#PennedPossibilities 326 — Do any of your characters have a favorite place that they've ever visited?
Characters in both "Bayou Fire" and "Pompeii Fire," as well as my current #wip, are travel writers. I've never really considered whether they have a favorite place that they've visited, if I'm honest ... but I suspect sentimental attachments to particular spots all the same. #nospoilers
#WritersCoffeeClub 5/20 -- When did you first know you wanted to be a writer?
I can almost give you an exact date: Jan 30th, 2000.
That's when I started writing down the first intense scene of a story that wasn't fan fiction. It grew and grew in my mind, into three years of hyperfocus and three completed novels with four more started.
Those prompted me to sign up with an agent. (Contract long dissolved.) I've been self-publishing since 2013.
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.
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.
#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.
Dionysus in Wisconsin won third place at the New England Romance Writers Readers' Choice awards in the fantasy/paranormal category. I am definitely going to be cool about this and not use it as an excuse to call myself an AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR at every turn because that would be obnoxious.
Someone is either selling pirated copies of my book, or they're trying to scam people using my name and book. They even uploaded it under the name "River Hopkins" instead of "River J. Hopkins."
Can y'all please report the seller? This is the link. They're selling it for $14.99, and there's absolutely no way they have new copies for that price.
#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.
#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.
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.
Twelve ebooks for just $20. We've got boxed sets, complete series, Nebula finalists, newer authors you might not know yet, and some of your trusty favourites.
All yours for just $20. But don't blink or you'll miss it – this bundle is available for just 3 weeks.
Gibt's hier Menschen, die für Lehrbücher schreiben und Erfahrungen teilen möchten? Will ich einen Total-Buy-Out-Vertrag für ein Lern-Heft einer Fernuni unterschreiben? Nein, wollen ganz sicher nicht. Will ich das Heft machen? Ja, durchaus. Zahlen sie gut? Geht so. Wie würdet ihr das angehen? sfz Gerne RT. #Lehre#Uni#Schreiben#Lehrbuch#AuthorBusiness#Autorenleben#writerslife#indieauthor