How Many Acts Can One Person Have?

Posted on February 8, 2016 by Joanne Guidoccio

Welcome to my Second Acts Series!

Today, we have Sister of Suspense author Marsha West sharing her multi-act life and her latest release, Act of Trust.

Here’s Marsha!

marshawest1 Apparently quite a few. Since I write about Second Chances, I especially appreciate being here at Joanne’s blog about Second Acts. Inspiring stories are told here!

If college was Act 1 where I studied theatre, speech, and English preparing to be an English teacher, then Act 2 was the three years I taught before getting married.

Following marriage, Mommyhood began Act 3. When you’re a mom, whether you work outside the home or not, life is structured by where your kids are in school and their activities. These were the years of serving on PTA boards, attending gymnastics meets, dance recitals, football games, traveling to cheerleading competitions, and musical performances. They continued into the girls’ college years.

Act 3, Scene 1 is when I ran and got defeated, ran again and was elected for two 4-year terms to the Fort Worth ISD Board of Education. That was 12 years of my life from when I was 40 to 52. Including the four years before I first ran when I’d observed school board meetings as a member of the American Association of University Women (AAUW), I attended school board meetings twice a month for 16 years.

Ultimately, that Act closed. I reluctantly did not to run for reelection after the second term for financial reasons. Our kids were approaching college age and instead of spending my hours volunteering, (School Board members in Texas aren’t paid) I needed to go back to teaching. (I have people tell me they wish I still sat on the board—nice for my ego—but then I’d have missed so many other experiences.)

Act 4. I was fortunate to get a job teaching theatre in a neighboring school district, setting up a drama program where there had only been a music program. For the next 4 years I immersed myself in that life, teaching & producing one-act plays, musicals, and the UIL One-Act competition. It was wonderful to see the growth of my students from their freshman year through their senior year. Several went on to work in theatre and teaching.

My Acts get a bit blurry now. I was still on the school board and teaching theatre when I began to work on a mid-management degree leading toward becoming a school administrator. I’d seen a poster in the lounge about the program and thought, “hmmm.”

Act 5 began when I got a job with the FWISD as an elementary assistant principal. I spent three wonderful years working with an awesome principal. We were in a good school of about 500 students (mixed ethnically and economically) with an active PTA—even an active Dad’s Club. I learned a ton. I made mistakes, but that’s how we learn.

Act 6 began when I was “promoted” and became principal of Riverside Applied Learning Center, a great little special interest elementary school. I won’t take time to explain what an awesome opportunity it is for kids to be in this kind of school. Here’s a link to school’s website for a brief explanation of what Applied Learning is. http://www.fwisd.org/pages/FWISD/Departments_Programs/Departments__A-K_/Choices/Elementary_School_Programs___S/Riverside_Applied_Learning_Cen

Act 6 Scene 2 After five years at Riverside, I was assigned to a much larger school, almost 800 students. A school that ran through principals about every 2 years. It was a school in transition from being an almost all white middle class to being predominantly African American with a smattering of Hispanics with a high percentage of low-income kids and families. What had been working wasn’t working any longer. It was stressful for everyone. The pressure to perform well on all the tests was enormous.

I worked longer and longer hours, and it became clear to me that my health was suffering. No one should work 14-hour days plus 8 and 6 hour days every Saturday and Sunday, and that’s what I was doing my last year in that school. After two years there, I retired the end of June in 2007.

Act 7 I didn’t realize it at the time, but I’d already begun this act—The Writer.

My mother had some health problems and to deal with the stress I went back to reading romance novels. Something I hadn’t done in over twenty years. My goodness those books had changed! Sex was no longer behind the closed door. The suspense was off the charts, too.

I had an idea for a book, which at 145 K words, was a tad long. LOL Besides which I knew nothing about the craft of writing genre fiction. I just told the story. When contest judges said I had a good story, but needed to take classes on POV and GMC, I didn’t know what they meant. 🙂 But I took their suggestions to heart and took classes, attended conferences, wrote, submitted, got rejected, wrote, sent to contests, got dreadful scores, took more classes, wrote, submitted, finalled in some contests, but got rejected. Continued to write. By the time I’d written my fourth book I was looking for small e-presses, and had decided if none of them wanted it, I’d self-publish.

Well, I got two offers and went with a small Canadian e-press. They published my first two books VERMONT ESCAPE and TRUTH BE TOLD. I learned about the publication business from them and now have self-published two books part of The Second Chances Series: SECOND ACT and ACT OF TRUST with plans for two more in the series.

Vermont Escape 200x300 (2) Truth Be Told 200x300(2) Second Act 200x300(2)

(Not a separate act, but an extension of Act 3 is grandparenthood, a lovely time for sure.)

FullSizeRender(2) Act 7, Scene 1 My husband and I are in the process of downsizing from our large house to a smaller one, but this cottage is on a lake 15 minutes from our daughters and grandkids. The views are inspiring and blood pressure lowering. We never anticipated this, but are incredibly grateful. (Lake Picture)

I’m not sure I planned a second or third act, much less a third or fourth. I just followed my husband’s advice: “Go through the open door.” When an opportunity presents itself, take it. When I decided to run for school board that first time, it was because the incumbent had decided not to run. I’d been talking about it for a couple of years, and it was put up or shut up time. I saw the sign on the teacher’s lounge bulletin board about the mid-management program and that propelled me in a new direction and through another door. I didn’t set out to have a career as an author. I just wrote that first book.

My personal motto is: “Keep on Keeping on.” If you want something, don’t give up, no matter how hard it is. There were so many times I nearly gave up on my writing, but I hung in there, and now I’m the proud author of 4 published books. I’m grateful to all the authors who helped me on this journey.

I discovered this next quote at the time I was leaving the school board. “In life, what sometimes appears to be an ending is really a new beginning.” After all these year, I still keep a copy of this one on my desk. The way I see it as long as you’re alive, you have new Acts ahead of you. Be a life-long learner and go through that open door.

Blurb for ACT OF TRUST, Book 2 The Second Chances Series

Act of Trust 200x300 (2) A widow since 9/11 and a mother of grown daughter, Kate Thompson wants to keep her and her daughter safe, but the inheritance of land in Maine pushes her out of her comfort zone in Texas and into the arms of a Maine lawyer.

Maine lawyer and environmentalist, Jim Donovan wants to protect Aunt Liddy’s land and keep it from falling into the hands of the developers, but first he has to convince Kate Thompson she should hold on to the family land when she doesn’t even want to go look at it. However, he’s unprepared for the attraction each feels for the other, but denies exists.

Will they be able to settle the land deal before anyone else is killed or they break each other’s hearts?

Buy Links

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | KOBO | Apple iTunes

Where to find Marsha…

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Newsletter Sign-up

Joanne here!

Marsha, I’m in awe of your accomplishments and wish you well with all your literary endeavors.

Interview with Judy Penz Sheluk

Posted on February 6, 2016 by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m visiting Judy Penz Sheluk’s blog and chatting about open mic readings and my writing journey.

If you have a few minutes, drop by Judy’s blog.

Inspiration Between the Lines

Posted on February 5, 2016 by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m thrilled to welcome Soul Mate author Linda Bradley to my blog. Today, Linda shares her favorite quotations and her debut novel, Maggie’s Way.

Here’s Linda!

lindabradleyphoto

It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.
Henry David Thoreau

This world is but a canvas to our imagination.
Henry David Thoreau

The world breaks everyone, and afterward, some are strong at the broken places.
Ernest Hemingway

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way – in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?
For my part I know nothing with any certainty, but the sight of the stars makes me dream.
I dream of painting and then I paint my dream.
Vincent Van Gogh
Me: I dream of words and I write them.

Write with the door closed, rewrite with the door open.
Stephen King

Sometimes you have to go on when you don’t feel like it, and sometimes you’re doing good work when it feels like all you’re managing is to shovel shit from a sitting position.
Stephen King

Some days you get the bear, other days the bear gets you
Proverb
Me: Dear Bear, Pride is righteous. Let’s not let it destroy the journey.

Set your course by the stars, not by the lights of every passing ship.
Omar Bradley

The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid.
Jane Austen

To sit in the shade on a fine day and look upon verdure is the most perfect refreshment.
Jane Austen

Harry: I have never lied to you, I have always told you some version of the truth.
Erica Barry: The truth doesn’t have versions, okay?
Something’s Gotta Give (Jack Nicholson/Dianne Keaton)
Me: I’m with Erica on this.

Put blinders on to those things that conspire to hold you back, especially the ones in your own head.
Meryl Streep

maggiesway

Blurb

Middle-aged, Maggie Abernathy just wants to recuperate from cancer during the solitude of summer vacation after a tiresome year of teaching second grade. Maggie’s plans are foiled when precocious seven-year-old, Chloe McIntyre moves in next door with her dad, John. Maggie’s life changes in a way she could never imagine when the pesky new neighbors steal her heart. With Maggie’s grown son away, her ex-husband in the shadows, her meddling mother’s unannounced visits, and Chloe McIntyre on her heels, somehow Maggie’s empty house becomes home again.

Buy Links

Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Bio

Linda’s inspiration comes from her favorite authors and life itself. Her women’s fiction highlights characters that peel away outer layers of life to discover the heart of their dreams with some unexpected twists and turns along the way. Her writing integrates humor found in everyday situations, as well as touching moments that make readers connect with her characters. Maggie’s Way is her debut novel, in her Montana Bound Series. She is currently working on Maggie’s Fork in the Road and Maggie’s Montana.

Linda has an Associates Degree in Interior Design and a Master’s Degree in Reading and Language Arts with undergraduate work in Elementary Education and Fine Arts. She wrote and illustrated a children’s book titled, The Hunter for her Master’s Degree. Linda is a member of RWA, as well as the Greater Detroit Chapter of RWA.

Linda has two grown sons, lives with her husband, and rescue dog in Royal Oak, Michigan.

Where to find Linda…

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Interview with Romance Debuts

Leave a comment – you could win an e-book of Maggie’s Way.

Spotlight on Scarred Protector

Posted on February 3, 2016 by Joanne Guidoccio

scarredPROTECTOR_505x825 (3)

Blurb

Angels and demons are not what you think. They are aliens, and the Midworlders are their representatives on Earth. An Angelic Midworlder called Heath goes to the aid of Evie who is about to be attacked by Demonics. He soon discovers she can see the angels and demons around her and is in grave danger. He is captivated by Evie who has physical and mental scars like him. They are tortured souls who are deeply connected by his past. There is an evil lurking inside Evie that could kill them both.

Excerpt

Heath’s wings erupted instantly from his back as he swooped down from the car park roof and caught Evie in his arms before she hit the ground. A fall from that height would have killed her and he refused to lose another person. It had been hundreds of years since he had lost someone before and it wasn’t happening now. Not on his watch and in his area.

Lightening cracked through the sky and his whole body tingled as if he was absorbing the energy as he grabbed her. For a moment he wasn’t sure if the energy was coming from her and not from around them as they hovered unmoving. It didn’t matter for now. Charles would be out of action and paralyzed from the waist down, but it wouldn’t last for long. He needed to get Evie over to Pergor and get her a guardian before any more demonic Midworlders showed up. Fighting one he could cope with, but fighting a group of them would incapacitate him for too long.

Something else was up as well as his messages were not getting through to his enclave. Help wouldn’t be coming anytime soon. The last thing he said to his people was he had received a message from an Angelic about to pass over, and that she had found a human in distress. If he had known the distress was that the human didn’t have a guardian he would have brought a whole crew with him to protect her.

There were a lot of questions he needed to ask this female. That wasn’t going to happen in hurry as she had passed out. He wasn’t sure if it was from the fact she had been caught by a man with wings or the burst of energy. As he peered at her he could swear he could see little sparks of energy all around her. It made her glow like a light bulb. His own body still tingled from the burst. He could recover from being hit by lightning but he wasn’t sure how a human would cope.

Of course she might have passed out because most humans don’t have this sort of thing happening to them. He had picked up from her mind she had just lost her father. To be coping with such grief and the attack from Charles made him admire this woman’s tenacity. She had brought a smile to his face when he had seen her boot connect with Charles’s groin.

He stopped ascending into the sky and hovered and allowed himself a moment of reflection as he gazed down at her face. What was going on here? She cradled against his chest and he had to admit he liked the sensation. He didn’t touch people unless he had to and had forgotten what it felt like to have a human pressed against you. It brought out protectiveness in him.

Her reached up and touched her cheek with his fingertips. The glow was gone from around her body, but the tingle still remained. She felt warm, too warm, as if she was running a fever. He moved his hand away surprised at himself. He never let his emotions show and yet he felt drawn to this strange woman with the wet and bedraggled fuzzy hair. It must have been the jolt of lightening affecting him. She looked so vulnerable and yet he had seen her be tough against Charles. She hadn’t known what she was taking on but she had fought well. He didn’t know her but he liked her feistiness. It was irrelevant. He needed to stop these pointless contemplations and concentrate on saving her.

The other people in Pergor who he would ask questions of were never keen to give answers, but answers were what he needed. He had seen what the people from his Homeworld were like this past year. His friend, Ridge, in America had found his life partner, but had struggled to get any information from Pergor, their outpost between Earth and home used to be a place of solace but these days distrust was the word he would use to describe it. When Ridge had gone to Pergor with Nicole, no responses had been forthcoming and they had even attacked her or had been willing for her to die. In that instance her Angelic guardian had been removed by Sayell, a demonic Midworlder. How the hell did Evie end up without a guardian at all? It didn’t make sense. How long had she been like it? He had to assume Charles had been as surprised as him or he would have brought his own back up as well. More questions.

Thunder roared around him as he opened his mind to form the conduit to Pergor. The lightning and thunder became faint as the sky grew dark and starless around them. He would not let anyone hurt her. He would die protecting her if he had to. After all dying would be a relief from this existence of coping with the failure of the past.

“What the fuck is happening?” Evie yelled.

Heath peered down and even in the darkness he could see she was wide eyed as she struggled to get away and pushed against his chest. There was no tranquil female in his arms now. Where she thought she was going was beyond him as they were high above the ground. To be honest he couldn’t blame her for freaking out. He had to consider what to say next. At this close range he could try and convince her to hand over her thoughts to him, but he already had a feeling she would not be willing to do that after everything she had seen so far.

“We’re leaving Earth, to go somewhere to get you a guardian angel,” he said, as he flapped his wings as the stars started to disappear around them. He hovered in the space between worlds not yet able to make the contact with Pergor. He could feel the pain start to build in his temple knowing the connection was trying to form.

She thumped his chest as she wriggled and yelled. “If a guardian angel is what I’ve seen on people for years, I don’t want one. Half of them are dark creatures waiting to kill whatever they see and the other half look like self-serving pixies after what they can get, so get stuffed and take me home. I just want to be left alone.”

What she said just added more questions to the list. “Evie. There’s nowhere for you to go. You can’t stay here between the worlds, and I won’t let you go back or you will be found again by Charles and his associates. I offer the only alternative.” She huffed but stopped wriggling. He changed his mind and considered she was more annoyed than scared. “I want to reassure you I’m not associated with those dark guardians.”

“You sure? You look pretty dark to me. If I have to choose I’ll go with a pixie angel like dad had. Will it keep that creep Charles away from me?”

“I will certainly try to get you an Angelic guardian, and no, Charles won’t be able to touch you then. You have to trust me while I take you to a place not of this world. I know it is a lot to ask after what has happened, but you should give your mind over to me.”

“You can take me wherever you want as I don’t seem to have much choice. Go for it, but I’m not giving my mind over to anyone. Trust me you wouldn’t want to be in there anyway. You lot think you’re dark and yet you don’t know anything.” Evie mumbled, as she shook her head as if to rid herself of a buzzing bee. “If you knew my life you wouldn’t even be suggesting going anywhere near my mind.”

She grabbed on tight around his neck and his whole body tingled in the same way it had when they had been in the middle of the lightening. He needed to concentrate on making the connection with Pergor, but instead he found he was thinking more about how Evie smelt as she held her face close to his. She had the aroma of lemon and vanilla and he closed his eyes as he drew her cent in as she pressed close to his chest. It had been a long time since he had felt anything more than the general need to protect. He wanted to make things right for this human as he sent his thoughts out to the post on Pergor. He could feel himself harden which often happened when their wings came out; the difference was he felt it was the closeness of this woman affecting him. He never let such basic instincts take over and yet again wondered what was happening with this female.

Bio

maggiemundy Maggie Mundy lives in Adelaide, Australia and is a member of Romance Writers of Australia, and the local chapter SARA (South Australian Romance Authors). She recently completed a Bachelor of Arts in Drama, English and Creative Writing at Flinders University. She had a short story published in the RWA Topaz Anthology Little Gems in 2010 called Sea and Vines. She has four books out with Rogue Phoenix Press. Two erotic novellas called Blood Scent and Blood Oath and paranormal romances called World Change and World Apart. She also has a supernatural thriller with Soul Mate Publishing called Hidden Mortality and paranormal romances called Unknown Protector and Scarred Protector.

She has also performed for many years in corporate entertainment for which she wrote her own sketches, which probably explains why her head is so full of characters. She loves writing speculative fiction and romance but thinks falling in love can be scary, especially in her stories where creatures of the night really exist.

Where to find Maggie

That Hippy Bag

Posted on February 1, 2016 by Joanne Guidoccio

I hadn’t planned on spending Day 1 of Life after Breast Cancer Diagnosis in a mall, but my friend Karen insisted. “Once those chemo appointments start, you’ll have no time to shop. Get everything now, and you won’t be scrambling later.”

As we walked through the mall, I mentally planned my shopping list: nightgowns, pajamas, a new robe, comfy day clothes. I was surprised when Karen pointed to my black, leather purse. “You’ll need a larger bag for when you start your treatments. Something more durable that’ll hold its shape.”

I started to argue and then stopped. After all, she was the seasoned warrior who had already traveled this path.

Continue reading on Vicki Batman’s blog.

10 Interesting “Behind the Scenes” Features – Desire in the Arctic

Posted on January 27, 2016 by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m thrilled to welcome author Stacy Hoff to the Power of 10 series. Today, Stacy shares ten “behind the scenes” features of her upcoming release – Desire in the Arctic.

Here’s Stacy!

1. DESIRE IN THE ARCTIC takes place in Gates of the Arctic National Park, which is America’s most remote and least visited US Park. It is also the only US Park located in the Arctic Circle. Visitors can only access the park by plane, unless they want to hike five miles from the nearest highway and then cross a raging river. (A plan not recommended by the US Parks Department, by the way.)

GatesofArctic (2)

This is a photo of Gates of the Arctic National Park. The Brooks Mountain Range is in the distance. Tundra is in the foreground. The stormy weather shown here is accurate—a snowstorm can happen at any time, even in June. (This picture, courtesy of the US Government, is public domain.)

2. Once park visitors arrive, they will find no facilities of any kind and no ranger station. It is advised that only “expert” campers attempt to stay. All campers however, regardless of ability, are asked to check in at the park ranger station in Fairbanks with their camping dates, and further advised to also give their “vacation” information to loved ones. This way, a search and rescue mission can be launched if a camper fails to return. (Which is highly possible.)

The hero in my story, William “Redd” Redding, is a former Special Ops Marine who is an expert camper. He is familiar with all kinds of survival situations, and has spent time in Alaska.

3. My heroine Ana Davis, on the other hand, is a New York City native. The only hiking she’s done is in Central Park.

I grew up in New York City, too, so I can relate to Ana. The below picture is one I took of Central Park, which is not too far from the television station where Ana works. I wrote Ana’s point-of-view as if it were my own. I kept thinking, “what would I experience upon seeing Gates of the Arctic?”

Central Park (2)

4. I researched all the wildlife in the Arctic Circle for story authenticity. To do this, I traveled back to my old home in New York City to the American Museum of Natural History. Here I visited the exhibition hall of North American Mammals. Below is my picture of the museum’s wolverine exhibit.

Wolverine (2)

This furry guy pops up in my story. But don’t view wolverines as a cuddly pet. They are a lot deadlier than the look! Think of them as a cross between a giant weasel and a bear. (Would the famous X-Man be named after a wuss?)

5. I am a reality TV junky, so my DESIRE series is based on a survival/reality TV show where the characters have to survive the most brutal of wilderness situations for twelve days in order to win a million dollar prize. (I’m sick that way.)

I have been watching these survival/reality shows for a few years, especially ones that take place in Alaska. Here are some of my favorites: Railroad Alaska, Life Below Zero, The last Alaskans, and Buying Alaska. (Yeah, I know the last one is about home buying, but when I say I’m hooked on Alaska shows, I mean it.)

6. DESIRE IN THE ARCTIC is the sequel to DESIRE IN THE EVERGLADES. I have traveled to the Everglades, but not the Arctic Circle. Going back New York City was as far as I was willing to go towards researching this new book. Hey, what can I tell you? Unlike Wolverine, I am a wuss.

At least I survived seeing alligators in the Everglades during an airboat tour. (I also saw them in Disney World. You can see them, too, here in my photo.)

stacyhoffcroc

7. For DESIRE IN THE ARCTIC’s cover, I worked with the artist to get an accurate depiction of Gates of the Arctic in June, which is when my story takes place. The original cover was much colder looking, with lots of ice and snow. But there is some greenery in June, although that does not mean a sudden snowstorm can’t kick up.

Here is the final version of the cover.

desireinthearctic

8. I had no idea was I going to write this sequel when I penned DESIRE IN THE EVERGLADES. When I finally decided the story needed to be continued, I picked a survival climate that was the exact opposite of Florida’s heat and humidity. Cold weather kept things interesting for me, and hopefully for the reader, too.

9. “El Nino” has brought a relatively warm winter to those of us living in New England. That’s good, because I hate shoveling. But it does kind of kill the Arctic mood. Luckily, when I started writing DESIRE IN THE ARCTIC last winter, there was plenty of snow on the ground to keep me inspired.

The wolverine tracks pictured below are ones I wouldn’t want to see when my back yard gets snowy. Luckily for me, these paw prints were spotted in Gates of the Arctic.

Wolverine (2)

Oh, but wait a minute! That’s not lucky for my characters. Hope they stay strong! (Photo courtesy of the US Government, and is public domain.)

10. Although I write all kinds of romance, from contemporary to dark “new adult,” I must admit that action/adventure stories are some of my very favorites to write.

Click on the covers for the Amazon links.

Thanks to Joanne Guidoccio for having me on!

Where to find Stacy…

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Amazon

Top 10 Reasons Why You Should Be Dancing

Posted on January 22, 2016 by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m thrilled to welcome author Mariposa Cruz to the Power of 10 series. Today, Mariposa shares ten excellent reasons why you should be dancing and her latest release, Package Deal.

Here’s Mariposa!

mariposa cruz 1. There’s nothing like hearing your favorite song while on the dance floor. Best of all when you hear that song again whether you’re doing dishes or stuck in traffic, you’ll be instantly transported back to the dance floor.

2. With such a broad range of genres, there is dance for everyone. If you like a Latin beat but feel intimidated by Salsa’s spicy rhythm, try Bachata. The basic step for Bachata is easily learned in one lesson making it a favorite for club lessons. If you can do a box step, you can do Bachata.

3. The history of many dances involve a cultural blend of a variety of music genres and myth. Bachata was once danced in the peasant neighborhoods and brothels of the Dominican Republic. Cumbia was originally a courtship dance brought by slaves to the coastal towns of Columbia. While I don’t know where the true history ends and myth begins– dancing unites people across culture and time.

4. It’s fun twirling in circles while your skirt whirls around, acceptable on the dance floor—less so in other public places if you are over the age of six.

5. You have the chance to get your bling on. Whether you’re in tight blue jeans or a slinky black dress nothing dresses up an outfit like sparkly hoop earrings or rhinestone dangles.

6. For writers the dance floor is a great source for stories. My experiences in clubs and dance class were the inspiration behind my Rhythm and Romance series. Reno has a vibrant Salsa scene and I knew it had to be the backdrop for “Package Deal”.

7. Your gym does not serve margaritas or mojitos. Where else can you get a cardio work out and finish with a refreshing cocktail?

8. If you’re single, dancing is a great way to determine the measure of a man. Is his lead rigid and controlling? Does he fix you with an icy stare with every missed step? If you notice any red flags on the dance floor it may be time to waltz in the opposite direction.

9. Whether you’re on the dance floor or watching from the sidelines the show is fascinating and always changing. Where else can you see a fashion show, high drama and amazing dancing all played out in on a single stage?

10. You meet people of all ages from all walks of life on the dance floor from college students to retirees.

packagedeal

Blurb

Widowed attorney, Liz Grant, buries her grief in a deluge of paperwork. On whim she takes a free dance lesson at the club Eclipse where the mojitos are cold and the Salsa is hot. She falls for Salsa’s spicy rhythms and Patrick Cavanaugh’s sexy grin. But can Liz handle the dramatic change of tempo in her well-ordered life?

Patrick has all the right moves, but struggles to keep his balance as his adult daughter spins out of control. Will their love survive off the dance floor?

Bio

Mariposa Cruz balances writing with working as a fulltime corporate paralegal. As a writer she has interviewed a variety of characters from cowboy crooners to rock divas. Her articles have appeared in local magazines and indie newspapers. She currently resides in Reno, Nevada.

To find out more about Package Deal, author interviews and classic horror movie reviews check out:

Mariposa’s Musings | Create on the Side Blog | Facebook

My 10 Favorite Writing Websites

Posted on January 20, 2016 by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m thrilled to welcome Soul Mate author Kim Hotzon to the Power of 10 series. Today, Kim shares her favorite writing websites and her novel, Hands Full of Ashes.

Here’s Kim!

computerusehotzon I love lists. They’re handy, neat and informative. So, I’m thrilled to be joining author Joanne Guidoccio on her blog ‘The Power of Ten’.

Many ideas floated round my head, and I wondered, What could I contribute that would offer fresh content and interest readers? In the end, I thought I’d share my ten favorite websites that I’ve used in my writing career. Some of these sites cater to blogging, others to grammar and writing resources while some offer insight into marketing and publishing.

*Disclosure: I do not have any affiliation with these sites and I’m not being paid to promote individual sites. This list is merely a compilation of sites I’ve personally found useful.

1. http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/grammar-girl

Site name: Quick and dirty tips. Aka Grammar girl.

What it includes: This is a wonderful site created by Mignon Fogarty, a woman whose roles have included senior editor, magazine writer and technical writer, among others.

Why I love it: Her blog posts offer comprehensive grammar rules, memory tricks to recall those rules, and word choice guidelines. I love the questions posted by fellow writers as well.

2. http://www.rachellegardner.com/how-to-write-a-book-proposal/

Site name: Rachelle Gardner.

What it includes: Like many professionals in the writing/publishing industry, Rachelle has worn many hats, including agent, writing/publishing coach, speaker and book editor. She pens blogs about writing and publishing.

Why I love it: Rachelle offers several succinct, helpful blogs covering everything from crafting compelling book titles to writing a good query letter.

3. http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/guide-to-literary-agents/new-agency-alerts

Site Name: Writer’s Digest.

What it includes: Several online editors contribute blogs and poetry on this site. Brian A. Klems writes a blog titled The Writer’s Dig. He covers all areas of writing, editing and publishing on his site. Chuck Sambuchino offers regular lists of agents seeking submissions. He also shares dates for writing conferences and lists upcoming writing competitions.

Why I love it: Besides the agent lists, another great thing about this site are the free downloads which include helpful articles on how to promote your work and protect it. Another great feature? The weekly writing prompts that can help jumpstart your creative juices if you find yourself in a writing rut.

4. http://www.thecreativepenn.com/2011/01/07/how-to-create-a-book-trailer/

Site name: The Creative Penn

What it includes: A site of resources for writers including book writing, publishing and marketing, by bestselling author Joanna Penn.

Why I love it: Though the site is filled with prompts to buy her books (she needs to make a living too!) there is a ton of free stuff that is relevant and current. I used one of Joanna Penn’s blogs on book trailers as a tool to create my own book trailer.

5. http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/

Site name: The free dictionary.

What it includes: A free dictionary and thesaurus online.

Why I love it: In addition to the online dictionary, there is also a feature for idioms and acronyms, though the thesaurus remains my favorite feature.

6. http://www.yourwriterplatform.com/category/blog/

Site name: Your Writer Platform

What it includes: Video podcasts and blog posts that offer information on book marketing! Know your target audience, create a marketing plan and have a successful book launch. The site’s owner, Kimberly Grabas offers detailed video podcasts about how to do this and what to avoid.

Why I love it: It’s nice to have a site that offers clear help on marketing your book. There is a lot of information on this site and it may take a few minutes to scroll through and find what you need but it’s there. I particularly liked the blog post about how to organize social media tools and plug ins for my website.

7. http://www.dailywritingtips.com/about/

Site name: Daily Writing Tips

What it includes: Whether it’s tips you’re after for creative or business writing, this site has you covered. A comprehensive list of blog articles about writing and grammar by a team of writers and editors. As the site name indicates, this website is updated daily!

Why I love it: I like that it’s constantly updated with fresh content; also I found the manuscript formatting tips quite useful.

8. http://www.scribophile.com/blog/keeping-the-purple-out-of-your-prose/

Site name: Scribophile

What it includes: An online writing community you can sign up and join to get critiques and reviews of your writing.

Why I love it: The blog posts are informative. One of my favorites was ‘Keeping The Purple Out Of Your Prose’ – a call to arms for eliminating flowery language and tightening your writing.

9. https://janefriedman.com/novel-synopsis/

Site name: Jane Friedman

What it includes: Jane Friedman is a well-known international speaker with many years in the publishing industry. Her site offers interviews, and resources for writers.

Why I love it: Helpful articles covering every aspect of writing and publishing. Need to find an agent? What about constructing a query letter? Should you keep writing? All of these topics and more can be found on her site. Jane also has guest bloggers post on her site. Recently, I found an article discussing best practices for Facebook author pages to be timely.

10. http://absolutewrite.com/about/

Site name: Absolute Write

What it includes: An online forum where writers can ask and answer questions on every imaginable topic related to their writing journeys. Some discussions get testy, but the Absolute Write Water Cooler is an informational juggernaut of names, places, events and sites that either come highly recommended or not!

Why I love it: It is a cornucopia of writing and publishing news. I find it enlightening first of all, eyebrow raising second of all. I also like that I don’t have to register or sign up (unless I want to submit my own comment). There are plenty of conversational threads to scroll through on any topic I might have a question about. You’ll find warnings about publishers or do’s and don’ts for querying in addition to general advice from writers both published and unpublished.

I’d love to hear from other writers as to their favorite sites! Whether it’s online forums, resource or publishing sites, share what you use and what you know!

Blurb

Olivia promises to fulfill her dying husband’s wish – to scatter his ashes around the world. Wading through grief and depression, she journeys to a remote orphanage in Uganda. Living amongst the children in their threadbare surroundings, she vows to fight for the children’s lives as she begins to fight for her own. While Olivia develops a passion for humanitarian work, the lonely director of the orphanage develops a simmering passion for her.

Just as time begins to heal the wounds of her heart, Olivia learns the truth of her husband’s unimaginable betrayal. She flees to the tiny country of Rwanda where her soul is reawakened with a startling new love. Olivia realizes that love always comes with a price when she is faced with a decision she thought she would never have to make.

Surrounded by the rugged beauty of Africa, Olivia is determined to find true love while learning how to survive in a region left torn apart by civil war.

Bio

kimhotzon Born in beautiful British Columbia, Kim developed a passion for writing at an early age. Her interest in people led her all over the globe, including a two year stay in Japan and a humanitarian trip to Rwanda.

She loves to write romance stories with a twist, usually involving a dangerous and dramatic backdrop. Her first novel, Hands Full of Ashes, was inspired by her trip to Africa.

Kim spent many years teaching young adults with learning disabilities at Kwantlen Polytechnic University, and she currently resides in the sunny Okanagan with her husband and two children. When not writing, she can be found plying the local ski hills, or getting lost in her kayak in the surrounding lakes.

Where to find Kim…

An Original Invention

Posted on January 14, 2016 by Joanne Guidoccio

Welcome to my Second Acts Series!

Today, we have The Tea Pixie sharing her inspiring journey.

theteapixie-hobby-art-and-jewelry-for-JG-January-2016 (2)

Reinvention is an interesting way of looking at life changes. It suggests we were invented. I am the result of everyone who came before me, and I am their original invention. If you keep this in mind as you read my Second Acts story, you will understand my life decisions.

First Act

My Mom graduated from high school when I was 12. When I graduated from high school, she graduated from a technical institute as a certified Laboratory Technician. Her courage to return to school in her thirties inspired me to study in university. I never envisioned my life beyond university, so when I graduated with a degree in communication and $11 dollars in my bank account, I raced to get employed at ANYTHING!

Within a year of graduating, I was a researcher in educational television, and within five years I was a supervising researcher. I was doing well-paid work that fit with my values, I felt that I was successfully serving my staff and the population that relied on the service we provided, and I really loved the people I worked with.

Trigger for Change

But working long hours in a luxurious office was only one of many stairs in the grand staircase that is my life. Having a child seems so biologically natural but with the introduction of contraception, having a family is now a basket full of choices, not only a choice between having children or not. I wanted to raise a child.

At age 32, I brought our amazing daughter into the world.

And then I left my job.

Second Act

It was not an easy decision, but I couldn’t see how I could be dedicated to my job and dedicated to raising our daughter – something would suffer. My husband’s response? “Two can live as cheap as one!” But we were three.

I left that job with tears in my eyes and began searching for alternative work. Many people work for themselves, even though statistics in Canada indicate that the average income of self employed people is less than $10,000 per year. I did not see myself as an entrepreneur…yet.

I began by voluntarily writing a communication plan (my first ever) for a local business and that document garnered me a part-time marketing manager position. My daughter would join me in meetings, happily munching away on Cheerios while I negotiated advertisements. I no longer had a work persona – what you saw was what you got.

Among myriad ways of making that business into a household name, I was publishing a quarterly newsletter and was surprised to learn that customers excitedly awaited each new publication.

People wanted to read what I was writing.

Boom. BOOM! And that is when I started to write, and write, and write. I took on book contracts, waiting until my daughter had fallen asleep and then writing on the computer in my storage room until 2am, getting up with her at 6am. Some days I was delirious because, as I discovered, I couldn’t survive with only four hours of sleep every night. Did I know what I was doing? Not a chance. I had never written a book before and wrote that first book outline based on a two-hour meeting on the 18th green of a golf course while drinking ciders. And I discovered that I loved working like that, unsure of what I was creating, but confident that I could figure it out.

Why was I confident? Because I had loads of failures and I survived them. One of the best of the worst failures was a book that got published with one line of complete gibberish in the middle of the book. Complete gibberish. On that project, I was the writer, the content and copy editor, and the publisher. I thought I was sunk. Instead, I was given an even bigger contract with the same organization – and became a book layout designer, as well.

And, art kept me sane through everything. When parenting was hard, I painted. When the work flow was unsatisfactory, I studied the flow of metals as I made jewelry. Doing art together was a wonderful way to connect with my daughter and provide her with the opportunity to explore her power and control. She also saw her Mom doing art as a normal part of life. Working with the unknown that is central to producing artistic pieces, just furthered my courage and my ability to face challenges.

Where Am I Now?

Eighteen years later, my daughter is in university, and I am working in research in women’s health, and continuing my life-training as a semi-precious metals jewelry designer and artist. Being a parent is a really, really hard job. I recommend it, wholeheartedly, as the most rewarding job I have had the good fortune to do.

I also recommend jumping into the unknown, even if the jump is small and the unknown seems insignificant. To get to the bigger jumps we need to learn that we can handle the smaller ones. But pave your own road – make your opportunities. When you realize that you have something (a product – a service – a skill) that people want, sell it. You might not know the “best” way to sell it, but there is no rule that says you have to do it the best way, you just have to do it.

Favorite Quotation

As Sue Monk Kidd says: “If you need something from somebody give that person a way to hand it to you.” My life choice was to invent my daughter. I made everything else happen to support that.

Joanne here!

Thanks for your insights and advice. Best of luck with all your creative endeavors.