Wednesday, July 6, 2016

IWSG - July, 2016


**(I will be away from my computer this weekend, so I'll return comments starting Monday. No "Celebrate the Small Things" this week.)**

It's time to release your inner gibbering child and squawk out your writerly insecurities for reassurance and virtual pats on the back. A big shout-out to our illustrious host, Ninja Captain Alex Cavanaugh, and his crew of hard-blogging co-hosts: Yolanda Renee, Tyrean Martinson, Madeline Mora-Summonte , LK Hill, Rachna Chhabria, and JA Scott!

Today, ISWG is starting a new question-of-the-month feature starting with: What's the best thing someone has ever said about your writing?

Long, long ago in a galaxy far, far away, I wrote a paranormal/thriller/detective novel. It may have suffered from a lack of focus. I don't know. Anyhoo, I was giving out copies to friends and family for feedback (not recommended). One of my victims readers told my husband that as he neared the end of the tale, he was getting a bit depressed, knowing the evenings spent reading my book would soon be over.

Really? Maybe that book had something after all. Unfortunately, after many queries, a few requests for fulls, and no offers, I grew weary of the query process and put it aside to write something else. Who knows? Maybe I'll pull it out of my virtual trunk and take another look at it someday.

In other news, I took the plunge and hit publish for Heart Stopper and Other Stories. Other than an unfortunately large font for the title page, it turned out okay. But now I've got put on my marketing hat and let people know of its existence. Gulp.

If any of you kind souls would be willing to post a book cover image, purchase link, blurb, etc. please leave your contact information (email) in the comments, or contact me: tamara (dot) narayan (at) gmail (dot) com. And if you'd like to spice things up, I'd be happy to compose a few snappy paragraphs on one of the following topics:

From Strep Throat to Heart Surgery, A Terrifying Possibility
Day of the Dead vs. Halloween
Sinkholes: The Good, the Bad, and the Beautiful
I'm Looking Down! Acrophobia and Desensitization Therapy
Ghosts in the Machine: Spooky Baby Monitor Tales
Rodents and Your Car: A Recipe for Disaster

That's right, rabbit, you could have an entire post for free! A big, big thanks to Crystal Collier and Alex for already featuring this collection on their blogs.

I'm looking forward to seeing what wonderful things folks had to say about your writing. Time to get visiting. Have you voted for the genre of the next IWSG anthology? If not, gHERE to cast your vote.



41 comments:

  1. Congratulations dear Lady. Happy for you. Maybe, one day soon you'll pull the other book back up out of the virtual world and give it another try. I hope so.
    I'll send you an email about the marketing.
    All the best.
    Shalom aleichem,
    Patricia

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  2. Congratulations! Great cover, scary book (I can't 'do' scary)

    But I'll be happy to post title, links (do you have geotargeted links? If not, I can make them) and a blurb that will not (please!) make me stay awake at night. Email on the way.

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    1. Hm. my gmail doesn't recognize your address. Send me the info at dianawilderauthor at gmail dot com

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  3. What a great compliment from a reader. I got sad when I was nearing the end of Murder and Obsession by Yolanda Renee - I just wanted to live in the lives of the characters for longer. Luckily for me, I hadn't read her other books so the sadness didn't last long :) Wishing you all the best.

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  4. You hit the button - awesome!
    You should go back to that old manuscript. It just might be the one.

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  5. Awesome, Tamara, that the reader felt depressed as he neared the end of the book, because he would have nothing more to read. This is such a big compliment. You should definitely revisit that book sometime in future and see what else you can do with it. If it evoked that reaction in one reader, it needs to be revisited.

    Rachna Chhabria
    Co-host IWSG
    Rachna's Scriptorium

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  6. Congratulations on such a wonderful compliment! I've been sad when getting to the end of books I've loved so I can imagine the thrill of hearing that about one of your own creations. I'm with Alex - I think you should revisit that old manuscript!

    I would be happy to help out with your new release. Just email me at julie@julieflanders.net. Congrats on getting it out there in the world! :)

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  7. Maybe you should pull out that old novel! It sounds like it has that "something", what with that great compliment. :)

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  8. The marketing game. Yay. This is my least favorite part, but I recently heard that you should find a way to market that makes it fun for you so that you're motivated. Yeah, you have to get creative about marketing. Oh boy.

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  9. Spooky baby monitors - LOL! Congrats on releasing the book.

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  10. Well at the very least that writer connected with it, so you're already a successful author! ;D Congrats on everything!

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  11. I think you should go back and look at that old manuscript. It sounds like you might have a real gem there.

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  12. You are welcome to appear in my Author Spotlight. Here is my contact me form on my website. Just send your info and I will respond back with a better email contact for you. I'd be happy to host you.

    Congrats on new release.
    Juneta @ Writer's Gambit

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  13. That is a wonderful compliment!

    And congrats on hitting that publish button!

    Also, you're more than welcome to take over my blog for a day. I love your snappy paragraph topics, too. If you're still looking for people, email me at mjfifield at gmail.

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  14. What a great compliment! My complimen's usually are about the way I tell a story. Then again, I don't typically allow people I know to see my writing.

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    1. FYI- this is jaclyn from raviolisandwaterworks.com. my phone isn't working so I'm using my hubbys.

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    2. FYI- this is jaclyn from raviolisandwaterworks.com. my phone isn't working so I'm using my hubbys.

      Delete
  15. Congrats, Tamara! I'm so happy for you, and your friend's comment was amazing.

    I don't do guest posts anymore, but I still want to help. Can I be on your social media team? I'd love to tweet it, share on Facebook...whatever you need. Feel free to send me an email! Seriously.

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  16. I would LOVE to help you out. I have every Friday (except the 1st) in September open, and 3 in October open. I enjoy Day of the Dead vs. Halloween topics. ChrysFey(at)yahoo(dot)com :D

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  17. Congrats, Tamara! I'm so happy for you!

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  18. That's a wonderful compliment and a problem I wanted to solve with my own books by writing a trilogy! Also, sometimes the characters simply don't want their story to end! You need to pull that one out of the drawer!

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  19. I'd love to spread the word. Cluculzwriter at yahoo dot ca. Let's talk.

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  20. Great comment from your reader. Hopefully, many more will follow, especially if you publish your other book.

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  21. That book must have had possibilities. A shame it is languishing. I'd love to help spread the word for you. Share a book cover?

    den.covey@gmai.com

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  22. I rarely do releases unless it's a close friend, but if you ever decide to hold a giveaway I'd be very happy to plug it on my Friday Freebies list! Your guest posts sound awesome and you should definitely pull out that supernatural/detective ms from the closet and try again, even use the best parts of that idea and combine it with a new one. Good luck!

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  23. That was a nice thing to hear. Maybe you'll get that one back out someday.
    Send me a blurb and cover sgourleyauthor at gmail

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  24. Sounds like a few nice comments. I hope you do dig it back out and work on it, submit it again. I know all too well about putting something away for awhile only to work on it later. Now, if I could only finalize it for publication and submittal.

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  25. I've always had an affinity for sinkholes maybe because they remind me of black holes. That could be fodder for a good story!

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  26. OK, you hooked me with Day of the Dead vs. Halloween

    I'm a fan of both - especially in tattoos. I'll host for whatever you want :) hit me up at donnahole at g mail dot com.

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  27. I'm always happy to host fellow authors on my blog so if you want to do an #AuthorLove post just send me a JPEG, description, bio, and excerpt if you like. And buy links.

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  28. That gulp is quite common among writers. I hear it all the time, and most often from someone I can only see in the mirror. You might want to check out my Featured Follower offer. I feature one author a month. If you're interested, sign up on my Special Offers at The Write Game. Would be very happy to help you out.

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  29. Congrats on the new release:) Very exciting. I'd love to have you on my blog anytime:)

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  30. I sent you an email. You're always welcome on my blog! Just let me know!

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  31. Hello, Tamara. That is a wonderful compliment indeed. I wish you a wonderful start to the week :)

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  32. I'm open for guest posts. I post on Wednesdays if that helps you at all. mpaxauthor@gmail.com / If you have no takers for sinkholes, I'm game. Or anything odd or intriguing, I'm all for it. Break a pen!

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  33. You're welcome to do a guest post on my blog. Mail me. ;-)

    mishagericke(AT)gmail(DOT)com

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I will do everything in my power to visit commenter's blogs unless I've been abducted by aliens or my children get sick. (If my children get abducted by aliens, I will be very busy, of course, catching up on my sleep.)