The Heroine's Journey: Let's Make New Connections

As writers, many of us have craft books sitting on our shelves. How many of them do you read in its entirety? Most of us barely don't get past chapter two.  

Maybe the words in the book aren’t for you right now. Maybe it’s asking for too much focus when you’ve got a wailing toddler and a hungry partner who burns water. Maybe the amount of work it calls for overwhelms you.  

I get it. But when a craft book comes along and pulls me to the last page, it’s something we should talk about. This book made rounds in both my book clubs. I swear I should go around the coffee shop and pass it out like mints for coffee breath.  

The Heroine’s Journey by Gail Carriger taught me things I didn’t know I wanted to know. On her back cover, she says,  

“Change your perspective. ”

— The Heroine's Journey by Gail Carriger

First, it’s not about books for girls. The Heroine’s Journey is genderless. Say that out loud twice.  

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A man staring up at heart button with zero likes.

Star Wars is a blueprint of the Hero’s Journey. This style of writing is almost one hundred percent of all blockbuster movies and books. The New Hope movie adheres to this prescription for writing a good story. The entire thing can be melted down into good versus evil. Luke wants to be the good guy and a Jedi like his father. Luke is after a thing.  

She mentions Twilight as a blueprint of the heroine’s journey. Bella wants to protect her family. Bella isn’t after a thing. She’s after connection. The story appealed to so many because we all crave connection. People can argue about her writing, but I’ll always remind you she’s made millions.  

(I’ll point to the uptick in depression and anxiety as we try to put Covid-19 to bed. We lost connection, and that lack of connection was harmful to us.) 

“Thus, when someone criticizes romance, I love to clap slowly and praise them for participating in two hundred years of misogyny.  ”

— The Heroine's Journey by Gail Carriger

There are beats that may apply to a heroine’s journey. I won’t list them because I want you to go buy her book at your favorite retailer. I will point out one thing that may help authors find out what kind of story they are writing.  

“Revenge and glory are not important.  ”

— The Heroine's Journey by Gail Carriger

If we go back to Twilight, Bella wants to be with Edward and her mom and dad safe in their separate lives. She isn’t looking for retribution. In fact, I’m not sure it would even occur to her as she’s written in the first book.  

I’ve write heroine’s journey books. At least I think so. While editing, I’m keeping notes of beats. Not all the beats have to be there, but most of them should correspond in your core story.  

One holdover for me is the guide. I love eclectic guides. Most of mine are older. In this current book, the guide is young, but older than time. I can’t help myself. Gotta write in a guide. It’s that wacky lady across the street who bedazzles her pink flamingos. I’ve done earthy woman guides. Sparkly ones. They’re all over my stories.  

While it doesn’t “fit” in the heroines’s journey, per se, I can see it as a piece of the connection the hero/heroine yearns to find.  

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Different color leaves hanging from a string.

I’ve been sitting here flipping through my highlighted copy of the Heroine’s Journey. Here’s a quote that came up in both my book clubs.  

They (readers) will write to you begging for the backstory of that fantastic Peruvian lesbian jaguar you wrote.  

This section discussed making your side character interesting and real. Plus, I want more about that guy, too. He should have his own book.  

One of my writer friends is writing a new book out of an old one. She’s amazing. Where I would flail in fear, she steps out and gets on with it. In writing a rough document to nail down some beats, she found herself frustrated. How did her book that was about connection not have all the beats in the book? 

In the end, it came down to you writing the story you’ve got in front of you. You can’t squish the story in the framework of anyone else’s beat rhythm. But I will say, most writers do this without the need to hen peck the book to death.  

What I want to make sure you take away from this is how monumental the book has been for me and the few writers I’ve gotten to talk about it with. This is a book that should be in every writer's book shelf with well-loved pages, flags, stickies and such.  

Have you read it? Let me know what you picked up from it. Such good stuff. Happy Writing!!! 

Three Book Series That Won Planning Ahead

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A Jack Russel sitting on a pool float where chic sunshades and accompanied by a rubber duckie

Spoilers ahead for Babylon 5, Harry Potter, and Lord of the Rings. 

I needed a blog idea. Sometimes the well runs dry. I asked my guy for a topic. I was watching Babylon 5 for the first time this year, and he told me, write about B5. Apparently, I’ve said “write what you know” too often. He’s taken it to heart. 

My mother is a sci/fi nut. I’ve seen Babylon 5 many times. She introduced it to me, and I’ve been finding solace in the space station spinning in the stars for years. 

There are some franchises that kill it with story. Babylon 5, Harry Potter, and Lord of the Rings all come to mind. Want to know what they all had in common? 

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A sunset over the beach waves and the sand with a mason jar filled with tiny lights sparkling.

The authors knew the entire story before they sat down and wrote the first words. The complete story. Maybe some details needed to be fully fleshed out, but Harry was always going to rebury the elder wand, Babylon 5 would be central to the war, and Frodo would carry the ring all that way. 

I’ve written the first draft of book one in a trilogy. More of an experiment. In my mind, I pictured the stories and where the whole thing would end and must admit, that’s some hard stuff to do. I stand in awe of writers who are creative enough to pave their own yellow brick road. 

Back to my love of Babylon 5. In the first episode, we see Sinclair finding out more about the “hole in his mind.” That builds for an entire season and is the building block for everything Valen does as he makes sure everything happens as it should. 

The series shines on the second or third run through. You see all the pieces laid out. The beauty of the story is how it builds. Shadows are there from the start. You see Londo’s greed and G’kar’s anger and how each is locked in mutual destruction. It's a tower of Legos and most everyone is in place for what follows. 

The publisher of Lord of the Rings cut it into three books. Tolkien wrote one book. He planted all the seeds that bloomed into a cohesive story filled with adventure and the cost of doing nothing and letting evil win. Things that happen in book one pay off in the later books because he wrote it all at the same time. Brilliant. 

I'm convinced Harry Potter became a phenomenon because of the connected stories. We watched these kids grown up with each turn of the page. Not only Harry, Ron and Hermione, but the others as well. Like a group of friends or a family of sorts. Rowling wrote notebooks filled with details and arcs for her characters. That meant she could ground the goal, motivation, and conflict. Delicious story. 

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Library book shelves with light shining on them.

Reader’s love finding out an object mentioned in book one has a purpose in book 3. Talk about deep point of view. The people you’re writing the story for connect to it on another level. 

I love stand-up comedy. Comedians do this all the time. They’ll have a joke in the first half that doesn’t pay off until the third act. The audience laughs even harder. They’ve been on the inside of the joke. They’re connected. The comedian has built a relationship with the audience. Powerful stuff. 

Do you have to know everything before you sit down and write? No. In fact, I would argue most writers might have a beginning and an end in mind, but it morphs once the writer sits at the keyboard. Pantser’s might have no idea at all besides a character they want to play with on the page. 

My readers want the connective magic. Who wouldn’t? 

There are many books and/or movies that were written this way. I chose these three because they’re my favorites. Plus, I’m always going back to them for comfort when the world gets to be too much. 

I would love to hear about more books/movies that you find with the whole series planned out. Please let me know what you think. Happy Writing.

Book Club

My critique group started a book club late last year. I’ve always been afraid of book club selections. Bad books, or not for me books are going to happen, but since trying the scribbler box I’m getting better at reading things I normally wouldn’t. 

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I think I was the last member to pick a book in our rotation. I spent a week trying to think of what to ask them to read. My books are high body count and sexy. Two of our members are on the sweet side of romance. I didn’t want to pick one of my flaming hot books. That didn’t feel right. 

The amount of vulnerability I felt was sky high and caught me off guard. I’ve read a ton of books. My choice should’ve been easy. Flip through my Goodreads, pick something and get on with it. But I vacillated. Asking others to read a book I love is like asking them to approve of my taste. What weird cyclical thinking. 

The next book I want my group to work on with me is an Urban Fantasy with a touch of romance. Our group started as a romance critique group. But we’ve all branched out and tried other things. I picked another Urban Fantasy to give them a taste of what's coming. 

I asked them to read Dead Witch Walking by Kim Harrison. This is a book I’ve read several times. It’s a series, so there would be more books in the universe if they liked it. A good choice. 

The book is about ninety-three thousand words and was published in two thousand and four. The chapters are several scenes long. The book is a New York Times bestseller. There are sixteen books total in this series at the time of this writing. 

If I boil the book down, it’s a paranormal bounty hunter book with a female lead. Elves, vampires, werewolves, and witches all make appearances. Sometimes as a bounty and other times as information hook ups. Living in the Hollows isn’t easy, but that makes for lots of fun adventures. 

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I’m not sure any of them enjoyed the book. They had lots to say, though. They loved the pixie Jenks. He’s a great sidekick. Always foul mouthed and sometimes comic relief. No one said much about the vampire. I found that interesting since I know what a big part she plays in later books. 

I won’t type out their criticisms. That feels wrong. But, I don’t think any of them are going to read any of the other books. They didn't hate it. But it's interesting how critical we were of a book with a solid track record at a traditional publisher. Perhaps we're too hard on ourselves as well. Something to work on. 

Does that mean my book choice was a bust? No. They all read it. The bonus is that some of the groundwork for my project with them has already been laid. Plus, they got a brief insight into my brain. Scary, but good. 

If you can’t find a book club, make one yourself. You can meet online. There doesn't need to be any pressure. Easy Peasy. Learning about new to you genre or author can make you a better writer. Don’t overthink it. Happy Writing.

I Thought My First Quarter of the Writing Year Burned to Ash

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The first quarter of twenty twenty-two disappeared with me flaying myself for not getting anything done. Similar to other Americans, I suffer from "must be busy and productive" syndrome. Busy, busy, busy. You’ve got to cram in as much as you can.  

There wasn’t much happening around here writing wise. No, let's be more honest about that. Zero fiction writing happened in the first quarter. NONE. It hurts to even type that. 

When I sat down to evaluate my yearly goals and adjust the second quarter goals, I discovered even when I’m not on point, I still get some things done. This hit me in the face like Will Smith slapped Chris Rock. 

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Let's look at the numbers.

The three projects I wanted to complete in The First Quarter: 

1.     Get more followers on Instagram.

2.     Finish Killing me. Has twenty thousand to go.

3.     Finish Rescue me. Has nineteen thousand to go.  

I got more Instagram followers. Not as many as I wished for, but forward we go. All quarter long, I was consistent in my messaging and in my posting. I use Plann to schedule and edit photos. While I’m getting better at it, I’m not aggressive. Maybe that’s the introvert in me.  

Nothing got done of Goal two or Goal Three. NOTHING.  

What did I get done? Here are few things I marked off from my annual goal list? 

• I blogged every Wednesday. I think there was a time I missed. Maybe two. But I’m happy with where I’m at with this goal for quarter two.

• I took another Canva class and completed a Pacing Class I’d signed up for last year. Down to four more classes I need to take to make my goal of six classes this year. For the next six months, I’m taking a self branding class. It includes social media, graphics, substack, newsletters, articles and such. It’s packed. Looking forward to it.

• I cleaned my Dropbox. Couldn’t believe I would ever get through that. I spent fifteen minutes a day moving files around. Glad to have this off the list. Now I need a better system for book folders.

• I’ve been active in the four writing groups I’m a member of. Am I really using the groups or just paying them money? If I’m not engaged, then I need to cut my losses.

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Listen, I’m happy I got stuff done even though I didn’t know I was doing it, but if I didn’t write goals down, I wouldn’t have anything to compare my first quarter to. Having the list of projects every quarter helps me. And while I admit to burying my head in the sand occasionally, knowing really is better than not knowing.  

Having things written means I remember most things I want to get done. Sometimes I ignore them. The voices in my mind have been quiet while I read other books, work on health goals, and try to be a better human. We can’t get everything done at once. This quarter I worked on other things.  

There are some problems I'm not sure how to fix, though. Am I stuck in my plot black moments and that’s why I’m not able to finish two books in a row? How can I keep the pace of last year’s writing when I’m committed to other things this year? Do I play with the amount of words I write at a time?  

I’ve not been brave enough to write next quarters goals. Right now, I plan to get through this week and percolate over the weekend on the next three months.  

Where are you at with your writing? Are you getting words on the page? 

My Dogs Are My Best Writing Champions

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Happy National Puppy day! 

I’ve always been an animal person. Growing up, I was horse mad. Everything was horses. I think my mom even helped me put horse pictures on a childhood bedroom wall.  

Dogs were next. Every dog needs to be greeted, given a pet, and told what a wonderful dog they are. I ascribe to the cult of “Dog hair is my glitter.” A nurse who came to the house didn’t want to sit down because she was allergic to dogs. She was here for seven hours. Another was deathly afraid. She jumped towards the front door and screamed like a hyena smelling red meat the moment she saw the pups. We’re pro dog.  

I’ve had hamsters. Fish tanks. And I still want to live somewhere I can keep a chicken coop as a hobby.

This is not about dog versus cats. I’ve had both. But my best connection is with dogs. That’s my sweet spot. If you’re a cat person, give me a comment and maybe you can write a guest spot and speak to other cat folks. 

Let’s talk about how my pups help me as a writer.  

They don’t let me sleep. My puppy, who just turned one, is a licker kisser. She has a bounce, bounce, pounce movement as she lands on you. Then her tongue streaks across on your eyeball. You don’t sleep through that. If I want to wallow, I can’t. That’s a good thing.  

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My old man, eight this winter, is a cuddler. His body is always touching one of his human parents. That means he’s underfoot or sucked up against you while you sit or lie down. It keeps you on your toes. His body heat is divine in the winter. But he sleeps ON you. He leans into you until one of your legs slips off the bed. Then you’re on your side, balancing on the edge. Falling out of bed isn’t the best wake up and go plan. But you don’t sleep.  

I’m in a slump writing wise. Reading bestsellers helps me write better. But writing better still doesn’t make me sure about sticking to my writing guns. Finn, my boy, doesn’t put up with my moods. I get a lick, a cuddle and then a look that says, “Get on with it, woman.” His empathy only goes so far.  

Luna, my girl puppy, is enthusiastic in everything she does. And she does it all. Energy to spare, runs, jumps, hops, licks, eats and sleeps with as much energy as she can muster. It’s hard to stay in a black hole when she’s loving on you. All her pure love is the best when I despair about how I can’t seem to wrestle an original idea onto the page. She’s irresistible. 

KButler

Finn knows when I start a new project. The notecards, post it's, stickers, a planner, and such land in the middle of the bed. I sometimes wonder if he’s like “Oh god, not again.” His eyes are soulful. Maybe he knows how much it hurts to write. Like a Buddhist, you stand nose to nose with suffering.  

Luna doesn’t know my process yet. But, she loves bright colors. The last book I wrote was assigned to purple as a color. She ate purple post its, chewed the corners of the notecards and would goat hop into my lap while I was holding my laptop. She’s helping. Honest. It’s hard to get super wrapped up in a storyline when she’s making you crazy. You end up laughing and moving on. No rumination allowed. 

Finn has helped me write eight books. He stuck next to me as I tried to make what was in my head appear on the page. I often tell him how silly my characters are and why can’t they get their crap together. I’ve stared down into his eyes and talk over plot points. He doesn’t say much. But he cuddles like a champ.  

Luna talks. A lot. Not as much as a husky, but it’s steady. She’ll have an entire conversation with you. The little girl makes more sounds than a mixer. I’m never sure if she’s agreeing with me or not. Maybe it doesn’t matter.

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I can write about a thousand things to show you how my dogs add to me as a writer. Here’s the most important thing they bring to the table. They remind you to be human.  

The dogs want to play; we play. One of them will come get us for their dinner time. The other goes to bed at 10:30 PM. Sharp. He’s not kidding. Artists don’t tend to be timekeepers. Their schedule smooths out mine. But they make me stop and consider what they want. Remind me the work will still be there when I get to it next. 

Everyone needs someone. If you’re in a place where you need support, consider a pet. If you’ve never had a pet, volunteer at a local shelter and see what rings your bell. Plus, you’ll learn how to take care of one.  

Embrace some of the chaos and then use it as fuel for your story. Now go find a puppy to kiss. Happy Writing.

It's Ok to Not Be Ok as a Writer

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Most of the time, I'm confident about my work. Maybe eighty-five percent of the time. Then there are moments that make me doubt why I even get up in the morning.  

Brandon Sanderson is already brilliant. His teaching videos on YouTube have been inspiring some of my world building.

 Today he announced he has written four extra novels (and a possible graphic novel) while in COVID-19 quarantine.  

Yes. He did. In case you’re not familiar with him, he writes long books. Robert Jordan did too. And Brandon finished The Wheel of Time series out after the author's death. He’s talented as hell and a nice person.  

But did he have to write four extra books on top of his already full release schedule?  

I closed my eyes after reading about his announcement and subsequent Kickstarter. I’m writing this on Tuesday at 8pm. The Kickstarter sits at 11.6 million dollars. Watch his announcement video for all the details.  

My point is he writes like a machine. Excellent writing. Stuff that keeps fans craving any book he writes. 

You want to know the most common trait of bestselling authors? They write regularly. Many write daily. It’s a job and a pleasure most of the time. Whether a book hits the lists can be guess work for an author. But if you’ve got incredible output, you rake in the rewards. I’m not just talking about money.  

Consistency is the number one lesson. Period. If you don’t practice writing, your writing will never improve. You must want it enough to write when it’s a tough story that has you frustrated. Or when you’ve got a headache or want a mental health day.  

But full-time writers are writing all the time, even if words aren't dribbling out through their fingers. They’re IN their stories. Those writers that do in person research weave in the little stories from the surrounding setting into the tapestry of their books.  

Photo by Kostiantyn Stupak from Pexels

I don’t always get words down. There are excuses. Of course there are. But I’m doing something writing related every single day I draw breath.

Today I was playing tug with the puppy when I realized my hero couldn’t act very heroic at this point in the story. It’s one of his flaws. We all have them. The idea of how to resolve this struck me when the puppy threw the toy at my head. Bam.  

But I sure didn’t write five extra stories in 2020 and 2021. That’s on me. 

He’s calling the books his secret. When I heard about his secret, my head drooped like a sedated horse. Awake but not aware. In my mind, I could hear things. “You just don’t want it enough.” Or “You need to be more professional and get product ready to go.” There were some darker ones where I wondered if I should even show up to the keyboard today.  

That’s on me. That’s my head space. That’s something I’m going to have to resolve soon. 

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I reframed and repented with a few seconds. In my head, I opened a garbage can and let all the muck squish its way out of my mind. What he did is fantastic. I want to do that. But do I really? There is always that lingering doubt nibbling away at anything broadcasting with joy.  

No. I don’t have that kind of time. Oh, we all have the same twenty-four hours. And I spend considerable time consuming instead of creating. Could I do what he did? I’m not sure I could even if I buckled down.  

Here’s what I know. Where I’m at today doesn’t leave room for that kind of output. I have written more in the last couple of years than ever before in my life. But I’m not that kind of writer right now.  

You know what's awesome. I can cheer him on and not pile unneeded goo all over my brain. When I celebrate with other people, the world opens up for me. Love for others opens more doors than being a jealous jerk ever will. 

Please watch the video. It’s fun and also a love letter to fans and other writers. I can’t wait to read the first book. 

What do you think of his secret projects? Are you looking forward to the extra stories?

Book Club Read: Open House

We all have our comfy reads. These include the authors we love and are a must buy. I revisit my favorite books over and over again. But I must be careful not to stay in the familiar. What happens when I read something different? 

It’s 2022. Book clubs have had a resurgence, but I’ve always been afraid of them. Women’s fiction isn’t my thing. General fiction's a no. I like genre stuff. My main habits are Romance, Murder or Science Fiction and Fantasy books. Besides the books, there is the in-person thing. Getting together for finger foods and wine sounds horrific.  

The Scribbler box I get every month often has books I would never find myself. It’s a smattering. Fiction, Non Fiction, and genre fiction all show up in the box. There are a few books I skipped. And that's ok. Not every book is for all humankind. One of my favorite finds was Scarlet Odyssey.  Rocked my world a bit. I love when someone writes something so unexpected it changes your world view.  

My second book club is from an art and crafts group on Patreon. I need to read the next book before Thursday. Sigh. I’m always behind. There is a zoom call once a month that is fun and upbeat. This month’s book is a children's book. It’s emotionally moving as the author spins adult themes into small sweet bites.   

My third book club selections are personal to the group. Maybe it’s someone we always wanted to read. We’ve had a couple of women’s fiction books and I think we did a craft book. We’ve been trying to get together on zoom to hang out and talk book talk.  

Photo by Svetlana🎞 from Pexels

This month we read Open House by Elizabeth Berg. I tag this one as Women’s Fiction. There is a hint of romance, but it’s not the center of the story. It’s about a woman who finds love and forgiveness for herself as she makes the choice to keep the big house after a divorce. She’s forced to take in lodgers. This rotating roster of characters teach all of us some lessons in being humans.  

All of us liked it. That isn’t always the case. Each of us found parts we thought spoke to us. We didn’t all pick the same passages either. The book stirred something deep for each reader.  

It’s written in the first person. Each chapter is a few scenes long. Each scene is curated to move you through the story. I’m not sure how a young person would feel about the book. It’s often exhausting to take in. As if my body is doing the work our protagonist is doing. That’s how well Elizabeth Berg writes. You’re living the story in first person. Brilliant.  

There was one lodger I thought was too over the top, but three people told me they didn’t think it was creepy. Interesting, right? What I get from others reading my work is I can never count on the reader having the experiences I did in the story. While I’m hopeful I have subtext, I'm not handling the arc of a recent divorcee who has a passion for Tiffany jewelry.  

One of my favorite quotes in the book. 

“When we were roommates in college, Rita had once asked, extremely gently, if my mother was mentally retarded. “No,” I said. “Just… Southern.” That was the only explanation I could come up with at the time.”

— Elizabeth Berg

I laughed until my belly hurt, and I snorted in my breath too fast. I get southern mother's. A breed of their own.

The biggest takeaway I took from this book is wrapping in an emotional setting. I’ve never been one for decorations in writing. My imagination can picture a tree. I don’t need to know the color of every single leaf dangling from it branches. I’ve got a writer friend for whom setting is another character. It’s so ingrained in the story that the work would be left unreadable without the place and time.  

Photo by Ricardo Esquivel from Pexels

But here in this book, the setting is draped with emotion. The house is what she’s keeping from her marriage. She is always in the rooms where her intact family had made so many memories. It’s in her face. I’m not sure I’ve ever noticed this in other works. I’m sure it’s there. This just happened to be the book where I noticed. She walks among the ghosts of the past with every room she visits.

Reading is a required duty if I want to write. Learning how other authors do it inspires me to try out new narratives. Plus, reading is fun.

Read stuff that isn’t in your wheelhouse. Pick a type of book you’d never pick up. Ask a friend or maybe a lady on the plane what’s she reading. Step outside your comfort zone. Be brave and dive in. There are so many nuggets waiting for you to find them.  

What book have you read that surprised you?

Creating a Reading Journal

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Last week we talked about building a book list. There is never a time when I don’t have a to be read pile on my kindle or in the stack of books on the shelf. Curating that list has saved me time, money and keeps me reading consistently. 

And I love data. Crunching those numbers makes me feel like I’m making progress in my life adventure. Goodreads has held my library for ten years, I think. Way back when I stood in front of my bookcase and scanned hundreds of books to get it on my Goodreads library. Now it pulls in my digital purchases automatically.  

There are thirteen hundred books on my bookshelf over on Goodreads. It’s not all the books I have ever read in my life, but it’s a decade’s worth. This year I’m keeping a close eye on my digital book journal over there. So far, I’ve read seven books.  

I’ve also been reading the same self-help book since the first of the year. Let’s talk about that. When is it okay to say goodbye to a book you can’t finish? There is nothing wrong with the book I’m reading. My belief right now is if I’m resisting something, it’s because it gets too close or under my skin. Then I need to turn and lean into it. But sometimes a book isn’t for me right now. There is nothing wrong with saving it for another day or to lay it down as not for you. I put these books on my “stopped reading” shelf.  

Goodreads is a digital option. It’s free and if you’re a reading person, you probably already have an account.

Now let’s talk about analog options.  

One of the crafty folks I follow started a book club for her Patreon. She then put up a video of making a reading journal with ink and stamps. Then she linked to two different people on YouTube who she'd used for inspiration.

For another analog idea, look at some of the planner sticker community. I love Creating and Co. Her shop is now all book themed. You can find all kinds of things to help you make a reading journal with stickers. She also has a video or two around about how to make book cover stickers for in your journal. 

This isn’t an exhaustive list of all the ideas out there. There are a couple of ready to go journals you can buy. There are so many Etsy folks who have printables and such. Look around until you find something that appeals to you.  

There are plenty of people out there who’ve rediscovered reading over the last two years. Finding a fun way to show your progress can be fun and insightful.  

Do you like any of these ideas? How do you track your reading?

What Are Your Reading Plans for 2022?

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All kinds of people make a commitment to reading X number of books in a year. Some have lists they want to read through. Others join a book club. Then there are those that fly by the seat of their pants. They read whatever appeals to them at the moment they sit down to read.  

I’ve always read books. As far back as I remember. Little chapter books, then middle grade fiction. I loved anything that was paranormal. The librarian in my middle school would quiz me about the books I’d read over night. By high school, my meager paycheck went for books more than clothes or makeup.  

I was streaming a comedy special on Netflix the other night when the comedian said he hadn’t read a book in maybe forever. He didn’t like to read. I’ve heard about these people, but I’ve never seen one in the wild. My gut plummeted, and I gasped. How can you not read? Like how? Seriously? 

Photo by Ichad Windhiagiri from Pexels

If you’re not a big reader, there are ways to get on the reading bandwagon. You may find you’re addicted to stories once you get going. 

Here are some ideas. 

I get a book a month from my Scribbler box. I try to read them all. I fail and that’s ok. Because I’m not picking the book, I usually get something I wouldn’t normally pick to read. It’s made me grow as both a reader and as a writer.  

I joined two book clubs. One is very structured while the other is laid back. These are books I wouldn’t choose to read. But they are less literary than the Scribbler box books. There hasn’t been an author that I’m so glad I got to read, but there were some stories that I’m glad I visited.  

My critique group is reading a book a month. I’ve learned so much from their reading choices. It explains to me more about who they are as a writer. This is an opportunity to help each other get better at the work we do. I’m ever so grateful for this group.  

The best way for me to find books is to wander a bookstore. I haven’t been in a bookstore or a library since COVID-19 wrecked the globe. I miss them so much. Now, I rely on Bookbub or Instagram to let me know about authors I already read. The Kindle store has plenty of discovery for new authors, but I miss the smell of books and coffee and running my fingers over the beautiful covers.  

This year I took a short course that included coming up with a reading list. I overestimated how much I can read, but I’m still going to give it a go. Sixty books in 2022. My kindle is my go-to reading tool. There are some books, like many self-help ones, that I feel like I need the book in hand to flip back and forth between things. 

All the books on the book list I made are nonfiction. But I’m squeezing in fiction. One of my favorite authors has a new book in a series I love coming out this month. I’m blocking off a day to sit and devour. It’s going to be a pizza or macaroni and cheese night.

You can ask a friend what they’re reading. We normally have things in common with friends. Maybe they are reading something you would be interested in. And I bet they will lend you a book to read.  

I’ve been given books at the airport. Someone has finished a book and passed it on to someone else they see reading. I love these books. There is an energy when you give someone a story. Almost always these books are fiction. The spines cracked and creased confirming the book has been well read. 

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels

If you don’t want to spend money on books, get them at the library. Go online and look for a book you’d like to start with. I pick out a few books on the kindle app and then go look to see what I can get at the library. I’ve been doing e-books while we’ve been hunkered down in our homes.  

My hope is you’ll find a new way to read new things. Look at bestseller lists and pick something there. Or talk to folks around you. I bet you have a coworker who you remembered reading during their lunch break. Ask them. Or the older woman on the train with a library book. We’re everywhere. Hit readers up for some recommendations.  

If you’re visiting my world, you’re probably already into books, but maybe I’ll have given you some ideas for how to find new books to plunder. 

Next week I want to talk about how I’m keeping track of what I read in twenty twenty-two. Come see how I turned my fingers black and blue and tried to get out of doing math.  

What are you reading right now?

New Year. New Goals. Hello 2022

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It’s that time of year. Everyone is bursting with energy after the holidays and saying goodbye to another year. Can I just say 2021 will not be my favorite year ever? Just saying.  

2022 has brought a serious amount of snow to my side of the world. This is Luna’s first snow. I loved to watch her play and stick her muzzle down in it. Seeing her frolic with something new reminded me I’m supposed to love what I do. To have that joyful, fun frame of mind when something new pops up. Because the way I’ve been acting, new stuff equals stress.  

Bbutler Luna’s first snow.

About the time my puppy changed my attitude, I realized that’s what I wanted to work on this year. Health. All kinds of health. Mental health. Relationship’s health. And I could eat a vegetable here and there for argument’s sake. Give my machine a detail, then treat it right.  

Luck was on my side when I couldn’t seem to nail down my goals for the year. As usual, the mysteries of the universe knew I needed to take a breather. It wasn’t until I had my word for the year that the goals seemed to line up like they’d been waiting for their starter pistol.  

I’m going to put this here because I don’t know who needs to hear it. I know I do. Maybe you do too. Good things don’t have to hurt. They don’t even have to be super hard work. Good things can be easy. Especially when you listen in on the clue’s life is dropping from the sky.  

After writing things down, here’s where things landed. I’ll include a couple of personal ones too, but this is geared more towards writing. 

• Finish “Killing Me.” It still has 20k to go.

• Finish “Rescue Me.” It still has 19k to go.

• Blog consistently. For me, that’s every Wednesday and sometimes on Friday.

• Do Nanowrimo.

• Write one fresh new book.

• Edit one book.

• Take six classes this year. A mix of personal interests and writing classes.

• Pull everything out of one software and transfer it into Scrivener.

• Keep track of my writing expenses.

• Take part in the four writing groups I’m a member of.

• Write every day in my five-year journal.

• Keep a reading log.

• Clean my Dropbox. It’s a disaster.

• Write 10 minutes every day.

• Do one fun activity every day. For me, this is gaming, or reading or watching a movie without checking my phone a gazillion times.

Sylwia Bartyzel

This is less than I did last year. At first, I wondered if I was selling myself short. No. I’m not. I’m making space for other things. The entire planet needs to concentrate on health. My wanting to slow the train down and then take a stroll doesn’t mean the train is going to be late. It means it will be in great condition when I get wherever I’m going. I’ve got a bet with myself. I’ll be better at what I do for taking a breath and getting grounded.  

My wish for you is that your year will be just as you need it to be. I love this meditation and send it out into the world. “Maybe you be healthy. May you be happy. May you be safe. May you live with ease.” Here’s to 2022! 

Book Friday: Love Warrior

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I try for no spoilers, but I fail sometimes. It’s an old book. Just read it. 

On a recommendation, I read Love Warrior by Glennon Doyle Melton. I don’t do book reviews. Not my thing. But I do like sharing things I’ve read because sometimes it opens a door for someone else.  

My recommendation friend described the book as a companion to Brene Brown's work. Specifically dealing with vulnerability. That’s something I’ve struggled with this year. Eager, I started the book that night on my kindle.  

Now, I went into this thinking a self-help book. It’s not. It’s so not. Please know that. It’s a memoir. Had I known this when I was reading, I could have saved myself some intense frustration.  

Xian Nguyen

It was an Oprah book pick. Love Warrior speaks to those who might be new to the love versus fear cycle. If you don’t know much about it, pick this one up and let this lady walk you through her house of horror.  

I wonder how it’s being shelved in bookstores? Is it a book about drug and alcohol recovery? The writer is very clear about her flaws in this area. Eating disorders? The writer has bulimia. Marriage saver kind of book? No, if you read the afterword and do a quick goggle search you’ll find out nothing lasts forever.  

If you are religious, many sections may offend you. I hope that makes you want to read it. There is much talk about sex (and if you do that goggle search, you’ll know why she hated sex.)  

There is drinking, drugging and carrying on. I think it’s in there so you can see the phoenix rise from the ashes. Some sections were very difficult to read. In those moments, had the book been a physical one, I’d have thrown it against the wall. I wish I could have given my brain a bath and cleaned it out. But the picture the words paint is powerful.  

She’s such a mess you end up rooting for her. Will she recover? What about her family? Her marriage?

It also gave me a very good view at how vulnerability could have saved her when she was ten. Had any adult probed a bit she may not have carried so much pain that she stuffed herself with food or alcohol. Pain is universal. While I had trouble reading about her party days, I recognized at the end that the story she tells is raw. Painfully raw. Radically raw.  

The facts: 

The book is sixty-eight thousand five hundred words long. There are three parts to the book, each covering a section of time. There are chapters, but there are also a million section breaks. But the book is cohesive. So, all that formatting did its job. The language grabs you. This is a page turner. Maybe that’s because you're watching a train wreck.

Nick Fewings

Also, it's a PSA for misuse of alcohol and drugs. She describes it so well I don’t know why anyone would touch the stuff. It isn’t preachy. It allows you to look over her shoulder as she tries to find her way with almost no help. 

If you are an Amazon Kindle Unlimited member, this is a free read. So, if you’re on the fence about reading it, does it get better than free? 

My recommendation friend was right on the money. It bursts with passages of vulnerability. Love Warrior will make you uncomfortable, but we all need to be challenged. If you’re looking for something to read, give it a whirl. Just have ice cream and a spoon and maybe some Kleenex. It’s a gut puncher.

Bestseller Post Mortem: Forgotten in Death

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This article is about the bones of this book. I don’t do book reviews. There will be spoilers ahead. 

My guy is listening to Forgotten in Death by JD Robb when he runs errands in town. He’s vibrates with the need to tell me about the story, but I don’t like spoilers. In defense, I read the book while curled up under a blanket in two long segments of time. Had to beat him to the end! 

The book is number fifty-three in the In Death series. All the books are revolve around a cop solving murders in the future. The location is almost always New York City. The book is ninety-five thousand words long. A full-length novel with the plot to match.  

The beginning of these books always has famous quotes. I look forward to them and fitting them to the mystery. The first scene usually starts when the main character gets to the murder scene. The reader's first impressions are Eve Dallas’s. Something else I expect and enjoy. 

“She lived unknown,
and few could know
When Lucy ceased to be;
But she is in her grave, and, oh,
The difference to me!”

— William Wordsworth

“I do perceive here a divided duty.”

— William Shakespeare

There are twenty-three chapters. They move fast. The pacing solid. You move with Eve as she tries to find all the pieces to give the victims their justice. The weaving of description and dialogue is balanced enough you aren’t slowed down by it.  

The secondary characters make the story alive. These players who move in and out of the books have arcs of their own. This makes this series of books a must buy for me. I want to know what’s happening with all the people a reluctant Eve has taken on as she grows as a character. Can I just say I adore her for not knowing what to do with all the people in her life?  

It helps that the mysteries are more than window dressing. I’m always in awe of the skill to make the mystery compelling and folding in the characters in a way that is meaningful and not trite.  

ActionVance

The writing is relatable. I didn’t get bogged down or lost. One thing I’m learning from these bestsellers is a brilliant book doesn’t struggle with word choices. If the word “build” works, then it works. The book has a construction element. The author did not trip me up trying to find fifty different ways to say construction. What serves the story is what is said on the page. Makes the reading a joy. 

Bestsellers have at least one element in common. Great stories. I’ve heard a repeat bestseller say he has written over a hundred books, but only a fourth of them were bestsellers.  

If you are a writer, take heart. There is a bestseller inside you waiting for you to let it loose.

You Need a Good Book Binge

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The world has been a scary place in the last couple of weeks. My mind needed a break. A time out. Let me off this ride! 

My best go to is a good book binge. I’ve never asked friends if they do this, but I love one. Often, I don’t even realize I’m bingeing until I’m in the middle of it.  

Jasmin Whiscy

Here’s what normally happens. Life. In my brain, an avalanche is bearing down on me. Whatever pressure lands on me, I search for a backdoor out of there. I’ll pick up my kindle and start browsing. This week a bookbub email reminded me about a Patricia Briggs series I hadn’t finished. She writes a book a year and has several series going. I lose track of when things come out. Thankfully, my kindle is ready to sell all kinds of books. 

I started with the first book and inhaled it over an afternoon. My guy feeds and waters me, but otherwise lets me read. He’s a very intelligent man. The dogs wander in and out as I laze around under a comfy blanket, reading. Sometimes I laugh, or maybe I gasp. If I do the latter, I’ll have both dogs in my face wondering what’s wrong.  

My finger hit buy on book two before I thought about it. I continued on reading book three then four. Then I slowed down. I was about thirty-six hours into my binge. The series list warned me there were only two books left. Did I want to read them all now? Or save them as a treat for later? 

Then my mind thought about old books that reminded me of the series I’d been eating up. I started searching my library. Turns out I’ve got over about eleven hundred books in my Goodreads library. Desperate, I started googling for the books I thought I was looking for. After about half an hour, I found the exact trilogy I wanted.  

They were short books. Maybe sixty thousand words. I blazed through them and then I wanted more. More action, more scenarios, so many more words needed to cool my stress levels. While I hunted, I visited old books I hadn’t read in a very long time. Like years. I remember most of them in vague ways. Snippets in my head were “Wolf and his secretary caught in a snowstorm.” Or “A wolf on leave from the military stuck in a snowstorm.”  

Whether the stories were short or longer, I worked my way through nine books in a couple of days. Exhausted and with my anxieties squashed, I got back to the land of the living. There were emails and texts and things that required my attention, but overall, my soul was in a better place for taking the time to rest my brain.  

The best distractions are stories. Whether you want to read, or listen to a book, maybe watch a movie or dog videos, they all are stories. As a creator of stories, letting myself float in words fills up my story bank. If you write, you need to read. Fill up your own story bank and then write the books you’re meant to.

Bestseller Postmortem: It Ends With Us

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This go round we’re looking at a top ten bestseller It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover.  

This article is about the bones of this book. I don’t do book reviews. There will be spoilers ahead.  

On first glance, I didn’t want to read this book. The subject isn’t something I like to read about. I will not put a trigger warning per se, but domestic violence fingerprints are everywhere in the text. It is the story.  

The book comes in at about ninety-seven thousands words. This is a standalone fiction book. Single title. There are no fancy words or things you need to look up. Plain-spoken, with an insidious rhythm that never lets you go.  

The dedication of the book mentions her father and her mother. It is clear before the book starts that it revolves around stories most of us would rather hide in a box somewhere and forget about. I followed the train wreck and took a few notes regarding how she made a tough topic palatable. These are actual people dealing with real-world problems. No rainbows or unicorns. 

Charl Folscher

“We are all just people who sometimes do bad things.” This quote in the beginning chapter could be the logline for the stories in the rest of the piece. The power of that one sentence will stay with me.  

The emotional and often surprising major plot line moves through time. I don’t enjoy a book with time bouncing. I dislike it. I disliked it in this book as well. It’s a device I’ll probably avoid until I can get a better grip on what throws a reader out of the story. While it’s well done, I still wanted to skip those parts because flashbacks, memories and time hopping annoy the heck out of me. 

The book is set up in two parts. I could’ve done without the two parts division. But when the timeline skips around, this setup can be useful. The chapters are long. The sentence structure is long. The book is long. But you won’t notice because you’re being pulled by the conflicts written on the page.  

I’ll step out here and say when you get the writing advice to “Write what you know” do that. The author's trauma allowed her to write a deeply vulnerable book. So much laundry aired out. Her personal experience packs a punch.  

GR Stocks

The stench of domestic violence and its legacy in families is shown with heartbreaking clarity. Why do we make the decisions we make? How we resolve to be different and then find ourselves in the middle of what we wanted to avoid. The creeping up past your lines in the sand until you don’t recognize yourself. The little bites taken out of our soul.  

This book’s feelings meter red lined so many times. I learned so much reading this one. An unexpected rollercoaster that had me staring inside myself and remembering no one is perfect. We should all stop trying and get on with the living.  

If you want to see how goal, motivation and conflict can be almost entirely emotional without big outside factors, pick this one up. But I warn you, you’ll walk away from this book different from when you went in.  

Resources & support for anyone in the U.S. affected by intimate partner violence 24/7/365. 1-800-799-7233. Chat at http://thehotline.org | Text "START" to 88788.

Did You Buy a Book Last year? Everyone else did.

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I noticed a new Lynsay Sands book in my kindle recommendations. Since I’m writing an alien romance at the moment, I could indulge in some vampire shenanigans.  

My kindle bundles book series together now. Sometimes that’s confusing. A couple of times it’s pointed out where I’m at in a series. They also have the series book numbers listed on the covers. Saves me so much time and angst. 

Samson Katt

I thought I had read all the Argeneau books. Turns out I’m missing a few. If nothing else, kindle has found a great way to get me to buy more books! 

2020 had challenges. No lie. But when people say you learn the most from hardship, they were spitting out the whole truth. One thing people did all over the world was read books. Sales were up. Both print and ebook sales. If you had a story to tell, there was someone who would read it.  

I always buy a bunch of books. My guy is almost as bad, so we can at least give each other some slack on book budgets. Amazon’s strategy to make books more organized while showing you what you are missing is the best book selling tactic I’ve seen in a while. Worked on me. More than once. 

Most readers have authors they always buy. It’s a nirvana we want to reach as authors. Those avid fans give us momentum and not just in sales. When we have a critical review or can’t seem to get the new manuscript under control, we need a boost.  

Writing workshops teach social media is the key to nirvana. We should show our lives and not just our books on all the channels. It’s key to sales? 

Maybe it is, but I don’t follow a single author on my Twitter or Facebook page. I follow one on Instagram, but her feed isn’t very exciting. Amazon showed me authors I already love to read and pointed out books I’d missed. Cha Ching.  

When I ask writer friends if they follow author’s social media, I get mixed results. Some follow authors we know to give them a boost, but it’s not really a fan thing. Most say they don’t follow anyone but authors they want to emulate. My guy follows a couple of authors to keep up on new book releases. I thought that would be the number one way to convert outreach to sales.  

Amazon sold me books without me even shopping for new books. Hell of a return on investment, right?  

Cottonbro

When I’m in the mood for a new book, I will search a couple of author names on Amazon. That’s as much keeping up as I do. The authors in my stable cycle. Sometimes historical, other times sci fi and all the time romance books land on my kindle depending on my mood. But Amazon knows and hooks me while I'm surfing for a doggie pool or ponytail holders.  

Lynsay Sands also writes Scottish Historical novels. I bought a few of those while I was buying the vampire novels. They were there and then they were on my kindle. I looked at Grace Goodwin alien romances. Way steamy. Caution for those who like sweet over spicy. That lead me over to Yasmine Galenorn. Bought a new book of hers and lost an afternoon to reading.  

I used to discover books as I wandered aisles. Great covers and familiar names. I’d pick up four or five books, read a few pages and decide if it was a buy or not. That method waned as the only bookstore near me stopped carrying any midlist authors and almost no backlist unless a new NYT author puts out a new book in a wildly popular series.  

Amazon has figured out a way to sell me books I didn’t even know I wanted.  

I can’t help but think how much that helped readers find new books to love and talk about. What I’m really hoping is that new readers keep the book machine humming.  

Did you buy more books than usual in the last sixteen months? What did you read? Leave a comment below. I would love to hear from you.  

Making Mud Mama.

Kimberly Butler

P.S. The new puppy is growing and chewing her way through the house. Good times. 

Author Anne Bishop

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“I wouldn’t have known about the dead man if I hadn’t walked into the kitchen at the exact moment my one and only lodger about to warm up an eyeball in the wave-cooker.”

— Lake Silence by Anne Bishop

That sentence above is my favorite first line. The best one I’ve read in any book ever. I’ll admit to looking at my own first lines. Nothing will ever beat hers, but I’ll get close as I get better at my craft. 

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The Black Jewels Trilogy introduced me to Anne Bishop’s dark fantasy. Most of what I’ve read of hers has focused on female heroines. She makes them strong willed while keeping the heroines vulnerable. The emotional arcs are so clear you can’t misunderstand her intent.  

I read the trilogy a long time ago. I’ve never forgotten them. They’ve won awards because they are powerful stories almost everyone can relate to. And yes, I've recommended them more times than I can count. 

There are very few authors I want to hear about. I don’t subscribe to twitter handles or stalk Facebook pages or groups. The occasional newsletter here and there. Mostly, I rely on Amazon or Bookbub to tell me about new offerings.

I’m not sure, but I think I stumbled over “Written in blood” at a bookstore. In fact, it might have been someone else who pointed it out to me. The book is delicious. Once again, dark. The heroine is plucky, but still innocent. She couldn’t write fast enough for me. I have bought every new book in the series day one.  

Many of my own stories are female centric. Men have their moments, but arc wise, I lean towards girls/women. It’s probably why I read so many female authors.  

She’s written other books to add on to The Black Jewels Trilogy. I haven’t read them all. The core three complete the story for me. They ended in a place I’m happy with. But there are possibilities in the new books. We’ll see how long I take to inhale them all.

Her books are dense. You’ll want to pay attention to every line. There is an economy of words in everything she writes. Every single sentence matters. I learn with every book I read.  

“Half blinded by the storm, she stumbled into the open area between two buildings.”

— First line “Written in Blood.” Anne Bishop

Amazon

 Good books change you. That counts for non-fiction and fiction. Maybe I learn something I didn’t know. Maybe I think about something from another perspective. Maybe the books ask me questions I’m almost uncomfortable answering.

Dark books bring it home for me. Something in the balance between good and not good. I won’t say evil. Evil exists, but the darkness in a book is blunted by the fact you can close the book and move on. Real evil effects the rest of your time in your current skin suit. 

Give her stories a try. She weaves great characters with strong story elements. Her books will leave you wanting more.  

Let me know what you think of her work. Comment below or send me an email.

“One of Namid’s creations, both terrible and wondrous. ”

— Written in Blood by Anne Bishop

Romancing the Beat

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My writer friends are my best reliquary of things I need to learn and learn from. An elite group of writers who are always giving me ideas about something. One of them had some edits that were a quick turnaround back to her publisher. Then her editor asked for more romance.  

In stepped Romancing the Beat by Gwen Hayes. I’ve been using Jamie Gold’s Romancing the Beat excel spreadsheet for a few years. I don’t always pull it up when I begin a new project, but at some point, I need it. Especially since the last book had pacing problems.  

Romancing the Beat is short. I think it was 93 pages on my kindle. I’d say it's 24 or 25k words. There isn’t much fluff in the book. None. I appreciate someone who knows their subject and gets on with it.  

There is nothing magical about this book. Truly. If you are looking for a how to, this isn’t it. I don't know the intent of the author when writing it, but I can say as I’ve written more books, the text makes more and more sense.  

My copy is on my kindle. I’ll admit I’m considering buying the paperback so I can fill with notes, highlights and page flags. Office supplies make me happy! 

Here is a basic breakdown. Since there are so many products that reference the highlights, I’m going to put the rough list below. Please read the book. It’s short, but powerful. What I don’t want is anyone taking the list and coming up with their own interpretation of what everything means. 

See above

When I’m brainstorming, I like to keep a document with the beats. A rough guide of where I want to go with the story. Every time I write a book, I’m fighting the “oh, I’m not any good at this” portion of creative self-doubt. Typically, I find my way through the beats and create the GMC for my hero and heroine.  

I don’t keep to all the details I write. Things change. In fact, some of the most popular parts of my stories come when I'm in the midst of the work. There is space for inspiration. My process lets me come out with a skeleton plot, and then fill in the details as I write. A roadmap. 

What I love about the beat sheet is I can plug in my word count goal and then see a breakdown of about where things should happen by what page of the book.

People don’t always believe me, but creative works rally around standards no one ever comments on. I was lucky enough to attend an Alexandra Sokoloff workshop. She used a movie to map out the beats of a story. Don’t read her books if you ever want to enjoy a movie again. I can time the beats in most movies, tv shows and books. I’m a better writer for it, but there was a tradeoff.  

Ali Kazal

Using the beat sheet helps me make sure I’m telling a story in a way a reader will follow and sink into. There is always one person in every class who always raises their hand and says, “I don’t want my work to be formulaic.” Seriously, at least one.  

Every single story has been told before. Every. Single. One. In fact, as writers, we are always taking an old story and updating it, adding a twist and taking readers along for the ride. I always give the example of a table of writers. Eight of us in a writing sprint. We’re given a prompt to follow. Every table, and there are about 10, gets the same prompt, but we didn’t know that.

The prompt was about a woman who gets a box in the mail. That’s it. Write. Almost 100 writers in a room, same prompt. Not a single story was a repeat of any other. Not. One.  

Using a beat sheet in scrivener, excel, or a worksheet does not mean you’re going to write the same story everyone else is. Nor will it be a cookie cutter story. Although, I will warn you, the beats happen in the same general places no matter what type of book you’re writing.  

Gwen Hayes says she writes kissing books. I do too. I can time some beats. In most romance books, if it has sex scenes, the sex happens about halfway in the book. Obviously, hot books start with sex on the first page. (If you want an example of this, try Grace Goodwin’s Interstellar Bride books. Blazing hot first pages.)  

If you need some help herding all the ideas in your head, try Romancing the Beat. Use whatever tool you need to help you get your story told the best way possible. 

My friend finished her edits. She said she wore out her copy of the Romancing the Beat. I’m plotting something new. A trilogy or series. I’m not sure. Once again, I am using the spreadsheet to help me stay on track. Plus, it reminds me to make sure the emotional steps happen when they need to.  

What are your favorite writing books?

Favorite Author: Elizabeth Moon

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There may be spoilers below. Read at your own risk.  

If you’ve been around here for long, you might have picked up that I like female protagonists who are plucky and go for the brass ring. Possibly my favorite books of all time are Elizabeth Moon’s The Deed of Paksenarrion. I’ve bought it in mass paperback, as a trade sized three book bundle, and as a single volume on my kindle. I’ve recommended it to several people who love it as well. Some books sell themselves. 

Amazon.com

The original books came out in the eighties. First, The Sheepfarmers Daughter, next came Divided Allegiance, and finally Oath of Gold. The trilogy follows Paks as she joins an army, gets mixed up in things and how she comes out the other side.  

The first time I read these, I couldn’t put them down. Period. Took them everywhere to read in any downtime. I found out about Elizabeth Moon through a box of books for charity. She had a space opera out. Sassinak. Love this book. Plucky girl in a space navy. Once I had finished that one, I scoured my local mall bookstore and found Sheepfarmers Daughter. 

“In a sheepfarmers low stone house, high in the hills above Three Firs, two swords hang now above the mantelpiece. ”

— Elizabeth Moon, The Deed of Paksenarrion

The book begins with Paks leaving her home after her father tells her she must marry a man after she’s been clear she wouldn’t. What’s a sheepfarmers daughter to do now? Paks follows the road to the next town to catch up with a mercenary company who is recruiting. Off we go into the adventure with Paks at the helm.  

Military maneuvers make me want to cry. I’ll skip that stuff and get back to the dialogue. Elizabeth Moon served in the Marine Corps and had an interest in fencing. Her descriptions of the cohort’s training and movement were so well done that I didn’t realize how much of those scenes I’d actually read and retained.  

Almost every single one of my gaming characters has Paks somewhere in their name. No one has ever said they recognized it out loud. The courage of Paks infuses you as the reader. You’re marching in the mud or the dust. You’re practicing with poles. You live in the world as she does. You grow with her as moves in the ranks.  

“The things that were so bad, that hurt so. If I forget them, if I forget such things still happen, how can I help others?”

— Elizabeth Moon, The Deed of Paksenarrion

Part of the author’s skill is in teasing out the everyday moments of an army. The relationships between the recruits, the first battle, and of course there is an overarching evil that must be vanquished. You stay for the entire ride. There are books you finish and realize your entire weekend is behind you. You’ve got to go to work tomorrow. Delicious and exhausting.  

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Currently, I’ve been reading her Vatta’s War and Vatta’s Peace. Space opera stuff. I think I’ll read almost anything she writes. She hits my sweet spot. Lots of action and talking.  

I seem to trend towards female authors. It was never something I did with conscious thought. My guy pointed it out to me when we first combined our stuff and were sorting books. We both had boxes full. Movers really hate us.  

“It’s possible to like bad people, but liking them doesn’t make them good. ”

— Elizabeth Moon, The Deed of Paksenarrion

Elizabeth Moon has many awards for her writing. The worlds she populate sing with crystal clear intentions with an undercurrent of reality. It’s a fantasy world of sword and board. Recognizable to anyone who enjoys the genre. Yet with The Deed of Paksenarrion, she never let the story rest for too long. Bad things happen. Good things, too. Sort of like life.  

What books do you read and reread? I love new to me books.

Why you should be reading who you're querying

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Writing allows us to build worlds readers want to live in for a few hours. Agents help connect writers with the actual world while still appreciating the fictional world. Editors take what we write about our fictional world and give it some Botox with a side of slice and dice. Plumps things up while cutting others out. Full plastic surgeon treatment. 

If you are querying an editor, what got you there? Was it in a list of agents hungry for new submissions or an editor trying to fill slots in their publishing calendar? Do you like their work? 

What would happen if you looked at the books the agent or editor has it’s in current stable? You might find they like short fiction or poetry. Maybe they’ve had a run-on military books and are asking for FBI books now.  

It’s between sending out a message in a bottle versus an email address. The importance of finding the right button to push is epic.

Maria Tyutina

If you read some books they’ve bought and sold, you will find things like they prefer first person over third. I’m big on no backstory dump. One of my writer friends was reading a few books in a line her agent wanted to submit to. Turns out the line wants heavy backstory. Personally, I will put a book down for lazy writing before I finish the third page, but this line has a different view. I know never to submit to them. We aren’t a good fit. 

I remember another writer friend who had a goal of being published. Every writer wants that. But there are several other writers who want to be traditionally published, which means not doing anything self-publishing until we have a contract in hand. That surprised her. We all have our own idea of what success looks like.  

Editors and agents have their own ideas about their careers and what they think will help them succeed. The best way to figure out what they want from us is to read what they’re interested in. Read the books. Read them. Read.  

It’s not always full proof. Sometimes they take a chance on something and it doesn't sell. Maybe something else gets in the way. You’ve written a vampire romance, and it gets published. Then the Twilight books hit. Your story is on the back burner. Plus, your vampires don’t sparkle. It’s not a hit. The timing sucked.  

Geon George

That scenario happens, but it’s on the rare side. Agents and editors buy what they want they know will sell. Taking the time to read a book or two they’ve published gives your query letter a leg up. The knowledge lets you point out the things in your book that they like. Maybe they love a small-town romance or a sci-fi romance, but you can’t find a single military book in their stable. You might pull a different book from your archive to send to them.  

My question is why aren’t you reading their books? It’s like having inside information for a job interview. As a writer, you need to be reading all kinds of stuff. Being published is a brutal process. Give yourself as much of a leg up as you can.  

There are so many things that have to go right in order for anyone to earn a living writing. When I asked one writer who they had submitted to she wasn’t sure. I stared, befuddled.

Selling a book is like you are on a blind date. If you don’t even know the name or the house, you’re a bad blind date. Look, we all know it's a cattle call at pitchfest, but try. Look them up before you write the query letter. Please. 

There is room for all of us at the table. Find a fit that works for you. I want you to succeed and be happy about your level of success. Do a bit of digging and read the books.  

Anyone else have any thoughts? I love learning fresh ways to look at things.