Tag Archives: writing

Guest Post + #Giveaway: Mary Alford

3 Mar

I’m happy to welcome Mary Alford to Buzzing About Books!
Thanks so much for visiting with us today, Mary, and for graciously offering a copy of Rocky Mountain Pursuit to one of my readers! 

Guest Post- Mary Alford 

The Dance

A few years ago, my oldest granddaughter was certain she wanted to be a dancer after she watched Angelina Ballerina. Unfortunately, for the dancing world that has since changed many times over.

I was about my granddaughter’s age when I read my first Nancy Drew mystery and knew that I wanted to create stories when I grew up. That was it. Career settled. Life put into place. If only it were that easy. At the time, I had no idea I was about to embark on the dance of a lifetime.

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Just like dancing, writing requires a lot of discipline and training.

First, you must learn the proper steps: There is nothing scarier than sitting in front of a blank computer screen for the first time and trying to write…something. It’s a huge leap to go from reading inspirational romantic suspense to actually writing it. When I wrote my first story, I had no idea all the intricate steps involved in creating a suspense story, but I wrote, I read about my craft, and I found a great network of seasoned authors who willingly shared their knowledge.

Practice, Practice, Practice: It you don’t use it you lose it. In other words, to improve as a dancer or a writer, you have to work through all the self-doubt and times when life gets in the way.

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In the beginning, writing was a trial and error experience for me. I confess I tried other genres in the process before I came back to my first love, inspirational romantic suspense. Some wise author once told me, write what you enjoy reading and then perfect it. In other words, if you don’t read contemporary romance, then don’t try to write it.

Submitting a manuscript the first time can be a frightening experience. After you’ve polished and perfected your baby, it’s time to send it out into the world and let it stand on its own. And that’s just the beginning. You wait and wait until one day you receive news about your baby. Only it’s not what you were hoping. The dreaded rejection letter arrives and it feels as if someone slugged you in the stomach hard. This wasn’t what I expected. To quote my granddaughter, “Now what”? Well, some rejection letters are form letters. Those you file away. Others have comments from the editor who reviewed it. Those you can gain little pearls of wisdom to help you along your way…but you have to put aside your hurt feelings and listen. You can’t take it personal. Publishing is a business. A very hard one at that.

It’s finally Showtime! What do you mean I’ll be dancing by myself?

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For me, ten years of writing came down to five minutes in the spotlight. In 2012, I entered the Speed Dating Contest that editor Emily Rodmell hosted and I was one of the lucky ones who got an appointment to chat with Emily. On the day of the pitch, I was on vacation in Colorado. At our cabin, internet service is nonexistent. I could have given up and said, well, that’s it, better luck next time, but I didn’t. My husband and I drove into the small town of Pagosa Springs where I did the entire chat on my laptop in the parking lot of the Ace Hardware Store.

Emily was kind enough to request a synopsis although I was so nervous she probably didn’t understand anything I told her. I promptly sent the synopsis out to her. Then she requested the first three chapters followed by the full manuscript. With each request, I tried not to get my hopes up.

Forgotten Past

In December 2012, Emily called. To this day, I can’t tell you what she said to me other than that she wanted to buy FORGOTTEN PAST for Love Inspired Suspense. It was a surreal moment. One that still hasn’t fully sunken in yet. It’s a great feeling to have your dream become a reality and even greater to hold your book in your hands.

But Would There Be A Second Dance? For most authors who have been published, selling the second book can be even more daunting. For me, the answer to that question was yes, there would be a second dance.

ROCKY MOUNTAIN PURSUIT is available now!

Rocky Mountain PursuitEveryone believes agent Jase Bradford is dead—everyone but Reyna Peterson. Only he can protect her now that someone wants the information her CIA husband died to secure. As the one member of their spy team not killed, Jase must remain in the shadows. Yet when Reyna leads the enemy right to his mountain refuge and blows his cover, Jase risks his life for hers. As his best friend’s beautiful widow scales the walls around his heart, whether out of loyalty or love, he makes it his duty to secure her safety. But when their pursuers trap them in the snowy Colorado mountains, will it become his final mission?

Available at:
Harlequin, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other fine booksellers

 

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So to quote Garth Brooks’ famous song, The Dance, “I could have missed the pain, but I’d have had to miss the dance”.

And what a dance it is.

What about you? What dreams are dancing around in your head? Whether it is becoming a published author or something else, I’d love to hear how you’ve overcome the obstacles along the way to your Showtime?

I’ll be giving away a signed print copy of ROCKY MOUNTAIN PURSUIT, my second Love Inspired Suspense, to one random person who comments. Thanks for stopping by! ~ Mary

Giveaway- Rocky Mountain Pursuit

GIVEAWAY DETAILS – (US only) 

Thanks to Mary’s generosity, one lucky reader will win a signed copy of Rocky Mountain Pursuit!

To enter the giveaway:
Leave a comment below, and be sure to include your email address. The giveaway ends Tuesday, March 8 at midnight CST, and a winner will be chosen and announced on March 9th.

To earn additional entries:
Follow this blog, Buzzing About Books, and/or share the giveaway. Be sure to let me know what you’ve done to earn additional entries!  This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with, Facebook.

Contest Rules:
◦No purchase is necessary.
◦Odds of winning are based on number of entries.
◦US residents, 18 and older, are eligible to enter.

 

Mary AlfordMary Alford is a Texan whose debut novel, FORGOTTEN PAST is now available at Love Inspired Suspense.  When Mary’s not dreaming up people in dangerous situations and writing them down, she’s also a mom, wife, grandmother, avid reader, a proud geek-girl.  For occasional updates and news about upcoming publications, please go to the contact form on her website and subscribe to her newsletter!

Author links:
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

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Guest Post: Laura McNeill

13 Jan

Britney, Laura McNeill

I had the privilege of meeting Laura McNeill at the RT Booklovers Convention last year, and I’m excited to welcome her here today!  Thanks so much for sharing your writing passion, Laura!

 

 

Guest Post - Laura McNeill    

Why I Write
Laura McNeill

Writing is a calling. It’s a part of me—an extension of myself. Writing, that amazing and sometimes elusive trifecta of plot, character, and emotion, equally fills me with joy and challenges me. It’s what I contemplate during stolen moments in my day and before I fall asleep at night.

Bestselling author Jodi Picoult has been asked many times why she writes, and I love her answer from this Huffington Post article because it resonates so much with me.

I write because I can’t not write. If I have an idea circling in my brain and I can’t get it out, it begins to poison my waking existence, until I’m unable to function in polite company or even hold a simple conversation. I write because it’s a way of puzzling out answers to situations in the world that I don’t understand.

I share Picoult’s passion, and though I have always loved writing, I didn’t start out my career with the goal of being a novelist. I was an English major, a journalist, and a girl who dabbled with law school. I’ve been a public relations director, had a job in pharmaceutical sales, and now work as an instructional designer for a major university.

It was my time as a reporter in TV news, though, when I was really bitten by the writing bug and the possibility of actually writing a novel began to gel in my mind. Challenged every day with putting together new, fresh stories by a 5 pm deadline, I learned to craft words quickly, creatively, and effectively. I interviewed everyone from senators and schoolteachers to police officers and peanut farmers. I spent time in court, at crime scenes, and in the classroom. And with each assignment I covered, if I asked the right questions, really listened, and kept an open mind, I often discovered a bit of magic.

With those bits of magic, that wealth of experience, and dozens upon dozens of story ideas, I took a break from the news business to raise my children. It was then that I really felt a compelling drive to write, to create, and to share stories with the world. I wanted to become a novelist—not just any novelist—a really good one. So, I began studying books on writing, attending conferences and lectures, and soaking all of the advice I possibly could from experienced writers, hoping to find the key to author success. In turn, I wrote terrible first drafts, revised and polished those awful manuscripts, and plodded forward; often questioning what in the world I’d ever been thinking to set such a lofty goal for myself.

What I quickly found is that there are no shortcuts, no real rulebooks, no secrets, or special advice to make a book sing. It’s work. Hard work. And it’s not for the faint of heart. Writing requires a lot of trial and error, much staring at a blinking cursor on a laptop screen, and long, solitary hours with your derriere in a chair. It takes tenacity, a will to persevere, and an almost reckless willingness to try and fail, and try again.

It’s also a dangerous gamble, an opening of one’s heart and soul and laying everything out for the world to examine, weigh, and measure. And when it’s all said and done, whether it’s your first, fifth, or fifteenth novel, it’s done with the goal of reaching readers, of moving people, and leaving a lasting impression long after the last page has been read.

For me, writing is not, and never will be, about fame, fortune, or the New York Times bestseller list. The reward is connecting with readers. The reward is when sharing your novels makes people cry, laugh, smile, remember, think, dream, or imagine. The reward comes when readers say that your book struck a tender chord or touched their hearts. For a writer, there is no better feeling or higher compliment—and that is why I write.

 

Laura McNeill

Laura McNeill is the author of CENTER OF GRAVITY. When she is not running, reading or drinking coffee- she is hard at work on her next book. Look for SISTER DEAR on 4/19/16.

Connect with Laura:
Website | Twitter | Facebook

 

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Interview: Melissa Tagg | From the Start

25 Apr

I adore Melissa Tagg’s books and am so excited to welcome her to Buzzing About Books! 

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Welcome, Melissa!  Please share a little about yourself.

Thanks for having me, Britney! Well, I’m a former reporter turned author and grant-writer and communications coordinator and avid watcher of YouTube videos. I love classic movies, Gilmore Girls and the band NEEDTOBREATHE, and I am convinced I have the coolest family in the entire world.  Oh, and I live in Iowa. It’s happy here.

 

Just for fun, which do you prefer:

Cake or Pie? Does ice cream cake count? ‘Cause if so, cake all the way.

Hotel or Campground? While I am not opposed to the occasional campout, generally I prefer hotels.

Physical book or E-book? I definitely read both, but there’s something about physical books…

Salty or Sweet? I love it all, but probably sweet…no salty…no totally depends on my mood.

Dog or Cat? This one’s easy…dogs all the way. Cats kinda creep me out.

Television or Movies? Generally movies—classic movies. But I have been known to obsess over a few TV shows… 

Iowa graphicCity or Country?

I’m an Iowa girl, so I should probably say country. Actually my favorite is small-ish towns that are located super close to big cities. Best of both worlds.

 

Fly or Drive? Drive! I’m thankful to be able to get places quickly by flying when I need to, but I loooove road trips.

Homemade or Take-out? If someone else is making it, homemade.

Morning Bird or Night Owl? Both! Seriously. Originally I was a total night owl, but I’ve sorta trained myself to become a morning person in the past few years. Now I love early mornings.

When did you decide to pursue writing and eventually publication?

I got serious about writing in 2009 when I attended my first My Book Therapy retreat. Hands-down the best thing I ever did for my writing! Susan May Warren is an amazing writer and a master storycrafter so learning from her through MBT was amazing. In 2010 I attended my first big writing conference and started pursuing publication. And then all the doors flung open in 2012.

What is your writing process like?  Do you write daily?  Are you a plotter or a pantster?

How much I write and when really just depends on the time of year and when my deadlines. I do generally write at least something every day—but it’s not always fiction. Sometimes it’s a blog or an article. When I’m deep in deadline mode, I tend to get up early to write before work and then also squeeze in a couple hours in the evening. I do a LOT of Saturday writing.

But my favorite is when I can set a long weekend aside for writing marathons…that really works well for me.

I’m right in between plotter and pantser. I always come up with the main plot pieces and spend a lot of time getting to know my characters before diving into the book. And then usually I plot about a third of the book at a time…but I’ve found that if I try to get too detailed in my plotting, I hem myself in and end up frustrated later when the characters suddenly do what I didn’t expect. So I’m learning to be much more flexible with my stories while holding on to those core story elements.

Where do you do most of your writing? 

I write all over my place, actually! I do have a room I use just for writing and when I’m in a serious spurt, I write there. But I also love to sit in bed and write…or at my kitchen table…or on my comfy couch. I’ll camp out at coffee shops sometimes.

But my absolute favorite place to write is my mom and dad’s sunroom. They live about an hour away from me and they’re so gracious to open their home to me whenever I need a writing campout.

What is your favorite part of the writing process?  Least favorite?

My very favorite…finishing the book. LOL! I love that “whoa, it’s done” moment. My favorite part of writing itself is dialogue. I looooove writing character dialogue. And of course, I adore hearing from readers’ once the book is out there in the world.

Least favorite is probably the blank page…that can be scary sometimes. Too, deadlines can feel pressuring. Actually probably the hardest thing I deal with writing-wise is the temptation to compare myself to everyone else or constantly worry I’m not good enough. That’s something I’m guessing many writers have to battle throughout their careers.

How much of yourself do you see in your characters? 

Sometimes much more than I’d like! In my first two books, my main characters definitely had pieces of me in them. In this third one, Kate Walker is so, so very much like me. And that’s probably why a) the story felt so hard to write and b) I was much more nervous about sending it out into the world.

I actually wrote a blog post just recently about all the ways Kate Walker is like me.. http://www.melissatagg.com/from-the-start/five-times-kate-walker-is-me

Please tell us about your latest novel, From the Start.

From the Start is about a jaded scriptwriter of romantic movies and an ex NFL quarterback. They both end up in Iowa working on a writing project together…and of course, there are sparks.  🙂  It takes place in a fun little made-up town with a train depot, a cool historic bank building that’s been turned into a restaurant, a river running right through the middle of town. It’s hugely real in my mind. LOL!

Like my other books, it’s a romantic comedy, but I think it delves a little deeper as it deals with issues of Colton’s painful past, foster care, cancer and calling.

What inspired this heartfelt romance?

Truthfully, on this one I honestly don’t know. In my first couple books, I can really pinpoint the thing that first sparked the story in my mind, but this one just seemed to evolve in a really disjointed way, to be honest! I do know I loved the idea of writing about a romance writer who didn’t believe in romance.  🙂  And I wanted Colton’s career to be something big and lofty and in-the-spotlight.

Other than that, I think the issues I was wrestling with personally last year really inspired and influenced the story. And my love for classic movies also found a way in. 

Do you have a favorite scene you would like to share?

I have several favorite scenes! But definitely one of my very favorite scenes is early in the book when Kate and Colton first meet…in Kate’s childhood bedroom. And I’ll leave it at that.

What do you hope readers will take away from this story?

In From the Start, both Kate and Colton have a very clear picture in their heads of what their lives should look like. And every decision they make in the first half of the book is an effort to make those pictures in their heads a reality. But they both learn, slooowly and at times not-so-smoothly, that God might be weaving together a completely different picture.

I think that’s a theme we can all connect with…because I have a feeling no matter how wonderful our lives may look on the outside, we probably all have that pesky unfulfilled dream or that nagging voice whispering that we’re missing out or a failure we can’t seem to let go of. And so we push back and try to make our dream come true on our own or do ALL the things so we couldn’t possibly miss out or strive and strive for success to cover up that one failure…we try to paint our own pictures and we get frustrated when they turn out smudged and imperfect. And all the while, God is there, saying “Give me the paintbrush, Melissa. Give me the paintbrush and you’ll see what a beautiful picture I can paint with your life.”

Which is my very roundabout way of saying I hope readers take away that sense or understanding that God is at work…that we aren’t living on our own. There’s such peace and confidence in that truth.

What will you be working on next?

I’m just beginning rewrites on my fourth book—woohoo! It’s called Like Never Before and it’s the second full-length novel in the Walker Family series. It features political speechwriter Logan Walker and newspaper editor Amelia Bentley, both of whom appeared in From the Start.

Is there anything else you would like to share? 

Oh I should mention: If people would like to get a taste of the new series before committing to a full novel, they can check out my free novella, Three Little Words. It takes place in the same town as the whole series and you’ll get an early peek into the Walker family.

Where can readers connect with you?

Pretty much anywhere and everywhere online.  🙂  But here are my favorite hangouts:

Website: http://www.melissatagg.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorMelissaTagg
Instagram: melissatagg
Twitter: @Melissa_Tagg

Thanks so much, Britney!

  

Thank you so much, Melissa, for answering my questions!  It’s a pleasure to learn more about you and your writing process!! 

 

From the Start

About the book:

Kate Walker used to believe in true love and happily ever after. While her own love life may have left her brokenhearted, it hasn’t kept her from churning out made-for-TV romance movie screenplays…until a major career slump and a longing to do something meaningful send her running back to her hometown of Maple Valley.

Permanently sidelined by an injury, former NFL quarterback Colton Greene is temporarily hiding out in a friend’s hometown to avoid the media and the reminders of all he’s lost. Maple Valley seems like the perfect place to learn how to adjust to normal life. The only trouble is he’s never really done normal before.

While Kate plays things safe and Colton is all about big risks and grand gestures, they both get what it’s like to desperately need direction in life. An unexpected project gives them both a chance to jumpstart their new lives, but old wounds and new dreams are hard to ignore. Starting over wasn’t part of the plan, but could it be the best thing that’s ever happened to them?

Purchase a copy:
Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Christianbook | DeeperShopping

From the Start graphic

Read my review of From the Start:
https://buzzingaboutbooks.com/2015/04/09/review-from-the-start/

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