Writing

ufo-155732_640 (1)

I read an article that flying cars could be a reality in eight to twelve years. The year of The Jetsons has finally arrived.

As a writer, I was particularly interested in the article because I like to write fantasy…actually write about the real world with a twist of fantasy.  I have to make a mental note that in a few years a flying car could be a real thing. In this technological age it becomes harder to dream up gadgets and gizmos. Many visions are now part of our daily lives. Can you say video chat?

There are probably many people on board with this flying car idea. When I first saw the headline, it made me want to read the article – Plans to build flying car really need to be grounded. I didn’t understand why the writer wanted the cars grounded. I always wanted to see a flying car. She presented facts I hadn’t thought about. It made me think.

Reading on, I came to the main idea of the article. Just because we can make the cars, is it a good idea? Yes, it would help with big city congestion. Yes, it would take a shorter amount of time to commute. Yet, it could create larger problems.

People may choose to live farther from their jobs because they could get to them quickly and easily. Instead of reviving the inner city, people may spread out even further.

Another issue would be air pollution. All those cars in the air, traveling many miles, would emit more fumes. Just because we can build it…should we?

The best arguments for grounding the cars are these—denser living, public transportation and walkable or bikeable commutes. In other words, make our big cities user friendly. So many are not.

Yes, I grew up watching The Jetsons. I thought it would be really cool if someone invented those things I saw on the show. We heard by the 21st century things would be vastly different. In some ways they are. Computers rule. Technology is off the charts.

Still, I want to cling to some of the old ways of doing things. What’s wrong with that? Maybe that’s why I chose for my character to travel back in time instead of forward. I must be a good old-fashioned girl at heart.

Read more

woman-213723_640

Today I am doing something a little different. I’ve been sent four questions to answer on my blog.

I want to thank author Brenda Ashworth Barry for the questions.

1.) What am I working on?

I just finished releasing my young adult trilogy—Waiting for Dusk, Call of the Canyon and Stealing Time. Many readers love the characters from 1927.  It suddenly made perfect sense to write a historical romance novel involving Anna and Lucinda, Kate’s friends from the past. They start their journey in boarding school and the reader will find out how they made their way out west and what caused their falling out. Look for it Winter 2015. Besides that, I am working on a contemporary novel with a touch of fantasy. My character goes to a Medieval Faire and has flashbacks to another life.

2.) How does my work differ from others in its genre?

I like to write in a contemporary setting and then weave in a little fantasy. I hope the reader can visualize it happening to them. My Waiting for Dusk series is about time travel. A book makes the travel happen. There’s no time machine involved. I’ve read other novels where the main character drove through a storm in a car and ended up in medieval times.  In another, the character has no control when it happens and just vanishes. I haven’t found a novel where a book is the culprit.

3.) Why do I write what I do?

I was an elementary school teacher for 30 years. I gravitate toward children and young adult books.  I’ve always enjoyed the characters of Beverly Cleary’s Ramona the Pest and the lessons in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I never really planned on writing or becoming an author. I wrote short stories when I was in school. Then I was busy being a wife, mother and teacher.
Visiting National Parks became a recent passion. My husband and I had just returned from the Grand Canyon. A PBS series about National Parks was going to air and we decided to watch. My mind drifted to another place. I began thinking about the recent park visit, the history I just watched and how fun it might be to have a young girl move between the past and present. I had no intention of writing a novel. So it literally happened overnight.

4.) How does my writing process work?

It develops in my mind. I think the whole story through and where I want to take it. I also keep a folder on my computer for research I’ve done. When I begin the actual process of writing the story, the characters might have other ideas. I like the fact that sometimes you change your mind right in the middle of writing. That’s the fun part of writing a novel.

You can find more about me here: Amazon Author Page

Read more

BaitShopBlues copy 2

I’d like to introduce you to my publisher today. She’s a busy woman running a publishing company who also has written several books. Plus she recently retired from a full-time job! With that said, I have to say Nancy is always there for her authors. Emails are answered within hours. She hangs in there with you until any problem is solved. She gives good advice or steers you in the right direction.

When I submitted my first book to Melange, Nancy was in the middle of creating the young adult imprint- Fire & Ice. Luckily, she liked my series and Waiting for Dusk was published in November, 2012.

The company is growing and she’s added another imprint, Satin Romance, where you’ll find her book. She has released her romance novel, Bait Shop Blues. Nancy has taken time off from her busy schedule to answer a few questions…as an author and a publisher.

1. Tell us a little about yourself. Did you always want to be a writer? 

**I’ve been married to the same man (do you believe?) since 1975. We have four grown children and seven young grandchildren. We are a very busy family. Luckily, I was able to retire late 2013 so now can devote all of my time to Melange Books, which I started up in Jan. 2011. I’ve been writing, seriously, since 1983. Published for the first time in 2003, my Scottish Historical romance, The MacAulay Bride. I have written 6 full length novels, some under the pseudonym, Nancy Pirri, and erotica under Natasha Perry. I’ve also written several short stories published at various publishing houses.
As for wanting to be a writer? No, truth be told. While raising our four children, I had become an avid romance reader and decided after awhile that I would try my hand at a romance, though I always enjoyed writing in school. So, essentially, I was a late bloomer!

2. Bait Shop Blues takes place in northern Minnesota. Familiar territory?

Absolutely. The specific area is Crane Lake, a spit away from the Canadian border.

3. What inspired you to write the book?

**My family has vacationed up north, very near the Canadian border every year since 1982 and there is a ‘bait shop’ similar to Paradise to Gateway, as depicted in the book, and the cover art design.

4. How long did it take to write the book?

**6 months.

5. Cassandra has been described as a Marilyn Monroe look alike. She wants men to see her for more than her physical looks. Tell us what she’d want people to know about her.

**She’d want people to know she is a competent, savy businesswoman. She has made some major strides in her life, starting her own company and making it a success. She’d like people to know that she’s an independent woman, but vulnerable, lonely and needs people, but is afraid of forming a relationship with a man. She’s been stood up twice at the altar so who can blame her?

6. Leif challenges Cassandra to a boundary-waters canoe trip. Are you an outdoors woman who would gladly go on this kind of trip? Or did you do a lot of research?

**My outdoorsmanship leans toward gardening and hanging my wet laundry on clotheslines. I do enjoy sitting on the beach, reading, of course. But I also grew up fishing, first with my dad, and then with my husband who is an avid fisherman. And, living in Minnesota, it seems to ‘go with the territory-fishing’. I have done my share of fishing, canoeing and hiking.

7. Bait Shop Blues was once with another publisher. You regained the rights to the book. How did you decide now was the right time to rerelease it?

**I worked the past year, in bits and pieces, re-editing it. And because my first responsibility to Melange and my great authors, it was a slow procedure. I have the rights back for all of my books and hope to publish one a year over time.

8. You have a lot on your plate being a publisher and an author. How do you juggle it all?

**I worked a full-time job during the past 3 years while developing and managing Melange. I didn’t get much sleep but then I’ve never required a lot of it—or so I thought—until I retired December 2013. So now, with all of my days and nights being available to grow and work at Melange, I’ve also managed to catch up on sleep. I realize now I’ve been sleep-deprived since having my first child in 1981! As for being an author, I haven’t written anything new in 3 years but hope to do a bit this year.

9. Wearing your publisher’s hat, what advice would you give aspiring authors?

**An author must have discipline, drive and passion for writing in order to finish a story or novel. The most successful authors I know do not have college degrees in English or Creative Writing—some don’t have a college degree at all, but over the years have been avid readers. Some of them, from their joy of reading, decide over time that maybe they have a story to tell. The author that succeeds is one who will keep at it until they can type ‘The End’. The most talented wordmaster will not be successful if he/she is not disciplined.

10. As an author, would the advice still be the same?

**Yes.

11. What’s your favorite genre to read? Write in?

**I’ve recently learned to appreciate reading fantasy and some science fiction, but mostly I love women’s fiction and romance. I will always love writing romance and erotica and while I can appreciate reading other genres I just don’t have the desire to write anything else.

12. What else are you working on? Is there a sequel in the works for Leif and Cassandra?

**Nope. No sequels. I hope to re-publish my first novel, The MacAulay Bride before 2015.

Thanks for the interview, Nancy!

***Don’t miss out on this great giveaway!***

Prizes:

2-$15 Amazon Gift Cards

2-Ebook Copies of Bait Shop Blues

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/01288e12/

Bait Shop Blues by Nancy Pirri

Finding love shouldn’t be so hard…

What does a successful businesswoman born and bred in Chicago want with half-ownership of a quaint bait shop in northern Minnesota, willed to her by her grandfather? And how will the reclusive half-owner of the shop convince the woman to sell out her half to him? For Cassandra Thompson, a Marilyn Monroe look-alike who’s recently been dumped by her second fiancé in two years, it could mean a well-needed change in life. For Leif Halverson, a handsome man of Ojibwa extraction, and co-owner of the shop, it could mean disaster—like falling in love. Leif is far from happy about this city woman invading his territory so he challenges her to a wilderness survival contest where the winner takes all.

Buy Links:

Smashwords:https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/432153

Melange Books: Satin Romance: http://www.satinromance.com/authors/nancypirri/bsb.html

 About the Author

nancy-copy

Nancy Schumacher is the owner-publisher of Melange Books, LLC, writing under the pseudonyms, Nancy Pirri and Natasha Perry. Nancy started writing eighteen years ago while raising four children. She is a member of Romance Writers of America. She is also one of the founders of the Minnesota RWA chapter, Northern Lights Writers (NLW).

Nancy’s debut historical romance, THE MACAULAY BRIDE, set in late 19th century Scotland, was published in 2003. The debut book received several contest wins and received a TOP PICK award from Romantic Times Book Club publication in Oct. 2004. BAIT SHOP BLUES is her second full-length novel. She has written five full-length novels, and many stories included in anthologies with Melange Books, LLC.

 

Get in Touch With Nancy:

http://www.nancypirri.com

https://www.facebook.com/NancyPirriAuthor

https://twitter.com/MelangeBooks

http://www.melange-books.com/authors/nancypirri/nancypirri.html

 

 

 

Read more

model-33182_640

Do you have a favorite? Decade that is. Seems like everyone has one. They are even themes for parties.

The Fifties always seemed to be a favorite but I’ve noticed the Seventies is starting to edge it out. I saw a picture of someone attending a Nineties party and I wanted to shout, “Too soon!”

People seem to lump fashion, music, art and way of life into decades. How did that happen? When one decade ended, the next was given a blank slant and told to start something new? Or did it just work out that way?

The Twenties became the backdrop for my time travel novels. I had to research clothes and music but also had many of my grandmother’s old pictures. I think I chose that time period because it felt so familiar.

Lots happened in that decade, starting with Prohibition right down to modern fashion for both men and women. Crazy dances like the Charleston and the “talkies” –movies with sound—were big hits. The Twenties took people into the modern era.

So I guess looking at life through decades is kind of cool. It puts history in perspective in smaller bites. We can analyze time easier that way.

So let’s have a little fun. Choose your favorite decade. It can be one when you weren’t even alive. Do a little research, learn about it.  I was surprised to learn that telephones, refrigerators and indoor plumbing were quite common place. Don’t know why I thought they weren’t. It just seemed like so long ago.

One day this decade will be part of the group. Makes you wonder how it will be remembered. Fashion forward or party costumes? It probably won’t be long before we find out.

Read more

simple-48220_640

I recently read something a friend posted. It said that everyone isn’t your friend. Just because they hang around or say they have your back, doesn’t mean it’s so. People pretend well. So know your inner circle.

I don’t know if she was having a bad day or making a statement. It is something many of us deal with in our lives and if you’re a sensitive person, it bothers you more. If you’re someone that can let it roll off your back, I envy you.

When I started teaching my mom bought me a mug to have in my classroom. It had a picture of cartoon turkeys with the saying, Don’t let the turkeys get you down. I had to smile every time I looked at it. I tried to use that as my motto ever since.

We start off life thinking everyone’s our friend and as the years go on, we learn differently. People will disappoint. Some will turn their backs. Someone you thought was a friend didn’t consider you one. Those are called life lessons. And maybe that’s what helps me write.

My personal experiences find their way into my stories. Characters take on traits of people I’ve known—good and bad. Disappointment and betrayals make  great story lines.

There’s also the other side of the coin. Your inner circle. It can be large or small. It doesn’t matter. When things get you down, you know you can rely on them. They become the characters in the story who are your heroes or the ones that give great advice.

Life’s a journey, a bumpy one at that. When you come to a major pothole it might be time to get out that coffee cup. Fill it with your favorite beverage, lean back and take a good look at those turkeys. Take a sip and a deep breath. Then take another look. Sometimes you need to just let it go. There’s no way to fix it. It may take a short time…or maybe quite a while. Whatever it is the turkeys did….don’t let them get you down.

 

Read more

 

eat-3795_640 I don’t read my horoscope too often, but it caught my eye yesterday as I looked through the morning newspaper. This is what it said:

If you don’t have nearly enough of what you need, consider this to be a blessing. It’s better to be a little hungry than too full. Hunger is exciting. It causes action.

I thought it was a profound statement that can be applied to so many things in life. It made me think about my writing and other creative endeavors people embark on. There’s a drive inside, like a hunger, which causes a person to create. After you’re done, you want to share it with the world. That’s when the hard part begins. You need that hunger from deep inside to push through and take that next step. It causes action.

Sometimes things are handed to people. It comes too easy. Can they find that hunger or determination? Or is it a little more difficult? Many would love to have the next best seller, the song at the top of the charts or be an A-list celebrity. All the people that made it, how hard did they work to get there? Was it handed to them or did they have that hunger?

I prefer to think they had the drive and took action to get there. It’s not an easy road to travel. So much competition, so many obstacles to overcome.

No matter how you apply the hunger statement to your life, use it as motivation. Never stop driving yourself to want more, make things better. Sure, it’s easy to be jealous of those that seem to have it easy but ask yourself, which way would you want? The easy way…or the tougher road?

After reading my horoscope again, I think I know what I would choose.

Read more

learn-64058_640

I love Fleetwood Mac and their song, Go Your Own Way, is a great anthem. I’ve had a lot of people ask me how I keep my characters and stories organized. When I tell them, “In my head”, I get a strange look.

Some authors make outlines for their stories; others have charts and intricate computer programs. Others have it all in their head. I told this person they had to do what works for them. We’re all different in the learning department.

Everyone learns differently. When I taught I made sure to use as many ways as possible to educate my students. They’re called Learning Styles. Not everyone is auditory–as in the talking, listening student. Some are visual, having to see it to believe it. Others are kinesthetic and need a hands-on approach. Then there are the tactual learners who need to feel things. Many people are a combination of styles.

I had a flannel board and colored chalk, magnets of numbers and shapes in my classroom besides the computers. I guess those things would be considered outdated now with fancy whiteboards and updated computers. I had one student tell me recently he learned subtraction because of my flannel board. He learned in his own way.

What works for you, may not work for someone else. Don’t let anyone tell you you’re doing something wrong or need an outline or notebooks filled with information to do what you want. Learn your own way. Write your own way. Go your own way. Do what works for you.

 

Read more

fear-198933_640

I admit I’m sensitive. I get my feelings hurt very easily. So why put myself through the torture of rejection?

The fear of rejection was the hardest thing to overcome after I wrote my first book. When you write, you’re alone in your own little world, happily writing your story. The next step was the scary part—getting it out there. From what I read, you needed an agent to get published and be successful.

Agents are very good at rejection. They have all different ways of saying your book is not for them. They also suggest that someone else may like it even if it’s not right for them. My first rejection letter came in the mail. I read it over and over, letting it sink in. It took a few days to get over but I realized if I was going to get published, I had to take the rejection.

I needed to develop my own personal plan to get over this fear. I had to become my own life coach. I knew I needed pep talks and I was the only one who could do it. I began a list in my head of what had to be done.

The first thing I had to do was not care so much. This wasn’t personal. It’s a business. Don’t take it to heart.

I became my own cheerleader. I assured myself it was okay and I’d live to see another day.

I had to accept the rejection. Most came by e-mail and I saved them all. When one came along, I added it to a folder marked “Queries”.  Read them and move on.

There’s a great song out now from the Disney movie, Frozen. Its title, Let it Go, says it all. Don’t dwell on the rejection.

Imagine my surprise when I finally got an offer to publish my book! I had to read it over carefully because I was so used to skimming the contents for the rejection. If I had given into my fear, I wouldn’t be here now, telling you about my third book in my series, Stealing Time.

I recently read a story about a young girl who went to her mother and asked, “Why bother trying anymore?” The mother went to the kitchen and filled three pots with water. She placed an apple in one, an egg in another and finally tea into the last, bringing them to a boil. The girl didn’t understand why her mom did that. Her mother said it taught something about facing challenging times. The daughter shook her head, confused. The mother explained. The apple went into the water hard and came out soft and spongy. The egg was hard and firm. However, the tea transformed the water into something good, healing and beneficial.

The mother then asked the daughter what she would do when she was faced with the trials of life. Would she be similar to the apple and fall apart? Or grow hard like the egg? Or perhaps, like the tea, turn your trials into triumph, something of value.

The story can be applied to all our obstacles in life. Which would you choose? I’ve always been a tea lover myself.

Read more

A few years back I was invited to join a group website. I’ll leave out the name because it’s not important. I created an account, a very basic one, and ignored it. The only reason I did it in the first place was people I knew asked me to be in the group. I felt guilty, like I needed to help them out, so I joined.

Every once in awhile, I’d get a request and accept the invite. This past week, I got another one. I decided to investigate the site a little further and looked at my old profile. I had no idea what I wrote so I thought it would be a good idea to update. Since I write, I thought joining a few writers’ groups wouldn’t be a bad thing either.

Well, little did I know, I would start getting emails from every group within the hour. I know I can elect to not have them sent, but I was curious. I might learn something new, discover fresh ideas and make some connections.

So far, this is what I learned. Someone sold a book and didn’t get paid. They wanted to know what piracy was. What? Trust me. That’s exactly what it said.

Not to get into details, but people politely posted questions to help this person out. They asked: How did this person know they sold a book? Answer: Someone told them they bought a book.

Do they have a contract? Do they get paid quarterly? Never answered.

Did they independently publish? Many helpful facts were given about how self-published authors get paid. Again, the poster never answered.

I sat back and took a deep breath. I asked myself what did you get yourself into? I thought professionals and aspiring authors would be sharing information. Hopefully better topics will be come up in the future.

Then I reread the post. Was it about the excitement of selling a book or did this person just want to get paid? They weren’t overjoyed they sold their book? That someone wanted to read it?

If you write to get a payday, then you might be in the wrong profession. Maybe the top 1% can call it their passion and their career.

So if you write, write because you love it. Not that someone will buy your book and you’re waiting to get paid.

I don’t want someone to just buy my book. It would make my day if they read it.

 

Read more

stbookcoverDon’t we all wish we could steal time? Have a few extra hours or go back and do something over? Or travel far beyond your own timeline to places unknown? I chose this title for the next book in my series because I loved the thought that time travel is like stealing time.

If you could steal time, what would you do? Go back in your own life and do something different? Or maybe pick a period from long ago that you wish you could visit? How about traveling to the future? So many directions to go.

After time traveling, you return to your present life. It’s the same day as when you left. No time lost. That’s how I came up with the thought that the extra time you got when you traveled was like stealing time.

One of my main characters longed to go back in time just once more. Here’s what she said when she arrived.

“Oh, I have all the memories, from now and the present.” Anna stopped twirling and hugged Kate tightly. “I don’t want to waste a minute. I feel like a thief in the night, robbing someone else’s life. I need to get started.”

Stealing Time. Wouldn’t it be great?

Read more