomorrow, visit the Romance Writers Weekly blog. We'll be posting once a day about Holiday traditions, songs, stories and movies, to remind ourselves of how much fun it can be. To make it sweeter still, we are going to have a treasure hunt buried in each post, giving you a chance to collect all the clues and maybe even win a $100 Amazon Gift Card. Plus there will be daily prizes, so make sure to visit every day! To keep up with the posts, subscribe to the RWW blog, or follow us on Twitter or Facebook. Even better, do all three - that way you're sure not to miss out! What are we waiting for... let's have some fun! Links below are to the writer's own websites. To enter the contest, be sure to visit the Romance Writers Weekly Blog! POSTING SCHEDULE December 2 - Katie O'Connor December 3 - Jeanne McDonald December 4 - Rebekah Ganiere December 5 - Betty Bolte December 6 - Veronica Forand December 7 - A.S. Fenichel December 8 - Juliet Cross December 9 - Susan Scott Shelley December 10 - Brenda Margriet December 11 - Leslie Hachtel December 12 - Jami Denise December 13 - J.J. Devine December 14 - Xio Axelrod December 15 - Collette Cameron December 16 - Gemma Brocato December 17 - Tracey Gee December 18 - S.C. Mitchell December 19 - Eden Ashe December 20 - Kristi Rose December 21 - Jo Richardson December 22 - Victoria Barbour December 23 - Carrie Elks December 24 - Sarah Hegger December 25 - Round Up & How to Enter |