Week in Review

Published on March 13, 2020March 12, 2020 by Joan Hall29 Comments

Hey, Everyone. Happy Friday the 13th! Thirteen is a number surrounded by superstition. While I come from a long line of superstitious people, I’m not one of them. I’ll purposely do things such as walk under a ladder, open an umbrella in the house, or cross a black cat’s path.

I have a cousin who claims she isn’t superstitious but “just cautious.” Once when I visited her, I made the mistake of placing a hat on the bed. She promptly removed it, saying it was “bad luck.” Another time when she visited us, she tipped the salt shaker, spilling some on the table. Immediately she sprinkled salt in her hand and threw it over her shoulder. On the floor, mind you! Ridiculous.

However, I do enjoy hearing the stories behind the superstitions. Oh and speaking of black cats (I’ve owned several in my lifetime) I haven’t posted a photo of my Little Bit in a while. I took this one a few years back. He was less than a year old then.

Cute, isn’t he? How could anyone believe something so adorable could bring bad luck? For now, it’s time for this week’s links. Sorry the list is shorter this week, but it’s been a crazy one and I haven’t had time to read as much.

On this site:

On Story Empire:

Tips for Writing Action Scenes – Mae Clair
Using the Five Senses: Taste – Me
Dual Use of Fiction Meta Data Part Four – P H Solomon

On Other Sites:

Blogging for Beginners – Just Publishing
Biggest Book Bub Ad Mistakes – Book Bub Partners
Gotta Have Thick Skin – Kill Zone
OIRWA 2020 Workshops – Nicholas C Rossis
Storytelling Decisions – Writers Helping Writers

Week in Review

Published on October 18, 2019October 17, 2019 by Joan Hall28 Comments

I have thousands of digital photos in my archives, most of which were taken outdoors. (Quite a few of my iPhone photos are of my cats, but that’s a different story.) Since I’ve tried to keep in the theme of mysterious and spooky this month, I wanted photos to match. However, I learned something. Most of my pics were taken on days when there was bright sunshine. Kind of hard to see anything scary in that.

A couple of weeks ago, hubs and I had gone out to dinner. On the way home, we saw a gorgeous sunset. I was driving, and I couldn’t resist pulling onto a side road to take a photo. This is the result:

Okay, the colors on the horizon are beautiful. Nothing spooky. But then I noticed the sign, “No outlet.” A dead-end road. On the left, you can see the lights of a house. My creative brain started thinking, “What if a character found himself/herself stranded in such a place…”

Who knows? Maybe I’ll come up with a story someday.

Next week I’ll forgo my usual weekly topics. For those of you who follow Story Empire, the six contributing authors are doing a book tour called Something Wicked. I’ll be hosting Mae Clair, Staci Troilo, P. H. Solomon, C. S. Boyack, and Harmony Kent. In turn, I’ll be a guest on each of their sites. I hope you’ll join us! For more information about the tour, check out this page.

And now for the weekly writing links:

On This Site or Links about my Writing:

On Story Empire:

The Unrepentant Character – Mae Clair
How to Get Your Book Sales Page Looking Good on Amazon – Harmony Kent
Let’s Talk Regional – Mae Clair

On Other Writing Sites:

The Final Cuts – Kill Zone
Backstory: Relevant Information or an Inconsequential Event – A Writer’s Path
NaNo Prep: Planning Your Novels – Fiction University
Stayin on Track When Everything Falls Apart – Writers in The Storm
Top Tips on Writing A Book Blurb That Really Sells – Nicholas C. Rossis
How to Describe Your Main Character – Kill Zone
Top Ten Mistakes to Avoid When Self Publishing – Nicolas C. Rossis
Make Your Characters Vulnerable – Fiction University
How to Create Dynamic Characters – A Writer’s Path
6 Habits To Build a Solid Writing Career – Writers in The Storm
Commonly Miscategorized Genres and Subgenres – Kobo Writing Life
How to Write With All Five Senses – A Writer’s Path
Enhance Your Writing by Layering Scenes and Plot – Kill Zone
Plotting, Pansting, and Personality Types – Writers in The Storm
An Introverts Guide to Writer’s Conferences – Fiction University
Does Your Story Need More Tension – A Writer’s Path
Write About Your Passions – Nicholas C. Rossis
NaNo Prep: Planning Your Novel’s Middle – Fiction University

Week In Review

Published on October 4, 2019October 3, 2019 by Joan Hall39 Comments

Hey, everyone. It’s Friday and I’m glad to be wrapping up the week with you.

A few years ago, I was in one of those, “I want to write but the words won’t come,” stages. Getting away from the house often helps, so I decided to take a Saturday morning drive and ended up at one of the numerous nearby country cemeteries.

Naturally, I snapped a few photos. Nothing particularly spooky about this one. Even with the unmarked graves that lie beneath piles of rocks. Or the old, rusting fence that surrounds another one. It was a bright, clear morning when everything in the world seemed cheerful.

But a few adjustments to the color and the shading makes the atmosphere completely different.

Same photo. Different mood. You can almost imagine being in the cemetery at night by the light of the moon. Sort of creepy, isn’t it?

And now, to round out this first Friday of October, here are this week’s links:

On this blog:

On Story Empire:

WordPress Reader Lists – Me
Something to Think About – C. S. Boyack
Preparing to Crush NaNoWriMo! – Mae Clair

Other Writing Sites:

The Crucial Set Up Scene in Your Novel – Live Write Thrive
3 Book Marketing Ideas – A Writer’s Path
How to Be a Good Content Marketer – Nicholas C. Rossis
Why Your Character (and you) Should Be An Expert in Something – Fiction University
Writers Conferences, Festivals, and Workshops – Kobo Writing Life
Top 8 Marketing Strategies Writers Can Use – Nicholas C. Rossis
Rookie Mistakes Indie Writers Make – The Kill Zone
Why We Should Dare to Write Terribly – A Writer’s Path
Check for Cardboard Conflict – Fiction University
Get a Clue: You’ve Got to Stop Overusing This Word – Writers in The Storm
Give Your Readers Someone to Hate – Fiction University
Why We Should Dare to Write Terribly – A Writer’s Path
10 Character Traits of an Espionage Hero – Writer’s in The Storm
Tips to Boost Your Creativity – Fiction University
3 Ways to Get Your Dream Endorsement – The Book Designer
Narrative Drive: Do You Have It? – The Kill Zone
Author Origin Stories That Are Sure to Inspire You – Kobo Writing Life
How to Write a Query Letter That Makes Agents and Editors Swoon – A Writer’s Path

Just Because:

Out of Darkness Poetry – Anita Dawes/Jaye Marie
Giving Her the Heebie-Jebbies – Facets of a Muse
What Happens in Maine – Mae Clair
Lucy and Twiggy Promote War of Nitefall – John Howell
Lisa Burton Interviews a Handbag – Entertaining Stories

Week In Review

Published on September 27, 2019September 27, 2019 by Joan Hall28 Comments

Hey, everyone! Welcome to Friday! Last week, fellow author and Story Empire contributor made a comment that sparked an idea. I’ve been posting links to my own site, Story Empire, and other helpful writing posts.

Thanks to Craig, I’m going to add a new section for random blog posts that caught my attention. They could be short fiction, news about a book launch or upcoming release, or something that inspired me, or just for fun. Thanks, Craig!

I took this photo a few years ago on a September morning at a nearby nature preserve. It’s another favorite place to walk with lots of walking and horseback riding trails. There’s a small fishing pond and an anbundance of wildlife – including an aligator.

No stories set in or inspired by this local as yet, but who knows?

For now, let’s get to this week’s links:

On this site:

From Story Empire:

Taking a Sunday Drive – Mae Clair
How Do You Write What You Can’t Know – Harmony Kent
The Audience Resource You’re Avoiding: Goodreads– P H Solomon

From Other Writing Sites:

Channel Your Strengths – Writers in The Storm
Power Up Your Prose With Rhetorical Devices – Fiction University
Quiz Time: Which Type of Writer are You – Kobo Writing Life
10 Examples of Social Proof – Just Publishing
10 Ways Perfectionism Kills The Writer (and Ten Ways it Doesn’t) – A Writer’s Path
5 Essential Digital Writing Tools – Just Publishing
Cut Unnecessary Internalization from Your Scenes – Fiction University
Writers Are Courageous – A Writer’s Path
The Up and Down Sides of Critique Groups – Writers in The Storm
Which Kind of Opening Works Best? – Fiction University
A Golden Era for Content Marketing – Nicholas C. Rossis
Using Reincarnation in Fiction – Legends of Wendemere
Sprinkling Seeds of Backstory – Fiction University
What a Difference a Cover Makes – Writers in The Storm
5 Steps to Standing Out and Selling More in Your Genre – Kobo Writing Life
Don’t Let Plot Hijack Your Story – Fiction University
6 Myths About Writing – A Writer’s Path

Random Posts:

Nicholas C. Rossis has created a reader poll. He’s passionate about helping fellow authors.
C S Boyack has a new release and is making appearances around the web. Check out his blog for more information.
Marcia Meara has a regular Friday feature, First Line Friday where readers have the opportunity to win free books. Click here to learn how to participate.
Michele Jones writes flash fiction on her blog. Check out her most recednt story.
John Howell shares views of his neighborhood each Sunday. Click to see this week’s edition.

Enjoy the weekend!

Week In Review

Published on September 20, 2019September 20, 2019 by Joan Hall17 Comments

Hey, everyone. Wow! September is moving right along. Can you believe the autumn equinox is in three days?

I pulled this picture from my September 2008 archives. I was out for an evening walk when I snapped this photo. It’s another taken with my little Sanyo 8 megapixel camera. Not a bad shot, huh?

I how the setting sun kisses the swirling clouds. The one in the center almost looks like a funnel cloud, but there were no storms in the area. So far no stories inspired by this pic but I have considered writing a story in which there is a tornado.

I don’t have as many links this week. If you read yesterday’s post, you know I spent much of the week redesigning my website and fell behind in visiting blogs. But here we go:

On this blog or posts about my books:

On Story Empire: