sharonecathcart

sharonecathcart, 19 days ago to random

Back in 2017, I traveled to Memphis to research a book project (which didn't turn out quite as I expected it to, but that's not the point). One of the places I visited, and which is referenced in "It Happened in Memphis," is Graceland.

I'm gobsmacked.

https://www.commercialappeal.com/story/entertainment/2024/05/20/elvis-presley-graceland-memphis-auction/73778623007/

sharonecathcart, 19 days ago to random

#WritersCoffeeClub May Day 18

Have you written sections where the action occurs against the clock? How did you do it?

I wrote a book set in #pompeii

'Nuf said. ;-)

#indieauthor #pompeiifire #bookstodon

sharonecathcart, 19 days ago (edited 19 days ago) to books

#WritersCoffeeClub

When did you first know you wanted to be a writer?

Honestly, I don't remember a time when I wasn't creating stories. I was on the school newspaper staff in elementary school and junior high. My best gal-pal and I co-wrote some truly cringeworthy fanfic together, and I recently found a small portfolio of poetry (some of it good, some of it not so good) that I wrote over the years.

I eventually became a journalist and then a newspaper editor. When those jobs went away (due to closures), I stopped thinking of myself as a writer for many years.

And then came that first novel. I seldom promote it these days because I've grown so much, but it's still out there.

#indieauthor #writingcommunity #books #bookstodon

https://books2read.com/b/4DP10d

sharonecathcart, 19 days ago to books

#PennedPossibilities 320 — What was the worst event of your MC's childhood?

Drusilla's father leaves her, at age 6, to be fostered by Julia Felix in Pompeii. She's lost her mother in the 62 AD earthquake, and now her father's disappearing as well -- because he doesn't want to be hampered by a little girl while he establishes a new business (and life) in nearby, wealthy Herculaneum. Drusilla's only companion for the moment is Invictus, her puppy ... but she becomes friends with Julia's daughter Claudia. Still, she's effectively orphaned for convenience.

#awardwinning #historicalfiction #dualtimeline #pompeii #writingcommunity #indieauthor #bookstodon #books

https://books2read.com/b/3nNrde

sharonecathcart, 20 days ago to books

#WordWeavers 20: How did you settle on your antagonists' appearances?

In "Pompeii Fire," my antagonist is an actual, documented person: Stephanus, the fuller. Now, he may have been the nicest guy in town for all any of us know ... but not in my book. He's way older than my female protagonist (he's her father's age), and wants to marry her. He's not particularly good-looking, and he's always trying to hide that his hair is thinning. But the worst part of him really is his odious personality.

#awardwinning #dualtimeline #historicalfiction #ancientworld #pompeii #readingcommunity #indieauthor #bookstodon #books

Get your copy today: https://books2read.com/b/3nNrde

sharonecathcart, 20 days ago to random

This is important: we've all been experiencing trauma, and understanding how that affects us matters.

https://open.substack.com/pub/marytrump/p/the-perpetual-twilight-of-our-times?r=1ekuyr&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email

sharonecathcart, 21 days ago to random

#WritersCoffeeClub May 19 - Do you agree with Hilary Mantel, who said the best qualities for writing are self-confidence and a little arrogance?

Honestly? No.

Self-confidence in the sense that you believe in your story, maybe, coupled with the wisdom to understanddthat your idea may not pan out. (Come on, we all have stuff that is never going to see the light of day.)

I don't see how arrogance serves anyone, really.

sharonecathcart, 21 days ago to random

#WordWeavers
How did you settle on your MC's appearance?

I often have a good idea of what they look like ... but sometimes it's more vague. I use storyboarding to help me consolidate who they are so that I can translate that a little better. Pinterest is super-handy for this.

Here is the story board for my current #wip

https://www.pinterest.com/secathcart/story-board-highland-fire/

#amwriting #dualtimeline #historicalfiction #indieauthor

sharonecathcart, 21 days ago to random

#PennedPossibilities 319
MC POV: Where did you grow up? What was your childhood like there?

Dair Montgomery: We lived in Edinburgh. My da was what they called a hard man; he didn't like that I preferred the company of books and animals to playing football or cricket. My favorite time was the summer; my mum would drive me up to Ballachulish to visit Nanny Kilgour, her mother. Nanny understood me better than anyone; she nurtured my love for nature and learning. I dreaded going back home at the end of the summer.

When I came back from Afghanistan, I was pretty messed up. The only place I'd ever really felt like myself was Ballachulish ... so that's where I went.

#wip #indieauthor #amwriting

sharonecathcart, 21 days ago to random

https://lithub.com/on-the-power-and-purpose-of-historical-fiction/

#readingcommunity #writingcommunity #HistoricalFiction

sharonecathcart, 21 days ago to random

https://open.substack.com/pub/steady/p/salt-peanuts?r=1ekuyr&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email

aral, 21 days ago (edited 21 days ago) to random

To those Americans getting offended that their president and country are being criticised for arming a genocide may I just remind you that there is something a tad more offensive than being criticised for arming a genocide which is arming a goddamn genocide. Get some fucking perspective.

Mrfunkedude, 21 days ago to random

Tell me the story of the last time you committed an act of kindness in 500 characters or less.

There’s nothing wrong with bragging about creating kindness. There’s nothing honorable about not sharing the joy of creating kindness.

We need to uplift and encourage people who create kindness in their daily lives.

So tell us your story. It doesn’t have to be something big. It can be something as simple as helping someone carry a bag of groceries.

How did you create kindness this week?

sharonecathcart, 21 days ago to FiberArts

My mom sent me her entire yarn stash ... which is lovely.

But she carefully wound most of the skeins into balls; I've only found one with its label still intact. I can figure out the weights, but the fiber content, brand, colorway, etc., are going to be subject to a lot of guesswork.

#amknitting #fiberarts

sharonecathcart, 21 days ago to random

I've been at the Author Strong 2024 conference on FB this weekend. Don't worry if you missed anything; it's free ... and you can replay the presentations.

I've already learned some new ways to think about marketing my books.

#indieauthor #writingcommunity #diverseauthors #bookstodon

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1475427906352241

byteseu, 21 days ago to Everythingscience

The Hidden Link Between Eye Health and Mental Well-being https://www.byteseu.com/118464/ #EverythingScience #Science

sharonecathcart, 21 days ago to random

https://open.substack.com/pub/thomhartmann/p/saturday-report-the-manson-girls?r=1ekuyr&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email

sharonecathcart, 22 days ago to random

https://open.substack.com/pub/america/p/we-have-been-warned?r=1ekuyr&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email

sharonecathcart, 23 days ago to books

https://sharonecathcart.wordpress.com/2024/05/17/weekend-reads-dismissed/ #bookreview #readingcommunity #books

sharonecathcart, 23 days ago to random

https://open.substack.com/pub/steady/p/the-big-what-if?r=1ekuyr&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email

sharonecathcart, 25 days ago to random

While they are not everyone's cup of tea, I love both reading and writing dual timelines.

#writingcommunity #historicalfiction

https://hns-conference.com/2024/05/01/keeping-your-readers-dual-attention-focus/

sharonecathcart, 25 days ago to random

#writingcommunity #HistoricalFiction

https://hns-conference.com/2024/03/09/five-thoughts-on-researching-nineteenth-century-western-demimondes/

sharonecathcart, 26 days ago to random

This kind of nonsense is why, despite my fondness for New Orleans, I could never live in Louisiana.

https://open.substack.com/pub/popularinformation/p/louisiana-lawmakers-insist-child?r=1ekuyr&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email