Introducing Ned Hickson

September 28, 2014September 28, 2014 / Marcia Meara / 14 Comments

I’m so happy to have my cyber-friend, Ned Hickson, joining us here on The Write Stuff. Ned is a funny, funny man, and an all-around nice guy. If you don’t follow Ned Hickson.com, you really should. He makes me, and a whole lot of other people, laugh every day! I decided to use Ned’s About Me page, entitled Let Me Explain Myself, as his intro, because it’s far funnier than anything I would come up with.

Ned Hickson is an editor and humor columnist for the Siuslaw News,
a small Oregon newspaper where the motto is:
Your dependable source for local news. Twice weekly. Unless we lose count.

After graduating from high school in Florence, Ore. in 1984, Ned moved to Dallas,Texas, where he found groundbreaking work as a bus boy. He eventually made his way into the kitchen and was promoted to corporate chef for L&N Seafood Restaurant in 1987, traveling throughout the South, coordinating restaurant openings. In 1989 he was promoted to regional chef and moved to Atlanta, Ga., where he was in charge of overseeing kitchen operations for 15 L&N Seafood locations throughout the Southern region.

But what does any of this have to do with his WRITING credentials?!?

Nothing really, but aren’t you getting hungry?

During his years in the restaurant business, Ned continued to write, getting short stories published in dozens of small press magazines, and completing a mystery novel. In 1999, he was hired as sports editor and columnist for the Siuslaw News in Florence.

“Focused.” “Dedicated.” “Marginally Excitable.” — Just some of the words used
to describe his journalistic style.

During his time at the News, he has been awarded “Best Local Column” from both the Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association and the Society of Professional Journalists. He took his self-syndicated column online to newspapers in 2002 and, by 2003, received his first measure of national success: A threatening letter from Velcro© for not using the “©” symbol when making fun of its product. That same year, he became a member of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists. In 2013, his column became a syndicated feature with News Media Corporation.

He and his wife, Alicia, are the parents of four children. They live in a 112-year-old home, where Ned utilizes his home repair skills to make improvements, such as being able to flush the toilet by turning on the garbage disposal. He is also a volunteer firefighter, which could come in handy, depending on how well he wired his home.

“This should get that fuse box open…”

Ned Hickson is a syndicated columnist with News Media Corporation. His first book, Humor at the Speed of Life, is available from Port Hole Publications, Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble.

Buy Ned’s book here:

Humor at the Speed of Life: Amazon
Humor at the Speed of Life: Barnes & Noble
Humor at the Speed of Life: Port Hole Publications

Find Ned on Social Media here:

Ned’s Blog
Facebook
Twitter

Do You Have A Favorite Blog for Grammar Tips?

September 26, 2014 / Marcia Meara / 5 Comments

One of the things I’d like to do with this blog, is share resources with each other, especially ones that are thorough, yet easy to understand. Most of you are probably a lot younger than I, so this might not be quite as big of a problem, but I went to high school a very long time ago…graduated in 1962, to be exact. (Your math is correct. That’s more than 50 years ago!) But my point is that my English, while better than average, probably, is far less than perfect. And for me, good grammar is essential when writing a book. Don’t ever think that people won’t notice, because they do. And they mention things like that in reviews, which are so important to the sale of your books. So, unless you are an English teacher (and maybe even then, on occasion), you are going to want to have a quick and easy reference to grammar rules close at hand.

I have my trusty copy of Strunk & White’s The Elements of Style on my desktop, of course. (I firmly believe every writer needs a copy of that.) But I often head to websites and blogs that provide quick and easy to remember ways of refreshing the rules for me. One of the most useful blogs I’ve found is C. S. Lakin’s blog, Live, Write Thrive. She has some of the best and easiest ways to remember grammar rules, plus she gives fantastic advice on plotting, structure, and other topics we writers often want to learn more about.

When I Google for something like “the difference between affect and effect,” say, I frequently end up on Grammar Girl’s site, too, though I have to say, the page itself has gotten a bit unwieldy for me these days, with a ton of pop-ups and a less user-friendly interface than it once had. That could just be my browser, perhaps. But there’s a lot of great info to be found there.

I’d love to know what resources you’ve found that you can’t live without. I’m talking quick and easy references here, as opposed to the larger writing forums out there. Is there a blog, bulletin board, or website you use regularly? Inquiring minds wanna know! 🙂

A Quick Reminder

September 26, 2014October 3, 2014 / Marcia Meara / 4 Comments

When you read an author’s introductory post, especially if it contains links to their books and/or news about promos, remember to Tweet, Reblog, or post on Facebook. They’ll do the same for you to help get the word out. Clicking the Like button makes ME feel good, and I love that (and thank you for it), but passing the word along will make the authors feel good, and help them reach new readers. THANKS so much!!

Have a great day!

NOTE: All of the SHARE buttons can be reached by clicking on either the Title of the post, or on Comments. They are located at the bottom of the post on that page.

Introducing Aimee Easterling

September 26, 2014September 28, 2014 / Marcia Meara / 1 Comment

I’m very happy to have Aimee join our group. She’s published several books, and has learned a lot of marketing tricks that can help us all, especially those of us who are self-published but struggle with the concept of self-marketing. I know you’ll enjoy reading Aimee’s future posts, and today’s introduction to her work includes the fact that her novel Shiftless is on sale through the weekend. I’ve read this one, and it’s a fun YA Urban Fantasy, with an unusual take on werewolves. See my review here.

Take it away, Aimee!

A huge thank-you to Marcia for giving me this opportunity to share with her readers! I’ve promised her a more marketing-related post in the near future since I’ve spent a few years figuring out a lot of tricks relating to the world of pricing, promotions, covers, and more. So feel free to leave a comment if you’re just starting out and have a pressing need to learn about any particular aspect of the non-writing part of our craft, then I’ll see if I can fold the answer into my next post.

Okay, on to the self-promotion. I’m excited to be able to share my werewolf novel, Shiftless, for 99 cents starting today and running through the weekend! Here’s what one reviewer had to say about the story: “Exquisite worldbuilding underpins this tale of a young woman coming to grips with her werewolf nature, her self-chosen exile from her pack, and her new relationship with Wolf, the Alpha of another, much less traditional, wolf pack.” Seventy-two readers have been kind enough to give the novel five stars, so I hope you’ll enjoy it as well!

While you’re on Amazon, you might enjoy pre-ordering a copy of Despite the Gentleman’s Riches, a sweetly sensual billionaire romance. When I started reading this subgenre, I was surprised by how many similarities billionaire romances had with werewolf books (lots of power dynamics between the hero and heroine, especially). So I had to try my hand at this subgenre as well! Since Despite the Gentleman’s Riches is currently priced at the impulse-buy 99-cent level, why not give in to your impulse and pre-order a copy?

Here are all of my books in case you want to delve deeper:

Shiftless
Despite the Gentleman’s Riches
Burgling the Dragon
Bloodling Wolf
Flight of the Billionaire’s Sister
Lollipops, Garlic, and Basement Salamanders

Thanks for reading, and I’m looking forward to sharing some tips with you soon!

(NOTE from Marcia. If you are planning to read Shiftless, I recommend reading the short story Bloodling Wolf first. It’s a back story that lets you understand how and why Wolfie started his own unusual pack.)

Introducing Evelyn Cullet

September 25, 2014September 25, 2014 / Marcia Meara / 4 Comments

The Write Stuff is very happy to introduce another new member of the group, mystery writer Evelyn Cullet. I hope Evelyn will share some of her experience with us over the weeks ahead, and I can’t wait for everyone to get to know her better. I also hope you’ll all check out her newest book. (And don’t forget to reblog, Tweet, and Facebook all of our Author Introductions! Thanks!)

Evelyn Cullet

Evelyn Cullet has been an aspiring author since high school when she wrote short stories. She began her first novel while attending college later in life, and while working in the offices of a major soft drink company. After college, she continued taking writing classes. Now, with an early retirement, she finally has the chance to do what she loves best: write full time. As a life-long mystery buff, she was a former member of the Agatha Christie Society, and is a current member of Sisters In Crime. When she’s not writing mysteries, reading them or reviewing them, she hosts other authors and their works on her writers blog. She also plays the piano, is an amateur lapidary, and an organic gardener. Evelyn and her husband live in a suburb of Chicago.

Evelyn’s Newest Release: Once Upon a Crime

Love isn’t always a fairy tale…

…and Charlotte Ross has kissed her share of frogs, but that’s all behind her. Fleeing her life for a short break, Charlotte, along with her best friend Jane Marshall, find themselves at her aunt’s home in the sleepy town of Raven’s Caw, Michigan. Charlotte hopes to recover from another breakup with her fiancé, and her friend Jane, a new mystery writer, is looking forward to somewhere relaxing. But life has different plans for the two friends and they find themselves swept up in a whirlwind of romance, mystery and murder.

Sparks fly between Jane and Charlotte’s attractive, Machiavellian cousin, Kenny. But is the attraction too good to be true or just a diversion from a mystery that has piqued her interest? Charlotte is pulled along on this roller-coaster of emotion when she meets up with her first love, as she and Jane discover links between a murder that happened twelve years earlier and a recent crime. Risking their lives and hearts, the friends race against the past in an effort to solve the crimes before one of them becomes the next victim.

Once Upon a Crime is available at:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Wings ePress
Smashwords

Find Evelyn on Social Media here:
Website and Blog
Facebook Author’s Page
Twitter
Goodreads
Pinterest

Blue by Caitlin Stern

September 25, 2014 / Marcia Meara / Leave a comment

Caitlin Stern is my good friend and editor, and I’m so happy to have her here with us on The Write Stuff. She’s fantastic with the nit-pickiest rules of grammar, and she makes sure I stay true to the intent of my characters. And on top of all of that, she write lovely poems, often with an ironic twist, but sometimes just because they’re beautiful. Hope you enjoy this one.

Image from WikiMedia by Nivea2009.

Blue

enamelware cup

waving morning glory sea

fluttering wings of a morpho butterfly

Sometimes it’s deeply melancholy

but others it’s mellow

and a little jazzy

~~~

Caitlin Stern started writing young, mostly short stories, but also some poetry that always rhymed. In college, she learned to embrace free verse wholeheartedly, and enjoys playing with line breaks. Mostly, she writes about writing, inspiration, and reading, but also about any random topic that catches her imagination.

Introducing Debra Mauldin

September 25, 2014 / Marcia Meara / 2 Comments

Debra is the second one of our new members to step up and introduce herself. Thanks so much, Debra. I’m really looking forward to getting to know you better.

Debra Mauldin

Published writer, Mother to 3 beautiful daughters and Grandmother to 6, (4 girls and 2 boys). My grandchildren are my world! I am a Certified Aromatherapist with an Associate’s Degree in Human Services. Writing has always been a part of my life. My passions are writing, reading, helping others, gardening, nature, and spending time with my grandchildren. I am currently working on a short story anthology that will be women’s fiction. I hope to publish by May 2015.

I am also working on two different novels, one fantasy, and the other one science fiction. I hope to get both of these novels published in 2015.

Read Debra’s short story, Christmas Festival, here:
Christmas Festival

Buy the complete anthology here:
Dragon Knight Chronicles

Find Debra on Social Media here:

Wattpad (3 short stories)
Twitter
Linked In
Pinterest
DKC Writers’ Corner

Question?

September 24, 2014September 24, 2014 / Marcia Meara / 10 Comments

Is anyone else having trouble viewing the cover photo of Patti Fiala’s book, Dog Days of Summer , in her post below? It shows up fine for me, but I’m still tweaking the blog, and since Patti can’t see it on her end, I’d like to know if I’ve done something wrong somewhere. Thanks!

You should be able to see it in the center of her post, and it looks like THIS. (I was just looking for an excuse to post it again, anyway…grin)