We can all benefit from sharing your good news here at TKZ. Share something good that’s happened – whether it’s personal or a writing goal achieved or even a line that you’ve written that makes you proud.
Make it rain with good news, people.
Killzoneblog.com
It’s wildflower season here in the Sonoran Desert after a better rainy season than usual and that makes the beauty of the desert even more amazing!
Beautiful, BK.
Sounds wonderful, BJ. I can picture color hiding the natural tans and browns all the way to the horizon.
My novel has been shortlisted for an award and I have an excuse to go dress shopping. 🙂
Congratulations, Rhoda!! Good luck with the dress shopping and the award.
Congratulations, Rhoda! Your hard work is recognized and you get to dress up.
How delightful! Good luck all the way, Rhoda.
Thanks everyone! I’m thrilled. 🙂
I just reviewed my blog stats and book sale totals to evaluate my state as a fiction author. Scary, right? My short story blog received 34,000 visitors with about 60,000 views over the past few years. I was shocked because I only have about 250 followers, which is considered low by blog standards (they advise to get over 1000 followers if you really want to be effective). My book sales (3 supernatural mysteries) for last year were a record high for me, although for Jan. and Feb of 2017, there’s been a sales dive. Onward to writing my 4th novel. This business can be highly discouraging, so I’m very happy to report that persistence in reaching out to the reading community through blogging and promoting author platform does pay off. I’m still a little fish in a big pond, but the sunshine in my little corner is bright.
Congratulations, Paula. I agree. Writing has its lows but enjoy your highs (as you’re doing) when you can. Keep the faith.
Bask in the sunshine, Paula!
Congratulations, Paula. There are highs and lows and all we can do is keep going. Hope the sun keeps shining on your corner.
I’m thinking. I’m thinking. Oh, yes. Got a message yesterday that my latest audiobook was released. And the dog hardly smells like skunk anymore.
Ha! Both my dogs got sprayed not long ago & I found a mobile groomer who de-skunked them in one visit. I bought de-skunking products from Amazon for any future confrontations.
Congratulations on your audiobook, Terry.
Both major accomplishments, Terry. Which makes you most comfortable today. 😉
Sorry. That was supposed to be a question. Which accomplishment makes you most comfortable today? Having a new audiobook or a less skunky dog?
To be totally honest, it’s the dog. Yes, the audiobook release is wonderful, but in my current state of mind, all I can think about is what I’ll have to stop doing in order to announce, promote, etc. With ACX, there’s never a firm release date. And then, in looking for all the buy links, I discovered that iTunes “lost” 6 of my 9 audiobooks, which meant prolonged communication with ACX to find out how to get them back.
So yeah, a dog I can cuddle without skunk aroma make me happier.
I finished my May release this week. Next up comes my June & July releases (what was I thinking). I took some time off, but have to get after it again. I’m treating myself later in the year with some travel to see friends.
Congratulations on making your deadline. I’d say I’m struggling to make mine, but that’s not good news and therefore shouldn’t be printed in this thread. 🙁
Have a good word count day, Staci. That’ll feel good.
What helps me is to jump ahead to future scenes that I know should be in my story & focus on dialogue. I let those dialogue lines frame the scene & later come back to fill it in (with setting, action/body language & internal character thoughts), like building an onion from the inside out.
My sister suggested the very same thing yesterday. I’m so rigid, though. I can’t write out of order. I always find that when I go back, I add something that impacts future scenes that I’ve already written, then I have to rewrite them. It’s tedious. (My mind works in mysterious ways, I guess. LOL)
Today I’m determined to make some serious progress, though. Thanks for the encouragement!
I was like that early on, but jumping ahead with bare minimum dialogue that you feel certain will stay can help with word count and keep your head in the story. Sometimes I draft future scenes on another Word Doc, but the act of writing seems to trigger story ideas. Jim Bell talks about his morning writing exercises and I see this as something similar. It prepares your mind like exercising can jump start your body. Nothing goes to waste.
I write in Scrivener, which is perfect for jumping around. And I read and loved his Write Your Novel From The Middle: A New Approach for Plotters, Pantsers and Everyone in Between. The mirror moment is a great concept. I guess I’m just set in my ways.
Maybe for Lent I should make a vow to try something new…
HA! Yes, shed your old ways for Lent. Dip a toe in the waters of openmindedness.
🙂
Ahh, that deep breath you take when something is complete. How sweet it is, Jordan. And with friends and travel to look forward to you’re in harmony with your world right now.
Thanks, Suzanne. I feel like meditating now. Ohmmmmmm.
I launched my eighth book yesterday https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XDC4LSW . Willow Glen Heist is a story about a bank robbery cold case.
At the recommendation of a couple of the bloggers at TKZ, I’m reading Deep Work and I’m hopeful that it motivates me to work better and faster as I took far too long to write Willow Glen Heist.
Congratulations, Alec. Good luck with the launch and I commend you for setting new goals and taking steps. Good for you.
Congratulations on your new book, Alec!
Finished the first draft of my second Eve Bell story, The Body In The Tree. Short break then. Marketing???
Hey Brian. Finishing that first draft is amazing. A good feeling. Thanks for sharing your news.
Hoorah, Brian. You’re in a great place–creating more books and in that sweet spot where you take a deep breath. What’s the title of your first Eve Bell story?
We have contractors in redoing the second-story floors in a house we recently purchased. While they were downstairs locating floor joists to better secure the subfloor, they found a half-full AK47 magazine (I hope I got the terminology right, Mr. Gilstrap) hidden in the suspended ceiling. Talk about a cool starter prompt for a new story! What a gift!
Kathy
Hmm, sounds like a home-grown story coming up. 😉 Good luck with the rest of the construction, K S. Hope you enjoy the finished product as much as I enjoy my “seven-year kitchen” remodel.
Hi Kathy
Only a writer would say, “Cool” when they find evidence of a weapons stash in their reno house. Ha!
I don’t know if it qualifies as news, but a week ago I made a commitment to stop wishing I was a writer and actually write. I’m now about 4,000 words into a traditional mystery. That’s not a lot for over a week of working but, like most people I imagine, my time is very limited. What’s significant for me is that I’ve written something every day since making the commitment; that’s never happened before. Even if it’s only adding 100 words to the manuscript or making notes or whatever, I work on the project.
I have no idea if I will try to go the traditional publishing route, self publish, or not publish it at all. But it will be finished!