Shoe Trees and Writing

By Annette Cole Mastron, Communications Director for Southern Writers Magazine

I'm not talking about the shapers you put in your shoes to help them retain their shape. I'm talking about actual trees that have shoes on their branches. Have you ever seen one up close and personal? It is eerily interesting and will spark your creative side. 

On a recent trip to Alabama, I spotted hundreds of pairs of shoes hanging from a single tree on busy Highway 72 near Cherokee, AL and the Natchez Trace Parkway. It's winter, so with bare branches, the shoes were easy to spot hanging like weird ornaments on this one tree. The tree appeared to be growing literally out of rocks. A quick check on my iPhone app of "Roadside America" gave all the details. 

The app said there are many other shoe trees found across America. Who knew? There is even a map of the various locations of these trees. No one seems to know why this tree is in this north Alabama location. My husband was interested in the "shoe lawn" created as the laces of the shoes rot and fall to the ground.

I found this YouTube from The Carpetbagger.org. He actually found a back road and left his own shoes on the tree. He makes statements about the journeys he's made in these shoes. The experiences he has had and the people he met while wearing these shoes. Unusual, and something that can spark reminders of the journeys we have as authors. 

Another shoe tree sits along the Chattahoochee River in GA.  Locals and tourists go “tubing" on the river. The tree evolved as a monument of sorts of the footwear lost while folks used the river. There have been several deaths on the river reportedly the shoe soles on the tree represent the lost souls from the river incidents. 

This is just one of those unusual but real Americana quirks you may want to incorporate in your writing to make it believeable. I hope you enjoy my pictures of the North AL shoe tree. 

Have you seen the Cherokee, Alabama shoe tree or another one?

How to Write When you’re Frozen Inside

By Pamela S. Thibodeaux

It happens….Life, death, illness or (fill in the blank) and the last thing you want to do, or feel able to do, is anything writing related.

So how do you keep your career as an author from falling into obscurity?

In 2009 my husband passed away and I was forced to deal with these questions. Here’s what I did….

Keep your blog alive. Even if that means mostly guest posts with an occasional personal one thrown in. Your readers care about you so they’ll understand. If you look at my blog, you’ll see that 2012 has the least amount of posts since I started in 2007. Strange since he passed in 2009, right? Not really, sometimes the first year or two after a death, you’re still numb and on automatic pilot.

Continue to Network. Attend writer meetings and/or conferences. You may not be writing again, but networking with your peers always helps alleviate the pain and loneliness of your situation. Your fellow writers understand and care, so they will help and support you.

Continue to market yourself and your existing books, even on a limited basis. This includes keeping your newsletter going or starting one. My newsletter is ‘occasional’ anyway so it was easy to stay in touch with my readers a couple of times after my husband’s death. The love and support shown to me was (and still is) something that kept/keeps me going when I felt/feel like giving up.

Take or Teach a class. Again, you may not be able to do anything with what you learn but you’ll never forget it either and teaching others what you already know can help you stay connected to that part of yourself that feels closed off or shut down.

Journal about your experience. Writing is cathartic and you never know when a nonfiction opportunity will arise and you can share your story to help someone else.

Work on existing projects. This was easy for me because I had so many projects in various stages of completion. Many were actually published between 2009 and 2014. However, I’ve been unable to write and complete something brand new until my novella, Keri’s Christmas Wish, which debuted Dec. 2015.

Work in the Industry. Look for opportunities to edit or market other writers. Many small publishers and/or promotion companies will utilize freelancers. Offer to write a magazine column or find places to submit your old articles, essays, etc. Any of these options keep your name in front of people. In 2011 I helped create an Ezine, The Wordsmith Journal. In 2012 I bought and continued the publication until 2013 when I sold it, but even then, I continued to work with TWJ Magazine until the end of 2016.

These are a few ways in which I kept my writing career going even though, with the exception of a couple of nonfiction pieces, I wasn’t really writing. I’d love to hear how you managed to get through a tough situation / life crisis and keep your career somewhat afloat.

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Award-winning author, Pamela S. Thibodeaux is the Co-Founder and a lifetime member of Bayou Writers Group in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Multi-published in romantic fiction as well as creative non-fiction, her writing has been tagged as, “Inspirational with an Edge!” ™ and reviewed as “steamier and grittier than the typical Christian novel without decreasing the message.” Links: Website address: http://www.pamelathibodeaux.com   Blog: http://pamswildroseblog.blogspot.com  Face Book: http://facebook.com/pamelasthibodeaux Twitter: http://twitter.com/psthib @psthib  Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/pamelasthibodea/  Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.to/1jUVcdU  BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/pamela-s-thibodeaux

Which Do You Prefer When Writing?

By Susan Reichert, Editor-in-Chief for Southern Writers Magazine 

J. K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series said, “And the idea of just wandering off to a cafe with a notebook and writing and seeing where that takes me for a while is just bliss.”

We writers are funny creatures. We have places we like to go and write. Some of those places are in our home, some outside in a park, or a café as J. K. Rowling said. I know some writers who go to the beach when they are writing a story.

Some prefer to go up into the mountains and stay at a cabin while they write.

Whichever we choose it needs to be a place of comfort. The location I choose must not have distractions. I am a creature of habit when I am engrossed in writing. I like it quiet.

Some authors however, want to hear music, or the ocean waves or the birds chirping or kids playing in the room. It boils down to what fuels the words.

I admire anyone who can write with people talking in the room, children playing, dogs barking, music and nature.

K. A. Applegate, an American young adult and children's fiction writer, best known as the author of the Animorphs, Remnants, Everworld, and other series said, “I really love writing, but I am very easily distracted: my two cats fighting, a rainbow, a TV show... I have to use every trick to keep myself at the computer.”

I guess each author has to determine which is best for their writing. There is no right or wrong here, only what works.

Happy Writing! 

First-Person Realness

By Kara Martinez Bachman

From the time I was a young girl of ten years old, I’ve enjoyed writing in the first person. I wasn’t unlike many other young girls who carefully jotted stories, wishes and dreams into the lock-and-key diaries that really were our first training grounds for learning to write well. The best lesson from these young writings is they were unskilled, but nonetheless infused with absolute honesty and sometimes, real passion.

As professional writers, though, the essay format should be much more than the stream-of-conscious navel-gazing of the journal or diary. The form requires creating content that’s not just about us, but is somehow understandable as a part of the overall human experience.

Sure, we can all babble on about ourselves, our thoughts, and the events of our lives. Making readers care about it, though, is a whole other challenge. Taking on this challenge and defeating it can make all the difference in creating work editors--and readers--will really love.

In fiction, the sky’s the limit for creating the world as we’d like it to be. In the nonfiction essay, however, we don’t have that luxury. If either your narrative or opinions don’t ring true completely, there’s no way readers will connect with them.

Be sure before you begin writing that your subject is something you’re completely free to write about honestly. Anything else will seem like withholding--at the least--or outright lying at the worst.

Anyone remember the brouhaha over James Frey’s memoir, “A Million Little Pieces”? Don’t let that happen to you. Remember: Creative nonfiction implies creativity with expression, but NOT creativity with facts.

When writing in first person, we, ourselves supply the voice and give the narrative direction. What’s more, we pull the whole thing together and arrive at a purpose by providing our readers with bits of analysis. It’s a reflective process that begins as a nugget exposed in the writer’s mind, flows into and through a relevant narrative situation, and then wraps back around full circle as the writer analyzes--for the reader’s benefit--all that has transpired.

To be effective, the reader must TRUST the essayist. This means stripping down, revealing things about ourselves--the good, the bad, and the ugly--from life experiences to feelings.

For instance, in my essay collection “Kissing the Crisis,” I write about everything from what happens in my bed at night with my husband (no, this is not erotica) to my own unpleasant faults and weaknesses. Overcoming the fear of exposure and disclosure, though, will help the essayist jump that hurdle and create an essay that rings true. Be brave.

Focusing on these two important issues … truthfulness and willingness to self-expose … will go far in setting your first-person work apart.

Readers can sense when the world you paint isn’t genuine. What’s worse, they can sense even more so when their guide, the essayist, is scared to open his or herself up to scrutiny, or has something to hide.

When the reader doesn’t get a barebones, one-hundred-percent-honest peek inside, you’ve lost the opportunity to teach, to inspire, to ask questions, or to commiserate.

When you keep your own truths under lock and key, your essay becomes far less interesting than that poorly-written, but completely honest diary of a ten-year-old.

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Kara Martinez Bachman is author of the humorous essay collection, “Kissing the Crisis: Field Notes on Foul-Mouthed Babies, Disenchanted Women, and Careening into Middle Age.” She has read her writing for broadcast on NPR and it has appeared in The Writer, Funny Times, and dozens of other newspapers, magazines, websites and anthologies. She’s a former staff and current freelance entertainment journalist for Nola.com and the New Orleans Times-Picayune and is Managing Editor of three editions of Parents & Kids magazine. Find out more at Karamartinezbachman.com.

You Might Be A Writer If…

By Patricia Bradley

I came to writing rather late in life--at the age of thirty-five. That's when these people moved into my head and wouldn't go away until I wrote their stories. And I remember wondering when I could call myself a writer. Have you ever thought about how writers really know they're writers? Here are a few of my thoughts on the matter.

You might be a writer…

• If you’re sitting in a family restaurant interviewing a police captain on how murderers get away with their crimes while the diners closest to you edge away…

• If you’re walking down the grocery aisle and people are staring at you and you realize you’ve been working out your latest plot line…out loud

• If you pray for jury duty so you can know what it's like to be a juror…

• If you take pottery lessons for the same reason…

• If this makes sense to you: “I got a request for a proposal from (fill in the blank). They want three chapters and a synopsis, and you know how I hate to write a synopsis. And I’m not sure if I want to resolve the romantic conflict or save it for the next book…

• If you keep a notebook by your bed so you can write the brilliant conversations that come to you in the middle of the night…

• If you’ve ever gotten someone to tie your hands behind your back so you can see how long it takes to get loose…

• If you walked around the house blindfolded to see if your other senses really become heightened…

• If you put the time your Aunt Louise tried to shoot her second husband in your book, disguised of course, and convince yourself that none of the family will recognize her...

• If someone comes up to you and a writer friend in a restaurant and says, “I heard you talking and finally figured it out—you two must be writers. All that stuff you were talking about couldn’t happen for real. Not in this town…”

• If you get depressed because you can’t keep your character from making a really dumb mistake…

• If you spend more money on writing aids and retreats and conferences than you’ve received for your stories…

If you answer yes to any of these ifs, then no question about it, you’re a writer.

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Winner of the 2016 Inspirational Readers’ Choice Award in Suspense, Patricia Bradley lives in North Mississippi with her rescue kitty, Suzy. Her books include the romantic suspense Logan Point Series and sweet romances with Harlequin Heartwarming. Coming in January is her newest release, Justice Delayed, a Memphis Cold Case Novel. I love connecting with readers on my blog every Tuesday where I have a Mystery Question for them to solve: www.patriciabradleyauthor.com/blog

Twitter: @ptbradley1  FaceBook: www.facebook.com/patriciabradleyauthor

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/ptbradley/

Writers Per Capita

By Doyne Phillips, Managing Editor for Southern Writers Magazine

Most of us know an author, have met an author or we are an author. It seems to us that everyone is writing a book. In 2009 over 1,052,000 books were published in the USA. That is a lot and it appears to be a saturation of books. But our 1 million plus books per year per a population of over 300 million is nothing compared to the nation with the most writers per capita.  

On October 24^th, 2011 Dennis Abrams writing for BBC News Magazine wrote the following: "Iceland is experiencing a book boom. This island nation of just over 300,000 people has more writers, more books published and more books read, per head, than anywhere else in the world." In Iceland one in 10 people is a published author. Abrams went on to describe the competition as being fierce. One gentleman he interviewed told of living with his mother and partner who were also full time writers. To be less competitive with each other they try to publish in alternate years.

Iceland, since it's independence from Denmark has established its separate identity as a Nation through its literature. Iceland, having a strong culture of strong minded and strong willed individuals of Scandinavian descent, likes its own authors and many of its citizens are prolific readers. With one in 10 people being an author, there better be some readers as well and there are. Writers there are like writers everywhere these days. They sell their books to their community. Their community is one they have cultivated through social media, personal contact, newsletters, book reviews and the like. Authors that are more fortunate find an international market. All in all it is one of the most competitive markets in the world.

So the next time you think that getting published is too competitive here in our world, think about Iceland. Think about walking down the street and every tenth person you meet is your competition. Think about finding a market for you book in a nation of 300,000 people where 30,000 are also looking for a market for their book. Thinking about this can give you hope, give you a second wind and get you back in the saddle so to speak. Maybe we can learn from the Icelanders. 

Paranormal Romance…It’s Harder Than It Looks

By Jodi Vaughn

Ever since I was a child I always had stories in my head. These stories always had the hero and heroine doing extraordinary things, things that only paranormal or supernatural creatures could do. I love not having boundaries. That’s what draws me to write paranormal romance.

While there are no boundaries, there are some rules to writing paranormal romance. Once I have my characters fleshed out and my story plotted, I need to set up my rules. Paranormal characters have powers as well as weaknesses. I need to know what they can and can’t do and I need to make sure I stick to my rules.

For instance, my werewolves in RISE OF THE ARKANSAS WEREWOLVES series are born werewolves. In my world, my werewolves are forbidden to bite humans for fear of outing the species to the human population. If a human is bitten by a werewolf, they won’t ever shift, but they will carry enough of the DNA in their blood which will allow them to mate a werewolf.

Another rule I set up is how a werewolf can be killed. My werewolves heal incredibly fast (think Wolverine from X-Men!). If they are stabbed by a silver dagger it will certainly hurt but it won’t necessarily kill them if the dagger is pulled out. If a werewolf is shot by a silver bullet and the bullet stays in their bodies it will slowly poison them until they die. But if you dig out the silver bullet they should be able to heal, it just takes a longer. The only two ways to kill a werewolf in my world is to shoot them in head with a silver bullet or behead them.  

Sounds fun huh? 

When writing my paranormal world, I also did a lot of research about wolves, the state of Arkansas, and legends regarding werewolves. I try to incorporate some of the things I find into my stories to make it feel more authentic. Wolves travel in packs so the best way for my werewolves to travel would be on Harleys. Plus I love riding motorcycles! Upon doing my research I found out that red wolves were thought to be extinct (they’re making a comeback) and I saw that as an opportunity for a story line in BY THE LIGHT OF THE MOON. In fact, I made my villains red wolves.  

So I research, make my rules, and compile a series Bible.  A series Bible can be either files on the computer or a book. I prefer a book. It sits on my book case where I can easily find it. My series Bible is a binder consisting of every detail from each book. So if I forget what a secondary character looked like in book one I can go back and look it up.

I’m drawn to paranormal romance because of the larger than life heroes, the sacrifices they are willing to make and the strength of the female characters. While it’s not easy, it certainly is entertaining. In a world where you can do or be anything, imagination is everything.

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Jodi Vaughn is an USA TODAY bestselling author and a National Readers Choice Award finalist for best paranormal. She is the author of the RISE OF THE ARKANSAS WEREWOLVES series and writes paranormal romance as well as contemporary romance. Born and raised in Mississippi, her deep Southern roots and love of the paranormal led her to write Southern Paranormal novels. When she is not conversing with characters in her head, she can be found at her home in Northeast Arkansas with her handsome husband, brilliant son, a temperamental swan, and yellow lab that is fond of retrieving turtles when duck season is over. She has recently added a black lab to their family who will eat anything not nailed down. Find her on Facebook, Jodi Vaughn, author. Follow her on Twitter and Periscope @JodiVaughn1 Sign up for her newsletter and check out her website http://jodivaughn.com Find her on Instagram at VaughnJodi

The Great Escape

by Gary Fearon, Creative Director, Southern Writers Magazine

It's every writer's dream: Escaping to a private sanctuary where there are no distractions, perfect conditions, and all the time in the world to write the Great American Novel.  I'm often reminded of a classic Dick Van Dyke episode in which he attempted just that, retreating to a cabin in the woods with his typewriter, only to end up doing everything but write.

Most of us can identify with his failure to communicate.  Even if we create the most ideal of circumstances, it's not a guarantee that inspiration will magically follow. But take heart, because there are many ways to connect with your muse so that wherever you sit down to write you won't be at a loss for words.

RETREATS
Each year there are numerous retreats in idyllic locations designed specifically for writers. Looking at some that will be available this fall, for example, a farmhouse in Tuscany or a hamlet in Denmark could be just the getaway that gets your literary juices flowing. With a price tag of a couple of thousand dollars, however, these retreats are clearly not in everyone's budget.  But there's nothing to keep you from creating your own retreat in a favorite setting closer to home.  Maybe a three-day weekend at a B&B would be just the right change of venue.

For a longer escape, you might consider the recent travel trend known as a silent retreat.  Who wouldn't be able to write in a Waldenesque locale offering nothing but quietude?  Well, besides Dick Van Dyke.

CONFERENCES
There's one coming to a city near you soon, guaranteed.  Whether it's a day-long intensive or a multi-day event, leaving the world behind to focus on the voices of experience is a push toward productivity. Meeting other authors is a confidence-building bonus. Many conferences even include a writers bookstore with discounts for attendees. By the end of the conference you'll be dying to get back to your keyboard to write.

WRITERS GROUPS
Whether they meet once a month or more often, writers groups are an excellent way to stay committed to your craft as well as accountable.  By design, no two groups are the same.  Some focus on instruction and exercises, others resemble a support group or social club. Each has its own personality, which is a good thing, since you can try them all and find the one that makes you the most motivated to write.

STAYING IN TOUCH WITH OTHER WRITERS
The business side of publishing may be highly competitive, but it's always encouraging to see how non-competitive writers are with each other. We celebrate everyone's success and are inspired by each new book release instead of envious. Welcoming each other like family, we readily share tricks of the trade. So it's easy to make friends in the writing community.  Whether we foster those relationships through email, social media, or face to face, there are few things more stimulating than an inspired back-and-forth with another creative mind.

Some of my most invigorating conversations have been over lunch with writer companions.  This past Thursday, four of us enjoyed a spirited repast at McAlister's, and I came away with three really good new story ideas.  I'm pretty sure it wasn't just the Kale Parmesan soup that triggered them.

HANGING OUT IN AN INSPIRING PLACE
Where do you think best? What setting clears your head and opens your imagination? For some, it will be outdoors in a park. Others relax at a coffee shop.  The library is a favorite hangout of writers, surrounded by all the literary masters. A museum or art gallery offers a similar sense of communion with creative genius. Whether you plant yourself there with a laptop or stroll the halls contemplating something you'll write later, a brush with greatness never fails to inspire.

WANDERLUST
Performing a mindless task inherently causes your mind to wander, lusting for something more interesting to think about.  You can use the thankless time spent mowing the lawn or doing the laundry to ponder a scene or a plot, unimpaired by the dull duty in front of you. Sort through story ideas while you're sorting socks and you could have the first paragraph of your next writing session ready to roll.

THE GREAT ESCAPE
When all is said and done, getting our words written is not a matter of escaping to a place of perfection. The most prolific authors say that where you write is not as important as getting in that chair and simply writing, period. Books get written through sheer will and the tenacity to see it through. So the real escape is sometimes from our own procrastination.

For your entertainment, here's a YouTube link to the classic cabin scene from that Dick Van Dyke episode mentioned earlier. May it serve as a reminder to avoid distractions wherever you choose to write, or if you can't, at least have fun.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1ovj_GhPK0&feature=youtu.be

By the way, you'll be glad to know that in the very last episode of the series, he finally did finish his book, just as you will.

WHERE DO THE STORIES COME FROM???

By Jan Wertz

I’m currently writing a set of short stories suggested by the people and places I’ve visited out West while on a series of vacations.  I look at the surroundings, and at the people and events around me.  Occasionally I hear a story about a person or place that serves as a jumping off place for my imagination and sense of humor.  

Here’s an example.

I heard a tale of a bear crashing a birthday party, and eating the cake while the frightened guests ran to the doubtful safety of a balcony that had sliding glass doors.  They had a great view of the party crasher gobbling the cake before he waddled off back into the woods.  I changed the situation and the people in it as my imagination took off with the concept.  My story ends with a small boy taking a photo of the bear; it has a pink sugar rose cake decoration it its mouth that makes the bear look like a huge hairy baby with a pink pacifier in its mouth.

Composites are great for coming up with a character or characters, a location, and, sometimes, a story.  I might have seen the way a specific person reacted to a particular situation, and then mentally put a different person with a different point of view, reactions and abilities into the situation, and let my imagination, and my knowledge of the other person (my characters also tend to composites of real people I’ve met), to come up with a different outcome for the situation.  One that will work nicely in a story, especially if it will be a source of conflict.

Anything, or any collection of events I’ve seen, read about in local newspapers, or suggested by conversations are fair game for combining into a story.  Add to that, reading the brochure for any scheduled event(s) can help provide a structure or a reason for a situation to exist.  While travelling out West in various National Parks, such as Yellowstone, I have seen both tourists and wild animals doing some really odd things, sometimes together.  An example of that was a tourist family trapped in their cabin in Yellowstone by a bull buffalo that had decided to stand on the cabin’s porch, and blocked the only door…  Add a brochure for a wild life cinematography competition, and there is a framework for a story.

Basically, I just keep my eyes and ears open, and the stories surround me.  Then the real work- and great fun- begins!!  Enjoy!!

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Jan Wertz began to write when a club I was in needed material for its newsletter.  Then, those articles were published by the Shetland Sheepdog Pacessetter!!  I've been writing ever since.  I do therapy dog work, and so wrote a Pacesetter article about that, Paws for Smiles.  Work with Reading Education Assistance Dogs resulted in writing a children's book,Sheltie Tales.  The American Shetland Sheepdog Association liked it, and published it.  All of this was done while I had a full time job.  Now I'm retired, and able to try new ideas in new venues.  I'm currently working on a series of modern Western short stories based on people and events I saw while on several vacations Out West. Her book, Sheltie Tales is available for free. 

The Perils of Pen Names

By Rachel J. Good

“I don’t believe it,” a friend said. “I’ve been working with a therapist for years to combine my multiple personalities, and you’re deliberately splitting yours.”

Yes, I’d adopted another alias, or—as we writers prefer to call it—a pen name.

So how did I stumble into pen-name territory? I chose my first pen name when I edited for a romance company. They suggested pseudonyms to keep our editing separate from our writing. I began attending conferences and contributing to writing columns under my editor pseudonym and writing under a different name. The first conference I attended as an editor I ignored people calling my pen name until they started chasing me down the halls.

Another time a conference director sent a shuttle to the airport, but when I gave the driver my real name, he insisted I wasn’t on the pick-up list. As he scanned the sheet, I spotted my pseudonym.

I pointed to his clipboard. “That’s me.”

He looked at me askance, but let me board. After we arrived at the hotel, I fumbled in my purse for a tip. My wallet went flying, and credit cards scattered everywhere. His eyes widened as he helped pick up cards with various pseudonyms on them. (And, yes, I do get credit cards for all my pen names.) He backed away as I handed him some bills. I’m sure he probably worried they were counterfeit.

My third pseudonym came from a book packager. They hoped the series I was writing for them would catch on, and they’d be able to hire a stable of authors to churn out books. Alas, that didn’t happen, and I’ve remained the only name behind the series.

A few years ago, I began writing Amish novels. Because most of the books under my own name are for children and teens, I selected a well-known name in Lancaster County, PA, where the series is set. (The name, Rachel J. Good, also honors my deceased critique partner, Julie Good.) While on book tour in Lancaster, I had some interesting conversations with people who insisted we must be related.

Now that I’m up to four pen names, things usually go more smoothly, but I still have embarrassing moments. A few times, I’ve signed the wrong name on emails or autographed a book incorrectly. If it’s my real name when it should be a pseudonym, I’ll add w/a (writing as) and the correct pen name. But if I catch myself writing the wrong pen name, I’ll turn the mistaken letters into a small design. That’s where my illustration degree comes in handy. If you stumble across any of my books with hearts or other small designs in front of my name, you’ll know I had a momentary brain freeze while autographing. Who knows? Perhaps someday those autographed books will be collector’s items.

Despite the problems with pen names, they also have benefits. 

After all, you never know when you might need the witness protection program or have to hide out from the law (especially if someone reports you for discussing foolproof murder techniques in public, another peril of being a writer). And, oh no, now that I’m talking mysteries, do I need another pseudonym?

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Inspirational author Rachel J. Good writes life-changing, heart-tugging novels of faith, hope, and forgiveness. She is the author of several Amish series in print or forthcoming – Sisters & Friends series, Love & Promises series, and two books in the Hearts of Amish Country series – as well as the Amish Quilts Coloring Books and the contemporary novella, Angels Unaware. Visit her at her website, Facebook, author page, Twitter, Pinterest, and Goodreads. Her alter-ego, Laurie J. Edwards, is a former teacher and librarian with more than 2300 articles and two dozen books in print or forthcoming, who also juggles freelance editing and illustration careers. Find out more about her on her website, blog, Twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads. As Erin Johnson, she generally hangs around on Wattpad with her teen readers.

Envelope-Gate at The Oscars...Lessons for Authors

By Annette Cole Mastron, Communications Director for Southern Writers Magazine

I love seeing Memphis folks making a splash at The Oscars. I was not disappointed this past Sunday. The 89th show started off with Memphian Justin Timberlake dancing and singing his way into the Dolby Theater to his Oscar nominated song, Can't Stop That Feeling. The crowd of attendees were dancing and the energy of the opening was contagious. It reminded me like any good book it needs to start off with a bang so readers will keep turning the pages. 

Best-supporting-actor winner, Mahershala Ali, won for his performance in Moonlight. He gave an impassive and humble speech, thanking those in his life who helped him achieve this award.

“I want to thank my teachers, my professors, one thing they consistently told me (and he named several) was that it wasn’t about you. It’s not about you, it’s about these characters, and you are a servant. You’re in service to these stories and these characters.”

WoW...what a fantastic speech, thanking his teachers and some by name. We as authors all owe our success to a lifetime of teachers both good and bad who contributed to our success as writers. They have taught, inspired, critique and have made us who we now are through their influence. How wonderful if you could give a thank you to your most impactive teachers on our various author social media links, websites and at our book signing. 

Viola Davis won Best Supporting Actress for Fences. In her acceptance speech she said, "People ask me all the time, what kind of stories do you want to tell, Viola? I say, exhume those bodies, exhume those stories. The stories of the people who dreamed big, and never saw those dreams to fruition, people who fell in love and lost." The take away from Viola speech for authors is to find a unique story. Tell the story to completion...warts and all. 

Like any good book The Oscars had a never before seen surprise ending. Memphian, Molly Smith executive producer for the announced Best Picture winner for La La Land was at The Oscars. What happened has been dubbed "envelop-gate." If you missed the big brouhaha. The producers and cast of La La Land took the stage and were holding Oscars only to discover they were NOT the winners. The La La Land folks graciously announced the real winner, Moonlight and relinquished the Oscars. What a humbling experience for all concerned...but what a surprise ending. May all our books have an ending that stays with our readers. 

The 89th Oscars was memorable I wonder what the 90th Oscar show will bring? If we leave our readers wondering when our next book will release we will have a fan for life. 

Tricks and Tactics of Writing Multiple Book Series

By Laura Childs

As former CEO of my own marketing firm, I was used to working under the gun to develop unique concepts and campaigns for multiple clients.  But when I sold my agency and turned to novel writing, it never occurred to me that I’d find myself doing pretty much the same thing.  Well, here I am, some 12 years later, writing 4 different series.  That’s right.  I currently write the New York Times bestselling Tea Shop Mysteries, Scrapbooking Mysteries, and Cackleberry Club Mysteries.  And just recently, my publisher, Penguin Random House, gave me the green light for a fourth hard-edged thriller series.

How do I handle this multiplicity of work?  Very carefully and with the same degree of planning that went into a Napoleonic military campaign.  Of course, everyone in my life is in favor of me writing as many books as I can handle.  My editor, agent, husband, dogs, cleaning lady, etc. all told me to go for it.  And coming from that advertising/marketing background, I was fairly familiar with pounding out ideas and sweating tough deadlines.

Still, my daily schedule is very, very tight.  So I try to be highly productive – that is, I write ten to fifteen pages per day for four days, then switch over to working on marketing for a couple days.  I’m also very lucky in that I never get lethargy, I never get blocked.  I simply don’t believe in those things.  When you’re in the media business (novels, journalism, TV, screenplays, whatever) you have to be like the shark – just keep moving forward!

When would-be authors ask for advice, I generally tell them to do their homework and be a bit practical.  Ask yourself – do you really think publishers are chomping at the bit for another culinary mystery?  How about a vampire story?  The thing is, you have to find something nobody else has done and put a big fat, juicy spin on it.  Also, it’s critical to write a few pages every day – and to always work straight through.  Don’t go back and do revisions until your manuscript is completely finished.  Chances are, you’ll be very pleasantly surprised at what you end up with.  Okay, it’s done?  NOW go back and punch up your work like crazy – ratchet up the action and human drama, make your characters loveable or despicable.  And do have fun!

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Laura Childs is the New York Times bestselling author of the Tea Shop Mysteries, Scrapbooking Mysteries, and Cackleberry Club Mysteries.  Devonshire Scream, the 17th Tea Shop Mystery, releases today,  March 1.  Little Girl Gone, the first book in her Afton Tangler Thriller Series written under her real name of Gerry Schmitt, releases July 5.  In her previous life she was CEO of her own marketing firm, authored several screenplays, and produced a reality TV show.  She is married to Dr. Bob, a professor of Chinese art history, enjoys travel, and has two Shar-Peis.