My Gifts to My Fellow Writers

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It's the giving season and I've be remiss if I didn't share a few "gifts" with my fellow wordsmiths. So, check these out and enjoy the season, hug your family, friends, and significant others, and be filled with  Joy! I'll be back the first Wednesday of January.

• A Brief Letter to a Worried Writer--Take heart, you aren't over the hill if you're still hunting that agent and/or contract and there's no one place you should live.
• Finding Confidence--It's there for the taking if you look for it.
• The Two Minutes It Takes...--Just read it, already. ;-)
• Imposter Syndrome--You know you feel like this.
• How to Write Every Day--And be Zen about it. ;-)
• Controlling the Crazies--This isn't just for women, you know.
• And of course, you need books! Check out Hometown Reads.

Have a fabulous holiday season whatever your way of celebrating

Merry Christmas from my family to yours.

The Book Pusher: December Mini Book Reviews

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This is your last chance to use The Book Pusher's mini book reviews for your shopping list for gifts. ;-) You know you want to buy a few for family and friends--or the ever popular "gift for myself" list.

GENTLEMAN JOLE AND THE RED QUEEN Lois McMaster Bujold: Space Opera

 A fabulously twisty and rewarding SF Romance by a master in the field. Must Read, but only if you've read the entire Vorkosigan series beforehand.

DRUMS OF AUTUMN Diana Gabaldon: Historical/Time Travel

Another fabulous part of the OUTLANDER Series. If you haven't read these books, what are you waiting for?

TWILIGHT CHRISTMAS Normandie Ward Fischer Romance/Women's Fiction

In a continuation of her Carolina Coast Series, Fischer gives her readers a Christmas story of danger, warmth, and redemption. If you love good stories, be sure to read this one.

THE ROSE GARDEN Susanna Kearsley: Historical Romance

This wonderful romance will weave its way into your heart, and its twists and turns will delight, scare, and excite you in turn.

EXIT SIGNS Patrice Locke: Romance

Either a romantic comedy or romantic suspense, but who cares? The main character, a documentary writer, is always trying to pin down the genre controlling her life with limited success--until she meets Jesse Elliot, and then all bets are off. Fun Read!

GREAT SMALL THINGS Jodi Picoult: Women's Fiction

Picoult takes on the charged topics of racism, justice, and privilege in Great Small Things and succeeds in opening eyes to the full story. As always Picoult's multiple--POV narrative opens windows into the minds of each character touched by the story.

Next week: Some gifts for writers... ;-)

IWSG: In the Next Five Years, I will...

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Insecure Writers Support Group

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

Our Co-Sponsor's this month are:
Jennifer Hawes
Jen Chandler
Nick Wilford
Juneta Key
JH Moncrieff
Diane Burton
MJ Fifield

In terms of your writing career, where do you see yourself five years from now, and what’s your plan to get there.

Short Answer: Published ;-)

Long Answer: It takes more than wishes and dreams, doesn't it? I've been intentional about going to conferences and pitching agents who rep what I write. Doing what they suggest or say they want is hard work, but rewarding--even if the answer is no! Truly! Yeah, it's hard to hear that little word, but when they tell you more than a form rejection, it can be mined for gold.

Another thing I've done is to take advantage of the Blue Pencil session offered with my registration for the Surrey International Writers conference in October. I followed though on the suggestions before submitting to the two agents I spoke to there.

I've entered in a pitch contest. That one's still hanging, too.

What will I do now? Work on book 2 and start the long hard slog that is creating a target list of agents. I'm still a bit worried about that last one. ;-) But, I'll manage. Then I'll query. Yikes!

So, what about you? What are you doing for you Five-Year Plan?

Next Week: December's Mini Book Reviews--AKA the last minute gift suggestion list. ;-)