The Menopause Effect – It’s Real by Kitty Bucholtz
October 9, 2023 by Kitty Bucholtz in category It's Worth It by Kitty Bucholtz, Writing tagged as creativity and the brain, healthy writers, Kitty Bucholtz, Productivity for Authors
This year has been <insert adjective here> for me! Which adjective to insert seems to depend upon both the hormones, or lack thereof, coursing through my body and how I’m managing my mindset during this phase of life. Some of the things I’ve said about the year include horrible, difficult, super tough, disastrous, a waste — all variations of “hard” but with a lot more emphasis and/or emotion coming through with some of them.
However, some of the other adjectives I’ve occasionally inserted have included a learning experience, eye-opening, difficult but with lessons I want to share with others. (Okay, not simple adjectives, but you get the picture.)
I’ve gone from being seriously pissed off at everyone, hating life, wishing it all away, and being seriously depressed to getting some hormone replacement therapy (HRT) patches and finding my real self again! (I feel between 90% and 99.9% better most days.) I think my husband wants to give my doctor a Christmas present this year! Haha! Life was tough on him, too.
Now, I was raised in a time and place when women’s health, particularly reproductive health, was never discussed “in polite company,” meaning only to a doctor in the most dire cases. My mother didn’t say much more than she had to, and although as a teenager I knew all the angst was caused by hormones and it would eventually even out and go away, no one told me I’d have to go through it all over again!!
Even though I spent the first 50 years of my life allowing myself to be too embarrassed to ask any more questions than necessary, the next few years got increasingly difficult and confusing and I needed help. I finally talked about some of it to a friend, and then starting Googling anything I could find on this transition. The results were dismal, mostly articles by white, middle-aged, male, American doctors saying, yup, these are the symptoms but there’s nothing you can do about except wait it out, and don’t worry, it’ll go away in five to ten years. This is where I remember my always-near-the-surface rage hitting new heights.
When I spoke to a writers group a few months ago on a writing topic, but happened to mention the effects of peri menopause on my writing, I found that most of the comments in the chat were variations of “Thank you so much for talking about menopause!”
Shocker! Shocking enough for me to choose to get over being embarrassed!!
So here I am, along with a few friends, talking about menopause and hormones and all the crap that goes along with it…but also all the things we’re trying and what we’re each finding makes a positive difference. We’re recording our conversations and putting them on my YouTube channel. Here’s the first one. Please let me know in the comments here or, preferably, on YouTube if this is helpful and what else you want to talk about. Right now the calls are being recorded at 6:30am ET, 12:30pm CET, and 9:30 or 10:30pm in Sydney depending on when you read this and whether everyone has gone through the Daylight Savings Time changes. If you want to be on one of the live calls, let me know. We might be able to change the time at least sometimes. Meanwhile, I hope it helps and encourages you and the people around you. We’re not alone! 🙂
Jina Bacarr October Featured Author
October 7, 2023 by Jina Bacarr in category Apples & Oranges by Marianne H. Donley, Featured Author, Featured Author of the Month tagged as Boldwood Books, Featured Author of the Month, historical romance, Jina Bacarr, New relaase, Sisters at war
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.
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.
A Few of Jina’s Other Books
New from Penny Reid
October 6, 2023 by marianne h donley in category Writing
★★Cover Reveal★★
All Folked Up, an all-new small town romantic comedy from New York Times bestselling author Penny Reid, is coming July 23, 2024 and we have the amazing new cover and blurb!
★ ★Reserve your copy TODAY★ ★
★★Blurb★★
Isaac has never been what he seems.
Rumor has it that gruff, brooding, and solitary man-of-mystery Isaac Sylvester is back in town, and the only thing folks in Green Valley know for certain is that this prodigal son’s motives are as elusive as he is. He’s been spotted loitering near the old Townsen farm, hanging around the Hill’s homestead, and glaring menacingly from the edges of The Donner Lodge’s parking lot. What this hometown-hero-turned-criminal wants, no one knows. Nor can they stop talking about it.
Hannah’s last night as an exotic dancer might just be her most memorable.
Hannah Townsen has often been a subject of local gossip. Folks shook their heads when Hannah’s daddy ran out on her momma; folks blessed her heart after Hannah’s momma had that tragic accident; and folks really talked up a tizzy when Hannah became an exotic dancer in order to pay off her parents’ debt and put food on the table. But now, ten years after being dubbed as a hometown-stripper-with-a-heart-of-gold, Hannah has seemingly—and finally—fallen off the gossip mill’s radar.
That is, until the enigmatic Isaac Sylvester shows up at Hannah’s retirement party wanting so much more than a private dance . . .
‘All Folked Up’ is the third book in the Good Folk series and is a full-length, small town, contemporary romantic comedy novel.Pre-made Post for Instagram:
All Three Books in the Good Folk Series
CONFERENCE PREP Part Two
October 5, 2023 by Tracy Reed in category Pink Pad by Tracy Reed tagged as book signing, business of writing, Conference prep, SWAG
Happy Fall. Let’s get right into it. I am enjoying sharing with you what I learned about preparing for a book signing.
Picking up where I left off last month.
I got a sign.
I have been putting this off for quite a while. Side note, I had no idea how expensive signage could be. I really like my sign. Shout out to Office Depot. They hooked me up. It took approximately a week to get my retractable banner. Here again, I had questions. Should I use a book cover or an image that represented my brand. I chose the latter option.
Let me explain why I chose a generic image. Change. I like to change my covers every couple of years. If I’d gone with a cover, the sign would have a limited lifetime.
Back to the cost. There are a lot of banner/sign companies. However, I chose an Office Depot. They aren’t necessarily known for making signs. But they were my source for one reason…money. I had approximately $40 Office Depot rewards, plus I took advantage of a 25% sale. When I finished, my sign was less than than $40. It also included the stand, carrying case and free shopping. Advice, give Office Depot a try for some of your marketing materials.
Marketing Materials.
This is one of those areas where I was a little confused. There are so many paper options…bookmarks, postcards, stickers, business cards, etc. I like digital products, but, I love paper products more. I’m that person who still sends greeting cards, notes, uses a paper planner and makes paper lists. I also keep birthday cards. I look at paper products as part of my history. It brings a smile to my face when I come across a card or letter from a loved one. And I like to display artistic postcards from a brands I like.
When it came to my paper products I wanted to give the reader something they would want to keep. For me the only company to help me achieve my goal was Moo.com. I have been using Moo for quite a while. Their products and customer service are phenomenal.
Over the years, I’ve learned how to create items from their categories that work for me. In my lingerie business I offer a bra fitting guide which I printed on rack cards. The front has my logo and a bra graphic. The back are the instructions on how to find your bra size. I saw on their IG page how someone used a post card as a branded notecard. I copied that idea using some of my book covers.
Another reason I love Moo.com is Printfinity. Printfinity is the ability to load up to 50 different images on one side and another for the back. If you aren’t using Moo.com, Printfinity is reason enough to do so. Here’s what I did. I selected seven cover images and one with my tagline, for the front and my information on the back. Then I order 250 post cards. So here’s another cool thing about Moo…they give you paper options. For my postcards, I used the original paper, which for some printers is considered premium. Since I’ve been working with them for a while, I understand they are known for offering special pricing. I was under a time crunch, and took a chance hoping for a sale or special discount. I gave myself a deadline to place my order, sure enough a 25% discount popped up in my email. I jumped on it.
I also ordered a larger postcard and turned it into a church fan with some sticks from Amazon.
When it was said and done, I ordered all of my paper products from Moo.com. You may ask why didn’t I get traditional bookmarks? Simple…I wanted to stand out. I gave readers a card with all of my books. It also works as a shopping list.
FYI: Moo.com is good about replacing defective items without an additional cost to you.
I ordered swag that worked for my brand.
There are a sea of options when it comes to swag. I also know, the longer you shop the more confused you are likely to get. I ordered swag that was multi-purposeful for me. I know that sounds selfish, but I’m still looking at buttons that are five years old. And don’t get me started on paper swag vs. tchotchke. That debate alone will give you a headache.
When you attend a huge signing one of the goals is to stand out and gain the attention of the reader who doesn’t know you. When selecting swag I tried to stay within my brand. In the past, I tried buttons, stickers, magnets, bookmarks, free downloads and lip balm. Some were winners and some fell flat. There’s nothing wrong with those items, but some of them weren’t right for my brand. I used SLC to rid myself of a few sag items.
So what did I give away? In addition to the reading list card, I sprinkled the table with the left over buttons. (FYI, even after the signing, I still have buttons.) I ordered stickers and coasters from StickerMule.com. Of course I caught a sale. StickerMule.com is another source for great marketing products. I got 50 3” round stickers and round coasters for $19 each. Plus, I got 50 large poly mailers, which I used as shopping bags for $29.
Purchasing tip: Every Tuesday, StickerMule.com features a product at some insane price. And sometimes they run a surprise weekend deal.
The other thing I gave away, was an exclusive sampler. This sampler is only available at signings or when you order signed books direct from me. (I also gave away the ebook version to my mailing list.) I weighed the cost of the various swag options and this was cheaper. It also acts as an introduction to my library. How much was this freebie, using KDP $2.30. The look of delight on reader’s faces when they realized it was free with each purchase, confirmed I made the right choice.
I’m stopping here. I told you this was a long series of posts. I’ve included a 25% discount link for Moo.com if you want to try them (https://refer.moo.com/s/pinkduchess8).
Next month, I’ll share a few more tips on what I did and how you can prepare for your next book signings.
Tracy’s Books
Everyone Loves Thrillers, Well, Sort of
October 3, 2023 by Janet Elizabeth Lynn and Will Zeilinger in category Partners in Crime by Janet Elizabeth Lynn & Will Zeilinger, Thrillers by Will Janns tagged as new release, Trillers, Will Janns
Thrillers are mostly fast-paced, page-turners that tire out the reader as much as they do the characters in the story.
Janet Lynn and I are writing in this genre for the first time, with our first effort being STONE PUB. We are writing under the name Will Janns, and we’ve learned there are many flavors of thrillers on the shelves.
What kind of a thriller holds the reader’s attention? Every reader is different (just like every writer.)
Some of the best-selling novels in the thriller category have been spy or political thrillers that involve political corruption or terrorism. Plots can center on both real and fictional political events. The stakes are always high and often suggest that life, as we know it, in our nation (or another nation) could end or change for the worse.
But right up there with political or spy thrillers are supernatural/sci-fi/techno-thrillers. I don’t mean to lump them together, but in these stories, crossovers may occur. They may feature fantasy and horror elements and involve some aspect of the supernatural, including fantasy beings, aliens, or time-travelers. The setting might be in the future and imply technology or AI run amok.
Getting back to earth, and I mean way back, are historical thrillers. These thrillers take place sometime in the recent or not-so-recent past. Some thriller novels are set as far back as medieval times.
The Historical Novel Society, an organization promoting historical fiction open to readers and authors alike, defines historical novels as set at least fifty years ago. For books published today, the settings would need to be 1973 or earlier to count as historical fiction.
This fact means the reader will not be reading about contemporary technology such as cell phones, computers, satellites, or high-speed communications. Verbal communications will also be affected by issues of current slang and other contemporary social behaviors.
Next come crime thrillers, which are sometimes variations on whodunits, but often rely on a “ticking clock” or hard deadline to add tension and force the investigator (whether amateur or professional) to solve the crime before the clock runs out. The crimes might involve kidnappings, ransoms, serial killers, hostage-taking, or creative heists. The motives of the antagonists can be as varied as the plot lines.
A natural segue from crime thrillers is the legal thriller, where, many times, the integrity and morals of the lawyers are tested when confronted with unusual circumstances. The legal knowledge required to make these stories believable is what keeps a reader turning the pages.
The mind, both “normal” and “abnormal,” takes center stage in Psychological thrillers. Two brilliant minds are sometimes pitted against each other in an intense battle of wits. These plot-driven thrillers often involve the basic emotions of fear, greed, guilt, lust, and revenge.
In medical thrillers, the characters include medical professionals or scientists who often race against a burgeoning worldwide pandemic or a modern medical advancement gone wrong.
Military thrillers are the final choice when deciding what kind of thriller to read (or write). The protagonists in this subgenre have some connection to the military, or are active members themselves. Combat missions, whether sanctioned or covert, are the setting for these novels. The settings and plots will be based on the intimate workings of military life. The stories often feature military slang, acronyms, specific conflicts, and organizational hierarchies. Active duty and veterans alike will see right through a weak plot or poorly researched storyline, and the author will lose a reader and even a whole audience.
You can see from this, far from complete, listing that there are action-packed, edge-of-your-seat thrillers for almost every taste. If you have been comfortable reading one subgenre, try another and surprise yourself.
Will Zeilinger and Janet Elizabeth Lynn writing as Will Janns
Other Titles by Will and Janet
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