October Autumn Has Come...

 Hi Everyone!

Hope you all have had a wonderful October! Halloween (All Hallow's Eve) is almost here, and I've seen plenty of autumn and Halloween decorations. (I'm not a fan of spooky stuff, but there are some traditions that I think can be fun for families).

Querying update:  I continue to query Sugar & Frost. Right now, nothing new to report on.

Editing update:  I'm still editing Shifter Secrets, but I've been making some progress. It's a wolf-shifter YA Fantasy. The romance is more on the sweet side. I do trend more sweet than spicy with pretty much all my work especially the manuscripts I'm working on, now.

Real Life: Real Life continues to have its own ups and downs and moments of busyness, which I'm sure the same for most people. My birthday came and it was nice. I got some lovely greetings and gifts. My siblings went in on a very nice gift card to Two Dumb Dames (the best fudge ever in my opinion--the shop has been family owned and operated since 1979, by the same family/families. It's located in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, and yes, they do ship--at least in the US--I don't know about outside the US). I love this place and even though I have tried many types of fudge and this is the best (sorry to my Michigan relatives, it's even better than Mackinac Island's fudge--which I also have had). However, the most awesome Christmassy store to visit is in, fact, located in Michigan. Bronner's is one of my "happy places". I've been there oh, I don't know, at least 3 or more times. It's located in Frankenmuth, MI, and worth a visit if you get a chance!

The weather has gotten a bit cooler in my part of Texas, which is something I appreciate (some days we've had a lovely breeze). I like this type of weather--not burning up hot, but not so cold. So, it's been nice.

Hope you all have been having a wonderful October!

Have a Thrillingly Terrific Thursday!

A Philosophical Interlude Mid-October...

 Hi Everyone!

October is moving along and we're halfway through the month already. I say it often, but I can't help it. It seems like time goes a lot faster the older I get than it did when I was younger. Reminds me of a Clint Black song, "Slow As Christmas", but I think it illustrates other passages of time, too.

Anyway, this post isn't going to be an update post, but rather something I was thinking about recently. I might do an update post before the end of the month--I don't know, yet. But I do try to post a blog post at least once a month, so here we go.

I'm feeling a little philosophical (I guess that's the effect of having watched a video that was giving more explanation and nuance to a scene in a musical that I hadn't noticed/realized--not too surprising since I can be oblivious--before; and yes, I like em dashes!) So, I want to propose ideas that may or may not resonate with people, but stuff I've thought about:

Some people have criticized Cinderella, Snow White, and the classical stories. They say that the heroines had no agency (or not enough agency) or that they're seen as flimsy, wispy creatures just waiting around for the prince to rescue them.

Well, I beg to differ.

Let's start with Cinderella, shall we? (since I've thought the most about this character--that is, Cinderella herself--regarding my theory). I don't see her as weak, or without agency, or whatever else people put forward as a negative attribute of hers. In the estimated time period that her story takes place (going way back to Grimm Brothers, but let's face it, theirs is not the story we're all most familiar with, or one I even prefer because the concept of chopping up one's feet like the stepsisters do is just shudder-inducing to me, so we won't focus on that, but the general concept of the story). A young girl in a time period where girls had very few options if their fathers/protectors died or were unable to provide for them, we see Cinderella left at the mercy of a stepmother who hates her either because she's jealous and/or she doesn't want anyone getting in the way of her ambitions for her daughters. We see the stepsisters following their mother's lead and confining Cinderella to the role of servant (or rather, I'd say slave) to sleep in the ashes. But according to the most well-known versions of the story, Cinderella doesn't turn bitter, spiteful, or vengeful. Instead, she maintains her gentle spirit, kindness, and hope that somehow her fortunes can/will change. I don't see her and the prince as necessarily just "insta-love" but as recognizing in the other something they lack--for Cinderella the prince represents/is a kind and charming person who will respect and care for her as her stepfamily has failed to do, someone she can be an equal partner with in life, someone who cherishes her. The prince sees Cinderella as someone he hopes he would have--not just a fawning creature, but an ideal for him to aspire to--something to inspire him to greatness. So, Cinderella rises above the mire and temptations that would've led her to revenge and ill-will--if she followed those temptations--to be inspiration to another and have someone whom she can love, respect, and honor as well. They're equals no matter the status quo.

Snow White is a story that could have multiple meanings or ideas--ranging from innocence to waking into adulthood, etc. However, despite the surface appearance of a "passive" heroine, let's take a deeper look into her circumstances and time period. Snow While has no where to go when her father passes and the Evil Queen takes over. Where could she go? Perhaps townsfolk would take her in--but they likely wouldn't because they would be afraid to defy the queen. Or maybe they don't know what's going on in the castle, and Snow White in her tenderness and innocence doesn't want to burden her people with her troubles. And instead of turning on the woman, Snow White gently accepts her lot despite how horrible her stepmother is to her. She maintains her grace, dignity, and hope. And bravery. For in the midst of almost being killed, she manages to get through the forest, and find a place. While this place houses rough miners (dwarves), who could present a problem, they see in Snow White a girl who needs protecting--enlivening their sense of purpose beyond just their day job. She inspires them to be more than just what their life has given them (mining) to be there for someone most in need. Her being poisoned could be seen as an opportunity for a man to forget his own selfishness to rescue someone and dedicate his life to someone in need. Or, in the case of the Disney version where in some ways the palace in the clouds looks a lot like them going to Heaven--in that instance, the prince could be her Guardian Angel bringing her to her final reward for her patience and kindness in spite of her circumstances. A reward for her integrity, if you will.

These are just two fairytales, but I could probably find a brighter/happier meaning in most of them. Perhaps some might find it wishful thinking or believe I'm naive or whatever, but that's okay. I'd rather look at them as an opportunity to learn and grow.

Growing up, I always thought the concept of the prince rescuing the princess as beautiful and sweet. A man realizing that someone special in his life needs him. She gives him purpose and strength to be the protector and defender of those under his protection/purview--making him see he's more than just a prince, or a man, he is someone who has a duty a real purpose--an admirable goal of being the best version of himself. He must rise above his own selfish desires, for something more beautiful and far more valuable than his mere station in life. It's a call to action--the "willing the best good of another" (a definition of love that I strive to follow). Many guys I've known in my life have longed for (even if they didn't say so or know this consciously) this type of a purpose--to be more than just "some guy", but to have meaning in their lives. For many of them, to have a special woman whom they could aspire to be a hero to.

Anyway, it's just something to consider/think about. You, dear readers, are free to reject my suppositions/theories; however, I prefer to look at fairytales through these lenses. I like to believe it's something wonderful and beautiful--or, for those who believe in God, striving towards what is above.

I hope your October is going well so far. God bless you! Have a Fabulously Fun Friday!

Super Quick September Update...

 Happy Tuesday Everyone!

Wow, September is OVER tomorrow; today being September 30, 2025--the last day of the month.

Writer's Life News:  Still querying Sugar & Frost. Hopeful about a couple of things. We'll see. Editing Shifter Secrets, my YA Fantasy with wolf-shifters in it.  It's going slowly, but I've made some progress.

Life outside of the writing world: Busy on some days, not as much, others. So pretty typical. My youngest was sick over one of the weekends, but luckily the worst of it only lasted 24 hrs, and the next couple of days were recovery, so by Monday (after getting sick on a Friday) youngest seemed much better, which we were all very happy about.

I'm going to make this super short because I want to get this in before tomorrow (October 1). So I'll see you in October!

Have A Terrific Tuesday Night!

It's All About August..

 Hi Everyone!

End of August is coming up, and thus, it's time for a monthly update from yours truly.

Currently, I'm waiting on some responses on queries for Sugar & Frost. There's been a bit more interest since #UnhingedPit and #questpit, so that's great. I love this story so much, that I'm happy with other people get interested. As far as I'm concerned, it's a fun read. I call it the "book of my heart" because it's just exactly something I'd pick up as a reader and cuddle up with a comfy blanket in a chair, couch, or in bed, with something hot to drink and just enjoy. I also dedicated it to my siblings, so there is a personal aspect to it, too.

Other manuscripts:  Moonrise Pack: Shifter Secrets (YA Fantasy, wolf shifters, sweet romance) is in edits--I finally sat down and started working on it. I'm not very far along in the editing, yet, but hopeful about polishing it. I had made a poster for it for #PosterPit since they allow WIPs (Works In Progress) and I emphasized that it was in the editing process. But it is written. There are some personal aspects to it and that surprised me. I was ignoring the whisper that said "Hey, this aspect is like you..." until I finally said "Yeah, that is like me." so that was an interesting experience.

Writing: I'm currently working on a manuscript that is a little different--a bit on the "quieter" side (no major magical battles) but no less magical elements and no less emotional or romantic. The fun part is, my characters are rather oblivious that they're falling for each other--so that's been fun to write.

School has started back up for many people, and I hope it's a good year for teachers, staff, and students. I still can't believe we're already starting up a new school year. Seems like summer just began!

Anyway, I hope you all have had a great August and that September goes well for you. God bless!

Have A Fantastically Fabulous Friday!

Time For July Update...

 Happy Tuesday All,

Once again, I'm posting the monthly post near the end of the month. But oh well. I was pretty busy during part of the beginning of the month, so I thought I'd wait until after so that I could mention some of it here.

I got to hang out with 2 out of 3 of my Girls' Night Out Ladies. These ladies are my besties and I've known them a long time. We had a nice dinner out and then hung out at a coffee/sweet shop until they closed. The last time we'd all been together was in 2019. I'd seen them on and off, but not all of us together. So, that was a wonderful thing to have happen this month.

#UnhingedPit--a pitching event held on X and BlueSky happened. Authors pitch their manuscripts but in unconventional ways. The two ladies who run the event decided to make me their ambassador (it's sort of a funny story--they liked my enthusiasm when it was first developed in 2024, and after a while we got to talking and that was that). It was so much fun! Well, I usually have fun anyway. I enjoy being a part of the team and participating. The pitches were super creative--which is one of the best parts of the event is seeing all the ideas/ways people come up with to pitch their manuscripts.

I finished another manuscript, but I still have to edit it. I've been working on one of my unfinished manuscripts at the moment. I have other unfinished manuscripts, of course, but I can't work on all of them all at the same time, so I pick and choose which one to focus on at any given time.

I know I'm not giving a lot of details. There are some things going on, but I don't know what will pan out (if anything) so if there is something to report, I'll mention it. For now, I hope you all have had a great July. 

Can you believe that it's almost August already? It seems like the year has flown by!

God bless you.😊

Have A Totally Terrific Tuesday!

BONUS Post: Resource Central (Or, A bit of an update to my Road-mapping post)

 Hi Everyone!

I've decided to provide a post that was just a whole list of resources and info for authors. I've done this before (I think it was 2017) so yeah, it's time for updating. I've done the legwork of inserting hyperlinks so that all you have to do is click on the links of whatever item you're most interested in. There is a TON of information out there for authors and it can be overwhelming to search and file through websites/social media platforms, so hopefully this post can help take some of the stress out of your search. This is by no means an exhaustive list of resources, it's just some that I know about and some that I've even used. At the very end I provide a basic template for constructing a pitch line for your manuscript (this template has helped me tremendously!)

Let's Start With Websites/Resources:

Manuscript Academy -- Offers workshops and events for authors in various stages of their careers. Also offers consultations with editors from publishing houses, and literary agents.

Manuscript Wish List--Run by the people at the Manuscript Academy, has a huge database of literary agents and editors--the agents and editors post their wish lists there.

#MSWL: A lot of literary agents and acquiring editors use this hashtag on X and BlueSky when talking about what sort of manuscripts they'd like to see.

Savvy Authors: All kinds events and workshops for authors.

Association of American Literary Agents   Literary Agents who are members have to adhere to a certain code of conduct. This doesn't mean if an agent is not a member that they're a bad agent, though. It's a site an author can use to research agents.

Absolute Write Water Cooler: A forum for authors with info on literary agents and publishers (and can help with avoiding scams).

Writer Beware: Run by author Victoria Strauss, who keeps up with scams, news, etc in the writing and publishing industry.

Query Tracker (Query Manager): Some agents and publishers use this resource. There is an option to use it for free--but if you want full access, it's $25 (USD) per year.

Query Shark (Janet Reid): While Janet Reid has passed away (April 14, 2024), the previous entries and advice is still available on the blog. By looking through her advice that she gave authors over the years, an author can implement the advice to perfect their query letters.

#WritingCommunity: A hashtag you can search on X and BlueSky that authors, publishers, and literary agents often use to chat about current events, give advice, or offer services. (Doesn't cost anything to search this hashtag as of July 2025).

Various Literary agencies often post information for authors with the query process or submitting to publishers. A lot of it is found on YouTube. There are also a variety of podcasts, too.

Alyssa Matesic: Editor (who has worked for at least one Big 5 Publishers) has a HUGE amount of information available on YouTube. (she also has a website).

BookFox (industry professional) (John Matthew Fox) offers a ton of advice for authors on YouTube (and has a website).

Writer's Market is a book that is updated every year. You can find the 2025 version on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

PITCH EVENTS:

There are several and they are run at all different times. Some only operate on BlueSky and some operate on both X and BlueSky.

#UnhingedPit: A pitching event that uses unconventional methods to pitch a manuscript. (I'm their ambassador, so of course I had to mention this one first LOL). It's loads of fun and open to authors in various genres. The last event was on both BlueSky and X. You can find the rules and other info on BlueSky.     You can also find it on X.

#BluePit is specific to BlueSky. It is a pitching event, but it often also lists upcoming pitching events.

#PlaylistPit is a new (as of July 2025) an event that authors can participate in either (or both) BlueSky and also on X. Authors use lyrics to help pitch their manuscripts.

#QuestPit is (in their words): "a writers hype event that welcomes industry participation" Writers at any stage (whether writing, editing, or querying) can participate in this event. Held on X and BlueSky.

#SmallPit is for finished manuscripts. Authors can pitch to small/indie publishers. You can find info on BlueSky and also on X.

#PosterPit is a pitching event where authors turn their manuscripts into movie posters. (It's fairly new, with having only had one event, but the next one for 2025 is in August). It's held on X and on BlueSky.

#PitchDis is a pitching event opened to disabled (this includes neurodivergent) authors only. The next one, set for September 2025 and will be held on the PitchDis website.

There are several other pitching events--some are genre specific (like #CuPit which is for Romance authors and will be held on February 14, 2026 and #MiseryPit which is for Mystery and Thriller authors and the next one will be held on July 5, 2025--I'm writing this on July 4, 2025 if you're needing perspective or see this post after July 5). And there are other kinds of pitch events that are held throughout the year on both platforms--BlueSky and X. I don't have the time to list all of them here, but info on them is pretty easy to find on either BlueSky and/or X.

AUTHOR GROUPS:

There are a myriad of author groups out there--some are genre specific, and some are not.

One genre specific group is SFWA (Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers Association).

Another is SCBWI --The Society of Children's Book Writers And Illustrators.

To find local or your genre author groups, I advise doing a web search (Google or whatever search engine you use).

Pitch Line Constructing Template:

This is a basic way to set up your pitch (I've seen various versions of this construct and I've found it really helpful). [CHARACTER(S)] in [status quo] until [inciting incident]. 

So you take your main characters (let's use Georgette Heyer's The Grand Sophy) One might pitch Georgette Heyer's novel this way using the template: When Charles meets his cousin, Sophy Stanton-Lacy, he's unprepared for how she'll turn his well-ordered life upside down and take hold of his heart in spite of her absurd antics. (This is a bit simplistic an "on-the-fly" pitch I constructed here, but I just wanted to create an example).

By the way, you can find The Grand Sophy on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. It's one of my favorite Georgette Heyer novels. I think Sophy is hilarious with how she just seems to brush everything off. It made me laugh.

In Conclusion

Like I said in the beginning, there is so much info out there. And, if you're an author who knows of a book, website, or person who can help authors (whether constructing pitches, query letters, synopsis, or general information on the writing craft itself or genre-specific advice) please do post the info (complete with links) in the comment section. Thank you!

June Passing By...

 Happy Monday!

It's the last day of June and I can't believe July starts tomorrow. This month felt a bit like a whirlwind, but there were several lovely moments.

June 10th marked 59 years that my parents had been married. I didn't get to see them on that day, but I did wish them a happy anniversary. They've been such a special example and inspiration for me. (One of my best friends got married on their anniversary and when I found out I said, "You know, that's my parents' anniversary?" My friend responded: "I KNEW it was a good day to get married!").

Two of my out-of-town siblings came in for a few days on Father's Day weekend and I got to see them, as well as my sibling that lives near my parents. We had a nice weekend celebrating Father's Day. Saturday early evening we were at a Mexican restaurant and then Sunday evening had barbecue at my in-town sibling's house. It was very nice. My father is not only a father, but a grandfather, and a great-grandfather, so he's got lots of experience in the fatherhood area. It's an honor and a privilege to be one of his daughters (he has several daughters).

I've still got a few queries out on Sugar & Frost.

I'm working on several other manuscripts--one in particular that I'm almost done writing. The editing will be a process (it always is, though).

I've been enjoying Season 5 of The Chosen--I've been a fan since the early days, and I'm pleased with how well it's taken off (not that I'm super surprised, it's an incredibly well-done show--although, I will say, if you're looking for totally following word-for-word of the Bible, you're going to find out that it doesn't and that they always say to go back and read the Bible--but it's true to the main things that happened regardless of order or anything like that). It's been lovely to see Jesus portrayed as not just with his divinity, but with the whole range of humanity. It's fun to think of Him laughing and cracking jokes with the apostles and having a tender relationship with His mother.

Anyway, tomorrow starts July! Already half way through the summer (well, for Texas we'll probably have really hot weather for a bit longer than some people--and some winters it doesn't get very cold at all!) God bless to you all, and have a great rest of June.

Hope you all have a marvelously merry Monday!