IWSG Anthology Contest Winners

IWSG Anthology Contest Winners

Here are the stories and authors that have been selected for our fourth anthology: 

Oddly Suited by LG Keltner
Sea of Sorrows by AV Brown
Behind the Catcher’s Mask by Jennifer Lane
A Diver’s Ball by Angela Brown
Fearless Heart by Deborah Solice
The Dark Charade by CD Gallant-King
The Cog Prince by Elizabeth Mueller
Flower of Ronda by Myles Christensen
Remedy by Chelsea Ballard
Charleston Masquerade by Carrie-Anne Brownian 

The top story has the honors of being included in the title. LG Keltner’s story came out on top! The official title of our next anthology – Masquerade: Oddly Suited. Congratulations, LG. (She was also in the top spot for our first anthology, Parallels: Felix Was Here.) 

The IWSG Admins spent many hours reading the entries and fourteen were sent to our special judges. We certainly wish to thank them for taking time away from their own work to read the entries: 

Elizabeth S. Craig, author
Kelly Van Sant, agent at Red Sofa Literary Agency 
Elana Johnson, author
DL Hammons, Write Club founder
S.A. Larsen,author
Kristin Smith, author
Gwen Gardner, author and previous IWSG anthology winner

Look for Masquerade: Oddly Suited late spring! 

IWSG - Let 2019 Begin

Not only is it the first Wednesday of the month, it is the first Wednesday of 2019. So to anyone stopping by, I want to wish you a Happy New Year!

Now that we've got the pleasantries done, let's get down to the nitty gritty.

Wait, I don't have a whole lot of nit or grit for this post, so I'll just go with the question that was posed for this month's IWSG post:

What are your favorite and least favorite questions people ask you about your writing?

So let me see...
One of my favorite questions, though it still boggles my mind, is "How do you do it?" People often wonder how I balance being a single mom, having an extracurricularly active teen daughter, work full time and writing.

Truth: I can't say I know how I do it. It just happens. Such a blah answer, I know. But each day I try to live fully, at work and at home, and I prioritize what it important, which is my God and my daughter. Everything falls into place after them.

As for a least favorite question, I suppose it is a question that is a legitimate question, but it, too, boggles my mind, and it's "Why do you write?"

Truth: Why do I breathe? Why do I eat food or drink water? Words are like life to me so reading and writing are as natural to me as blinking.

So what about you? Share your answers in the comments below.

Countdown from 2018 to 2019

The countdown is on. Only a few more days until 2018 rolls into 2019. Then we can all struggle with making sure to write the correct year on forms and everything for the first month or so.

This year, admittedly, was a little better for me. Life is starting to find some sort of rhythm again that may slightly resemble "normal". Now, I'm still not 100% sure what that is supposed to look like anymore, so I guess I'll say that it is "normal" for me.

Writing-wise, I'm still here.
- Still blogging, though once a week or twice a month, mainly on Wednesdays.
- Still writing, though not on one of those "100 words a night" regular routines. I may try that again. It was kind of nice having a nightly goal to meet.
- Still trying, because no matter what, I can't seem to let this writing thing go. Even if I step away for several months, I come back with some "new shiney" that needs to be fleshed out.

Social media-wise, kind of a fail here.
I left Facebook, as in completely closed my profile. I am considering coming back, but then it would mainly be for one reason, and that's because there is a very special group of folks I miss chatting with. U know who you R.

Marketing-wise, I suck terribly.
But I have good reason to work on this. I mentioned several posts back that FABLE RANGER II was a go. So I really need to work on strengthening my marketing for the MG crowd. Anyone with tips, I'm all ears. Please share them in the comments.

Now what will 2019 hold for me? For you?

Let's all fasten our seatbelts and get ready for the ride :-)

Merry Christmas!

What is it about Anticipation?

Credit to ThinkStock

I love anticipation as a reader, not so much as a writer.

Let me explain...

When you're reading a story, whether it be a romance, fantasy, mystery, or thriller, the use of moving the story along while driving up the stakes, inserting red herrings, foreshadowing.... those things are fraught with anticipation. As a reader, I can't turn the pages fast enough, the plot laying out before me with its twists and turns and OHHH so much fun.

Um, can you tell I love to read?

As a writer, though, anticipation can lead to situations of anxiety and stress, especially when you're putting yourself out there for a critique, while on the agent hunt, or on the cusp of publishing a written work.

I'm curious, as readers, what are some of the ways you enjoy writers weaving anticipation into the story? For writers, what are some of the things you do to deal with anticipation when you're in the "wait" zone? Hey, while you're here, enjoy some virtual chocolate cake.

Credit to ThinkStock