Life in progress

Tag Archives: #amwriting


by 11 Comments

Still so stoked!

Still so stoked – try to say that five times fast.

Anyway, I wrote a post last week (it feels like a year ago) about being stoked about something, and it ended in a cliffhanger.

Well, my friends, I’m about to rescue you from the cliff!

The thing I’ve been putting lots of energy into …

The best new thing to come around since sliced bread …

The thing I can’t wait for you to see …

…

…

(this is a drumroll, by the way)

…

Is …

My Ream account!

*waits for applause*

Thank you. Thank you so much.

Wait, someone in the back is asking what a Ream account is.

Now someone in the front is too … only a couple of people know what Ream is?

No problem. I can explain.

Ream is a platform much like Patreon, only it was built specifically for authors and readers, and IT IS AMAZING!

On Ream, you can just go and read some of my stories, like Off the top of my head where I’m adding a story, poem, or scene weekly to create a compilation. So far, they’re all things that were previously published on my fiction blog, but I’ll add stories you’ve never read before to it. You don’t even need to sign up! Click the link and see!

If you do sign up for Ream (it’s easy, painless, and free!) you can follow me for free and get emails when I update something, plus you can read Pixy and All Good Stories and other stuff I publish there in the future. Did I mention it’s free?

Okay, so my Ream page isn’t very pretty right now, but I’m still working out the kinks and trying to figure out what I’m going to do with it. It’s early days.

But I’m in talks with a lovely lady named Anna who runs a business that helps authors with branding and banners and all things to make their social media accounts look pretty.  It’s going to cost money, though, so that’s where my next point comes in.

I also have paid tiers.

The first one is only $3.00, and I’ve titled it “Eternal Gratitude.” But that, while huge, is not all you get when you join. It’s perfect for the reader who doesn’t read romance. I plan to publish my short stories that were included in the Transmundane Press anthologies plus—get this—I’ll even dust off the first novel I ever wrote, which only a handful of people have read, and publish it to this tier! Plus any other non-romance stories I write in the future.

The second tier is $4.99 (but right now it’s free—there are coupons! Keep reading!). It’s my “Grand Entrance” tier and it’s exactly what it sounds like. The very first productive tier where you can join me and read my steamy romance stories, both past and future. You’ll see I’m limiting the number of people who can sign up for this because once it’s archived, it’s going to continue to be my inner community. No matter what anyone is offered in higher priced tiers in the future (excluding physical goods), if you sign up for this one, you’ll get it all and never pay more than $4.99.

But again, I’m still working this out.

So to reward those who take the 14 spots left (as of the writing of this post) for putting up with me while I sort things out, you can use the promo code GRANDENTRANCE to get the first 2 months free, or 4MONTHS50 to get the first 4 months at half price.

Go check out the tier here to see what the benefits (aside from putting up with me) are. Warning: steamy romance!

And that’s what has me so stoked.

It’s going to be so much fun! Ream is a place not only to read stories, but to connect with authors and other readers and start discussions on what you love (or hate!) about characters and settings and what resonates with you. It’s a place to feel included in the storytelling community.

Check out Ream now!

Thank you so much!


by 30 Comments

One-Liner Wednesday – Clownin’ around

The before photo, with happy-footed clowns.

Two hours later at the end of the parade, feet were not happy, though the smiles remained.

Photo: Me and two of my sons dressed up as clowns, all of us in winter coats, one on top, the others underneath the costumes.

If you would like to participate in this prompt, feel free to use the “One-Liner Wednesday” title in your post, and if you do, you can ping back here to help your blog get more exposure. To execute a pingback, just copy the URL in the address bar on this post, and paste it somewhere in the body of your post. Your link will show up in the comments below. Please ensure that the One-Liner Wednesday you’re pinging back to is this week’s! Otherwise, no one will likely see it but me.

NOTE: Pingbacks only work from WordPress sites. If you’re self-hosted or are participating from another host, like Blogger, please leave a link to your post in the comments below.

As with Stream of Consciousness Saturday (SoCS), if you see a pingback from someone else in my comment section, click and have a read. It’s bound to be short and sweet.

Unlike SoCS, this is not a prompt so there’s no need to stick to the same “theme.”

The rules that I’ve made for myself (but don’t always follow) for “One-Liner Wednesday” are:

1. Make it one sentence.

2. Try to make it either funny or inspirational.

3. Use our unique tag #1linerWeds.

4. Add our lovely badge to your post for extra exposure!

5. Have fun!

Badge by Laura @ riddlefromthemiddle.com

Available now! Click the image!


by 32 Comments

One-Liner Wednesday – Worried? Who, me?

Is it telling that I wrote into my vampire story that my main character (a vampire) is upset that she hasn’t had her snow tires put on yet?

If you would like to participate in this prompt, feel free to use the “One-Liner Wednesday” title in your post, and if you do, you can ping back here to help your blog get more exposure. To execute a pingback, just copy the URL in the address bar on this post, and paste it somewhere in the body of your post. Your link will show up in the comments below. Please ensure that the One-Liner Wednesday you’re pinging back to is this week’s! Otherwise, no one will likely see it but me.

NOTE: Pingbacks only work from WordPress sites. If you’re self-hosted or are participating from another host, like Blogger, please leave a link to your post in the comments below.

As with Stream of Consciousness Saturday (SoCS), if you see a pingback from someone else in my comment section, click and have a read. It’s bound to be short and sweet.

Unlike SoCS, this is not a prompt so there’s no need to stick to the same “theme.”

The rules that I’ve made for myself (but don’t always follow) for “One-Liner Wednesday” are:

1. Make it one sentence.

2. Try to make it either funny or inspirational.

3. Use our unique tag #1linerWeds.

4. Add our lovely badge to your post for extra exposure!

5. Have fun!

Badge by Laura @ riddlefromthemiddle.com

Available now! Click the image!


by 81 Comments

One-Liner Wednesday – First thing that comes to mind

Before you look at the other comments, tell me the first thing that comes to mind when you read this book title:

 

 

The Magician’s Sire.

When I wake up in the morning, I’ll tell you in the comments what it’s for. Also look for the silly alternative title.

Thank you.

If you would like to participate in this prompt, feel free to use the “One-Liner Wednesday” title in your post, and if you do, you can ping back here to help your blog get more exposure. To execute a pingback, just copy the URL in the address bar on this post, and paste it somewhere in the body of your post. Your link will show up in the comments below. Please ensure that the One-Liner Wednesday you’re pinging back to is this week’s! Otherwise, no one will likely see it but me.

NOTE: Pingbacks only work from WordPress sites. If you’re self-hosted or are participating from another host, like Blogger, please leave a link to your post in the comments below.

As with Stream of Consciousness Saturday (SoCS), if you see a pingback from someone else in my comment section, click and have a read. It’s bound to be short and sweet.

Unlike SoCS, this is not a prompt so there’s no need to stick to the same “theme.”

The rules that I’ve made for myself (but don’t always follow) for “One-Liner Wednesday” are:

1. Make it one sentence.

2. Try to make it either funny or inspirational.

3. Use our unique tag #1linerWeds.

4. Add our lovely new badge to your post for extra exposure!

5. Have fun!

Badge by Laura @ riddlefromthemiddle.com


by 53 Comments

One-Liner Wednesday – Can I borrow that?

When I see other authors thanking their significant others for helping out with the housework and looking after the kids, it crosses my mind to ask if I can borrow their partners so I can finish my book.

Then I realize that’s not a good way to make friends.

 

If you would like to participate in this prompt, feel free to use the “One-Liner Wednesday” title in your post, and if you do, you can ping back here to help your blog get more exposure. To execute a pingback, just copy the URL in the address bar on this post, and paste it somewhere in the body of your post. Your link will show up in the comments below. Please ensure that the One-Liner Wednesday you’re pinging back to is this week’s! Otherwise, no one will likely see it but me.

NOTE: Pingbacks only work from WordPress sites. If you’re self-hosted or are participating from another host, like Blogger, please leave a link to your post in the comments below.

As with Stream of Consciousness Saturday (SoCS), if you see a pingback from someone else in my comment section, click and have a read. It’s bound to be short and sweet.

Unlike SoCS, this is not a prompt so there’s no need to stick to the same “theme.”

The rules that I’ve made for myself (but don’t always follow) for “One-Liner Wednesday” are:

1. Make it one sentence.

2. Try to make it either funny or inspirational.

3. Use our unique tag #1linerWeds.

4. Add our lovely badge to your post for extra exposure!

5. Have fun!


by 27 Comments

#SoCS – Heart and soul

Every day I do it.

Put my heart and soul into my work.

And still, I don’t feel like I do enough.

Because if it takes me an hour to write a good sentence,

or twenty minutes to edit one,

I haven’t the product–I haven’t been productive.

Writing is a skill

or I should say writing well is a skill–writing poetically is a skill

unlike building a wall of brick and mortar.

Because unlike the repetitive nature of building a wall,

no two sentences are quite alike.

No two stories are alike.

They each have their fingerprint,

the fingerprint of the author.

The soul of the author.

The experiences that make the author who he or she is.

So just because I don’t bang out a story in a few weeks,

doesn’t mean I’m not working.

Perhaps it just means my heart and soul

are unready to let it go.

SoCS badge by Pamela, at https://achronicalofhope.com/

This totally off the top post is brought to you by Stream of Consciousness Saturday. Click the following link to find all the other posts in the comment section and join in yourself–it’s fun! https://lindaghill.com/2019/03/15/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-march-16-19/

 


by 13 Comments

First Lines

I had a breakthrough! Chapter One of The Magician’s Blood, Book Two of my series, has been giving me trouble, but I think I’ve finally got it. A beginning!

Herman Anderson stood up before the train came to a stop. Tapping her foot and tightly clutching the shoulder strap of her backpack that rested on the seat she’d vacated, she felt a hand gently enclose hers. She relaxed a fraction. She looked down into the eyes of her lover, Stephen Dagmar, and her muscles gave in a fraction more to the comfort of his touch.

“I know what you’re going to say,” she said with a sigh.

He raised one perfect black eyebrow. “That no matter what you find when you get home, we’ll deal with it?”

“And …”

“You’re not going to get off this train before they open the doors?”

“And …”

“That I love you?” He smiled then, and the rest of her nerves ceased their vibration.

“I love you too.”

She squeezed his hand to steady herself as the train finally came to a grinding halt at the Ottawa Via Rail station.

I’m aiming to publish on May 27th, eleven months from the publication date of the first book. Remember, if you want to read Book One now for free, it’s on NetGalley.com.

I’m getting excited!! 😀


by

Becoming a Publisher

Want to get to know a publisher? Click on the original post. It may be the opportunity of a lifetime!
NOTE: Comments here are closed.


by 22 Comments

Just Jot It Jan 16 – Impenetrable

So much for taking time today to get caught up on blogging; this full-time work thing is crazy, isn’t it? I haven’t had a “real” job in sixteen years, and even then, I was running my own business. The last time I worked for someone who wasn’t me was in 1995. I think.

Even though I haven’t “worked” in more than 20 years, I have worked. My kids were born in ’94, ’95, and ’00 – one might argue that just being a mom is work. But past that, I push myself to do more. Writing, blogging, and taking courses to improve my skills have kept me on my toes for quite a few years now.

What about me is impenetrable? Probably my hard-headedness when it comes to saying anything but, Sure! I can do it! Just pile it all on. My head is as hard as my plate is large. And nothing is going slow me down… until they both overflow that is. So if you see my brains leaking out of my ears, you’ll know I’ve reached my penetration limit.

At the rate I’m going, it won’t be long.

jjj-2017

Thanks to Blog Woman!!! for our prompt of the day, “impenetrable.” You can find her here: https://blog-woman.com/

And a special thank you to Shan, for the wonderful job she’s doing as host. Let’s hear it for Shan! 😀 https://shanjeniah.com/about/

It’s not too late to join in Just Jot It January. Click the following link to participate and read more amazing posts: https://lindaghill.com/2017/01/16/jusjojan-daily-prompt-jan-16th17/


by 12 Comments

New Random Update

Redundancies. I’m studying them in my new-but-almost-finished Stylistic Editing course. I’ve decided to make the decision to get them all out of my system in this post I’m writing right now.

Edit: I’ve decided to edit all the redundancies from the remainder of this post because it’s been bothering me since I published it yesterday.

Sadly, James Justin, the scam artist nice man from Windows didn’t call me back. I had some great suggestions on what to say/do to him; you can read the hilarity in the comments here: https://lindaghill.com/2016/11/26/okay-i-need-your-help/ if you haven’t already. Since I told him my power was off when he called the first time, I was going to inform him that I never turn my computer off so I had no idea how to turn it on. This scenario is getting funnier by the day, since if he does call now, I can say, “THANK GOD YOU CALLED! I HAVEN’T HAD A COMPUTER SINCE SATURDAY!!” Of course it will take 15 minutes to boot, during which time I’ll have lots of opportunity to take advantage of the awesome suggestions on the other post. Then, after I go through all the steps he meticulously explains in order for him to hack my computer and steal all my money, I’ll ask, “What’s an ‘internet’?” Brilliant, no?

My One-Liner Wednesday today had more to do with real life than I wish it had. I was passing out last night when I should have been scheduling the post, then I woke up at 7:10 this morning – an hour and a half late – so I had to drive the kid to school before I could get around to the prompt. Needless to say, it’s been a rough one. However, this is a good opportunity to let you know that if I’m ever AWOL, you check my Twitter feed in the right-hand column, just over there —> somewhere. If possible, I’ll leave a note to let you know what’s happened to me.

I’m almost finished the final edit of my first book in the series, The Great Dagmaru. The actual title for Book 1 is yet to be determined. Book 2 is written and I’m three-quarters of the way through writing Book 3. Unfortunately my plan to get it published this year will not be met. I’m hoping to do so in February.

Between the craziness of the above and spending the day at the hospital in Kingston for a consultation, I’ve been shamefully negligent in responding to comments.  I hope to get back to you all soon!