Category: Blog

Florida Writers Conference 2022

The Florida Writers Conference 2022 took place on Oct. 28-30 at the Hilton Orlando/Altamonte Springs. It’s a great event for meeting other Florida writers from around the state and for exchanging writing and marketing tips.

Since this was a relatively pared down conference compared to previous years, I didn’t attend every session. The booming attendance this year hopefully will encourage conference planners to resume their multi-tract format from previous years. I admit to skipping certain topics in this case that didn’t interest me with no alternative sessions available.

The first thing I attended was the Friday evening cocktail party. This got quite a crowd and I met a lot of interesting people. It was fun to run into some familiar faces, including fellow FWMA members. The Florida Chapter of Mystery Writers of America has their own annual conference, SleuthFest, held in July in Deerfield Beach.

Here I am with my husband Richard, then Sarah N. Fisk, Marlene Stringer, Al Pessin, and Elaine Viets.

            FWACon2022 Cocktail Party

Screenwriting Workshop

Saturday morning after a hot buffet breakfast, I went to a session on Screenwriting with speaker Jaimie Engle.

   FWACon2022 Screenwriting

 

FWACon2022 Screenwriting2 

Here are some things I gleaned in summary. Any errors are my own:

Follow industry people on LinkedIn.

Enter screenwriting contests.

Action & Dialogue make up a screenplay. Story & Character are the focus of novels.

Specify isolated visual moments for action in a screenplay. Cut on an action and resume on an action. Go from Point A to Point B and let the viewer discern what happened in between. Story is told in between the shots.

Dialogue should have layered character nuances.

Have people say what they want to find out what they need.

Scene changes are location changes, and this costs money.

Start by figuring out:

Character needs or wish song
Theme
What’s the win?
Give it, take it away, then watch what happens.

What’s the win for the character if they get what they want? What happens if you take it away? Or if they get what they want, what else are they going to need next?

Workshop on Dialogue with Julie G. Murphy

Julie discussed how dialogue comes from the writer’s subconscious. It should be invisible, create tension and reveal character.

Royal Palm Literary Awards

   

The gala cocktail party and dinner took place on Saturday evening. My husband and I joined friends Al Pessin, Elaine Viets, and Daphne Nikolopoulos at a table. We had a delicious dinner while waiting for the ceremony to begin. Congratulations to Al, Elaine, and Daphne who all won awards. I am relegated to Finalist status for the third time in the mystery category.

     

Agent Panel

Sunday morning’s agent panel included Arielle Haughee, Marilyn Allen, Marlene Stringer, Sarah N. Fisk, Jae Worthy Johnson, and Stephanie Katz. I liked their advice that they look for “The Hook, The Book, and the Cook.” The hook is obvious. The Book is about the story and the writing mechanics. And the Cook is about the author. Why are you qualified to write this book and how do you plan to market it? If it’s nonfiction, have a one-liner tagline and offer comp titles that are recent and get good ratings on Amazon. Make the proposal interesting to read. Submission guidelines are on their sites.

Florida Writers Conference 2002 Highlights #FWACon2022 #writingcommunity Share on X

GIVEAWAYS

Booklover’s Bench – Nov. 1-18
Enter Now to win a free book at Booklover’s Bench 

BB Nov 2022 Contest

First in Series Mysteries with Humor – Oct. 17- Nov. 2
Enter Here to win a copy of PERMED TO DEATH, book one in my Bad Hair Day series, along with 45+ First in Series Mysteries with Humor AND a brand new eReader! 

What Comes Next After Revisions

Once you’ve finished the latest revisions on your novel and sent it to your editor, what then? Do you begin work on the next book? Not yet. This is the best time to write all the blogs for a blog tour. The story is fresh is your mind, so it’s prudent to write these articles while you’re close to the book.

After Revisions

A blog tour may include the following:

Guest Posts
Author Interviews
Excerpts
Character Interviews
Spotlights
Reviews
A Day in the Life

If you’re smart, you’ve been jotting down possible blog topics as you write the book. These can include research subjects, what inspired your story, how you selected this setting, the writing process, or bonus materials such as world-building details.

I start with the research topics and write three to five posts based on these ideas. For my upcoming mystery, STAR TANGLED MURDER, these articles include History and Mystery, Tea and Murder, Clues and Buttons, Ghost Stories and Lost Treasure, and Independence Day Celebrations. Whatever doesn’t get used on the blog tour can be applied to my personal blog.

Next, write A Day in the Life for your main character as another post. What’s her typical day like? How is it disrupted by a murder? How does she plan to deal with it? This is written from her viewpoint and meant to entice the reader with a sample of your writing and tone.

If you want to encourage comments, have each guest post end with a question. Consider offering a giveaway on these guest articles from among the commenters. You’ll also want to offer a grand prize for the entire book tour, perhaps a Rafflecopter for a gift basket, signed print copy, or other related items. If you do your own contest, you’ll need to supply the code to the tour organizer. I like to do it myself because then I get the mailing list.

At the bottom of each post, after the final question and giveaway, I give my story blurb with buy links and then add a section called About the Author with a short bio and social media contacts.

Once these pieces are written, choose two to four excerpts and save them as separate files. These may be requested by your blog tour organizer.

For the interviews, you’ll have to wait until the tour organizer sends you these from the individual hosts. In the meantime, you can draw up your own interview if so desired. Use it to answer questions ahead of time that you figure will be asked, such as How did you come up with this idea? Or What’s coming next for you? As an alternative, you can add your own author interview at the end of your book as bonus material. Or submit it to a podcaster as part of your marketing plan.

Once you have your blog tour pieces assembled, you’ll need the metadata to go along with them. This includes your book description with ISBN numbers and buy links. Regarding your book blurb, have long and short versions available. These will be used in any Spotlight-type posts with your author bio and social media links.

When you’ve completed your blog posts and any associated materials, you’re ready to move on. Now’s a good time to write your launch party posts and reader discussion guide. For more ideas, Go Here to learn what else to do. If you’re a writer, how do you spend the time while waiting for editorial feedback?

What comes next after revisions? #writingtip #writingcommunity Share on X

GIVEAWAYS

Oct. 7 – 31 A Scary Good Giveaway

Enter Now to win a $400 Amazon eGift Card from The Kindle Book Review!

 

Oct. 17 – Nov. 2 First in Series Mysteries with Humor

Enter Here to win a copy of PERMED TO DEATH, book one in my Bad Hair Day series, along with 45+ First in Series Mysteries with Humor AND a brand new eReader from BookSweeps!

Dining Adventures Sept 2022

September is an exciting month for us with family birthdays. We get to enjoy several celebrations, in some cases trying new restaurants to add to our roster of Orlando eateries.

For our first experience, we ate at Hamilton’s Kitchen in the Alfond Inn at Winter Park. It was a lovely place for brunch in a boutique hotel, and I could easily return there.

   

The next occasion found us in The Taproom at Dubsdread again for Sunday brunch. This place is set on a golf course and is always a favorite.

Dining at Las Lomas Mexican Grill in Altamonte Springs was a new experience. It’s a gaily decorated restaurant with an enticing menu and generous portions.

         

Finally, we topped off the month at TooJay’s in Altamonte Springs with Rosh Hashanah dinner since nobody could host due to travels or kitchen renovations.

  

Between September birthdays, Orlando’s Magical Dining Month and Epcot’s Food and Wine Festival, it’s a festive time of year!

GIVEAWAYS

Oct. 7 – 31 A Scary Good Giveaway
Enter Now to win a $400 Amazon eGift Card from The Kindle Book Review in A Scary Good Giveaway Oct. 7-31 #Readers #Amreading #Giveaways Don’t miss out! Go here: https://www.thekindlebookreview.net/a-scary-good-400-giveaway/

Oct. 17 – 26 First in Series Mysteries with Humor
Enter to win a copy of PERMED TO DEATH, book one in my Bad Hair Day series, along with 45+ First in Series Mysteries with Humor AND a brand new eReader from BookSweeps! #cozymystery #mystery #firstinseries #giveaway https://www.booksweeps.com/giveaway/october22-win-a-bundle-of-mysteries-with-humor/

Mysteries with Humor Giveaway

First in Series Mysteries with Humor Giveaway

If you like reading humorous mysteries, Enter Now to win 45+ First in Series Mysteries with Humor AND a brand new eReader from BookSweeps.

 

I am offering PERMED TO DEATH, book #1 in the Bad Hair Day Mysteries, in this giveaway. Please share with your friends!

 

OTHER GIVEAWAYS

LAST DAY! Oct. 1 – 18 Booklovers Bench
Enter to win a free book at Booklover’s Bench https://bookloversbench.com/contests/win-a-free-book-oct-2022

Oct. 7 – 31 A Scary Good Giveaway
Enter to win a $400 Amazon eGift Card from The Kindle Book Review https://www.thekindlebookreview.net/a-scary-good-400-giveaway/

Scenes and Series

When you’re writing a series, you need to be aware of scenes written in previous books that might impact your current story. Has your sleuth encountered a similar character before, researched a familiar topic, or visited the same place? If so, this might change how you approach a scene for your work in progress.

During my revision for Star Tangled Murder, #18 in the Bad Hair Day Mysteries, I had two scenes that made me realize more research needed to be done. One involved a local history museum and the other a casino run by a Native American tribe.

It suddenly hit me that this wasn’t the first time for either scenario. Marla, my hairstylist sleuth, had an episode in the same museum curator’s office in Trimmed to Death. And she’d interviewed a shaman at a Seminole casino in Hanging by a Hair. I realized I had better look up what I wrote before so I don’t contradict these previous settings.

My casino descriptions didn’t match. This fix was easy. Billy, the shaman in the current story, would work at a different gambling hall. I added a few lines bringing back Marla’s memories of visiting the other place for a prior case.

Regarding the local history museum, again my description didn’t match what I’d written before. That meant I had to modify what I’d written this time around since it was the same place. No need to reinvent the wheel in this instance.

The same precautions apply to conversations. Are you relating what two characters might already know about each other? How much background do you need for new readers without repeating information? This requires a delicate balancing act. It’s best to sneak in this info in small doses.

These are only a few of the hazards in writing a series. You have to remember what came before not only so you don’t repeat yourself but also so you get descriptions right and have your character reflect upon similar incidents from the past.

GIVEAWAYS

Oct. 1 – 18 Booklovers Bench
Enter to win a free book at Booklover’s Bench https://bookloversbench.com/contests/win-a-free-book-oct-2022  ‎

 

Oct. 7 – 31 A Scary Good Giveaway
Enter Now to win a $400 Amazon eGift Card from The Kindle Book Review in A Scary Good Giveaway! Go here: https://www.thekindlebookreview.net/a-scary-good-400-giveaway/

 

STARTS TOMORROW! Oct. 17 – 26 First in Series Mysteries with Humor
Enter to win a copy of PERMED TO DEATH, book #1 in my Bad Hair Day series, along with 45+ First in Series Mysteries with Humor AND a brand new eReader from BookSweeps. https://www.booksweeps.com/giveaway/october22-win-a-bundle-of-mysteries-with-humor/

A Scary Good Giveaway

Oct. 7 – 31, 2022 BOO A Scary Good Giveaway

What: $400 Spooktacular Giveaway of (1) $400 Amazon eGift Card
When:  October 7 – 31, 2022
Where: https://www.thekindlebookreview.net/a-scary-good-400-giveaway/

 
Enter Oct. 7 – 31 to win a $400 Amazon eGift Card from The Kindle Book Review, the number one site for Reader Giveaways. If you love reading, enter now at https://www.thekindlebookreview.net/a-scary-good-400-giveaway/

P.S. Don’t forget to enter our drawing for a free cozy mystery at Booklover’s Bench.

Upcoming Events Oct 2022

Please join me for these exciting upcoming events. Be sure to stop by our Booklover’s Bench party tonight for fun and prizes. If you’d like to attend the writing workshop, register now!

Cozy up to Autumn Book Party TONIGHT online at 7:00 – 8:30pm
Cozy Up to Autumn Book Party with Terry Ambrose, Nancy J. Cohen, Debra H. Goldstein, Cheryl Hollon, Diane A.S. Stuckart, Maggie Toussaint, and Lois Winston. Fun & Prizes!

            

 

Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022, 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm
“Characters and Conflict” Writing Workshop with award-winning author Nancy J. Cohen via Zoom. Register Here.

How do you create memorable characters that readers will remember? In this workshop, award-winning author Nancy J. Cohen will discuss how to develop your protagonist and secondary characters, use dialogue, add conflict, and follow genre conventions in regard to plot. Examples of conflict as the engine that drives your story will be given. You will feel confident in being able to create your own main characters and devise subplots for the recurrent cast in a series.

 

Oct. 1 – 18 Booklover’s Bench Monthly Book Giveaway 

Enter to win a free book at Booklover’s Bench 


Coming Soon:

Oct. 7 – 31 BOO A Scary Good Giveaway
Enter to Win a $400 Amazon Gift Card
Details TBA 

Oct. 17 – 26 First in Series Mysteries with Humor
Details TBA

Magical Dining Sept 2022

Magical Dining month in Orlando is an opportunity to try new restaurants or to revisit a favorite one at reasonable prices. For a fixed amount of $40 per person, you get a three-course dinner. Our first stop this year was The Back Room Steakhouse in Apopka. We actually went twice, because my husband got a gift card there as a birthday gift. The atmosphere was elegant with good service. The first time, we had Thai Chili Coconut Shrimp, 10 oz. Prime NY Strip, and Key Lime Pie. The shrimp and the dessert were really good. The steak was okay. I wish they’d offered a beef fillet instead. I’m not a big steak person but chose this entrée because I don’t eat much meat at home.

       

The next visit, we indulged in the Braised Short Rib Egg Rolls, Sauteed Norwegian Salmon Filet, and — how could I resist? — Key Lime Pie again. The egg rolls were deeply fried and rather heavy, making me prefer the lighter spring rolls from Trader Joes. The shrimp was much better as an appetizer. The salmon was perfect and I chose a baked potato and broccoli as an accompaniment.

   

My overall impression? If you live west in Apopka, this is a nice choice for a fancy occasion although the prices can be steep. It might be worth another trip for Magical Dining depending on the menu. However, where we live, we do have lots of other options.

Our second experience was at TerraMia Ristorante E Trattoria in Altamonte Springs. Here we shared the Antipasto TerraMia and the Burrata Pugliese for appetizers. Both were excellent. For an entrée, I had the Agnello Abbruzzese, a barolo braised lamb shank served with genovese sauce. It was very tender with lots of meat that fell off the bone. Richard had fish, the Branzino Mediterraneo pan-roasted in a white wine garlic sauce with cherry tomatoes and served over pasta. He enjoyed his dish. For dessert, I chose the Torta Alla Pera, a classic neapolitan cake filled with cream and pear. This did not impress me. I didn’t taste any cream inside and there was a small half slice of pear on top. I can make a better cake myself. Richard got the Selvanera Cake, an Italian version of black forest cake.

                     

Overall, the food was excellent, but the atmosphere was extremely noisy. Maybe it’s better on a weekday, but the bar overwhelms the restaurant and does not make for a cozy, intimate experience. If you’re looking to sit at a lively bar, you might like this scene. We prefer a quieter evening.

Chapter by Chapter

When we write a book, we go word by word or page by page. If we think of the story as a whole, it becomes too overwhelming. Daily and weekly writing goals help us reach the finish line.

Revisions are a different story. The words are written. Now we must hone them into a fine-tuned instrument. It can take me an entire week to polish one chapter. First, I begin by addressing critique group corrections. This may involve moving passages around to tighten the focus, deleting sections, or refining a conversation. Dialogue tags have to be added to get rid of talking head syndrome, and my sleuth’s internal thoughts need to reflect her reactions.

In addition to the above, sentence structure must be tightened. Issues that are irrelevant are removed and repetitions pared down. Inconsistencies become more noticeable and easier to correct. The story begins to take shape in a more precise manner.

What this round of line editing doesn’t do is look at the book as a continuous story. Because I forget what’s happened in preceding chapters, the second round is where I’ll catch the bigger bloopers, or so I hope. This is a read-through from start to finish. Whoops, characters A and B already had this conversation in their last scene together. Or, this information has already been revealed about suspect C. Paragraphs will have to be modified accordingly. Then another round of reading is in order for overall smoothness.

Revision is a slow process but one that cannot be rushed. Just like a gemstone, every facet must be examined and polished. And once we’re done to our satisfaction, we send our work out to editors and beta readers. Then the process starts all over again.

Revising Your Novel Chapter by Chapter #amwriting #writetip Share on X

Where am I now in this stage? I’m on Chapter 16 out of 25. We’re getting there. How about you? Do you rewrite as you go or wait until the first draft is finished?