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Fishing Trip Projects

October 15, 2023 by in category Writing

Every fall my husband goes on his annual fall fishing trip with his dad. They head up north to brave the first chill of fall in hopes of catching walleye, perch and whatever else tugs on their line.

This fall fishing trip has become not only a tradition for my husband, but also for me. You see, I have a tendency of using the fall fishing trip to start projects. Not just any projects, these are the projects that I wouldn’t otherwise tackle. Painting, reorganizing, and ripping shelves off of walls. Don’t ask me why! it’s not that I can’t do these projects with my husband present. It’s just that I feel some weird desire to be like, “Look at this awesome thing I did while you were gone all weekend!”

Photo by Karl Solano on Unsplash

It’s also worth noting that I do not properly plan out these things. It typically starts with me ripping a shelf off a bathroom wall or impulsively deciding to paint a bedroom.

I guess it’s fair to say that what I tackled this year wasn’t something that I could have planned to do, but I’m SO GLAD I did it.

I FINISHED my first draft of the next Mac and Cheese, Please, Please, Please book. It’s sooo fun!! I’ll be working again with Winda Mulyasari, the illustrator that I partnered with on my first children’s book.

After two years of working on this book, this feels like a MUCH larger accomplishment than a freshly painted bathroom.

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Jina Bacarr October Featured Author

October 14, 2023 by in category Apples & Oranges by Marianne H. Donley, Featured Author, Featured Author of the Month tagged as , , , , ,

About Jina Bacarr

I discovered early on that I inherited the gift of the gab from my large Irish family when I penned a story about a princess who ran away to Paris with her pet turtle Lulu. I was twelve.

I grew up listening to their wild, outlandish tales and it was those early years of storytelling that led to my love of history and traveling.

Jina Bacarr | A Slice of Orange

I enjoy writing to classical music with a hot cup of java by my side. I adore dark chocolate truffles, vintage anything, the smell of bread baking and rainy days in museums. I’ve always loved walking through history—from Pompeii to Verdun to Old Paris. The voices of the past speak to me through carriages with cracked leather seats, stiff ivory-colored crinolines, and worn satin slippers. I’ve always wondered what it was like to walk in those slippers when they were new.

You can follow Jina on social media:

Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Pinterest
Goodreads
Bookbub

Jina also has a column here on the 11th of every month: Jina’s Book Chat.

Jina’s newest novel, Sisters at War, is available now.

SISTERS AT WAR
Buy from Kobo
Buy from Google Play
Buy from GoodReads
Buy from Apple iTunes
Buy from Barnes and Noble
Buy from Amazon

A Few of Jina’s Other Books

THE ORPHANS OF BERLIN

Buy now!
THE ORPHANS OF BERLIN

THE LOST GIRL IN PARIS

Buy now!
THE LOST GIRL IN PARIS

RESISTANCE GIRL

Buy now!
RESISTANCE GIRL

THE RUNAWAY GIRL

Buy now!
THE RUNAWAY GIRL

HER LOST LOVE

Buy now!
HER LOST LOVE

A NAUGHTY CHRISTMAS CAROL

Buy now!
A NAUGHTY CHRISTMAS CAROL

A SOLDIER’S ITALIAN CHRISTMAS

Buy now!
A SOLDIER’S ITALIAN CHRISTMAS

COME FLY WITH ME

Buy now!
COME FLY WITH ME

LOVE ME FOREVER

Buy now!
LOVE ME FOREVER

SISTERS AT WAR

Buy now!
SISTERS AT WAR

SISTERS OF THE RESISTANCE

Buy now!
SISTERS OF THE RESISTANCE

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Tonight

October 13, 2023 by in category From a Cabin in the Woods by Members of Bethlehem Writers Group tagged as , , ,

Tonight

by diane sismour

tonight wasn’t to end this way.
i imagined her saying, no.
to turn away a life together, but she hadn’t.

we celebrate with champagne; the bubbles make her happy.
light as air, she calls her soul, springing to the music.
her red dress flares as a tulip, cupping her body.

tonight wasn’t to end this way.
skinny dipping in the neighbor’s hot tub. snowflakes melting
above us, her skin glistening whiter than the crystals,
shimmering in the streetlight at my touch.

tonight wasn’t to end this way.
her skin soft next to mine, paler than the moon waning above.
her soft snores vibrate my heart as a violin stroked gently.

tonight wasn’t to end this way.
singing a melody meant for our child. a hand on her still small belly, her scent a blend of ocean and oils smoothed over her limbs warm and tan.

tonight wasn’t to end this way
her robe covers translucent skin, stretched and thin. stomach
bulging, tight and still. no kicks, no movement, monitors
peeping, wires attached to places I kissed this morning.

tonight wasn’t to end this way
if only she had said, no, to hear me say goodbye.

Books from BWG

Books from Diane Sismour

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Why Attending a Writer’s Conference is a Good Idea

October 12, 2023 by in category The Writing Journey by Denise Colby

I’m at the airport flying home from the Faith, Hope, Love Writers Conference in Phoenix, Arizona and I’m just over the moon with how much I enjoyed attending this event. And why I’m shouting from the rooftops that attending a writer’s conference is a good idea.

Reasons to attend a writer’s conference

I believe there are seasons in our writing journey. There are also many different types of writers conferences. So it’s important to discern which ones are the right ones to attend by looking at cost vs what you need to get out of a conference. For me, there were several reasons this was the right conference at this time.

Denise M. Colby ready for the Faith Hope Love Christian Writer's Conference in September 2023

Meet Your Writing Community

First, this writing group is the most aligned with my genre and industry. I’ve been a part of the FHL writing community for over ten years. We are an online group, and so the idea of meeting my people in person was very appealing. This included a member from my critique group. We have been emailing each other for two years weekly, so getting a chance to interact in person was so much fun. Not only do we know each other’s writing very well, and could give encouragement with the pitches we made and throughout the sessions (“this is a great thing to apply to your book!”), we both felt we had a writing buddy to hang out with during the conference. 

I also know several other writers attending from other memberships, and it was so much fun to see them again and give them a hug. I actually had someone at this conference from all the different writing groups I belong to, so that was a lot of fun.

Denise M. Colby with critique partner Kim at the Faith Hope Love Christian Writer's Conference in September 2023
Denise Colby with her critique partner, Kim

Be Encouraged

Writing can be a very isolating experience and being able to interact with other writers who struggle with the same feelings as I do was very refreshing. 

After taking a few months off of writing, I was really unsure about my writing future. I hoped that a focused weekend away from the distractions of home would help me discern my next steps. And I wasn’t wrong. Within the first few moments of registration I was in a conversation with another attendee and after hearing their story, I felt encouraged. And throughout the entire weekend it was the same story over and over again.

Expand Your Writing Craft

Being inspired with new techniques. Besides fellowship, the craft sessions are helpful in learning additional tips and tools for your everyday learning and hearing updates related to the industry from publishers. 

books and magazines, bag, and name tag at the Faith Hope Love Christian Writer's Conference in September 2023

Pitching at a Writer’s Conference is Great Experience

I am at this stage of my writing career. Challenging myself to pitch in order to gain experience, glean feedback, and possibily move to the next step is crucial. I received some good feedback that helps me know my next steps. This information was invaluable for me as I make a gameplan for the rest of the year.

Time to regroup

My home is full of laughter and fun busyness. It’s also difficult to carve out a quiet space to focus and hear God’s direction in my writing life. This weekend gave me the space I needed to be encouraged. I received ideas of next steps, and flushed out a game plan. I’m so excited to know what I’m working on next and with new goals to work towards.

Now The Real Work Begins

Now the real work begins. But that’s okay. I have a new quote I’m using right now to help me. My word this year is change. I recently read this quote and a light bulb went off in my brain. It’s perfect for what I’m trying to do. These next steps in writing will be challenging. But after this conference I feel ready to embrace the challenge knowing it needs to be this way if I’m going to move on to the next level. 

If it doesn’t challenge you, it will not change you.

Change quote with typewriter and wood background that says If it doesn't challenge you, it doesn't change you. graphic made by Denise M. Colby

If you haven’t attended a conference, consider finding one in your area to participate in. Look at what the genre’s are, the speakers and the topics being presented. Do they interest you? Will there be industry professionals and others there who you can learn from? Then take a leap and have a great time!

Denise Colby loves to write about her word of the year and share quotes that include that specific word in them. Each word builds a new layer in her writing journey (and her life). In 2022, her word was Work. This year, her word is change.

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Sisters At War: You ain’t seen nothing yet… the sequel is coming! by Jina Bacarr

October 11, 2023 by in category Jina’s Book Chat, Writing tagged as , , , ,

@jinabacarrauthor

the surprising thing that happened to me when I was writing Sisters At War #books #booksthatmakeyoucry #womensfiction #authorlife #history #booktok #historicalbooklover @Bold Book Club 📚 Boldwood

♬ original sound – Jina Bacarr Historical Author♥
Sisters At War — new release Paris WW2

When I was a little girl, I loved sitting at the feet of my grandmum coloring in my ballet books while she twisted tiny pieces of wire and blue or green beads into rosaries and spun tales about Ireland. How my English great-grandmum, a grand lady, ran away from her overbearng, stuffy father to marry her Irish rogue.

I used to pretend she became a ballet dancer like the drawings I colored in Degas pastels.

She didn’t.

But I spent hours coloring and cutting out the dancers. I discovered I had an artistic bent like my grandpop but I also loved telling stories like my grandmum. So at times in my life, I used my artistic talents to get the job done; other times, I wrote stories.

Both require intense concentration as well as precious time. (I swear there’s a watch that can stop time with its golden hands, but I haven’t found it on Amazon). And sometimes you have to make a choice.

Which brings me to my current dilemma.

I had an intense year writing SISTERS AT WAR with ‘life’ getting in the way numerous times as well as reliving diffucult past experiences to capture the emotions of the story. Then the book came out and I loved making the pretty graphics, the videos, the everything you get to do that’s artsy and fun…

But here’s the rub.

Readers are waiting for the sequel called SISTERS OF THE RESISTANCE… some want to read it now.

Oh, my, I’m still writing the sequel.

Which means I need to take a deep dive and put away my coloring book and crayons. Write, write, write. I know where the story is going, new characters to add to the tension between the Beaufort Sisters in my story, a life-altering experience for Eve and a heartbreak for Justine, but there are no shortcuts on this journey. Writing about WW2 requires maddening research as well as intense, emotional dialogue.

So, mes amis, I have pull back for a while on social media while I finish writing Sisters of the Resistance.

I’ll be here once a month, but not so much on other venues.

Alas, I’m going to close now. I’ve got research to do and a chapter to write tonight. I hope you enjoy my short video about what’s going on with Sisters At War.

See you soon.

Jina

Sisters At War:

US https://a.co/d/eZ25gZb      

UK https://amzn.eu/d/0LEWy2z

Who are the Beaufort Sisters?

They’re beautiful

They’re smart

They’re dangerous

They’re at war with the Nazis… and each other.

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