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Sunday Snippet: The Cover Reveal Edition
YAY! I’m clapping hands and flinging myself about with joy at the arrival of the cover for Book 1 of my new Lange Brothers series from Tule Publishing! More stories from River’s Edge abound and Book 1, The Valentine Wager, hits the market on February 1, 2022. I’m delighted to share the cover here. Isn’t it gorgeous? I love the simple elegance of it and it sorta says it all about Ryker and Kitt’s romance. Here’s the back cover blurb: He’s a notorious flirt, so she lays down a challenge she’s sure she’ll win. When playboy police lieutenant Ryker Lange stops Kitt Boynton for driving on the wrong side of the road, his attraction…
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Sunday Snippet: The Discovery Edition
Several years ago, I attended an Indiana RWA event—Bob Mayer’s Write it Forward workshop. It was inspiring and Bob’s book, The Novel Writer’s Toolkit is one of my go-to references. He has lots of valuable things to say about writing and the process of writing. Another mentor is Lani Diane Rich, whose Chipperish Media’s How Story Works podcasts are an invaluable source of inspiration and education for any writer. From Lani, I learned about discovery—what begins my process when I write. All books begin with an idea, as Mayer says. That’s “the heart of your story.” For me, it’s mostly characters in my head banging around, begging for their stories…
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Sunday Snippet: The Moving Right Along Edition
And so we are. I’m finally out from under a rather large editing gig that was a particularly challenging one. I only have one project on my desk this week, although I am getting another at the end of the week, and so my plan is to write, write, write. I had the great news from my editor that Max’s book is on the way to the copy editor, along with warm congratulations that I’d nailed the story in revisions and she’s excited for the next one. Whew! That is always a marvelous message to receive. So the next one is underway and I’m learning the characters and their quirks…
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Snippet Sunday: The Real Snippet Edition
It’s been a busy week. I’ve got a couple of editing gigs going and I’m trying to write. We’ve been up at the lake since Thursday and although I love this place, I confess I’m more easily distracted when we are here. We won’t be coming up again until June, which is fine–we avoid the holiday weekends. It just gets too people-y for us. Husband’s had a good weekend–we put the boat in the water and that always makes him happy. Tomorrow I get to meet Liz for a writing day and that always makes me happy. I’m working on book 3 of the Lange Brothers series and it’s coming…
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Sunday Snippet: The Loving My Own Words Edition
When Liz and I were on retreat earlier this month, we spent a lot of time discussing our WIPs. At one point she read me something she’d just written and said, “I really love it. That’s so nice when you like your own stuff.” I had to agree. I have to confess, I am one of those writers who needs to do that—read what I wrote previously in order to get into writing mode. I sometimes wonder if that’s because I’m an editor in my heart (and in my day job), but I don’t think I’m the only writer who works this way. I’ve tried just picking up where I…
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Writing Retreat Report #3
I asked Liz what I should talk about in the report and she smiled and said, “Just that we had a good day.” And so we did. We got a lot of writing in, a lot of talking, and a lot of walking! After our writing session this morning, we walked into town for brunch at the Downtowner and wandered around a bit, although there wasn’t much to see because most of the shops aren’t open here yet. Lots still closed from Covid and actually the season here hasn’t truly begun yet. I did find a lovely pair of aquamarine earrings and Liz got a really cute top at a…
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Retreat Report #2
Hey, it’s Liz Flaherty here making myself at home on Nan’s blog. Hope you’re having a good day. We’re enjoying our time in Madison. We went out for a piece of pie this afternoon because the weather on my iPhone said it wasn’t going to rain for awhile. Well. Ahem. We did find out that all Nan’s sweetness and light (and a dose of chocolate and pecans) won’t dissolve when wet. We both thought she was carrying her umbrella when we left, and then when she couldn’t find it, we thought she left it in a store. A return stop there assured us she had not and gave me a…
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Retreat Report
We’re here and it’s been a good first day. Liz has gotten some writing done, I’ve gotten some other stuff done that needed doing, but I’m brewing the opening of Beck’s book, so I imagine I’ll start writing tomorrow. Our drive down was leisurely and fun. We stopped at charming little Stream Cliff Farm in Commiskey for an outdoor lunch and to buy some wine. I also got a gift for Husband because I love him and it was too sweet to pass up. Don’t tell him, though, it’s a surprise. Everyone had on their masks, which was nice. Our little cottage is adorable and we love it! It’s just…
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Sunday Snippet: The OMG, I’m So Excited Edition
Yup, I am about to jump out of my fur, I’m so excited! Liz and I are headed out tomorrow for our first writing retreat in well over a year and a half. Frankly, we’re both flipping around with joy! It’s been months since we’ve seen each other and I can’t wait to spend 4 days with her, writing, talking, drinking wine and coffee, eating, processing, catching up… it’s going to be glorious. The weather report for Madison, Indiana, which is where we’re headed sucks–I mean it truly sucks. Rain the entire time we are down there and cool-ish temps, so no fun spring clothes, but you know what? I…
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Sunday Snippet: The Do I Make Difference Edition
I love this bit of wisdom from John Matthew Fox—a writer and editor whose emails I subscribe to. It’s something that I’ve thought about in regard to my own books and then dismissed because it seemed unimaginable that my books would affect anyone beyond a few hours of pleasurable reading. But, as I struggled with the latest River’s Edge story—Max and Lauren’s—I came back to this snippet from Fox. Truth is, my words do matter and when I write them, even when I struggle with the story and it feels as if I’m pulling the words from the very depths of my soul, my books matter. They make a difference…