I have so much going on these days! My beta reader feedback has started rolling in, so I’m going through all of the comments and suggestions before I do any more editing on Legacy of Secrets.
Editing is tricky for me. My brain knows what I meant to type. It tricks my eyes into seeing what is supposed to be there. I presented a story to my Guild once, and one of my colleagues gently pointed out that I was reading missing words. She told me that she knew they were supposed to be there, and I was reading them, but they were missing. She was right. I had omitted four or five words from that story and never noticed. That is why having fresh eyes read my work is so important.
Speaking of edits, I approved the ones that Z Publishing did on my nonfiction narrative, “My Ugly Chair” this week. “My Ugly Chair” will appear in Missouri’s Emerging Writers, which is due out on September 10, 2018. It should be available for pre-order around August 12, 2018. I will post a link when one becomes available.
“My Ugly Chair” is a nonfiction narrative account of an event that occurred when I was in kindergarten. My teacher used my wrong-doing to teach me a life lesson that has stuck with me for over 40 years.
I originally wrote this narrative when I was in high school. I ran across it a year or so ago in an old trunk. I typed it into my computer, edited it, polished it, and submitted it to a few places. I was thrilled when Z Publishing decided to include it in Missouri’s Emerging Writers. I’m anxious to share that story with the world!
I’m also writing several new short stories and nonfiction narratives for upcoming contests. I will be attending two writers conferences this fall that host a variety of contests. One of the categories that piqued my imagination was solving a nursery rhyme crime in 1500 words or less. That particular conference is hosting 28 contests, but I couldn’t concentrate on any other submissions until I solved a nursery rhyme crime first.
The scenarios rattled around in my noggin until I had a story line that excited me. I wrote my story and was ecstatic with my first draft. In fact, I left it out for my husband to read when he got home from work this morning. His response was everything I could ever hope. He said, “I read your story, and it’s hilarious. Good job.” Now, I just need to do a quick edit and remove the 133 words by which I’m over the limit and polish it up a little. I think this story solving a nursery rhyme crime may be my favorite out of everything I’ve ever written.
After I finished with the nursery rhyme caper, I turned my attention to a humor contest hosted by a different conference. I really love writing funny stories, and I have a great start on this one. I don’t want to spoil anything, and I sure don’t want to let on to any of the judges who I am since judging must be done blind, so all I will say is I’ve giggled throughout the story thus far. I suppose it’s a good thing that I’m cracking myself up. If I think it’s funny, perhaps others will laugh, too.
I write more romance than anything else, but I love branching out and writing stories in a variety of genres. I’ve had more nonfiction published than anything else. Legacy of Secrets is a paranormal romance, but my next book will be a collection of spooky short stories. I’m playing with the idea of compiling a book of all of my nonfiction to which I still own the rights. I’ve also written the first chapter of what promises to be a thrilling science fiction novel. You just never know what I’ll do next!
Late summer and early fall are my busy times. I will attend at least three writers conferences and one writers retreat before Thanksgiving. The more I immerse myself in the world of writers, the better a writer I become. Perhaps someday you will find my work in your local bookstore.
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