Nancy's Notes From Florida

Cover Reveal – The Light-Years Series
August 25, 2020

I am excited to share the beautiful covers for The Light-Years Series. These stories were my first published books and they hold a special place in my heart. All three titles were previously published by Dorchester and have been updated with added bonus materials.

Circle of Light    Moonlight Rhapsody    Starlilght Child

Cover Design by The Killion Group, Inc.

Circle of Light, volume one, began as a story dream. It was so exciting that I couldn’t let it go when I woke up. I finished the story and went on to write two more sequels. Circle of Light was the seventh book I’d written and my first futuristic romance. I’d combined my love for Star Trek with my passion for reading romance and blended them together in this story that won the HOLT Medallion Award.

PRE-ORDER SALE! Order all three books now and save $6.00 off the regular prices. Available until Circle of Light launches on Sept. 8th.

Pre-Order Sale

CIRCLE OF LIGHT
Digital ISBN: 978-1-952886-06-5, Orange Grove Press, Sept. 8, 2020, $3.99
Pre-Order Sale for $.99 https://amzn.to/3kY1BoP

Attorney Sarina Bretton dealt with cold, hard facts, not fantasies of faraway planets and spaceships. But Captain Teir Reylock whisked her to worlds—and desires—she’d never imagined possible and toward the fulfillment of an ancient prophesy.

MOONLIGHT RHAPSODY
Digital ISBN: 978-1-952886-07-2, Orange Grove Press, Sept. 15, 2020, $3.99
Pre-Order Sale for $1.99 https://amzn.to/3iU2wEJ

When an ion storm causes Rolf’s spacecraft to crash on the planet Souk, he’s taken prisoner and thrown into a slave labor camp. Here he catches the eye of the beautiful female overseer, Ilyssa. Can he resist her charms long enough to complete his secret mission?

STARLIGHT CHILD
Digital ISBN: 978-1-952886-08-9, Orange Grove Press, Sept. 22, 2020, $3.99
Pre-Order Sale for $2.99 https://amzn.to/32aHFGN

Cultural specialist Mara Hendricks and Commander Deke Sage meet on a mission to rescue a kidnapped child in a voyage that takes them across the galaxy and into each other’s arms.

The Light-Years Series - Out-of-this-world love stories among the stars. Pre-Order Sale! #scifi #romance Share on X

For my Mystery Fans, do not fear—there is a mystery in each story! In Circle of Light, we must discover the truth of the legend and who Sarina is truly destined to marry. Moonlight Rhapsody presents the puzzle of a mole in the Coalition government who is feeding information to the dastardly Souk slavers. And Starlight Child takes us on a chase across the stars to rescue a kidnapped child. What is the leader of the planet Yanura hiding from our heroes? I dearly hope you’ll try these stories so you can soar away on an adventure that will provide the ultimate escape. However, be advised the love scenes are NOT behind closed doors.

I can’t wait to read them! How do I get them on sale? CLICK HERE and pre-order all three books individually. They’ll be delivered to your email inbox on the release dates.

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Did you miss my guest post at The Kill Zone on A Writer’s Learning Curve? Check it out here – https://killzoneblog.com/2020/08/a-writers-learning-curve.html


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Cliche Alert
August 24, 2020

When you write your first draft, it’s okay to forge ahead and write whatever channels through your mind. The next sweep through will give you the opportunity to eliminate those clichés you planted along the way.

Cliche Alert

I’m preparing to reissue The Drift Lords Series, and my cliché alert meter went into full mode back when I did my initial proofread for Warrior Lord. Here’s what I found then and how I changed these phrases. When writing your novel, try to stay in your character’s head and think of analogies relevant to her mindset. In this case, my heroine owns a pottery studio and is a down-home girl from Arizona. Erika ends up battling evil trolls and demons along the way to finding true love.

OLD: Erika sensed his withdrawal from the way his shoulders tensed and his jaw tightened. Had she done something wrong? She hadn’t said anything when the man next to him commented on his attire. Perhaps he’d detected her negative opinion of his costume. Sure, it looked great on him, but he stood out like a sore thumb. If he was hoping to avoid attention from their enemy, he’d gone about it the wrong way.

NEW: Erika sensed his withdrawal from the way his shoulders tensed and his jaw tightened. Had she done something wrong? She hadn’t said anything when the man next to him commented on his attire. Perhaps he’d detected her negative opinion of his costume. Sure, it looked great on him, but he stood out like gold among clay. If he was hoping to avoid attention from their enemy, he’d gone about it the wrong way.

OLD: As soon as the group passed, she eased open the door. A peek outside told her the coast was clear. She slipped into the corridor, Magnor following as stealthy as a jungle cat.

NEW: As soon as the group passed, she eased open the door. At Magnor’s nod of consent, she slipped into the corridor. He followed, moving with the stealth of a ninja.

OLD: She couldn’t help the pall of depression that settled over her shoulders like a shroud.

NEW: She couldn’t help the pall of depression that settled over her.

Sometimes it’s best to just eliminate the cliché. It also helps to make a list of terms familiar to the protagonist’s career. That’s how I came up with this change:

OLD: Magnor had grabbed her hand, and he let go as though she’d given him a hot coal.

NEW: Magnor had grabbed her hand, and he let go as though she’d given him a firebrick from her kiln.

OLD: A wave of despondence hit her like a punch to the gut.

NEW: I decided to keep this one. It won’t hurt every now and then to use a cliché so do your best and don’t worry about the rest.

When writing your novel, be on the alert for cliches and change them to enhance your character's viewpoint. #amwriting #writetip Share on X

You get the idea? The self-editing process gives you the chance the rake through your words and make improvements. Clichés are only one of the problems you’ll be searching for as you read through your manuscript. Be sure to check those clichés at the door before submitting your work.

 


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Homework for Writers
August 11, 2020

What is homework for writers? It’s when you need to learn something new, and instead of going the easy route by asking writer friends for answers, you do the research yourself. It’s okay to ask for advice and input but don’t expect to learn everything there is to know.

Homework for Writers

Where Should You Start?
Listserves can be a great source of information. Join your professional writing organizations, set your posts for daily digests, and scan the topics. Any time something pops up that you might use one day, copy and paste the information into a file. Then when the time comes, you’ll have a rich source of data that you can mine.

Blogs, podcasts, and webinars are another great source. So are your group’s newsletters, writing workshops and conference classes. Collect all the data and file it for when you need it. I’ve done this with just about every marketing topic I’ve ever needed to address.

Launching a New Venture
So now you are ready to get started self-publishing or putting your indie book into print or applying for a BookBub deal or trying an Amazon ad. Scour through your information on the topic and eliminate any links or material that’s outdated. See what applies to your situation. Then organize your tasks step-by-step. This gives you control and is more manageable than facing the entire job, which can be overwhelming. Once you’re ready, you need to ignore the fear of failure that might be holding you back and take a leap into the unknown.

Examples
On the loops, I’ve been reading about authors who get wide distribution for their audiobooks via Findaway Voices. I have corresponded with a few of them regarding the switch from exclusive to non-exclusive on ACX. That’s the first step to do if you’ve paid up front. As instructed, I also downloaded the audio chapters for each of my four audiobooks.

Next, I went onto the Findaway site and wrote down their requirements. Figuring my books would work, I requested the change from ACX support and am waiting for this to go through. Then I’ll do the upload to Findaway. At that point, lots of new promotional opportunities will open. I have notes on these also. My goal is to gain new listeners and hopefully get into the library market with my audiobooks. It’s all a big gamble, but then, what isn’t in this business?

I am also approaching my first sale with trepidation. Now that all of my mystery backlist titles are on board, I can start doing price promotions. But the idea seems overwhelming. You have to set a date, book ads around that date, notify the vendors, create memes and ads. It’s a lot to do, not to mention social media blasts to get the word out.

The only way I can approach this adventure is to be supremely organized. Again, I’ve studied my files, reviewed blogs on the topic, asked other authors how they’ve done it, and then wrote a step-by-step guide on what to do. I rechecked links on ad sites that might have gone defunct since I started my files and picked the best places based on what other authors have mentioned.

And that’s how we take the next step forward. We listen. We research a topic. We verify links and search out new ones. And we move forward. There’s no magic bullet for what you want to do. You have to collect the data and organize it to suit your needs. It’s part of the business of being a writer. Do. Your. Homework.

Writers need to do their Homework #writingtip #writingcommunity Share on X

Share with us one of your goals that will be a new experience or that you’ve managed to accomplish on your own.

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Preparing for a Hurricane
August 1, 2020

Preparing for a hurricane should start on June 1st at the beginning of the season. But once a storm is headed your way, it’s time to gear up for action. We are expecting a tropical storm from Isaias here in Broward County later today, but other areas might be more impacted. Then again, storms have been known to suddenly strengthen and change direction. Even if you’re in the forecast track and not expecting much, it’s better to be somewhat prepared than none at all.

Preparing for a Hurricane

HURRICANE PREP LIST

1. Buy bags of ice. Put on lower shelves in freezer, and later in fridge if power is out, so melting ice doesn’t flood the interior. Or freeze water in plastic containers to help keep food cool. You can also use empty water bottles instead of discarding them. Turn fridge to coldest setting ahead of storm.
2. Buy bottled water, fruit juices, sports drinks, and caffeinated beverages that you can drink cold or at room temperature. Fill plastic pitchers, thermos bottles, and other containers with tap water and refrigerate for drinking.
3. Have enough food in stock. Fruits that keeps well: grapes, apples, bananas. Applesauce and other packaged fruits are good buys. Get bread for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. You can buy peanut butter in individual portions. Get snack packs with hard cheeses, crackers, peanut butter, dried fruits, apple slices, or grapes. Canned chicken, baked beans, and nuts are good sources of protein. Canned tuna or salmon tend to smell more if there’s no garbage pickup. Or buy the tuna in a pouch. Maybe make a sandwich ahead of time so you have a grab-and-go lunch.
4. Cook and eat the perishable foods in your freezer and refrigerator. Hard boil your eggs, and make sure you cook dinner early as the storm approaches in case the power goes out. If you wish, have a cooler handy. When the power goes out, put a block of ice inside along with the refrigerated foods you’re likely to eat first. This will save you from opening the refrigerator door too often.
5. Consider boarding your pet at a kennel or make plans to secure your pet with enough supplies.
6. Back up important computer files. Send an email to yourself at another online address with your most recent files. Back up to a flash drive that you can carry around.
7. Bring in all loose objects from outside.
8. Do the laundry.
9. Perform personal grooming essentials. It’s hard to shave and wash hair with no lights, and the water might get contaminated.
10. Fill gas tank in car.
11. Get extra cash to have on hand. ATMs won’t work in a power failure.
12. Pay bills due or coming due.
13. Charge cell phone, tablet, and other portable electronics. Get a portable charger.
14. Prepare a list of repairmen and tree trimmers who might be needed.
16. Buy hand sanitizer and moist wipes in case the water is contaminated.
17. Have paper plates and cups on hand along with plastic utensils and paper towels. Also invest in duct tape and plastic sheeting to use if a window breaks.
18. Stock up on trash bags to clear away debris.
19. Place a flashlight or battery-run lantern in each room or in a central location. Keep extra batteries in stock. Candles can be a fire hazard, and they don’t provide enough light to read by in the dark. Carry a flashlight with you wherever you go in the house in case the power blinks out. For any solar-powered devices, make sure they’re well exposed to light beforehand.
20. Put insurance papers and other important documents, including copies of recent utility bills, into a plastic bag for quick departure, or store copies in a separate location. Scan them into your computer files and backup to the Cloud. Put other important papers into a plastic container. Some folks suggest putting these papers into your dishwasher or washing machine, as they are waterproof inside, and closing it tight.
21. Buy an emergency hand-crank radio that also comes with a light and a cell phone charger. I like the Eton brand, which is sold on Amazon. Make sure the one you get has a USB port for charging your devices.
22. Learn how to open your garage on manual in case power goes out. Keep instructions handy. Also know how to turn off the low battery alert on your security system if you have one.
23. Get a Kindle or other e-reader with a backlight to use when the power goes out. Keep it fully charged.
24. If you think water might get into the house, put some clothes into a large plastic garbage bag and seal it.
25. Prepare your safe room. Put blankets on the floor unless it’s carpeted. Add a portable radio, lantern, e-reader, snacks, water bottles, and emergency papers in a plastic bag. Put your purse in there. Also have a go-bag with portable electronics, chargers and other emergency items.
26. Keep the air-conditioning temperature very low so when the power goes, it’ll stay cooler a little longer.
27. Add a first aid kit to the supplies you might need.
28. Have a place you can call outside your area that every member of your household knows about in case you get separated. Then you can call this number and let everyone in your household know where you are and that you’re okay.
29. Take photos of your furniture, prized possessions, and appliances. If you can, fill out a spreadsheet with dates and place of purchase as well as cost. Store these in the cloud for insurance purposes.

Preparing for a Hurricane #tropicalstorm #hurricane Share on X

What else would you add?

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A Writer’s Job is Never Done
July 28, 2020

Authors have all sorts of administrative tasks, from answering emails, to fielding workshop requests, to creating book ads, to keeping up with social media and writing blogs. These behind-the-scenes duties can keep us busy from morning to night.

A Writers's Job is Never Done

When I’m in a creative phase, the writing comes first. But right now, I am taking a moratorium from writing to get these other jobs done. Yesterday, I spent the morning updating all the buy links on my website. This was necessary since I’ve added my full-length Bad Hair Day mysteries to Ingram. Readers should be able to order the entire set in print at their local indie bookstore. The paperback editions are also available at Barnes and Noble, but they have to be ordered online because they’re coming from another distributor.

Meanwhile, I finished the final proofing for my first futuristic romance trilogy that required substantial editing. I’d written these traditionally published books years ago and needed to bring them up to my current standards. These will need new covers and reformatting. Hiring a cover designer is next on my agenda. If I have to help search for images, that could take hours. At least I already have a concept in mind for each series. I’ve also asked ACX for my audiobooks to go non-exclusive so I can put them “wide” in terms of distribution. Once I get the rights cleared, I’ll kick this project into gear.

Price promotions and box sets are on the horizon also, but these will involve a learning curve. It’s something I’ve wanted to do for a while but had to get all my books uploaded first.

A Writer's Job is Never Done #amwriting #writingcommunity Share on X

As you can see, these are full-time tasks. Once they are completed, I can move on to new works. Or maybe by then, this virus will be gone and I’ll want to enjoy life and being a grandma. Who knows? At the moment, we have to take things day-by-day.

Thankfully, as a writer, this doesn’t mean much in the way of adjustment. Our normal routine is to stay home in front of the computer. Since we are in forced isolation, we can get even more done if we focus on our work and not the daily news. So batten down your hatches. Make a list of all these nagging tasks you’ve been meaning to do as a writer. And get to work! Use this time to your advantage. What will be the first item on your list?


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