If you get stuck with your story plot, don't panic. I say that, but then I always panic. I panic for no reason because the plot always ends up working out. What I do is I give the story a rest for a couple of days. I let the thoughts float around in my head and then, poof, an idea pops into my head. Sometimes it helps to write the thoughts into a notebook. I always have a notebook handy anyway because I usually get my ideas when I am away from my computer like in the shower or in bed.

Happy writing!

I am working on my new book and trying to work out holes in the plot. It is driving me crazy! The best way for me to work this out is to get out my notebook and write specific questions about the characters actions, and then answer that question. It helps me to make sure that the plot moves along and that the characters' actions are believable.

Personally I don't like books that are too predictable, but the plot has to be believable. One of my favorite historical romance series is Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series. The characters are very well-developed and believable Also the plot has many surprises in store for the reader.

Happy writing!

Awe-Struck E-Books

I am so excited! Awe-Struck has selected my manuscript to publish as an e-book. Of Water and Dragons will be available as an e-book in early 2007. It feels wonderful to have my ms selected by someone. I can still have paperback copies made available to those that prefer print books to e-books.

I am busy at work on my sequel to Of Water and Dragons. It is tentatively titled RavenWolf. I am very excited about the sequel as well. There will be many surprises in store for my main characters. I am also introducing some new and exciting characters.

Gotta run!

Romance review site

I have been super busy. Starting today, I am reviewing for Coffee Time Romance. I think it will be a good experience for me as a reader and as a writer. Other than that I have been sending out my books and press kits to other reviewers so I will have some reviews to post on my website.

My book has been selling on Ebay. Yeah! Never underestimate the power of the autograph. I list it as "signed by the author" and people are snapping it up.

Gotta run!

I am studying Shamanism to help me understand the ancient tribes of the Scottish Highlands. This isn't a stretch for me because I have studied Celtic magic and Wicca, but Shamanism is more of an internal journey rather than using spell casting. An excellent book that explains the entire process of Shamanism is The Spiral of Memory and Belonging, A Celtic Path of Soul and Kinship by Frank MacEowen. This book really shed light my own spirituality and the path my own life has taken in recent years. Shamanism is connecting with your ancestors and nature, even walking between the worlds of the living and that of the spirits. Drums, rattles or music can help you on this journey. Some people have spirit guides, ancestors or animals, which guide them on their spiritual journey. My spirit animal is the wolf.

When I write, I put on my favorite music and I journey to another place. Sometimes the characters take over and lead the story and I have no conscious control over the outcome. I have an indian drum that I will play when I get writer's block. It actually helps!

My Faery Realm site

Since the main character in my book is a faery woman, I have created a web page dedicated to faery lore. So far I have a long list of all kinds of faeries and I plan to build on that. For my next book I am researching the Tuatha de Danaans, the "shining ones" of Ireland. I plan to add a page on them since the information on these faeries is extensive. The reason I am bringing this up is that to help promote a book, it is a good idea to add free content to your website that is related to the subject of the book. Writing articles related to the book subject is another way to promote a book.

Happy writing!

Yahoo Group on Self-Publishing

There are many helpful groups online for people who write and self-publish. I belong to the Yahoo Group on Self-Publishing. I wish I had joined this group before I decided on a publisher, but what's done is done. There is a lot of good advice from this group, but some of the advice is a little harsh and can be discouraging to some. For example, there are some that say POD publishing will be a guarantee that your book will not get into bookstores. Now, I think that while it may take some work to get a POD book into bookstores, it isn't impossible. If the bookstore won't buy copies, then putting them in the store on consignment is an option. Also, gift shops may also be an option. My plan is to start with local stores and branch out from there. I just sold one of my books on Ebay as well. I think that anything is possible and in order to be a successful writer, you need to perservere and not get discouraged easily.

Happy writing!

An author site to check out

I found Janet's site to be very helpful to me. She has authored 13 books and has been quite successful at self-publishing, especially POD publishing, which is what I have done. For those who don't know, POD, stands for Print On Demand, and is a cheaper way to self-publish, but it is more difficult to get your books into bookstores this way. Janet Elaine Smith has an e-book called Promo Paks Plus that is very helpful to POD authors. She even goes through each section step-by-step to make it easier to understand. I found it to be quite helpful.

Happy writing!