Reading, wRiting, and Roaming with Author Valerie Biel

Monthly Book Review - January

February 8, 2017

There’s a reason I didn’t get much (okay any!) writing done in January. I was reading! And I’m happy to tell you all about my favorite books of the month . . . full of deadly diseases, crumbling societies, and murder. 

I’m sure many of you saw the movie World War Z when it came out a few years ago. I assumed the book by Max Brooks would be close to the same plot line as the movie, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. This novel has a very intriguing format. It’s written as a series of first-hand accounts in interview format from locations around the world about what happened when the virus hit and the aftermath on those who managed to survive. It’s political and personal and horrific and uplifting—all... Continue Reading

Interview with Author Sandy Goldsworthy

January 31, 2017

Today I welcome author Sandy Goldsworthy. I fell in love with her Aftermath series and think you might, too. I love the unique premise of this series and find it incredibly imaginative. It drew me in immediately. Here’s the cover blurb . . .

After losing her father, Emma Bennett moves to her aunt’s small town of Westport to finish out her senior year of high school. Emma wants to forget the pain and loss of the past few weeks, finding relief in the company of Ben Parker—a local boy who she has an instant attraction and uncanny connection with. When Ben seems a little too preoccupied with other responsibilities and has no time for her, Emma turns to the town’s hottest flirt—Lucas Crandon—for affection. Unfortunately, she... Continue Reading

January Writers' Forum

January 24, 2017

Welcome to the Forum:  In my journey through the steps of independent publishing, refining my writing skills, and most recently completing a successful agent search, I’ve come across some excellent information, tips, tools, and shortcuts that I think would be beneficial to any writer. Once a month, I’ll pull together the “best of” information and news from the publishing industry as well as feature other authors and writing instructors with tips to share. I am incredibly thankful for the assistance and advice given to me from writing and publishing professionals and am happy pay that forward.

General Publishing News

In addition to being a writer, I am (of course) an avid reader. I am always excited for the American Library... Continue Reading

When is it okay to plagiarize?

January 20, 2017

The answer should be NEVER – but it appears that both portions of the literary community and now the film community are embracing an author who describes her use of others’ work in her bestselling novel as a type of “mixing” and that “there is no such thing as originality anyway, there’s only authenticity.”

Let me start at the beginning. In 2010, 17-year-old Helene Hegemann’s debut novel Axolotl Roadkill climbed up the bestseller lists and earned a nomination... Continue Reading

2016 Reading Challenge - Fail or Partial Success? (You decide!)

January 6, 2017

For the last few years I have taken the Goodreads website reading challenge. My goal for 2016 was to read 80 books but I read fewer than that. (Big sigh.) I had high hopes for the year, but writing and editing three novellas as well as one full-length novel took away a lot of reading time. In my defense, I did finish the year strong by reading a lot in December and tallying in at 55 books for the year.

The best books of December included the Nine Minutes series by Beth Flynn and an incredible memoir of hope, strength, and survival, My Sister’s Mother by Donna Urbikas.

I had the pleasure of meeting Donna Urbikas at the Writers’ Institute sponsored by the... Continue Reading

The Twelve Days of Yuletide: A History

December 21, 2016

Now, I know that we all sing about the Twelve Days of Christmas, but you might not have realized that the pagan celebration of Yule is twelve days long, starting with the winter solstice on December 21 and ending on January 1.  

As we begin Yuletide I wanted to learn more about these traditions and share them with you!

Initially, it’s important to note that back when people followed a lunar calendar there were twelve days “leftover” at the end of the year.  These twelve nights became a special time where the veil between the worlds was thin and celebrations abounded. Yuletide dates have varied just a bit through the years, but were almost always twelve days in length. Some articles say the pre-modern... Continue Reading

Popular Reads (pssst -- it's okay!)

November 29, 2016

I haven’t gotten to write anything much lately other than shopping lists. Shopping lists do not count no matter how creative they get! I have been able to keep up with reading some of my favorite blogs and some fabulous books in the past few weeks. A recent blog post has had me thinking these past few days about the books we enjoy—particularly those novels which are not considered literary gems but are widely popular.

Of course, to enjoy a story it must resonate with us on some level. We all have heard and possibly participated in conversations about books that we felt were not particularly well written but somehow became a sensation, selling millions of copies and eventually movie rights. (The Fifty Shades of Grey and Twilight series come to mind immediately.) There is much... Continue Reading

Sacred Treasures? What the heck are those?

November 15, 2016

My newest novel (which launches on Wednesday, November 16!) is titled Circle of Nine – Sacred Treasures. It’s the final installment in what turned into the three-book Circle of Nine series. But what the heck are these treasures and what made them so sacred? Let me tell you . . .

When my initial inspiration hit for this series I was in Ireland and admiring the handiwork of people who lived about 3500 years ago. They built stone structures like portal tombs, dolmens, and really awesome stone circles. How they did this without modern tools remains somewhat of a mystery. Why they built them is also up for debate. Oh, we know that the tombs were just that—a burial place of honor for their dead... Continue Reading

Counting Down -- One Week to Launch

November 8, 2016

The Circle of Nine series concludes with the launch of Circle of Nine: Sacred Treasures (Book 3) on November 16! As we countdown the days to the launch, I’m celebrating with a great book giveaway contest. The Grand Prize is a $20 gift card to either Amazon or B&N (winner’s choice.)

Two second place winners will receive a paperback copy of the book: Circle of Nine: Sacred Treasures. (US addresses only.) Three third place winners will receive an e-book copy of Circle of Nine: Sacred Treasures.

Entering is easy. Click below HERE to go to the Rafflecopter entry page. (Note: Rafflecopter only shares the relevant contact information with me, so you can find out if you are a winner!)

I’... Continue Reading

Happy Halloween, Blessed Samhain, and Happy New Year!

October 30, 2016

Yes, these three things do occur at the same time and if you are a follower of the Celtic Wheel of the Year, Samhain (pronounced saah-win or saa-ween) marks the beginning of the spiritual new year. Samhain comes from the Gaelic word “samhuin” which means summer’s end. It’s the traditional start of winter and marks the New Year as one of the eight annual Celtic festivals.

The Celtic Wheel of the Year plays a predominate role in the lives of the characters in my Circle of Nine Series.

I spent a lot of time researching these holidays before writing these stories and was amazed at how our Halloween traditions derive from this pagan holiday. The Celts believed summer ended on October 31 and... Continue Reading

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