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How a Writers Conference Saved My Writing Career (PART THREE)

5/11/2018

You may want to read PART ONE and PART TWO before jumping right into the tips for attending a conference so you can see where I was at in my career and why going to a conference turned my attitude and my writing around.

Sticking you neck out and going to a writer's conference can be scary, especially if you've never been to one before. It can be hard to know what to expect or even if it's worth it to go.

(Hint...it's worth it).

In this blog post, I'm hoping to leave you with a few tips on what you can possibly expect and what you can do to make the experience the best it can be.

First: It doesn't matter if you write poetry, fiction, picture books, short stories, or nonfiction, a writers conference is for everyone. Everyone is welcome. There will be people at ALL stages in their writing that will be attending. So, don't feel as though, "I can't go to a writers conference because I haven't published a book or I don't think I'll fit in" because you will fit in just as you are. That is the truth. Writers who are further along in their career love to help other writers. Do not be intimidated by them. Where else can you go to learn and ask questions of those who have been where you are? Writers as a whole are very supportive of one another.

Second: Most writers are introverts by nature. You may worry how it will possibly work to go to a conference when you're not super out-going. That's okay. The great majority of those in attendance feel the same way as you do. Take it at your pace. Don't feel as though you have to be someone you're not. Be you and know being an introvert is NOT a bad thing. (7 Reasons Why Introverts are Good at Writing).

Third: Try and be a little brave and get to know other writers. The best way to do this is to simply ask, "What do you write?" or "How is your writing going?" Writers LOVE a chance to talk about their passion, and those two questions alone will even get the most introverted of introverts talking. This is how writing groups can be formed and how you might find a great critique partner or even just a great writing friend. If you find someone you feel a kindred spirit to, don't be afraid to ask to friend them on social media or get their email address so you can continue to connect after the conference is over.

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How a Writers Conference Saved My Writing Career (Part Two)

5/7/2018

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**If you haven't read PART ONE, you probably should. It will give you a better understanding of my mind frame and what plans I had for my writing career (psst...my plan was to quit). Then pop back here to hopefully gleam some of the insight I was given**

You're probably wondering what career saving advice I was given that turned everything around for me, that caused me to go from throwing in the towel and walking away to feeling like I've found my writer self again.

I wish I could say it was one profound thing said or done that did the trick, but that just isn't the case.

It was the combination of many little things that did it for me.

The first: I had believed I no longer needed writing conferences because I'd become a more "seasoned" author. I was beyond the need for learning to create dialogue or learning to show and not tell in my writing. Since, I believed most conventions were geared toward the newbie writers, I felt I'd moved on. What I found from going to this particular conference was that I had it all wrong. There were classes offered to writers at every level--from the beginner to the not-so-new-to-the-game writer. The funny thing, even though I was a guild member (published author) and out of all the guild classes offered to guild members, I went to only one. Just one. All the rest were classes open to everyone--newbie or not. They were FANTASTIC classes! I took a class on How to Write Sympathetic Villains and now, I want to write a super villainy book! So, who the heck was I to believe I didn't need to learn anything more? (A jackass, apparently).

Basically, if you think you've learned it all, you're wrong.

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How a Writers Conference Saved My Writing Career (Part One)

5/6/2018

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My sixth published book ANYONE? exceeded expectations. I had written a book that went to market at the right time and readers were gobbling it up. I spent little on advertising, so all of the attention the book received came organically, and I was feeling pretty darn good about myself. I'd made it in this writing world!

Finally, after five books, and experiencing some mediocre success from them, it was happening! *Release the doves!*

Any other books I would write after this one would surely ride on the tails of ANYONE?'s success.

So I thought.

I published ZIA, The Teenage Zombie & The Undead Diaries the following year, and everything was different. It did not do what I though it was going to do. In fact, it was the exact opposite of what I'd experienced with ANYONE?.

Seriously, the VERY opposite.

I couldn't get this book in front of the right audience no matter how I tried. And boy, did I try! I loved this book (I still do). I loved the characters and the story, and those that had read it, thought it was one of my best works. If I had to do it all over again, I would still write this book. I have no regrets. It's a sweet book with blood, brains, and romance--my cup of tea even if it isn't for everyone else. The problem was that my readers for ANYONE? were not interested in ZIA, something I did not expect, but now know totally makes sense. I get it.

But this "failure," along with some hard personal issues in my life that I was experiencing at that same time, caused me to doubt everything I was doing. Every aspect of my life went under the microscope, including my writing career. It was the making of the perfect storm.

It crippled my writing and a type of depression set in.

Book two, ANYONE ELSE?, was in the works. The cover had been made and promises to readers needed to be kept. I love my readers and I didn't want to let them down, but that only added pressure to my already fragile state of being.

I was struggling. Really struggling. Time and years were slipping away, and I didn't know what to do to stop it or fix it. I'd set goals, and then watch those goals flutter past me, unmet.

I wanted to do anything but write. Doubts plagued me. Horrible thoughts crept into my head every time I would put my fingers to the keyboard. Where I was once able to write a chapter in a day, I was lucky if I could write 100 words in a week. Blogging? Forget about it. My author social media? Practically non-existent. I dabbed a little here and there, but nothing like I once used to.

I no longer trusted my intuition. I no longer believed that I had it in me to create good stories that people would want to read. If I no longer believed in myself, how could I possibly expect anyone else to?

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7 Popular Zombie Survival Tactics That Will Get You Killed

3/5/2018

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GUEST POST BY: Mike Johnson (Website: Mike's Gear Reviews)

It has begun, the dreaded zombie apocalypse is upon us! Grab your survival gear as we give you the DON’TS of zombie survival disguised as good and seemingly logical ideas.

Zombie Tactic Fail no. 1: First stop… The Gun Store!

Unless some of you have been living under the proverbial rock, we all know that zombies can only be killed by destroying the brain or removal of the head. Of course it makes perfect sense to surround yourself abundant in guns and ammo so the first thing that comes to mind is to head out for a trip to the gun store.

Why it will get you killed:
You arrive at the venue to grab all the guns you can possibly carry then arm yourself to the teeth with the perfect in-and-out plan. Only to find yourself with everything BUT the guns. It did not occur to you that everyone else has the same idea. No weapons, just desperate people.

Solution:
Before the world goes awry, own a gun, in fact, you should have your own zombie stomping arsenal ready as early as last year.

Zombie Hunting Arsenal:
– Handguns / Revolvers
– Shotguns
– Machine Guns
– Grenades
– Crossbow
– Knife
– Hatchet
– Katana – Side Note: Ideal for in-laws, and ex’s (of the Zombie variety, of course)
– Baseball bat with barbed wire

Note: Teach your family to safely use guns.

Zombie Tactic Fail no. 2: Evacuate Immediately
Panic spreads faster than wildfire as news tells of the recently deceased finding their way into the city. Potential danger is in its all time high and with it, paranoia. That passerby, the delivery guy, your own neighbor, anybody could be infected! You gather your family, pack everything including clothes and food then venture out of the city.

Why it will get you killed:
Your inner voice screams only of three words that are clearer than the summer sky: Leave the city! So you do. It could be the fear disorienting you but poor judgement has led you to the nearest exit with the rest of the population. Vehicles crowd a small road then start to bottleneck and eventually, traffic comes to a halt. The perfect setup for zombie buffet.

Solution:

Bug-Out
Always be prepared to leave.Your closet should contain a bag ready for any and all disasters, preferably a backpack containing only the essentials, emergency kit, a few clothes and of course food that will last you for days.

Once leaving home, avoid the main path for it may lead to crowded streets and we all know what comes after that. Stealthily head to the back route instead.

Bug In
Your home should always be well stocked. In this way you also avoid panic buying at the last possible minute. Food with long expiration dates, medicine, clean water and extra fuel.

While brimming the storage with supplies is important, setting up home defenses is equally vital, keep in mind that this is the zombie apocalypse.

Wait until all the commotion dies down (pun not intended) before leaving.

Zombie Tactic Fail no. 3: Turn Your House Into a Fortress
Events like these in zombie films, there scenes in which people are watching the television where the news anchor or government official will say “stay in your homes and lock the doors.” A large percentage will do this. Not only that, they also bar every window with heavy objects found around the house then stay as long as they can or until the special forces come and rescue them.

Why it will get you killed:
In how many living dead themed movies have you seen the cavalry arriving at the end? Not many because most of the time, the authorities get overrun as well. Those who rely on their promise end up disappointed or worse.

How long can you last a siege with what you have on hand now? A week? A month? Even with weapons stockpiled to carry you through countless waves, Zombies can wait… FOREVER!

Zombie Tactic Fail no. 4: Use Close Fighting (Melee) Weapons
They are coming to get you! Zombies approach limping, crawling, brisk walking as they spot you out in the open. With whatever you are holding, be it a shovel, a bat or a machete, you decided to fight. It will be easy because they do not possess the reflexes to dodge attacks and their only combat skill is grabbing and biting. You swing away in frenzy at the horde and kill a lot of them.

Why it will get you killed:
First off, it’s not everyday you use melee weapons to kill so chances are, you do not know how to, especially, at the beginning of this extinction level event.

Considering that you have the superior fighting skills, realistically speaking, sooner or later you will tire and at that moment, be in snacking range.

Solutions:
Run – Take it from Rick from The Walking Dead, don’t take chances and in this case, your best defense is to avoid confrontation. Just rush to a safe place. Invest on cardio now for when the time comes, you’ll be glad you did.

Wear protective gear – Your safety precaution checklist should include wearing the proper protective gear. It will be worn most of the day so it must be comfortable and light so you are mobile, you are fighting zombies and the downside of having a heavy metallic armor is exhausting yourself. Against a group, it would be useless as they will eventually overpower you.

All it takes is one bite so leave nothing exposed. Walkers usually target the arms, shoulders and neck. As for the crawlers, the calves and ankles. It wouldn’t hurt to add extra on these.

Shoot from a distance – If you have a gun, then utilize its long range capability. The perks of owning one and knowing how to use it makes you indispensable. To be able to take every zombie down from afar makes you and your group invincible.

Use a rope – Zombies are clumsy. They bump into garbage cans, fall in ditches and get themselves caught in obvious traps. In other words, they are not that bright (could explain why they are after the brains). Now roping those zombie feet, while it does not do quite much damage, it immobilizes them for a moment and grants you time to either run or bash their heads. Simple and effective.

Zombie Tactic Fail no. 5: Aim For the Head
When the world turns upside down, you might have difficulty locating active ammo manufacturers. Best conserve your ammo until you do so it is key to aim for the zombies’ weak spot which is the head. It saves you the effort and the next shot intended for that other zombie.

Why it will get you killed:
How good a shot are you? When you see one coming at you are you able to think clearly and hit the head? You might find that it is not that easy and before you know it, you have spent your ammo. Then the noise you made with the barrage of rounds have invited more zombies to your area. You may be carrying the latest model of semi-automatic rifles complete with attachments such as night vision scope, laser sight, foregrip and even a grenade launcher but failure to fully utilize spells doom for you.

Solution:
Practice your aim some other time. In situations like these aim for something bigger, the pelvis.
Your goal is to survive. Yes, shattering the hip bone does not kill it but if one goes down, then you’ve got one less zombie to worry about. There could also be a chance for the next zombie to trip on the fallen undead.

Zombie Tactic Fail no. 6: Live Off the Land
So you managed to get out of the city, travel far and find a piece of safe haven in the outskirts. The land is flourishing and full of life, seemingly untouched by man. First thing you do is secure the area and set up camp. After days you notice several deers wandering. Fresh meat is suddenly back in the menu.

Why it will get you killed:Unless the area is really remote, in circumstances like these, it is most likely for you to serious experience competition with a lot of hungry hunters. You don’t suppose you’re the only one in search of land do you?

Solution:
It is imperative to stockpile or buy emergency food early on. There will come a time when animals are hunted faster than they can reproduce. Whether you blame it on the seasons or blame it on other men but one thing’s for sure, after they have moved on, emergency food is your only hope.

Zombie Tactic Fail no. 7: Going Alone
You have the athleticism, can hold your own in a fight, has high survival IQ and a green thumb to go with it, you are the epitome of a survivalist, what more could you possibly need? Everyone else is considered dead weight. Getting in your way, saving and carrying them on your back all the time. Also risking your own safety for them. Hindrances are what they are.

Why it will get you killed:Human beings are generally social creatures. Let’s say you can scavenge, hunt and defend yourself without the aid of a party, but in times you become frail and sickly you’ll realise their importance. Working in groups is how we have survived for thousands of years. While it is possible to live on by going solo or in a small group, ultimately, to go from survival to thriving, you will need a team assigned for different tasks such as hunting, fishing, farming and growing crops. Civilizations begin this way.

Solution:
Join a trustworthy group. Bear in mind that non-combatant members do not automatically render themselves useless. Who knows, one might have expertise in designing defenses, another could be a doctor. Not only would it raise your chances of survival, now you have a better shot at triumphantly taking back the world. Of course you should still have your survival gear with you at all times.

Bonus: The Walking Dead DIY Survival Kit1. Solid bug-out bag (backpack)
2. Water purification filter & 2-liter hydration bag
3. High-energy, easy to store & tasty food
4. Shelter – high quality rain poncho that can be used as a tarp
5. Fire starter – stormproof matches, fire starter
6. Tools – Knife wrapped in paracord and sharpening stone, multi-tool
7. First aid kit
8. Stay warm – space blanket and/or sleeping bag
9. Tactical LED Flashlight and/or glowstick
10. All purpose paracord belt
11. Hand crank radio
12. Navigation tools – mirror, compass

That’s my round-up of the survival gear that will help you survive a Zombie apocalypse! Check out my gear reviews to find the best survival gear for you!

WANT MORE?
6 Essential Items You Need to Prepare During a Zombie Apocalypse
10 Best Survival V Shows [Like The Walking Dead]

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A "New" Old World (The Beginnings of a Collection)...

2/2/2018

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The STRANGER THINGS Soundtrack is AMAZING! Lots of songs that transport me back to my teenage days.

Oh, how I had missed the days of placing a vinyl record on my turn table and watching it spin round and round as Cyndi Lauper, Michael Jackson, or Elvis carted me away to another world.

I had quite the collection, too: Simon and Garfunkel, Dolly Parton, Madonna, Disney, The Bee Gees, etc... Yes, my tastes were all over the place, but that was the kind of person I was.

The kind of person I still am.

A lot of my collection came from relatives that had passed on. Records I enjoyed because they had once enjoyed them. Good memories.

But, with tape cassettes and then CD's making their debut, my records became too cumbersome and old-fashioned. I couldn't haul them to college either, and after awhile of them simply sitting in a storage box, I donated them to a thrift store. Now, I shake my head in shame, looking back on my stupid teenage self for making that decision. I had the entire Elvis Presley's Greatest Hits Collection (six albums). Now, gone. That is only one example of the kind of treasures I gave away.

Foolish.

So, when I saw the above little pink portable record player at my local Marshalls store, I knew I had to make it mine.

Merry Christmas to me!

But, what's a record player without records? Exactly.

And so began my journey to start a new collection.

It's strange that this simple pink Victrola player could bring me so much happiness. There's just something nostalgic and joyful about a spinning and a tiny needle finding the right grooves, that turns my lips upward.

I'm jumping into a "new" old world, going to record stores and thumbing through racks and racks of albums like I once used to, years and years ago.

It's all new to me, but in a very familiar way.

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Salt Lake Comic Con was a BLAST! (Pics) #authorsigning

10/19/2017

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Yes, I was THAT sick.

7/26/2017

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2016 was an interesting year (you can read about it HERE), and 2017, so it seems, is not wanting to be outdone.

At the end of June, while on a family vacation in Bear Lake, Utah, I started not feeling well (beginning of a UTI, so I thought). Doing what I do best, and not wanting to ruin this fun family trip that had been planned with extended family several months in advance, I tried to take care of it myself with over the counter meds and with drinking plenty of fluids.

But two days into the trip, my left lower back really began hurting and I started having chills and fever. I was certain my infection had climbed into my kidney, but with it being late in the evening and being far away from the nearest hospital, I decided to suffer through the night, and then go to the Bear Lake clinic in the morning. Worst night ever. I was miserable. Even with several blankets, I couldn't get warm, and I shook horribly.

But sometime during the night, I did feel a lot better. My fever seemed to break, and by morning I felt well enough to drive to the clinic where all my tests came back negative, but was put on an antibiotic anyway, since sometimes an infection won't show up until after a culture is completed.

Unfortunately, on the drive back to the cabin, the chills started again, and I couldn't keep anything down. I was freaking freezing! Here it is, the end of June, up in the 90s temperature wise, and I'm wearing a hoodie, socks, and am covered in blankets.

While everyone went to the beach (I insisted everyone keep having fun) my poor mama stayed behind to take care of me (which is what mama's do even if you're 45 yrs old). As the afternoon wore on, once again, I began to feel like I was on the mend. Fever broke. I kept an antibiotic pill down, and even ate a little bit. Things were looking up.

We had all planned to go see a play at the Pickleville Playhouse, and since I was doing much better, I went along (I had such hope and optimism). I made it to intermission, but during the second half, the darn chills crept in again, and I had to excuse myself.

I sat in the car, with the heat turned all the way up (I was freezing even though it was the end of June and well over 80 degrees outside that evening). I was wearing a hoodie and had a blanket over my lap. I kept having to open the car door to throw up on the ground. Not a good time at all.

When the play ended, and my husband took one look at me, he said enough was enough, and even though it was nearly 11pm and we'd have to drive an hour through a dark and twisty canyon, he was taking me to the emergency room.

And I'm really glad that he did.

We weren't there more than 15 minutes when my heart rate went crazy high, my oxygen levels dropped, and my blood pressure crashed. All this while fighting a 104.8 fever. They placed me on monitors, slapped oxygen on me, and hooked me to two IV's. Yes, TWO IV's. I had ultrasounds, chest x-rays, and a CT scan done.

Unbeknownst to me, because I was in such bad shape and could hardly think, all my tests were coming back negative. My blood work showed an infection was causing havoc, but they couldn't figure out where it originated. Kidney and UTI tests all showed negative. Chest x-rays, negative. CT scan, negative. Ultrasounds, negative.

Well, at 4:00am, I got a lovely ride on an ambulance to another hospital over an hour away, because that particular hospital didn't have an ICU.

I kept asking, "Am I that bad?" and they'd say, "Yes, you are." The ER doctor said that had I not come in that night, most likely by morning I would've been intubated and life flighted out of there. Turns out, I had sepsis. I'd never heard of it. Neither had my husband, who when they were settling me into ICU, had to wait outside. He Googled it and got the crap scared out of him. (People die from sepsis, so it's no joke).

I spent the next three days in ICU. Lots of blood work, more ultrasounds, and even a EKG later, and the doctor still had no idea where the infection came from. I overheard him talking to my team and saying, "This could be an episode of HOUSE."

Dang!

But, the regime they had me on to kill the infection and get me out of the septic stage was doing its job. I was slowly getting better, and honestly, that was all that mattered. After three days in ICU and two more on the the regular floor, they deemed me well enough to go home.

A month later, and I am doing much better. My stamina is slowly coming back and I'm not nearly so tired, but I do have a lovely cough I acquired during my stay in ICU (due to them pumping so much fluid into me). It's annoying and causes its own set of problems, but I can live with a cough.

A cough is doable, especially since the alternative could've been so much worse.

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The Struggle is Real (One Writer's Painful Hiatus)

7/25/2017

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"Where are you, Angela Scott?"
"When will ANYONE ELSE? be released?"
"What's going on?!?!?! Tell me!!"

All good questions. All valid questions. Questions I hear repeatedly.

Also difficult questions to completely answer.

But you, my dear readers and friends, deserve answers. and that is why I am writing this post today. It's not fair to you, for me to be silent and keep you wondering, despite my hesitation to reveal too much.

So, here goes...

2016 was a roller-coaster ride of year. Plain and simple. I had plans to release ANYONE ELSE? by the end of 2016. But life had other plans in store for me. I won't go into a lot of details, for personal reasons, but I will try to explain what I can.

2016 became a year of demolition and rebuilding for me. The foundation in which I had stood upon all my life had painfully been kicked out from under me, and I was left struggling to find my place in this massive world. I questioned everything. Absolutely everything.

I couldn't distinguish between truth and lies. What was once undeniable, undoubted, a certainty, quickly dissolved and blew away with the wind--even as I held on with both hands, desperately trying to keep that from happening. But that wasn't even the worst of it.

What became even more painful was having my eyes opened to things that I once believed were horrendous lies only to find out they weren't lies at all. They were simply omitted truths, hidden from me, or whitewashed in such a way I bought into them without thought.

Now, I had to think. Really think. I was no longer fed someone else' truths (at this point, my mouth was clamped shut). No more. I needed to find my own truth, my own place of belonging, and understanding. I was on a journey

That journey was all encompassing. I couldn't hardly function outside of it. Hours upon hours were spent in searching for truth and understanding in trying to reclaim my life. I'm talking each day I spent fully engrossed in trying to wrap my head around the mayhem.

Writing wasn't hardly even a thought.

I couldn't.

My life had shifted in such a way that focusing on anything else but the current situation was near impossible. 2016 slipped by all while in this horrible funk. My feelings fluctuated all over the place from anger to sadness and everywhere in between.

I didn't plan to lose that entire year, but it happened. And it sucked.

Now, I feel that things are in a much better place. It is still a work in progress and I still have my many up and down days. 2017, though better, has still presented itself with unforeseen challenges and setbacks. I think when a person's life changes dramatically, unexpectedly, this becomes the norm. Large chucks of time are devoured by the twists and turns life can throw at you. (See my post for one example of 2017 craziness HERE).

For some people, they can just roll with it and balance the ups and downs with everything else in their life. Apparently, that isn't me.

I apologize for this.

ANYONE ELSE? is being written. Unfortunately, it's been slow going. I didn't realize just how hard it is to jump back into writing when a large and painful hiatus knocks you to the ground and 2017 decides to throw its own punches at you.

But, I've climbed to my feet, brushed myself off, and I'm at it again.

It's coming, guys. It's coming. I promise.

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5 Tips For a Successful Book Signing

12/3/2016

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J.R. Simmons, Me, Cindy Hogan, Stacy Lynn Carroll

I haven't done many book signings, just a handful really, so I'm far from being an expert, but in saying that, there are few things I've learned, and wished I would've learned sooner.

Tip #1) Get a (Square Reader)
By far, this made the biggest impact in my book signing success.

Before I found out about this little beauty, I limited my book sales by only being able to handle each transaction in cash. How many people do you know carry cash on them now days? Not many. Being able to accept credit cards is a must.

The Square Reader is free. Yes, FREE! Doesn't get much better than that. Download the Square App on your phone (works for both iphones and Androids), order and sign up for a Square Reader (they do offer credit card chip readers as well, but those will cost you) on their website. The only cost you is the 2.75% per transaction, which isn't bad at all. You will receive daily reports that breaks down your sales, best sale times during the day, and which item (book) sold the best. Deposits into your bank account happens as quickly as the next day. The Square App can be personalized--I created an items list and uploaded the book covers for each item.

Tip #2) Don't Sit
Unless you're a big-name author, sitting on your butt, behind a table of books is a sure way to not sale a thing. People WILL walk by. You have to stand (yes, lots of hours on your feet) and getting out of your comfort zone and initiating conversations with potential customers.

I didn't realize it until I saw it in play, but as an author you're mostly selling yourself. Again, until you're a big-name author, well recognized (we can dream can't we?) you are the product. This is so true, it's almost painful, especially for us introverts (raises hand).

Stand up, hand out bookmarks (see Tip #3), and simply ask them, "Do you like to read?" That's what we started our conversations with. Then we would follow up with, "What kind of books do you like to read?" Then, depending on what their answer is, we'd direct them to the right author that sold that genre. If they say, "No, I don't read" or if they look like they're trying to get away from you, LET THEM GO.

Be friendly, be smiley, and if you can make them laugh, all the better. Your personality will draw them in and they will be more open to hearing about your books. It's surprising how just smiling and asking them to come over and check out your books how many people actually will.

Tip #3) Have Bookmarks or Business Cards to Hand Out
If you can put something into someone's hand, even if they're walking away, DO IT. Have your website and buying options on your cards. There is always that possibility of them buying your books later or picking them up in eBook format.

Not sure where to start to get business cards or bookmarks? Try Vistaprint. They usually have great options and prices.

It's nice to place bookmarks inside signed books as well.

Tip #4) Find a Network of Authors (Make Author Friends)
If you can find other local authors to join you, all the better. Fortunately for me, Utah has several writing communities to connect with other authors. The League of Utah Writers is a big one. Look around, see what your community offers, and get involved. Check Facebook groups in your area as well. Making local contacts and getting involved with other authors is a great way to make book signings less stressful for yourself and cuts the initial cost of setting up a booth at different events. The more variety of books on the table, the more likely someone will stop and look.

Make sure to find authors who are willing to sell you and your books as well. You need to work together. Keep in mind, some of the authors will have better sales. That's just part of the game, but that's okay. Learn from them. This will help you in the future. But setting up a booth with an overbearing author, who cuts in on your conversation with a customer, and is only concerned with selling their books can make the event down right awful. Talk about this upfront with the other authors and be frank in how you expect everyone to behave.

Also, limit the number of authors you do an event with. Booth sizes tend to run on the small side and tossing in ten authors in an 8x8 area is asking for trouble.

Tip #5) Cut Custmers a Deal
When I went to the event, I only brought with me what books I had on stock. I really wanted to push ZIA, The Teenage Zombie & The Undead Diaries as it is my newest release (Yes, trying to sell zombies at a Christmas Craft show is a tad rough...but doable). I also wanted to push ANYONE? since book two ANYONE ELSE? will be released this coming year. I had a lot of those books on hand, but not so much my other books, which hurt me when it came to people wanting to buy the full ZOMBIE WEST series (I only had three DEAD PLAINS on hand so for a two day event, could only sell three full sets...bummer).

What I noticed from the other authors was that they made "deals" when it came to their series books. Most books, they charged $10 a book, but if they bought the series or bought any three books from the same author, they would knock off a dollar a book. $27 for three author signed books...not too shabby, and most customers went for the deal.

Let the customers know that should they decide to wait and buy your books through retailers such as Amazon or Barnes and Noble, the cost is usually higher and it wouldn't be a signed copy. Customers like deals. Make sure you have a couple to offer them (and hook them, too).

Bonus Tip #6) Success is Relative (also, be realistic).
How do you measure success? Well, that will vary by author. You will need to define that for yourself. Be realistic when you do so, too. To go to any event and expect to sell out of all your books and makes thousands upon thousands of dollars will leave you disapointed. Seriously, unless you're JK Rowling or Dan Brown it ain't gonna happen.

I set my expectations low because that's how I roll. This particular event cost me $80 (my part of the booth fees...$80 x 4 = $320. See Tip #4 again), but I had to drive over an hour to get to the event. My hope was to sell enough books to cover my $80 cost plus some to cover my gas. That was the bar I set. Low. Keeping it real. This was a two day event, and I was pleasantly surprised after day one to have not only met that goal, but exceeded it to cover my lunch as well :) Day two, at that point, was all profit. Let's just say, I ended the event happy and with extra $$ in my pocket.

But even if I hadn't made a profit, there were a couple of customers that made standing on my feet for two days straight and smiling at strangers who completely ignored me completely worth it. I will never forget those young faces, so excited to read my zombie and apocalyptic books--Ethan, Clay, Allison, and Maddi. Those four kids and those four connections were amazing.

That right there was my definition of success.

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Picture Writing Prompt Exercise #3

9/26/2016

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These are the rules for this particular writing exercise:

"The Reluctant “I.” Write a 600-word first-person story in which you use the first person pronoun (“I” or “me” or “my”) only two times—but keep the “I” somehow important to the narrative you’re constructing. The point of this exercise is to imagine a narrator who is less interested in himself or herself than in what he or she is observing. You can make your narrator someone who sees a very interesting event in which she is not necessarily a participant. Or you can make him self-effacing yet a major participant in the events related. The people we tend to like most are those who are much more interested in other people than in themselves, selfless and caring, whose conversation is not a stream of self-involved remarks (like the guy who, after speaking about himself to a woman at a party for half an hour, says, “Enough about me, what do you think of me?”). Another lesson you might learn from this exercise is how important it is to let things and events speak for themselves, beyond the ego of the narration. It is very important in this exercise to make sure your reader is not surprised, forty or fifty words into the piece, to realize that this is a first person narration. Show us quickly who is observing the scene."

Here is my attempt and boy, was this one a toughie. 600+ words, I believe I only used MY twice. If I'm wrong, let me know. This one really pushed me for sure.

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She didn't want to wear the dress or the hat or the shoes. She didn't want to sit at the piano or pose for the picture, but with a bit a gentle coaxing, she finally gave in.

"It doesn't feel right," she'd said. "We shouldn't be here. We should be leaving with the others."

And though we both knew her words held a heavy truth, we also knew fleeing was futile. To stay or to go, the end result would most likely be the same.

So we stayed. This was our home. It had been our home and our place of peace of twenty years. We had held our wedding in the garden outside the large front windows that overlooked our village. We had held many celebrations in our home, listening to her gently tap the black and white keys of the piano. Such happiness and simple times then.

She had given birth to all five of our children--three alive and two slipping into the world but never taking a breath--on a pile of mats and bed clothes on our bedroom floor, surrounded by only our mothers to comfort her and ease her pain. Both the mental and physical aspects of giving birth and losing two precious ones.

Our mothers have long been gone from this world, passing before chaos knocked at our borders, threatening everything.

Our children? The three we'd had the privilege to raise and watch grow into adulthood?

One had married and crossed the seas. We hadn't seen her in years, though we exchanged letters often, but letters couldn't replace embracing her, touching her. My dearest daughter.

She had begged us to come to her country, to stay with her and her kind husband. She'd send money if she had to, but money was never the issue. It never had been. We simply couldn't leave. How could we after sending our two sons to war, to fight for the country we loved, only to abandon it and them? We couldn't. A part of our heart was with her and the other part with them. That was the way of a mother. That was the way of a father.

We also had hope. We believed we could and would win this battle. Our boys would come home, walking through the door, and together we would make a holiday out of visiting their sister in her modernized western world. We'd travel by boat. We'd touch the ocean waters. We'd see sites we'd never seen before.

We'd be happy again. We'd be a family again.

Only that wasn't how war worked. With war, one side would win and one side would lose. One side would never find their happiness again. War destroyed more than lands.

The house shook on its foundation, rattling pictures on the walls. Several books fell from the shelves. A bit of plaster fell from the ceiling, leaving a dusting of chalky whiteness over the surface of the antique piano.

They were indeed getting closer.

She almost stood then, leaving her bench, but the shake of my head stopped her. "Not yet."

She settled back, as fear once more gave way to acceptance. We knew our fate.

One final picture, and despite knowing neither of us would ever see it developed, it didn't matter.

For in this moment, in her white dress, resting against the piano, face sullen, yet beautiful as though she hadn't aged a day since we'd first met, gave us each a sense of normalcy. Something we'd lacked for many many months.

The shutter clicked. The picture taken.

Neither of us moved as the earth shook beneath our feet once again. More plaster crumbled. More books fell to the floor. The pictures no longer clung to the walls, but lay in broken heaps.

We looked at one another. Years of love and adoration passed between us despite no words spoken.

Slowly, her trembling fingers caressed the familiar keys of the piano, touching them lightly, pressing one at a time, and then several together. One perfect chord. Then two. Trickling of music fluttered from her fingertips, whisking away the tension and terror in the air.

There were no bombs destroying the nearby villages. There were no enemy troops marching toward us.

There was only her, in her white dress, playing the piano like our world wasn't about to end.

Leave a comment below and let me know you stopped by. If you attempt this writing exercise, please comment with a link. I'd love to read it and see how you approached this one.

You can read Writing Photo Prompt Exercise #1 HERE and Writing Photo Prompt Exercise #2 HERE

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How a Writers Conference Saved My Writing Career (PART THREE)

How a Writers Conference Saved My Writing Career (Part Two)

How a Writers Conference Saved My Writing Career (Part One)

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Picture Writing Prompt Exercise #3

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