I'm very excited to announce that Caliburn Press will be hosting a book cover reveal for my new YA psychological thriller, The Caging at Deadwater Manor! This will be held on Facebook Live and my time slot will be from 8 pm to 9 pm on 7/23/16. There will be numerous other authors at the event also at time slots beginning at 10 a.m. for an hour each the same day (EST). There will be free giveaways, so stop by for a chance to win! Once all the authors are set, I'll announce the schedule and list of giveaways. Should be fun! More to come... --Sandie
Hi everyone!
I'm very excited to announce that Caliburn Press will be hosting a book cover reveal for my new YA psychological thriller, The Caging at Deadwater Manor! This will be held on Facebook Live and my time slot will be from 8 pm to 9 pm on 7/23/16. There will be numerous other authors at the event also at time slots beginning at 10 a.m. for an hour each the same day (EST). There will be free giveaways, so stop by for a chance to win! Once all the authors are set, I'll announce the schedule and list of giveaways. Should be fun! More to come... --Sandie
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It's with great enthusiasm and excitement that I'm able to share with you the final cover for my new YA psychological thriller, The Caging at Deadwater Manor! The cover artists at Caliburn Press are amazing. They sent me the draft of the cover, and I accepted it with no changes. It's exactly as I envisioned. This book was inspired by daily routines and a discovery my dad came across while working at a nearby psychiatric hospital here in the Tampa Bay Area. I had originally thought of writing a ghost story, but after talking with him, the plot quickly changed around the information he provided me. If only he could have seen the book. He passed away from Alzheimer's Disease in early May this year. My heart aches over this. We did talk about the book before he was too confused, and he became tearful when he heard the book was dedicated to him. Unlike the father in this book, my dad was wonderful, and I'm so thankful for all he did for me and his sense of humor. No release date has been set yet, but it should be before the end of the year. As soon as I hear, I'll let you know. It will be available in ebook and printed books on this website, Caliburn Press, Amazon, B&N and others. I'll also be doing some free giveaway events, so stay tuned and subscribe below for updates! Thank you to all who have supported me. I could not have done this without you. Please continue sharing and spreading the word. Most of the marketing for the book will be done through me, so I appreciate all of your help! Have a great day and let me know what you think about the cover! --Sandie ABOUT THE BOOK:
On a cold, January evening, fourteen-year-old Jeannie Kynde is told that her beloved mother drowned in the murky waters along Florida’s Gulf Coast. Her distraught father turns on Jeannie, no longer the caring father she once knew. Four years later, Jeannie is finally old enough to escape her father’s clutches, but he has different plans. He imprisons her at Deadwater Manor, a psychiatric hospital with an unscrupulous past. Will she be locked away forever? Hi all!!
In case you missed it, Caliburn Press held a blog hop in early May. The original announcement is below. Even though the blog hop is over, you can still enjoy the books by the Caliburn Press authors below. Check them out below! Original Announcement: Welcome to the Caliburn Press Blog Hop!!! Below you will find some of our books by some great authors. Please check them out. The blog hop will run from May 1-7, 2016. Don’t forget to follow the blog links below for more blogs and giveaways. Also, sign up for my future newsletter, book release information and giveaways on this page. JJ Fowler The Longest Midnight The Earth is dead, long ago ruined in the fires of the war - a war without end. Humanity now fights extinction from the legions of the ravenous dead. These dead warriors change, they adapt, they fight back with our weapons, mimic our tactics, and even speak in our tongue. In a sign of desperation, a small group of human soldiers sets off into the unknown for answers to the dead's uncanny ability to learn and organize and kill. They hope to return with something that will turn the tide in humanity's favor. But is there even a tide to turn? Most humans can only wait and look up into the blackened sky, a sky without sun, a sky they call The Longest Midnight. Link: Coming Soon Barbara Custer When Blood Reigns. Marked for death, Alexis holes up in a safehouse with her lover Yeron and four survivors of a zombie invasion. She’s searching for the compound where Kryszka renegades are making a chemical to induce a zombie-like state. Despite frequent assaults by ravenous walkers, subtle dangers such as hidden cameras elude Alexis. She never realizes until too late that the renegade soldiers have been tracking her. Link: Coming Soon Marti Boshers Sophie's seemingly ordinary life is about to be replaced with one full of chaos when she travels to an immortal realm for protection. She discovers she is part faery and part witch, but she is more powerful than either. She soon realizes she will have to protect her family, friends, and this new world she has come to love. She will sacrifice everything and never give up hope. She finds family, love, and power, but she also finds betrayal and murder. Will she rise to the challenge set before her or fall beneath the ashes of what she is destined to save. Link: Coming Soon S.A. Hunter Elanraigh: The Vow Thera doesn’t know why the Elanraigh Forest-Mind chose her, of all the Allenholme folk, to hear its voice and to awaken her gifts of mind and spirit. The Elanraigh sends a warning dream—black sails swooping toward Allenholme from across the western sea—the Memteth, an ancient enemy, armed with blue fire that hungers to consume life. Link: http://www.amazon.com/Elanraigh-Vow-S-Hunter-ebook/dp/B0075XGQSU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1461198458&sr=8-1&keywords=Elanraigh%3A+The+Vow Chuck Daukas A Little Night Fishing "Hidden by the sea and the fog, he watches. His lust for human flesh has sprouted and grown over a preternaturally long life. Now his hunger is insatiable and he will hide no longer. On shore, a young, bumbling security guard barely escapes a mind-wrenching encounter, only to find himself all that stands between the thing and humanity - and a multiplying horror that is closer to us than we are to ourselves." Link: http://www.amazon.com/Little-Night-Fishing-Chuck-Daukas-ebook/dp/B00L5UDUOM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1461198395&sr=8-1&keywords=chuck+daukas Barbara Winkes Amber Alert When her two-year-old niece is kidnapped, Major Crimes Detective Ann McCoy uses every bit of leverage she has with Agent Cal Davis to stay on the case. The girl's parents, Ann’s sister and her wife, are desperate for answers. While the investigators look at the disturbing possibilities, a pattern emerges. They find an organization hidden in plain sight that has no boundaries when it comes to pushing their agenda- even at the cost of harming families and children. Link: http://www.amazon.com/Amber-Alert-Barbara-Winkes-ebook/dp/B01BE15V3Y/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1461198333&sr=8-4&keywords=barbara+winkes Julia French Hill Magick Seeking escape from her abusive husband, aspiring columnist Rachel Jeffries travels into the hill country of Massachusetts, where she is saved from certain death by self-taught folk healer True Gannett. Armed only with his great grandfather's knowledge, can True protect himself and Rachel and stop the swath of destruction started by the powerful magician Joshua Lambrecht and his obnoxious familiar? Link: http://www.amazon.com/Hill-Magick-Julia-French-ebook/dp/B00D5X37SQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1461198244&sr=8-1&keywords=hill+magick Frank Julius Palumbo The Enochian Wars: Armageddon Unleashed Planet Nibiru has returned from its twelve thousand year orbit, and its inhabitants, a race of advanced winged gargoyles, will again rule Earth as Gods. Humanity's harvest has begun. Link: http://www.amazon.com/Enochian-Wars-Armageddon-Unleashed/dp/1944579060/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1461198186&sr=8-1&keywords=frank+julius+palumbo Sandie Will The Caging at Deadwater Manor On a cold, January evening, fourteen-year-old Jeannie Kynde is told that her beloved mother drowned in the murky waters along Florida’s Gulf Coast. Her distraught father turns on Jeannie, no longer the caring father she once knew. Four years later, Jeannie is finally old enough to escape her father’s clutches, but he has different plans. He imprisons her at Deadwater Manor, a psychiatric hospital with an unscrupulous past. Will she be locked away forever? Link: www.sandiewill.com BLynn Goodwin Talent Fifteen-and-a-half-year-old Sandee Mason wants to find her talent, get her driver’s license, and stop living in the shadow of her big brother, who disappeared while serving in Afghanistan. She tries out for the school musical, but is assigned to a job that might be better than any role. Everything changes after her dad picks her up following a Saturday work day, and I can’t tell you the rest without spoilers. If you check the reviews on Amazon, you’ll see that it’s well worth your time. Link: http://www.amazon.com/Talent-B-Goodwin-ebook/dp/B0182N1PZA/ref=sr_1_sc_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1461198018&sr=1-1-spell&keywords=BLynn+Goodwin Tina Amiri Whatever the Impulse When There’s Nowhere To Go But Too Far.. With his sole guardian turned stalker and the police on the wrong side, 19-year-old Night has little choice but to enter into an elaborate ruse in exchange for refuge. Despite his oppressive, isolated past, fulfilling his dying mentor’s grand expectations is achievable for prodigious Night, but threats and temptations abound. As Night’s power increases, will he be able to control his feral impulses, and more importantly, will he care? Link: http://www.amazon.com/Whatever-Impulse-Tina-Amiri-ebook/dp/B01BLX43GQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1461197958&sr=1-1&keywords=tina+amiri Michael Penny The nations of Daern are being torn apart. Old enemies are watching their borders, leering through a thin veneer of peace. The nobles search for weaknesses among their rivals, even as their castles crumble around them. And hungry spirits creep into the souls of mortals, whispering of more horrors still to come. At the edge of civilization, four lives collide in this world where mercy has become a luxury few can afford and life is often cheap. Can they survive under the pressure of forces they barely understand? Link: http://storyinprogress-daern.tumblr.com Jodie Pierce The Vampire Queen (book 1 of 3-trilogy) A young woman awakes to find out not only is she an important Countess but she is also the very first or 'Ancient One' as she is called by her subjects. Her memories of being a vampire or anyone are gone so she must relearn everything (from spells to flying) from the people around her, but can they be trusted? She also learns her main objective as the old Countess was purifying the vampire race and wishes to continue with that work. The 'Others', powerful and evil vampires, attempt to use her memory loss to their advantage. They had been trying to entice her to their side for centuries. Struggling to remember her past, battling the 'Others' and coping with her new life keep the Countess busy throughout this spellbinding and thrilling novel. Will she succeed in her goals or will the 'Others' win her over to their side this time around? Link: http://www.amazon.com/Vampire-Queen-Jodie-Pierce-ebook/dp/B004V9Z768/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1461197638&sr=1-1&keywords=jodie+pierce Angela Page Matched in Heaven Heaven may not be what you imagine. Jake and Mimi are dead and riddled with guilt. They play matchmaker for their spouses on Earth with the help Marcel, a disgraced priest. A May/December romance blossoms for Samantha and Syd on Earth until fate steps in. Link: http://www.amazon.com/Matched-Heaven-Angela-Page-ebook/dp/B0161XSE9I/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1461197573&sr=1-1&keywords=matched+in+heaven Thank you for visiting my blog and don’t forget to check out the other ones on this blog tour. You can find the dates and links below: 5/1 www.jjfowlerpad.com 5/1 www.itsanovelthing.blogspot.com 5/1 www.barkleysbaddogadventures.wordpress.com 5/1 www.sandiewill.com 5/1 www.matchedinheaven.net 5/1 www.jodiepierceauthor.blogspot.com 5/2 www.bloodredshadow.com 5/2 www.barbarawinkes.blogspot.ca 5/3 www.blynngoodwin.com 5/4 www.whatevertheimpulse.blogspot.ca 5/4 www.kissedbyliterature.blogspot.com 5/7 www.frankjuliuspalumbo.wordpress.com 5/7 www.storyinprogress.daem.tumblr.com 5/7 www.sandrahunter.blogspot.ca 5/7 www.juliafrenchbooks.wordpress.com For additional blogs and stories by Sandie, press below: I should be writing more on this blog, I know it. I’ve been pretty tied up with my science blog, especially the A Day in the GeoLife series. It has turned out to be a fascinating blog series for me because geoscientists (geologists and geographers) from around the world have shared their careers and advice for students. Their careers include studying volcanoes, glaciers, aquifers, fossils, space and many others, and they are from many places including the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, China, India, New Zealand, Ireland, and Australia to name a few. There are over 100 posts from them now and the stories and pictures are telling. If you’re interested, stop by www.rockheadsciences.com. I have been writing, though. I’ve started my third novel, which is turning out to be a psychological thriller. It started with this blonde guy who popped into my mind one day and hasn’t left since. He’s a regular guy, mid 20’s, middle-class. I didn’t know where the story would go at first. I just kept envisioning a scene he was seeing over and over that included the back of a man who was doing...something. I wasn’t able to figure out what he was doing at first – just that it was dark and disturbing. And that there was a chain involved. Since then, I’ve developed the entire story. It’s outlined. I know the direction, the mood, the characters. The next few months will be an emotional ride through the ins and outs of every corner of the story. You see, when I write, I feel every part of the story through every character. I enact it. I cry. Get mad. Feel empathy. It’s quite the exhausting process at times, but I love it. Hope you are all doing well and writing and reading when you can. If you’ve stopped by for my publisher’s blog hop – see my home page for more details on it and the status of my books. I'm hoping for my first book, The Caging at Deadwater Manor to be released in July 2016. Just waiting on the book cover and then it'll be out! Until next time -- Sandie It's been two years since I started my first blog at Rock-Head Sciences and soon thereafter on this author page. Recently, I was asked for tips from a follower, so I've jotted down 20 suggestions that stand out to me on maintaining a successful blog. Overarching all of them, however, is persistence. It takes many hours of learning, creating and experimenting in social media. Keep trying new ideas! 1) Find a niche and post routinely (i.e. once weekly, monthly, etc.), or if it's general, post several times a day to generate traffic. 2) Engage with your audience whether on Twitter or comments on your blog. 3) Invite guest bloggers and provide posts for other blogs. 4) Edit, edit, edit. Read your posts out loud, and ask someone else to read it before posting. 5) Incorporate humor into blogs when possible. 6) Use a professional looking website. 7) Use pictures with blogs and posts to social media. 8) Schedule announcements on a new blog using Hootsuite or another type of scheduler. 9) If you use WordPress, get the plugin "Revive Old Post" - make sure your titles of the blogs are how you want the blogs to be posted. This plugin will automatically retweet old posts randomly at a time interval (i.e. every two hours) you choose. 10) Make sure to get a backup plugin. I use "Updraft Plus" and have used it with success. Also, write each blog with Word, Pages or some other word processing software and keep your own files as back up. 11) Watch Twitter feeds from social media experts, bloggers and authors for great advice on blogging. 12) Ask website visitors to join your email list and announce new posts to their email. 13) Find a good video that shows you how to set up your webpage appropriately and all the related settings. 14) Use Google Analytics to track your page. You'll be able to see demographics that will give you insight on your followers. 15) Pay attention to SEO advice and follow it. Search engines are essential and you want potential followers to find you. 16) Follow copyright laws when using anyone else's writing or other media such as photos. Make sure you have permission. 17) Add your social media information to all your social media accounts, email signature block, and anywhere else. 18) Order cards to hand out. I use the square cards from MOO. Have them printed with the QR code for easy phone scanning. 19) Make sure to use reputable references in posts or when retweeting other posts on Twitter. There is a lot of misinformation out there, and you want to maintain your reputation as an expert. 20) Reference back to old posts in your new posts. This will help with traffic. In addition to these tips, I have written several posts regarding blogging and tweeting in the past. For additional social media tips, see the following blog posts: Twitter tips: http://www.sandiewill.com/blog/category/social-media Twitter tips at Writer's Helper: http://www.writershelper.com/Editors_Notes-182.html Blogging: Engagement is the Key to Successful Blogs: http://www.sandiewill.com/blog/engagement-is-the-key-to-successful-blogs Sandie is author of the soon to be released YA novel, A Caging at Deadwater Manor, from Caliburn Press. By day, she is a manager of a geology team who strive to protect water resources and natural systems. Her blog page includes short stories such as The Writing Desk Saga and inspirational experiences, as well as writing, blogging, publishing and Twitter tips. She lives with her husband, Charlie in Tampa Bay, Florida. They have two children, a beloved lab mix and a not-so-loving tabby. Feel free to share your social media tips in the comment section below as well! My Publishing Process: Editing, Photos & Publisher Status -- The Caging at Deadwater Manor10/10/2015 Well, I survived the editing stage with the publisher! It was definitely a grueling process, especially having to work full-time at my day job and editing at night and on the weekend. There were two rounds of edits for me and three rounds for the editor. Here's how the process progressed. I received an email in July from the editor, introducing herself. She also stated that I would be receiving her edits in August. They came in right on time, but I had only ten days to return my edits - yikes! She did say, however, that I could extend the time if there was a reason such as travel. I figured I'd go for it though, so I spent 20 hours primarily over the weekend and finished the edits up during the week. There were numerous edits within the text which I painstakingly accepted or denied (there were only a couple denied and I provided the reason). There were also several general comments on certain sections the editor thought I should take a second look at for consistency, believability or strengthening. The comments were excellent and I made the changes to reflect these in the text. One of her comments in the text stated that she loved a scene because it reminded her of The Walking Dead! I hope others feel that way! It wasn't my intention when I wrote it, but once she mentioned it, I could see the similarities. So, I added another scene later on to accentuate it more. I made the ten day deadline and sent her back my edits. About five days later, I received the second round of edits. There were several, but much less than the initial round. I was still noticing errors in the text, however, so I spent another 24 hours re-reading the text twice and sent back these edits ten days later. About three days later, I received the final version with a note that no further changes could be met at this time. The text was sent over for typesetting and I would have another opportunity to make minor changes. In the meantime, I prepared the publisher's author information form which includes general information, book blurb, excerpt, and various information for the cover artist. I also had a photo shoot with a professional photographer for my author picture. It was hard to choose, but here it is: I'll use this photo and several others for marketing purposes in the future. From what I understand, spending money on professional photos is worth the cost. This photo was taken by Jaimi Weatherspoon at Essentia~Special Moments Photography.
Next, I should hear from the publisher in about a month or so about the typesetting and book cover. I found out that my publisher, Damnation Books, was bought out by Spero Publishing, though. So, I'm not sure if this will affect any timelines yet. From what I've read so far, Damnation Books, Eternal Press and Spero Publishing will be consolidated into Caliburn Press, but I'll have to wait to hear from the new publisher to confirm. It came without warning, so I was a bit surprised to say the least. Hopefully, the transition will be smooth and I'll know the release date by the end of the year. We'll see. While I wait, I'll continue to look for any nagging, leftover spelling errors in the text so I'm ready for typesetting and finalization. I'll also start taking videos and photos along the Gulf Coast here in Florida and areas where my story is based, so I can use them in the next step -- the book trailer. I'll leave that to another blog! Thanks for stopping by. I'll keep you updated on the progress. Well, I'm not sure where this poem came from, but I wrote this on poverty when I was finalizing my children's book for submittal. I am not trained in writing poetry, so if you have any advice, I'd appreciate any guidance! The Bluebird's Wings The morning finds the tender limbs, As the dew drips from their leaves. And the early calls of birds nearby Awaken the boyish dreams. Oh, how he wishes he could soar Into the sky and rising sun. Oh, how he wishes he could gaze Upon a land so vast to run. But he cannot, For he is an unfortunate From love And from means. He is stuck in the perpetual cycle Of want vs. need. The old oak creaks a heavy growl As its roots extend their reach. But the whole of its core, so solid and strong Steadies the wealth it frees. Oh, how he wishes he could sway With his thoughts and youthful seeds. Oh, how he wishes he could break Into a life so hard to lead. But he cannot For he is an unfortunate From love And from means He is stuck in the perpetual cycle Of want vs. need. The bluebird preens its iridescent wings In time with the demands of the wind. Persuading the oak to change its course And bleed for humanity's sins. Oh, how this alters the road afar To hope and embodied desire. Oh, how this breeds a rich beyond Into a dream so filled with fire. And he can, For he was an unfortunate From love And from means. Who is free from the perpetual cycle Of want vs. need. (Sequel to previous blog posts: "The Writer's View," "Desk with a View," "Cat with a View," and "Jewel of a View") It’s been six months since my writer has sat before me. Dust has been invading the corners of my top and in the creases of my legs. The books have been still, and a vile cobweb now connects me to the windowsill. But even worse, she barely looks towards me anymore. I miss her. But she misses him. I have to admit that things haven’t been right since the old blob left -- the tapping from his claws, the weight of his girth and his so-called meow that sounded more like he was being stepped on than communicating. The competition is a third gone too, but my writer hasn’t even noticed. I guess Sonny’s presence was a part of her. Strange. You would think she would be relieved that the constant mêlée of cat vs. desk was less. That for once I wasn’t suffering. And that she’d have more peace without the keyboard battles. But alas, as it seems, she can’t bare the sight of me without him, and I have fallen victim to absence. Oh, yes, I do have the other cat. The one that just uses me as a bird-watching perch as she smacks her tail back and forth across me. New scratches in my fine grain have appeared as well since my writer has moved the computer away. It seems Mocha has taken over Sonny’s spot. Doesn’t my writer know I’m here to support her? Doesn’t she know that every morning as the sun shines across my face, that I wish she were here pretending to be someone else? Instead, I’ve succumbed to the whims of another unruly, spoiled cat that apparently has a licking fetish. It’s no wonder I have any finish left. Oh, my words are a mess. My sentences unfinished. I yearn for the days when my writer was not in such a state. She must return soon. Or I fear she never will. Oh, no, here comes the cat…again. Writing blogs and learning how to share them has been quite the undertaking for me over the past year. This has been compounded by the fact that I have two blogs. One is a science blog about geology at www.rockheadsciences.com and the other is a writing blog on my author page at sandiewill.com/blog. Both are vastly different in content and design, and learning how to best use social media for each has been complex. But the underlying power behind growing my presence online has been a simple one - engagement.
My science blog is based on facts surrounding my career in the geosciences. On this page, I share blogs of a technical nature from myself and geoscientists around the world, employment tips from a scientific manager's perspective, and travel stories through the eyes of a geologist. The blog has become quite diverse from learning how a volcanologist studies volcanoes in Hawaii, to how a geographer maps glaciers in Antarctica, to what it's like to work behind a drilling rig. These blogs provide a glimpse into the lives of geoscientists and provide helpful advice for students. Currently, I post blogs about every two weeks, depending on the number of blogs I receive from the geoscientists. I receive the blog post information from a form the scientist fills out on my webpage and pictures sent to my email. Once I receive the submission, I review and edit it and announce the blog on social media once it's posted. I use WordPress for this blog and the TweetOldPosts plugin to repeat blogs randomly every two hours. A new post is repeatedly daily for a week via Hootsuite or manually. I request the blogs from scientists that follow me on Twitter as well as colleagues. Twitter provides me the diversity to reach out to geoscientists of all backgrounds, and I feel lucky to have the opportunity to correspond and learn from them. It's because of this engagement that the word is spreading and the blog is growing. My author blog also takes up a major portion of my home time. My second love is writing in general and I have written two novels and am working on a children's book. I signed recently with a publisher, Damnation Books, for my young adult thriller and am awaiting edits. Every author these days needs to have a following on the internet. So, I started a blog on my author webpage and it includes short stories and Twitter tips. The writer community on Twitter is engaging and supportive. Numerous authors will share books and blogs. I've been busy with a children's book lately, but usually I write a blog at least monthly and announce it on social media. I write at whim, depending on what I feel at the time. My short stories include The Writing Desk Saga on the perils of being a writing desk, cat, dog or writer, depending on the view. I've also written about the Vietnam War from my uncle's frontline perspective, the torture of being a baking mom of a family obsessed with pumpkins, and my thoughts before walking down the aisle on my wedding day. I use Weebly for my author page and Hootsuite to share and repeat my blogs. I don't have Hootsuite premium, so I usually set up my weekly blog posts for Twitter manually on Sundays. This is very time-consuming, so I'm looking around for other options and am even contemplating switching to WordPress to use the TweetOldPosts plugin, since it's automated. I like the theme of my Weebly page, however, so it's been difficult for me to make the switch. I'm guessing that WordPress is the more popular platform, but it was a bear to understand. So, if you're just starting out, I would suggest to find free learning videos. Currently, I have over 3,500 followers (none purchased) on Twitter and they're growing every day. I have continued with the social media tips I learned early on and have gained several new friends on the way. There are a group of us who help each other share the word on any new books and blogs especially on hashtag event days such as #FF (Follow Friday). Again - engagement is essential. I've learned a tremendous amount on how to effectively use social media, web design and blogging over the past year, and I continue to watch and learn from others every day. Although I have two very different blogs, the engine behind growing a following is actually easy. As long as I continue to be engaged, I will continue to grow a following on Twitter and other social media platforms. Good luck with your writing and sharing. The learning never stops in this ever-changing arena, but the internet provides the tools you'll need to make your way through. If not, just ask on social media. Now, go engage! If you're interested in some of the techniques I used when I started using Twitter, see my Twitter tips at http://www.sandiewill.com/blog/category/social-media I also recently wrote an article for Writer's Helper on twitter tips. Here's the link: http://www.writershelper.com/Editors_Notes-182.html The Writing Desk Saga
(Sequel to previous blog posts: "Desk with a View," "Cat with a View," and "Jewel of a View") The birds are loud this morning as they race by the line of windows in front of my desk. I’m supposed to be writing, but I can’t help but watch them soar through the branches until they find just the right spot for breakfast. The daily positioning for a strategic landing onto the bird feeder has begun and the cardinals are antsy. They don't like to share. In fact, they act like they own the place. I watch for a few more minutes until I force myself to abandon this distraction and get down to business. My favorite pad in the right drawer. My favorite pen in the middle. My laptop positioned for internet searches. I can’t help but notice how well the shine of the desktop has never faded after all these years. There’s a few dings on the corners and a few marks on the legs, but overall, this old gal is in pretty good shape. The desk, I mean. The first time I saw it was at a little antique shop, and its tag held the words "writing desk." I’m not sure how old it is, but it’s longer than most desks. I like this extra length for storing book upon book, note pads, and a little jar filled with paper strips of handwritten memories for the year. Besides the birds, the view from the window holds generous-sized scrub oaks with long, hanging moss from numerous branches of various heights. Since I’m on the second floor, it feels like I’m up in a treehouse, and my favorite view is the flowerbed of red, pink and white pentas with a splattering of pink hibiscus. A faux brick border winds around it and a stately bench sits waiting for me. The focal point, though, is the white birdbath and pedestal with a hint of green. When I outline my stories, I’m usually quite focused, my pen not hesitating much on the page. I'm not sure who the characters are and aren’t, and I'm not sure where I’m going. So, concentration is essential, especially right now, since I'm in the thick of determining who the blonde guy is that's been following me around lately. And then in a millisecond, or a minute, I’m not sure, my intense concentration is interrupted by yet another distraction. Mocha. Not just any cat. This is one who is quite taken, even obsessed, with pens. And to my chagrin, today her play pen has to be mine. She thinks she’s pretty sneaky as her butt wiggles prior to pouncing onto my desk and trying to grab my pen quickly, but I’m onto her just as fast and pull it away with a swift second hand to assist her onto the floor. But she's relentless. Mocha returns for another try and so begins the onslaught of claws on my pen until I finally give up and move her to her favorite bath mat so I can have some peace. I immerse myself back into the outline, still somewhat on track, and jot down a few more lines. The cardinals chirp after every letter. The cat whimpers pitifully from behind. The clock clicks with every second. I grab my head into my hands, trying to shut out the noise that’s sidetracking me, but I soon give up once I notice a pair of cardinals looking back at me. I watch them as they bounce back and forth on a branch, their heads turning to each side to see me, or more probably, their reflection on the outside window. The female flies to the birdbath, followed by the male, and he watches and lets out a single chirp every few seconds while she bathes. He’s not directly near her, but he’s watching from afar, as if he’s protecting her. He lets her finish before he indulges which is opposite of bird feeder time where he barrels over her to eat. I’m glad for this moment to see their relationship. To slow down time to their time. And I suddenly realize that I haven’t really stopped brainstorming at all. I just have new material. Guess I'll go let the cat out. |
Both books are available in US & Internationally.
Signed books available through The Paperback Exchange. Follow me on social media
Sandie Will is a multi-award-winning, psychological thriller novelist who lives in Tampa Bay, Florida, and works as a geologist by day.
She has been married to her husband, Charlie, for over 30 years and they have two sons. Her favorite place to write is in her back room “treehouse” in the arms of an old oak. AWARDS & RECOGNITION: The Caging at Deadwater Manor 2020 Top Shelf Magazine Awards: First Place - Young Adult Horror 2018 Florida Writers Association Royal Palm Literary Award: First Place - Young Adult/New Adult Fiction 2017 Readers' Favorite Book Awards: Honorable Mention - YA Horror 2017 #1 AMAZON'S HOT NEW RELEASES The Takings 2020 Florida Writers Association Royal Palm Literary Award: Finalist in Blended Fiction The Replacings 2021 #1 AMAZON'S HOT NEW RELEASES She can be found on Twitter as @SandieWillBooks and @RockHeadScience, Instagram @sandie_will, as well as her Facebook page at Sandie Will, Author. Categories
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