WRITING IN TINY SPACES

Many of you ask, how am I going to write in such a small space?

The answer is simple. I'll use every inch of space available to do so. Writing is not a huge deal to me. I can write anywhere and going tiny is going to allow me to do that.

Writing my next novel is going to be much more enjoyable because it will in a space that was created totally  by me.

Sure, I created work space and office space but this is something that I am creating from start to finish. From the first nail to the last screw. I will be in control of how this tiny house looks and functions.

Tiny house building companies allow you to customize your space. They encourage you to create spaces that work for you. 

What better way to do that than to create a space where I will be writing full time? I can't think of another reason to sit in an office at a desk with no windows. 

Building my own tiny house will allow me to use all of my surroundings to write. Imagine being able to wake up; go into your living room and sit at a space that is creatively pleasing to your senses.

Going tiny has it advantages as well. 

I won't have the distractions of a wondering around trying to find something to do. Being in a tiny house; you have about 250-300 sq. feet of space to 'wander' around in.

Even the bathroom will be tiny. So I can't take a Sunday paper into the bathroom with me; it will be more like a Tuesday version. 

In my next blog; I'm going to share some photos of the tiny homes that my 'tiny' will look like. I hope that you continue on this journey with me.

I'M GOING ON TOUR...

When you are in the business of writing, it can be a lonely time. However, when you meet another author willing to help you keep your dream alive, than you know you have found a true friend. 

Next week, beginning on Monday, Feb. 1, 2016; The NoteBook Blogairy will sponsor me on a blog tour. Take a read below and find out all of the details. 

*NOTE: This was taken from the blog of The NoteBook Blogairy

 

January 27, 2016 by The NoteBook Blogairy

Just Let Me Say This – Blog Tour Line Up & SuperBowl Raffle!

In just four days, the Just Let Me Say This.. blog tour begins on Monday, February 1st!  We are going to have fun!  There’s going to be two raffles!  One for the blog tour hosts and the other for you guys — the readers!  

Both raffles include free copies of B. Swangin Webster’s book and a $20 Amazon gift card!

Our current tour stops include:
Tome Tender – Feb 1 – Book Review
LoveBitesSilk – Feb 2 – Book Review
Kiru Taye Writes – Feb 3 – Author Interview
Just Books – Feb 3 – Excerpt/Teaser

LIVE TWITTER BOOK CHAT – Saturday – Feb 6 at 4:00 pm EST/1:00 pm PST/9:00 pm GMT.  The hashtag for the chat is #NBbookchat!

The NoteBook Blogairy (moi) – Feb 7 – Author Interview & Special SuperBowl Raffle!
 
This special SuperBowl 50 raffle will be for all who purchase a copy of Just Let Me Say This… on Sunday, Feb 7th.  Send proof of purchase to me via this blog.  Or, Tweet from Amazon purchase page to @NoteBkBlogairy and you’ll get entered into this $25 Amazon gift card raffle! 
(This is a separate raffle from the other two mentioned earlier!) 

The Winner of this SuperBowl 50 raffle will be announced on Mon, 2/8 after 9:00 am EST.

Booked Up and Bossy – Feb 7 – Book Review
Faith Simone – Feb 10 – Book Review
A.M. Leibowitz – Feb 10 – Book Review

Let Me Just Say This… A Quick Synopsis
This more-than-meets-the-eye urban fiction story introduces us to Cheryl Goldman an African-American woman who was not the apple of her mother’s eye.  Her Daddy loved her desperately but even he could not change how his wife felt about their youngest daughter.  Smart, talented and productive were all adjectives that perfectly describe Cheryl.  However, two other words are accommodating and unselfish.  In Cheryl’s attempt to secure friendship, love and favor her gentle efficiency did her more harm than good especially in the case of her husband, Kevin.  You can read my full book review here.

We’ll be tweeting, FB’ing and generally making a bit of a social media ruckus chit-chatting about Just Let Me Say This…!

Lauren Carr-Blast from the Past

Lauren is such a great writer that I had to have her on my blog again when she started her blog tour for her new release; Blast from The Past.
Here she tells us about some of her favorite things from this latest novel in the Mac Faraday Mysteries.

Do you have a Favorite Character in Blast from the Past & Why?

For all of the Mac Faraday Mysteries, readers have loved Gnarly, Mac’s German Shepherd. Gnarly was dishonorably discharged from the United States Army. Let’s just say, he has issues. He is incredibly intelligent and has a mind of his own. He’s also a hopeless kleptomaniac.

However, while writing Blast from the Past, Archie Monday jumped out at me to become my favorite character in this book. In the previous books in the series, I purposely gave Archie a hint (only a hint) of mystery because I knew there was a secret to her past that would be revealed. This is the book where her secret comes out.

Readers discover that Archie Monday witnessed a horrible murder while she was a graduate student at the University of Maryland. In the prologue, readers learn that Kendra Douglas (whose name is changed to Archie Monday) was a hopeless romantic, who fantasized about the Mickey Forsythe, the fictional detective created by Robin Spencer, Mac Faraday’s birth mother. She had become friends with Robin Spencer while working as her teaching assistant when the famous author taught a special course at the university.

In a blast, Kendra’s life changes. She witnesses the brutal murder of a university professor. Shivering in the bushes, she thinks, “What would Mickey Forsythe do?”

Ten years later, Kendra Douglas is now the sophisticated, lovely Archie Monday, who has been placed by the Witness Protection Program to work as the late Robin Spencer’s assistant. When two paid assassins try to ambush her, Archie takes them out single-handedly with her pink handgun.

One of my favorite scenes in Blast from the Past (besides the scene where Archie takes down the gunmen with her pink handgun) is where she explains to Mac Faraday the transformation that she had gone through since that night that she witnessed mobster Tommy Cruze killing a professor who he had thought was sleeping with his wife:

Archie stood up. “I’m not locking myself in this mansion and closing the blinds and never leaving again. If I do, then he wins. We’re not going to let them scare us out of living our lives.” She pointed at the shepherd on the bed. “I’m taking Gnarly to see Misty tomorrow, and then we’re going to lunch at the Spencer Inn.”

Yet, while Archie is capable of taking care of herself, she is still a soft feminine woman with a very gentle side. After the attempted hit on her life, she breaks down when she is forced to reveal her secret to Mac. She loves gardening, fine wine, gourmet food, and the color of rose. (Police chief David O’Callaghan calls it pink, which infuriates her.) She wears designer suits and expensive perfume, and insists on taking Gnarly to only the hottest dog groomer in town. She enjoys the finer things in life that her mentor Robin Spencer had introduced to her.

Simply, Archie Monday is who I want to be when I grow up.

Thank you Lauren for your time and let me just say this...for me, the best line in the book was: “a girl who prefers guns to diamonds.” Because it shows us just what us girls can do.

We Rock!

So there you have it. Lauren Carr's newest novel will intrigue you and make you fall in love with the good guy. Be sure to pick up your copy today.

Are you like the Marines?

Do you wonder what I mean by that? I mean, are you being all you can be...as an author? Are you preparing yourself for marketing, book appearances, book signings, conferences. Are you on Twitter and Facebook. Yes, you need to be on both. Are you blogging, or at least guest blogging. Again, I ask you: Are you being all you can be?

If you answered NO to one of those questions, than you are doing yourself a dis-service.

In the past month I have attended 3 conferences and will head to another this weekend. How many have you attended this year. Your goal should be to do something once a month, that is book related.

Are you on Kindle? Are you marketing your books whenever you are out doing your errands? Don't stand to close to me in line and I see you pick up one of those 'magazines'. I will quickly tell you that I'm an author and if you want to read some GOOD fiction than you should pick up one of my novels, or one of my many friends novels.

Oh, friends. I have made great friends with Jeffrey Deavers, John Gilstrap, and Brad Parks. Did I mention that they are best selling authors. At least two of them are on NY Times Best Selling list. Imagine that! I met them at one of the many conferences I attend. Again, Imagine that! Oh, you don't believe me...well I have pictures to prove it and you will read and see all about it next week; along with the pictures from the upcoming Raven Con conference that I am attending this weekend in Richmond.

Again, I ask you; Are you like the Marines? Are you being all you can be?

Upcoming conferences-Are you going?

Today I will talk to you about conferences you should attend; even if you don't write in that particular genre. Why would you want to attend a conference that doesn't pertain to your particular writing style?
Simple answer: The more you get to know about other writing styles, the more you can incorporate them into your writing style.
Love is Murder is a conference held in Chicago every year and it is geared towards the mystery writers. I have never gone, but in February of 2012, I will attend. I am so excited to be a part of that it is well worth the cost.
Thrillerfest will be held in New York in July of 2012 and although I went this year, I am doubly excited to attend again next year. This conference is geared towards mystery and thriller writers. Although I am neither of the two; I will proudly network with all of the authors there.
After all, networking as an author is THE main reason to go to such conferences. You not only get to learn about other authors but you also get to 'hang' out with NY best selling authors. Where else would you get to be in the same room as R.L. Stine and Karen Slaughter?
I hope to see you at one of the many upcoming conferences in the new year. If you see me, come up and say hello; after all; I love to talk about writing.
Happy Writing!