Friday, December 18, 2015

What Are Your Plans for 2016?

The Basket Maker's Wife
“Couldn’t put it down.”
AMAZON: US: UK: CA: AU:
iBOOKS
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In a magical Ozarks town, Nora finds the peace she needs--and then love came calling...
The lives of 3 contemporary women--Nora/Lynn/and Jessie, The Basket Maker's Wife--are woven into The Maiden/Mother/and Crone of Celtic lore. Made stronger by love and Jessie's healing, each woman is a gift to the others and to Mill Haven. Add new loves and Nora has a big new life--
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~Since the beginning of time, women have been gatherers and needed baskets to store and to carry. Today’s woman might use a purse or a tote bag, but a basket is a lot better. Every basket has a purpose, like the picnic basket, the egg basket, and so on, and the best baskets are made with loving hands. You can always tell who is going to put a good basket to use.~
Jessie Holbrook, The Basket Maker’s Wife
~~ NEWS FLASH! THE BASKET MAKER'S WIFE WILL SOON BE AVAILABLE IN PAPER! (Don't bother reading the description; the real one isn't done yet. :))

How do you love this gorgeous flow thru cover?! I do. The baskets are my own shots, my baskets, used by the cover artist, NajlaQamberDesigns. (I'm in love with baskets. :))

That is only one project. Book 2 of my series is going thru its stages now. Read the following list of my 2016 goals, a partial of the INTERVIEW given to Sleuth's Mystery Writers in Springfield MO:

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I’m in a creative/fertile “nesting” period right now, writing away and learning. My 12 Plans for 2016 also include:
  1. Get back into dictation.
  2. Collect all the articles I’ve written in the last 30 years about how to write and stash them in a folder for a potential book. We need more of those, don’t we? (To understand that last question, now that I have awards for humor.) However: I highly recommend Dwight Swain’s Techniques of Best Selling Writers. Study it, mystery writers.
  3. Complete my book list up on my website and linked. This is challenging.
  4. Switch my full website Name Domain to something I can manage for now.
  5. Indy publish a new completed book at my copyeditor now. Finish the WIP. Write the 3rd/4th Novelette in a series, lift a free short series to Wattpad. (Thank you, Shirley McCann, for pushing me into Shorts.)
  6. Publish more backlist. This includes getting ISBN, Formatting, covers.
  7. Covers: More consistent looks. Working with designers (I like artistic filters).
  8. Review of my current published books’ metadata. I just heard this: Constantly review. We learn as we go. Or we should. Makes sense.
  9. Redo my Amazon author profile and link my out of print/reverted rights Traditional/legacy books with my own Indy books.
  10. Do some iBook coupons, some free books, some GoodReads giveaways.
  11. Take more online courses, re: marketing on Facebook.
  12. A friend and I are considering meeting for a formal brainstorming session. Each brings to the table 5 things about their WIP for which they need help. Time is equalized. That Equal Time is an essential agreement, else someone dominates and someone comes away frustrated.
  13. More stepping outside the usual, i.e. attending NINC, which does have a non-member one-day, First Note. Testing what works. I might even draft up a business plan. (A little humor, you know.)
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Okay, let's see how much I can get done of those somewhat mighty plans. :) One thing I have learned in over 30 years in this business is that you'd better RECONFIGURE AS NEEDED. Remember that new writers. :)

Please do join my E-NEWSLETTER. Giveaways and contests, you know, plus what I’m doing—like crocheting and painting, which will turn up in new books/shorts. I LOVE LOVE Twitter and Facebook.

And that leaves this question: What are your writing/publishing plans for 2016?

Thursday, December 10, 2015

Simple Tidings



I'M PREPARING FOR CHRISTMAS NOW AND CONCENTRATING ON THE SPIRIT OF CALM AND GOODWILL THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.

I've never been one for the over-abundant holiday season, and this year especially, I am keeping to the Simple Modes. Our family has had its disasters this year, but all are warm and safe now, looking forward to that bit of family closeness at the end of the year. In particular, I am not one for rushing about, grabbing Black Friday sales, etc.

Typically, I bake gingerbread men, cookies, and breads, make a few things, and look forward to the week at the end of the year. That's the review time, to see what was good/bad and really didn't matter. And to plan 2016--my 2016 list is maybe a little overdone, but right now, I'm full of creative energy.

Here's what my family is getting, and they know it. :) Some caps, scarves, and a whole lot of dishcloths and mats. While crocheting is not my favorite creative mode, it is good therapy in very stressful times.

In particular, I like the Tunisian crochet. I only know a couple of stitches, but they serve me well. There is a lot to be said for repetitive work, when one's mind is stuffed full.

That stack to the right are unfinished dishcloths/washcloths (you choose which). The ends (tails) need to be woven in and that is one part I do not like.

I always thought of them as dishcloths, but so many people are using them now for washcloths as they exfoliate a bit.

One daughter and I share crochet times and it is a wonderful communication time. Recently, another daughter and her two daughters and I did a lot of crocheting, sitting, talking thru very calm times. The six-year old did a chain the length of their hallway! So proud.

Simple times, taking time, is so important this year.  I hope you are subscribed to my enewsletter, where I'll be posting photos of my latest travels?

Meanwhile:



SALE ENDING SOON!

Now .99! HIS CHRISTMAS PRESENT by Cait London Books a boxed set of two full-length romance novels. Meet an old-fashioned businessman, a reclusive rancher, and the women who remind them what love really means in this double feature of fun Christmas romances! Regularly $2.99.
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The response to HIS CHRISTMAS PRESENT, 2 full books in one, has been tremendous. Jonah and Sam will be back up to 2.99 soon, so grab these guys when you can.

Enjoy them as you relax during the holidays? And do watch for my next post: THE YEAR IN REVIEW AND NEW PLANS.