Launch Day and Book Titles vs Blurbs #IWSG

Today is the exciting and official launch of the new edition of Cling to God: 365-Day Devotional.

This special devotional book is a year-long journey with daily inspirational messages and uplifting scripture to help you spend time with God. With 365 days of short Bible-based teachings, it is faith building and thought provoking. It will encourage and refresh with reassuring reminders of God’s love. 

365 days of inspiration and Bible wisdom to lighten your heart.
365 devotions to bring you peace in uncertain times.
365 ways to Cling to God. 

A great companion for individual worship or for group Bible study. The perfect gift book or personal keepsake that will be cherished for years to come. 

Start each morning with Cling to God to brighten your day and draw closer to God. 

Available as Kindle ebook, Paperback, and Hardcover.

I'm super excited about the hardcover.

For a short time only, you can get the ebook for the special launch price of $2.99

If you don't own a kindle, you can pick up the free kindle app and read my book on your phone, tablet, or computer. 

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Titles vs Blurbs. Which is the more difficult to write?

This is the IWSG question of the month, and it's not an easy one to answer. Both the title of the book and the blurb are important. The title is the first thing a potential reader will see after the cover. It defines the book. If done well, it places the book in a clear genre/category and entices the reader to pick it up. Once picked up, the blurb is the next stage of the decision-making process to read the book. No pressure. 

Sometimes the title is the first inspiration I get before the book is even written. Other times, I struggle badly. I had a massive brain-block with an old fantasy story. When the story was picked up by a publisher, it had a terrible name. Blood in the Snow. It sounded like a crime story! Thankfully my publisher suggested we brainstorm a few titles until at last we agreed on Birthright. The original story is no longer in print and when I got the rights back, I rewrote the whole thing and released it as Well of Ash. That title came to me like a strike of inspirational lightning. 

Blurbs are a whole different story. I always struggle with blurbs. I'll admit non-fiction blurbs are a thousand times easier than fiction blurbs, but I still question everything over and over. Is it interesting enough? Have I captured the book without giving too much away? Have I captured it enough to snag the reader's interest? Have I reflected the genre well? Have I included the conflict, the excitement, the essence of what I love about the story? 

My best advice on the topic is take your time. Let the new title or blurb sit for a while before sending it out into the world. Get second opinions. Do your research. But mostly, don't rush. 

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Please visit the blogs of the lovely and generous people helping me with my book launch today for Cling to God: 365-Day Devotional. Tyrean Martinson, Jemi Fraser, and Lynn Simpson. Thanks so much! You're all so wonderful!

How about you? What are your tips for writing titles and blurbs? Are you excited about my new release? What's your reading preference: ebooks, paperbacks or hardcovers?

Cover Reveal and New Releases #IWSG

Today we have cover reveals, new releases, a guest snippet from the great Tyrean Martinson, and the IWSG question of the month. So let's begin!

COVER REVEAL

Cling to God: 365-Day Devotional

Take advantage and pre-order your ebook for only $2.99. The price will go up after launch. Or, if you’d like to join my review team, I’ll send you a free copy. Just leave your email in the comments. 

365 days of inspiration and Bible wisdom to lighten your heart.
365 devotions to bring you peace in uncertain times.
365 ways to Cling to God. 

This special book is a year-long journey with inspirational messages and uplifting scripture. It includes short Bible-based teachings that will encourage and refresh. It is faith building and thought provoking with reassuring reminders of God’s love.

 A great companion for individual worship or for group Bible study. The perfect gift book or personal keepsake that will be cherished for years to come. 

Start each morning with Cling to God to brighten your day and draw closer to God. 

OFFICIAL LAUNCH DATE: 3rd Nov

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GUEST POST by Tyrean Martinson 

Klah in Dragonsinger and Coffee by Other Names 

If you read science fiction and fantasy or enjoy science fiction and fantasy movies, you might have noticed a tendency for writers to give a unique twist to one of Earth’s favorite beverages: coffee. 

As a reader, the first instance I encountered of coffee by another name came in the form of klah in the Harper Hall Series by Anne McCaffrey. I loved the sound of Klah. It was always warm and soothing to the characters, as well as a slight stimulant for waking up. 

In Dragonsinger from the Harper Hall Series, the main character Menolly is rescued and taken to Harper Hall, where she is removed from everything she knows except for her fire lizards, her music, and the comfort of the familiar klah. 

It makes sense for science fiction and fantasy writers to bring coffee, tea, or their favorite comfort beverages into their unique worlds, whether they call it coffee, klah, or another name. 

In The Rayatana Series, the beverage “awak” is like a mixture of coffee and tea with similar stimulating properties. When I came up with the idea, it was in homage to all the other science fiction and fantasy beverages out there in the books and movies I love. 

NEW RELEASE

Nexus: The Rayatana, Book 2

Amaya is supposed to bring peace to the galaxy. Which is tough when she’s being held for crimes against the Neutral Zone. Her imprisonment is on her own ship with her own crew. But close quarters create tension. 

Honestly, her role as Rayatana is a mess. 

She may never get to use her powers for anything good. Not if her teacher continues to keep secrets, and not if her powers keep harming others. Putting her mother in a coma should put her in prison, but she has a mission. She wants to bring peace to her people. She needs to become the Rayatana. 

Amazon, Smashwords, Apple, Kobo, Goodreads, Bookbub. 

Tyrean Martinson is a word hunter. She forages for words both sweet and tart in the South Sound of Washington State. An eclectic writer, she writes speculative fiction, contemporary and historical fiction, short scripts, devotions, writing books, song lyrics, and poetry.

Tyrean's Writing Spot Blog, Tyrean's Tales, Instagram, Twitter, Tyrean's Tutoring Website.

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IWSG question of the month

In your writing, where do you draw the line, with either topics or language? 

While I have no qualms reading stories with salty language, it seems I'm not comfortable including it in my own writing. You'll find no F-bombs in my stories, or colorful phrases. As for topics, I try to stay clear of anything too sensitive or controversial. I want my fiction to be escapist and fun. Of course, having said that, I do deal with physical abuse in Wielder's Prize, my debut fantasy novel. It's a topic that makes many people uncomfortable so I softened an instance of it in a more recent edition. I didn't want the focus to be on the abuse. I wanted it to be on overcoming it and forgiveness.

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Don't forget to leave your email in the comments if you'd like to join my review team and get a free copy of Cling to God:365-Day devotional.

What topics or language to do you shy from? Are you excited to read Tyrean's new book? What do you think of the new cover for Cling to God: 365-Day Devotional? 

A big thank you to Tyrean Martinson and Jemi Fraser for supporting me with my cover reveal. Please pop on over and say hi from me.

 

5 Benefits of a Pen Name #IWSG

Exciting News: I will be publishing a young adult fantasy adventure this year. I'm super nervous about it. It will be my novel debut. That's my insecurity revealed for this month. I've decided to take the pen name, Elle Cardy. For so many reasons:

1. My name, Lynda R Young, is super common and I get lost in the crowd. It is so common that I couldn't use it or a variation of it for gmail. It's why I use Lynfaw (faw = fearful and wonderfully, if you're curious).

2. It's shocking how many people can't get my name right. It's not a difficult name. Or you'd think. I get Linda, Lydia, and a bunch of other variations. Just yesterday I got Lydr. Say what, now? Also, my middle initial, which is crucial if I want to be found on Google, is so often left off when someone publishes my work or mentions me online. A little frustrating.

3. It's a long name which means it has to be small on book covers. Yes, I think about these things.

4. Young is at the end of the alphabet. Whoever thought a list in alphabetical order was fair had a name in the first half of the alphabet. Just saying ;)

5. I figured the name Elle Cardy was short, easy to remember, difficult to get wrong, and it separates my nonfiction writing from my novels so there's no confusion. There's also almost none of us on Google. Obviously I won't be hiding my true identity. The plan is that everyone who knows Lynda R Young will also know Elle Cardy and vice versa. I do have separate Instagram accounts though.

@LyndaRYoung for my macro photography.
@ElleCardy for everything books.


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AntipodeanSF Issue 250 is now available in the paperback version. If you’d like your own copy, you can pick it up here. With over 50 stories, it is definitely worth checking out. Otherwise, just go along to the AntipodeanSF website to read the stories online for free for another month.
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June Reading

Red Rising by Pierce Brown -- this was beautifully written. I read it in two days, which for me is fast since I'm a particularly busy and a slow reader. It is set on Mars and is a dystopian. Think Hunger Games on Mars.

Stallo by Stefan Spjut -- this is a translation of a supernatural thriller written in Swedish. I would've liked to have read it in its original language because the translation is a little flat. But the story is awesome. It's the kind of book you settle in with under a blanket. It's about the mythical creatures of the woods that steal children and a woman searching for them. I loved it.

Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard -- Very similar to Red Rising in so many ways but instead of the Reds against the Golds, it's the Reds against the Silvers. The worldbuilding in this one isn't as rich as Red Rising, but the story is still enjoyable if you love typical young adult books.

NOTE: I am a judge for the 2019 Aurealis Awards. All my book reviews are my personal opinion and don't reflect the opinion of any judging panel, the judging coordinators, or the Aurealis Awards management team.
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Are you a huge fan of young adult fantasy? Let me know in the comments. What are your favourite books in that genre? Done any reading last month? What were the standouts?

This post was written for the IWSG. Every first Wednesday of the month the members post on their blogs about their writing insecurities or offer some encouragement to others. If you are new to the IWSG or want to learn more, then please go HERE

Note: The new look for my blog is temporary. I'm currently down with flu and it was the best I could do for now.

The Benefit of Writing #IWSG

This month’s optional question for the Insecure Writer’s Support Group comes in two parts. For part one, How do major life events affect your writing? You can check out my response here. I explain how my writing took a hit during a difficult time, and what I did about it.

Today’s post will cover part two: Has writing ever helped you through something? Yes indeedy. I first started writing for escapism. What I hadn’t expected was that it became a type of therapy. I had some Stuff I had to work through and suddenly that Stuff was appearing on the page as I wrote. I went with it and I ended up with an interesting story and a better understanding of the Stuff that had been lurking in the background of my life.

Years later, I discovered that writing non-fiction worked the same way. With my book, Cling to God: A Daily Devotional, I better understood my faith in God by writing out my random thoughts while reading the Bible. When I decided to turn those thoughts into a book, I honed them and the feelings that went with them into something I could share with others. That way not only did the writing help me draw closer to God, but it has helped others to do the same also.

How about you? How has writing affected and helped you?

This post was written for the IWSG. Every first Wednesday of the month the members of our group post on their blogs about their writing insecurities or offer some encouragement to others. If you are new to the IWSG, then please go HERE  

Quick reminder: the IWSG Anthology Contest is open for submissions! The genre is Young Adult Romance and the theme is Masquerade. Don't wait until the last minute!

Writing for Profit, Character Creation, Cling to God

There is a tradition in my household. When you have a birthday, you get to enjoy and celebrate it for not just the day, but the whole month also. Well, this month is my devotional book's birthday! It was a year ago on the 18th October Cling to God: A Daily Devotional was released into the world.

Very exciting! Can't believe how fast that year went by.

If you'd like to find a daily pocket of peace in this chaotic world, and wish to buy my book for yourself or as a gift (Christmas is coming rapidly!), then it's available from Amazon Paperback, Kindle, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, iTunes.

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This month's optional IWSG question:  Have you ever slipped any of your personal information into your characters, either by accident or on purpose?

Maybe not my bank account information, but there's certainly aspects of me in every character. Thankfully I am, along with everyone else, a creature of complexity, so I can draw from many aspects. In my opinion, it's unavoidable. We see the world through our own eyes, even when we try to see it through someone else's. We are the sum of our experiences. To write, we tap into what we know based on what we have observed and experienced and from what we've heard others experience. We then mash all that input together and process it in a way only we uniquely know how. This knowledge becomes a part of who we are. We influence and are influenced. Consequently our interpretation of the world has to come out in our writing. Pieces of  ourselves and others get mixed into our characters. What I haven't done is create a character wholly based on my perception of "me" or the "me" of a specific someone. All my characters are based on a mix.


Every first Wednesday of the month the members of the IWSG post on their blogs about their writing insecurities or offer some encouragement to others. If you are new to the IWSG, then please go HERE to find out more and join up.






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The Insecure Writer's Support Group: Writing for Profit

From writing to publishing to marketing, the Insecure Writer's Support Group members provide tips on making money as a writer. This free guide represents the spirit of the IWSG - to encourage and support writers everywhere! It is our hope that this book will benefit you as a writer, no matter where you are in the journey.


Amazon - Barnes & Noble - Kobo

One Valuable Writing Lesson #IWSG

When I first started writing, I just wrote. I had no clue what I was doing, but that didn't hold me back. It was enough for me that I read a lot of fiction and from that reading I knew what worked and what didn't. Later down the track I decided to get serious about my writing, so I read copious amounts of books on writing, how-to articles, I went to conventions and listened to advice on panels, and I attended workshops. That's when I realised I had no clue what I was doing, and that did hold me back.

Eventually I got past the crippling notion that I can't do this, I can't do that, my writing is horrible and no one will like it. That was right about the time when I told myself, "You know what? Writing is a creative process. Rules don't need to rule. I have the freedom to experiment, to write what I like, to try new things and get creative. If it doesn't work, then try again."

It's important to learn what works and why, but that doesn't mean crippling yourself with doubts. Just write!! Then fix it. Or throw it away and write again. But don't give up because someone else said, "No!" And that's the most valuable lesson I learned since I started writing.

Every first Wednesday of the month the members of the IWSG post on their blogs about their writing insecurities or offer some encouragement to others. If you are new to the IWSG, then please go HERE to find out more and join up.






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Cover Reveal:

 JALAPENO CUPCAKE WENCH

AMAZING GRACIE TRILOGY, BOOK 1

A hot and spicy taste of murder—and more.

During the day, law enforcement consultant Gracie Hofner is on assignment at a small San Antonio bakery, waiting for a delivery. No one knows what it is or when it will arrive. The upside? Working next to Donovan Beck, a flirty hunk and a half—perfect fling material.

At night, Gracie resumes her search for a little girl and her mother who went missing following a double murder. Finding the pair is imperative or the girl will become a target.

At the girl’s aunt’s house, Gracie experiences a peculiar need to leave immediately. She tries to deny the urge to flee and pushes the pressure aside, but the compulsion intensifies. Gracie thinks she must have a brain tumor. Or is losing her mind. When similar events continue to occur, Gracie sees a pattern. Can she use this newfound ability to help her find the girl and her mother before it’s too late?

Where to connect with Carol:
Blog - Website - Facebook - Twitter - Amazon
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A reminder about our IWSG Twitter Pitch Party!

Hashtag #IWSGPit

July 27, 2017, 8:00 am to 8:00 pm Eastern Time

Cling to God: A Daily Devotional
by Lynda R Young

Published by Freedom Fox Press

Cling to God in the chaos of life…

A book of short devotionals for every day of the year to encourage you in your faith, to help you think about your beliefs and learn more about God. Perfect for people with busy lifestyles.

Amazon Paperback, Amazon Kindle, Amazon Oz Kindle, Nook, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, iTunes, Goodreads.

How to Gain Momentum in your Writing

Today I'm over at the Insecure Writer's Support Group with an article about 10 Ways to Maintain Writing Momentum. Please pop on over to check it out.

In the meanwhile, here is a pic I took at Australia Zoo...giggle.

What's been happening for you lately? How has your writing momentum been going?

Finding Satisfaction and Insecurities #IWSG

Finding Satisfaction in Christ
by Lynda R. Young

Today I'm releasing a gift for anyone who is interested, anyone looking to find renewal in their faith, anyone looking for revitalization. You can pick up your FREE copy from HERE.

Please help me spread the word.

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I used to think I got tired a lot. When life got difficult, I'd get weary. When a project became overwhelming, I'd get spent.

Stress equaled weariness.

This month, I discovered a new kind of tired. It was a bone-weighing, energy-sapping exhaustion that wiped out the whole month. Such was the joys of glandular fever. And just when I thought I was over it, it came creeping back. Consequently I've attempted to take things a little easier than usual. Not always simple for me when I have multiple projects vying for my much needed attention.

And then there's that writer's guilt: I should be writing!

Insecure? Just a tad. Good thing I have a husband who brings me things that sparkle. Chocolate and sparkles fix most ails.

How about you? What have you been up to while I was away?

Every first Wednesday of the month the members of the IWSG post on their blogs about their writing insecurities or offer some encouragement to others. If you are new to the IWSG, then please go HERE to find out more and join up.






Looking for a Book Club? We have a great one at the IWSG. You'll find it on HERE on Goodreads. If you haven't already, please check it out! You won't be disappointed.

And don't forget our Twitter Pitch party in July. Now is the time to get your pitches in order. Don't wait last minute! To find out everything you need to know about the party, go HERE.

The IWSG Short Story Contest Winners

Wishing everyone a happy New Year! I'm hoping this year will be far better than the last one. Above is a quick snap I took in Brisbane's Botanic Gardens.

And now on to good news: The much awaited results for the IWSG short story contest have come in. Below are the winners in no particular order:
Erika Beebe - The Wheat Witch
L. Nahay – Breath Between Seconds
Tyrean Martinson - Of Words and Swords
Elizabeth Seckman - Mind Body Soul
Olga Godim - Captain Bulat
Ellen Jacobson - The Silvering
Roland Yeomans - Sometimes They Come Back
Yvonne Ventresca – The Art of Remaining Bitter
Sean McLachlan - The Witch Bottle
Sarah Foster - The Last Dragon
Renee Cheung - Memoirs of a Forgotten Knight

And the grand prize winner:

Jen Stanton Chandler - The Mysteries of Death and Life

Congrats to everyone who took part! The stories were all fabulous and it was a difficult task for the judges to pick their favourites.

What writing rule do you wish you’d never heard?
Can I say all of them? When people treat these rules as absolutes and take great joy in picking apart published works that break the rules, then I must admit I get a little upset. No rule is absolute. Every rule can be broken. If you want to head hop through the story, then head hop! If you want fractured sentences, then fracture them! Shatter them if that's your desire! Have a field day with backstory, tell to your heart's content. But ask yourself, does it work? Are you doing it out of laziness or ignorance or stubbornness, or is it part of your master plan? In other words, does it have the full impact you intended for the story? Yes? Then go for it!

 How about you? What writing rule do you wish you’d never heard?

Interview with a Twist and CassaDawn #IWSG

Today I have Alex J. Cavanaugh here with me. We are doing another interview with a twist. The last one was where I interviewed him on his blog as a way of spreading the news about the release of my book, Cling to God. You can find the interview here. Today it's the other way around, with Alex interviewing me as we share the news about his new exciting story, CassaDawn.

Alex: What is it that draws you to science fiction?
Me: When I first started reading scifi and fantasy, it was all about the escapism. I wanted to visit other worlds and not think about this one. Then, as I matured, the reason evolved. I still wanted to visit other worlds, but I also wanted to think about other possibilities, explore different concepts that can only be explored in these genres, and I love reading about people in extraordinary settings and circumstances.

Alex: What are some of your favorite science fiction movies/shows/books?
Me: My favourite scifi movies: the original Star Wars trilogy, Aliens, Serenity, The Martian. My favourite scifi shows: Firefly, Dr Who, the original Twilight Zone, Stranger Things, Westworld. My favourite scifi books: Eon by Greg Bear, The Martian by Andy Weir, Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card, Chimera by N. J. Tanger, and, of course, I can't forget to mention the Cassa series by Alex J Cavanaugh.

Alex: How has your Christian faith shaped the way you write speculative fiction?
Me:  While I'm nowhere close to perfect, I'd like to think my Christian faith shapes every part of my life. That includes my writing. I felt compelled to write a Christian devotional to offer encouragement to others, and Cling to God was published in October. My fiction, however, is pure scifi, yet it still offers Christian values. Because of my faith, there are some subjects I will never write about, even if that means it may not be as popular or trendy in today's world.

CassaDawn
By Alex J. Cavanaugh
eBook ISBN 9781939844354
Science Fiction-Space Opera/Adventure/Military

The prequel to the Amazon best-selling Cassa series!

A pilot in training...

Fighting the odds, Byron is determined to complete Cosbolt training. Poised at the top of his class, only one situation holds him back–his inability to work with anyone in the cockpit. Byron’s excellent piloting skills won’t be enough without a good navigator…

Release date: December 6, 2016

iTunes, Amazon, B&N, Kobo, Amazon UK, Goodreads

IWSG question of the month: In terms of your writing career, where do you see yourself in five years, and what’s your plan to get there?

I am currently six years into my ten year plan. A lot has changed over that six years. Nothing that I could predict, so the plan needs to be reassessed and modified. At the moment of writing this, I can honestly, and a little worriedly, say that I have no idea where I'll be in five years. Everything feels uncertain right now. How about you?

Brisbane Storms, Food, and Interview

Today I'm over with Juneta Key for an interview. Please pop on over to learn a little more about me and my devotional, Cling to God.

Today is officially two weeks since I moved from Sydney to Brisbane. There are still boxes to trip over but not as many. The place is starting to look like a home. I'm thoroughly enjoying it here. So I thought I'd share some pics.

This is a storm that rolled in. They grow their storms BIG here in the subtropics. Great to watch from a balcony that offers plenty of sky.

This is Medley, a wonderful cafe only a five minute stroll from home. Normally open for breakfast and lunch, they recently opened for dinner as well. I highly recommend their pear and chocolate smoothie. Yum!

To work off all that good food, I enjoyed Zumba in Captain Burke Park under the Story Bridge, Kangaroo Point. No pictures. Too busy missing my steps, flailing my arms about in the cool breeze coming up from the river.

Lastly, I put my Christmas tree up because I had no idea where I was going to store this massive thing. It hadn't seemed so big in my old place. I'm going to buy lights for it tonight so you'll have to wait for a proper pic. Speaking of Christmas... Now is a great time to start buying gifts for your friends and loved ones. And I have the perfect Christmas gift you could give:

Cling to God: A Daily Devotional
by Lynda R Young

A book of short devotionals for every day of the year to encourage you in your faith, to help you think about your beliefs and learn more about God. Perfect for people with busy lifestyles.

Published by Freedom Fox Press
Cling to God in the chaos of life…

Amazon Paperback, Amazon Kindle, Amazon Oz Kindle, Nook, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, iTunes, Goodreads.

 

 

If you've Zumba'd before, did you feel as gangly as I did? What do you love most about storms? Started your Christmas shopping? 

Don't forget to pop over to Juneta's!

On Gratitude and Twitter Warriors

The launch for my debut devotional, Cling to God, was wonderfully successful and a whole lot of fun. If you haven't yet, but would love to buy my book, you can find it here:  Amazon Paperback, Amazon Kindle, Amazon Oz Kindle, Nook, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, iTunes, Goodreads.

Again, I couldn't have done it without you and I wish to thank more people who are continuing to spread the word:

Please drop in on  

Lori L. MacLaughlin 

and 

Lexa Cain 

Both are featuring my book on their blogs. 

Thanks guys!!!

I would also love to thank all the Twitter warriors who have tweeted and retweeted my book. In particular, I'd like to thank those who tweeted multiple times. You guys are so awesome! Thank you to Tyrean Martinson, Medeia Sharif, Crystal Collier, Victoria Marie Lees, Carol Kilgore, Gwen Gardner, Julie Flanders, Beverly McClure, Denise Covey, Bish Denham, Alex J Cavanaugh, Rachna Chhabria, Jemi Fraser, Jenni Enzor, Chrys Fey, L.Diane Wolfe, and the irrepressible Lexa Cain.

If you'd like to help spread the word about this devotional, then feel free to copy/paste some of the tweets below, or make up one of your own:

For an uplifting read, Cling to God: A Daily Devotional http://amzn.to/2dVFHTg @LyndaRYoung #Faith

A great Christmas gift: Cling to God: A Daily Devotional http://amzn.to/2efAyD6 @LyndaRYoung #Faith

Something to challenge you everyday? Cling to God: A Daily Devotional http://amzn.to/2efAyD6 @LyndaRYoung #Faith


Pic: My publisher sent me a pick of my print copies. So exciting to see them like that.

IWSG 2016 Writing Contest Announced

I got my first review for Cling to God on Goodreads! Check it out here. I'm so thrilled. Also, if you haven't already, and would like to, then please mark my devotional to-read in preparation for the release on October 18th. Eek! Thanks again to everyone who helped me with my cover reveal. Most recently my two favourite Carols posted the cover on their blogs: Carol Riggs and Carol Kilgore. Thanks so much! Please visit them and say hi from me.

And one more thing re my book and then I'll stop nattering your virtual ears off about it, but I just had to share. It's the freakiest thing in the world to see your book cover on a t-shirt, mug and playing cards, but here it is!! So, if you are in the USA, you can pick them up here.

The IWSG: sign up here
September’s question: How do you find the time to write in your busy day? 
That's a difficult one to answer at the moment. I'm in the middle of selling house and moving interstate, plus doing final checks and edits on my book, plus getting ready for launch day, plus reading an author's book for review, plus... plus... there's so much going on at the moment that I haven't had any time to write. All my other projects are currently on hold. That happens sometimes. It's ok. It's part of life. I guess I'm still gathering ideas, my creativity is still percolating away, so that's a part of writing isn't it?

Announcing the 2016 IWSG Anthology Contest!

Eligibility: Any member of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group is encouraged to enter – blogging or Facebook member. The story must be previously unpublished. Entry is free. 

Word count: 5000-6000 

Genre: Fantasy  

Theme: Hero Lost. It could be about a hero turned villain, a villain's redemption, a hero's lack of confidence, a hero's lack of smarts, etc. It can be about any kind of hero including superheroes, mythological heroes, unexpected or unlikely heroes, or a whole new kind of hero. This theme has plenty of scope and we’re open to pretty much anything along these lines. No erotica, R-rated language, or graphic violence. 

Deadline: November 1st 2016 

How to enter: Send your polished, formatted, previously unpublished story to admin @ insecurewriterssupportgroup.com before the deadline passes. Please include your contact details and if you are part of the Blogging or Facebook IWSG group. 

Judging: The IWSG admins will create a shortlist of the best stories. The shortlist will then be sent to our official judges. 

Prizes: The winning stories will be edited and published by Freedom Fox Press next year in the IWSG anthology. Authors will receive royalties on books sold, both print and eBook. The top story will have the honor of giving the anthology its title.

We’re excited to see the creativity and enthusiasm that’s such a part of this group put into action. So don your creative caps and start writing. And spread the word! 

Our amazing judges this year:
Richard Harland finished his first novel in 1993 and resigned a university lectureship to become a full-time writer. With seventeen fantasy, SF and horror novels published since, he went international with his steampunk fantasies, Worldshaker, Liberator and Song of the Slums. He has won six Aurealis Awards and the A. Bertram Chandler Award in Australia, the Tam Tam Je Bouquine Award in France. Writing Tips 

Ion Newcombe is the editor and publisher of AntipodeanSF, Australia's longest running online speculative fiction magazine, regularly issued since January 1998. His qualifications and employment range from horticulture through electronics into literature and communications. 

Elizabeth S. Craig writes cozy mystery series for Penguin Random House, Midnight Ink, and independently. She curates links on Twitter as @elizabethscraig that are later shared in the free search engine WritersKB.com. 

Laura Maisano has an MA in Technical writing and is a Senior Editor at Anaiah Press for their YA/NA Christian Fiction. She’s excited to release her debut YA Urban Fantasy SCHISM, and she’s finishing up the sequel UNITY. 

Russell C. Connor has been writing horror since the age of 5, and has been in the self-publishing industry for a decade. He has published 8 novels and 4 novellas in both paperback and eBook, including the Box Office of Terror Trilogy and "Whitney," an epic horror novel about hurricane survivors fighting a washed-ashore sea monster. He also designs books for clients and assists them with self-publishing endeavors. 

Dawn Frederick is the founder of Red Sofa Literary, previously of Sebastian Literary Agency, and she brings a broad knowledge of the book business to the table—with multiple years of experience as a bookseller in the independent, chain, and specialty stores; sales, marketing, & book development at a YA publisher, a published nonfiction author, and an agent associate literary agent at Sebastian Literary Agency. 

Michelle L. Johnson is a literary agent, the founder of Inklings Literary Agency and has a business administration background in addition to a lifetime of working with books (sales, editing, and writing) and authors (marketing, promoting, event planning), and also has been a script/story consultant for an independent film. 

Lynn Tincher, Author, Public Speaker, and Executive Producer, born just outside of Louisville, Kentucky in the beautiful city of La Grange. She has written four books, with the fifth one currently in the making. Her first book, Afterthoughts was optioned for movie production by Kilted Pictures and Dancing Forward Productions in Los Angeles. It is currently in pre-production with plans to shoot in Louisville, Kentucky very soon.

So, how do you find the time to write? Are you going to enter the contest? 

Green Dragons and Special Thanks

A big thank you to everyone who helped spread the word about my daily devotional, Cling to God, coming out in October, as seen in my previous post. A special thanks in particular to Michael Di Gesu for the beautiful introduction he wrote about my book on his blog. If you haven't already, please check it out here. I was thrilled beyond words to read it. Thank you also to everyone who shared the news on Facebook and on Twitter. There were too many to name here, but Jemi Fraser was a stand-out with multiple tweets. You are a gem, Jemi.

And now I'd like to share C. Lee McKenzie's new book, now available and full of awesome adventure:

Three plucky sleuths. A crumbling skeleton. A quest.


After six months in a new school, Sam’s finally fitting in. He’s the one kid with enough talent to hit the winning home run and bring the baseball trophy back to Haggarty Elementary. But Sam’s guardian is shipping him off to boarding school before that can happen.


When teammates, Joey and Roger, hear his bad news, they plot to hide him until the big game. Their secret cave is a perfect place until an earthquake shatters a wall and reveals a wooden chest with a red-eyed dragon carved into its top. Inside, a bony hand clutches a map with a note, promising treasure.


With Joey and Roger, Sam sets off to track down the clues and hopefully discover treasure. When some puzzle pieces start to make sense, the boys become lost in a labyrinth of underground tunnels, trapped by dangerous thieves and sealed inside an airless tomb.


Sign of the Green Dragon gets a high five for fantasy, fun and some fearsome adventure. If you like intrepid would-be knights on impossible and dangerous quests, you’ll love this story. As one reader says, this book, “has more twists than a dragon’s tail.”


Buy now to jump into the adventure.

Buy it now on Amazon

And don't forget to pop on over to Lee's blog too to thank her for sharing the happy news about my book!

What awesome books have you read lately? Which ones are you looking forward to? Who are you grateful to?

An Interview with Lynda R Young

Today I'm being interviewed by the lovely Maggie at Just Get it Written. Please join us over there. I'd love to see you.

I'd also like to thank C Lee McKenzie for the Very Inspiring Blogger Award. Thanks so much for the award. I must admit, having decided to spend less time blogging in favour of game development and writing, I thought I might disappear from people's thoughts across the blogsphere, so the award came as a wonderful surprise. Thank you, Lee!

An Introduction for the New Year #IWSG

I hope everyone had a brilliant break over Christmas and the New Year. Mine was super relaxing and fun. Everything I needed.

At the IWSG, we thought we’d start the New Year with a small introduction. So here goes:

As some of you know, last year saw a few changes in my life. I’ve taken on even more. Not only do I call myself a writer, but I’m also a game developer for the IOS platform, a 3D animator, a 2D artist, a narrative designer, an administrator for the IWSG, a photographer, a fully-fledged geek, a composer, a crazy person.

I write sci-fi short stories and sci-fi and fantasy novels for young adults. I’m also an editor because it appears I’m far better at spotting flaws in other people’s work than in my own. Which is common and also why every writer needs an editor, no matter how much they cringe at the red pen.

Above all, I’m a Christian. I’ve even written a daily devotional and hope to self-publish it this year—as soon as I find the time to work out how.

So that’s me in a … well, nutshells are too cramped, so let’s call it a treasure chest encrusted with shinies. Because I like things that sparkle.

How about you? Tell me a little about yourself. Have you also taken on a lot more than you ever imagined you could handle? How did you manage it?

Note: As a consequence of taking on so much, I’ve decided something has to give. Last year I tried to do absolutely everything and it didn’t work. So, I’ll be officially stepping back a little more from blogging and will only be posting once a month on IWSG day (the first Wednesday of every month). Occasionally I’ll need to post more, but that will be special circumstances only. I hope everyone will understand. 

Photo: I took this pic on Mare in the South Pacific. It's the epitome of relaxation.
 

Cake and Writing Confidence

Today I'm over at the IWSG website with a post about Finding the Confidence to Write what You Love. I'd love to see you over there.

Today is also Holly Sinclair's Foodie Blog Hop. There's so much I could write about food but managed to narrow it down to wedding cake.
 

My hubby and I got married in 1999. It was a small wedding with only 50 guests. We did as much as we could ourselves: the invitations, the order of service, the bombonieres. We weren't up for making our own cake, but when we walked into bakeries or patisseries and mentioned we were interested in a wedding cake, eyes lit up. We couldn't believe the prices. All I wanted was chocolate mud cake. How much could a mud cake cost? Put the word wedding in front of it and the price sky-rocketed. So we built one ourselves. Keeping 'wedding' from our vocabulary, we bought one large cake and one smaller one. We then went to the local craft shop and bought some ribbon and gold roses. Ta-da! A wedding cake! I think it cost us $45 total rather than $800. Best tasting wedding cake ever!

Thank you to everyone for the prayers and hugs last week. I'm still going through medical issues. It's a waiting game now, so continued prayer would be awesome.

Don't forget it's the Insecure Writer's Support Group day on Wednesday. Yikes it's November already! If you'd like to be a part of an awesome, supportive group and haven't signed up yet, click here.

And don't forget to visit me over at the IWSG website.

What's your dream wedding cake? What's the best cake you've ever tasted? 

Dealing with Inevitable Setbacks #IWSG

Big news: I worked out how to open and close a door. Pretty awesome, huh? Okay, so I'm not talking about a regular door. I'm talking about a door on a skyship hovering above the clouds many years from now. Sound slightly more awesome now?

As some of you know, I've been working on a Mystery Project. I can now tell you I'm diving head first into the indie games industry. It's both exciting and challenging all at once. As I've mentioned in a previous post, the learning curve is massive, even though I have a background in 3D animation.

I had hoped to show you some polished screenshots by now, but I hit a monstrous setback. Testing revealed I needed to change my processes. That meant tossing most of what I'd done so far, setting aside everything I'd learned and focusing on a whole new way of achieving my goals—like opening doors. Sigh.

When faced with setbacks like this, it's easy to wallow and whine, to think it's all too hard. The same goes for when we're faced with massive rewrites to fix our manuscripts. Or when we're faced with the possibility that we can't go any further with that particular story and it's time to put it in a drawer to clear the way for a new story.

I'm a firm believer that no writing is wasted writing. No art is wasted art. No learning is wasted learning. While initially I did feel like I'd gone backwards with my indie games project, I soon realised I'd only go backwards if I gave up.

What setbacks have you had to face lately? How have you overcome them?

This post was written for the Insecure Writer's Support Group where we share our encouragement or insecurities on the first Wednesday of the month.

To join the group or find out more, click here.



Picture: One of my unfinished corridors. No texture on anything except the door so far. But the door does open. Woot!

 

4 Ways to Sift Through Writing Advice

There's a plethora of writing advice out there in bookstores, on the internet, at writing conferences, in critique groups, within the circle of family and friends. We are surrounded by well-intentioned people with opinions on how we should write. Some of the advice is sound, some of it contradictory, some baffling and some seems to make sense but you're not so sure a few months later. To find out how you can sift through all that information to know which advice to follow, click on over to the IWSG website where my post is today.

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I'd also like to share Carol Kilgore's exciting cover reveal. I love this cover!

Coming September 2014

You can connect with Carol and her books here:
blog . website . facebook . twitter . goodreads . amazon

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Congrats to Mark Noce who has a fabulous short story, "Meet Me at the Waterfront" on Every Day Fiction. It's well worth the read so pop on over.

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Last week I forgot to mention the Insecure Writer’s Support Group Milestone. I don't know how I forgot. The IWSG Facebook group hit the amazing milestone of one thousand members! We're up to 1081 now! Big thanks to everyone who have made this possible.

Just a reminder about the IWSG Facebook Guidelines:

1. Since the focus of IWSG is support, the Facebook page should reflect this ideal.

2. You are encouraged to support your fellow IWSG'ers who share their writerly-related experiences, which include accomplishments/disappointments/challenges, with the rest of the group. Keep in mind that writers are at different points of their respective writerly journeys. Some lurk for a long time, before finding the courage to share with the rest of the group. Since the IWSG is all about community, a word of encouragement or advice may be just what somebody needs. Or even just a smiley face/thumbs up...

3. News and Promotional Saturday is your opportunity to add a link. The IWSG administrators reserve the right to remove promotional links, especially if they are posted haphazardly. 

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After all this exciting news, don't forget to visit me over at the IWSG website! I'd love to see you over there.

How I found the Write Path

Today's post is brought to you via the special blogfest, How I Found the Write Path, hosted by Carrie Butler and PK Hrezo. The Prompt: Write a letter to yourself when you first started writing toward publication. Details here.

Dear Younger Self,

You know how you hope you'll make a huge success of yourself, buy a mansion with an ocean view from your earnings as a bestselling author, and won't be able to walk down the street without being accosted by fans begging for your autograph? Good news: You can still walk down the street without getting mobbed by fans. Go you! Bad news: You didn't become an author until much, much later in life. Why? Because you quit. Dumbest thing you ever did.

Writing in dribbles--a couple of paragraphs a month or a handful of pages here and there--will mean it'll take you nine years to finish your first novel. Seriously, girl? You want to take nine years to write a book? Waiting for inspiration is one of your first mistakes, though not your biggest.

Your biggest mistake, apart from quitting, was having a totally skewed idea of what it takes to get published. You didn't do the research, you didn't put in the hours, and you gave up before you hit any kind of momentum. Surprise, surprise, there's a business side to writing if you want to get published. It's not easy for a dreamer like you, but neither is it impossible. Remember that.

Here's what you're getting right:
You are reading a lot. That's the best thing you can do so keep reading. Don't turn your nose at different genres. Read anything you can get your hands on. Even non-fiction. You'll notice a difference in your writing when you expand your exposure to a variety of styles and story types.

You are currently fearless when it comes to writing. Hold onto that fearlessness. You'll need it when you start reading How-To books on the craft or sharing your work with others outside your family. That's when you'll start to think you are doing it all wrong and the first doubts will come nipping at your ankles. Continue to write what you love, not what you think other people will love.

Here's what you could improve on:
Write every day. Don't be afraid to draw up a writing schedule. It might seem regimental to your creative self, but you'll revel in it. Same goes with outlining. Get over the fantasy that outlining is somehow less organic and creative, and give it a go already. You'll thank me later. Write more short stories to hone your skills. Attend more workshops. Find a critique group and enjoy the support and encouragement of other writers. Only other writers can truly understand what it's like to be a writer.

One last piece of advice: Write down your ideas. No matter how certain you'll remember those ideas, trust me when I say, you won't.

And, whatever you do, don't quit, you big goose!

Lynda R Young
Author of speculative short stories and YA novels.
http://lyndaryoung.blogspot.com