Mischief at Midnight - new cover up

I love Google calendars. I run several different ones because I share them with different people. It works well to have a shared calendar with my honey so I can "suggest" what he should prepare for dinner. Whether or not he actually cooks what I've suggested is fodder for another blog.

Anyway... Today marks the one year anniversary of Mischief at Midnight being out as an indie release. It's a little surprising it's been that long, but when they say time flies, they're not joking.

I've learned a lot in the last year and I decided it is perhaps time for Mischief at Midnight to get a cover do-over. It's not that I need more to do - trust me I don't - but MAM is a cute little story. You know, the tangled webs we weave and all that. What starts out as a harmless deception to help someone out with a dinner party quickly becomes an evening that's gotten out of hand. I thought it was great fun, but I confess to a bit of bias about the story.

Anyway... I decided to celebrate the success of the last year with an updated cover. Now I just have to go around to all the vendors and get it posted. That's that hard part.

Rayne
rayneforrest.blogspot.com

Raindrops on the pond

I’m not sure why, but I’ve been a bit ‘scattered’ this week. I feel like raindrops hitting the pond. All my energy ripples out from the center and is gone. 

Maybe it’s an awareness of all the things I need to accomplish over the next few weeks, or perhaps it’s just the end of a long, hard winter. Whatever the culprit, my concentration is non-existent.

Part of the problem may be that I’m physically tired. With the sudden fluctuations in the temperature, I’m not sleeping well. It’s too warm for blankets, and too cold to open a window and let some fresh air in the bedroom. 

Tired or not, the break in the weather means it’s time to start walking again. I’ve not been able to get outside on my lunch breaks since Christmas. We had a freakin' blizzard in January, you know. Thirty inches of snow. I wasn't impressed as I peered out the window. 

If you’re wondering what that has to do with writing, well, here’s the thing. If I’m going to ever go to writing full-time, I’ve got to have a good exercise regimen firmly established. I refuse to channel Jabba the Hut as I sit at my keyboard. A better me means better writing, or so I firmly believe.

So what’s up with the writing this week? I’m scattered. My alter ego is coming up on the end of a story, and the floodgate of new ideas has opened. Pick one. Pick one. PICK ONE! It’s always difficult to narrow it down to the most complete idea and forge ahead. The sooner I do, the sooner I can get back to another project.  Right? 

Rayne Forrest

rayneforrest.blogspot.com

Your Book, Your Way - IWSG

February 3, 2016

The Insecure Writer’s Support Group

http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com

One of the first writing pearls of wisdom I learned was every author should write her/his story for themself.

Okay, so the above sentence isn’t perfectly grammatically correct. This is my blog so it’s written my way. Maybe it’s to prove my point or maybe because it’s to prove my point. I’ll tinder my apologies now in case the sky starts to fall.

I think it’s important for every writer to remember why they write. The little wisdom pearl is correct - write the story for yourself to please yourself. If you want to bring others into your book, you have to be there first.

Too many times, I think, worrying about what an editor or reviewer might say discourages a writer and they temper their words to please. It happened to me very early on and it was very discouraging. I eventually got over it, and I know it’s not easy to overcome. I’m even certain a wee bit of it lingers on.

I know the best stories I’ve written were for me. I’m blessed that I was able to share them. Grateful, too. But I’ll never forget the first rule of writing.

YOU are your very first reader. Write the story that at its core will make you happy. Everything else will fall in place around it.

 Rayne Forrest

http://www.rayneforrest.com

www.twitter.com/rayneforrest
rayneforrest.blogspot.com