Tuesday, March 30, 2021

Spotlight on New Book Debut Author Karen Warner Schueler

Operation Awesome Spotlight #20Questions in #2021 of #NewBook Debut Author posted by @JLenniDorner of @OpAwesome6


The Sudden Caregiver: A Roadmap for Resilient Caregiving by Karen Warner Schueler


1- April is Stress Awareness Month. What's one simple way someone could reduce stress next month?

My favorite way to reduce stress, which I share in my book, is to allow yourself a mini-break or two throughout each day. The concept is pretty simple, but the benefits are large. Researchers have found that finding brief moments of respite can restore some of the energy we spend in shouldering responsibility, making decisions, and working to move projects forward. Examples: Do the crossword puzzle, take a walk outdoors, flip through a favorite magazine, watch a show that makes you smile, squeeze in a workout, phone a friend, or just look out the window and appreciate what’s there – these are all ways to take a mini-break. Much like when I was coached to train for a marathon by running for 5 minutes and walking for one until I could go the entire 26.2 miles without stress to my body, a quick fifteen-minute break is enough to not only interrupt stress buildup, but to replenish the energy stores we may have depleted in simply getting through our day. Try this at least once a day for a month. It won’t eliminate stress from your life, but it will take some of the charge out of it.

2- Would you please, in 160 characters or less, give a #WriteTip ?

Start with a story to connect your message to your reader. Then support it with data. People read best when they read about people first, facts second.

3- What most motivates you to read a new book?

Years and years ago, just out of college and from a blue-collar family, I read books about how to act and dress as a professional when I got my first corporate job. When I got promoted to supervisor and had people working for me, I read books about how to lead. So, of course, when I became a caregiver, I sought out books and articles about caregiving in order to find best practices on giving care. My first motivation for reading is to transform myself – to learn and grow. I’m a lifelong learner and the right book is my most reliable instructor.

The second reason I read is my love of the writing. There’s nothing better than being immersed in a story so finely written that I’m still in the thick of it even when I’m doing something else. It’s not just the way sentences are structured, it’s also the way the characters are drawn and how the plot moves them toward and away from each other.

When I was in high school my English teacher assigned us the classic, Jane Eyre. It was the first book that I “had” to read that surprised me by being pure pleasure. I took it with me to a school dance, convinced that even if the dance was a social dud, I couldn’t go wrong if I had Jane Eyre to fall back on. To Kill a Mockingbird had the same impact on me. Year later, I lost myself in One Hundred Years of Solitude while commuting to my first job on a crowded bus, my arms wrapped around the pole to steady myself, clutching my lunch in one hand and my fat dog-eared copy in the other. Later still, The Bonfire of the Vanities so consumed me that I nearly forgot it was New Year’s Eve and the man I was dating had just broken up with me.

I am motivated to read when I am compelled – either by a need to learn or a need to keep turning the page.



4- What's the first thing someone should do upon learning a loved one is diagnosed with something that will require a lot of care?

Those first days after someone has been diagnosed with a condition that will require a lot of care are like walking out of the glare of the afternoon sun into a dark room. Your eyes have to adjust to the new situation. You can’t get there all at once. So, I would say in the first days, allow yourself to get your bearings. To do this, ask questions, look up anything you don’t understand and focus on treatment plans and comfort for your care-receiver. As you get your bearings, start thinking about resilience for yourself. Are there times in the past you’ve been through something similar that turned out well? What was it about you that got you through it? These questions come from Hope Theory and it will inform your preparation. In my book, I offer six resilience builders and a roadmap that will help you create a practice of intentional well-being. As Being Mortal author Atul Gawande advises, “Hope for the best and plan for the worst.” Whatever you do, do it proactively.

5- Would you share a picture with us of you with your late husband Joel?

#NewBook #DebutAuthor #2021Books Karen Warner Schueler #NewBook #DebutAuthor #2021Books Karen Warner Schueler


6- What is your favorite beverage at Starbucks?

Ha! Triple Grande Non-Fat Latte – a frequent companion of my own mini-breaks.

7- What's your Twitter handle, and do you have two or three writer friends on there to shout-out to for #WriterWednesday ?

I’m Karen Warner @tangiblegroup . I am in the process of setting a Twitter handle up for my work in caregiving. Writers I would shout out to include: Glenn Rifkin ( @glennrifkin ), New York Times contributor and author of Future Forward. Glenn is a great friend and was a frequent co-author with my late husband, Joel Kurtzman. My friend and colleague, Lucy Hone ( @drlucyhone ) , whose book Resilient Grieving, based on the sudden loss of her 12-year-old daughter, Abi, is wise, poignant, helpful and big-hearted. My friend and colleague, David Pollay ( @garbagetrucklaw ), author of The Law of the Garbage Truck; and the ever-inspiring Adam Grant ( @adammgrant ), one of my professors at Penn and author of many books, including Give and Take, whose newest book is Think Again.

8- Do you have a favorite #bookstagram image or account/ profile?

I don’t have a favorite, but I will say anyone who covers historical fiction has my attention. I live in the south and am a fan of Jeff and Michael Shaara’s books detailing the many distinct battles of the Civil War. I’m currently reading the 900-page tome by Francis Griswold, A Sea Island Lady, which takes place in the very town I live in, Beaufort, SC, during the Civil War, through Reconstruction, and beyond. The events detailed in this 1939 book are vivid and relevant to understanding today’s racial unrest in the US.

9- Are you a Plotter, Pantser, or Plantser, and how did you adopt that style?

I’m a Plantser – a hybrid. When I first conceived of writing a book on caregiving, it was to create a roadmap, so that was the central organizing principle that got me started. I started my career as a technical writer writing software documentation, so I never go too far without considering what the “end-user” needs and how they need to read it. As I tried my material out on caregivers, I was able to further refine the flow to make my ideas accessible to them: not just what I wanted to say, but what they needed to know.

From there, I simply took a chunk that needed writing and I wrote it. I highly recommend being in a writing group with serious writers. Shout out to Theano-Coaching and the great Kathryn Britton who assembles us and leads us. Every two weeks for four years I submitted installments that moved the book along and held me accountable. When I had half of the book written, I stepped back and reorganized what I had. Many Post-It Notes stuck to the wall of my office were involved. Before committing to a final manuscript, I also recruited beta readers whom I knew were caregivers, to test drive my material. Their feedback was invaluable.

10- What does your basic writing schedule look like, and how often do you write?

I always have a project that needs my attention, whether it’s for my coaching clients, my caregiver clients, or my blog. I write nearly every day and I write best very early in the morning at the kitchen counter with a cup of coffee at my elbow and the dog at my feet, when my husband, John, is still sleeping. I tend to be a “maximizer,” so I go through several drafts before I’m satisfied. Over the years, I’ve gotten better at writing cleaner first drafts and letting go of them when I’m on deadline. But if I have the luxury of time, I will polish and polish and polish.

11- What is your favorite book by someone else, what's the author's Twitter handle, and what do you love most about that book? #FridayReads book recommendation time!

Author name: Dr. Paul Kalanithi @rocketgirlmd
Title: When Breath Becomes Air
Love because: The late Dr. Paul Kalanithi was a beautiful writer who managed to document the last years of his own life from diagnosis to death from lung cancer. “Rocketgirlmd” belongs to his widow, Lucy Kalanithi, whose epilogue – when I read it in the raw months just following my late husband’s death – brought me to my knees. I am grateful to both for the example they set.


12- What emotions do you hope your book will evoke for the reader?

When I was at Penn, I studied with Martin Seligman, who has advanced a model of well-being he calls PERMA – positive emotions, engagement, positive relationships, meaning, and accomplishment. The short answer to this question is that I hope it evokes caregiver well-being:
•I hope they will find positive emotions, like pride, joy, optimism, faith in their own abilities.
•I hope they will find engagement in the awesome responsibility of caring.
•I hope they will experience a deepening relationship to the vulnerable person in their care.
•I hope they will feel the meaning that accompanies doing one’s life work, one’s calling and purpose.
•I hope they will look back on a day or a week or a month or the entire journey and feel they have accomplished more than they ever imagined they could.

13- What kind of impact do you hope your book will have?

I truly am on a mission to reach every conceivable caregiver. The one thing I know is that nothing like my book has been available until now. I hope to make life easier for all caregivers everywhere.

Further, I hope to engage people in a conversation about the lack of infrastructure around caregiving. Millions of uncompensated, informal caregivers are making it up as they go along, often depleting physical, emotional and financial stores. Given their growing numbers and the impact on our healthcare system if they suddenly decided not to give care, caregivers deserve access to a safety net. With 53 million caregivers in the US and 11% of the populations of most developed countries, we must evolve policies that support family caregivers at the global level.

14- What is your favorite creative non-writing activity to do?

I have several but the number one has to be interior design. I am untrained, but I love the challenge of creating comfortable and comforting spaces that are visually appealing, personal and uncluttered. My late husband and I moved a fair amount and every new house brought new possibilities to play to this strength. Even when I have completed all the decorating there is to do, I am always assessing, tinkering, switching things out.

I love spending time with my grandsons, who are toddlers and absolutely have me, heart and soul. During Covid I haven’t gotten to see them as they live across the country. I have been sustained with videos and photos and Zoom calls.

Finally, I truly love my job – coaching – and I’ve gotten good at it after nearly 2 decades. When the coaching is going well, I can feel it somatically and my clients can too.

15 diversebooks.org #WeNeedDiverseBooks What's your favorite book with a diverse main character?

My favorite book on diversity is non-fiction by Isabel Wilkerson. In The Warmth of Other Suns, Wilkerson masterfully takes her reader on the journey of The Great Migration of Black Americans out of the US South to the Northeast, the Midwest, and the Southwest through the eyes of three different people during three different periods in American history. It’s eye-opening and it’s an education. This book’s title, both evocative and wistful, comes from Richard Wright’s 1945 poem, Black Boy:
I was leaving the South
to fling myself into the unknown...
I was taking a part of the South
to transplant in alien soil,
to see if it could grow differently,
if it could drink of new and cool rains,
bend in strange winds,
respond to the warmth of other suns
and, perhaps, to bloom.


16- What method do you feel is the best way to get book reviews?

Once a marketing person always a marketing person, I believe in steadily building awareness through multiple touchpoints between the book’s ideas and its potential readers. From a classic marketing perspective, that begins with public relations and public speaking so that your ideas get in front of the book’s audiences. I also believe that one’s own personal network contains possibility through the strength of weak ties. Letting people know you’ve published, asking them to spread the word to their networks who might need what the book addresses, and eventually asking for the review all matter. My book has 23 five-star reviews on Amazon, a few from people I know and love who have been following my work. But surprisingly many whom I’ve never met who were gifted the book or made aware of it through the strong ties in my network.

17- What was the deciding factor in your publication route?

I decided to self-publish for three reasons. First, I had a strong vision for my book and didn’t want to compromise on that if I turned my manuscript over to a traditional publisher. Second, after speaking with several kind literary agents, it was clear to me, especially when Covid hit, that the traditional publishing route would be protracted and my book – if it was accepted by a publisher – might not see the light of day for another year. I had already spent nearly four years getting to this point and I was ready to move on to the next phase. Having been a technical writer and graphic artist early in my career, I have written and produced countless technical manuals so I really understood the entire continuum from idea to physical book and was not coming at it cold. That gave me confidence. Finally, because I have my own coaching and consulting company, Tangible Group, I approached The Sudden Caregiver as an extension of my business. I have applied for a trademark and set up a separate business unit within my company and we are developing a series of on-demand classes to help build caregiver resilience. The book is a natural extension of that.

18- What's the biggest writing goal you hope to accomplish in your lifetime?

Like every breathing writer on the planet, I would love to be published in The New Yorker, which I’ve been reading since I was 11. I have been writing fiction since I was in second grade and I’ve been writing well, really well, my entire adult life. Every accomplished writing teacher I’ve ever had has pointed out that I bring a special perspective to my craft and has encouraged me to keep writing. I’m in my sixties and have written quiet volumes across my life experiences: about working single motherhood, corporate downsizing, world disasters, personal disasters like caring for a terminally ill husband, and all those other broken hearts of mine along the way.

19- Would you please ask our audience a question to answer in the comments?

What’s one idea or practice, big or small, that has had the greatest positive impact on your own resilience?

20- Anything else you would care to share about your book and yourself?

Spotlight on New Book Debut Author Karen Warner Schueler
On the day Karen became a sudden caregiver, she was a wife, a mom, a consultant and business owner, a coach, a runner, a friend, and a consumer of too much Starbucks coffee. She was not a caregiver. Until she was. On that day when her late husband was diagnosed — out of the blue — with stage IV cancer, Karen certainly had no idea that she had instantaneously joined a silent army of informal, unpaid family caregivers around the world who had also been pressed into sudden service.

The Sudden Caregiver: A Roadmap for Resilient Caregiving is a practical and proven guide, a roadmap, and a source of comfort for anyone who is caring for a loved one, and especially for those for whom the role was unexpected. With the acronym C-A-R-E (Crisis, As Normal as Possible, Resolution, and Evolution), Warner Schueler explains each phase of caregiving and helps the reader apply what they need for their unique situation, including her own personal stories and stories from caregivers of all types. The author invites readers to dive right in where they feel they need the most help, as every caregiving situation is unique.

Karen guides readers through evidence-based strategies, drawn from the principles of positive psychology, that are designed to help raise well-being and resilience for both the caregiver and the person in their care. They provide direction on not only what to do as a caregiver but also how to be as a caregiver. She also discusses how to integrate the lessons of caregiving once your role as caregiver ends. In addition to the book and worksheet appendix, readers can download a free Sudden Caregiver’s Playbook, with helpful worksheets and activities to guide the caregiver through each step of the journey.

Karen Warner Schueler is an executive coach who has helped hundreds of senior managers discover the unique qualities that inform their leadership. As president of her coaching firm, Tangible Group, she designs and delivers premiere leadership experiences for individuals, teams, and multinational corporations. She received her Master’s degree in Applied Positive Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania. She is currently launching a series of on-demand classes for caregiver resilience. The Sudden Caregiver is her first book.

http://tangiblegroup.com
http://thesuddencaregiver.com
https://linkedin.com/in/karenwarnertangible/
https://facebook.com/karen.warner2


The Sudden Caregiver: A Roadmap for Resilient Caregiving by Karen Warner Schueler

It's that time of year...Camp NaNo!

 I do not usually participate in Camp NaNo, though I have occasionally been able to work during April or July on a writing project. Camp NaNo is part of National Novel Writing Month and it differs from NaNo in November because you can set your own unique goals for Camp. If you want to write 30,000 words as a goal? Go for it! Since November NaNo was so successful as a motivator for grad school deadlines, I decided to try April Camp NaNo, even though it is my final semester with a goal of 50,000 words, because why not?

Some of my favorite writing tools for preparing for a month-long creative project:

No Plot? No Problem! By Chris Baty, as a reminder of the encouragement and cycle of the four weeks. I always struggle with week 2, so I try to bulk my word count during week 1 to offset the smaller word counts in week 2. I reread his encouragement before Camp and as needed for motivation.

I enjoy examining plot structure as a reminder of my outline and whenever I get stuck or do not know which scene to write with Save the Cat. Is this the Darkest Night? What is my B Story?

The Writer's Journey reminds me of my own life journey and the Hero's Journey can relate to the story's structure. Call, Ordeal, Return with the Elixir.

 

Story Grid is also a resource for story structure. I love reading books in the same genre and creating my own Foolscap. What scenes are vital to each genre? What are the reader's expectations? What are my expectations as the first reader?


So this time I will be rewriting Beauty and Beast, different from my November 2020 retelling. I am drawn to the characters and the story structure. Do you have a story that you retell? Which stories are you drawn to retell?

Are you participating in Camp NaNo? What are you working on?



Monday, March 29, 2021

Sign up for the A-to-Z Blogging Challenge!

http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/

We are encouraging all our blog readers to sign up for the A-to-Z Blogging Challenge!  It's fun.  You get to meet other like-minded bloggers.  And you get more traffic on your own blog.  What could be better?

It's not too late.  Sign up here.

Come back here on Thursday for letter A!





Thursday, March 25, 2021

Dear O'Abby: Why do I need to read in the genre I write?

 Dear O'Abby,

I've read in a number of places that if you're going to write something, be it science fiction, romance or YA fantasy, you should read in this genre too.

I'm just finishing a YA contemporary novel, but I don't really read YA contemporary. I read mainly thrillers.  To be honest, I didn't even think I had written a YA contemporary, but everyone in my writing group tells me that's what it is.

Do you agree, O'Abby, that it's important to read in the genre you write in, or is this just a myth?

Best,

Confused Reader

Dear Confused Reader,

The fact you didn't even realize you've written a YA contemporary is all the more the reason why you definitely need to read in the genre you write.  Not exclusively, of course, but it is definitely important to read new books in your genre so you can keep abreast of any trends.  If you're in your 40s now, and haven't read YA since high school, you might be surprised at how much the genre has changed in those intervening years.  Things that may only have been hinted at in novels published 30 years ago are no longer taboo and can be writ large across the page. 

But you may not have written a YA novel at all.  It's very easy to tell a new writer that because the protagonist of their book is a teenager, it's YA.  This is not always the case.  All YA novels tend to have teenage protagonists, but I can think of several books with teen protagonists that I would not categorize as YA because the themes, voice and subject matter are definitely adult.

Apart from understanding the genre you're writing, there are numerous other reasons to read the genre you write.  If you are planning to query agents, reading books similar to your own and digging into the acknowledgements may help you to find agents who represent books like yours.  If you're planning to submit to publishers yourself, knowing which imprints and publishers take books like yours will save you time and rejections.

Having good, recent comp titles to the book you've written is important as it can be useful shorthand when trying to describe what it is you're trying to sell.  Agents and publishers often ask for comp titles, and it's important that you have recent ones at your finger-tips.  Even novels from five years ago might not swing it as comp titles, so you need to read recent books.

If you're planning to self-publish, understanding your audience is even more important.  You will need to be able to design (or brief a designer) cover art that is eye-catching and in line with other covers in your genre.  You will need to write back-cover copy that will appeal to your audience and draw them in.  And most importantly, you will need to know where your audience is and how best to reach them. Without reading with this community, you will find it harder to engage with them in an authentic way.

Hopefully this has been helpful and you will discover some wonder YA contemporary novels to devour.  If you need any suggestions, just let me know.  I read a LOT of YA contemporary because that's what I write.

X O'Abby



Wednesday, March 24, 2021

Spotlight on New Book Debut Author Rebecca Mahoney #TheValleyandtheFlood

Operation Awesome Spotlight #20Questions in #2021 of #NewBook Debut Author posted by @JLenniDorner of @OpAwesome6


The Valley and the Flood by Rebecca Mahoney


1- Welcome former OA team member! What was your favorite part of being on the OA team?

It’s so great to be back! I loved the sense of community at OA most, but I also loved the ways that thinking of posting topics made me think critically about my writing style and what I had to share with people. I particularly loved writing posts about horror-writing craft and what made a scene scary.

2- Would you please, in 160 characters or less, give a #WriteTip ?

You don’t have to write every day, but try to keep to a routine that’s manageable for you – it’s so much easier once it becomes habit!

3- What most motivates you to read a new book?

I think the first thing that draws me in, aside from a killer premise, is a strong setting as a character. I’m more than willing to take time to get to know and love the protagonist, but a unique, compelling setting that grabs me right off the bat is the first thing that keeps me reading.

4- What makes you a certified sea-witch?

Hah! Aside from loving Ursula’s style, that’s mostly just a joke about how much I love the sea. I’ve been lucky enough to live coast-adjacent most of my life, and being by the water is just such a perfect reset for my brain. This is probably why water plays a pivotal role in most of my stories!

5- Would you share a picture with us of your book somewhere fun?

While I personally haven’t gotten to take my book many places, here’s a picture my mom snapped of VALLEY in the wild at the Barnes & Noble I used to walk to as a teenager. Imagining it on the same shelves I spent so many hours wandering is more than I can wrap my head around sometimes!
Spotlight on New Book Debut Author Rebecca Mahoney #TheValleyandtheFlood #NewBook #DebutAuthor #2021Books #teen #yafiction #MagicalRealism #BN


6- What is your favorite classical Japanese ghost story?

The Noppera-bo, a faceless ghost. In one of the original stories, they pose as both a crying girl in the woods luring in passers-by, and the proprietors of the noodle stand where the protagonist runs to escape the girl. I wrote a translation of this story for class in college, so I’m particularly fond of it!

7- What's your Twitter handle, and do you have two or three writer friends on there to shout-out to for #WriterWednesday ?

My own Twitter handle is @cafecliche ! For writer friends, I will shout out three friends whose manuscripts or ARCs I’m reading right now: @gravity_fail09 , @gayowyn , and @ivytheleaf !

8- When did you first know you wanted to publish a book someday?

I know it’s a bit of a cop-out to say there was never a time I didn’t want to, but I think that’s true! My parents read to me as much as they could very early on, and I dictated my first story for my mom to write when I was 3 or 4 years old. Since I was always making up stories and indulging in long daydreams about my future author life, the biggest lightning bolt moment was the realization was that there was no reason I needed to wait to try to write a manuscript – I could just sit down and do it, and see what happened. I started writing that first manuscript my senior year of college, and even though I never tried submitting it anywhere (I was very comfortable with it being a practice run) it was invaluable to me, because it taught me that I could see a bigger project through. And I’ve been writing steadily ever since!

9- Are you a Plotter, Pantser, or Plantser, and how did you adopt that style?

Plotter 100% - I used to be able to pants the first few chapters and then write a full outline, but I’ve been buckling down even further on my plotting tendencies in recent years! I still do try to pants every so often, just to see if I COULD enjoy it, but it never seems to work for me – I always need the momentum of running down a track I’ve already built, not one I’m building as I go.

When I had a much better memory, I would picture the scene in my head first, then sort of transcribe it, but with the various demands on my brainpower these days, it’s much easier to make copious notes in zero-draft form, then transform it into a full scene. Lately I’ve also been skipping over transitions and reactions if they’re slowing me down too much – I’ll write a basic description of what I’m trying to do in brackets, and will fill it in on my next pass. My plotting tendencies have always made me a bit of a slow drafter, and that’s been great for improving my speed.

10- What does your basic writing schedule look like, and how often do you write?

I try to get to writing first thing when I wake up (whenever that may be – pandemic schedules have been variable!) because it feels easiest to get right down to it before my attention is drawn in other directions. I try to set very manageable goals for myself every day, especially if I’m on a deadline, so that I can be on track to finish in plenty of time, but also am not working so much that I’m completely overwhelmed.

Usually I write every day, but I try to take little vacations every now and then! I decided to take it easy this month to recover from a slew of February deadlines, and that’s been good for me.

11- What is your favorite book by someone else, what's the author's Twitter handle, and what do you love most about that book? #FridayReads book recommendation time!

Oh man, I have so many favorites, but the one I always come back to in the past few years is
Author name: Emily X.R Pan @exrpan
Title: THE ASTONISHING COLOR OF AFTER
Love because: It’s such a searing, stunning portrait of grief, beautifully crafted on the sentence level and propelled by a quietly powerhouse voice as in the wake of her mother’s suicide, the protagonist Leigh seeks out pieces of her she never had access to while she was alive. It’s haunting, heartbreaking, and cathartic.


12- What emotions do you hope your book will evoke for the reader?

There are so many different emotions that ended up woven into VALLEY over the years I worked on it, but I always come back to the question I wanted to answer when I decided to make VALLEY a loose riff on The Odyssey: how do you come home to yourself when you don’t recognize the way anymore? And what I’d love for people to take away from it is that it isn’t a perfect process. We are our first and often most unreliable narrators, and Rose, who’s in the middle of answering this question for herself, doesn’t always give herself the gentleness she deserves. I wanted to lead her to a point where she’d be pushed to look at the parts of herself that scare her and find compassion for them. I would love it if readers, after putting down VALLEY, can think about the parts of themselves that have been waiting a long time for compassion, too.

13- What kind of impact do you hope your book will have?

VALLEY is, first and foremost, about figuring out how to tell your own story to yourself before anyone else, and it would mean the world to me if it helped someone understand their own story, too. Writing the story that I would have needed when I was in a similar place as Rose was both a relief and also one of the hardest things I’ve ever done: I kept thinking, how do I know that what was true for me is going to be meaningful to anyone else? What if I’m just fully off-base and no one else experienced these things this way? But not only is that not true, but is so much in-between. Someone could pick up VALLEY and feel really seen. Someone could mostly not relate, but find one piece of it that’s really useful or comforting to them. And of course there are people who may not relate to it at all, though even in that case, there’s the chance that knowing what doesn’t speak to them will help them find something that does. If a reader can take what they need from this story, even if what they need is something else entirely, I feel like I will have done my job.

14- What is your favorite creative non-writing activity to do?

Watch horror movies! Honestly, I think getting into horror (and learning the tropes so well that they don’t scare me anymore) has done wonders for my anxiety. Horror has a setup-payoff structure with its scares that gives you an eventual release from that tension. With anxiety, you spend a lot of time trying to figure out why you’re nervous, waiting for the other shoe to drop. With horror I can be like, oh thank God, I didn’t leave the stove on. It’s just a ghost.

15- diversebooks.org #WeNeedDiverseBooks What's your favorite book with a diverse main character?

Far too many to name, but most recently I’ve been reading YOU SHOULD SEE ME IN A CROWN by Leah Johnson, in which Black teen Liz Lighty campaigns for prom queen to get the scholarship she needs to escape her small midwestern town – and ends up falling for her rival for the crown. It’s such a sweet, charming book, and Johnson writes with such infectious love and empathy for her characters.


16- What method do you feel is the best way to get book reviews?

Related to the next question, marketing/review submission was another reason I decided to pursue traditional publishing overall, but in terms of blogger reviews, I just try to stay involved in conversations about my debut year, and pitch VALLEY when outlets are looking for new titles to review. It can be tough sometimes, because I have that knee-jerk reticence about promoting myself, but I’ve been nudging myself to be better about it!

17- What was the deciding factor in your publication route?

Traditional publishing has been the dream from the start, but practically, I knew that’s what I wanted to pursue just because of the sheer amount of logistics involved in self-publishing success. My self-published friends are incredibly disciplined and wildly creative marketers, and I do not really have a head for that! (Also, I’m a program coordinator in my day job, so the fewer logistics I have to handle in my creative life, the happier I am!)

18- What's the biggest writing goal you hope to accomplish in your lifetime?

Oh man. I have books that are like security blankets for me – ones that I read as a child or teenager and then took with me when I moved to my own place. I would love to write a book that could be that for someone. Something that makes them feel a little safer or more understood just by virtue of being in their home.

19- Would you please ask our audience a question to answer in the comments?

If you were to write one of your fears into a book, what would it be?
Spotlight on New Book Debut Author Rebecca Mahoney #TheValleyandtheFlood #NewBook #DebutAuthor #2021Books #teen #yafiction #MagicalRealism ~ Photo by Lynne Powers, 2020

20- Anything else you would care to share about your book and yourself?

You can find me on Twitter at @cafecliche where I talk a lot about trauma, storytelling, horror movies, and usually whichever TV show I’m devouring this week!


The Valley and the Flood by Rebecca Mahoney

Monday, March 22, 2021

Plot holes

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dig_hole.jpg

So - what's a plot hole?

According to Wikipedia - "In fiction, a plot hole, plothole, or plot error, is a gap or inconsistency in a storyline that goes against the flow of logic established by the story's plot. Such inconsistencies include things as illogical, unlikely or impossible events, and statements or events that contradict earlier events in the storyline."

The below site was very helpful to me in describing the different types of plot holes.

The five different types of plot holes

I have found that the very best way to find plot holes is to have several beta readers and critique partners.  If there's a hole in your story, someone will find it!

How to find and fix your story's plot holes
https://www.well-storied.com/blog/plot-holes
https://www.writerscookbook.com/how-to-fix-plot-holes/

These sites are fun.  Plot holes in movies.  I love the Toy Story one.  The Cinderella one has bothered me for years!  WARNING - SPOILERS AHEAD
https://www.buzzfeed.com/alliehayes/small-movie-plot-holes-reddit
https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/dumbest-plot-holes-film-movies-a4015781.html
https://www.boredpanda.com/interesting-movie-plot-holes/
https://www.urbo.com/content/8-movies-with-plot-holes-that-completely-ruined-everything-and-how-to-fix-them/
https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/50-movie-plot-holes-and-paradoxes/

Which movie plot hole has bothered YOU?  Tell us in the comments.



Friday, March 19, 2021

March 2021 Pass or Pages Entry #5

It's time for the Pass or Pages feedback reveal!  We're so thankful for our awesome agents Silvia Monteni, Jess Dallow, and Lucy Irvine for taking the time to critique these entries.  And a shout out to the brave authors whose work will be on the blog this week.  You are awesome!

Entry 5: The Warrior Within


Query:


My f/f paranormal romance The Warrior Within is 113k words and is comparable to a cross between Charlaine Harris’ Southern Vampire series and Alexandra Ivy’s Guardians of Eternity.

Libby struggles with a debilitating disease[JD1] and is resigned to singlehood. When she goes out one evening with co-workers, the last thing she expects is to stumble into the woman of her dreams. As she falls in love with Jo, a 150-year-old half-vampire from France’s Ancien Regime, Libby comes to recognize her inner worth.

But Jo has powerful enemies, including her vampire father. Libby discovers upon entering Jo’s world that she must rely upon her courage in order to survive. A character-driven novel that ramps up into dangerous thrills, The Warrior Within teaches Libby that she already has everything she needs in order to survive seeming insurmountable odds[JD2].

“Fans of Sookie Stackhouse and A Discovery of Witches will love this romantic page turner.” Christy English, author of How to Tame a Willful Wife and How to Wed a Warrior from Sourcebooks Casablanca.

A trilogy is planned[JD3]. Book 2, A Warrior for Her is in revisions. I also have a spinoff novel roughly 50% completed starring a wolf shifter introduced in Book 2. At least two additional books are taking form in my mind. One may stand alone, or they could both have a tie into the series.

~~
Silvia's comments: None
Jess's comments:
[JD1] What is that disease?
[JD2] I don’t have a good indication of what the plot is based on this query letter.
[JD3] You always want to make sure your book can be a standalone. It can have series potential, but it should be able to stand on its own. 
Lucy's comments: TBD



First 250 words:


Bobbing my head to the hypnotic beat, I make my way around the dance floor, drinking in the mass of sweat-slicked bodies writhing under flickering strobe lights[JD4]. There is some serious eye candy here tonight. Carefully, I continue along the long side of the L-shaped bar to the hall leading to a single stall bathroom, counting on a shorter line. Don’t ask me why there’s only one stall– but most people opt for the larger bathrooms on the other side of the dance floor. To entertain myself in line, I face the greater room. My body sways slightly to the beat. Damn, I miss dancing. I wish…

No sense getting caught up in wishing.

But the thought sours my enjoyment of watching the dancers. I turn my attention to the people clustered around the bar, entertaining myself with the gay or nay game. Okay, maybe it isn’t a real game. I guess whether I think each person is gay or not[JD5]. It isn’t a very politically correct game, I admit, but it amuses me. HoneyBears is famous for cheap drinks and amazing music so they draw huge mixed crowds every weekend. So, even though they bill themselves as a gay night club, there’s certainly no guarantee that everyone here identifies as such.

Visually, I make my way down the bar, noting to myself gay or nay, while balancing on the cane as I keep the rhythm. My eyes snag on the sexiest butch I’ve ever seen. My mouth goes dry

~~
Silvia's comments: The word count is too long and slightly off-putting; anything above 80,000 words for YA is beyond the maximum word-mark for me. Witches and Vampires are tricky topics as they have been overdone in YA literature and the market feels saturated. The fact that this is presented as a trilogy is also difficult, as it would make for a very hard sell in the current climate.
Jess's comments:
[JD4] Good opening line. 
[JD5] This isn’t really needed as the game feels self-explanatory.
Lucy's comments: TBD
 

Results:

Silvia Monteni: Pass
Jess Dallow: Pass, not the right genre for me
Lucy Irvine: TBD





Thursday, March 18, 2021

March 2021 Pass or Pages Entry #4

It's time for the Pass or Pages feedback reveal!  We're so thankful for our awesome agents Silvia Monteni, Jess Dallow, and Lucy Irvine for taking the time to critique these entries.  And a shout out to the brave authors whose work will be on the blog this week.  You are awesome!

Entry 4: Saigon Sweethearts


Query:


Two hearts, one semester[JD1].

Vivi Nguyen arrived in Saigon, Vietnam, nervous yet giddy for her abroad program. With parents back in the states and freedom at her fingertips, Vivi revelled in the heart of her homeland. It’d be a semester of excitement and adventures—or so she thought, until she met Hang[JD2].

Falling in love was not on the bucket list. The banh mi shop across Vivi’s dorm sells the most delectable banh mi in all of District 1, but it wasn’t the food that captivated her heart. Hang, the young and hardworking shop owner, dreams of becoming an English teacher and providing a better life for her mother.

With only eighty-five days in Vietnam, Vivi finds herself drawn to Hang and the city that haunts her parents. Within bustling Saigon, Vivi must unravel her family history through the tenderness of love; love that is multifaceted and spans through generations of sorrow and hope. From street food dates to kisses in alleyways, the two hearts find themselves alive and in love in the most vibrant city in the world. 


I am seeking representation for Saigon Sweethearts, a YA Contemporary LGBT romance novel complete at 65,000 words. Saigon Sweethearts is The Joy Luck Club meets Loveboat, Taipei meets Heartstopper, written for readers who enjoy a fresh, youthful romance set abroad and stories about familial relationships, as well as those who are seeking POC LGBTQ main characters in the contemporary genre[JD3]

~~
Silvia's comments: None
Jess's comments:
[JD1] I like this opening.
[JD2] Your query letter should be in present tense.
[JD3] This can be deleted since it’s stated above.  
Lucy's comments: TBD
 

First 250 words:


It's 12am in Los Angeles, California. Unlike New York City, LA actually does sleep. The streets are vacant and in a blanket of silence, save for the hum of street cleaners in the early morning down the road.

“Will you be okay?” I wake up groggily from mom’s voice.

“Of course, Mom, I’ll be with Cindy. I’ll be okay.”

Sensing the hint of exhaustion from my voice, mom just squeezes my hand and kisses my forehead. “You know I’ll always worry.”

I slump my head onto her shoulder as she pulls me closer, cherishing our last few moments together before we reach LAX Airport. I try to stretch my arms with the limited amount of space in our small, second-hand Honda. Somehow, dad has managed to sandwich me into the back of the car with mom on one side and the two suitcases containing 70% of gifts for relatives in Vietnam and 30% of my own stuff on the other.

Two more right turns, and it’ll be time for me to board my first ever international flight, and although I should be excited, my head is more preoccupied by not-so-comforting thoughts. My stomach is ridden with anxiety because I thought it was a good idea to stay up late reading about the Malaysian airplane conspiracies. I push the image of plane crashes out of my head while taking a deep breath and mentally calming my nerves. Breathe, Vivi, breathe.

~~
Silvia's comments: I requested pages for this, so I only have positive comments on this query. I am on the hunt for a light-hearted romance, with diverse character and exotic locations, and therefore this sounds very interesting. I’m also fascinated by Vietnam and anything that has to do with the culture. I’d be interested to know if the author is Vietnamese or has any links to the country, as this would be a very important ownvoice/representation requirement.
Jess's comments: None
Lucy's comments: TBD
 

Results:

Silvia Monteni: Pages!
Jess Dallow: Pass
Lucy Irvine: TBD
 
 
 


Wednesday, March 17, 2021

March 2021 Pass or Pages Entry #3

It's time for the Pass or Pages feedback reveal!  We're so thankful for our awesome agents Silvia Monteni, Jess Dallow, and Lucy Irvine for taking the time to critique these entries.  And a shout out to the brave authors whose work will be on the blog this week.  You are awesome!

Entry 3: How to Seduce Four Princes


Query:


Guardswoman Ovelynn can barely juggle her eating disorder and her secret romance with Prince Requin—and that’s before the Sky God accidentally splits her lover into four people. His duplicates will crash the floating Sky Kingdom[JD1] in an explosion of magic, unless all four sleep with someone they love[JD2]. Unfortunately, each prince believes himself to be the only one dating her. To break the spell, she must seduce each one without the others finding out[JD3].

Now she must juggle four different manifestations of Requin’s personality: the romantic, the snobby mama’s boy, the rebel, and the scaredy-cat. After being brutally dumped by one, her eating disorder returns with a vengeance. The Sky God promises to boost her confidence with a magical makeover. Instead, the idiot curses her to transform into a man every night.

Perhaps a happy accident, since at least some of the princes prefer her that way. Using both her identities, Ovelynn has the chance to see all the hidden parts of Requin and overcome her insecurities. But if she loses his love before the moon rises on the seventh day, they’ll both die as their island falls from the sky.

HOW TO SEDUCE FOUR PRINCES is a 79,000-word fantasy romance in the humorous style of Katie MacAlister and Kresley Cole. Inside Out meets an adult Cinderella[JD4] story with LGBTQ+ content. The main character’s bulimia is based on my own experience.

~~
Silvia's comments: None
Jess's comments:
[JD1] In a fantasy novel, it’s good to query with some indication of the world. The characters are important, but so is understanding where it is these people are living. 
[JD2] Are they four thriving, whole people? Do they know the others exist?  
[JD3] If this happens to Requin, why is Ovelynn the one who has to break the spell? 
[JD4] Titles should be capitalized. 
Lucy's comments: TBD


First 250 words:


If you ever visit the flying island of Avacasta, bring a broad-brimmed hat. The guidebook advises this for two reasons: keeping off the never-ending rain and attracting the attention of the town guard as you fall screaming off the edge of a tower with no guardrails.

Guardswoman Ovelynn Oxgourd flew through the storm, reaching for the falling man. Her wings fought against the wind. He screamed. From the roof, his wife screamed even louder. His soaked fedora slapped her face before whipping away. She grabbed the tourist by the back of his collar.

Fortunately, her wings were stronger than her legs. His wailing and arm-flapping didn’t make it easy, but she flew them back to the safety of the rooftop. Then she doubled over, panting. Her wings burned from overexertion. A bubble surrounding her body kept off the rain.

A wet, sobbing woman flung her arms around her husband. She alternated between thanking Ovelynn and threatening to sue every single Sky-Folk in Avacasta.

“I apologize for your poor experience in our country.” Ovelynn used her customer service voice, or as she liked to call it, babytalk for tourists. They were welcome to give their lawsuit a try. Upon entering Avacasta, all tourists signed a ten page waiver devoted to the risks of falling.

The man picked up his wife’s rant. “Half the buildings in this city don’t even have stairs, much less elevators. A drunk flew into our window last night. It hasn’t stopped raining since we got here.”

~~
Silvia's comments: The elevator pitch sounds brilliant, but again I found the blurb of the query difficult to navigate, with all the different personalities and the fantasy elements (names and places); I don’t do a lot of fantasy and any fantasy I would take on would need to be a lot more voice-driven, rather than plot driven. Furthermore, eating disorders are of course a very delicate subject – especially for this age group – and I’m not sure how easy it would be to balance the humour of this story with the seriousness of the topic.
Jess's comments: None
Lucy's comments: TBD

 

Results:

Silvia Monteni: Pass
Jess Dallow: Pass
Lucy Irvine: TBD

 




Tuesday, March 16, 2021

March 2021 Pass or Pages Entry #2

It's time for the Pass or Pages feedback reveal!  We're so thankful for our awesome agents Silvia Monteni, Jess Dallow, and Lucy Irvine for taking the time to critique these entries.  And a shout out to the brave authors whose work will be on the blog this week.  You are awesome!

Entry 2: Humbly Yours, Juliet


Query:


Seventeen-year-old Dungeons & Dragons enthusiast Gage loathes Shakespeare. But when an assignment forces him to join the tens of thousands of people who write a letter to “Juliet” in Verona every year, he asks the Bard’s greatest heroine for advice about his growing feelings for his gender nonconforming best friend, Remy.

Instead of receiving a reply from the Secretaries of Juliet, Gage sees the letters he and his classmates wrote posted anonymously on a website. Remy ignores Gage’s attempts to discuss the epistles, leading a crushed Gage to believe Remy isn’t interested in more than friendship. A mysterious “Juliet” starts responding to the letters and inadvertently reveals a secret of Remy’s that makes his true feelings known, but Gage views the lie as an act of betrayal[JD1]. Despite Remy’s insistence that, like in the Hallmark movies he adores, the deceit is just a big misunderstanding, Gage fears they may have missed their chance at a happy ending. Without a D&D Player’s Handbook to guide him, Gage must decide whether to protect himself from more potential heartache or forgive Remy and roll the dice on romance.

HUMBLY YOURS, JULIET is a contemporary young adult novel (65,000 words) that will appeal to fans of Jenny Han’s To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before and Becky Albertalli’s Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda[JD2]. It’s a multiple-POV story that also follows a Latina baker trying to use the letters to figure out whether her boyfriend loves her or cheated on her and a goofy actor with a penchant for puns who isn’t sure if the girl of his dreams likes him or his twin brother[JD3].
~~
Silvia's comments: None
Jess's comments:
[JD1] This is a little confusing. What is the lie? 
[JD2] The titles of these books should be capitalized. 
[JD3] If it’s a multi-POV story and these people are important enough to have POVs, I’d like to see how they are included in the plot of the story. It gives good indication if their perspective is necessary.
Lucy's comments: TBD

First 250 words:


Shakespeare is the worst[JD4].

I can’t stifle the sound that escapes when Mr. Bookman announces we’ll be starting Romeo and Juliet. (And no, the irony of an English teacher named Bookman isn’t lost on anyone.) My groan joins a chorus of disapproval. Not from Remy, though. I look at him—today he’s wearing a brown and white striped skirt over green leggings and a green fabric headband thing—and he smiles.

Always one for romance. He might be excited, but I won’t have a clue when the romantic parts are happening, for all the sense the “Bard” makes to me. (I wanted to like Macbeth last year, but the language killed my enthusiasm for the witches and murder.) Flipping quickly through the book, I slump in my seat. It’s hard to say if I’m more depressed by the pages with lots of footnotes or the ones with just a few.

Without wasting any time, we go over the characters, then Mr. Bookman calls two guys to the front and assigns them parts. To read out loud. On day one[JD5]. I could be wrong, but shouldn’t reading Shakespeare have a little foreplay? Maybe some 16th century English lessons before reciting iambic pentameter in front of a crowd?

The guys take the toy swords Mr. Bookman hands them, and the first thing Finn does, of course, is hold it in front of him like a penis. Dick.
~~
Silvia's comments: I found the blurb in the query letter a bit confusing, I struggled to follow who was who, as well as the link between D&D and Shakespeare. I’m also not a fan of To All the Boys I Loved Before, though I appreciate the LQBT angle of this particular query. I also wasn’t entirely convinced by the tone of the opening and was put off by the swearing.
Jess's comments:
[JD4] Love this opening sentence.
[JD5] Day one of what? School or just reading this play?   
Lucy's comments: TBD
 
Results:
~~
Silvia Monteni: Pass
Jess Dallow: Pass
Lucy Irvine: TBD

Monday, March 15, 2021

March 2021 Pass or Pages Entry #1

It's time for the Pass or Pages feedback reveal!  We're so thankful for our awesome agents Silvia Monteni, Jess Dallow, and Lucy Irvine for taking the time to critique these entries.  And a shout out to the brave authors whose work will be on the blog this week.  You are awesome!

Entry 1: The Governess of Wilderarch Manor


Query:


Dear Awesome Agents, THE GOVERNESS OF WILDERARCH MANOR is an adult historical romance complete at 80,000 words, set in 1850s Nova Scotia. This story takes the sprawling historical romances of Susanna Kearsley’s novels and makes it unabashedly queer (#ownvoices) with some aesthetic inspiration from Portrait of a Lady on Fire.

When her family’s ship sinks with all their financial security, Léonise Browning takes up the mantle of provider [JD1]. She enlists as a governess for the young daughter of a widower. When she arrives at Wilderarch Manor, she is met by his[JD2] inimitable sister, Victoria Carter, a woman she cannot help but fall in love with even as Miss Carter shows her only aloof disdain.

Victoria Carter knows a caged life, engaged to a man she cares not for[JD3], but whose wealth will protect the happiness of her brother and niece. Her resignation is shaken at the arrival of Léonise, a governess unlike any who came before, who also knows the price of sacrifice. Who beckons Victoria to loosen the armour she’s built around her heart.

Dark secrets and societal expectations cast shadows over the love that yearns to blossom between them. Léonise and Victoria must each decide if their love is worth the peril it threatens or succumb to society’s expectations[JD4]. Thank you for your time and consideration,
~~
Silvia's comments: None
Jess's comments:
[JD1] As someone who isn’t quite familiar with this time-period, I’m not quite sure what this means, and therefore would probably stop here. 
[JD2] Whose sister? The widower’s? The paragraph reads as a little confusing and hard to follow.  
[JD3] Keep the wording simple, “she doesn’t care for”
[JD4] I’m not sure what the hook or conflict in this story is, aside from forbidden love.
Lucy's comments: TBD


First 250 Words:


The wedding bells rang their rejoicing hymn. Applause chimed between the peeling as the bride and groom turned from their place at the altar, their faces aglow with the shine of those about to embark upon a new adventure.

Elated cheers shook the small structure of the chapel, reaching to the rafters. Léonise Browning’s heart sank fast, offended by the joy that surrounded her[JD5]. She rose in mechanic synchronicity with the other attendees, throwing rice as they did over the bride and groom hurrying up the aisle, wishing to be far away from this place.

This disaster of a day had broken with the dawn. She’d slept poorly, woken tardy, ripped her best dress in her haste to prepare. On the long walk through the cold, November morning with her mother and father, she’d spotted a bird lying dead in the grass. An ominous sign, it had sent her stomach churning with a deep rooted nausea.

Léonise had hoped to find calm sitting in the house of God, but her dark cloud of lamentation was disturbed by the radiant bliss that reigned around her like a cruel sun off the family and friends gathered to cherish this blessed union. Even her parents wore the guise of delight, though they suffered the same as her. They shamed Léonise in unwitting silence for failing to hide her emotions as well. And so her heart continued to slip down until it lay as shattered at her feet.
~~
Silvia's comments: I am a children’s and YA books agent, I don’t handle adult novels
Jess's comments:
[JD5] This sentence gives good insight into how she’s feeling without saying she’s sad. 
Lucy's comments: TBD
 

Results:

Silvia Monteni: Pass
Jess Dallow: Pass
Lucy Irvine: TBD

 


Thursday, March 11, 2021

Dear O'Abby: What do I do if I want to write horror as a romance author?

 Dear O'Abby,

I'm a fairly successful romance author with 14 published novels.  My publisher wants more because my books sell reasonably well, but the new book I'm working on does not fit with my/their brand - it's a horror and I'm absolutely loving writing it!  

I do plan to write more romance in the future, but right now I'm really enjoying writing something that almost certainly won't have a happy-ever-after ending, and I'm pretty sure I'll write more like this in the future.

Do you have any advice for how to manage my writing career while writing in two very different genres?

Sincerely,

Horrified


Dear Horrified,

I think you'd be surprised how many writers juggle books across a variety of genres.  The reason you may not know about them is because they write each genre under a different name.

Yes, this is a situation where you may want to think about using a pseudonym.  You obviously have a dedicated fan base for your romance novels, and these readers are probably not also avid readers of horror (although some may be).  It is probably not desirable for your current fans to pick up your new book expecting a delightful, frothy romance only to discover something very, very different.

It's also possible (or probable) that your publisher doesn't handle horror either, unless they are large and have a number of different imprints across genres. You don't mention if you have an agent, but if you do, and they have been successfully selling your romances, they may not have the contacts or experience to sell your horror.

Which is another reason to use a pseudonym. You can query agents that specialise in horror without your reputation as a romance writer hanging over you.  Obviously once you accept representation your new agent will need to know your true identity, but while querying, you can do so with a fresh slate and no expectations.

But talk to your existing agent first (if you have one). It's possible they do have the experience and contacts to handle both genres now, even if they didn't at the time you signed with them.  Or if they are part of a larger agency, there may be an agent there who handles horror and will work alongside your current agent to manage this new strand of your career.

Hopefully this helps.  And good luck!  Do let us know how everything goes, and where we can get our hands on your new book.

X O'Abby



Tuesday, March 9, 2021

Spotlight on New Book Debut Author Maria Ingrande Mora #giveaway

Operation Awesome Spotlight #20Questions in #2021 of #NewBook Debut Author posted by @JLenniDorner of @OpAwesome6


Fragile Remedy by Maria Ingrande Mora


LGBTQ+ Science Fiction

1- What is your favorite brunch?

My favorite brunch is outside in the shade on a pretty day with pancakes and mimosas and a side of floppy bacon. I love it when brunch lasts for a couple of hours. I’m a bigger fan of a one-on-one brunch than a group.

2- Would you please, in 160 characters or less, give a #WriteTip ?

Every word counts as practice. Write what feels good. Don’t judge your writing; celebrate your effort.

3- What most motivates you to read a new book?

Usually some element of it catches my attention -- such as a trope I know I love, or a character who sounds like someone I’ll fixate on. Sometimes the concept itself is something I know I’ll love. Lately (basically during the entire pandemic and counting), I’ve had a hard time focusing on sitting down and reading.

4- March is Women's History Month. What contribution or specific achievement by a woman in American history is your favorite? (http://womenshistorymonth.gov)

Mae Jemison went to Stanford at 16, traveled the world with the Peace Corps, worked on critical medical research projects, and then made a career change to become an astronaut and was the first Black woman to go to space. She is so cool. Her foundation, 100 Year Starship ™ ( 100YSS ), is working toward human travel beyond our solar system within 100 years.

5- Would you share a picture with us of your book with a pet?

Spotlight on New Book Debut Author Maria Ingrande Mora #NewBook Fragile Remedy #DebutAuthor #2021Books #LGBTQ #SciFi


6- How far off do you think we are from GEM technology actually existing?

I think we’re already at a place where dehumanization is excused and ignored. From a cultural standpoint, regardless of how close we are technologically speaking, I don’t think we’re particularly far from a situation similar to Gathos city’s GEMs.

7- What's your Twitter handle, and do you have two or three writer friends on there to shout-out to for #WriterWednesday ?

I’m @mariamelee on Twitter. I’d like to shout out @linseymiller and @dancingofpens .

8- Do you have a favorite #bookstagram image or account/ profile?

I love @peireads on Instagram. It’s so cool to me that she balances being a doctor and running a beautiful bookstagram account.

9- Are you a Plotter, Pantser, or Plantser, and how did you adopt that style?

Ugh, I’m a pantser. I’m a pantser. It’s the worst. It’s so hard in revisions. I am TRYING to become a plantser. My current WIP was lightly outlined and lo and behold, it helped a ton.

10- What does your basic writing schedule look like, and how often do you write?

When I’m drafting, I write 5 days a week and aim for at least 500 words a session. I prefer to hit 1000 words a session. I write in the evenings after work and after dinner. When I’m revising, I have a harder time structuring my time but I try to hit a chapter in one session.

11- What is your favorite book by someone else, what's the author's Twitter handle, and what do you love most about that book? #FridayReads book recommendation time!

Author name: TJ Klune @tjklune
Title: The House in the Cerulean Sea
Love because: I don’t read many books shelved for adults, but this one was an absolute delight and so magical and soft. It was nice reading a main character close to my age, too. This is an easy, warm read that feels very cozy.


12- What emotions do you hope your book will evoke for the reader?

Devastation followed by hope.

13- What kind of impact do you hope your book will have?

I’d love for teens to have fun escaping into a high stakes world where characters just happen to be queer.

14- What is your favorite creative non-writing activity to do?

I enjoy cooking every once in a while! It’s nice to follow a recipe and end up with something that feels like a huge accomplishment. I’m not a natural cook but I love eating.

15- In what ways are the main characters in your book diverse? diversebooks.org #WeNeedDiverseBooks

Fragile Remedy’s cast includes gender diversity, queer characters, a character with chronic illness, and characters of color. I am a bisexual cis woman.

16- What method do you feel is the best way to get book reviews?

I am a professional marketer, but when it comes to my writing, I have a very hard time “selling” it. I’d love to know the best way to get book reviews. I believe that when people find a book they connect to emotionally, they want to share that connection with others. So I hope that Fragile Remedy finds its audience.

17- What was the deciding factor in your publication route?

I always knew that I wanted to go traditional publishing. Flux is an indie publisher, and very supportive and hands on. It was important to me to work with a publisher who could help get my book into the hands of teens, educators, and librarians. This is tough the self-publishing route.

18- What's the biggest writing goal you hope to accomplish in your lifetime?

I’d like to remain consistent in my writing and publish books on a regular schedule, even if that schedule is a little slow compared to authors who are able to publish a couple of books a year.

19- Would you please ask our audience a question to answer in the comments?

What’s your favorite tag on AO3?

20- Anything else you would care to share about your book and yourself?

Maria Ingrande Mora is a content designer and a brunch enthusiast. Her love languages are snacks, queer joy, and live music. A graduate of the University of Florida, Maria lives near a wetlands preserve with two dogs, two cats, and two children.

Sixteen-year-old Nate is a GEM—a Genetically Engineered Medi-tissue—created by Gathos City scientists as a cure for the elite from the fatal lung rot ravaging the population. As a child, Nate was smuggled out of the laboratory where he was held captive and taken into the Withers—a quarantined, lawless region. He manages to survive by becoming a Tinkerer, fixing broken tech in exchange for food or a safe place to sleep. When he meets Reed, a kind and fiercely protective boy who makes his heart race, and his misfit gang of scavengers, Nate finds the family he’s always longed for—even if he can’t risk telling them what he is.

But Gathos created a genetic fail-safe in their GEMs—a flaw in their DNA that causes their health to rapidly deteriorate as they age unless they are regularly dosed with medication controlled by Gathos City. When violence erupts across the Withers, Nate’s illegal supply of medicine is cut off, and a vicious attack on Reed threatens to expose his secret. With time running out, Nate is left with only two options: work for a shadowy terrorist organization that has the means to keep him alive, or stay—and die—with the boy he loves.

GIVEAWAY! Be sure to leave a shipping address AND a blog post comment to be eligible to win.


Other options after that are optional ways to improve your odds.


a Rafflecopter giveaway



Fragile Remedy by Maria Ingrande Mora