Just Jemi

IWSG & Blogging News

noreply@blogger.com (Jemi Fraser) — Wed, 03 Apr 2024 11:00:00 +0000

The Insecure Writer's Support Group is the brainchild of Alex J. Cavanaugh. He, his clones, minions, friends, and fellow authors make it an amazing event every month.

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

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April 3 question - How long have you been blogging? (Or on Facebook/Twitter/Instagram?) What do you like about it and how has it changed?

Looking at my side panel, I see I've been blogging since 2009. Wow - that's a long time.

I started blogging without a clue how to do pretty much anything involved with writing. But it's been fun and I've enjoyed it.

My favourite part of blogging is the people I've met. I've met so many amazing writers and readers. I've learned most of what I know from people I've met through blogging. The connections I've made with bloggers, writers, and readers have been incredible.

Having said that, I think it's time for me to take a step back from the blog. I'm not sure if it's a permanent step or not, but I think it might be.

Writing and publishing are time-consuming ventures and I'm stretched a little thin. Time isn't a renewable resource and at this point, I need to make some tough decisions about where to best spend that time.

While blogging has been a lot of fun, I think I can better use that time on my stories. I'll probably still pop in from time to time, but I'm not making any promises :)

Thank you to everyone who's visited, commented, helped me along the way. I hope I've done my fair share of reaching out and helping as well.

Thanks to Alex and the IWSG for this wonderful, safe place to talk and connect.

Wishing you all the very best! I'll only be an email away!

IWSG & AI

noreply@blogger.com (Jemi Fraser) — Wed, 06 Mar 2024 11:00:00 +0000

The Insecure Writer's Support Group is the brainchild of Alex J. Cavanaugh. He, his clones, minions, friends, and fellow authors make it an amazing event every month.

***

Have you "played" with AI to write those nasty synopses, or do you refuse to go that route? How do you feel about AI's impact on creative writing?

Nope.

AI is not for me.

I do this job because I love words and stories. I love playing with words and stories. I have no desire to turn any of that over to a machine - not even for blurbs.

I know a lot of people have played with AI and use it to help them with the non-creative tasks. Still, not for me.

Sadly, I think there will be plenty of scammers willing to take advantage of AI to make themselves money at the expense of humans who are trying to make a living from their creativity and art.

I prefer to do my own work.

How about you?

IWSG & Bloo Moose Nooz

noreply@blogger.com (Jemi Fraser) — Wed, 07 Feb 2024 11:00:00 +0000

The Insecure Writer's Support Group is the brainchild of Alex J. Cavanaugh. He, his clones, minions, friends, and fellow authors make it an amazing event every month.

***

February 7 question: What turns you off when visiting an author's website/blog? Lack of information? A drone of negativity? Little mention of author's books? Constant mention of books?

For me, blogs and websites are different and have different purposes.

I'm a pretty straight-forward person and like websites to be straight-forward as well. A clear menu is a must. I don't think most of us need a lot of fussy things - mostly we need: links to the series, links to the books, links to social media, and an easy way to sign up for the author's newsletter.

If it's too difficult to figure out where things are, I give up.

One of my pet peeves when visiting author blogs is the lack of the person's name near the top of the blog. I've visited far too many where the author NEVER says their name. If the Blog title doesn't have your name in it, please put your name somewhere at the top!

***

Bloo Moose Nooz

I started publishing the Bloo Moose series in 2020. I've learned a lot about covers and series since then. My cover designer and I decided it was time for a bit of a refresh of the Bloo Moose covers.

We wanted to make them more visually alike so they are obviously part of a series. And we wanted the "Reaching For" to be more visible. We've added the series number on the cover as well. Some of the cover art remains the same and some are zoomed in to keep in with the balanced look for the series.

The two different covers are for Trust and Roots. At the time, we couldn't find a good pic of Jack & Trina, so we used the legs. Ryan and Emmy also get a refresh with a photo that's more in line with the series.

What do you think? I think she's done a great job and I'm thrilled with the refresh!

The No Fail Heroes series will be out soon, but after that, it will be back to Bloo Moose for some more fun!

IWSG & Built Of Steel

noreply@blogger.com (Jemi Fraser) — Wed, 03 Jan 2024 12:00:00 +0000

The Insecure Writer's Support Group is the brainchild of Alex J. Cavanaugh. He, his clones, minions, friends, and fellow authors make it an amazing event every month.

***

January 3 question: Do you follow back your readers on BookBub or do you only follow back other authors?

I generally only follow back other authors now, although that was different when I first joined up.

***

If you enjoy small-town romantic suspense, Built Of Steel releases next week! (Jan 9)

When your heart is the weakest link

Amazon - Apple - Google Play - Kobo - Nook - Everywhere else!

***

I hope 2024 is kind, gentle, and generous to you and yours!

May your hard work make your dreams come true!

IWSG & Reviews

noreply@blogger.com (Jemi Fraser) — Wed, 06 Dec 2023 11:00:00 +0000

The Insecure Writer's Support Group is the brainchild of Alex J. Cavanaugh. He, his clones, minions, friends, and fellow authors make it an amazing event every month.

***

December 6 question: Book reviews are for the readers. When you leave a book reviews do you review for the Reader or the Author? Is it about what you liked and enjoyed about your reading experience, or do you critique the author?

Before I became an author, I never reviewed a book (or anything else). I had no idea how important those reviews could be.

Now, I always review books I enjoy. Life is short, and if I'm not enjoying a book, I don't finish it, and don't see any point in reviewing. Just because I didn't enjoy a book, doesn't mean there's anything wrong with it - it's just not for me.

I leave reviews for the author first, but also for the reader. I talk about the things I enjoyed in the book, hoping that those reviews will help both the author and new readers.

How about you? Do you leave reviews? Do you read reviews to help you decide what to read?

Underdogs

noreply@blogger.com (Jemi Fraser) — Mon, 04 Dec 2023 19:17:00 +0000

Lora stared at her computer screen and sighed. Her English teacher was an old crackpot and this assignment was the worst.

Imagine you are your grandparent’s age. What is your favourite movie? Why?

Lora was sixteen. How was she supposed to imagine herself as an old lady?

Lora had never known her parents and the great people who’d adopted her hadn’t had any living relatives. And they’d been killed by a jerk texting and driving. Now she was stuck in a group foster home and supposed to think like grandparents she never knew anything about.

But she needed top grades if she was going to get scholarships. Foster kids didn’t have money for college and she wanted to get a degree. She wanted to make sure she always had a job and a home. Ditching even one assignment could jeopardize that.

At least she had the internet. Most people probably had favorite movies from when they were kids. She searched popular movies from the sixties and seventies, hoping something there wouldn’t be incredibly lame.

A couple of the movies surprised her. She hadn’t realized Jaws and Star Wars and Grease were so ancient. Would an older lady like one of them?

Lora had seen Star Wars before and she liked it. Her adopted dad had been a huge sci-fi fan and she’d seen the whole series of movies at least once.

The foster home had some streaming so she pulled up the original movie and watched it again. She hated crying, but couldn’t stop the tears as she remembered sitting with Jane and Rick watching the movie. Jane used to tease him that he wanted to be a swashbuckler like Han Solo. He’d tease right back saying Jane was strong enough to be a leader like Leia.

Right now, Lora felt a little like Luke who was also an orphan and then he’d lost his aunt and uncle too.

As she watched, Lora kept notes for what the movie was about. For what an older person might like.

The underdog winning.

Dealing with losing your family.

Wanting to have a bigger life.

Wanting to be the best.

Wanting to help your friends and your people.

Teamwork.

Good versus evil.

Accepting people for who they were, not what species they were from.

Would an older lady like all that? Would she still remember the movie?

Lora wished she had some experience with older people. Crackpot should have thought of that before making the assignment. Not everyone had access to generations of family.

Eventually, she wiped her tears and started to write her essay.

The knock on the door startled her. The lady in charge of the night shift at the home opened her bedroom door with a smile. “Hey Lora. It’s late. You okay?”

She wiped her face again before turning around. Eesha was always nice to everyone and she didn’t want her to think anything was wrong. “I’m okay. Just finishing up an essay.”

Eesha laughed softly. “You always work so hard, Lora. I can’t wait to see what you accomplish in the future. No matter what you choose, you’re going to be a star. Keep an eye on the time, it’s a school day tomorrow.”

Lora nodded and looked back at her screen, at her final line.

Star Wars might be an old movie, but it’s one that people might still be watching in another fifty years. We always want to see the little guys win.

Lora saved her work and turned off the computer. When she crawled into bed, she decided she was going to be one of those little guys who won.

***

Tagline: Everyone loves an underdog

***

I've loved Star Wars from the first moment I watched it in the theatre. Because of its setting and its message, it doesn't surprise me that the franchise continues to grow and thrive. George Lucas created an amazing view of the past with these stories.

If you've come from the WEP site, you already know that this will be the last WEP Challenge.

It's been an honour to work with the team over the past couple of years. Denise, Renée, Nila, Laura, Olga, and Sonia are amazing people with a passion for stories. Thank you to every one of you for everything you've done for this writing community.

To our challenge participants, it's been a privilege to read your stories for these challenges. I've learned a lot from all of you and I thank you for sharing your words with us. I look forward to reading your words in the future too.

***

Wishing everyone a wonderful holiday season with warmth and love and family and magic. Take care of yourselves and each other!

IWSG & NaNo Fun

noreply@blogger.com (Jemi Fraser) — Wed, 01 Nov 2023 10:00:00 +0000

The Insecure Writer's Support Group is the brainchild of Alex J. Cavanaugh. He, his clones, minions, friends, and fellow authors make it an amazing event every month.

***

November 1 question: November is National Novel Writing Month. Have you ever participated? If not, why not?

I love Nano!

I think your love/hate/apathetic relationship with NaNo has to do with how your brain works. We're all different, and like everything else, NaNo won't work for everyone.

I have an intuitive brain that works on my characters and backstories long before I start typing about them. I don't plan/think about the story itself, but I have a glimmer of the crisis scene at the end and I usually know a couple of scenes. When I start typing, the story starts to flow and my subconscious works on the next scene while I'm typing the current one.

If you're a plotter and have your planning ready to go, NaNo probably works too, as long as the timing works.

Whenever I'm drafting, I aim for a NaNo amount of words daily. Actually I aim for 2000 because that's the safe zone to make up for days that are more difficult.

If your brain thrives on external pressure, the graphs probably make you happy. External pressure normally makes me buckle, but NaNo is all about building the word count, so I don't think of it as pressure - it's more joy of writing.

This year I thought I would write Book #4 in my upcoming series for NaNo. But my brain was whirling with the story and I wrote it in late September/October instead. #oops

I'm hoping my brain is ready to draft Book #5 this month, but if not, I'll at least get new words to celebrate.

So to me, NaNo is about joy and fun. Does your brain or writing style match up with NaNo?

Think Of Me

noreply@blogger.com (Jemi Fraser) — Wed, 18 Oct 2023 05:00:00 +0000

Cassie took a deep breath and slipped into the shadowed doorway. No one called her out and no one appeared to ask her what she was up to. She turned the knob and only opened the door enough to pass through.

The darkness was punctured by red emergency lights above the doors. Spooky but at least it wasn’t completely dark. She wouldn’t have to risk a light.

The metal stairs and walkways might be sturdy, but they appeared too ethereal in the dim light that reminded her a little too much of blood. It took three deep breaths before she built up the nerve to step onto the first catwalk to cross the cavernous space.

Following the instructions she’d memorized, Cassie moved silently on her sneakers to the third stairway leading down. A couple of levels below, the shadows shifted but no one yelled at her. With a shiver, she checked behind her and above, but nothing else stirred.

Down she went. Through a door. Down again. Two catwalks. Up a level. Cross two rooms. And down one more time.

The door was unlocked as promised and she slid through it shuddering with relief. It took her seven long breaths before she could peel herself off the door.

The circular room soared into an arch above her. The red lights seemed to pulse with energy.

Cassie pushed off the door and crept to the middle of the room. She needed to be in the exact center. Once there, she spread her arms wide and turned in a slow circle, embracing the air.

With a deep breath she brought her arms in, lowered her shoulders, closed her eyes and felt her diaphragm pull in the air it needed. Then she sang.

Think of me.

Think of me fondly

when we’ve said goodbye.

The first notes soared into the air and she almost smiled before she pulled herself back into the song that was filled with longing and regrets. Andrew Lloyd Webber knew what he was doing with those notes.

As she sang, the acoustics proved they were indeed perfect. The song filled the space with all the yearning the lyrics provided. She could almost hear the haunting notes of the piano around her as she sang.

Chills covered her as she sang through the heartache and the hope and the memories. She’d never been in a space so beautifully designed for music.

As the final notes ended on a sigh, she wrapped her arms around herself. If the auditions were held here, she stood a chance.

The sound of clapping had her whirling around. Two men stood in an open doorway. They wore orange safety vests and hardhats. One man pointed to the side door. “Nice job, kid. Now get going before we have to charge you with trespassing.”

The other man grinned. “That’s the best version we’ve heard so far. You’re going to nail the audition. Now move it.”

She moved it, grinning all the way.

***

Tagline: Deep in tunnels, surprises await

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The above is part of the October WEP Challenge: Phantom Of The Opera. I saw the Toronto production of Phantom one year with my husband for our anniversary. It was incredible!

Webber has written an incredible score. The music is haunting and memorable. I've even learned to play a few of the songs on the piano, including this one. Beautiful music.

To sign up with your own entry or to check out the other entries in the Challenge, check out the links below. There are always amazing entries in the challenge.

Enjoy the challenge!

IWSG & the Borg

noreply@blogger.com (Jemi Fraser) — Wed, 04 Oct 2023 11:00:00 +0000

The Insecure Writer's Support Group is the brainchild of Alex J. Cavanaugh. He, his clones, minions, friends, and fellow authors make it an amazing event every month.

***

October 4 question: The topic of AI writing has been heavily debated across the world. According to various sources, generative AI will assist writers, not replace them. What are your thoughts?

I haven't even tried an AI program, so I really don't know much about it. I'd rather play with my stories than the tech.

I don't think AI can replace that human touch. When I was working as a teacher, it was always easy to spot kids copying from an Internet source (or when parents wrote the assignments for them) and I suspect AI will have that same generic tone.

We're all unique and our words and products are unique as well. Personally, I have exactly zero desire to see what AI can do for me. I'd rather use my own words and my own voice, but that's just me.

At this early stage of AI development, we're not talking about Borg-level technology, although we may be talking about that kind of tone. I can't imagine a future where technology can replace human creativity. It's one of the things that makes us a pretty fun species.

How about you? Have you played with AI? What are your thoughts?

IWSG 12 Year Celebration!

noreply@blogger.com (Jemi Fraser) — Wed, 06 Sep 2023 10:00:00 +0000

The Insecure Writer's Support Group is the brainchild of Alex J. Cavanaugh. He, his clones, minions, friends, and fellow authors make it an amazing event every month.

***

September Question: The IWSG celebrates 12 years today! When did you discover the IWSG, how do you connect, and how has it helped you?

Happy Anniversary IWSG!!!

12 years - almost a teenager!

I remember when IWSG first started. I didn't join right away because life was overwhelming at that point. I also didn't feel like a "real" author yet and Imposter Syndrome was all-consuming. I still deal with Imposter Syndrome daily, but I manage to shove it to the side and get words written and published anyway.

For years, I read and responded to tons of IWSG blog posts, but I didn't post my first post until July 2016. That seems like such a long time ago now!

I wrote my first short story in response to the IWSG Anthology prompt of a ticking clock. I'd never written a short story before but an idea I loved popped into my head and it was selected for the anthology.

Having Until Release accepted and published was the boost I needed to start finding my way through Imposter Syndrome. If that hadn't happened, I'm not sure I would have ever had the confidence to publish.

Now, here we are in 2023 and I've published a nonfiction book on Dementia, 10 Bloo Moose Romances, 4 Small Town Heroes Romances (#5 Built Of Illusions releases on Sept 19!!) and I'm halfway through drafting the stories for my next series.

I'm so grateful to Alex for creating the IWSG and to the many (MANY!) friends I've discovered through the blogs. Not only is Alex a terrific author, he's a genuinely kind and generous human being!

So Happy Bloggiversary to Alex and the IWSG! Thanks for everything you do!!

How about you? Has the IWSG given you a much needed boost?

Brownies!

noreply@blogger.com (Jemi Fraser) — Wed, 16 Aug 2023 04:30:00 +0000

This was not the day to improvise. This was the day to follow the recipe to the letter. She wasn’t generally much of a recipe follower—or rule follower for that matter—but today, she’d do it exactly as prescribed.

The recipe called for the flour to be scooped into the measuring cup and then levelled off with a knife. Ridiculous, but she did it anyway. Same with the cocoa powder and the sugars.

Next, she cracked the eggs and whipped them gently in a small bowl. She measured out the other ingredients and set them in a row so she would be sure to add them in the correct order.

Melting good chocolate apparently required placing one bowl over a pot with boiling water inside. And not quite a rolling boil, something she’d never heard before but could now identify.

She used the whisk and whipped the chocolate with some butter. It did smell good. Really good. But taking a taste would maybe screw up the final results and that wasn’t acceptable. This had to be perfect. Just like mom used to make.

Once the mixture was in the preheated oven, she set the timer and cleaned up the mess. So many dishes just to make some brownies!

The timer finally beeped and she set the pan to cool. Another timer and when the brownies were cool enough, she cut them and put them on the flowered plate her grandmother loved so much.

Knowing how much the older woman hated a mess, she checked to make sure she didn’t have any stains on her clothes. Between that and the clean kitchen, there was no evidence she’d even been in the kitchen.

Perfect.

She knocked on her grandmother’s door and waited for her reply before entering.

“Those smell like Diane's brownies. No one makes brownies like you do, Diane.”

Her mother hadn’t been home for over a year. Who knew where she was this time. Her grandmother's face fell when she realized she wasn't the beloved Diane. “These are delicious. Tell your mother thank you. Why don’t you leave the plate?”

She smiled and nodded, then stepped out of the room.

When the next timer beeped, she wiped off the doorknob and entered her grandmother's room again. With her gloves on, she wiped off where she'd touched the plate and then checked to ensure the old woman was dead.

Slipping out the back door with her hood up, she headed for the subway. She’d be back in her dorm when someone called with the sad news.

And then she’d be rich.

Tagline: Not quite how mom used to make

***

The above is part of the WEP Challenge for August. I hope you'll join in the challenge - we're always eager for more entries!

Obviously you don't have to know the movie (this is another one I haven't seen), but chocolate is a great prompt for all kinds of stories.

Check out the links above for some fabulous stories!

IWSG & Delete!

noreply@blogger.com (Jemi Fraser) — Wed, 02 Aug 2023 10:00:00 +0000

The Insecure Writer's Support Group is the brainchild of Alex J. Cavanaugh. He, his clones, minions, friends, and fellow authors make it an amazing event every month.

August 2 question: Have you ever written something that afterwards you felt conflicted about? If so, did you let it stay how it was, take it out, or rewrite it?

All the time.

I'm an intuitive writer. The characters walk around in my head for a long time before they make it onto the page. They tell me their backstories and their hopes and dreams. They grudgingly admit their flaws and fears as well.

What they don't tell me is how the story is going to work.

So, yes, I sometimes feel conflicted by what I've written. But, overnight, my subconscious works it out and I delete whatever I've written and start again. Thankfully, I've learned to listen to my subconscious and I usually know within a day or two that things need to go, so I'm no longer deleting chunks of 25 thousand words (or entire stories...) like I've done in the past.

How about you? Are you another fan of the delete key? Are you an intuitive writer or a planner or both?

IWSG & Emotional Sparks

noreply@blogger.com (Jemi Fraser) — Wed, 05 Jul 2023 11:00:00 +0000

The Insecure Writer's Support Group is the brainchild of Alex J. Cavanaugh. He, his clones, minions, friends, and fellow authors make it an amazing event every month.

***

July 5 question - 99% of my story ideas come from dreams. Where do yours predominantly come from?

Yikes! If I wrote from my dreams, I'd be writing horror or psychological thrillers and I'd probably never sleep again! #wimp

I don't really know...

My head is always popping with ideas, one of the advantages of having a bouncy brain. I think most of my story ideas start with an emotion. Usually, it's an emotion from the crisis scene (betrayal, fear, despair, panic...) although sometimes it's the opening scene where everything changes for the character.

The emotion comes attached to a character and then I know WHY they're feeling that emotion. Then I suddenly have backstory attached to the character.

My subconscious does a whole lot of the heavy lifting when it comes to story ideas - especially when the new character has been a secondary character in one or more stories.

For Built Of Second Chances (which just released last week!), the spark of the story was the feeling of total panic when a person who's been in witness protection for years meets up with someone who can put her at risk. But that person is someone she's always loved.

That was followed immediately by the emotion of the man who meets up with the woman he thought was dead. His emotion spark was betrayal and anger...with a bit of reluctant love tossed in.

My current WIP started with the emotion of a person grieving the death of her father and the terror of realizing his killer is after her too.

Those emotional sparks give me backstories to think about for a while and then my characters are ready to meet each other and I get to find out how they figure it all out.

How about you? Do your story ideas start with emotions, characters, settings, or plots? or something else? If you're a reader, what do you think was the spark for the author of the last great book you read?

Linca

noreply@blogger.com (Jemi Fraser) — Wed, 21 Jun 2023 06:00:00 +0000

Linca sighed when Jims entered the lab. He was such a pompous schmuck and she knew today was going to be a bad one because of her report from the day before.

Jims grinned at her. “How are your alien buddies today? Get any pings on the screens last night?”

She ignored him and kept her focus on her data. No one in the community wanted to hear her theories. They were all convinced she was ridiculous and gullible. Too imaginative for science.

She knew better. The data showed too many anomalies to be created by space debris. There were patterns she couldn’t ignore and those patterns weren’t random. Intelligent life had made them. Linca was convinced they were attempts at communication and that they were close.

Jims laughed loudly. “Nothing to say Linca? No incursions from little fuzzy blobs last night? Or maybe they’re slimy talking spheres?”

Linca’s skin flushed but she refused to be baited into a conversation that would only get worse if she responded. Instead she pulled up another screen and input the data she'd gathered from the bursts of light she’d spotted the day before.

Jims kept up his taunting, playing to the audience of other scientists in the room. Most of them refused to get involved, but a few snickered along.

Deciding to try something different, Linca copied the light burst data and sent it out through their own equipment on the top of the facility. Maybe she could record a reaction. When nothing happened immediately, she tried at a different angle. And again. Space was vast and even a 0.001% angle change covered a huge territory.

When her station beeped, it took her a moment to register that she had a response. Coincidence?

She input the data again, but this time she repeated it twice. It came back twice. When she changed it up again, the response changed as well. Was it some kind of echo? Had Jims played with her equipment?

A klaxon sounded and everyone in the room stilled. She sent out another light test. When it came back, Linca whispered into the room. “They’re answering.”

Complete silence greeted her until the klaxon sounded again. An automated voice announced. “Breach in the atmosphere above Quanta Station. Incoming object of unidentified origin and design.”

Linca leapt from her seat and out the door. She heard footsteps behind her as she raced to the lift. Jims squeezed in before the doors shut, his face flushed. “You’ve gone too far this time, Linca. If this is some kind of trick you've set up to make us believe your little theories, you're finished here.”

The doors opened and she didn’t bother answering as she raced for the final staircase. It was fifty steps up but she didn’t slow. At the top, she slipped on the protective breathing apparatus. A few steps behind her, Jims did the same. This time without sneering.

They stepped into the pressurized vestibule and waited while their cleaned air was exchanged for what covered their planet. No longer breathable by any of their species.

As soon as the doors opened, Linca raced forward onto the planet's surface. A huge shadow was the first sign, but it was quickly followed by an enormous shape dropping through the clouds. A huge cylinder surrounded by smaller cylinders on all sides.

She heard Jims muttering behind her but didn’t take her eyes off the enormous cylinder as it rotated and landing gear descended. It settled without a sound.

Linca approached slowly, watching for an indication of the beings that must be inside. Finally a section near the bottom slid away and a staircase lowered.

Three beings appeared. Taller than her species. Bipedal with two upper limbs as well. Similar to her own, but with longer limbs. Their faces in shades of brown sat atop their bodies and they had hair or fur on the tops of their heads.

They wore no protective equipment and didn’t seem bothered by the air as they descended. These beings could breathe oxygen.

Linca approached and stopped when she was close enough to converse. She’d imagined this moment so many times, she knew exactly what she wanted to say. She pointed to herself first. “Linca.” Then she added her species. “Trefalian.” Finally she gestured at the planet. “Trefalia.”

The being who had the most hair nodded and pointed at itself. “Hassan.” Then it pointed at its companions. “Chi. Karla.” Then it circled its hand to indicate them all. “Humans.”

Linca repeated the names as she pointed at each one. Then she used her hands to indicate them all. “Humans.”

The words were odd but easy to say, unlike some of the languages she’d imagined she might hear.

Each humans repeated Linca’s name as well as Trefalian and Trefalia.

Linca turned to bring Jims in on the conversation but he lay on the ground, arms flung to the side where he’d fainted.

With a grin, Linca turned to the humans and pointed backward. “Jims.” She refrained from adding schmuck, but it was a close call.

***

Tagline: Sometimes it's best to trust your gut, not your colleagues

***

This post is part of the June WEP Challenge: Close Encounters. I loved this movie when I was a kid but haven't seen it in years. I mostly remember the music they used to communicate.

I hope you check out the challenge and I really hope you join in. We're always excited to have new people join! It's so much fun to see where the prompts take people. The first draft I wrote for this prompt involved an unexpected encounter with a bear, but that story disappeared somewhere so you get this one instead

IWSG & Don't Stop!

noreply@blogger.com (Jemi Fraser) — Wed, 07 Jun 2023 11:00:00 +0000

The Insecure Writer's Support Group is the brainchild of Alex J. Cavanaugh. He, his clones, minions, friends, and fellow authors make it an amazing event every month.

***

June 7 question - If you ever did stop writing, what would you replace it with?

I don't plan to stop writing any time soon. If I ever do, it will probably be because my hands are too sore to continue. I have some issues with arthritis and I assume at one point, the pain will be too much. Hopefully that point is a couple of decades in the future.

If Dragon dictation software ever integrates well with Macs and becomes available in Canada, I may try that. But dictation only does so many things, and the fixes it requires are currently more difficult on my hands than actually typing.

One of my other hobbies is playing piano, but if my hands can't type, they won't be playing either.

I'm not a big movie/TV watcher, so, I guess I'll have more time for reading!

My To Be Read list should only take me a dozen decades or so...

How about you? What other hobbies take up your time? What hobbies do you wish you had more time to enjoy? How big is your TBR list?

Diane and Shark!

noreply@blogger.com (Jemi Fraser) — Mon, 15 May 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Please welcome L. Diane Wolfe to the blog today!

***

Greetings to all of Jemi’s followers and fans!

She has allowed me today to share with you the latest release in the In Darkness series – The Shark. It’s a paranormal romance novella involving Jewels the human and Clarence the great white shark. (No beastiality though!)

Jemi asked me to elaborate on one of five topics. But I couldn’t decide! So, I am discussing three of them and keeping it short.

What cool shark facts did you find when you were researching for the book?

“Great white sharks possess 300 sharp, triangular teeth arranged in up to seven rows.”

That is the first line in the story and still rather mind-blowing. Should a great white latch on to you, there is no getting out of that death grip.

What's your favourite shark fact and why?

Sharks tend to fear dolphins. Sharks are solitary hunters while dolphins form a pod that will attack anything that attacks one of its members. Orcas (members of the dolphin family) are THE apex predator of the sea and will even hunt great whites. And to top it off, dolphins are far smarter than sharks. To me, that’s just so wild that a dolphin, smaller than a great white, scares the sharks.

How would your cats feel about visiting an aquarium?

I had to answer this! Rocket would be terrified. She doesn’t like travel, new places, or new people. Star however, would love it. After his initial shock at the new accommodations, as long as there weren’t many people about, he would have a grand time watching the fishies. (Which he enjoys doing at home with my 39 gallon tank.) He would paw at them and run from one glass to the next, trying to get to the fishies. It would be so cute!

Thank you, Jemi!

A professional speaker and author, L. Diane Wolfe conducts seminars, offers book formatting, and author consultation. She’s the senior editor at Dancing Lemur Press, L.L.C. and contributes to the Insecure Writer’s Support Group.
http://www.spunkonastick.net/ - Spunk On A Stick
http://www.circleoffriendsbooks.blogspot.com - Spunk On A Stick’s Tips
http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/ - Insecure Writer’s Support Group

In Darkness: The Shark
By L. Diane Wolfe

Souls shrouded in darkness…

Focused on her studies and duties at the aquarium, Jewels prefers her solitary life. Burned many times and short on trust, she has more in common with her aquatic friends than the people around her. But she never imagined coming face to face with a shark named Clarence…a shark who talks!

As their friendship grows, Jewels must overcome her deep set mistrust. There are dangers, both in the Australian ocean and on dry land. Can Jewels depend on the great white or will his animal nature betray her?

Romance/Paranormal - Fantasy/Paranormal - Fantasy/Romance
eBook ISBN 9781939844910 $3.99

Links:
Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BKTLKMG4
iTunes - https://books.apple.com/us/book/x/id6444053123
Barnes & Noble - https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/2940165956393
Kobo - https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/Search?Query=9781939844910
Scribed - https://www.scribd.com/search?query=9781939844910&language=0

Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63208820-in-darkness

***

Awesome! I LOVE the pic of Star with his fishies - he would definitely love the aquarium.

That's a lot of teeth for a Great White - not something I'd like to see up close!

How about you? Any shark facts? Anyone visiting the aquariums with Star? Who's excited about Diane's latest book?

IWSG & Working Inspiration

noreply@blogger.com (Jemi Fraser) — Wed, 03 May 2023 10:00:00 +0000

The Insecure Writer's Support Group is the brainchild of Alex J. Cavanaugh. He, his clones, minions, friends, and fellow authors make it an amazing event every month.

***

May 3 question - When you are working on a story, what inspires you?

For me, it's always the characters.

By the time I get to actually writing a story, I know the characters well because they've been walking around in my head telling me their backstory for a while.

Probably because I'm a #2 Empathy (Clifton Strengths), the only time I'm reluctant to work on their story is during the crisis scenes. Even though I know I write romance and I know it's all going to be okay, those scenes are difficult. Sometimes it takes me days to work up to writing the tough stuff. #wimpywriter

In general though, I can't wait for the characters to get their happy endings and they can't have them if I'm not writing. I like seeing them happy and enjoying life.

Hmm. Just thinking that this is more motivation than inspiration...

However, that's the answer that's calling to me, so I'll stick with it.

How about you? Are motivation and inspiration different when you're in the middle of a story? Do you write for the characters, the plot puzzles, the tension creation or something else?

WEP & Stories of the Night

noreply@blogger.com (Jemi Fraser) — Wed, 19 Apr 2023 11:00:00 +0000

Sirens shattered the night.

Nessie leapt from the bed and threw on trousers and a shirt over her nightgown. She rushed into the next room to find George sitting up and little Moira sleeping peacefully.

“Mama? Is it time to go?”

Nessie kept her voice calm and ruffled his hair. “It is. You know what to do. I’ll get your sister.”

George threw back the bedclothes and scrambled out. Her little man quickly pulled pants and a shirt over his pyjamas and then grabbed the small bag from the closet.

Moira kept sleeping while Nessie wrapped her in a blanket and hugged her to her chest. Then she picked up her own bag and slung it over her shoulder.

The blackout curtains were already closed, so less than a minute from the first siren wail, they were out of their tenement and hurrying down the stairs. They quickly crossed their tenement's back yard to the shelter.

An explosion sounded not far off and had George moving closer to her side. He let out a relieved sigh when they crossed into the protected room. They moved quickly to their usual spots and started tracking their neighbours. No one was going to forget a sleeping baby ever again. Even as she thought it, Nessie watched Ivy walk in. George quietly counted the children as they followed their mum. When he got to seven, he smiled at Nessie. “She’s got them all this time,” he whispered with a smile.

When everyone was inside, lanterns were lit and the door was closed. For a while they chatted quietly with each other while everyone settled in. Over the past year, they’d become used to the unknowns.

Were their husbands and sons and brothers safe? How many hours would the bombs rain down tonight? Would their windows be blown out again? Would their tenement buildings be standing when the all-clear siren rang out?

George patted his bag. “Can you read everyone a story, Mama?”

“You choose one tonight.”

His six-year old face serious, he looked through the tiny collection and pulled out the worn copy of Heidi that her mother had read to Nessie as a child.

The group fell into a routine of sorts. Nessie read a chapter. Old Bill played his violin. Sadie sang a song. Nessie read another chapter. More songs. More stories.

Moira woke when Kathleen played her harmonica. It was always the little girl’s favourite part.

When the all-clear siren rang out, the adults exchanged relieved looks. No bombs had sounded like they were close enough to harm their homes.

As they trudged out of the shelter, the sun was rising over the tenements, bathing the grey buildings in warm light. George laughed. “It’s so pretty Mama.”

Moira spread her arms wide. “Boo-ti-ful. It’s boo-ti-ful Mama.”

Old Bill patted George on the head as they walked backed to their building with its windows and bricks intact. “You and your sister are right, my boy. It’s beautiful. Life is beautiful. Remember that.”

***

Tagline - Even when sirens shatter the night

***

The above is part of the WEP Challenge for April - Life is Beautiful. This is another movie I haven't seen. (Yes, this is a theme. I don't watch a lot of movies I'm afraid.)

The above piece is based on stories that my mom (Lizzie from Dancing With Dementia) shared. She grew up in Aberdeen Scotland in WWII. She and her family spent a lot of time in bomb shelters during her formative years. The neighbours did indeed forget a baby one time and were unable to check on the child until the all-clear sirens rang. The windows had all exploded that time and the baby had been sleeping near the window in a buggy. The blanket was covered with glass shards, but the baby was unscathed. Life can indeed be beautiful!

I hope you'll check out the other stories through the link and I encourage you to join in the fun. We're always looking for new voices in the challenge!

***

PS - if you missed it, the latest Bloo Moose Romance released yesterday!

Reaching For More

One interfering mom,

one fake relationship,

and one stalker who doesn't like it at all

Get your copy!!

IWSG & My Winding Road to Publication

noreply@blogger.com (Jemi Fraser) — Wed, 05 Apr 2023 11:00:00 +0000

The Insecure Writer's Support Group is the brainchild of Alex J. Cavanaugh. He, his clones, minions, friends, and fellow authors make it an amazing event every month.

***

April 5 question - Do you remember writing your first book? What were your thoughts about a career path on writing? Where are you now and how is it working out for you? If you're at the start of the journey, what are your goals?

I do! A couple of decades ago, I decided to write a book for fun. I'd always been a voracious reader, but I'd (strangely) never written fiction before. Probably the dearth of creative writing in school had a hand in this.

When my kids were napping, I wrote a Star Trek TNG fan fiction novel. It focused on a planet with terrible "human" rights violations and Geordie was the MC although the entire cast had parts and POV chapters.

I'm sure it was angsty and terrible, but I had so much fun writing it. Because my kids were little, it probably took me a year or two or three. I don't have a copy of it anymore but I wish I did.

I wrote entirely for fun. My foray into research on writing told me writers needed agents. I thought only famous people like actors and sports stars had agents, so I put the thought of being a writer out of my mind...

Until a few years later when I wrote another novel for fun. This one about a journalist who wrote about Jane & John Does in the morgue. I don't have a copy of this one either. *sigh*

Several years later, I stumbled across Agent Query Connect and in the forums, I learned that regular people do write books and thought Hmm, that's probably for extroverts and brave people.

Then I started to learn the craft. That took a decade or so before I figured out my voice and what stories I really wanted to write. I played around with writing YA, MG, steampunk, SF, mystery... At one point I spoke to two agents about my YA steampunk book, but decided I didn't want to make the required changes necessary to play the traditional publishing game.

When dementia slammed into our family, I started writing snippets of our journey. These coalesced into a book and I finally decided that maybe I could put my books out there.

Then I took a risk and entered an anthology contest and my short crime story was chosen, giving me a confidence boost.

Now, I'm having a blast writing books I like and publishing them when I'm ready (2 more releasing in the next little while). I love being a wide Indie Author and plan to continue for a long while yet.

How about you? Have your tastes as a writer (or a reader) changed over the years? Ever write fan fiction?

***

Reaching For More

One interfering mom,

one fake relationship,

one stalker who doesn't like it at all

Built Of Second Chances

He’d thought she was dead.

He’d changed his life to hunt down those who’d killed her.

But everything he’d thought was a lie.

IWSG & Great Twists

noreply@blogger.com (Jemi Fraser) — Wed, 01 Mar 2023 12:00:00 +0000

The Insecure Writer's Support Group is the brainchild of Alex J. Cavanaugh. He, his clones, minions, friends, and fellow authors make it an amazing event every month.

March 1st question: March 1 question - Have you ever read a line in novel or a clever plot twist that caused you to have author envy?

I'm continually impressed by other authors. I've always loved mysteries and remember devouring Encyclopedia Brown. When I moved up to Agatha Christie novels I was enthralled. I think Christie is the queen of plot twists. And Then There Were None. The ABC Murders. Murder On The Orient Express. The Murder Of Roger Ackroyd...so many!

I also love a clever first line (It was a pleasure to burn) and a line that pulls me right into the character's heart. So many of my friends here at IWSG know exactly how to do these things well!

But, envy? Nope.

That's not part of my personality. I will be enthralled, impressed, and brought to tears, but I won't wish I'd written it. Instead, I'll cheer on the author and then dig deep to try to create my own magic.

How about you? Any favourite first lines? Any favourite authors who pull off those magical twists?

WEP & With The Wind

noreply@blogger.com (Jemi Fraser) — Wed, 15 Feb 2023 11:00:00 +0000

This was where they’d met. Janie smiled as she looked over the view. It hadn’t changed that much over the decades.

Tom had been hiking with his buddies on their summer break, she'd been alone. They were all on the coast for the summer, working jobs in the tourist town. Tom had been working at a souvenir shop, she’d been at the fudge shop across the street.

But they’d met on the top of this hill. The hike had been worth it for the view alone. Meeting Tom had made it the best hike of her life. They’d often joked about what they’d have missed out on if they hadn’t made that hike at the same time all those years ago.

No holding hands or stolen kisses in the shadows between the street lamps. No dances on the beach or anniversary trips back here. No kids or grandkids.

They’d been so lucky, so blessed. And today was a day to celebrate that. A day to look back on all the kisses, all the stolen moments, all the laughter. Even the tears.

Jane walked to the edge of the bluff and shook the tube the funeral director had given her. Tom hadn’t wanted a fuss. The man had never wanted a fuss.

With a tear slipping down her cheek, Jane opened the tube and watched the last of Tom’s earthly body slip away on the wind.

But he’d never really be gone. How could he be? He’d become a part of her just as she’d been a part of him. She’d carry him along with her and make sure the little ones knew all about their gramps.

Jane blew a kiss to the wind. Whenever she felt the breeze, she’d know Tom was kissing her back.

***

Tagline: Gone isn't always gone

***

The above is part of the WEP Challenge for February's prompt Gone With The Wind.

Confession 1 time: I've never read the book. I've never seen the movie. I doubt I'll ever remedy that 🤷 It's never been something that appealed to me. But I love the title!

For the WEP challenges, I almost always draw inspiration from the title or the words. I've done that again with this prompt and probably will for the rest of the prompts (because I haven't seen most of those movies either!).

Confession 2 time: As many of you know, my mom was placed into palliative care a few weeks ago. She passed peacefully and painlessly shortly afterward. I wrote this piece before any of that happened. I almost wrote a new piece, but decided to leave this as is. I'll be thinking of Lizzie whenever I touch the wind.

I hope you check out the other entries in this month's challenge and I really hope you'll enter your own piece. We're always eager for new writers to join in!

The IWSG & Covers

noreply@blogger.com (Jemi Fraser) — Wed, 01 Feb 2023 12:00:00 +0000

The Insecure Writer's Support Group is the brainchild of Alex J. Cavanaugh. He, his clones, minions, friends, and fellow authors make it an amazing event every month.

February 1 question - If you are an Indie author, do you make your own covers or purchase them? If you publish trad, how much input do you have about what goes on your cover?

I made the cover for Dancing With Dementia. I loved the experience of learning how to use photoshop and create layers and elements. I enjoyed finding just the right image and choosing fonts and colours.

What I didn't enjoy? The time commitment! And while the result is fine and portrays what I want it to portray, I'm sure the cover will get an update at some point.

I have a talented family member who is terrific with graphics. She enjoys studying fonts and putting the images together. She loves the challenge of branding the series and keeping the look of each series separate. I LOVE the results of her work and I was more than happy to turn over the job of designing covers to her.

What about you? Any talented family members helping you out in your business? Anyone great with graphics and fonts and the rest?

Sleep well, Lizzie

noreply@blogger.com (Jemi Fraser) — Tue, 24 Jan 2023 16:04:00 +0000

My first published book was Dancing With Dementia: Recognizing and Coping with the Early Stages of Dementia.

The star of the book is Lizzie. I used an alternate name for Mom to protect her privacy but the stories in the book are all real.

Lizzie was a firecracker - from her early days growing up in Scotland throughout WWII to her time in a local nursing home where she was often the highlight of the day for many people.

Dementia is a cruel and nasty disease. The last few weeks have been difficult for Lizzie as she mostly lost contact with the world around her. She was put into palliative care and fell into a peaceful sleep. She passed away Monday morning without experiencing any pain.

Lizzie was known for her sense of humour, her adventurous spirit, her oh-so-colourful language, and her big heart. We will miss her sass, her spunk, and her stories.

Sleep well, Lizzie. Sleep well.

IWSG & Words

noreply@blogger.com (Jemi Fraser) — Wed, 04 Jan 2023 11:00:00 +0000

The Insecure Writer's Support Group is the brainchild of Alex J. Cavanaugh. He, his clones, minions, friends, and fellow authors make it an amazing event every month.

January 4 question - Do you have a word of the year? Is there one word that sums up what you need to work on or change in the coming year? For instance, in 2021 my word of the year was Finish. I was determined to finish my first draft by the end of the year. In 2022, my word of the year was Ease. I want to get my process, systems, finances, and routines where life flows with ease and less chaos. What is your word for 2023?

Love this question!

2020 was the first year I chose a word. I decided I would take the big step and start publishing my books. My word that year was RISK.

In 2021, I chose FORWARD. In 2022, I kept the same word, FORWARD.

Since 2020, I've been living outside my comfort zone. Putting books out in the world is terrifying!!! For 2023, I want to keep stepping forward, keep risking, keep trying new things. I've signed up for one course with that in mind.

But, I also want to keep sinking into Me. For the first few years of this writing gig, I assumed that my way was wrong because it seemed like everyone else was doing it differently. (Everything from ideas to drafting to revising to genre to publishing to marketing). I'm learning to believe the advice I've given my students over the years: Follow your gut, listen to your heart, keep your mind open.

So for 2023, I think I'll choose BRAVE.

I want to be brave enough to follow my own path. Brave enough to learn and to try new things. Brave enough to reach out for opportunities. Brave enough to say No when things aren't right for me or when my plate is already overflowing.

How about you? What new things are you wanting to try this year? Is saying No difficult for you as well? Are you going to be brave with me?

IWSG & Holiday Goodies!

noreply@blogger.com (Jemi Fraser) — Wed, 07 Dec 2022 11:00:00 +0000

The Insecure Writer's Support Group is the brainchild of Alex J. Cavanaugh. He, his clones, minions, friends, and fellow authors make it an amazing event every month.

December 7 question - It's holiday time! Are the holidays a time to catch up or fall behind on writer goals?

It's definitely a time for me to fall behind!

We are a small family but we get together a lot for the holidays. My holiday job in the family is the baker. I enjoy baking, but it is time-consuming as everyone has their favourites - Nanaimo bars, fudges, shortbread, gingerbread, melting moments, apple loaf, family recipes...

Lots of goodness, lots of time, and lots of love.

How about you? Are you the baker? What's your favourite holiday treat?

🎄🎅🎄

On another note, here are two book treats for you!

Built of Flames released yesterday & early reviews are great!

"This book is entertaining, enjoyable and intriguing. I loved the quick reconnection between Bella and Mitch, their hot chemistry and the need to not let the other slip away again. I love that the heroine is a kick-butt arson investigator in a field usually dominated by men. The rapport and support among the friends living at Tansy’s compound in Phail is wonderful and heartwarming. It makes me want to know about the group of them and who will join them next." ~ rebmay

Amazon Apple B&N Nook Google Play Kobo

🎄🎅🎄

Reaching For Christmas is on sale at 40% off for the entire month of December. If you're looking for a heart-warming romantic suspense story with a fabulous rescue dog, you might enjoy this one!

Amazon Apple B&N Google Play Kobo

🎄🎅🎄

Wishing you joy and peace for the holiday season!