Novel Writing Program - Modules And Consults

I had to try one time. Even though Dad was about to turn the car into my aunt and uncle’s driveway. Even though he and Mom had said “no” the hundred other times I’d already asked them. This was my last chance so I crossed my fingers on both hands and went for it. “Please please can I go to New York City with you guys?” I asked. “We could see the Statue of Liberty. I read all about it online. It’s 305 feet tall if you count the pedestal it stands on.” I knew they would like that I threw in the exact measurement. They always approved when I used my laptop for educational things instead of just playing video games. “I promise we’ll take you to see it another time, buddy. This is a business trip for us and we’re going to be busy the whole time we’re there,” Dad said, stopping the car in front of my aunt’s herb garden. “Aww, look how excited they are to have you stay with them.” Mom pointed to the porch. Great Uncle Theo held up a WELCOME JAKE! sign and Great Aunt Ducky took a handkerchief out of the pocket of her plaid dress to wave back and forth, her silver hair pinned in its usual neat bun. “Then can I at least have eight hours of screen time every day?" I asked. “And then two more after dinner? There isn’t anything else to do out here. I’m going to be so bored!” “You can have three hours a day,” Dad said. “That’ll leave you plenty of time to do other fun stuff out here in the country, like going fishing with your uncle. Or peach picking with your aunt.” “Except none of those things are as fun as playing Battle of the Zombie Dragons,” I muttered as Uncle Theo pulled open the car door. Right away I got a whiff of the just-blown-out birthday candle smoky smell that always blew around my aunt and uncle’s little brown house with its crooked green shutters. Uncle Theo ran his hand through my curly hair. “Well, I’m surprised you didn’t feel that crawling around your noggin!” He held up a plastic spider and grinned. “Good one, Uncle Theo,” I said politely like I did every time he played one of his practical jokes. When I was six, I couldn’t stop giggling at his endless pranks. Now that I was almost eleven, I thought they were more annoying than funny. “Wait until I show my new batch of fake dog poop. It fools your Aunt Ducky every time and we don’t even have a dog!” Uncle Theo burst out laughing. After they kissed me goodbye and reminded me to “be a good boy” and “don’t play your games all day, be outside in this nice fresh air!” Mom and Dad got back in the car. I stayed out on the porch for a few extra seconds in case they changed their mind and turned around to come back for me. But Dad tooted the horn a few times and Mom stuck her arm out the window for one last wave before they turned onto the road. I couldn’t help letting out a little groan and Uncle Theo nodded. “Yes, today is a scorcher,” he said. “Let’s take your things up to your room and we’ll head over to Dairy Queen after lunch. Nothing better in this heat than a strawberry sundae.” He picked up my duffel and took it inside. I leaned down to pick up my backpack. Two bright purple eyes peered at me from below the porch railing. “Whoa!” I said, leaping back so fast I knocked over one of the rocking chairs. Whoever or whatever it was took off towards to the woods that edged the back of the yard. It was galloping so fast all I could see was a dark blur. Maybe it was a bear? Not that I knew a lot about bears. Back home in Chicago I mostly saw pigeons and a few squirrels and once I saw two rats fighting over a piece of bread in the alley behind our apartment building. I ran into the house and up the stairs to the little guest room at the end of the hall. “Look at this Jake,” Uncle Theo said from the doorway. He held up a small spoon. He touched it and the whole spoon collapsed. “Isn’t that a hoot? I can’t wait to see the look on Aunt Ducky’s face when she tries to eat her banana split with it and the ice cream keeps falling right to the ground.” “Good one, Uncle Theo,” I said without even thinking. He leaned in and whispered. “You won’t believe what I’ve got up my sleeve for my next stunt. It’ll be the biggest one I’ve ever pulled off. You’ve never seen anything like it!” I followed him down to the kitchen for lunch, trying to figure out what his big practical joke could be. Probably something he read in his favorite book, THE 100 BEST PRANKS TO PLAY ON YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY. I’d looked through it once and Uncle Theo had drawn little stars next to Number 39: Fill the cookie jar with ketchup and Number 67: Stuffing the whole freezer with ping pong balls. So that’s what I’d be doing the next ten days: Playing ZombieDragons, staying away from weird bears and watching out for Uncle Theo’s next big joke. Page Break Chapter 2 “I saw something weird today,” I said when we sat down at the table. “There was something looking me from the side of the porch.” “Probably our neighbor’s cat, Henry coming over for a visit,” Aunt Duckie said. “Don’t worry, he’s very friendly.” I shook my head. “No, this definitely wasn’t a cat. It ran to the back woods so fast it was hard to see anything. I even thought it could be a bear. But bears don’t have super bright purple eyes, do they?” Uncle Theo put down his egg salad sandwich. “You’re sure it had bright purple eyes?” I nodded. “That was not a bear.” He stood up. “Excuse me. I’m going to run downstairs to get some, uh, pickles from the pantry.” “There’s some right here, Uncle Theo.” I pointed to the plate in the middle of the table but he’d already hurried through the basement door. “What’s going on?” I asked Aunt Ducky. “He seemed really freaked out all of a sudden.” “Oh, uh, maybe he’s worried that we’re out of pickles,” Aunt Ducky untied her apron. “I’ll go help him find some. You stay here and finish your lunch.” She went down the stairs quickly too. I was gulping down the rest of my sandwich so I could get upstairs to start a new round of Zombie Dragons when a loud thump! on the back porch made the kitchen windows shake. I looked through the yellow curtains to see a box. At least I thought it was a box. I’d never seen one like this and it was my job on Saturdays to unpack all the cartons delivered to my family’s shoe store. This one looked like it was made of heavy black rubber. Bulging out on one side, it caved in on the other. I opened the door to read the writing etched into the rubber: 5 POUNDS OF CHUNKY BAT VOMIT FOR SPELLS NEEDING CHUNKY BAT VOMIT 5 POUNDS LIQUIDY BAT VOMIT FOR SPELLS REQURING LIQUIDY BAT VOMIT. DO NOT LEAVE OUTSIDE OR VOMIT WILL MELT. PUT IN COOL DARK PLACE RIGHT AWAY. This must be stuff for Uncle Theo’s prank. He probably ordered it from the same place as the fake dog poop. Despite the loud thump like someone had dropped a boulder on the porch, it was pretty light when I picked it up. The kitchen was sunny and warm so I carried the box down to the basement. My aunt and uncle weren’t in the little pantry stocked with Aunt Ducky’s jars of homemade jam and pickles, and they weren’t in the laundry room either. “Where are you guys?” I called. “You got a package delivered.” “I’m very sorry we sold you a jar of ant snot when you asked for worm snot,” Uncle Theo said. “Huh?” I said. “My spell was ruined by your stupid mistake. If things don’t improve around here, you will suffer my rage,” a raspy voice answered him. “This place will suffer the rage of all the witches!” another voice screeched. “We are tired of the way this store conducts business and we won’t put up with it much longer.” “I’m so sorry, I assure you it won’t happen again. Beltrane, please bring me a jar of our finest worm snot for Witch Hensel right away,” Uncle Theo said. The voices were coming from the far left side of the basement, always the shadiest, coolest part of it because of the big maple tree that grew in the yard above. “Uncle Theo, are you okay?” I leaned into the wall to press my ear against it when something pressed against my arm. It was a glass doorknob on a slim door tucked into the corner. How had I never noticed this door before? I used to spend hours down here playing with my train set, the tracks covering every inch of the floor. I twisted the knob and the door opened easily. I poked my head out before I went through the doorway. A few uneven steps dropped to a narrow tunnel lit by small torches flickering along a crumbling brick wall. I leaned forward to read something scratched into one of the bricks: NO WITCHES ALLOWED BEYOND THIS POINT My shoulders relaxed. I’d just found Uncle Theo’s next prank. He must be getting all of this ready for Halloween. It was only August, but this one was definitely going to take a lot more work than putting fake dog poop down. Of course he had to start working on it early. This was like something in a movie. I started down the tunnel. It probably led to a room decorated with fake cobwebs and ghosts made out of old bedsheets. I’d find it, let Aunt Ducky and Uncle Theo yell “Boo!” at me and then get back to Dragons and hopefully we’d go to Dairy Queen for that strawberry sundae soon too. The sharp twists and turns of the tunnel reminded me of the cornfield maze my fourth-grade class visited last fall. After a few seconds, though, I couldn’t tell if I was going forwards or backwards, right or left. The torches gave off such little light that I kept stumbling into dark dead ends, scraping my nose against the bricks. Stairs led down one passageway only to go back up another a few seconds later. I felt like I was walking in circles. Scary, dark circles. I didn’t know what direction I was headed in and I certainly didn’t know how to get back to the basement. Hot tears filled my eyes and now I really couldn’t see where I was going. “Uncle Theo?” I called. “Aunt Ducky?” No one answered. I slumped against the wall to figure out what to do next.

Dial A for Aunties Dial A for Aunties by Jessie Q. Sutanto is $2.99! This is a mix of cozy mystery and romance. It’s also been recommended a ton of previous podcast episodes. Have you read it? A hilariously quirky novel that is equal parts murder mystery, rom-com, and a celebration of mothers and daughters as well as a deep dive into Chinese-Indonesian culture, by debut author Jesse Q Sutanto. 1 (accidental) murder 2 thousand wedding guests 3 (maybe) cursed generations 4 meddling Asian aunties to the rescue! When Meddelin Chan ends up accidentally killing her blind date, her meddlesome mother calls for her even more meddlesome aunties to help get rid of the body. Unfortunately, a dead body proves to be a lot more challenging to dispose of than one might anticipate, especially when it is accidentally shipped in a cake cooler to the over-the-top billionaire wedding Meddy, her Ma, and aunties are working, at an island resort on the California coastline. It’s the biggest job yet for their family wedding business—“Don’t leave your big day to chance, leave it to the Chans!”—and nothing, not even an unsavory corpse, will get in the way of her auntie’s perfect buttercream cake flowers. But things go from inconvenient to downright torturous when Meddy’s great college love—and biggest heartbreak—makes a surprise appearance amid the wedding chaos. Is it possible to escape murder charges, charm her ex back into her life, and pull off a stunning wedding all in one weekend? Add to Goodreads To-Read List → You can find ordering info for this book here. A Holly Jolly Diwali RECOMMENDED: A Holly Jolly Diwali by Sonya Lalli is $1.99! Elyse wrote a Lightning Review of this one and gave it a B+: A Holly Jolly Diwali is a contemporary romance and a story about finding a place in one’s community. I really enjoyed it, but I can also see where some readers may feel the romance elements took second place to the main character’s journey of self discovery. One type-A data analyst discovers her free-spirited side on an impulsive journey from bustling Mumbai to the gorgeous beaches of Goa and finds love waiting for her on Christmas morning. Twenty-eight-year-old Niki Randhawa has always made practical decisions. Despite her love for music and art, she became an analyst for the stability. She’s always stuck close to home, in case her family needed her. And she’s always dated guys that seem good on paper, rather than the ones who give her butterflies. When she’s laid off, Niki realizes that practical hasn’t exactly paid off for her. So for the first time ever, she throws caution to the wind and books a last-minute flight for her friend Diya’s wedding. Niki arrives in India just in time to celebrate Diwali, the festival of lights, where she meets London musician Sameer Mukherji. Maybe it’s the splendor of Mumbai or the magic of the holiday season, but Niki is immediately drawn to Sam. At the wedding, the champagne flows and their flirtatious banter makes it clear that the attraction is mutual. When Niki and Sam join Diya, her husband and their friends on group honeymoon, their connection grows deeper. Free-spirited Sam helps Niki get in touch with her passionate and creative side, and with her Indian roots. When she gets a new job offer back home, Niki must decide what she wants out of the next chapter of her life–to cling to the straight and narrow like always, or to take a leap of faith and live the kind of bold life the old Niki never would have dreamed of. Add to Goodreads To-Read List → You can find ordering info for this book here. Firelight Firelight by Kristen Callihan is $1.99! This is the first book in the Darkest London series, a series that I mostly enjoy. In the first three books, the heroines are sisters and I’d rank them in their series order. The third is my least favorite, namely because it contains a lot of tropes that aren’t my thing. However, I still have enjoyed what I’ve read thus far. Once the flames are ignited . . . Miranda Ellis is a woman tormented. Plagued since birth by a strange and powerful gift, she has spent her entire life struggling to control her exceptional abilities. Yet one innocent but irreversible mistake has left her family’s fortune decimated and forced her to wed London’s most nefarious nobleman. They will burn for eternity . . . Lord Benjamin Archer is no ordinary man. Doomed to hide his disfigured face behind masks, Archer knows it’s selfish to take Miranda as his bride. Yet he can’t help being drawn to the flame-haired beauty whose touch sparks a passion he hasn’t felt in a lifetime. When Archer is accused of a series of gruesome murders, he gives in to the beastly nature he has fought so hard to hide from the world. But the curse that haunts him cannot be denied. Now, to save his soul, Miranda will enter a world of dark magic and darker intrigue. For only she can see the man hiding behind the mask. Add to Goodreads To-Read List → You can find ordering info for this book here. A Bad Day for Sunshine A Bad Day for Sunshine by Darynda Jones is $1.99! This is the first book in a series series after Jones concluded her Charley Davidson books and the second book is also on sale. The third book is out tomorrow, so this is a great opportunity to catch up. New York Times bestselling author Darynda Jones is back with the brand-new snarky, sassy, wickedly fun Sunshine Vicram series! Sheriff Sunshine Vicram finds her cup o’ joe more than half full when the small village of Del Sol, New Mexico, becomes the center of national attention for a kidnapper on the loose. Del Sol, New Mexico is known for three things: its fry-an-egg-on-the-cement summers, its strong cups of coffee—and a nationwide manhunt? Del Sol native Sunshine Vicram has returned to town as the elected sheriff—an election her adorably meddlesome parents entered her in—and she expects her biggest crime wave to involve an elderly flasher named Doug. But a teenage girl is missing, a kidnapper is on the loose, and all of it’s reminding Sunny why she left Del Sol in the first place. Add to that trouble at her daughter’s new school and a kidnapped prized rooster named Puff Daddy, and Sunshine has her hands full. Enter sexy almost-old-flame Levi Ravinder and a hunky US Marshall, both elevens on a scale of one to blazing inferno, and the normally savvy sheriff is quickly in over her head. Now it’s up to Sunshine to juggle a few good hunky men, a not-so-nice kidnapping miscreant, and Doug the ever-pesky flasher. And they said coming home would be drama-free. Add to Goodreads To-Read List → You can find ordering info for this book here. View the full article

Author: Delaney Parker Working book title: GRACE Story Statement: GRACE is the gritty, funny and raw story of Margaret Hall. A woman trying to balance marriage, motherhood and friendship while also living with the chronic disease, Multiple Sclerosis. Despite grazing forty and the chronic illness Multiple Sclerosis, Margaret wants so badly to add another baby to their family. Her husband Nate, is happy with their five year old son, James and is not excited about the prospect of adding another person. Nor is he looking forward to how much another person will cost him. Not only monetarily but whatever sliver of himself he would have to sacrifice. After asking, pleading and downright arguing daily, Nate begrudgingly relents and soon they are on their way to family expansion. Desperately trying to manage her disability and boost Nate’s confidence in her, Margaret does her best to take care of his needs, keep the house clean and raise their son. But did Margaret take on too much? When her MS throws her into a savage flare up while pregnant, she becomes more afraid of what will remain when the exacerbation is finished with her. Nate, who already has his doubts, falls further away from his family and from being a good husband. Could Nate’s dark lies, countless betrayals and cruel deceit be the undoing of their already tender marriage? Margaret’s best friend Marie, is a gorgeous unapologetic and fiercely protective woman. It gored her guts to not be able to protect her friend from the ravages of Multiple Sclerosis. But did Marie have to protect Margaret from the ravages of Nate? Or, from this new friend Margaret has found? The more entwined the new friendship the more suspicious Marie becomes. She is vigilant in her love and loyalty to Margaret but will she tell her friend what she saw? What happens when an unexpected turn changes everything? The exquisitely layered story of GRACE is wrought with deep love and illicit passion. It tells of searing private pain and a person’s sacrifice of self with every choice they make. GRACE is about soul stretching strength. A person’s need to surrender and see the truth even at its most brutal. Then, accept what they now know and ultimately find forgiveness and grace. A person's character is their karma. Margaret knows her character will be hers. Antagonist In my first erotic noveI GRACE, Nate Hall is Margaret’s husband and James’s father. He is also the antagonist. His resentment and bitterness towards his disabled wife rationalizes his selfish and destructive behavior towards his family. Nate feels betrayed by Margaret having Multiple Sclerosis. Every lab bill Nate pays, every prescription he has to pick up leaves him with the feeling of, “What about me?” Nate at times behaves as if his wife has exacerbations intentionally to sabotage his happiness. Didn’t he work hard and take care of everything even after Margaret left him holding the bag? Because of Margaret’s incurable sickness, Nate couldn’t have the life he had been planning. He deserves something just for him, a little escape from the suffocating existence he has at home. If life was going to punish him like this, he deserved a distraction from the reality of the constant needs of his pregnant disabled wife and son. Regardless of how much Margaret loves him or how hard she tries to make him happy, Nate is not satisfied and will always think he deserves more. When his brother becomes involved, Nate’s gluttonous behavior only worsens and the consequences could be irreparable. Title: GRACE or Her MesS The original title for my novel is GRACE. The reason for the title is because of the grace Margaret finds within herself. However, doing the suggested work and research that was suggested I do have a new title that I think better serves my novel. Her MesS The title, GRACE is too used and it does not convey my story as well. Multiple Sclerosis is in the spotlight right now. It is a terrible disease but it is now being seen and talked about. This novel has a main character with MS. Her MesS would be much more fitting and I believe marketable. Genre and Comparables: Grace is a work of erotic fiction. Here is where it gets tricky for me. For years I have been an avid reader. Having Multiple Sclerosis means a lot of time in bed. It also meant a lot of time to read. I would clear books like an Olympic hurdler. No genre, length or subject matter was safe from my greedy reading eyes. It was through reading, I got to live outside my disability. Yet, in my reading I could not find a story like mine. I am sure there are similar out there and I have not been gifted with finding them. When I got to the first sex scene, I did not look at other books or scenes. I googled–How to write sex sounds…… and that is what I did. A layered story that happens to have explicit sex scenes. On this assignment, I have come up lacking but it is not due to a lack of effort. With this being said, I am also considering cleaning up on the verbiage of the sex scenes to allow the book to be more of a mainstream read. Hook A disabled woman undaunted by Multiple Sclerosis endures the merciless pain of relapse while pregnant as she desperately clings to her inner self before surrendering to the brutal truth of a marriage scarred by countless betrayals, resentment and incurable disease. Other Matters of Conflict Margaret struggles with feeling good enough. She believes she should be able to do and be all things, which is impossible for anyone. It doesn’t keep her from trying. Even though she knows there is something going on with Nate, her fear of being left and of not being enough for him, Margaret doesn’t allow herself to really see him or their marriage. And she takes on the emotional weight and responsibility of the marriage and blames herself for any of Nate’s unhappiness. Setting Detail The setting of this story is upstate New York. Just like the Northeast, the different weather plays heavily in some scenes. The different scenes,celebrations in the lives of the characters use the different seasons to help enforce the feeling of the scene. When we first meet Margaret and Nate, they live in an apartment. Because they are on one income they are not house ready. This living arrangement is not ideal and a reminder to Nate of what he loses being with Margaret. The cramped apartment is a symbol of how cramped Nate feels in the marriage. The stairs at the Empire Plaza in Albany is important because of the volatility between characters. The hospital scenes are used to show both joy and sadness. In the same place a character is pronounced dead is the same place his baby is born months after his death. There is also a scene in the church. The significance of the scene is because of not only the reason for being there but the unspoken dynamic of the people there.

When I first decided to write a series — in this case, the matriarchal fantasy series The Five Queendoms — it was an easy choice. I wanted to create a rich world too complex to fully explore in just one book, and I wanted to follow the course of characters’ intertwining lives over many years, so a series was the most logical option. Genre, too, factored in. When I was writing historical fiction, standalone novels made the most sense, but fantasy readers love a big juicy series. I decided I was ready, and leapt in. And for two novels, it all went according to plan. But as most of us know, writing and publishing are overlapping pursuits that don’t always line up perfectly. And I have a contract that only accounts for three novels, even if I feel like I could write novels set in this world I’ve created for years and years and years. So my third book will be the end of a trilogy… while leaving a number of doors open for following these characters and others through an ongoing series of events, and hopefully, books. Let’s just call that a bit of a challenge. After writing a 90K-word draft that treated the third book as a continuation and not a completion, I had to step back and reconsider my options. I could submit a book that didn’t end a trilogy, and almost certainly have it rejected by the publisher, which would lead to a whole other set of ramifications and decisions. I could rewrite it completely to tie up all the loose ends and close out the trilogy in a final sort of way, which definitely flew in the face of what I wanted artistically. After considering both of those options thoroughly, I did what I so often do: I chose the middle path. (The hard one, let’s be clear.) Here’s what finally helped me figure out how to do it: I put myself in the shoes of a TV writer. I imagined my task as writing the season finale of a series that might or might not be renewed. It happens on TV all the time, right? So: no cliffhangers. (Books one and two, though each resolved the main conflict of a self-contained story, also introduced the main conflict that the next book in the series would address.) Book three had to have a satisfying ending that followed naturally from books one and two, in addition to resolving its own self-contained story. My rule for standalone and series writing alike is this: the beginning of any book makes a promise that the end of the book must keep. But there are ways to end without ending. Books one and two both planted seeds that haven’t yet grown to full fruition, and the trick of the “season finale” approach is to avoid disappointing readers with what you choose to leave unresolved. You can’t make every reader happy with every decision. But I’m hoping that the way I’ve chosen to resolve book three will thread that needle. How would you solve the dilemma of ending a story for now without ending it forever? [url={url}]View the full article[/url]

We are excited to launch the tour for From Promising to Published by Melanie Faith. This book is perfect for unpublished writers who want encouragement while preparing work for submission for the first time and a friendly voice to demystify how the publishing process works. It's also wonderful for published authors who are interested in learning why some of their past work might have been rejected. Its down-to-earth tips for revising, submission strategy, and having happier, long-term publishing experiences make this book a must-read for writers. Before we interview the author about her inspirational book for writers, here's more about this book: You’ve been writing and honing your craft for months or years and are curious about seeking publication for your latest project. Perhaps you wonder about the next steps in the process. Look no further! This book has a little something for every writer interested in expanding their audience and sharing their writing with readers, from pre-writing and writing your drafts to choosing your market and the writing life before, during, and after publication. Topics covered include:The Lovely Littles: Breaking into Literary MagazinesThe Spinning Spider: Keeping Track of your BrainchildrenOptions, You’ve Got ’em: Traditional, Indie/Small, University Press, or Self-Publishing Two Streams with One Stone: To Simultaneously Submit or NotMonetize it! Part One: All about the Benjamins; Monetize it! Part Two: Risk and a Swimming MetaphorThe Myth of the Fancy-Pants ToolsThe Art of Writing the Author BioParadox Meets Passion: Writer vs. AuthorThe Slam-Bam Reply: Now in Two Painful Varieties; Creative NoodlingF.U.N.and so much more! Publisher: Vine Leaves Press (May 2022) ISBN-10: 1925965929ISBN-13: 978-1925965929ASIN: B09V88F1SC Print length: 184 pages You can purchase a copy of this book in ebook or print at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Bookshop.org. Be sure to also add this to your GoodReads reading list. About the Author, Melanie Faith Melanie Faith is a night-owl writer and editor who moves through the daytime world with her camera. She’s an introvert who likes to wear many hats, too, including as a poet, photographer, professor, and tutor. She’s been a doodler for years but just recently started to share her perfectly imperfect doodles. She loves to write about historical settings in poetry and prose, and this fall she taught both a Leaping Worlds class for historical fiction and time-travel writers as well as a university class about publishing. She especially enjoys creating nonfiction craft books that assist fellow authors on their writing paths, including books packed with tips about writing flash fiction and poetry. Her latest published craft books are: Photography for Writers, guides for teaching online and writing a research book respectively, and From Promising to Published: A Multi-Genre, Insider's Guide to the Publication Process (all from Vine Leaves Press). Read more about her books, classes, and arts projects at https://melaniedfaith.com/. ---- Interview by Nicole Pyles WOW: First, congratulations on your book! Why did you decide to write this book? Melanie: Thank you! I’m so excited about this book and sharing it with readers. I’ve taught online classes in publishing and marketing books for several years, and I love the process of sharing the many options for how writers can go about taking a manuscript from a file on a computer or a draft in a notebook to an e-book or tactile book. I remember very clearly how confusing and unfathomable the process felt to me before I got my first publication credits. I didn’t know where to start. I really want to give writers an easier, clearer view of their options for breaking in than the way I approached submitting work and publishing in a very prolonged, stumbling, unsure way for the first few years of my writing career. WOW: That's so awesome! You start out in your book saying you've submitted your writing more than 1,300 times! I'm so impressed (especially as someone who has only gotten close to the 200 mark). What has kept you motivated to submit so many times? Melanie: That’s such a great question! First off, I had no clue when I started trying to get published in my teens how often I would submit or how many rejections I’d get—or that getting rejections is routine and completely normal. Often, it’s best just to keep looking forward; one tiny step at a time creates marvelous momentum. That said, after I received my first rejection slip from a publication when I was 16, I kept writing endlessly but I didn’t make any submissions to editors outside of a school setting for four years. It stung deeply! So, I fully understand how painful rejection can be and how very personal it feels every time. On the other hand, I genuinely want to connect with readers, and I know that having endless project files just sitting on my laptop won’t help me to connect with my fellow readers and writers, so it’s important to me that I submit my writing regularly. As I developed as a writer and a person, knowing that I was trying became more important than whether it was a yes or no response (although I still savor each and every yes!), which gave me the courage to submit more and more. One tiny step at a time adds up over time. Both rejections and acceptances have reinforced for me that it’s important to keep persevering and sending work out there. You just never know when it’ll be a yes, so it’s important to interpret a “no” as a “not yet” or a “not for us,” and submit the work again and again and again to other markets who will be a better fit for the work. When I first started, I put a lot of pressure on myself and on my writing to get immediate (or almost immediate) yeses or I stopped submitting, instead of editing my manuscripts more and then sending to other editors. I gave up on pieces too soon, which is very common. For the past several years, I’ve aimed to submit at least three pieces a month, whether that’s a guest blog, an article, a batch of poems, photography, or a complete book manuscript. Also, once I started to submit simultaneous submissions to editors who accept them (always check guidelines before submitting), that increased the number of submissions I made because I didn’t need quite so much new material all at once. That way, I always have multiple projects in rotation on editors’ desks which increases my chances at a yes. The yeses, along with reader and fellow writer encouragement, really make a huge difference in motivating me and keeping me going. "You just never know when it’ll be a yes, so it’s important to interpret a 'no' as a 'not yet' or a 'not for us,' and submit the work again and again and again to other markets who will be a better fit for the work." WOW: I love you keep things in rotation. You also teach students! What kind of lessons do you gain from your role as a teacher? Melanie: I love teaching fellow writers. They are some of the most imaginative, talented, hopeful, determined people I’ve ever met. They are generous with sharing their thoughts, struggles, and goals. I feel a sense of community with my students. We all understand the cycle of hope, angst, and hard work involved in pursuing publication. I love how each writer’s path shares commonality and yet is also highly personal and unique. Working with students teaches me how marvelously diverse and important writers’ voices are as well as underscores that there is room for all genres, styles, innovations, and writers at the table. My students teach me again and again the value of having writing dreams as well as perseverance, flexibility, and acceptance as our skills and our projects evolve over time. WOW: Those skills are so important! Your first chapter talks about the importance of calling yourself a writer. Personally speaking, I've been a writer for as long as I can remember but it's only in the last few years it's now officially part of my email's signature line. Why do you think it's such a struggle for writers to label themselves as a writer? Melanie: This is such an important question; thank you! When we practice the arts—whether it’s sculpting, painting, writing a novel or a collection of poetry, or recording a collection of songs—one of the first questions any artist gets asked is, “Have you sold/published [your project]?” Another is, “Where can I read/see your work?” It’s often very challenging to keep growing as writers while also experiencing the pressure to write faster to have publications available that showcase our writing to the best of our abilities as we are still developing as artists. Crafting the work alone in a room or in a small workshop group of trusted friends is much different than sharing it with a wider audience that often doesn’t include writers. People often mean well in showing interest or curiosity, while at the same time not knowing how very much effort and time go into writing, editing, publishing, and marketing a single work of art. We can feel hurried or a little foolish or embarrassed at times when we don’t have immediate publications after many months’ work or study—even though that’s 100% normal. Writing is a slowly built craft; not fast food. It’s natural to self-protect and not tell many people (if anyone, even ourselves) that we are writers for years—but to keep writing, revising, and learning, just without the title. Although, after a while, claiming the title becomes important. I understand hesitating to call oneself a writer, because I took photographs for many years before I dared to call myself a photographer aloud, much less on my website and social media, even though I ran around taking photos with a camera for almost as long as I’ve been a writer. I always felt like someone would call me out on it, because I didn’t professionally study photography, and I don’t make my living from photography, and because for very many years I hadn’t had my work in an art show yet. It was so liberating when I finally felt ready to call myself a photographer, not just a person who “likes to take photographs now and again.” Still, we wouldn’t go up to a plumber and say, “Well, since you haven’t fixed 7,000 faucet leaks this year, you’re not a real plumber, are you?” or a chef and say, “You don’t have a three-star restaurant, so why’s your name on the door?” but that’s often part of the message writers receive, that there are benchmarks before publicly saying we are writers—through words or body language or even self-talk—which makes writers understandably hesitant to claim the title of writer. Many wait until they get a first publication or a writing-related job or a degree in writing or have won a writing contest as a protection mechanism against the questioning or judgment of others. Also, it’s not easy to claim space as a writer. There’s a ton of competition, and writing is a craft that we learn and improve on over time and with effort and energy before we gain more and more confidence in our abilities. It’s totally normal that sometimes it takes many of us months or years to say aloud that we ARE writers. The great thing is that it gets much easier to say it the more we type it in our emails; say it aloud to new acquaintances, friends, and family; and start putting it on our websites, front and center. It’s a subtle shift, but a big one. Being a writer is an identity as well as a vocation and a lineage of all the writers who came before us and those yet to follow this path after us—it’s a very exciting, honorable, frustrating, mysterious, worthwhile path, and it just takes as long and it takes to feel comfortable voicing that we are writers. No benchmarks needed before applying. You are a writer if you practice the art of writing, period. Publications, workshops, classes, conferences: all of these can be wonderful and very helpful parts of the writing journey to experience—just know that you are already a writer before, during, and after them. No shade at all to any writers still getting to the point where they can type or verbally introduce themselves as writers. You’ll get there. Nurture yourself and support what feels best for you. Once we do claim the title “writer” aloud or in print—whether it’s in our own handwriting in a notebook or all over the internet—it’s that much sweeter for the journey it took to get us there. "You are a writer if you practice the art of writing, period." WOW: It's such a profound journey to finally call ourselves a writer. What do you hope readers take away from your book after finishing? Melanie: I hope this book infuses readers with self-belief and courage to pursue publication in whatever ways are the best fit for them and their projects. I want writers to feel prepared to put in the work over years—writing, publishing or self-publishing, and marketing are often more of a marathon than a sprint—and also to know that they deserve success. I’d love for readers to know from the book that we’re living in a golden age for ways to become published (from self-publishing and blog posting to small-press publishing to publishing with a university press to getting an agent to publishing with big-name traditional publishers) and also myriad ways to study craft and keep improving (from reading craft books, taking online or in-person classes, starting or joining a workshop, and much more). I also want readers to take away that all writers (even frequently published ones) experience setbacks, rejections, and support during our careers that make this writing path a varied and meaningful one. Perseverance and some humor, too, are assets I hope writers will take along on their journeys to make their writing and publishing dreams come true. Mostly, I hope readers will feel excited that what they have to say will find its target market and readers who will appreciate their writing. You’ve got this! WOW: Thank you so much for your insights, Melanie! Best of luck on your book! ---- Blog Tour Calendar December 5th @ The MuffinJoin WOW as we celebrate the launch of Melanie Faith's blog tour of From Promising to Publishing. Read an interview with the author and enter to win a copy of the bookhttps://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com December 5th @ Karen Brown TysonVisit Karen's blog today and read about whether to monetize your writing or keep it a hobby.https://karenbrowntyson.com December 7th @ Create Write NowVisit Mari's blog today to read a guest post by Melanie Faith about how to self-motivate.https://www.createwritenow.com/journal-writing-blog December 8th @ Margay Leah Justice's BlogJoin Margay as she reviews From Promising to Published by Melanie Faith.https://margayleahjustice.blogspot.com/ December 9th @ Blunt Scissors Book ReviewsJennifer shares her thoughts about Melanie Faith's helpful book From Promising to Published.https://www.instagram.com/bluntscissorsbookreviews/ December 10th @ World of My ImaginationVisit Nicole's blog to catch her review of From Promising to Published by Melanie Faith.https://worldofmyimagination.com/ December 11th @ Shoe's Seeds and StoriesVisit Linda's blog as she reviews Melanie Faith's book From Promising to Published.https://lschuelerca.wordpress.com/ December 12th @ One Writer's JourneySue shares her thoughts about Melanie Faith's helpful book for writers From Promising to Published.https://suebe.wordpress.com/ December 13th @ Lisa Haselton's Book Reviews & InterviewsVisit Lisa's blog for an interview with author Melanie Faith about her book From Promising to Published.https://lisahaselton.com/blog/ December 15th @ Mother Daughter BookclubJoin Cindy as she reviews From Promising to Published by Melanie Faith.https://motherdaughterbookclub.com/ December 16th @ The Faerie ReviewLily shares her thoughts about Melanie Faith's book From Promising to Published.https://www.thefaeriereview.com/ December 18th @ Michelle Cornish' BlogCome by Michelle's blog and read Melanie Faith's guest post about overcoming imposter syndrome.https://www.michellecornish.com/blog December 20th @ A Storybook WorldDeirdra features a spotlight of Melanie Faith's book From Promising to Published.https://www.astorybookworld.com/ December 21st @ Elle Backenstoe's BlogJoin Elle as she reviews Melanie Faith's book From Promising to Published.http://ellebackenstoe.com/ December 22nd @ Author Anthony Avina's BlogVisit Anthony's blog and read his review of From Promising to Published.https://authoranthonyavinablog.com/category/blog-tours/ December 23rd @ Help Me NaomiNoami shares a review of From Promising to Published by Melanie Faith.https://helpmenaomi.com/ December 24th @ The Mommies ReviewsJoin Tara she reviews Melanie Faith's book From Promising to Published and hosts a giveaway too.https://www.themommiesreviews.com/ December 27th @ Mindy McGinnis' BlogJoin Mindy's blog today where author Melanie Faith shares tips on writing author bios that have personality and heart.https://www.mindymcginnis.com/blog December 27th @ Beverley A. Baird's BlogJoin Beverley as she reviews Melanie Faith's book From Promising to Published.https://beverleyabaird.wordpress.com/ December 29th @ Beverley A. Baird's BlogVisit Beverley's blog to read a guest post by Melanie Faith about the benefits of hiring a freelance editor and how to find a good fit.https://beverleyabaird.wordpress.com/ December 30th @ Jill Sheets BlogJoin Jill as she interviews Melanie Faith, author of From Promising to Published.http://jillsheets.blogspot.com/ January 2nd @ Elle Backenstoe's BlogVisit Elle's blog again and read Melanie Faith's guest post about the benefits of beta readers and how to find one.http://ellebackenstoe.com/ January 3rd @ Editor 911Join Margo as she features a guest post by Melanie Faith about the taking-on-too-much spiral.https://editor-911.com/blog January 4th @ Liberate & LatherVisit Angie's blog and read her review of From Promising to Published by Melanie Faith. She hosts a giveaway and also interviews author Melanie Faith about her book.https://liberateandlather.com/blog January 5th @ Word MagicFiona reviews this helpful writing book From Promising to Published by Melanie Faith. Don't miss it!http://fionaingramauthor.blogspot.com/ January 7th @ Leslie's VoiceJoin Leslie as she reviews From Promising to Published by Melanie Faith.https://lesliesvoice.com/ ***** BOOK GIVEAWAY ***** Enter to win a copy of From Promising to Published by Melanie Faith! Fill out the Rafflecopter form below. The giveaway ends December 18th at 11:59 CT. We will announce the winner the next day in the Rafflecopter widget and follow up via email. Good luck! a Rafflecopter giveaway (C) Copyright wow-womenonwriting.com Visit WOW! Women On Writing for lively interviews and how-tos. Check out WOW!'s Classroom and learn something new. Enter the Quarterly Writing Contests. Open Now![url={url}]View the full article[/url]

Another week, another batch of books for your TBR pile. Happy reading, folks. * Elyse Friedman, The Opportunist (MIRA) “This perfectly paced novel mixes intrigue, drama, and mystery. Each reveal is timed to keep readers glued to the pages, and no character is safe from the others’ lies. With so many appealing factors, this book will be popular with a wide range of patrons.” –Booklist Josh Haven, Fake Money, Blue Smoke (Mysterious Press) “Keeps the suspense high without sacrificing plausibility. [A] promising new talent.” –Publishers Weekly Tessa Wegert, The Kind to Kill (Severn House) “Considering who the bogeyman clearly is and remains, Wegert does an admirable job of generating mounting suspense.” –Kirkus Reviews Luke Dumas, A History of Fear (Atria) “[A] stellar debut, a complex whydunit . . . . Admirers of Andrew Pyper’s The Demonologist will be riveted.” –Publishers Weekly Mina Hardy, We Knew All Along (Crooked Lane) “Wickedly suspenseful, We Knew All Along is a snappy page-turner that will make you question everything you thought you knew and keep you guessing until the very last page. Don’t miss it!” –Avery Bishop Darby Kane, The Last Invitation (William Morrow) “Darby Kane deserves credit for dispensing with anything resembling a slow burn in The Replacement Wife. There is a rollicking, almost absurdist tone to Kane’s writing that kept me engaged…Finally, after several doses of sociopathy, more than a little gaslighting and arguments galore, nearly all of Elisa’s suspicions are confirmed in the worst possible way. ‘Nearly’ saves room for a final surprise I didn’t foresee.” –New York Times Book Review Darynda Jones, A Hard Day for a Hangover (St. Martins) “Laugh-out-loud funny, intensely suspenseful, page-turning fun.” –Allison Brennan Hannah Morrissey, The Widowmaker (Minotaur) “The Widowmaker confirms Hannah Morrisey’s status as one of the brightest new voices in crime fiction. An unflinching look at two damaged people trying to do right in a world full of wrong, told in scalpel-sharp prose with a poet’s eye for detail.” –Riley Sager John Straley, Blown By The Same Wind (Soho) “Terrific . . . Like the earlier novels in the series, this one is funny and quirky, a lighter change of pace from the Younger books and a delight for fans of small-town comic mysteries with a bit of bite.” –Booklist Peter Mohlin, Peter Nyström (transl. Ian Giles), The Other Sister (Overlook Press) “Mohlin and Nyström’s stellar sequel to 2021’s The Bucket List more than delivers on the first book’s promise . . . This nail-biter doesn’t let John off the hook for some hard choices he’s forced to make as the action builds to a jaw-dropping climax. Readers will be counting the days to see where these gifted writers take their lead next.” –Publishers Weekly View the full article

As the leaves fall from the trees and the days grow colder, the thought of curling up with a good book becomes more enticing than ever. Although I love reading (and writing) cozy mysteries at any time of the year, there’s something about the cooler weather that makes the genre even more appealing, and I love to have a stack of fall-themed cozies ready to read when autumn arrives. In my mind, there’s nothing better than being pulled right into the fall atmosphere of a cozy mystery so I can almost smell the hint of wood smoke in the chilly air and hear the crunch of leaves underfoot. As a writer, I hope to provide that same experience for my readers. The fifth installment of the Literary Pub Mystery series, Through the Liquor Glass, takes place in October and is centered around a food and drink festival called A Taste of Shady Creek. The festival highlights the town of Shady Creek’s many restaurants and food and drink producers, including the Inkwell Pub, owned and operated by series protagonist Sadie Coleman. With the pub located in a renovated grist mill, offering literary-themed food and drinks, and hosting book clubs in a cozy room with a woodstove, the Inkwell is the perfect place to spend a fall evening. Of course, the autumn season can’t go too smoothly. While Sadie is taking part in the festival and preparing for Halloween, a body turns up dead at the craft brewery owned by her boyfriend, Grayson Blake. Grayson quickly becomes the prime suspect and goes into hiding to avoid arrest. Sadie sets out to clear his name, but with a long list of suspects, foodie writers with attitude, and her visiting mother to deal with, she’s definitely got her hands full. Through the Liquor Glass also features a corn maze, stormy nights, rumors of a haunted house, and lots of autumn atmosphere. The inspiration for many of the events that take place in my books comes from the small town where I now live. My town’s pumpkin harvest festival, complete with pumpkin catapult competition, gave me the idea for the autumn festival (also with a pumpkin catapult competition) in the first Literary Pub Mystery, Wine and Punishment. The food and drink festival featured in Through the Liquor Glass was also inspired by a similar real-life event that took place in my town before the pandemic hit. If you want to immerse yourself in fall festivities from the comfort of your own home, there are many cozy mysteries you can turn to. Below, I’ve listed several cozies featuring fall festivals that will give you all the autumn feels as well as a great mystery to puzzle out. The Cider Shop Rules by Julie Anne Lindsey What could be more suitable for fall reading than a cozy mystery centered around apples and apple cider? This series even features a character named Granny Smythe (you’ve got to love an apple pun!). This is the third book in the Cider Shop Mystery series about Winona Mae Montgomery (Winnie) and her cider shop, which is located in the historic Mail Pouch barn on her family’s orchard property. In The Cider Shop Rules, the orchard’s Fall Harvest Festival is in full swing, but when the owner of the local pumpkin patch turns up dead in the back of Winnie’s truck, the season suddenly gets more complicated. This cozy has so many great autumn elements, including a pumpkin patch, scarecrows, and a corn maze. Plus, we can’t forget the apple cider! A Waffle Lot of Murder by Lena Gregory While autumn in her new home of Boggy Creek, Florida isn’t what New York transplant Gia Morelli is used to, there’s still plenty of spooky season spirit and fall fun. On top of running her all-day breakfast café, Gia takes part in Boggy Creek’s Haunted Town Festival. The festival takes place on deserted farmlands and involves teams of participants transforming old buildings into spooky spectacles. The festival’s fear factor gets amped up when Gia and her best friend find a dead body in the woods. Digging Up the Remains by Julia Henry For those who prefer a protagonist of a more mature age, the Garden Squad Mystery series is a great choice. Digging Up the Remains, the third book in the series, takes place during the fall festival in Goosebush, Massachusetts. The main character, retiree Lilly Jayne, is involved in planning the festival’s activities, which include a 10k run and a haunted house on her expansive front lawn. Lilly’s life becomes even busier when she and the fellow members of her Garden Squad set out to solve the mysterious death of an unscrupulous reporter who has threatened several Goosebush residents. A Stew to a Kill by Jenny Kales A Stew to a Kill is the fourth book in the Callie’s Kitchen Mystery series. Callie Costas owns and operates a Greek-American eatery in Crystal Bay, Wisconsin, where she lives with her daughter and her adorable Yorkie. While Callie is preparing for the local fall festival, skeleton display, and costume ball, a death at a neighboring business complicates her life. This book offers autumn atmosphere, a great mystery, and recipes for mouth-watering food. While not from this particular book, one of my all-time favorite recipes (Greek rice pudding or Rizogalo) comes from this series. No Parm No Foul by Linda Reilly No Parm No Foul is the second Grilled Cheese Mystery by Linda Reilly. In this book, Carly Hale, owner of a grilled cheese eatery, is taking part in the Scary-Licious Smorgasbord competition. One of her fellow competitors, the owner of the local sub shop, winds up dead after a very public and very angry outburst aimed at Carly. That spells trouble for both Carly and her boyfriend. I love that this series is set in Vermont, like my Literary Pub series is. There’s something about fall in New England that makes it the perfect backdrop for cozy mysteries. Reilly’s series is charming and fun, but beware—it will have you craving grilled cheese sandwiches! *** View the full article

“I have a gun in my head.” My mother used to say that. When I was very little, I didn’t know what she meant, but soon enough it became clear. The asshole in the BMW who jumped his turn at the four-way stop? Blam. The incompetent male colleague who took credit for her ideas? Pop pop pop. The xenophobic neighbour asked her why she married a “greeny”? Right between the eyes. What my mother knew, and what I recently discovered as I wrote my first crime novel, is that it’s extremely satisfying to kill people in your imagination. Especially rotten people. Prior to penning The Opportunist, I had written three novels and a novella. They had plots that amused me: a broke artist starts a cult to make money / a hideously ugly woman wakes up beautiful and discovers that, contrary to what we’ve all been told, it’s actually what’s outside that counts / a wealthy screenwriter buys his childhood home, retrofits it to look exactly as it had in the 1970s and hires actors to portray his long-deceased parents at a very strange family reunion (I did it first, Nathan Fielder) / a washed-up C-list former celebrity starts stalking his biggest fan. All of these were a kick to write, but none were half as much fun as The Opportunist, in which three siblings band together to vanquish the 28-year-old “gold digger” who is about to marry their 76-year-old father. And the chapters I most enjoyed scribbling were the ones that were the most murder-y (once you’ve gleefully run over a character in a speed boat, there’s really no going back to literary fiction). So, now I’m hooked and currently at work on my second crime novel. The other day my son saw me gazing out the window at the pretty yellow leaves drifting down from the sugar maple in the front yard. I guess I must have looked dreamy or contemplative because he asked what I was thinking about. “I was wondering if it were possible to stuff somebody in a septic tank,” I said. He looked vaguely alarmed as he backed out of the room. The truth is, I’ve always been a fan of crime fiction, so I don’t know why it took me so long to try my hand at it. Here are a few favourites that inspired me to take the plunge: Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky The mother of all crime novels. No other piece of literature has penetrated my subconscious like this one. To this day, it remains the only book that has ever entered my dreams. Even though I read it decades ago, I still remember having sweaty nightmares in which I had slain the pawnbroker and was cowering on the dark staircase, desperately trying to make my escape. Burial by Neil Cross I must be into books about people who feel horribly guilty. A terrible mishap at a party leads to a girl’s death in which Nathan, the protagonist, plays a key role. Nathan learns that while you can dispose of a corpse, you can’t as easily do away with a nagging conscience. And the past has funny way of popping up in the present. A slow burn full of heart-squeezing suspense. Freaky Deaky by Elmore Leonard You’ve got to love a book that starts with a guy learning that if he gets up out of his chair, he’ll be blown to smithereens. Leonard brings his breezy style and wit to a story about a cop who’s about to leave the bomb squad, and two ex hippie revolutionaries (who have graduated from politics to lucre) with a talent for blowing things up. The Outlander by Gil Adamson When a poet writes a crime book you end up with a thrilling combination of suspense, action and literary perfection. Every line is a carefully crafted thing of beauty. And while you could easily linger and marvel at the stunning sentence composition and impeccably researched period details, you’ll be quickly turning pages to find out if our heroine Mary Boulton can stay one step ahead of the terrifying redheaded brothers who are pursuing her. Ridgerunner, the sequel, is also great. The Woman Chaser by Charles Willeford Richard Hudson is a used-car salesman who divides the world into Feebs and Insiders. Feebs are the feeble minded, the suckers. Insiders are those who are “wise to themselves and to things as the way things are.” Hudson fancies himself an Insider. And when he decides he’s going to transition from salesman to writer/director of a feature film, he uses all his corrupt Insider energy to manipulate his way to the top. A true sociopathic schemer, but maybe more of a Feeb than he knows. The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz Even though I guessed the twist a lot sooner than I would have liked, I really dug this tale about Jacob Finch Bonner, a once promising, now washed-up author who regains literary fame and fortune after stealing the plot of a deceased student’s novel. It’s all bestseller lists and accolades for Jake until somebody out there realizes the story has been pinched. Now Jake has to figure out who knows his secret before his treachery can be exposed. This is a fun one for writers, especially anyone who has gone through an MFA program, as Hanff Korelitz is clearly familiar with the milieu and the exasperating types who populate that world. *** View the full article

Squee Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree June 7, 2022 · Tor Science Fiction/Fantasy Friends, I have to tell you that Legends and Lattes is absolutely, utterly delightful. It was as comforting as the coffeehouse setting that the protagonist attempts to create. It’s a cinnamon roll of a book which, by the way, contains actual cinnamon rolls. I am in love. Our tale begins with our main character, an orc named Viv, seizing a magical thingamajig that brings luck. She promptly quits her life of breaking heads open for pay and sets out to find a town in which to build her heart’s desire – a coffee shop. Viv settles in the city of Thune, where no one seems to know what coffee is. However, with the help of a carpenter named Cal, an assistant named Tandri, and a baker named Thimble, Viv sets about transforming her life from mercenary violence to peace and pastries. We follow Viv step-by-step as she refurbishes an old livery stable and gradually adds features of a modern independent coffee house, right down to the university student who studies for hours without buying anything. If you feel a deep sense of satisfaction when you watch home improvement shows, or if you love renovation romance novels, you will be so, so deeply satisfied with every new development. This is also going to delight fans of found family tropes. Viv is an orc, Cal is a hob, Tandri is a succubus, and Thimble is a rattkin. All of them are used to being judged based on their appearances. The coffee shop allows all of them to create new lives for themselves. It’s heartwarming to see them gradually build close friendships, and I love that this happens in parallel with the coffee shop becoming a place where the neighborhood can come together and enjoy being a real community. None of this would work if the characters didn’t feel solid and real. I became deeply attached to them very quickly. Yes, there is a romance, and yes, it’s great. It doesn’t feel wedged in or impulsive – it’s just a natural progression of the relationship that two characters have been building all along. Allow me a digression. Fantasy author Jim C. Hines published his very first novel, written in college and titled Rise of the Spider Goddess in an annotated form. It’s a selfless, hilarious, and fabulous writing class, as he points out every single thing wrong with his book, and there are many, many wrong things. One thing he pointed out that has stuck with me is that in some fantasy novels, including Rise of the Spider Goddess, the world begins and ends at the edges of whatever the characters are doing and/or seeing. Hines uses the work of Tolkien as a contrast. In Tolkien, one never doubts that all kinds of stories have, are, and are going to, take place far beyond anything the reader comes into contact with. Middle Earth feels lived in, even for those of us who don’t read the appendices. We believe that “the road goes on and on,” even when the characters don’t go all the way down it. I’m not saying that the author of Legends and Lattes, Travis Baldree, is the next Tolkien, because, among other things, this is a small scale story as opposed to Tolkien’s expansive work. As the author puts it, it is a “Novel of High Fantasy and Low Stakes.” Also, it’s a tribute to fantasy tropes, not an invention of them. However, the author is very good at making the world of the characters feel real and expansive. I never doubted the reality of this world, one in which hard work and relationship building plays a much larger role in getting things done than magic, even though magic is everywhere. Likewise, even though I never got to see much of Viv’s relationships with her old raiding party, I believed in those relationships. The author has also been compared to my beloved Terry Pratchett, may he rest in peace. The humor is more rare and more subtle, but he shares with Pratchett a warm and optimistic tone. Bad things happen in this story, but there’s an overall sense that people want to be decent most of the time, and that crime pays, but not always in the currency one might desire. Mostly, the idea of beginning the story after the main character is done adventuring, and sticking to that is really innovative and comforting. Some readers might be disappointed by the relative lack of plot in this book, although there is a smattering of action and a lot of headaches for Viv involving the local crime boss. However, this was exactly the comfort read that I needed. It’s as sweet and warming as a latte (which is described on the menu as “a sophisticated and creamy variation [on coffee].” If you are in the mood for a comfort read in which decent people do homey things, and you don’t mind being hungry while you read (those cinnamon rolls!!!) then this is the book for you. View the full article

Welcome back to Cover Awe! Cover art by Mayara Sampaio Cover design by Aurora Parlagreco Maya: Not a romance, still a delight Amanda: Love the motion and sensible, protective gloves!! Carrie: and tennies, glasses, and shirt tied around the waist, something no self-respecting teen goes without these days! Also great use of light. Sarah: I love this cover. Delight is the perfect word! Cover art by Leni Kauffman Cover design by Katie Anderson Claudia: Ooh Hunter green!! I’ve been seeing that color more and more. Shana: I love everything about this. Amanda: I want to zoom in on all the little border objects. Sarah: I love the tiny details. I always like filigree on a cover, but hiding little items inside makes me extra curious. Also, I love her style. Cover photography by Lillian Liu Cover design by Katie Anderson Kiki: She’s spooky and I love her. Amanda: The red dress! The carefully placed blood splatter! Sarah: The effect of the shadowy glass of the old mirror is exquisite. This designer did such a great job. Elyse: There’s an intimacy in the way he looks at her. Amanda: I really love the style of this one and the way the figures are drawn! Sarah: Oh, I love the vintage elevator look, and the color combination here. View the full article

CHAPTER 1 I didn’t officially exist until I was nearly thirteen. The State of Oregon marked this achievement via a document inscribed “Delayed Certificate of Birth” across the top. We were all born during the Vietnam war, and Mom and Dad weren’t about to let The Man know, so it was just the two of them bringing us into this world. Dad had no medical experience, and later I wondered what would have happened if something had gone terribly wrong. But nothing did, not at first anyway. My brother was born on the road. Mom was about to give birth in their red 1957 International TravelAll but then decided that’s where she drew the line, making my dad stop at the nearest commune so she could give birth in a real bed or on a mattress at least. She always rolled her eyes when she got to this part of the story. The Black Rabbit was a collective community deep in the woods of Washington State, all ramshackle cabins, makeshift dwellings, Douglas fir trees, and an assortment of hippies varying in age and hair length. “Your dad knew every commune between San Francisco and British Columbia,” Mom said, a tinge of pride in her voice. Folks there subsisted on free government cheese and powdered milk along with whatever they could grow and forage. Clothing was optional, and they informed my dad it was BYOD – bring your own doula. My parents were welcomed and given a sleeping area so Mom could get on with the task of pushing. They had no idea what they were doing, but it was over rather quickly. She was only seventeen and relatively healthy. Everything went fine, except that Dad, in his inexperience, cut the cord a little too closely, and my brother ended up with an “outie” instead of an “innie” for a belly button. I was their third child, and Dad delivered me in a house in Portland, Oregon. It was on the corner of Northeast Cleveland and Going Street, which was appropriate, Mom said, because I never stop moving. “You’re always going somewhere.” A few days after I was born, she took me to Maxi’s Better Buy on North Williams, where everyone in the neighborhood gathered to share gossip and purchase a few sundries. “Another little one you got there, and she is mi-tee-fine,” Mom always imitated Maxi’s voice when describing their conversation as she set me on the produce scale. “And a small one, only six pounds.” About the size of a cantaloupe, Mom pointed out when she told me the story as soon as I was old enough to ask, which I repeatedly did. Mom was 21 when she gave birth to me. She even took drugs while pregnant, but still, we were “normal, whatever that means,” she would say with another eye roll and a short, sharp laugh. “The body processes psychedelics differently than most drugs. They don’t affect the fetus, and, besides, you each have ten fingers and ten toes.” I was an accident, the baby that wasn’t supposed to happen because she thought she couldn’t get pregnant while nursing my sister. She said she cried the whole time she was carrying me. Thankfully, I was a self-soother as an infant. Mom was busy with a one-year-old and a three-year-old, and God was testing her with my brother, so she didn’t have much time for me. Since she was tired, I spent a lot of time in my crib, not crying. I learned how to calm myself, rolling over onto my stomach and pulling myself onto my haunches to rock back and forth, falling asleep in that position. “You turned out to be the happiest baby. You never cried no matter where we took you, holding out your arms to anyone who would pick you up. As soon as you could crawl, you went right into people’s laps, even strangers, talking away, asking them questions about themselves. You were so direct.” She paused here to tilt her head and consider me. “You still are.” “And you were so smart, memorizing books after we read them to you. I only had to show you how to do things once. Right away, you made yourself mommy and daddy’s little helper.” She smiled again, and her eyes looked distant as she ruffled my hair. “So, in the end, it turned out having you was the best thing that could have happened,” she said, as though wrapping up a fairytale or bedtime story, “because you’re the one who will end up taking care of us when we are old.” My earliest memories are strange like maybe I dreamed them, or Dad made a slide show but put everything in the wrong order. I’m holding an individually wrapped Mother’s cookie, and my brother, in his eagerness, tears it open for me. Dad is in an overstuffed orange chair, reading his newspaper. The turntable in the living room spins while Beach Boys harmonies float from the speakers and mom sings along off-key. My sister and I hover over cradles suspended on posts, squealing with delight as we give them a shove and watch them rock back and forth. At Grandad’s house, I sit in his lap, running my fingers along the lines in his face and grabbing at his round, wire-rimmed glasses. These scenes are all warm-toned, like faded vintage photos with white scalloped edges, and glow with the feeling that we were happy. And we were, until one day, we weren’t. The change came about slowly, as though we drank the same polluted water and were infected by something hidden, unseen, eating away at our souls, rendering each of us a different person. I’ll try to explain how it happened, but let me start again, from when my memories take shape.

1. ACT OF STORY STATEMENT As Sophie comes of age in a religious cult, her rebellion may cost everything she loves, including music and her family. She must find a way to escape with her spirit intact. 2. THE ANTAGONIST Honor is the daughter of the cult leader and the same age as our protagonist. The two immediately become best friends upon their first introduction at the People of Peace coffeehouse. Sophie becomes enamored with the world of music and the status that Honor brings to their relationship, and they soon develop a friendly rivalry over singing, choir, and their perceived future in the People of Peace band. When the cult opens a school, Honor is the Queen bee of the playground and Sophie’s only academic competitor. Sophie is quick to follow Honor’s lead in all things social and competes with other classmates to cling to her role as the best friend. But as Honor slowly exposes her to the darker side of membership in the cult, gaps begin to emerge in how they see the future. Will Sophie risk losing her closest friend and insider status or forge a new path? 3. BREAKOUT TITLE I Love You More Than Music 4. COMPARABLES The Girls by Emma Cline meets Edinburgh by Alexander Chee 5. HOOK LINE A young girl’s hippie parents join a “Jesus People” community in 1970s America. As the group slowly evolves into a dangerous cult, can her family escape intact? 6. INNER CONFLICT AND SECONDARY CONFLICT Inner Conflict: As Sophie gains self-awareness, she begins to recognize the hypocrisy, inconsistency, and inappropriate behaviors exhibited by the adult members of the cult. She becomes increasingly anxious, manifested by frequent vomiting, as her strong compulsion to achieve conflicts with the desire to resist conforming. When an adult starts exposing himself to her and other young girls, the Elders handle the matter internally, leading to further escalations. Sophie reacts by acting out, risking physical punishment and possible expulsion. Secondary Conflict: The only thing Sophie loves more than her family and best friend is singing for her choir teacher Miss Rodin, who becomes her protector and ally in an increasingly dangerous environment at school. Will Sophie’s final rebellion against the cult destroy her most treasured relationship and her place in the choir, or will Miss Rodin stand up for her when the stakes are the highest? 7. SETTING Essentially, this story has two settings: the city of Portland, Oregon, and the time period. The story begins with the freedom and boundary testing of the 1970s and concludes during the conservative backlash of the 1980s. The major cultural shift provides much of the story’s mood and tension and is physically represented by the People of Peace originating in a hippie-style coffeehouse and then moving into an evangelical church and school. The city of Portland has a substantial diversity of urban and nature and a long history of libertarianism that allowed for these intense extremes to coexist.

The New York Pitch Conference – Seven Assignments 1. First Assignment - Story Statement A socially rejected but ambitious colonel battles his peers’ arrogance as he trains his overlooked broodmare to become a successful racehorse in 18th century Maryland. 2. Second Assignment - Antagonists summary Colonel Benjamin Tasker, Jr.’s antagonists: a. William Byrd – The wealthy, spoiled Virginia lawmaker has no respect for those who are beneath his social level. He uses his prize Thoroughbred racehorse Tryall to win local dispute races and maintain his prominence. He challenges others to race their horses against Tryal in a horse race to boost his fragile ego. Aware of Col. Tasker’s horse Selima’s racing success, Byrd attempts to ruin Selima’s chances to participate in the race. b. The Ridgely brothers and their friends – They have hereditary privileges that allow them to own the finest farmlands and purchase the finest racehorses. They belittle Tasker’s social rank, his horse, and his attraction to a beautiful wealthy horsewoman. c. Governor Samuel Ogle – Because Tasker is the grandson of an indentured servant, Governor Ogle uses his brother-in-law as his estate manager and horse trainer and ignores Tasker’s attempt to improve his stature. The governor later learns to appreciate Tasker for his ambitions and success with Selima. d. Elizabeth Worthington – The beautiful, wealthy horsewoman quickly rejects Colonel Tasker’s early romantic interest because of his involvement in trade and lack of hereditary privileges. She is condescending to him at social occasions, but she later sees him in a different light. 3. Third Assignment - Breakout Title Tasker’s Chance Horse of the Colonies A Faith Called Selima 4. Fourth Assignment - Comparables Tasker’s Chance is like National Velvet meets My Name is Resolute, except with male protagonists. Tasker’s Chance is like Seabiscuit meets Poldark. Tasker’s Chance is like Marguerite Henry’s King of the Wind set in 18th century Maryland. 5. Fifth Assignment - Hook/Logline (Primary Conflict) Colonel Benjamin Tasker, Jr. battles the arrogant malice of his peers, especially from wealthy, powerful statesman William Byrd, as he realizes the potential of his broodmare and trains her to become a successful racehorse in 18th century colonial Maryland. Secondary conflict(s) – Core wounds sketches Colonel Benjamin Tasker, Jr constantly experiences social rejection from the privileged gentry of 18th century Maryland because of his low birth status (he is the grandson of an indentured servant). Others in high social ranks make Tasker feel that he is good, but not good enough to be fully a part of – and benefit from – their circles of privilege and wealth. Tasker’s grasp of his broodmare Selima’s potential to become a successful racehorse is a means to 1) prove his self-worth to society, and 2) provide a chance to Selima to become successful. a. The Colonel Tasker (antagonist) initially has conflicts with his brother-in-law Governor Samuel Ogle. Ogle is a brusque English aristocrat who is not completely happy about being a governor of a rural colony. He is married to Tasker’s sister and yet often sees the Tasker family as socially inferior due to Tasker’s grandfather being an indentured servant, and that Tasker is involved with the spice trade. The governor treats Tasker almost like a plantation manager. He is not pleased that Tasker’s seven-year-old broodmare outperforms his new stallion, Othello (check name). b. Colonel Tasker also has bad luck with women; his fiancé died of smallpox and he has a problematic relationship with beautiful, aristocratic horsewoman Elizabeth Worthington (antagonist). She rebuffs his polite attempts to court her. Despite their mutual interest in horses, they scorn each other, until Tasker is compelled to rescue her when Elizabeth’s horse runs away with her. Only after a female rival displays romantic interest in Tasker and Elizabeth’s forced marriage to an older landowner does Elizabeth realize, too late, that she loves Tasker. c. William Byrd, (antagonist) a spoiled, wealthy landowner, presents problems for Tasker as well. Byrd is a charming successful politician, but he has a gambling problem and reputation as a cheat. Although Byrd meets him only a few times, he feels threatened by Tasker’s success with Selima. When a bridge collapse delays Selima and Tasker participation in an important horse race, Byrd attempts to prevent Selima from racing by bribing the racing monitors to remain silent to race officials when Tasker’s messenger informs Byrd of the delay and Tasker’s intent to race. d. Tasker also faces scorn from sons of several wealthy plantation owners (antagonists) who are set to inherit wealth. The Ridgelys and Dorseys treat him as someone beneath them socially because of his low birth. They ask him to train their mediocre racehorses to become successful on the race track and they make fun of Selima. They also become rather jealous when Selima develops into a successful racer. e. Henry Talbot, (a second (sub?) protagonist) and Colonel Tasker’s jockey, has his own conflicts as he finds success with riding Selima. A temperamental stablemaster torments Henry as the slave works his way to becoming a jockey. Jealous of his rising stature, fellow slaves get him into trouble with his owner, Governor Samuel Ogle of Maryland, and rob him of his jockey earnings and Henry’s means of purchasing his own freedom. Henry resorts to running away after Ogle refuses to help with the theft, risking his jockey career. 6. Sixth Assignment - Inner conflicts Inner conflicts of: Colonel Benjamin Tasker, Jr. – An expert horseman, Tasker is frustrated by his peers’ social rejection and is not sure what to do about it. He wants at least to be treated better. He is aware that a way to earn respect and improve a reputation among the colonies’ privileged class is to have a fast horse that wins races. Tasker places himself wholeheartedly in this endeavor when he is able to own Selima, a broodmare of champion bloodlines that wins races. Tasker does indeed begin to earn respect from Governor Ogle and (to some extent) from Elizabeth Worthington, and the jealousy of a rival from William Byrd. However, Tasker begins to question this respect’s superficiality – do others respect Tasker for his good character as a person or simply that he is the owner of a successful racehorse? This is bold new thinking in 18th century colonial America. William Byrd – A loyalist to the English king, Byrd is charming, wealthy, young, privileged, and a successful Virginia statesman, yet he has severe gambling problems and is insecure with others’ success. He is unhappily married to a wealthy plantation owner’s daughter. He values the idea that a fast horse ensures a high reputation for its owner, and he treasures his undefeated racehorse, Tryall for mostly that reason. However, he feels threatened by the success and strength of those beneath his social status, such as Colonel Tasker and his successful racehorse Selima (how can a broodmare be faster than a young stallion?) and the imposing, hot-tempered farmer Ewan Lemont. Byrd organizes a grand horse race and puts himself at risk and stress by requiring an enormous wager that he himself would struggle to pay if his horse lost – and is insecure enough to try to ruin Selima’s participation in the race. Henry Talbot – Henry desperately wants to move on from being a slave to becoming a jockey, but he is frustrated by the contempt of his fellow slaves who are jealous of his success and the strictness of his cantankerous owner, Governor Ogle. He is often lonely – torn between achieving a higher status in life or remaining friends with his peers. He feels wronged by the governor when he refuses to grant him his freedom after a slave steals Henry’s earnings and the means to purchase his freedom. Out of anger, he runs away to a boarding house for jockeys, and faces more rejection when the jockeys scorn him for illegally fleeing his owner. Henry finds peace and solace with riding Selima, with whom he formed a bond and at times seemed to be his only friend. Elizabeth Worthington – Worthington, the spoiled shallow only daughter of a wealthy planter, wants to marry one of the dashing young handsome aristocratic but superficial men in the countryside, but is discouraged when her father insists that she marry an old, boring, established, wealthy plantation owner. She rejects mild flirtations from Colonel Tasker when she learns that he is of low birth, in trade, and is a horse trainer and beneath her social status. When Tasker rescues her from a runaway horse, Worthington is grateful for his actions and begins feel attracted to him, which confuses her. She is also conflicted by Tasker’s question, when he approached her - is she feeling favorably towards Tasker because his victories with Selima or for his good character? She fights these conflicting feelings (it’s often too much for her to think about!) until a female acquaintance shows an obvious romantic interest in Tasker, and Worthington’s feelings grow into jealousy. She realizes too late that she is in love with Tasker, and is forced to marry the old wealthy plantation owner. 7. Seventh Assignment - Settings Most of Tasker’s Chance takes place in colonial Maryland from early autumn 1751 to early winter 1752. The epilogue (denouement) takes place in 1785, after the Revolutionary War and in the southern portion of what is now the State of Maryland. The story takes place in the following settings in rough chronological order. Rural Maryland near the settlement of Collington, west of the Maryland capital of Annapolis: Most events take place on the vast Bel Air estate near Collington, MD. The Bel Air estate consists of an enormous elegant house, 2500 acres or tobacco and pasture, large fine stables, seven or eight slave cabins, and extensive barns and other outbuildings. Outside of Bel Air, the population is very sparse, the roads are few and muddy, communication is slow. The few estates and towns are separated by vast acres of farmland, pastureland or dense woods, where Indians are occasionally seen. Some activity takes place on the Tasker Farm, is a small 60 acre farm near Galesville, south of Annapolis and close to the Chesapeake Bay shores. Bel Air is about a day’s ride away from the farm. The elegant Wandlebury Stables near Newmarket, England: Large pasturelands extend from the prestigious Wandlebury Estate and Stables. The Stables are large and luxurious accommodations for horses; royalty and the aristocracy frequently came here to purchase their animals. Westover, the enormous Virginia estate of William Byrd: Westover is a larger estate than Bel Air and is located on the James River near Williamsburg, VA. Byrd frequently hosts barbecues and horse races on this estate. Annapolis, the small but prosperous capital port city of Maryland: 1751 Annapolis is a sophisticated city of cobblestone streets, brick townhomes, and large, elegant houses. Governor Ogle owns a house here, and the Taskers are frequent guests. The colonial aristocracy usually congregates in this city, and the locals tease them as “more British than the British.” The Virginia wilderness near the Rappahannock River: Miles of forests, meadows and swamps exist here with poorly built roads and bridges. The civilization in this region are the tiny settlements of Fredericksburg, XXX, Gloucester, Williamsburg, Richmond, and Yorktown. Anderson’s Race Grounds near Gloucester, VA: Anderson Race Grounds is the new form of circular race track that was becoming increasing more popular with horse racing. The sloping hills from the grounds provide the perfect viewing point to watch the races. Mt. Airy Farm in Upper Marlboro, MD: The denouement of the story takes place here at Benedict Calvert’s farm in 1785, two years after the Revolutionary War ended. THE NEW YORK PITCH CONFERENCE - Seven Assignments.docx

ASSIGNMENTS 6-7 Assignment 6: Inner conflict Primary Conflict: Her wishes to be an actor, save the world from poverty, experience nomadism, and own a tea shop, are not the expectations of her modest life. Her attempts to shift her unease into meditation fail; instead, she drizzles in materialistic affections and zilch her savings and sensibilities in the potholes of adulthood. Aria’s relationship with herself, loss of self-love, and gratitude, she is unable to tackle the responsibilities of her golden age. She is torn between the suggestions of the heart and mind and becomes the metal ball swinging between the pendulums. Inner conflict: She is not an addict, she is not a survivor of a grave illness, she does not suffer from a mental illness, neither is she penniless; she is ordinary, yet struggles to survive. In her mundane life, she is looking for spark and sparkle, very conveniently forgetting to be grateful for what she has. Secondary conflict: Aria’s sunset years arrive without her permission, and as a baby boomer, she did not boom too well. She stalks the millennium and Z zone and everything in between with much to learn and unlearn. Navigating her almost loveless life, she attempts to fly with broken wings to experience rainbows in the black. Assignment 7: Setting. Aria is in love with this country; its hot climate, the green, brown, and bluest colors of nature, the organic beauty of rustic towns and villages, and the colorful culture which made Africa so beautiful. The harbors of Port Harcourt and the hustle and bustle of Enugu. It all came to an end with the Biafra war, bringing her back to her birth country, India. The roof provides a telescopic view of the green growls of the Himalayas in the summer and the melts of snow during winter. Dehra Doon a valley with fields of sugarcanes and orchards of mango and lychee trees is situated in the crust of mountains. On the way back from Brooklyn to Babylon, a generous mix of greens, purples, and oranges canvas the sides of the roads. The antique shops on Main Street, quaint eateries, hilltop taverns, and drop-dead golden sunsets equate the magic and connect with Mussoorie. Aria hasn’t seen much of the world, but the idyllic serenity of this town captures her heart. Labyrinthine branches offer a limited view of the Hudson River over a purple and orange sky, and the February chill connects her to the mountains beyond. She is home in the valley of Irvington, New York. The sunrise and sunset, be it in Dehra Doon from the roof of her homes in India or from the bay window of her house in Lindenhurst, New York, or the picture window of her living room here in Irvington, Westchester, welcoming the scarlet sun tuck into the night, all a