Latest on the Blog

Welcome! 

This is the original blogging site for P.J. Howell, where you can learn more about available books, reviews and events, HOWEVER, new blog posts are now shared on my new website, which you can visit here. 

In case you've missed them and haven't received the updates, here's a breakdown of what's new on the blog:

The P.I. Post

In these posts, I'll be sharing stories that are related to private investigators, as well as unique topics and interesting case reviews. The first P.I. Post for this series shares interesting details about how state prisons uses convicts and cold case cards to solve cold cases. I'll continue to share The P.I. Post about every other month, but you can read the first installment of The P.I. Post here.

Character Coffee Chats

For those who enjoy reading the Jorja Matthews mystery series, these coffee chats will be in the form of "interviews" with the characters in the series. The first chat is with my protagonist, Jorja Matthews, and each month I'll share a coffee chat with another character. With these chats you'll enjoy more time with the characters, learn additional details about a character's backstory and you might even learn new details about events as they are unfolding in the books at the time of the coffee chat. You can read the first coffee chat here.

Nonfiction Nuggets

There are many real-life cases or circumstances that are similar to what my characters go through and this is where I'll share some of those nuggets as I come across them. The first Nonfiction Nugget is about a medical condition I believe Jorja's bio-mom could have been diagnosed with due to her actions. I'll be sharing these posts about every other month in between The P.I. Post series, but you can read the first installment of the Nonfiction Nuggets here.

I'll also continue to share regular updates with regard to my writing, new releases and overall author-type musings, so head on over to the blog on the website to make sure you haven't missed anything!

                      

And you can always receive monthly updates and stay up-to-date with my posts by signing up for my newsletter. You can sign up here or click on the image below!

Thanks for visiting and have a great day!

NFReads author interview

Check out my author interview with NFReads!

Please introduce yourself and your books:

My name is Paula Howell but I write under my nickname, P.J. Howell. My current published titles include a mystery series, as well as a few short stories and a non-fiction. The Jorja Matthews mystery series is about a female private investigator. The reader tags along while Jorja works as a PI on legal cases and attempts to unravel mysteries surrounding her own family history.

What are the real-life stories behind your books?

I’ve worked in the legal field for 30 years, 15 of which were as a private investigator…

You can read the complete interview here.

NFReads is an online publication which began out of a love for learning new things and later morphed into a general interest website with a focus on stories behind creative works and people’s lives.

There are other author interviews on the website you can also review under the “writing and literature” section. The link can be found here.

I hope you take a moment to read the interview and if you know of anyone who might also enjoy it, don’t hesitate to pass the link on to them.

Take care and happy reading!

Volume #5 in the series is now available & the series has a new look!

It’s been a long time in coming, I know, but the fifth book in the Jorja Matthews mystery series is now available. Happy dance!!

Here’s the new eBook cover for Price of Betrayal and you can swing over to Amazon anytime to make your purchase. The paperback is also available but with a different cover at this point, as I’m still in the process of trying to rework that cover to match the eBook. It has been, to put it lightly, a process.

The fifth book would have been available much sooner except that I made the decision to redo all of the covers for the series. I wanted to release the new book, but decided to put it off until I could complete all the necessary changes on the other books in the series. I knew it would be a project, but I didn’t realize how long it would take and once I began the process there was just no turning back until I reached the end. While the paperbacks aren’t technically complete since I still need to update them if everything works as I hope, all the hard work is past me now.

Needless to say, I feel a huge sense of accomplishment, and I’m very pleased with the end result. I hope readers will be, as well.

When No Mother of Mine was originally released, I worked with a cover artist who gave me what I wanted at the time but it was before I realized I would leave myself stranded with a lack of ideas for future covers that would need consistency. From that point on, each new book received a cover not in harmony with the others. I’ve been unhappy with them for awhile now but wasn’t sure how to fix them.

One day it finally hit me about how I should update the covers (I’ll credit this to finally tackling morning pages – something I’ll write about later). What I decided to do with each cover for the series was to use photos from the local area – my stories are fiction but the town I’ve set them in is not. When I originally wrote No Mother of Mine, it wasn’t with the intention to write a series. That’s just how it ended up working out, as I worked through the story, learned more about the characters and realized there was more to the story than I had originally realized. A series was born by accident, if you can believe it, because that’s what the characters wanted.

And a series of books should look like they belong together. I’m thrilled now that my series does just that. More importantly, the covers will share pieces of this little town I decided to place my characters in. Even better still, I’m free from worrying about what my covers on other books in the series will look like! This gives me freedom you can’t imagine.

The local cemetery

Without further ado, here’s a look...at the new look with details about where the photos were taken:

The photo for No Mother of Mine was taken at the local cemetery. Why use the cemetery? It has history. I have family there. It's also a beautiful, quiet area that will forever be a part of this small town.

Trail at the city park

The photo for Best Kept Secrets is from a trail that's part of our city park. It's a nice little walk over the hills and through the woods, past an old foundation I have no idea would have been used for but must have had some purpose, over a small creek and through more ferns that you could count.

Old bank, recently remodeled

The cover photo on Ties That Bind is part of the historical district on the main street through town, and is of the old town bank that was recently remodeled. The inside turned out amazing and while it was a huge undertaking, it was great to see my friends tackle the idea and set forth in motion the vision that became a reality. 

Quarry rocks near the quarry pool

Cross My Heart shares a photo of some of the quarry rocks which were stacked on each other haphazardly years ago near the quarry in the city park and have been a place for kids to play ever since. I remember playing on them as a kid myself and I take Jozee there even now to climb on them for fun. It was only after I decided to use this photo for this novel that I realized there was a cross carved into the top right rock. 

The photo used for Price of Betrayal is of McIntosh, one of our local lakes as seen from the Yelm-Tenino trail. This is a lake my husband has enjoyed fishing on, especially when our boys were little and catching fish was a fun experience.

So this is what I've been working on and what I'm now thrilled to share with you. I'll share more later once I know where I stand with the look on the paperbacks.

Until then...read on and carry on!

Another FREE eBook - 11:11 Anna's Awakening

How's the weekend going for you?

If you're stuck inside because of the cold or rain, or just because you enjoy hanging out at home to relax the week away, I hope you're enjoying your day.

If you are relaxing, are you in the mood to read a book? If so, I have a short story available for you, and it's FREE!

Beginning today Nov. 10 through Monday Nov. 12, the eBook of 11:11 Anna's Awakening will be available for free, so if you don't yet have a copy, make sure to take advantage of this offer before it ends.

Get your copy here

If you're curious, here's an idea of what the story is about:

Everyone deals with grief in their own way.  Death can bring families closer together; sometimes it can tear them apart. Only time can heal the wounds to build stronger relationships and while some relationships survive, sadly, others do not. This is the story of two parents who suffer a great loss and attempt to build a new relationship with the memory of their loved one between them. But as they both work through their grief, their relationship is threatened by many things…fear, anger, selfishness, even greed. As husband and wife tend to their needs to survive the numbing loss, one of them must become acutely aware of these threats in order to change their fate.    

A few facts about this story: 11:11 comes from the idea of what it might mean to see a particular number again and again, which is what occurs to my character, Anna, while she's dealing with the loss of her child along with a fractured marriage. This is a story where I thought I knew what was going to happen to the protagonist, but she surprised me and ultimately, the ending did as well. It's stories like this, and characters who determine their own fate above what I believe I have in store for them, that continue to make writing such an enjoyable calling.

I hope you take the opportunity to obtain your free copy and if you do and you enjoy the story, please remember to leave a review on Amazon. Every single review helps immensely.

Thanks & enjoy the rest of your weekend! 

      

How to generate character and story ideas…just walk the dog.

It’s the time of year again when the calendar days fill up so quickly, it may become difficult to carve out your own free time. It’s a busy time with graduations and graduation parties (us included, with our youngest graduating from college), mixed in with birthdays, weddings and babies (we are expecting a great niece the end of the month 😊), in between work and family responsibilities. 

Visit to Budd Inlet, Olympia

I sit enough during the day while I work on writing projects so when I carve out free time, it doesn’t usually mean time to relax. It means getting out, walking, checking out a new trail, finding a new park, or finding new sights that I can enjoy and photograph. 

Getting out benefits more than just myself, since it means I can explore with my almost six-month-old puppy, Jozee. I’m not sure I’d get out as often if it weren’t for her, so I’ll give her credit when it comes to keeping me moving more regularly. Walking, getting some fresh air, discovering new places…the combination is not only good for a growing puppy, but also for my health and my creativity.

It’s been fun the past couple of months to find ways to get out and explore the sights with Jozee. We take walks around our property or at the local city park, which is fine when I only want to take a limited break from a project, but when we can take half a day or a whole day, my husband also joins us and we’ve had fun visiting old haunts (so that Jozee can see them for the first time) or exploring new places. Part of the fun is mapping out where we’re going to go next, what trails we might hike or which parks and beaches we can visit. Whether we’re visiting local parks or areas an hour or two away, the sights, people we meet and the adventure as a whole provide me the break I need and also food for thought when I’m mapping out new story or character ideas.

Visit to Pacific Beach

And meeting new people is a never-ending feature these days. One thing I’ve noticed now that I’m out and about with Jozee is how many new people you meet when you have a dog. It’s so easy to remain introverted and isolated when you’re by yourself; but when you have a dog with you, especially a puppy, the number of new acquaintances you meet is quite high, as most are dog-lovers who won’t hesitate to strike up a conversation. 

Being a self-proclaimed introvert, I’m still getting used to randomly having conversations with strangers at any given moment in a pet store, on a city sidewalk, on a rural trail, at the beach or even while visiting a rest area. On the plus side, meeting so many different people during various types of situations gives me a larger deposit of character and story ideas when I’m open to receiving them.

Visit to the Witch's Castle in Portland

Case in point is a woman we met last weekend at a rural rest area on our way back from Portland. She had a little white dog and we got to talking while her dog and Jozee got to know each other. She was from Portland and was heading up to Seattle to see her daughter while her husband was on the east coast at a business meeting. We were just getting ready to leave when I walked by her vehicle and she told me that she had accidentally locked her keys, her phone, and her dog inside her vehicle. One of the volunteers working at the rest area let her use their phone to call a couple of locksmiths, but she learned the soonest anyone could get to the rest area wouldn’t be for another four hours. Four hours! It was already around 8:00 p.m. at the time she called them. She was at a loss. She couldn’t call her daughter to say she’d be (really) late because she didn’t know the number by heart; she couldn’t call her neighbor to ask them to bring her the extra key because again, she didn’t know the neighbor’s phone number by heart. She could call her husband, a number she did remember, and ask him to call their daughter and their neighbor, but he was three hours ahead of us, could already be asleep and she didn’t want to call him and worry him if it wasn’t necessary. One of the rest stop volunteers tried to jimmy the lock, but that didn’t work. Finally, she used my cell phone after we discussed contacting the state patrol, to see if they’d be willing to figure out how she might be able to get help in a shorter period of time. The 9-1-1 dispatch operator put her through to the state patrol operator, who then said she would do what she could. Since we had no idea if or when she’d receive help, we stayed with her to keep her company. It was maybe a half hour later when a tow truck operator arrived, having been sent by the state patrol to assist. It was wonderful to see him drive up and save the day, and the dog! A quick stop at a rest area for Jozee’s potty break turned in to hanging out with a complete stranger for a few hours. It was completely out of the norm, as far as what we’d expect at a rest area, but as we left that day, my mind wandered… What if…? There are so many ways this ordeal could have worked out differently, and there are many endings I could attach to it, but for now what I like to think about are the number of characters I can attribute to this visit at the rest area. Each played their part and the end result was a good one. 

If we had left before knowing how things worked out, my mind would have wandered, leaving me with thoughts about the many “what if” endings my imagination could come up with. And I probably wouldn’t have been able to get to sleep because of it. 

Instead, when we finally left the rest area that evening and drove the rest of the way home, it was with the satisfaction of knowing that the woman and her little dog were safely on their way to Seattle. And I was able to sleep very well.

A good ending all around. 😊

Quarterly check in: April showers, fur babies & serial killer?

As I sit at my desk contemplating what I might want to blog about today, I’m hearing the constant downpour on the rooftop just outside my office window. The forecast for today indicates 100% chance of rain, but I really don’t need a weather app to tell me that.

Growing up in the Pacific Northwest means this much rain doesn’t faze me all that much. In fact, I find it kind of soothing. Of course, what I really mean is that I find it soothing when I can remain indoors, warm and dry. If I have to venture out and drive in it, I’m really not all that thrilled. And, to be honest, as much as I don’t mind the rain, I’ll admit I longingly look forward to warmer days when I can spend more time outside or when I can take part in a vacation to a warmer climate.

Until those warmer days or my next vacation, today is a day when I’m staying put so if Mother Nature wants to treat us to an excessive amount of rain, so be it.

Since rain does mean staying put on a Sunday afternoon, I’m taking time today to go through my writing tasks to get a sense of where I am with them, or how far behind I might be, in order to run through a quarterly review. I’m already aware of the fact that I’ve had good days and bad days when it came to staying on task the past few months, for various reasons, so the fact that I’m behind isn’t a surprise.

Koa & Kai - inseparable

Having a puppy and two kittens that constantly demand my attention is obviously one of the biggest reasons I’ve been distracted the past two months. 

From the kittens chewing or scratching up papers, to digging miniatures out of my dollhouse, to sitting on my desk right in front of my computer screen, and from Jozee needing regular potty breaks and chewing on shoes and walls and the kittens themselves, I’m up and out of my chair more times than I can count. If I had a dollar for every time I said the words, “no” or “stop that,” I’d be set for life! But then the kittens eventually settle down, Jozee does her best to behave, and I keep telling myself to just breathe…it’s temporary…it’s just temporary…eventually I’ll get back on a regular schedule. And at least I’m moving more regularly and keeping up a good step count. J

Jozee

January was a productive month, and I was able to complete the tasks necessary so that the fourth book in my series was finally published the first part of February. Just in time, too, since the beginning of February was primarily focused on Jozee. 

The rest of February and much of March were hit and miss when it came to making real headway on my projects, but between my young adult, another book in the series, and a short story, when I do find the time to work I have plenty to work on.

Between watching Jozee and the kittens to working on my books in between naps and play time (seriously!), here are just a few other notes with regard to my recent progress:

I shared in one of my last blog posts that I had started reading “The Artist’s Way” and that I was going to try to make use of the morning pages idea – that didn’t really pan out for me. I was too busy with Jozee first thing in the morning and by the time I was able to sit down to work on anything, I wanted to use my limited free time to work on my books. I’m probably going to try the idea again in another month or so.

I did, however, begin reading again “The Writer’s Workout” by Christina Katz. Right now this type of book is easier for me to stick with and the daily tips will continue to push me as I move forward and continue to adjust my new writing schedule around the daily distractions of fur babies and whatever else pops up.

I also shared in a past post about my attempt to start using a bullet journal – I’m finally getting the hang of it and I really enjoy it. It’s messy, compared to all the pretty examples I see others sharing, but it works for me and I love the freedom I have to make it my own so that it works for me.

I got our taxes done – have to celebrate that one! J

And, odd fact, I was running through and updating information on all the characters in my series – I found it interesting that I’ve killed off 12 characters so far. I’m a virtual serial killer. Not sure what to think about that!

Although I feel behind on some tasks, I’m still making progress as I’m able, and as long as I continue to do that, all will be well. Just like the little saying I have at the beginning of my bullet journal, “A little progress each day adds up to big results.”

Have a great day!

Always a student, in life and in art

Life is full of lessons, along with a number of sides you look forward to or hope to avoid, and topped with promises and regrets. Regardless of the lessons we experience, we will usually learn something from them, whether about others or about ourselves and hopefully any change we go through is only for the better.

I’ve had my share of life lessons the past few years and while I’m not exactly sure how someone else might describe how these experiences have changed me, I would say that the lessons I’ve learned have brought about an intense desire to switch things up so that I can experience life differently. It’s been a work in progress, with some bumps and bruises along the way, but I am eagerly moving toward making those changes happen.

When we experience a change in ourselves, it may be immediate or gradual, or we may not notice it at all while others around us do. What we can only hope for, really, is that we don’t remain stagnant or unwilling to learn or refuse to understand how an experience has affected us.

That’s the way it is in life.

And that’s the way it is in fiction.

When life is hard, for readers anyway, we enjoy escaping by reading. Taking part in the lives of characters who are going through possibly similar experiences, or even if they aren’t, who are going through some sort of adversity which will help us take our mind off our own problems for a bit.

Characters we read about, with needs, fears, issues and family drama, jump off the page when we read about them, and if the book is written well, they appear to us as real individuals we continue to think about even when we aren’t reading. Books are truly magic and a great break from reality. 

As with real people, characters should not remain stagnant.  Readers appreciate changes in a character; it makes them more believable. As a writer, I get lost in the story I want to tell and might not always appreciate the fact that my characters, who are like real people to me, may not be showing the reader how much an experience has changed them. Or are they changing, but I’m not aware of it as much as I should be in order to express it on the page? I need to have a serious conversation with my characters, if that’s the case. J As an author, I’m continuing to learn the tricks of the craft and the art of writing and while I continue to learn, I trust it will benefit my characters and beyond that, those who enjoy my books.

This bit of insight, which I knew but might have gotten off track from, is the result of my time spent at a writer’s conference yesterday.  Attending these conferences never fails to increase my desire to continue to learn because I am reminded there is so much more to writing than just writing. It may seem daunting, I certainly won’t ever know everything, but while I continue to learn I’ll become a better writer and continuous learning will only feed my desire to live a creative life during my journey as an author.    

It's time for me to get back to being creative. Have a great week and keep reading!

One of the most difficult posts I’ll ever write…

Hi everyone – I had thought that my update for the month of September would be to fill you in on my book status and when the fourth book in the series might be available, or how the writer’s conference went or even how my own book event turned out.

But I’m writing now, sooner than I expected to, in order to share the saddest news to you from my author self. I’ve suffered another loss, and this time it has affected me in a way I hadn’t put any thought in to when I first began to write my mystery series.

Piper - using her paw to get my attention

I’ve shared with you in previous posts about my dog, Piper, who has dealt with some health issues the past few months. Piper is also the only “real” character in my mystery series and I have thoroughly enjoyed adding her cuteness to the personality of her fictional alter ego. 

Sadly, the issues that continued to plague Piper came back with a vengeance this past week. We attempted another surgery to remove the infection, and a new mass in her neck, but I’m heartbroken to share that a few days after surgery, complications arose and there was nothing more we could do. I was with her when she passed, I’m so thankful for that, but saying goodbye was gut wrenching for me. She was my little shadow, my muse, my writing buddy (always lying on the floor in the office with me when I was plugging away these past five years) and her absence will be felt…Every. Single. Day.

When I first began writing this series and decided to add Piper as a character, I never thought about what it would mean to me if something ever happened to her. Whether or not I could continue to write about her, no longer having her by my side. Whether I could continue to share her personality traits or quirks in the series, when I wasn’t around her to see them firsthand every day. 

Whether I’d want to continue to share parts of her with others, when I couldn’t have her here for myself.

These thoughts had never occurred to me…

Admittedly, as I review my latest novel and read over what I wrote about Piper in the story, it’s difficult. I want her here, with me. Admittedly, it’s only been two days and I need some time to heal. However, when I sat down today to work on my book, and as I let myself become immersed in the story, something happened I did not expect. It felt good to read about her. It felt good to imagine her healthy…hanging out with her owner, going for walks, playing outside, riding in a vehicle. Doing what dogs do, rather than how I’ve seen her the past few months due to her illness.

And I felt her here, with me. 

She’s no longer physically here with me, but she will always be by my side, in spirit at least. As a “character” in my series, the memory of her will continue to live on through my books, and because of that, she will live forever.

Piper’s own little mystery – a month-long saga

For those of you who have read my books in the Jorja Matthews’ mystery series, you’re aware that my protagonist has a rescue dog named Piper. For those of you who know me, or who have read about this fact in previous posts, you also know that I actually do have a Lab-mix named Piper. Other than Jorja, who is loosely based on my life as a private investigator, Piper is the only character in my books based on an actual…being.

Piper just wasn't feeling well

Since my last post on Mother’s Day, I’ve been very distracted with a mystery surrounding Piper after she began to have some serious medical issues with her neck. It actually began just before Mother’s Day weekend when her neck began to swell up. I called to schedule a vet visit but wasn’t able to get an appointment until the following week, which seemed to be okay at the time. But then during Mother’s Day weekend, that changed completely when her neck became so swollen, it caused the area to rupture. 

Nasty business, that. And just a bit scary.

The vet looked Piper over and discovered she had an abscess so they kept her overnight to drain it and get her started on some antibiotics. I took her home the following day with high hopes that all would be well and she would heal soon enough. 

More than a week later, on the day she was to return for a simple follow-up appointment, her neck had begun to swell again. At the vet’s office when they were looking her over, the area ruptured again. Our vet was not equipped to help any further and we had no choice but to take Piper to an emergency vet. This time, the ER vet prescribed different antibiotics and placed drain tubes in her neck to avoid any further swelling until the area healed.

But Piper was able to pull both drain tubes out within a couple of days - I think she was getting sick and tired of having her neck messed with. And I really can’t blame her.

Even without the tubes, the area continued to drain so I kept ace bandages wrapped loosely around her neck to catch most of the drainage and I watched her like a hawk for the next week until her follow-up appointment. By the time we went back to the ER vet for a visit, the swelling was much better, but we could clearly see a mass just below her jaw line that appeared to be more than fluid. An ultrasound had already been used and no tumor, foreign object or injury had been seen, so the reason for the mass was still a mystery.

This was getting serious because we had no answer and yet she still had a condition that would obviously continue to cause issues.

Our only other option was to think about exploratory surgery - to at least remove the infected tissue, and hopefully discover the underlying cause of the infection. Obviously, I couldn’t let her continue as is, that would have been cruel. There really was no other option, so we scheduled her for surgery last week, having no idea what to expect but with a hope and a prayer that the vet would finally figure it out and fix our girl.

After dropping Piper off that morning, I waited all day for a phone call and could barely focus on anything else but what news I would get. The surgeon had multiple surgeries that day, some more serious than Piper so the wait was understandable. But by the time the surgeon called me that evening, I was beyond worried. I was scared.

Chunk of wood found in Piper's neck

But the surgeon had terrific news when she called – after removing almost all of the tissue and finding nothing (at that point even she thought she wasn’t going to find the underlying cause), the surgeon was finally rewarded with the answer to the mystery when she was working on the last infected area. Buried deep in the tissue she found a small chunk of wood! Her guess is that Piper was chewing on a stick and that a piece of it punctured through her throat in an area that heals fairly quickly, often within a day or two, so that after the puncture healed, the wood was stuck inside the neck.

Mystery solved!

Piper home after surgery - feeling better already!

That small piece of wood is probably the most expensive piece of wood I’ve ever purchased, but my relief is priceless, especially after discovering Piper’s condition was caused by a foreign body, rather than a disease or illness of some kind we might not have been able to heal her from.

We’d do just about anything for our kids, as most parents would, and that includes when it comes to our fur babies. If you’re not an animal lover, then you might not understand, but when your pets are part of your family, it can really affect you when you see they are hurting or sick.

So that’s what’s been keeping me distracted for the past month. Just thought I’d share Piper’s story and the mystery I’m glad we finally solved. 

Until next time – have a great day!

How do you travel? Via fact or fiction?

I just returned from a vacation that made me so tired, I needed a vacation to rest after returning home. That’s nothing new, as I really can’t recall a time when a vacation actually meant relaxation. My husband and I are the same in that regard, thankfully, or I doubt we’d ever enjoy vacations together. 

Inside the Venetian at Las Vegas

When I think back to some of the vacations we’ve taken, I can probably count on one hand how often the bulk of one day was spent doing nothing. Why? Because there’s always too much to see and do! I can rest when I’m at home, but when I’m in places like Mexico, or Alaska, or Hawaii, or taking a road trip, whether it’s through three states or even up to ten, I don’t want to assume that I can bypass something that interests me or the rest of the family because we can always see it “next time.” 

My most recent trip was to Las Vegas – a place I haven’t visited in quite awhile. It really hasn’t changed all that much and I don’t know if I expected that it would have, but it was nice to return to find that it was still familiar. The one thing I do not miss about Vegas is the desperation emanating from so many, not only from those who visit but also from those who live and work there. But besides that, it’s still a fun place to visit and play, and where you will get more than your fair share of steps in every single day.

If you’ve never been to Vegas, you may not feel you’re missing out on anything, or maybe you secretly hope to see it someday. Honestly, I could describe what it’s like to vacation in Vegas, but it wouldn’t take the place of seeing it for yourself.  

New York New York from the strip

For those who don’t travel, whether due to financial reasons, health reasons or because other obligations prelude them from even attempting it, they might not ever know what it’s like to visit Las Vegas or Hawaii or Alaska, or foreign areas such as Mexico and beyond. Their only experiences of such places may be limited to photos and descriptions from others. Of course, there are some who just have no interest in traveling – like my in-laws. They were farmers, had little interest for much beyond the farm, and the furthest they traveled was to California or Oklahoma to see family. That was by choice, as they really had no interest in seeing new or foreign places.

But for those who do wish to see new places, how do they explore if they aren’t able to set foot outside their own state line? If someone isn’t able to travel, and they also have a love for books, they will most likely read about it. They will find authors who plunge characters into plots taking part in areas of the world they are interested in reading about.  Sometimes, stories will wrap you up with memories of a place so vivid you can no longer resist the idea of seeing it for yourself if given the chance. Before I visited New Orleans, I read Interview with the Vampire and The Witching Hour by Anne Rice. I’d already had an interest in seeing New Orleans, but after that, I just had to see it for myself. When a conference was scheduled to occur in New Orleans for private investigators, I jumped at the chance, and the city did not disappoint me.

Gaining knowledge from the experience of others might be insightful and exciting to hear about, and reading books by an author who can describe a character’s surroundings so vividly can be fulfilling to some extent, but I hope everyone gets a chance to explore someplace new at least once in their lifetime. I don’t believe anyone will ever regret taking advantage of living life and seeing new things when the opportunity presents itself. When I think back on the amazing places I’ve visited, I feel very blessed for the experiences and for the memories that will always be a part of me.

I have to admit…change is a good thing.

Change – something I’ve always had an aversion to…and never really appreciated. I have my reasons and they are likely all textbook answers, but as the character, Popeye, is famous for saying, “I Yam What I Yam.”

There is change we can’t control – no question. But we can try to control how we react to it. What’s the saying? It’s not what happens to you, but how you respond to it that matters. Life is a river…sometimes a stream and sometimes a torrent, but it is always, without question, changing.

Butterfly enjoying the Butterfly Bush

Whether we like it or not.

Then there’s the change we can control. What our New Year’s intentions are usually all about. For me, changing my routine can be a daunting task or just plain uncomfortable, but I know I’ll regret not sticking with a plan when it’ll be good for me and I know the benefits will offer positive results.

I got to thinking how ironic it is that while I really don’t like change, I wrote a series with a character who is literally thrust into a new perspective about her life after she loses her job, moves back to her hometown, starts not one, but two new businesses, discovers revealing details and unanswered questions about her family, and meets people who are an important part of her life and her family history. Not-to-mention the dangers of dealing with others who have ulterior, ugly or evil motives.

So much change and in such a short time. It would be a lot for a real person to get through and while there are some people who deal with a ton of change all at once, it’s more likely to happen in fiction than in real life. I think we can all be grateful for that fact. 

But that’s what fiction is all about, the excessiveness of what we deal with in real life squeezed into the pages of a novel. Otherwise, reading would be a very boring ordeal. The overwhelming details about the lives of our characters help us relate to them, but may also make us feel just a bit better that our own lives aren’t quite that bad. We can relate and feel thankful at the same time.

Fiction is wonderful that way – we can love, or hate, a character. We can follow them through thick and thin. We can watch them as they falter or are fortified, find trouble or solutions, and change in good ways or bad. We can pretend to know what we might do in the same situation, or maybe we do know and through the characters we imagine how our experience may have gone differently if we’d only done this or that.

It’s possible I enjoy writing because with characters, I can play with change in ways that I get to control…somewhat. The characters do tend to take over when I’m in the middle of writing, so I guess it’s something I get to pretend to have control over. Either way, I enjoy coming up with ideas that will mix up the character’s day, add more mystery to the mystery, make up characters to assist or hinder progress, include tidbits to create more questions or provide answers, and then try to tie it all together at the end. That process is a challenge, and a challenge is something I enjoy. 

Regardless of what I personally feel about change, one thing writing has taught me is that if change results in a challenge I can enjoy (and grow and learn from), then change is admittedly a good thing.

We’re only two full weeks into the New Year and I can say I’ve already learned my first lesson.

We’re off to a good start!

  

NaNoWriMo update - week 2

I believe there are two different mindsets when it comes to NaNoWriMo right now.  The first is that we’re only in the second week, with technically two and a half weeks to go, so it feels like there’s still plenty of time left. The other is that we’re actually almost halfway through November, which would mean halfway through the challenge, so I’m sure it’s fair to say that many writers out there are already questioning whether they will reach their word count or not.

I guess it’s either a glass half full or a glass half empty mentality. Either way, no matter where anyone is in this challenge, there is still time to finish what’s been started. For anyone who is behind on their word count, it just means finding the time to work that much harder for the next few weeks.

My glass is half full, when it comes to my mindset. I’m glad to say my second week was better than my first. This second week resulted in a higher word count and was minus the flu I had to get through the first week. On top of that, Friday was a holiday which meant staying home all day with very few distractions so that I made good on catching up on my word count. I’m just about where I need to be at this point in the challenge.

Gotta love those 3-day weekends!

I’m really enjoying my writing time and I’m very happy to have made the decision to join NaNoWriMo this year. It’s keeping my butt in the chair and moving my story along in a wonderful way. I’m also really thankful to have something else to focus my time on other than what’s been going on in the news or on social media. To be honest, it’s all just too distracting, sometimes disturbing and very depressing. Getting into my story, having fun with my characters and playing with the plot surrounding a mystery is so much more entertaining. Things are moving along with Jorja and the other characters, along with a cold case mystery and another new mystery to solve. It’s just all so much fun and I can’t wait to share.

For now, I hope everyone has had a wonderful holiday weekend.

Have a great week!

NaNoWriMo update – week 1

We are one week down in this massive writing challenge called NaNoWriMo, and I’m sure there are many writers out there who are wondering just what the heck they got themselves in to now that things are finally underway.

So how am I doing so far?

I’m admittedly doing so-so. 

I am supposed to average 1,667 words per day in order to reach my goal of 50,000 by the end of the month. But my first week for this challenge left me…challenged, and I wasn’t able to complete my daily word count goal. The main excuse was that I became very ill half way through the week, leaving me incapacitated for two days where I wasn’t able to complete anything that involved thought-process, sitting in a chair in front of a computer for any length of time, or anything that wouldn’t let me nap when the mood struck me.

I would be much closer or at my goal of just over 10,000 words today if it weren’t for my illness earlier this week, so instead I am currently at 6,565.  However, when I review what I was able to accomplish this week, based on what I was up against, I will say I’m pleased. Given where I am right now, my daily word count goal jumps from 1,667 words to just 1,738 words per day. That is a relatively manageable expectation.

I feel good so far with the challenge. I am pleased with the progress I’ve made with my story and with the new characters in my story. The characters are talking and I’m having fun.  For me, that’s what really counts. 

Now off to week number two!

Note to Self...and a Note to Create

I found this note I wrote to myself one evening when I was...in a mood.

Reading it over, I think it resonates with something inside me that others can relate to as well, so I decided I'd like to share it with you...

Note to Self:

To be creative, to stay passionate about what you create, you need to stay true to yourself.  

You need to answer the deepest and darkest questions within yourself.  Sometimes more questions will arise – but that just means more opportunities to write, to create, to find those answers.  

The characters want to speak. 

They want to be a part of your life, to share, to surrender themselves to the scrutiny of others, which means you must also do the same, in some fashion.  

You cannot expect others to understand what you are trying to share, unless you share what others might actually respond to, relate to, and react to, in some way.  

Listen to the characters.  

Listen to your gut.  

Create.  

Find that passion in yourself, in your work, your story.  

Keep it real and remember, no one has all the answers…we can only stay on the path meant for us and we can either give up, admit defeat and sit on the shoulder as others who create move past us, or we can answer the call and follow the path we’ve begun.

And always remember: follow your chosen path bravely and without reservation or regret.

What’s good about a drought? The growth we see afterwards.

You might not think September is synonymous with drought, or even growth, as the rain has already visited us and the trees outside are losing their leaves as I write this. But when it involves creativity, I will think of September as the end to my drought.

I recently attended a writers’ conference and while I may not have attended with any actual thought of what I wanted, the conference provided me with exactly what I needed. With a great lineup of speakers and a full day of learning, I was able to connect with like minds, find new inspiration, learn helpful tips and tricks relating to writing and marketing and most importantly, add a good amount of nourishment to my creative soul in order to fuel my passion for writing.

What did I learn throughout my day at the conference?

Here’s an overview:

• Useful approaches to great book cover designs – you really can’t deny that readers usually judge by the cover.
• Artistic Perseverance – remembering why I want to write and committing to that; consistently putting in the work while also reading, studying, and connecting with others; building my life around the necessity to write; and remembering that we’re not all perfect, it can take time and sometimes you have to surrender and move on to something else but to always remember my reason for writing and to never give up.
• Developing characters and crafting conflict – since my characters and I have had an on-again, off-again relationship for awhile, this class was well worth my time as it made me think about questions I should be asking while the characters navigate through the story and interact with each other. 
• Social media strategies – the presenter provided many useful tips and so many ideas about different tools to use that I have to find some time to check them all out, but I’m excited about utilizing many of them.  I feel like I’m starting over again, in a way, when it comes to my online presence and many of her ideas will really help me as I complete and publish my next book.
• Marketing strategies – this has always been the subject I dislike the most…selling yourself is not an easy thing to do for many.  But this presenter was excellent.  From creating a plan, to creating systems, investing in yourself, networking with others, creating newsletters, promotions and sales…and everything in between, she was excited about her work and she made me excited about it too.  She provided useful ways to tackle this difficult part of the business and even more surprising, she made me believe I can succeed, and possibly have fun at it, as well. 

With everything I learned from each presenter, what I really gained from the conference was this:  excitement. It is addicting. And I refuse to let that feeling go. 

The creative nourishment I gained at this conference has already caused me to lose sleep because I can’t wait to completely dig back the layers of noise in my head that have kept my characters muted for so long. I know this will sound weird, and if you’re not a writer you might not understand, but I feel awful about shutting out my characters for so long. 

The drought I’ve been in is over. 

Period. 

I’ve had a rough go for long enough, with a wild roller coaster ride of emotional ups and downs that has been difficult to maneuver through. The control freak in me has definitely felt out of control.  But it’s time for me to take back control of what I am passionate about, remember why I’m passionate about it, and make a conscious and constant effort to stick to the path I started a few years ago.

So long drought – hello creativity.

Have a great week!

R.I.P. Bloggers with Burnout

During each season of writing, writers live two lives; their own and whatever characters they’re writing about at the time.

Life, as we all know, is busy. And when you’re a writer, living your own life while writing about someone else’s, you tend to feel pulled in different directions pretty much all the time.  In addition, there is all that extra work involved with author branding, the business of publishing, and the time you spend marketing what you’ve been able to create. For writers who blog, or are constantly using some form of social media or other means of staying in contact with their readers, everyday life can be very hectic.

I’ve been working on my own book series for four years now…having published the first book in the series, No Mother of Mine, towards the end of 2012. During this time, I’ve almost religiously followed certain authors and bloggers, always looking for help, researching about writing, searching for tips about publishing, soaking up ideas relating to marketing, or just hoping for some extra inspiration and motivation to get me through the week.

But lately what I’ve noticed is that many of my favorite bloggers and authors have tapered off from regular posts, or only write about one thing (their latest book), or they’ve lost steam altogether.

I recently reviewed the list of all the blogs I’ve been following, and I came to the realization that about half of them haven’t posted very often this year, if at all, while others haven’t posted for over a year or more. This really surprised me. I had wondered at the lack of content from some of my favorites, or the lack of variety, but I just had no idea so many had actually dropped off from posting at all. 

My take on this is that some of the authors and bloggers who I had been following gave too much of themselves, at least professionally, if not personally. They were always quick to share their advice, offer a free class, provide helpful tips and tricks of the trade, or whatever it took to keep people like me coming back for more. 

And I will always appreciate them for it. 

But in providing so much to others, my thought is how long were they able to keep up that pace while they lived their own lives and put whatever energy they had left into the next book they hoped to get out there? 

Being a writer isn’t easy – and sometimes living your own life, while writing about your characters’ lives, can be overwhelming, which is definitely something to keep in mind when you’re trying to stay on task. But based on what I’ve discovered with regard to some of the bloggers I’ve been following, it would appear it’s what you do in the middle of those two lives…blogging, other social media, newsletters, offering seminars or online classes…that can actually increase the possibility of burnout.

 

Times change, people move on, and what we need or what others can offer doesn’t always remain the same. What writers have to figure out is when to give, when to hold back to allow some breathing room, and when to move on if necessary. No apologies needed. Regardless of the season they’re in, writers have to find that balance in order to avoid losing the passion that kept them going for so long.

It’s just another lesson learned from those who I have respected for the past few years. While some of my favorite bloggers are no longer with us, or possibly just on a very long break, I appreciate the fact that I’ve gained knowledge that will help me as I continue on my own journey as a writer.

I’m a Plunger, a Panster, an Organic Story-Teller

Photo credit: Death to the Stock Photo

If you are a writer, you know the debate over whether to outline or not to outline, to be a planner or a plunger (or a panster), to stick to a rigid story idea or to write organically. There is no one-size fits all, unless you’re in school and the teacher is telling you so, which unfortunately does nothing to really tap into a writer’s true creativity…but that’s another argument to be had. The point is, everyone is different and everyone creates differently. Once an author offers up a great story for readers to enjoy, does it really matter how they got there?

As for me…I don’t believe I fit the norm when it comes to what people would expect should they actually know me. In life, I am a planner.  When it comes to my daily routine, I like to plan, schedule, and be organized so that I can complete and check off to-do lists, and know what to expect. If someone veers me off course, it can sort of ruin my day (I’m trying to learn how to change this aspect of my personality a bit…but it’s still a WIP). 

When it comes to writing, I am the alter ego of myself.  I’m a plunger, a panster, a very organic story-teller. My stories begin with a thought, a vision, a dream about a character or an idea that just won’t go away. When the character or idea won’t leave me alone, I jot down notes as they come to me but when I finally decide to write the story, it’s like putting a puzzle together without having a photo to go by. Have you ever tried that? I have…it was actually a mystery puzzle I had to put together after reading a short mystery story and it was meant to be difficult for that very reason. It was fun but not easy.

Writing is the same way for me because I am an organic writer, and not able to rely fully on a complete outline. Even if I was able to put together a complete outline, it would change on me.  Scratch that, the characters would change it on me. My “outline” is pretty basic…I have certain ideas about what I expect to happen, new characters I plan to introduce and develop, and I have certain mysteries I expect to occur during the novel. But how the ideas happen, whether the characters pan out or how the mysteries are resolved can sometimes come to me on a whim, as I’m writing, or as the characters decide they wish to express themselves. Due to that fact, my outline is created as I’m writing, as it is happening in real time, and so that I can refer to it later as I need to.

Personally, I would rather write without an outline. The creative process is much different, more fun and less rigid than sticking to a strict outline. But that’s a personal preference and not one every writer can employ. When writing organically, you have to give up the idea that you know exactly what to expect or that your story should turn out a certain way. That’s what makes the creative process of writing so much fun. It may be a challenge to write organically but the story can also be as fun to you, and even as surprising, as it is to your readers.

Sounds a little odd, maybe, to anyone who isn’t able to understand the process from this perspective, but that’s the way it is when it comes to how I create. Everyone creates differently, which is actually a good thing. If we all had the same creative process, we wouldn’t be able to learn from one another.

So as I continue to plunge into organic story-telling, I’ve been balancing my time between two books:  the fourth in the Jorja Matthews mystery series and also my young adult novel. My focus has been shifting back and forth, depending on which characters speak the loudest. Yesterday the characters from my young adult novel were much more vocal with me, while today it’s Jorja and the others who I’ve been able to focus on. Since I’ve gotten back in the saddle and been able to keep up with a writing schedule, it has been so satisfying to be able to focus on not one, but two novels that I’m excited to share with others. I had thought I may only publish one of these books this year but at this rate, I may be able to publish both. Obviously, only time will tell, but I am excited about not only getting the fourth book in the series out but also publishing a novel in a completely different genre. 

Well, time to get back to it. I just wanted to take a break to check in, say hello, and post an update about my progress. It’s a holiday weekend so I’m taking advantage of the time off work to get more writing done. 

Have a great week!