Gone Writing

 I'm popping out of my writing cave to announce that I finished the first draft of my next book.

Going part time at my job was definitely what my writing career needed. Look for book 4 in the Forging America series to be released soon. 

And take advantage of the e-book sale. For a little while longer, the first three books will be priced at only 99c!

One last thing...

I'm reviving TEAM MAYGROVE, my street team!

Members help promote my books. They get to read books before they're published, to give feedback on how well they like the story (beta reader). They can also opt to receive advance copies for the purpose of leaving reviews (ARC reviewer). And there are other perks. :)

Participation opportunities are offered per book and are always optional.

If you or someone you know would like to become a member, use this link.

Thanks for visiting.

Writer life behind the scenes - Imposter Syndrome

Imposter syndrome: 

A psychological condition that is characterized by persistent doubt concerning one's abilities or accomplishments accompanied by the fear of being exposed as a fraud despite evidence of one's ongoing success.

I'm writing the first draft of the next novel in my western series, and let me tell ya - this part of the process can be worse than peeking between my fingers and waiting for the first reviews to come in on a new release.

The bulk of the research has been done. The characters are roughly sketched out, and the story is plotted. Now it's time to transform all that planning into something readers will enjoy. Talk about pressure!

The problem when I'm writing the first draft is that the slowness of the process makes the story feel like it's dragging. Character emotions and actions still need elaboration and fine-tuning, so the first pass reads as boring and stiff. I read it and sigh, 'This is crap. Nobody is going to want to read this.' Even though I've turned out likeable books before, I worry this one won't be as good as the others.

Then I remind myself that writing a good novel is a process, that I can't just skip to the end. If I go through all the steps, the finished product will be polished and worthy of publication.

Do you ever suffer from Imposter Syndrome? It doesn't only plague writers.

Are you curious about the writing process? If so, ask your questions in the comments, and I'll do my best to answer them.

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One last thing...

To coincide with Amazon Prime Days, I put the entire Forging America series on sale for 99c. 

I'm leaving the e-books on sale for a few more days. Grab them before they go back to regular price!

I'd Rather be Writing

January is a favorite month of mine. The holidays - though enjoyable - are over, my house is back in order, and a brand new year awaits to accomplish goals. The weather is sometimes cold or rainy, allowing me to remain indoors without guilt or disappointment and giving me time to craft my latest WIP (work in progress).

This January is off to a slow start, though, at least where writing is concerned. I stepped into the role of unit educator at my job and took on doing the night shift schedule. Then a client sent me a manuscript for editing that should've arrived weeks before. I'm powering through that only to do taxes in early February, then another edit.

I did manage to get quite a bit of research done around the end of the year. My goal is to have more plot- and setting details worked out before I start writing this time. That will make drafting go faster when I finally get going.

I made one choice as part of a new year's resolution that is going to be a game changer. I signed up for Factor75 keto meal delivery. The food is fabulous, and not having to cook supper has freed up a ton of time.

There's also the fan factor. Book four of the Forging America series is the most requested story of all. I have no doubt that fans will nudge me until it gets written. LOL

What are your plans for 2023?

My first post!

I was thrilled when Cowboy Kisses invited me to be a contributing author, but I must confess I've been staring at the blank page of my first post with nearly as much nail biting as when I started blogging ten years ago. 

Perhaps the best thing to do is post a few tidbits about myself, so you can get to know me.

I'm a multi-published author who writes both western historical romance and contemporary paranormal romance (under a different pen name). I like the challenge of tackling new subjects and genres, but western historical romance will always be my favorite to both read and write.

You can find a brief history of my writing and blogging experiences in my 10-Year Blogiversary post. My bio, books, and social media links can be found on my author page, right here on Cowboy Kisses.

I was born and raised in Texas, and currently call Magnolia home. My house sits close enough to the train tracks that I can hear the rumble of the train and its whistle in the distance. That was great inspiration for the newest book in my Forging America series, Fool's Iron.

Fool's Iron is currently up for preorder on Amazon and will be released June 1st.

I'll be posting the second Friday of every month here on Cowboy Kisses. If you'd like to follow this blog, the follow options are on the right, at the bottom. If you use a service such as Feedly or Follow.it, add cowboykisses.blogspot.com to your list.

I'm open to suggestions for post topics. What do you enjoy reading about most? History? Life in the 19th century? Crafts? Fun and interesting places to visit? Author life behind the scenes?  I'd love to know!