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REFOCUSING ON LIFE’S BEAUTY: Guest Blog by Shykia Bell

Posted on May 5, 2024 by LisetteMay 5, 2024

Shykia Bell is an artist, poet, and author. She lives in New York with her husband and their daughter. She also works as a freelance writer, digital/pencil portrait artist, and graphic designer.

People everywhere, myself included, are overwhelmed by life’s challenges. Each day more is demanded of us regardless of how depleted our emotional resources may be. Not enough value is placed on our need to recharge ourselves and to an extent we’ve been primed to see self-neglect as a normal part of life. One thing has become clear to me over the years, and that’s the glaring fact that collectively society has an urgent need to heal and rejuvenate so as to avoid exceeding our breaking point.

For a while, I pondered how I could use my talent to help others achieve this. I tried blogging, and later publishing works including Duality, a collection of poems and essays all focused on highlighting the multifaceted contrasts of life’s stages. Duality actually came about during my transition into motherhood and the realization that I no longer had as much free time to devote to my craft since something more delicate required my attention. So, Duality is the culmination of the fragments of time I was able to claim during early parenthood.

Enduring life’s responsibilities and demands

When one finds themselves inundated with responsibility it can trigger an identity crisis. I’m no exception to this. Prior to publishing Duality, I faced questions regarding my purpose and connection to others. Parenthood is a known catalyst of this phenomenon, but it can also apply to anyone who finds themselves in a caregiving role or a drastically evolving state in their lives. I understand the strain that comes with thoughts of potential failure and how it tempts one to give up not only on dreams, but sometimes the prospect of facing life altogether. So it becomes even more important to seek out joyful and relaxing activities to help not only offset negativity, but to serve as another reason to persevere and connect with others and share our experiences. This realization moved me to write Shifting Perspective, a poem from Duality.

SHIFTING PERSPECTIVE

Traversing life’s corridors along individual journeys,

We view experiences through shifting lenses,

Of varying opacity and sharpness,

Sometimes enhancing and obscuring our acuity,

As they intermittently cross our paths,

That eventually intersect,

And for a moment, we share the same vision,

Albeit shaped by our individual goals.

Why can’t we linger in this place of harmony?

Why must we instead go back to wandering,

And wondering what could have been,

If we had only just remained in peace?

Life is Beautiful

Now, roughly six years later, I released my first coloring book, Life is Beautiful, with a similar aim as Duality. Though, Life is Beautiful focuses mainly on the beautiful aspects of life and nature since I believe that’s what the world needs most right now.

Now, the title isn’t meant to imply that life is always beautiful, but that its beauty still exists during the times we’re distracted by its ugly and chaotic moments. Actually, this book was created during some very dark and unfavorable times in my life over the past year or so. It helped me to remember that such times are temporary and that light would eventually break through the gloom. And the realization of the process led me to create the page Even In Your Darkest Moment You Still Shine For Someone.

Sometimes as a means of survival we must remember that we all have the ability to provide light in a world that often fixated on darkness and negativity. Such a consistent focus on the negative is unsustainable to the mind and spirit. Not only is it toxic, but it’s downright exhausting. I’ve existed in that mindset for far too long and it’s a counterproductive way to live. It’s a mode of existence I’d like to help people out of, or if possible, to avoid. Also, I strive to leave a legacy that acknowledges life’s difficulties, but also reminds people about the beauty that lies in its mysterious wonders and our ability to dream and grow. And above all, I want to be a positive role model for my daughter. I hope to achieve that by demonstrating effective, creative ways to cope with life’s challenges while maintaining hope. After all, everyone needs a reason to persevere each day.

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COLLABORATING ON A NOVEL WITH A FRIEND

Posted on December 1, 2019 by LisetteDecember 1, 2019

Co-Authors Kathleen Harryman and Lucy Marshall talk about their collaboration on The Promise, a World War II romance.

Lucy Marshall (left)
Kathleen Harryman (below)

Kathleen: I’ve known Lucy for years, she’s a superb actress and friend. We first worked together on my thriller When Darkness Falls; Lucy played The Yorkshire Slasher in my promotional film. When she came to me about a World War II romance, I was on board from the beginning.

Lucy: I have always been so interested in Kathleen’s work, I find her so inspiring and caring. She’s a wonderful friend, and I’ve really enjoyed reading her books. I have read When Darkness Falls three times now. It’s hard not to read it without imagining myself playing the main character when you’re an actor.

I’m always told, “if you are struggling for acting work then make your own.” It is a source of inspiration which keeps me furthering my belief not only in myself but also in helping others.

I used to spend most of my weekends in my caravan on the Yorkshire coast. It was a war memorial in Filey that started to give me the idea for The Promise. The stories around World War II have captivated me for many years. As I had a lot of time to myself, I started to think of the story of one girl’s courage and passion to help in the war.

After I worked with Kathleen on When Darkness Falls, I knew we both had a passion for bringing stories to life, and I needed to work with her again. When I asked Kathleen if she could help me write a script from the synopsis of The Promise, it overjoyed me when she wanted to turn it into a book. I can’t thank Kathleen enough for all the hard work she put into researching and bringing each character to life.

Kathleen: I’d always thought about writing a story based on my grandfather, who died in France, as part of the second phase in the D-Day Landings. My dad was only a small boy when his dad died. The stories he’d tell me, and those of my great uncles, filled my mind with such pride and awe. Lucy gave me that shove, and together we merged Lucy’s idea for a World War II love story with my grandfather’s bravery. We also incorporated the stories of my other family members. In Arthur Shearsmith’s chapter, this really happened. Arthur Shearsmith was my mum’s dad (my grandfather) and having undergone his training ready to fight, his appendix burst as they were about to leave for France. He never made it to France or the frontline. Instead, the military utilised his skills as a metalworker in Hull. These personal stories helped to shape mine and Lucy’s vision for The Promise and the story.

Lucy: I’ve had many people tell me how much they love The Promise. How the story has sent them on a roller coaster of emotions and how they have told all their friends about it. I knew what would happen in the story and it still had me bursting into tears when reading it.

One of my acting friends bought The Promise for her mother as her holiday read. She loved it so much she told all her friends and people on holiday to read it.

I feel so admired when people say how much they loved it and how they couldn’t put it down and didn’t want it to end. I’m always having a look at Goodreads and Amazon for the reviews, I just can’t help myself.

Kathleen: The Promise isn’t only about the war and the historical facts surrounding World War II. It’s about the people that fought, and that remained, working together to keep the country going. It’s about real people, and real circumstances interweaved with fiction. I think that’s why readers go on a journey with each character, they really feel their struggle and uncertainty, and their loss. Maybe it’s why The Promise has had so many great book reviews and why Readers Favourite awarded it five stars.

Lucy: When I mentioned to Kathleen that I had already thought of some actors to play the roles, she wanted to meet them straight away. I got all my friends to send in their head shots and then we had a meeting at Kathleen’s. They all felt so welcomed and were all excited to read the story. I can’t wait to see them bring each character to life and start working with them. They are all so passionate about their work.

Kathleen: Lucy’s suggestion to get some of her acting friends to come around to my house was brilliant. We sat munching on crisps and biscuits, drinking copious amounts of coffee, discussing The Promise. I got such a buzz out of it, and we based many of the characters on the people sat around the table that night. It really helped to build the characters, and what I also found was that the story took a different shape because of it. We made connections and relationships between characters that night that we hadn’t even thought of; it was how everyone interacted and talked that brought about such a shift in the story. For a writer to see and talk with your characters, in your head is how a story normally comes together. But to have them right there physically with you, talking and laughing… wow, it blew my mind.

Lucy is a source of inspiration and her enthusiasm is encapsulating. I’d definitely write another book with her. We got on so well, bouncing ideas off each other until the words flowed.

Kathleen: Co-writing The Promise with Lucy was a dream. Lucy and I have a healthy friendship. We both understand the day-to-day pressures each of us are under. This made our co-author collaboration for The Promise work seamlessly, allowing each other time and space to form ideas and to get it down on paper. Lucy’s dyslexic, so it made it easier for me to do the writing and research. Personally I feel that’s why our co-author collaboration worked so well, with just one of us doing the writing. It also allowed for the book to have one distinctive writing style.

I’m lucky because Lucy had already scoped out her plans for the story when we talked about writing The Promise. I just added the meat to the bones, undertaking the writing and research. We went on location together, with Lucy showing me the house which she wanted to use as the convalescence home, which would become The Turnstones. We also spent a lot of time going over ideas, on how we wanted the story to flow. Lucy’s great because she had some clear and clever ideas. I just made them work in the story. I think our partnership worked because we are friends and we both respect each other. I’ve seen Lucy on stage, and she’s captivating. It was that magnetism that instantly made me sign onto the project.

The key things that worked for me when writing The Promise with Lucy, was the amount of planning and discussion we had at key stages of the book. As character relationships changed and developed, we’d talk about how this impacted on the story and where we wanted to go with it. Because Lucy had some really clear ideas and an incredible outline, I understood what she wanted. We also allowed each other time and room for ideas to grow. Never adding deadlines onto each other, made our working relationship easier. What might surprise people, (given that both Lucy and I are the creative type), is that we have never argued. We get along really well, and admire and respect each other, we’re open and honest, and I feel that The Promise in part reflects our own relationship.

Lucy: I couldn’t have felt more comfortable working with Kathleen. She is a pure delight and so inspiring. She was so supportive when I mentioned about my dyslexia and we worked together to bring The Promise to life. I always look forward to our little meet ups as we both always have so much to catch up on. Her husband and daughters always make me feel so welcome when I go to see them. I keep thinking of little ideas that could be our next project to work on. When I worked as the Yorkshire Slasher in When Darkness Falls I knew it was only just the start and we would be working together so much more. I ended up reading When Darkness Falls again and then read The Other Side of the Looking Glass. Both of those books pulled me in and I couldn’t put them down. She is so creative and I’m not surprised she is an award-winning storyteller. She is a true friend and I am so happy we get to share this journey of The Promise together. I hope we get to do something else and share the experience again.

I loved our time onset of When Darkness Falls, Kathleen knew exactly what she wanted and how she wanted me to play the Yorkshire Slasher, I loved it! Thank you for everything you have done Kathleen, I really can’t thank you enough.

CONNECT WITH KATHLEEN & LUCY

Amazon (The Promise)

Kathleen Harryman: Amazon Author Page

Kathleen Harryman: Website

Lucy Marshall: Twitter

Kathleen Harryman: Twitter

Kathleen Harryman (BookBub)

Guest post by Terry Tyler: Where do writers get their ideas?

Posted on October 13, 2019 by LisetteOctober 13, 2019

Hello, Lisette and her readers―and thank you so much for stopping by on the blog tour for Hope!

Lisette gave me free rein on subject matter for this article … which always makes my mind go completely blank. Then, the other day, I found my topic quite by accident when a reader asked me this question: Where do you get your ideas from?

Writers are often asked this, by readers, or by new writers who are putting fingers to keys for the first time. I shy away when asked in person, as I was the other day, as I find talking about what I do quite difficult; I say something like, ‘I dunno, it just happens’. Writing about it, though, is so much easier.

The truth is that ideas come from all sorts of places. The easiest, for me, was The Devil You Know, which came from the title of another book: The Serial Killer’s Wife. I saw it during an Amazon browse, and thought, wow―what it would be like to fear that the monster in the newspapers was your husband, or your son, or friend? The plot, and even the title and some of the main characters, appeared in my head, just like that.

It’s rarely that easy, though, and Hope was one of those that took me a long time to pull together in my mind.

A subject that interests me greatly is how the our thoughts are influenced by the media, especially what we see on social media sites, and how attitudes follow trends, and can be cyclical. One day, out of the blue, I began to wonder if there would ever be a backlash against the way that ‘fat-shaming’ is now such a no-no. Instead of the Dove cosmetics ethos of ‘everyone is beautiful in their own way’, which was maybe a reaction to the ‘size zero’ fad of the noughties, I considered how today’s young women would react if―as was the case when I was a teenager―fashion shops sold no size higher than a 14 (US size 10), and if even this size 14 was inches smaller than it is now.

Then I thought: what if fat-shaming became the norm? Would people be considered unemployable if they were ‘plus-size’? Could this prejudice be used as a tool by government and employers, in a world only a decade into the future when so many jobs will be lost through increased automation? If many people were unable to find work, for this reason and that of the downturn in employment opportunities, how would they live?

I had the beginning of a plot!

My books are always totally character driven, so I needed an observer who would watch all this coming to fruition―and, in my future UK, who better than a popular blogger and social media influencer? Lita Stone arrived in my head fully formed, with even her name attached; it happens like that, sometimes. Next, she would need what she saw in the online world to start affecting her personally―enter the ‘plus-size’ flatmate.

I had a great deal of trouble with the first draft of the book; I’d let it head off in directions that weren’t working, and I nearly scrapped it at 50K words in, but a discussion with my husband helped to streamline the plot. He asked me these two questions: Who is the bad guy? What is the struggle? It was only when I worked this out that the book fell back on track. I’m so glad we had that talk, because I believe Hope to be one of my best books.

If you’re at any stage of your writing career and are about to abandon a book because it’s not working, try discussing it with someone, because it really can help―and if you’re not a writer but a reader, believe me: those plots sometimes arrive out of nowhere, but, more often than not, they take a hell of a lot of mulling over before they hit the page!

Thank you, Lisette, for inviting me to your blog. 🙂

Terry Tyler’s nineteenth published work is a psychological thriller set in a dystopian near future – the UK, Year 2028.

Blogger Lita Stone and journalist Nick Freer live and work online, seeing life through soundbites, news TV and social media. Keeping the outside world at bay in their cozy flat, they observe the ruthless activities of the new PM and his celebrity fitness guru wife, Mona (#MoMo), with the mild outrage that can be quelled simply by writing another blog post.

Meanwhile, in the outside world, multinational conglomerate Nutricorp is busy buying up supermarket chains, controlling the media, and financing the new compounds for the homeless: the Hope Villages.

Lita and Nick suspect little of the danger that awaits the unfortunate, until the outside world catches up with them – and Lita is forced to discover a strength she never knew she possessed.

About the Author

Terry Tyler is the author of nineteen books available from Amazon, the latest being Hope, a dystopian psychological drama set in the UK, a decade into the future. She is currently at work on Blackthorn, a post-apocalyptic stand-alone story set in her fictional city of the same name. Proud to be independently published, Terry is an avid reader and book reviewer, and a member of Rosie Amber’s Book Review Team.

Terry is a Walking Dead addict, and has a great interest in history, (particularly 14th-17th century), and sociological/cultural/anthropological stuff, generally. She loves South Park, Netflix, autumn and winter, and going for long walks in quiet places where there are lots of trees. She lives in the north east of England with her husband.

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Author Page: Amazon UK

Author Page: Amazon

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CREATIVE LIFE AFTER A LONG HIATUS by Shykia Bell

Posted on January 7, 2019 by LisetteJanuary 7, 2019

How does one bring a career back from the dead?

Okay, perhaps that’s a little dramatic, but it’s what came to mind a little over two years after my daughter was born. By that time, I was nearly five years into my unplanned hiatus following a series of family tragedies and medical emergencies in addition to a personal battle with anxiety and depression.

The return to my art and writing has been a long and arduous process which was compounded with the brand new challenge of motherhood. For several reasons, I’ve very rarely enlisted the help of sitters. Therefore, I’ve had to make additional sacrifices in order to get any work time in. Most times I’ve had to sacrifice either my work or sleep.

I’m sure many mothers can relate to the struggle of finding their identity after becoming a parent. Society has long conveyed the notion that motherhood is a woman’s ultimate purpose, and once attaining that purpose all else should be sacrificed. And while I believe that my life’s priorities have been rearranged, my duties as a parent do not overwrite my passions as an artist. If anything, the former fuels the latter and vice versa.

By default, the creative process for authors and artists is lonely. Motherhood can magnify that loneliness in a way. Naturally, as a wonderful new life is celebrated, creative potential is sometimes overshadowed, dismissed, or forgotten. Some people have assumed that I had abandoned my creative endeavors altogether. And as my new responsibilities dominated pretty much all my time few people noticed that a vital part of my life had all but faded away.

It was seemingly of little consequence to them. Perhaps they didn’t realize that my aspirations, like my beloved daughter, are also a vital part of my identity. They are not mere frivolous pastimes. Yet, unfortunately, many artists face the same stigma where the legitimacy of their craft is solely judged upon their level of success. And given the fact that prior to publishing DUALITY: Poems, Essays, and Reflections, it had been seven years since I last published any writing, my success was questionable.

So, how did I go from a seven-year creative struggle to finally publishing my work again? A lot of sleepless nights, a lot of work, improvisation, meditation, and encouragement from a couple of dear friends and loved ones. Sometimes I’d jot down ideas (or even entire passages) on my cellphone as I rocked my daughter to sleep. I’d do the same during car rides. Most of the time I’d sacrifice sleep to work on DUALITY, new drawings, or my forthcoming sci-fi novel. However, in recent days I’ve learned that as my daughter gets older, there are other ways to unapologetically claim time for my work. Part of that means stepping beyond what others expect of me as a mother. Another part of it means getting better at delegating tasks whenever possible.

When I experienced a medical scare this past fall, it revived my desire to finish what I had started while at the same time invoking a fear that some of the words I had written might have been prophetic of my own demise. The process revealed the people who care most about me. It also left me grateful for my health and renewed my respect for the fragility of time.

In some ways it’s ironic that motherhood has provided both the greatest challenge and the greatest inspiration for me to get my work out there again. It’s important that my daughter gets to know all parts of my authentic self since that’s the closest I’ll ever get to achieving immortality.

Here are four tips that have helped me emerge from my hiatus:

1. No longer seeking permission to work on my craft.

I learned that my creative aspirations will never mean more to anyone else than they do to me. I also learned to value my work time without feeling guilty about occasionally sacrificing socialization in order to attain it.

2. Learning to forgive myself when I get off track.

Life intervenes our well laid plans. Often repeatedly and relentlessly. Yet, it can be tempting to blame ourselves when things don’t work out. Blame is unproductive and can prevent us from circumnavigating the cause of our delays and learning from the challenges whenever possible. Also, sometimes unplanned deviations to our schedule can sometimes work in our favor, allowing us to catch mistakes or coming up with ideas me might not have otherwise considered.

3. Doing my best with whatever time I’m able to get for my work. Even if it’s just five minutes.

Some people have the luxury of having a consistent schedule for their projects. Being a stay-at-home mom, I typically rely on the wee hours for productivity. Yet, even that rarely pans out as I hope, given the unpredictable sleep patterns of my beloved toddler. This means frequent interruptions. To cope with this, I work on what I can and make bookmarks and notations of where I left off.

4. Understanding the importance of stress management.

Stress hinders the creative process and can discourage us from pursuing our dreams. Finding some method to decompress is vital to our recovery from stress. For some it’s meditation, yoga, exercise, music, reading, or other pastimes. In anticipation of stressful times, I created playlists of uplifting songs and speeches. Find what works best for you and incorporate it into your routine.

Shykia Bell is an author, poet, artist, and creator of The Bell Studio. Additionally, she is a freelance writer / graphic designer. She lives in Brooklyn, New York with her husband and their daughter.

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Duality: Poems, Essays, and Reflections is now available at Amazon

Artwork from the collection is available at the author’s Redbubble shop

Medium blog: An Unexpected Diagnosis: How a Feared Ending Led to a New Beginning

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My Autism and My Work by Benjamin Kellogg

Posted on August 26, 2018 by LisetteAugust 27, 2018

TweetHello, my name is Benjamin Kellogg, and I am a 27-year-old author from New York State, USA. I also have autism, a neurological condition that has greatly affected my life.

Autism is an overriding factor in my everyday activities, from basic movement to effective communication, to how I process information, and how I associate with my family, friends, and environment. I have been able to compensate for much of how this condition has challenged me with help from a wonderful support system of my parents, teachers, therapists, and others who helped me improve myself physically, mentally, emotionally, psychologically, and in countless other ways. I am grateful for everything they have done.

Communication was incredibly difficult for me when I was a boy. I could not get the words out to fully express how I was feeling, what I needed, or what I wanted to do. In my early years, screaming and biting were the best I could manage, hardly ideal for any meaningful conversation. Conversations were impossible for me to engage in without becoming frustrated. I did not know how to start and end one, take turns with the other speaker(s), and other social niceties. In speech class and with the help of my parents and the many support people around me, I learned better ways to communicate peaceably and slowly began to gain a solid command of language and meaning. I do feel more comfortable with writing my thoughts than speaking, but real-world interactions are no longer as much of a challenge.

Movement was arguably even worse. My gross and fine motor skills were severely underdeveloped for many years. This led to all kinds of problems I needed help with daily. Balance issues created a myriad of problems for me as I would fall down frequently. I had little arm and hand strength. I remember having the most trouble with tying my shoelaces. With very little control of my fingers, I could not perform the most rudimentary steps in the shoe-tying process. I relied on shoes with Velcro fasteners for more years than I probably should have, and, well into my teenage days, my parents had to help me tie my shoes before we left the house. It was many years before I could tie my sneakers on my own. Even today, after years of therapy and practice have enabled me to gain muscle tone, smooth out my motor skills, and gain control of many subtle movements, I still find some actions awkward and somewhat tedious. It is clear to me that there will always be more work to be done regarding my motor planning, but as with everything else in my life, I am willing to put in the hard work to improve myself.

These are but a few examples of the countless issues I had to negotiate on a daily basis when I was younger. Some still affect me today, but at least I am now aware of their effect on me and can prepare for them accordingly.

After I graduated from college, I decided that I would like to help other children with autism to learn the social and life skills I struggled to master when I was a child. For this purpose, I created a children’s book series called, “Noah and Logan Children’s Book Series.” These stories are about two young boys who, in each story, learn about a social or life skill.

There are five books in the series thus far: Noah and Logan Learn to Clean, Noah and Logan Learn to Share, Noah and Logan Learn to Tie Their Sneakers, Noah and Logan Learn to Care for Their Pets, and Noah and Logan Learn to Make New Friends. I am currently working on a sixth book in the series, Noah and Logan Learn to Use Their Manners. Noah and Logan are named after two of my young cousins who were born shortly before I created the series; in addition, I have added more characters for certain stories based on their cousins.

My writing is mostly a solitary endeavor, but for “Noah and Logan,” I collaborate with my mother, Theresa Kellogg, who draws the illustrations based on my ideas. For picture books such as the “Noah and Logan” stories, I feel it is vital that the text matches perfectly with the illustrations. I make sure each drawing shows everything being described by the text accurately and in a way that is easily understood by young readers. In addition, I have placed emphasis on “color” words that was a difficult concept for me to understand when I was a boy. In the text, these words are highlighted with the appropriate color and prominently displayed in the illustrations.

The response to the “Noah and Logan” series has been mostly positive and incredibly supportive. I have received feedback on several fronts, including parents and other family members of children on the autism spectrum, teachers, and therapists. The comments overall indicate that my stories have made a positive impact and have been helpful in teaching the skills represented in each book.

I am also working on several other writing projects at the moment. One upcoming endeavor is a book of poetry based on my life with autism. It will include all of my poems that have been published thus far, as well as many more based on parts of my life that I have not written about before or which I want to explore in more detail. These poems were among my first major works after I decided writing was my life’s calling; to me, they are personal and deeply meaningful, representing my innermost thoughts and concerns. I have had five poems published to date. For my first three poems, I was awarded a second-place International Naturally Autistic People Award in the Literary Arts category representing the United States of America at the ANCA World Autism Festival in Vancouver, Canada, in October 2017.

Ben at the Everson Museum in Syracuse, NY next to his latest published poem, “Finding My Voice,” which was published in this year’s UNIQUE Magazine.

Another project I am working on is a novel about a professional wrestling league. I have created an entire roster of wrestlers and the story will follow their lives in the ring as well as backstage, showing all sides of their complex world. I love pro wrestling, and being able to express this interest through my writing is a dream come true for me.

A big message in my writing and my life has been that people with autism are capable. If they have a dream, they can pursue it. No one path is perfect, but with love, support, and a willingness to keep going, anything is possible. I let nothing hold me back and I want my readers to be able to do the same.

CONNECT WITH BEN

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Theresa Kellogg – Twitter

BRANDING: a guest blog by Ace Antonio Hall

Posted on May 7, 2017 by LisetteMay 7, 2017

Recently, I spoke at StokerCon at the Queen Mary in Long Beach and the Sisters-in-Crime conference in Sacramento, about developing your brand. There are some key elements into doing that. They include writing a strong bio, creating an interesting personality on social media, having a professional headshot of yourself, and mastering an overall tone that marries you with your books.

Biography

First, and foremost, it should be written in third person. I’ve seen many, and when I fist started wrote mine in first person, but when sending out to professional publications, and organizations, please, please, please, keep your biography in third person.

Secondly, the length of the bio is also important. In the age of hurry up and wait, our attention spans have shortened considerably. Most writers I’ve come across are the best skimmers in the world. It’s why my good friend, and President of the Greater Los Angeles Writers Society (GLAWS) always barks that writers don’t read. In itself, that’s a conundrum. We read to inhale, and write to exhale. The entire process of reading work, and then writing our own is how most writers breathe creativity.

A professional bio can be up to three paragraphs of four to five sentences each. However, most publishers and literary agents prefer one short paragraph in a query for them to review your work.

Just as the rule of thumb (before you master writing and can break the rules) is that you never, ever use adjectives and adverbs in your novels and short stories. That also applies for your bio. Gimmicks or adjectives about how incredible your story is, won’t impress, but rather turn off the reader of your bio.

If possible, include your achievements in one or two sentences, tops. Of course, if you’ve published in one or two major print publications, include that, but if there are many, then summarize your body of work in a sentence that best details it. Always include any awards your books or novels have won. Some authors like to keep a humorous tone to their biography, and that’s fine. Personally, I feel that if it reflects your writing, it’s appropriate. If not, subtly match the tone of your writing. Branding yourself means continuity.

Social Media

For this, I only have one rule: Never argue with anyone on social media. Additionally, when I had dinner with Larry Niven, Jerry Pournelle, and Robert J. Sawyer, a couple of months ago, Jerry said to me that its better to not talk about your books as much as keeping the focus on you. “The more interesting your life,” he said to me, “the more you can expect to sell books.” I try not to spam everyone with my work, but that’s a hard one. It’s why it’s truly better to do book and blog tours; the word of mouth is spread by others.

Professional Headshot

Please spend a few bucks at Sears (so sad, so many are closing) or hire a professional photographer at no more than $150, and get yourself a good headshot. I’m so tired of seeing writers’ photos of them on their websites and promotional swag of them in front of a garden with their cat, or somewhere where clearly, everyone knows he or she used their iPhone and a few Instagram filters to deliver that less-than-professional picture. Continuity is key so match the tone of your book with your look. This is branding. Even if you write about gardens and cats, get your pics done professionally. Writing is not only something you do, it’s your business. Invest time and money into your writing business and stamp your brand on the world.

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Ace Antonio Hall (born July 4th, 1966) is an American urban fantasy and horror writer. He is best known as the creator of Sylva Slasher, a teenage zombie slasher who also raises the dead for police investigations, which includes novels and short story collections. He was born in New York, but grew up in Jacksonville, Florida with his grandmother, Sula G. Wells. He is the youngest son of artist and jazz songwriter, Christopher Hall and RN Alice Hall (Thomas). A former Director of Education for NYC schools and the Sylvan Learning Center, Hall earned a BFA from Long Island University. While teaching English, he studied to be a certified ACE personal trainer with the Equinox Fitness Club one summer, but never pursued it professionally. Hall currently lives in Los Angeles with his bonsai named Bonnie.

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Amazon: Lord of the Flies: Fitness for Writers

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WHY ISN’T MY BOOK SELLING by Sarah E. Boucher

Posted on May 1, 2017 by LisetteMay 1, 2017

TweetWhy Isn’t My Book Selling?!?

Authors are prone to what I like to call Extra Special Writer Freak Outs.

It’s understandable. People have only been LYING to us all of our lives. (Trust me, I’m a fairytale writer, I know all about carefully crafted falsehoods.) The problem is that few successful authors take the time to debunk the myths about book publishing.

So my darlings, that’s where I come in. I’m a second-time author and a full-time educator and it will be MY pleasure to share the Dirty Dark Secrets of the publishing process with you. The following is for a) newbie authors, or b) those who are completely delusional about the publishing process, like I was.

Dirty Dark Secret 1: Success is a direct result of hard work. Gone are the days when publishing ONE book resulted in instant popularity and millions of dollars. (Okay, unless you’re really, really lucky.) Most writers only become successful after they have produced and released a number of books. Much like childbirth, birthing your novel is just the beginning of the process.

Quite simply, if you’re not doing anything your novel probably isn’t either.

Dirty Dark Secret 2: Most of the marketing and promotion will fall to you. We’ve all heard of elaborate book tours and publishing houses using their immense influence to promote books. But big publishing houses are highly selective in the books they accept for publication. And if current trends continue, even traditionally published authors will be responsible for the lion’s share of marketing, sales, and book promotion.

If tackling marketing and promotion seems daunting, just remember than indie authors do all it the time. You will survive!

Dirty Dark Secret 3: The learning curve is pretty steep. Marketing isn’t easy. Add sales and book promotion to that and you may be ready to hug your laptop to your chest while rocking and crying at the same time. But no one’s book deserves to sit in the dark. (Okay, some people’s books deserve to sit in the dark. Possibly forever.) If you can afford it, there are people out there who will handle marketing and promotion for you. But if you’re like me, your marketing budget is pretty slim. However, if you’re brave enough (and/or stubborn enough) to educate yourself, you can conquer anything.

Whether you have lots, little, or no experience, there are plenty of resources out there to help you. Put those big brains to work!

Dirty Dark Secret 4: Connection is key. Most writers tend to be introverts. News flash, that won’t fly if you want people to know about your books. Pull up your big girl/boy pants, put on your best smile, and prep that book blurb, baby! Then kindly and respectfully connect with bloggers, readers, reviewers, shopkeepers, and librarians both online and in person.

Building a support group will take time. Be genuine and be prepared to swap favors.

The Dirty Dark Secrets revealed above may come as a blow to anyone who has big dreams of publishing. Especially if you have no solid plans to back them up.

This is the moment when I should tell you something inspirational, like:

The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.

—Eleanor Roosevelt

But I’m not going to do that. Because if dreaming what you want, you’d better go back to bed and let the rest of us get on with it.

Instead of reciting pleasant platitudes, I’m going to remind you of the following:

You are a WRITER. You make up entire worlds and paint them so vividly that others can live in them as well. And you’ll do it over and over and over again until your mind or your body grows too weak to continue. Don’t be afraid of hard work. There are as many amazing vistas before you as there are behind you.

And hey, I don’t know about you, but I’m in this for the long haul. If I can do it, you can too.

About the author:

Sarah E. Boucher is a lover of fairy stories, romance, anything BBC and Marvel, and really, really cute shoes. On weekdays she wears respectable shoes and serves as Miss B., the Queen of Kindergarten. On school holidays she writes stories about romance and adventure. And wears impractical super cute shoes.

Sarah is a graduate of Brigham Young University. She lives and works in northern Utah. Her novels include Becoming Beauty and Midnight Sisters. Visit Sarah at SarahEBoucher.com or connect with her on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.

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CHRISTMAS IN AUSTRALIA by Helen J. Rolfe

Posted on December 13, 2015 by LisetteDecember 13, 2015

I lived in Australia for fourteen years so that’s fourteen Christmases I enjoyed Down Under.

My first Christmas in the Southern Hemisphere was a bit of a shock to the system. I didn’t feel festive at all! The sun was shining, it was boiling hot and I did my Christmas shopping in shorts and a T-shirt with plenty of factor 50 sunscreen. I remember seeing Santa in Bourke Street Mall, Melbourne, and it was such an oddity.

I had a friend staying with me for my first Christmas away from the UK and of course, we had the traditional roast dinner with all the trimmings. Or at least we would’ve done if we hadn’t forgotten the potatoes! We’d shopped for all the food and somehow left them at the checkout and so on Christmas Day 2000 we were driving around Melbourne and its suburbs looking for potatoes. We managed to get stuck in a traffic jam – something neither of us had ever experienced on the big day itself – but unfortunately had to eat the dinner without a key ingredient.

My mum was so distressed that I didn’t have a tree that year that she sent me a decoration so I’d at least I’d have something. I’m not sure why my friend and I didn’t have a tree but given we’d left the potatoes behind I’m not sure we could’ve been trusted to get a tree safely into the apartment!

I think people have a vision of all Australians enjoying a Christmas BBQ on the beach, but I’ve never met anyone who did. Most people I know had Christmas lunch at home, although a lot of families would have a lunch of cold meats and salads and plenty of seafood. Somehow, I could never let go of the traditional roast dinner though.

Over the years, Christmas evolved and I got used to the heat and the sun. I always had a real tree too. We’d choose it from a Christmas tree farm which was always a lot of fun with the kids. There were rows and rows of trees and we would tie a ribbon around the bottom of the one we wanted to buy and arrange delivery a few weeks later.

Last Christmas was our first in the Northern Hemisphere and it didn’t disappoint. We spent Christmas with family and wore Christmas jumpers of course, and I think I ate my bodyweight in cheese! The only thing that would’ve made it extra perfect is snow and we’re keeping our fingers crossed for that this year.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone, wherever you are in the world. I hope it’s a happy one! For us, it’ll be a lovely family time…with plenty of roast potatoes J

Helen J Rolfe x

My latest novel, What Rosie Found Next, is available now, from Amazon. It follows the story of Rosie & Owen, and set over November and December in Australia, there’s a little bit of Christmas in there too. Here’s the blurb…

A shaky upbringing has left Rosie Stevens craving safety and security. She thinks she knows exactly what she needs to make her life complete – the stable job and perfect house-sit she’s just found in Magnolia Creek. The only thing she wants now is for her long-term boyfriend, Adam, to leave his overseas job and come home for good.

Owen Harrison is notoriously nomadic, and he roars into town on his Ducati for one reason and one reason only – to search his parents’ house while they’re away to find out what they’ve been hiding from him his entire life. When he meets Rosie, who refuses to quit the house-sit in his parents’ home, sparks fly.

Secrets are unearthed, promises are broken, friendships are put to the test and the real risk of bushfires under the hot Australian sun threatens to undo Rosie once and for all.

Will Rosie and Owen be able to find what they want or what they really need?

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ADDING A CAT OR A DOG TO YOUR NOVEL

Posted on September 27, 2015 by LisetteSeptember 27, 2015

I write non-fiction about dogs and cats. Occasionally, fiction authors have come to me for either advice or approval when they’ve added a dog or cat to their novel. It occurs to me that I have information that might be of some help since they can’t be the only ones who are concerned about creating realistic pets for their fictional characters.

©Helmi Flick

There are a few things you should know before you start to add that canine or feline character. Just as in real life you have to know which type of companion would be best for your character. Dog? Cat? One of each? Next you have to understand that choosing a mutt of either species isn’t going to make it any easier to write. There’s no such thing as hybrid vigor (the theory that mutts are healthier than purebreds), and in either case, the animal will have the best or worst characteristics and health issues of its parents and ancestors.

@Lisette Brodey

You’re probably thinking that cats are easier to write about. Maybe. Maybe not. None of the old wives’ tales really applies to cats. They’re not independent creatures, they are independent hunters. They crave attention and affection every bit as much as dogs do but they are the ones who tend to solicit it when they want it. The cat is suddenly on top of the book you’re reading, on your computer keyboard, walking across your desk. They need lots of human interaction and environmental enrichment so you will have to think about setting up your character’s home with everything a cat will need from a sturdy cat tree to a sturdy scratching post. Litterboxes. Yes, that was plural. One box for each cat, and one for the house. If there’s more than one cat, the boxes should be open and they should be in different rooms. The food shouldn’t be near the water dishes.

@Lisette Brodey

If you do not want to create a mutt with coat color and characteristics chosen by you, then remember that a cat is Pedigreed and a dog is Purebred. Knowing the terminology will make you more believable as a caring author to the person who knows the difference. They are far more likely to put you on their list of favorite authors.

@Lisette Brodey

Pedigreed cats can be everything from the very popular Persian who is so flat-faced they have trouble breathing and eating, to the affable and large Maine Coon and Norwegian Forest Cat (Wegies to their fans). There are many specific breeds of cats and there are books full of descriptions or you can search out their breed clubs online or go to one of the larger cat registries like CFA or TICA.

Purebred Dogs have owners who will insist that you get the characteristics right or they will dismiss you as a know-nothing and not worthy of their reading time. You will lose them if you make a major error regarding breed characteristics or color. These things are easy enough to research, either online or in books of dog and cat breeds.

@Lisette Brodey

The Border Collie and the Russell Terrier are two extremely active breeds. They are hard-wired to be that way so the person who has one but doesn’t do herding will have to be actively involved in a dog sport or two. This means you will have to learn about the sports in order to add those as well. That may just be a small thing in your book but get the details right. Most people mistake Poodles for do-nothing dogs with a fancy haircut. They’re wrong. They’re also wrong if the think the Poodle is French. It’s not. Poodles were originally bred for hunting and those tufts of hair left on the ankles and the rump are there for the purpose of keeping the dog warm in the water while retrieving. How many of you knew that? Poodles have rather delicate feet. In Europe they are used for finding truffles. Chihuahuas aren’t just yappy. They’re intelligent but their Breed Standard calls for them to be Terrier-like. They may be the smallest of the breeds but they are certainly not wimps.

Some breeds are better with children than others. Most bites come from the family dog. All children must be supervised around cats as well as dogs. You will go a long way in helping to educate your readers if you work that sort of behavior into the story. As with cats, colors and markings are important in many breeds.

@Lisette Brodey

Is your character active? What would he or she do with a dog? A couch potato? Does the character have a lot of time to put into grooming? That will help determine the type of coat the dog or cat should have. Your character’s pets should be trained using positive methods, and should wear a harness to prevent pulling on the trachea. Small, but important, points.

Would your character have a therapy dog or cat, a service dog of some sort? Where would they go and what would they do together?

Remember that if you’re adding a pet for your character, you’re not adding background; you’re adding another character.

@Lisette Brodey

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Darlene Arden is an award-winning writer and author. Arden, a Certified Animal Behavior Consultant, lectures widely on wellness for pets including, behavior, training, and nutrition She is also an experienced television producer/host, and a lively guest expert on various radio and television programs and a popular and much acclaimed speaker. Her Podcasts, The Petxpert, are on YouTube and will soon be added to ROKU. Darlene’s dog books include, The Angell Memorial Animal Hospital Book of Wellness and Preventive Care for Dogs, Small Dogs, Big Hearts, and her behavior book, Rover, Get Off Her Leg!

A Certified member of The International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants, a former director of the Cat Writers’ Association, former member and board member of Dog Writers’ Association of America, Inc. one of the few layperson members of The American Association of Human-Animal Bond Veterinarians and a member of Boston Authors, among her numerous awards are the CWA Muse Medallion, and the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals/American Humane Education Society’s Media Award for veterinary writing and animal welfare.

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Writers’ Chateau Chat with Darlene Arden (Interview)

From Vines to Wine—a research journey to Tuscany, Italy, Switzerland, and California: Guest blog by Christa Polkinhorn

Posted on August 2, 2015 by LisetteAugust 2, 2015

TweetI love a glass of good wine with my meals and I love Tuscany, which is one of the reasons I situated my novel, The Italian Sister, in one of my favorite areas of Italy. Since I knew almost nothing about grape growing and winemaking, I had to do quite a bit of research. I read books, navigated the internet, but the best parts of the research were my trips to Tuscany, to Switzerland, and also to one of the wine regions in California, Paso Robles. I walked through vineyards, took photos, and most of all, I talked to many people involved in growing grapes and making wine. It was an eye-opening adventure. I was amazed to find out just how much work, science, and art goes into the process of transforming vines into wine! All the people I met were extremely helpful and generous with their time and made this part of my research a truly memorable experience. My friends and family patiently followed me around vineyards, introduced me to vintners, and shared their knowledge with me. And, of course, I got to taste some excellent wine.

One of the first exposures to winemaking during a vacation in Tuscany together with friends and family was in Querceto, a Tuscan hill town about half an hour inland from the Mediterranean coast. Querceto is a small hidden pearl of a place. The only tourists here seem to be those who have heard about the excellent wine that’s being produced in the local wine press house.

We found a castle, a church, one restaurant with lodgings, the winery, and plenty of friendly, helpful people.

Here is where it all happens, the magical transformation of grapes into wine. In these huge fermentation steel tanks, the grapes simmer and sizzle until just the right time. After pressing and fermenting the grapes, the juice is transferred into barrels where it ages and is eventually put into bottles for us to enjoy.

Sounds magical? In reality, it is hard, backbreaking, and often dirty, sticky work. And the risk of a bad harvest when Mother Nature doesn’t cooperate has ruined many small vineyards and winemaking outfits. You really have to love this process to continue. I haven’t met a vintner or winemaker who wasn’t passionate about his work.

And here are some of my loyal friends who patiently took me around to vineyards and wineries. Cheers! By the way, that young boy on the right is NOT drinking wine, just smelling it!

If you want to know more about this charming hill town and its vineyards, here is a link:

Marchesi Ginori Lisci

The Tuscan villa near Cecina we stayed in as well as the many Tuscan houses made its appearance in my novel as well.

On one of the days, my nephew and I took a trip to Volterra, the hill town that served as inspiration to my imaginary town of Vignaverde in the novel. The drive through the gorgeous Tuscan landscape made me aware again, why I chose this to be the locale for my work. No matter what time of the year or day, Tuscany always shows its mysterious and charming face.

And here we are in Volterra. The walls surrounding the town are a mixture of Etruscan (about 700 BC) and medieval architecture. Situated on top of a hill and protected by thick walls, the towns were in a perfect position to fight off roving aggressors during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Inside the city, the narrow cobblestone streets are lined with a multitude of shops, coffee shops, small restaurants, and art and crafts galleries. Volterra has fewer tourists than the more famous hill towns such as Siena. The majority of the people are locals and the town has a vibrant life of its own.

In Switzerland, I visited a vineyard as well. My friend Silvia De Lorenzi did an apprenticeship as a young girl on a vineyard and introduced the family of vintners to me. Now in their third generation, members of the Obrist family were generous enough to take time out of their busy day during the grape harvest to show me around the vineyards and the wine press house. Another good friend accompanied me on this outing to a beautiful part of Switzerland, called Bündner Herrschaft.

As you can see, winemaking is heavy-duty physical work as well as an art and science.

Back in California, I didn’t have to look very far to find excellent wine areas. One of my favorite places is Paso Robles in the Central Coast area of Southern Calfornia. Here I discovered the vineyards and winery of the Caporone family, one old Italian immigrant family of vintners and winemakers. It is a small outfit, run solely by a father-son team. Marc, the son, spent hours showing me around and answering my many questions. And he introduced me to my favorite Italian wines: Sangiovese, Nebbiolo, and Aglianico among others.

If you want to know more about The Italian Sister, here is the blurb and links to the book and my website.

Standing at her father’s grave in California, Sofia Laverne mourns his untimely death. Henry had not only been a loving parent but Sofia’s best friend and mentor. Imagine her shock and grief when she finds out her father had lived a double-life, that she has a ten-year younger sister and inherited a vineyard in Tuscany. Torn between anger about his betrayal, grief for her loss, and hopeful anticipation, Sofia packs her bags and takes off for Italy to meet fourteen-year old Julietta. Arriving in the small hill town of Vignaverde, she is greeted by olive groves, neat rows of grape vines, and picturesque houses. Some of the inhabitants of this beautiful estate are, unfortunately, less welcoming and resent her intrusion into the family business. Soon, strange occurrences begin to frighten Sofia. When a suspicious accident lands her in the hospital, Sofia fears for her life.

Cheers! You can find me on the following websites. I love to keep in touch with my readers!

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