IWSG and the Polar Murders series

Hello, friends!! Today is the February meeting of The Insecure Writer's Support Group. The group was founded by our Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh. To view list members and this month's co-hosts, or to sign up and join the group, visit the IWSG page here.

I'm excited today as I have a new book coming out later this spring! Polar Curse, the sequel to Polar Night and Polar Day, is tentatively scheduled to be released in May. I'm so happy about it as I had reached the point where I thought this book would never be completed let alone make it out in the world.

My publisher is going to re-release Polar Night and Polar Day with new covers, so I'm also thrilled about that. I can't share the covers yet but I love them and love the ideas the artist came up with. After those two are re-launched Polar Curse will be published. The three will be marketed together as the Polar Murders series.

I can't wait to be able to share the new covers and more information about the new book, but for now I am just busy doing a happy dance with Kermit. It took me so long to write this story that I can't believe it's actually coming together now.

Happy February!

IWSG and the Funny Bunny

Hello, friends, and Happy New Year! Today is the January meeting of The Insecure Writer's Support Group. The group was founded by our Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh. To view list members and this month's co-hosts, or to sign up and join the group, visit the IWSG page here.

I'm starting off this year by looking backwards several decades to the first story I ever wrote. My mom came upon the story a while ago while going through some boxes at her house, and it came as a surprise to me because I have no memory of writing it. The story is called Funny Bunny and I not only wrote it, but also did my own illustrations.

I created this masterpiece when I was eight years old and gave it to my mom as a present. No doubt she was thrilled ha. 😉😀

One thing that stands out to me when I look at this is that apparently even as a child I had a taste for the macabre. Funny Bunny goes out looking for lettuce for dinner and finds a fox who he tells about his search. The fox says he is also looking for dinner and poor Funny Bunny becomes that dinner. The twist makes me laugh and also makes me wonder about my childhood mind.

But the main thing I think of when I see this story is that I know for sure that the eight year old version of me who created it had no worries about not being able to write or not being creative. I just did it because I wanted to create a story. Somewhere in the succeeding decades my brain started telling me I couldn't write, wasn't creative, wasn't this, couldn't do that.

I'm grateful to have overcome some of those doubts and fears in the past decade, but like many of us I still struggle with insecurities and the dreaded imposter syndrome. So in this new year and new decade I'm resolving to get back to the (slightly twisted) little kid who had an idea for a story, wrote it down, and had fun doing it. I'm excited about several writing projects and ideas right now and plan to enjoy the simple process of creating.

I wish you all a very Happy New Year and here's to lots of writing and creating in the days and years to come.

IWSG and Saying Goodbye to 2019

Hello, friends! Today is the December meeting of The Insecure Writer's Support Group. The group was founded by our Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh. To view list members and this month's co-hosts, or to sign up and join the group, visit the IWSG page here.

I haven't done much writing this year but I'm slowly getting back into the groove again and plan to make 2020 a much more productive one for me. I'm working on a story as well as thinking about some new ideas, while trying to focus on the simple enjoyment of writing. I expect to have some good publishing news to share soon and I am also kicking around some ideas to try to be more engaged with the writing and reading world in the year to come.

I really couldn't think of much to write about this month so I will make this short and simply say I continue to be so grateful for all of the amazing people I have met through this blog. I hope everyone has a great December, and I wish you a wonderful holiday season.

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and Happy New Year!

IWSG & Writing for the Fun of It

Hello, friends! Today is the October meeting of The Insecure Writer's Support Group. The group was founded by our Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh. To view list members and this month's co-hosts, or to sign up and join the group, visit the IWSG page here.

Now that we are in the last quarter of the year I can officially say that 2019 has been the least productive year I've had since I started on this blogging and writing journey nine years ago. Some of that has been due to circumstances out of my control but, if I'm being honest with myself, most is due to my own lethargy and the apathy I've felt towards writing for far too long now.

Somehow over the past few years I've become so obsessed with needing to publish something new that I've managed to take all the joy and fun out of writing. Any time I'd start writing something I'd immediately start thinking that I'd never be able to get it published or find an agent or publish it myself. As a result I have more scattered notes and half-finished chapters and pages with no more than two sentences than I can count. And as a result writing has become something that feels more like a chore than something I love to do.

So for the rest of 2019 the only goal I am setting for myself is to figure out how to enjoy writing again. This all started because I loved playing with words and characters and bringing the stories that had always danced around my head to the page. I want to find that joy and fun again, even if it means the only person who sees what I write is me.

This quote by Margaret Atwood is my motto for the rest of this year.

Before I wrap this up I also wanted to give a quick shout-out to my long-time blogger buddy Deanie Humphrys-Dunne. Deanie has an adorable new children's book out called A Tractor Named Wilbur and I had the pleasure of reading an advanced copy. The book is wonderful and if you have any little ones in your life I'm sure they would love it.

How cute is Wilbur? For all the info on the book, visit Deanie's site here.

I hope this new month finds you all well and I wish everyone a very happy October!

IWSG & The Vine Witch by Luanne G. Smith

Hello, friends! Today is the September meeting of The Insecure Writer's Support Group. The group was founded by our Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh. To view list members and this month's co-hosts, or to sign up and join the group, visit the IWSG page here.

Back in July I returned to the IWSG and planned to spend the rest of the summer actively writing and blogging. But instead some unexpected health issues popped up and totally derailed my plans. Fortunately I'm doing much better now and am starting a new plan to be active and productive for the rest of the year. Fingers crossed!

Each month the IWSG administrators suggest a question to answer in our post for the month. This month's question is:

If you could pick one place in the world to write your next story, where would it be and why? 

This was a fun question to think about! 

I'm totally enchanted by Scandinavia even though I have never been there. I love the scenery, the winter landscapes, and the remoteness of some of the areas. I have always found winter to be a muse for my imagination and writing. 

Recently I learned about the Lofoten Islands in northern Norway and I would love to go there and settle into a house by the sea for my own private writing retreat. 

Source

If I ever do make it there I'm hoping I can see the Northern Lights. 

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So that's my writing retreat daydream. I'm looking forward to reading where all of you would love to go. 

Before I wrap this up I want to give a shout-out to my friend Luanne G. Smith and her fantastic book The Vine Witch. Luanne was one of the first friends I made here in the blogging world, back when she was running her Bards and Prophets blog, and I'm so happy to see her finding such success with her books now. 

I received an ARC of The Vine Witch and I can't recommend it enough. If you love witches, wine, France, or just a well-written story full of intrigue and great characters, this is a book for you. The book is one of Amazon's first reads this month so if you are a Prime member you won't go wrong picking The Vine Witch as one of your choices. 

Congratulations to Luanne! 

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And Happy September, all! This is the start of my favorite time of the year and I am looking forward to the months ahead. 

The Importance of Friends from Windy Hollow Author Tara Tyler

Hello, friends! Today I'm thrilled to be hosting my friend and all-around awesome person Tara Tyler as part of her Windy Hollow book tour. Welcome, Tara!

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I wish Julie and I could get together more often. It's great living near my friend, but even when you live close to your friends, life makes it tough to see them!

That's why summer is great for me--I get to plan trips and lunch dates to see my friends. Friends can talk about anything--we chat about life as if no time has passed. From college friends to writer friends to neighbor friends close by. And getting together in person is so refreshing--I need my hugs!

my writing buddy Christine!

my bff from college

baseball mom friends!

my travel buddy and old roommate friend

friends from our wedding and childhood

my old neighbor and great listening friend

Friends are so important in life. They're honest, caring, helpful, and empathetic. We run the gamut in our conversations, from baring our souls to peeing our pants laughing! We talk, commiserate, encourage, and comfort. I don't know where I'd be without my friends!

at lunch with my parents we got these fortunes
--coincidence?

Julie and I go way back to the beginnings of my writing life. I'm so glad we've done events together--the down time can get pretty boring! Thanks, Julie, for being there--online and IRL!

2017 - we need to do this again!

Do you plan trips to see friends? Do you like to travel? How do you keep in touch?

Friendship bonds can form early and last a lifetime. In Beast World, the kids learn they can't always do things on their own and should depend on their friends sometimes. True friends won't let you down when things get tough!

WINDY HOLLOW
Beast World MG Fantasy Series, book #3
by Tara Tyler
Available NOW!

This summer, Gabe and his friends fly over the Great Sea for the wedding of the century: a dragon prince and a beautiful harpy. But Gabe can't relax on this vacation. Besides competing in rigorous wedding events, he overhears the nearby human village WINDY HOLLOW is in danger from an evil human scientist and a vengeful were-ogre experimenting on beasts. Gabe and his friends risk crossing the mountains to help, despite several warnings. 

Maybe he's going too far this time, but he's in too deep to quit. It's do or die, hopefully not die!

Paperback ~~~ Ebook

Goodreads

Tara Tyler has had a hand in everything from waitressing to rocket engineering. After moving all over the US, she now writes and teaches math in Ohio with her husband and one boy left in the nest. She has two series, Pop Travel (sci-fi detective thrillers) and Beast World (fantasy adventures), plus her UnPrincess novella series where the maidens save themselves. She's a commended blogger, contributed to several anthologies, and to fit in all these projects, she economizes her time, aka the Lazy Housewife—someday she might write a book on that... Make every day an adventure!

website: Tara Tyler Talks

twitter: @taratylertalks

facebook: Tara Tyler - Author

Instagram: taratylertalks

newsletter: tara tyler news

Don't forget to enter the giveaway!

IWSG & Returning To Blogging

Hello, friends! After taking a few months off I am excited to be jumping back into the blogging pool. I hope this new month finds you all well and that you are all happily engaged in lots of writing or blogging projects. I'm happy to say that I'm writing fairly regularly again after nearly a year of doing a whole lot of nothing so I hope that will continue.

Today is the day for the July meeting of The Insecure Writer's Support Group. The group was founded by our Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh. To view list members and this month's co-hosts, visit the IWSG page here.

Each month the IWSG administrators suggest a question to answer in our post for the month. This month's question is:

What personal traits have you written into your character(s)?

This one is an easy one for me to answer! Like me, my protagonists all either have pets or love animals. Danny, the protagonist in my Polar books, has a dog named Sox. Several of the characters in The Ghosts of Aquinnah love animals. And I am currently working on two WIPs and in both stories the protagonists have cats. 

I didn't actually do this intentionally when I started writing but it just came naturally. I couldn't help but insert my favorite guys into my stories in various ways!

My dog Clancy

My cat Nate

The only rule I have about animals in my books is that none of them get harmed or killed. I know this is a bit twisted since people get murdered in all of my stories but I can't help it. I am one of those people who will watch violent movies or shows with little to no emotion, then sob like a baby if an animal ends up dead.

I am looking forward to reading everyone's posts and with luck making a few new friends as I hop around as well. It's great to be back in the blogosphere.

To my American friends, Happy 4th of July!