Writing Weather by Linda O. Johnston
October 6, 2019 by Linda O. Johnston in category Pets, Romance & Lots of Suspense by Linda O. Johnston tagged as fall. writing, Harlequin Romantic Suspense, Linda O Johnston, new release
As I sit at my computer today writing this blog, I’m a little chilly—and loving it. I like coolness a lot. Even a bit of cold, although probably not the kind of cold some of you reading this experience in the winter.
Me? I’m in Los Angeles, so the winters I experience these days are mild. Sometimes rainy, but I haven’t seen snow in L.A. since around when I moved here a long time ago, and even then it was just a few unexpected flurries.
But weather in writing can take me all over the place. These days, I mostly set my stories in Southern California, since it’s where I am, although I do come up with a lot of fictional towns, so I can always change the weather if I want to.
Still, I was recently on an Alaskan cruise and loving it—in the summer. And of course, my mind being what it is, I came up with a delightful story idea, a mystery series. But I haven’t followed through yet. And that is partially because I had a good sense of what I’d do with my characters in the Alaskan summer, but what would they do there in the winter?
Oh, yeah, I do have some ideas. But whether I actually finish plotting, and write something, isn’t certain yet.
But… weather. My husband was on a trip to Ohio this week, visiting there in 90 degree weather while here, in L.A., the high was in the low 80s, with mornings and evenings cool. So who can really predict how things will be in a particular location? And, as a writer, I can always make things up as I mentioned before, at least on my computer.
Plus, weather doesn’t really make a difference as to whether I can write. My office is indoors, and I can turn on the air conditioner or put on heavier clothes, as needed.
Anyway, Happy Fall, everyone. I hope you are enjoying whatever weather is yours at the moment, and whatever is to come.
And, by the way, I’m looking forward to November. Not for its weather, necessarily, but my next Harlequin Romantic Suspense book, and my first in the Colton continuity series, will be published: Colton 911: Caught in the Crossfire.
A Selection of Linda’s Books
And Happy September by Linda O. Johnston
September 6, 2019 by Linda O. Johnston in category Pets, Romance & Lots of Suspense by Linda O. Johnston tagged as deadlines, Harlequin Romantic Suspense, romantic suspense
Last month, I wished you all a happy August, the eighth month of the year. Guess what! It’s a month later.
And those deadlines I mentioned? I had to ask for an extension.
That’s a hard thing for me to do, although this time I perhaps could have anticipated it since the deadline for the book I’m working on now was a bit shorter than I usually agree to. I thought, at the time, that I’d be able to meet it. But as September 1 grew closer, I realized I needed more time—which, fortunately, I got.
I’m certainly making progress, but I feel bad that more time was needed. How about you? Do you meet all your deadlines, for writing or anything else? Do you ever ask for extensions? If so, how do you feel about it?
Anyway, time marches on in other ways, too. It’s now closer to the release of my next book, the first of my Colton continuity series books for Harlequin Romantic Suspense.
Colton 911: Caught in the Crossfire is a November release. Looking forward to it!
~Linda
Books by Linda O. Johnston
Happy August by Linda O. Johnston
August 6, 2019 by Linda O. Johnston in category Pets, Romance & Lots of Suspense by Linda O. Johnston tagged as August, Deadlines and Dogs, RWA National Conference
Happy August, everyone.
Happy eighth month of the year. Happy continuation toward the last part of the year… because, yes, this year is going fast, as always.
Romance Writers of America’s Annual Conference
Last week I attended the Romance Writers of America’s Annual Conference. It was in New York City, as it is every third year or so. They vary the location across the country otherwise. Next year, it will be handier for me to attend, since it will be in San Francisco. In 2121, it’s scheduled to be in Nashville. New York was fun, though, despite the crowds everywhere and a totally inefficient elevator system in the busy hotel. But lots of Harlequin editors and writers were present, and that’s what I’m mostly up to right now.
Dogs
Plus, I managed to skip out of the conference for part of a day to go to the AKC Dog Museum—and if you know me at all, you know I love dogs!
That was the last conference I’m attending this year, even though there’s at least one major mystery conference still pending. But I went to four conferences already in 2019. Conferences are enjoyable for connecting with people, seeing long-time friends and associates, and more. But four is enough for one year.
Deadlines
So now what? Deadlines! I still have some to go, and because of my traveling this year, including to the conference, I’m a bit behind. But I’m working on them.
And you? Do you have writing deadlines, other work deadlines, any other deadlines you’re struggling with this year? If so, you’d better get busy.
It’s August!
0 0 Read moreThe Fun of Being A Writer by Linda O. Johnston
July 6, 2019 by Linda O. Johnston in category Pets, Romance & Lots of Suspense by Linda O. Johnston tagged as dogs, Plotting, research, vacations, writing
What’s the fun of being a writer? Everything!
And part of that includes the fact that writing is always there. It becomes part of you. At least it has with me. Everything I do, everywhere I go, my writerness is part of it. And yes, that’s an unusual word although when I Googled it, other people have apparently used it, too.
I was on a cruise to Alaska last week with family and friends. It was lots of fun. We sailed near land going north, then south through the Inside Passage, visited several cities, took a few tours, and enjoyed the onboard food and entertainment. That entertainment sometimes included dogs, and you can imagine how much I liked that.
I particularly enjoyed the wildlife we saw, including young and adult bald eagles, other birds including those that flew over and sometimes dived into water like marbled murrelets, a few bears on the shoreline in the distance, some spouting whales, including humpbacks, and small breaching dolphins.
We got to wade in the water in the middle of a river—because, as you might surmise, that river wasn’t full of water.
We visited Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, and took a tour that included visiting a formerly private castle.
And, oh yes, I did some writing and editing . . . and came up with an idea for another mystery series.
Will I ever write it? Who knows? But plotting and researching it will definitely be enjoyable. Plotting is who I am, and my subconscious is always at work.
And yes, that’s part of the fun of being a writer.
~Linda
Part Way There by Linda O. Johnston
June 6, 2019 by Linda O. Johnston in category Pets, Romance & Lots of Suspense by Linda O. Johnston tagged as A Barkery & Biscuits Mystery, Harlequin, Linda O Johnston, romance
Romance writer.
That’s me. Especially right now.
In addition to mysteries. But as I mentioned in an earlier post here, my current mystery series is over. The fifth and last in the Barkery & Biscuits series, For A Good Paws, was a May release. Will I write more mysteries? I hope so… but not for a while.
Why? I’ve got a bonanza of deadlines for romances! I’m under contract for four Harlequin Romantic Suspense books.
The first two are part of their long-lived Colton continuity series, filled with lots of Colton relatives in real and fictional towns all over the place. Mine are in two different mini-series in two fictional towns. I’ve finished going over the line edits for the first, although I got the changed manuscript back to read one more time. I’m also about to submit the manuscript for the second, so I’m making progress.
The last two are in a mini-series of my own, a spin-off from my K-9 Ranch Rescue mini-series for HRS, the Shelter of Secrets mini-series. I’m just starting to work on the first of those. The Coltons don’t necessarily have dogs. But these will!
So as much as I’d love to take on more mysteries, or even something different, they’ll have to wait till I feel I can deal with additional deadlines. Right now, I’m particularly enjoying romances.
By the way, I do a lot of crossword puzzles. One clue recently was “Harlequin product” or something like that. The answer? I’ll bet you can guess.
Yes, it was “romance.”
Linda
Barkery & Biscuits Series
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