Janet Elizabeth Lynn and Will Zeilinger Featured Authors
July 28, 2023 by Janet Elizabeth Lynn and Will Zeilinger in category Apples & Oranges by Marianne H. Donley, Featured Author of the Month, Partners in Crime by Janet Elizabeth Lynn & Will Zeilinger tagged as 1950s Crime novels, Author Interviews, Chatting with Authors, Janet Elizabeth Lynn, The Skylar Drake Murder Mystery Series, Will Zeilinger
July Featured Authors
Janet Elizabeth Lynn was born in Queens and raised in Long Island, New York. She is the author of murder mysteries, cozy mysteries and with her husband Will Zeilinger, 1950s hard-boiled detective mysteries.
Will Zeilinger has lived and traveled the world and has been writing for over ten years. His novels range from mystery to romantic comedy and those 1950s hard-boiled detective mysteries with his wife Janet.
Partners in Crime
Together Janet and Will write the Skylar Drake Mystery Series. These hard-boiled tales are based in old Hollywood in 1955. They have an E-book How it Began: The Skylar Drake Mysteries available from Smashwords.
Their world travels have sparked several ideas for murder and crime stories. In their next adventure, they will team up using the penname E.J. Williams for a new mystery series set in the 1960s. Their first novel in the International Crime Files, Stone Pub is in the works.
Chatting With Authors
In addition to writing novels, Janet and Will have a YouTube Channel, Chatting with Authors featuring informal Zoom interviews with authors of various genres. We encourage readers to check out all their videos.
This creative couple lives in Southern California . . . and yes, they are still married, and they even blog together at The Married Authors.
The Skylar Drake Mystery Series
Daylight Truth by Neetu
July 26, 2023 by Neetu Malik in category Poet's Day by Neetu Malik tagged as from thje heart, love, Neetu
Daylight Truth
soft murmurs in the dark
don’t enlighten me
they leave me fumbling
for something real to grasp
let whispers fade
with the light from stars
be silent until
day breaks and I can
see in your eyes
the words that spill
from your heart
(c) Neetu Malik
Some of Neetu’s Books
Dreams in Writing
July 25, 2023 by Kidd Wadsworth in category Infused with Meaning by Kidd Wadsworth tagged as assassins, dreams, dreams in writing, kidd wadsworth, nightmares
I woke at two in the morning from a nightmare in which I was being hunted by an assassin. In the dream, desperate to get away, I hid on the third floor of an abandoned building. I remember looking out the dirty windows and seeing the assassin below in the parking lot looking up at me. He was tracking my cell phone.
I removed the sim card and, just for good measure, smashed the phone.
Two days later, he almost caught me hiding in a bakery. The owner, an old friend, came rushing into kitchen whispering, “The man you described just walked through the front door.” I ducked out the back and hid on the fire escape. As he left, I saw him glance up at the street cams.
Damn.
I hitchhiked into the Indiana countryside. I figured I was safe among the endless fields of ten foot tall cornstalks. I was wrong. As I turned and ran, he shouted after me, “You’ll never get away, I’ve tapped into the satellites.”
That’s when I woke up. Everything was familiar: my bedroom, my sweetie softly breathing beside me. I wasn’t afraid; I was curious. How would I evade an assassin? I turned to that great fountain of wisdom, the TV. As my husband slept, I searched Netflix and Amazon Prime for a movie that would show me how to escape.
Click. Click. Click.
I clicked almost as many times as Indiana has ears of corn. Then I discovered a Bruce Lee movie! Yes! Surely, Bruce would know how to evade an assassin.
Guess what? Bruce Lee never evades. He never hides. He confronts his enemies. He turns to face them, looks them straight in the eye, and kicks butt.
That’s when I knew who the assassin was. My assassin was a family problem. Yes, I wanted to hide. And yes, I definitely wanted to smash my cell phone, but I couldn’t get away. I had to become Bruce Lee. I had to face my problem head on. I needed to look it in the eye—and kick butt.
So, why did I tell you this?
I recently read a fascinating book called Dreams: God’s Forgotten Language by John A. Sanford. I believe dreams can add depth and, strangely, genuineness to a story. But there’s a catch, and it’s a big one. You’ve got to get it right. Dreams follow certain patterns—unobvious patterns—that we all instinctively recognize. So, if you want to put a dream sequence in your story, read an authoritative book about dreams and common reoccurring images in dreams, first. Otherwise, the dream won’t read as “real.” Rather it will seem contrived, a way too convenient plot device, and pop the reader right out of the story.
BTW, I did actually dream about being hunted by an assassin, and I do think my subconscious was telling me to stop running away from my problems. I’m currently working on becoming Bruce Lee, but he’s a difficult act to follow.
Happy Writing!
Kidd Wadsworths Has Stories in the Following Anthologies
The Power of Facebook Groups: Promoting and Connecting with Readers
July 24, 2023 by marianne h donley in category Ages 2 Perfection Online Class, Online Classes tagged as Aged to Perfection Online Class, Facebook Groups, Jenna Grinstead
The Power of Facebook Groups: Promoting and Connecting with Readers
Presented by: Jenna Grinstead
Date: August 19, 2023 9AM PT
Registration Closes: August 20, 2023
Pricing: A2P Member fee: $5
Non-A2P Member fee: $10
About the Workshop:
In this interactive workshop we’ll discuss the power of Facebook Groups for your writing. We’ll discuss what groups are, how to form them, look at examples of authors who are using them to research their books, improve their craft, connect with other authors, connect with fans, and, most importantly, to sell books.
You’ll have the opportunity to learn the secrets to how to find groups, interact in existing groups to promote your author brand, create a group, nurture a group and grow a group into a community that aligns with your goals. Whether you’re a published author looking for tips on how to sell via Facebook Groups or a newbie seeking to understand how groups can help you in your writing, this workshop is for you!
About the Presenter:
Jenna Grinstead is a whimsical Midwesterner with a penchant for magic and a deep desire for a world where the weird and different are embraced and celebrated. She is a graduate of The Ohio State University where she studied journalism. She found a way to turn her imagination and creativity into a career in marketing, while writing young adult and middle grade fiction. She often conducts workshops and speaks on writing, world-building, social media and marketing. Jenna is a member of The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, Central Ohio Fiction Writers and Women’s Fiction Writers Association. Her young adult romance manuscripts have won several regional writing awards, including The Maggie, The Stiletto and The Indiana Golden Opportunity.
When she’s not plotting her next story you can find her devouring novels and mint chocolate chip ice cream in her house with California Poppies painted across the garage.
She is represented by Analieze Cervantes with The Harvey Klinger Literary Agency.
A Deep Dive Into the Types of Editing
July 23, 2023 by marianne h donley in category Ages 2 Perfection Online Class, Online Classes
A Deep Dive into the Types of Editing
Presented by: Sue Toth
Date: August 7 – 18, 2023 (two weeks)
Registration Closes: August 15, 2023
Pricing: A2P Member fee: $15
Non-A2P Member fee: $25
About the Workshop:
In this two-week course, participants will jump into the waters of editing. We’ll discuss various types of editing and which you need for your manuscript. Among the topics we’ll focus on are:
• Developmental editing
• Line editing
• Copy editing
• Proofreading
• Book coaching
In addition, we’ll look at how to find the best editor for you, what you should expect from an editor, and what your editor will expect from you.
About the Presenter:
I’ve been a lover of the English language for as long as I’ve been able to read. You know the kid who had a book and a flashlight under the covers long after she was supposed to be asleep? That was me. The one who carried a book everywhere and had her nose stuck in It whenever possible? Also me.
My entire career has been dedicated to either diving into my own editing or teaching others how to do it well. I have taught fiction editing at the University of San Diego and journalism and writing at the college level.
For the past 20 years, my specialty has been in collaborating as an editor with romance authors to turn their books into those swoon-worthy ones that readers can’t put down.
In the rare times I’m not reading, I enjoy being with my family, dancing to 80s rock and roll, and watching New York Mets or Jets games.
