blogging – Page 15 – stacey jaine mcintosh

Letters from Emily Release Day

Posted on October 2, 2018 by staceyjaine in publishing, Stacey Jaine McIntosh, Writing

Letters from Emily by M.L. Pennock

When Emily Long agrees to be in her friend’s wedding, she doesn’t plan on backing out a few weeks before the ceremony and merely going as a guest.

Being charmed into a one-night stand with a flirty groomsman also wasn’t on her list of things to do. But the morning after the wedding, she finds herself hung over and wrapped up in Brian Stratford’s bedsheets.

Several weeks, a positive pregnancy test, and an ultrasound later, Emily finds herself on Brian’s doorstep questioning how her life ended up where it is.

As the new couple processes how to co-parent without loving one another, Emily’s fate takes a turn for the worst.

It isn’t until years later when Brian finds out what happened …

and that Emily left letters behind for the people she loves most.

emily

Links!

Universal Link: books2read.com/LettersFromEmily

Amazon US: http://bit.ly/LettersFromEmilyUS

Amazon UK: http://bit.ly/LettersFromEmilyUK

Amazon AU: http://bit.ly/LettersFromEmilyAU

Amazon CA: http://bit.ly/LettersFromEmilyCA

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/LettersFromEmilyBN

iBooks: http://bit.ly/LettersFromEmilyApple

Kobo: http://bit.ly/LettersFromEmilyKobo

Add it on Goodreads: http://bit.ly/LettersFromEmilyGoodreads

Follow M.L. Pennock on social media at:
facebook.com/mlpennock
twitter.com/mlpennockauthor
instagram.com/mirandalpennock
goodreads.com/author/show/14020494.M_L_Pennock
mlpennock.com

Haven’t signed up for the newsletter? You can do that here: http://eepurl.com/dkYbZ1

Join the discussion!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/840828242736728/

About the Author

M.L. Pennock is a former journalist turned author. She attended Alfred University, earning a Bachelor of Arts in English and communication studies, before going on to earn a Master of Arts in communications from SUNY College at Brockport. She lives in Central New York with her husband and three daughters.

M.L. Pennock is the author of the To Have series.

Visit facebook.com/mlpennock or mlpennock.com for more information about what she’s working on next.

I Just Hit Publish!

Posted on September 29, 2018September 30, 2018 by staceyjaine in Indie Author, publishing, short stories, Stacey Jaine McIntosh, Writing

I just hit publish on the kindle version of my short story Morrighan and I’m so impatient that I’m literally sitting at my computer compulsively clicking refresh hoping that it’s gone live in the last five seconds. And, finally it has!

So, why did I decide to publish a few short stories? Well, because I’m still working on the edits of The Winter Princess I wanted to share something instead of appearing idle to the publishing world. And hopefully build up a bit of a readership along the way.

The first story, Morrighan, deals with a retelling of the Arthurian Legends from Morgan le Faye’s point of view with a paranormal twist.

morrighan cover 2.jpg

It is available for purchase on Amazon and Smashwords for 99c.

Here’s an excerpt from the story…

The wind whipped through her hair, tossing the dark strands over her face and obscuring her vision. High above the sea, on the rocky crag the aerie was full.

Nemain settled on Morgan’s shoulder; the bird’s talons digging into the soft leather pauldron. She had become so used to it now that she didn’t even wince as the bird took its time hoping about on her shoulder before settling down.

As she turned her head and looked Nemain straight in the eye, the bird cocked its head to one side, its beady onyx eyes staring back at her. “Where are your sisters?” Morgan asked.

Nemain cawed once before raising one wing upwards, just as two more birds few in, circling once around Morgan’s head; the beat of their wings echoing in her ears. Badb and Macha landed one after the other on the leather gauntlet that covered her left arm from her fingertips right up to her elbow.

Smiling, Morgan gave a brief nod to each bird in turn. As she picked up the reins in her right hand, she nudged the dapple grey gelding on with her thighs, while being careful as she navigated her way down the steep path, that that had been worn into the cliff face after years of repetitive use and headed across the field for home.

It was true that she could have spent all day up at the aerie, looking out at the sea below while observing the hatchlings, but Morgan knew if she did she was only putting off the inevitable. That eventually she would have to see Arthur, and while she quite enjoyed the solitude, in having only the birds for company, she feared his wrath more.

Arthur, like most fey, was deathly afraid of birds, ravens in particular. It was said to see one was a bad omen, to lay eyes on three signified one’s own death. So superstitious was Arthur that when he and Morgan had been presented the murder of ravens as a wedding gift he’d threatened to spill their blood then and there in the reception hall.

What had been seen couldn’t be unseen, however; Arthur was destined to die.

Had it been anyone else but the Queen of Camelot’s kin that had presented such a gift to the newlyweds, the lives of Badb, Macha and Nemain, wouldn’t have been spared at all.

Pressing her thighs to the gelding’s flanks she worked him up to a trot before she gave the animal its head and allowed him to lengthen his stride until he was pacing at an even canter. Spying Arthur not far from the castle she brought the horse under control, knowing full well what was in store for her, should feathers wind up shedding on his clothing.

Bringing the ravens out of the aerie at dusk was not entirely wise, but Morgan was never one to play by anybody else’s rules but her own.

“Those creatures belong in the aerie not out here by castle walls,” Arthur said facing her.

“And fey belong in children’s story books,” Morgan spat.

My TBR Pile

Posted on September 6, 2018September 6, 2018 by staceyjaine in Reading, Stacey Jaine McIntosh

AFCCB6A9-FA49-4027-97DB-4BFF2F6E544F If you, like me are an avid reader you’ve probably got a to be read pile that keeps on getting bigger. If you don’t have a to be read pile, I’d love to know your secret to being a more productive reader. I struggle to find enough time to read to get through my pile.

Currently, on my to be read pile I have the following:

(in no particular order)

A Game of Thrones (plus the next two books) by George R R Martin

The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins

The Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

Throne Of Glass by Sarah J Maas

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Dreamer’s Pool by Juliet Marillier

I have absolutely no excuse as to why they’re still sitting on my bookshelves untouched. It’s probably got something to do with the fact that I do get caught up reading ebooks more than I do paperbacks.

And while I schedule time to write I don’t schedule enough time to read. Sometimes sleep just has to take priority.

I believe the last paperback book I picked up was Rebecca.

But my currently reading pile? Why, that’s a list for another time.

Well, if you enjoyed this blog, drop me a comment with one book on your shelf you haven’t gotten around to reading. I’m always on the lookout for new books to read, even if I haven’t finished reading all the ones I currently own.

How to Deal with Rejection

Posted on September 4, 2018September 4, 2018 by staceyjaine in Stacey Jaine McIntosh, Writing, Writing Advice

1C4CDA24-390A-47D4-A4FC-A2410B9F55B3 I hate to say it, but life has gotten busy. Looking for work has taken up the bulk of my time and I’m still no closer to being employed. So, as a result, August has given way to September and Spring is beginning to leave its mark, ever so slowly.

My story Owl Eyes has yet to be picked up, despite sending it out to a few different anthologies it’s been rejected. I’ll likely add it to the pile of stories I’m collecting to put into an anthology, but even so it doesn’t lessen the sting of rejection.

So, on that note I thought I’d share a few ways to deal with rejection as a writer.

1. Try not to take it personally. I know, it’s hard and you’re first instinct will be to take it personally, but do try not to. I promise good things are just around the corner.

2. Allow yourself time to be disappointed. Let’s face it… rejection hurts. Take a moment, but don’t dwell.

3. Have something on the go. Don’t force the words but have something to throw yourself into. Hope springs eternal and you won’t get published if you don’t keep writing.

4. Let it go. Let it go! (Sorry! I couldn’t resist. Hazards of having a daughter who loved (loves?) Frozen. But it’s true. Patience is a virtue and humility even more so. Don’t get angry. It’s no way to have a writing career.

5. Try to get rejected. I know it sounds crazy but you can’t get published without taking a risk and sending your work out into the world. For every two rejection letters you might receive an acceptance letter. How great would that be? A dream come true, I bet.

I hope this list has inspired you to keep going, even if at times it seems hopeless. If it’s has, drop me a line in the comments. If not, I encourage you to also comment, perhaps with your favourite song. You know, the one you just can’t get out of your head? Inspiration comes from everywhere after all.

Winners of the Birthday Giveaway

Posted on August 3, 2018 by staceyjaine in Stacey Jaine McIntosh

winners

So, in case you missed it, I’ve been running a little giveaway, which is now closed.

There were fifteen entries and according to random.org, the winners are as follows:

Kristin and Liv Miles

Kristin has won an electronic copy of Twisted and Liv, a copy of Twisted II. I hope you enjoy reading.

Thank You to everyone that participated and I’ll be reaching out to the winners shortly.

Popular Hashtags For Writers

Posted on July 31, 2018April 20, 2019 by staceyjaine in Stacey Jaine McIntosh, Writing, Writing Advice

Do you ever find yourself wondering what writerly hashtags to use on Instagram and twitter? If the answer is yes, then look no further.

I’ve compiled a list that might help you navigate the never ending sea of confusion that surrounds hashtags.

Popular Hashtags For Writers

#AmEditing – a short version of “I am editing”

#AmWriting – a short version of “I am writing”

#AmReading – a short version of “I am reading”

#WritersWrite

#WritersRead

#IndieAuthors – independent authors need to use social media in their marketing strategy.

#NaNoWriMo – national novel writing month

#PubTip – publication tips

#SelfPublishing

#StoryStarter – a prompt for starting a story

#WordCount – used by writers who want to share their writing progress

#WIP – work in progress

#WritersBlock – used by writers who are suffering from writers block

#WritersLife – used by writers to add insight into life as a writer

#WritingPrompt – the perfect hashtag if you’re looking for inspiration

#WritingTip or #WritingTips or #WriteTip – used by writers who want to share tips about writing

#WriterMum or WriterMom – used by female writers who are also parents

#WritersfollowWriters – used for writers to follow other writers

#WritershelpingWriters

#WritingCommunity

There’s plenty more… like for example….

Day of the Week Hashtags

#MotivationMonday

#TeaserTuesday

#WIPWednesday

#ThrowbackThursday

#FollowFriday

#Caturday

#SundayFunday

Keep checking back, as when I come across other hashtags, I’ll update this post, but this is a good start for any writers out there lost in the sea of hashtags.

Birthday Giveaway

Posted on July 31, 2018July 31, 2018 by staceyjaine in Stacey Jaine McIntosh

9ADA5A6E-B733-487C-96C8-7E44C9DC4B23 As it’s my birthday in 2 days, I thought I’d celebrate by hosting a giveaway.

Up for grabs is the following:

1 x ebook copy of Twisted, featuring two of my short stories, Red and The Summer Girl.

1 x ebook copy of Twisted II, featuring my short story The Wild Hunt.

To Enter:

Like this post and leave a comment below to be placed in the draw.

Entries close at midnight (Perth, WA Time) 2nd August 2018.

Winners will be announced at random courtesy of random.org. by midnight 3rd August 2018.

Drawing Inspiration from Dreams

Posted on July 20, 2018 by staceyjaine in Stacey Jaine McIntosh, Writing

D76EB3F1-B447-4E18-A927-398319F2A838 Inspiration can strike at the most inconvenient of times. Often, I find myself drifting off to sleep and then an idea pops into my head, for a story or novel and I just have to write it down before I forget.

Other times, I’ll wake up in the morning or the middle of the night after the most interesting dream, and again I just have to write it down.

Why the hell wouldn’t you?

I know, I know. Drawing inspiration from a dream… It’s cliche, right? But what if it’s not? What if you have a really kick arse dream that is just the right fit for a story? With all it’s untapped potential, you should totally use it. It would be a shame not to.

Now, I’m not talking about making a full blown novel out of one teeny tiny dream , that might not be feasible but maybe you can get some mileage out of it to create a really cool short story.

You won’t know until you try.

I’ve done just that in the past, actually. Other times my dreams have been weaved into a single scene.

That’s the thing about inspiration. It can be found in the most unlikeliest of places. So, don’t go discounting or discrediting your dreams just yet. You might just be lucky enough to find that rare gem.

I have, a few times. So, I’ve written them down, stored for later use. Ready for when, I finally get around to expanding upon them.

Just last night I had a dream where some of my extended family all gathered together on my front lawn awaiting my return. I thought it was weird (and slightly annoying) that they’d come to my house without any prior warning. Upon waking, I still find it weird. But also curious. I can’t quite shake the feeling that there’s a message in this dream, as it was all just a little too real. But I’ll dwell on that aspect of it all tomorrow when I have a clearer head.

Writers Block and How to Prevent it

Posted on July 16, 2018 by staceyjaine in Stacey Jaine McIntosh, Writing, Writing Advice

I come across a lot of writers complaining about writers block. They seem to all have one thing in common. How do you overcome it, and even better: How do you prevent it in the first place?

Firstly, some tips to overcome to overcome writers block.

– Go for a walk. A change of scenery and fresh air often brings about new ideas.

– Read a book. Often reading a book written by someone else is enough to trick the mind and get you in the mood to write again.

– Listen to music. Instrumental or songs with lyrics. Either can work.

– Create a routine. I’ve spoken of this before. Writing daily creates a habit, which in turn creates a want to write. A desire to write.

– Journal. Keeping a journal, while not fiction, is still writing and may help banish your creative block. At best, if it doesn’t banish your block, it will help clear your head.

Secondly, some tips on how not to overcome writers block.

– Television. It’s such a mindless activity but I do enjoy several tv shows. So to compensate I watch tv a little less. Or I write while watching tv.

– Refusing to write. While inspiration is one thing, you have to write something. Otherwise the well will just dry up. Don’t just wait around for you muse. Force her to show up.

– Procrastinating. Putting off writing is also not the way to overcome writers block. It’s the way to avoid it completely and counterproductive.

Lastly, the way to prevent writers block is quite simple. Really it is.

Pick up your pen (or go sit at your computer) and write.

And, if you’re still not convinced, try it.

Write about a memory. Write about something you saw while shopping… a person you met. Anything, as long as you write and don’t stop, stick with it. Because if you love writing, if it’s what truly drives you then it’s better to write something than nothing at all.

Using Instagram as an Indie Author

Posted on July 9, 2018July 9, 2018 by staceyjaine in Stacey Jaine McIntosh, Writing, Writing Advice

Instagram.

It’s a powerful and fun visual tool. It can help you to promote your books and your author brand. While not as fast paced as Twitter it’s still quite active.

I’ve managed to grow my Instagram account quite steadily over the last year.

Some tricks I’ve learnt during my time on Instagram are:

Post to Instagram at least once a day.

I’ve only been posting daily since April but I have seen results.

Don’t be afraid to mix it up. I switch between inspirational writing quotes to inspirational images, writing snippets and character inspiration. Occasionally, I post about my kids. I am a mum after all.

Do keep it on brand and relevant. Of course what’s relevant to you might not be relevant to another writer, but that’s okay.

Share what’s important to you. Your goals and achievements. Big or small. It doesn’t matter.

Don’t be afraid to share yourself with your audience. Whether it be highs or lows. Invite people to know the real you. As much or as little as you want. It’s up to you, but including people in your journey is how you get people to connect because they feel a part of the process and it’s with those connections that you begin to make an impact on somebody else’s life.

Most of all…

Dont forget to have fun!

Opening Lines

Posted on July 3, 2018July 3, 2018 by staceyjaine in Stacey Jaine McIntosh, Stuff, Writing

In trying to decide what to write about today (and coming up empty) I decided to go easy on myself and switch things up, in the hopes that maybe, just maybe I might inspire some of you to leave a comment.

So, today’s post, while containing no words of wisdom, tips or personal anecdotes does contain a story starter.

Maybe it’ll inspire you to write and maybe it won’t, but if it does, then please feel free to share, the first few lines with me.

Here it is!

I knew that sound. Dragons.

It All Starts With Coffee

Posted on June 27, 2018June 27, 2018 by staceyjaine in Stacey Jaine McIntosh, Writing, Writing Advice

coffee-2506243_640

Yes, it’s true! I’m a coffee addict. Like you didn’t know.

So, by now, it’s no secret… or at least I hope it’s no secret, that I write every day. Some days not as much as others, but I do write daily.

It’s not something I’ve always done. In fact, it took me two years to make the habit stick and it wasn’t easy.

Now, I’m not going to tell you what to write… that part is up to you. Blog, novel, short story… journal? Whatever. Nor am I going to give you story ideas… although, that might make for an interesting series of blog posts sometime in the future.

For now though, let’s get back to developing daily writing habits.

Decide what you want to work on. Is it a short story or a novel? Does it have a deadline? How many words is it?

Break it down. And keep your daily word count target small. There’s nothing more overwhelming then setting a daily goal of a 1000 words and falling short because you were so caught up in writing ALL THE WORDS. Trust me, small is better.

Take my goal for instance. In January I set a goal to write 275 words a day. Some days I write more, others I write less, but in six months I’ve never missed a day.

I know many writers who churn out upwards of 5,000 words one day and then don’t write for days afterwards. I don’t get it. I mean, each writer’s writing process is different but I’d much rather see the progress on the page, bit my bit, than multiple zeros on a spreadsheet. But then, I also like accountability. I like seeing proof of my progress.

Make time. I cannot stress this enough. Even ten minutes. My biggest time saver when stealing time for writing is my iPhone. I often find I’m more productive if I just use the notes app, but I have MS Word on there too and I save everything to OneDrive, so its all right there waiting for me to pick it up the next day on whichever device I choose to work with.

You’re probably sitting reading this and going but I don’t have time, right? Wrong. Back in April I felt the exact same way. I asked other writers how I could fix it. How I could up my productivity and stop procrastinating. I’m time poor. I have four kids and a husband, along with a house to take care off. Something had to give, and it couldn’t be any of those three big things. Family is important.

So, what did I do? Well I began tracking my time for a whole week. 7 days. It made me accountable to the house, the kids and my husband, and I soon saw a pattern forming and I was able to identify blocks of time where I could write.

Back in May, I posted this about finding time and while it’s not a concise picture of every day of the week, it is a rough idea of what a week day looks like for me. It’ll likely change when I get a part time job, becoming even crazier, I suspect, but I’ll deal.

So, I made time. Two hours at night. And not every night mind you. Some days I blow off writing at night in favour of TV and when I do I make up the words in other ways. By blogging, for instance. Yes, I multitask.

Pick one project. You don’t have to do everything at once. I have… three, no four novels on the go at the moment. I switch between all of them depending on the day and my mood. It helps me to keep the story fresh. And tricks my mind into thinking I’m working on something new, even though I’m clearly not.

And, I could go on, but I won’t. So… if you think there’s something I’ve missed or you have a question, pop it in a comment and I’ll be sure to reply.

100 Followers

Posted on June 26, 2018 by staceyjaine in Stacey Jaine McIntosh, Updates, Writing

OMG! Thank you all so much. You guys are awesome! I actually didn’t expect to reach this milestone so soon after I resumed blogging much more often in April. But I have, so thanks.

But, this is not just about the numbers, or the likes, comments or even the follows. It’s about community.

And while I know there’s a few of my followers that probably aren’t writers or authors or even artists, you’ve still taken the time to read my posts and follow me on my journey and listen to what I’ve got to say. And for someone who always hesitates to click PUBLISH every time I finish a blog post that’s a big thing. Huge, even.

So, THANK YOU.

When I started this blog back in 2013, I had a different path for it. I’d started it with the idea of just sharing my accomplishments as a writer and the odd stories about my kids. And while I know I should continue to perhaps blog about my kids, I do need to share my accomplishments and writing process more.

So, while their won’t be any less of the informative tidbits I’ve been sharing there will be more about me, my kids and my writing. I started publishing in November 2011, which oddly also coincides with when I started writing. I started my writing journey in November 1997. I still have the first story I ever wrote, miracle of miracles it survived to this day despite bad storage methods. Floppy Disks…! Anyone remember those? If you don’t, it’s okay. I’m in my 30s…

Anyway, enough rambling from me. I do hope you stick around though, and continue to enjoy my posts and maybe even find some useful tidbits along the way.

My To-Do List

Posted on June 25, 2018June 25, 2018 by staceyjaine in Stacey Jaine McIntosh, Updates, Writing

557D6CD1-2728-4436-BF52-8D457E134A1B Well… it has been a busy week, so I’ll get back into my more informative posts again tomorrow.

For now though, I’m going to share what’s been happening in my world.

1. The job search is still ongoing and as frustrating as ever. If you’ve ever been a stay at home parent you’ll know my frustrations. 12 years out of the workforce means you’re basically unhireable. At least that’s my experience to date.

2. The Twisted II anthology is drawing closer… coming July 13th…

3. I have an interview that I did for The Horror Tree coming soon, as well as more book reviews being finalised and sent off tomorrow.

4. As for my own stories… Nightshade is close to being finished. Which means I’ll be diving back into Sovereign and hopefully getting that finished by July 24th.

5. My Patreon page should be up and running soon. Yes… I know, but I can’t create and publish without a little help. But don’t worry there will be plenty of perks should you choose to become a patron. But more about that later.

That’s all from me.

More tomorrow, when I’m not so exhausted.

Using Twitter as an Indie Author

Posted on June 18, 2018June 18, 2018 by staceyjaine in Stacey Jaine McIntosh, Writing, Writing Advice

Twitter.

It’s a powerful tool. It can help you to promote your books and your author brand. It’s also very fast paced. It’s a world which, despite my decent following, I haven’t managed to crack just yet.

But, don’t let my experience (or lack thereof) prevent you from building something great.

Some tricks I’ve learnt during my time on Twitter are:

Post to Twitter at least 3-5 times a day.

This is actually what lets me down. A lot. I don’t post often enough. But being aware of it, means I can correct my posting habits.

The reason here is that you want to be seen. You want people to interact with you and like and retweet your content.

You also want to space your tweets. Being in Australia, I’m at an automatic disadvantage for those connected with me in the Northern Hemisphere. To correct this, I try to post at a time that works for both Southern Hemisphere folk and those in the North too.

I don’t always get it right, but that’s okay.

Retweet and Like other peoples tweets. It’s the simplest way to build connections with other people. Because they will notice and possibly reciprocate in return. Not always, but sometimes. You won’t know if you don’t try it for yourself.

Take the time to comment and reply to people who’ve commented on a tweet you’ve made. No matter how small, the action goes a long way.

Be professional. Have a picture and header that project your brand. Share things that matter. Getting personal is fine. You want your followers to care about you, and your books.

Retweet your own tweets. I’ve found some success with this. Given how face paced Twitter is, tweets do have a tendency to get lost along the way. New followers cross your path daily so it’s definitely something worth doing.

Lastly, don’t give up. Your brand won’t be built in a day. But as long as you commit, even if all you can commit to is one tweet a day.

Social media may seem like a race at times, but it’s really not. As long as your prepared to put in the work. It will pay off.