On A Virtual Visit with Babette James…

Happy first Friday in August folks–hey! Didn’t July start just the other day? Where did it go?

I’m visiting with fellow Liberty States Fiction Writers member Babette James today! She’s been kind enough to offer me the opportunity to share the topic of my recent talk at the Howell Twp Public Library in NJ. So if you couldn’t be there in person, here are the highlights of my chat with some very nice folks who took time out of their busy Saturday to hear what I had to say.

You’ll find a little sneak-peak there as well. Come on over: http://babettejames.com/2012/08/03/what-id-do-differently-by-joanna-aislinn/

Joanna

Are You Published or Want to Be?

Happy Friday, friends! For those of you in the area who might consider joining me, I’ll be at the Howell Library, Howell, NJ tomorrow! I’d love to see familiar faces and some new ones, too!

Here’s the flyer!

What I Wish I’d  Known—and Done Differently—

 BEFORE I Got Published!

WHERE:     Howell Library   318 Old Tavern Road;    Howell, NJ 07731 (732) 938-2300

WHEN:         July 28, 2012    10 AM-12 Noon

That manuscript burned a hole in your hard drive. You prodded it, polished it to a blinding shine, then sent out query letters to agents and editors. Nothing to do now but wait for a response, right?

Maybe not.

New Jersey author of romance and women’s literature, Joanna Aislinn, has been there, done that and earned the tee-shirt. Armed with the knowledge and perspective only hindsight brings, Joanna will share important tips on what aspiring and soon-to-be-published authors should do while waiting for that first contract.

Joanna Aislinn’s debut novel, No Matter Why (originally published by The Wild Rose Press), was hailed by her editor as “…what a contemporary should be…an emotional journey…a beautiful story well told.”

When not working her day job or attending to a husband, two boys and two cats, Joanna is crafting sequels, planting seeds for future stories of love and commitment, judging contests, networking and expanding her writing and speaking horizons. Friend her on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/joannaaislinn) and follow her on Twitter (@JoannaAislinn).

                                                                                                             

For a variety of articles and tips on craft, social media and so much more, check out Joanna’s blog (http://joannaaislinn.wordpress.com) and website (www.joannaaislinn.com). 

Best Compilation for a Writer Yet–and More!

Happy Thursday, friends; summer is upon us and so are the Wimbledon’s Tennis Championships! (I’ve got A LOT of papers to file–an entire school year’s worth, lol.) Nothing like plopping the laptop onto my desk and following the matches and my fave players while I grind through the tedious job of sorting through notes, reports, etc. I’m planning to go paperless on the reports next year.

I’ve been having issues with getting those next few wips off the ground, so today, I decided to share some pretty awesome resources that have been helping me in the brainstorming and story structure departments. Hope some/all of these will be of some help to you too!

This compilation by Margo Berendsen was so awesome, it needed a ‘pointing to’ all its own. Packed with tips and reference articles on writing and especially revision, I may be combing through this over the course of the next few weeks!  Thanks Margo!

21 Ways to Make Your Plot More Compelling

  Plotting Simplified–Eddie Jones–the BEST $0.99 you’ll ever spend. (Read my thoughts on this packed little gem here.)

  Break Into Fiction: 11 Steps to Building a Story That Sells–Dianna Love and Mary Buckham. This one seems particularly geared to those who like compiling lists and character sketches at every imaginable level. You’ll gain excellent insight into characters and conflict, with examples from three very popular movies included for every checklist!

  Yesterday, I picked up Roz Morris’ Nail Your Novel; currently working my way through her thoughts and exercises for reviving and revising that first draft or even seeing one through. I’m liking her style and approach: formal exercises via a bit of an informal approach–feel more my style at this point.

I’d love to know if you’re familiar with these resources. If so, how have you utilized them in any way? Did you find them helpful? If so, how?

As always, I thank you for stopping in, and taking the time to SHARE, assuming you care to do so!

Have a wonderful day,

Joanna

Healthy Snack–I’m Thinking Not–Part 2 (Makeovers)

Good day, everyone. Looking forward to a great day and weekend filled with tennis. The French Open is seriously sidetracking me from other things I should be doing, lol. Coverage for this tournament has seriously improved. (Thanks, ESPN, NBC and Tennis Channel. You’re all making one girl quite happy! : Maybe I’ll even get all that junk mail sitting on my enclosed front porch separated and ready for the mobile shredder–one can hope and set those lofty goals, right?))

For fellow blogger Janet S: See how the middle of the zucch blossom looks as if there are multiple stamens in there? That’s the bloom you DON’T pick!

Back to business: Last time I went into a mini-rant about the hidden hazards of foods deemed “healthy” by one internet article I read. I also promised a few of my fixes for the problem. Please keep in my mind I AM NOT A HEALTH OR NUTRITION EXPERT. These are simply some tweaks that have worked for me. Check with your physician if you have any questions, and especially if you have any health concerns.

Having shared that disclaimer, here are some ways I “healthy up” a snack:

Flavored yogurts: unless they’re sugar-free (and usually sweetened with aspartame or sucralose), I’m looking at 26 gramsof sugar per 6-8-oz serving or the equivalent of 6.5 added measured teaspoons. On one container from the fridge (hubby likes them), sugar was the second ingredient listed; corn syrup the fourth.

Are you kidding me???? See what I mean about hidden diet dangers? I’ve learned to substitute a fat-free plain yogurt (Greek-strained is awesome), flavor it with natural daniva (i.e., vanilla, as my son used to say), sugar substitute or even some sugar-free coffee creamer.

I know, I know. Honey and fresh or frozen fruits (i.e., strawberries, blueberries, peaches, etc) would be better sweetener choices.  Remind me to work on that.

Cookies: no matter WHAT you choose you’re looking at starch. Starch—good or not—is bound to expand bellies, butts and thighs. I believe no food group should be eliminated, so how about oatmeal cookies or graham crackers? Both made from better grains than most store-bought chocolate chips or shortbread. (Ever do natural peanut butter and jelly on either of my preferred two? Guaranteed awesome snack, dessert or even breakfast. Sprinkle on some plain—preferably not instant—oatmeal for added fiber. (BTW, if you’re into baking, cookies made with whole wheat white flour—especially oatmeal-raisin—usually bake up really similar to their white-flour counterparts.)

Cereals: what a bummer this was for someone who probably made her career weight-gain chomping down on bowl after bowl as a kid watching soaps during summer vacation from school. If you’re under10 gramsof sugar for any box of pre-sweetened cereals, consider that one of your better choices. “Healthy” options (i.e., raisin brans, etc) are usually 15 grams/serving or more.

What’s a weight-conscious person to do?

My super-easy fix: measure half a serving of your favorite mixed with an unsweetened “filler.” Example: I love Honey-Nut Cheerios. I’ll buy a box of that and one of regular Cheerios (which really do have an awesome taste all their own with1 gramof sugar/serving). Mix equal parts of each, or even bump up the unsweetened counterpart—as long as I taste the sweeter one, I’m good! Another ready alternative: have that traditional oatmeal on hand and mix it with your favorite sweet cereal using the ratios I just listed. Takes a bit of getting used because of its chewiness, but easy to love in the long run.

Pre-packed oatmeal is another major trap (unless it’s plain) and easy to healthy-up with little to no effort. So much cheaper too! I stir milk, vanilla and sugar substitute into a serving of old-fashioned oats (the canister kind) and heat for one minute on high in the microwave. Breakfast is served. (Doing the cereal-mix here too, especially with plain Cheerios or shredded wheat makes for a seriously hearty whole/multi-grain breakfast. Add cinnamon, raisins, dried cranberries, bananas—whatever excites you—and you’re talking serious yum to start your day.

So how do you stay clear of pitfalls that look good enough to eat? Please share if you dare and maybe click a SHARE button before you go, too. As always, I thank you!

Here’s to a wonderful day to all,

Joanna

Quick FlashBack: Why WordPress Rocks

Ten Reasons (Okay, Eleven) Why WordPress Rocks

It’s been a busy weekend, folks. So, since I originally thought this was running at fellow Liberty States Fiction Writer Nathan Rudy’s blog today–it ran on the first Wed of April instead–I figured I’ll do another catch-up thing and run it here. If you’re here for the first time, welcome and to you this is all new!

So I was hopping through the blogosphere, dealing with some technical blog-post issues when I realized it might do many well —including myself—to sing the praises of WordPress: my blogging software of choice (WP, from here on in).

Disclaimer: I’ve never used another type of blogging software. This article is based solely on my experience with WP and not intended to take away from other brands, if you will.

First, please allow me to credit multi-published author and LSFW secretary Caridad Pineiro for introducing me to WP. Several years ago, this ever-generous-and-amazingly-patient soul gave several hours of her very packed schedule to this ridiculously green newbie writer. Caridad did her best to show me how to create a site and add content that evening. I took notes but may as well have written in Polish, Slavic, Chinese or some other foreign language; I couldn’t make sense of my own notes.

That was in the fall of 2008. Took until the following spring before the ‘a-ha’ moment happened. (I wrote about it on my first post, I was so excited.) I was at least a year into the process before it all started making real sense.

I’ve been blogging with WordPress ever since. Back then, I learned first and foremost: write my posts in a word-processing application then copy and paste into my blogging software. (I’ve lost information and/or changes writing directly into the software. Plus, I have my own draft of the article on my hard drive and/or backed up otherwise. Although WordPress is most likely in no danger of this at all, I’ve read the horror stories of bloggers whose blogging companies shut down and all their posts lost.)

Okay, on to the reasons I’m very happy with WordPress:

(1) Support: (a) “Happiness Engineers” have always gotten back to me via email, usually within 24 hours of my query. Responses have always been helpful and subsequent questions always answered by the same HE; (b) tons of support articles and WordPress TV (video help) available with one click on ‘Help;’ (c) forum of fellow WP bloggers willing to chime in with their experiences on a given topic.

(2) A multitude of free themes designed to meet different blogging needs/likes. One click is all it takes to change the look and feel of your blog, and more custom options (i.e., headers) than I can share about. (This is great for someone like me who gets tired of the same look after a while.)

(3) Inexpensive domains ($24/year), though some folks have described the .me domain as ‘cheesy.’ (I’m still thinking about that one. My website costs a lot more than that to host.)

(4) Newsletter subscriptions of choice: I subscribe to fellow bloggers’ blogs and at least three of WP’s informational blogs. (The latter keep me updated on many things WordPress! J) I also subscribe to The Daily Post, “an experiment in blogging motivation from the folks atWordPress.com.” These lovely folks post blogging ideas and tips to help bloggers get the most out of their blogs. There are also daily and weekly post challenges, photo challenges—you name it. Each is delivered straight to my inbox.

(5) I LOVE this feature: number of comments, likes, etc feature posted at the top of my screen when I’m signed in to WP and reading mine or any other WP blog. Clicking on this lovely little number at the top shows me who “liked” and/or commented on my post. Best of all: this same feature shows responses to my comments at other WP blogs; this means I don’t have to remember where I commented in the event there was a response! Cool, right?

(6) Also at the top of my screen: access to a new post screen on the very WP site I’m visiting. If I’m inspired to write a post of my own, I don’t have to leave the article that inspired me! (For those of us who have the focus of a flea, this is a godsend. J)

(7) My favorite: Reblogging: An awesome feature recently re-introduced (and very similar to the PressThis! share button at the bottom of my post.

Here’s how it works:

I’m at someone’s blog and read an article that totally speaks to me. I hit reblog. I get the option of writing a little intro before hitting send. Now that write-up becomes my next post and is instantly delivered to my followers’ inbox as well. Easy-peasy promo for the fellow blogger and instant content for mine. Awesome, yes? (And on that note, check out the WordPress landing page. Freshly Pressed offers a page of thumbnails to a variety of blogs. Promo from the WP folks themselves to help get your name out there and drive traffic to your site. Ask social media maven Kristen Lamb what making Freshly Pressed did for her blog! Not sure what it takes to get picked but I’m hoping to get there one of these days!)

(8) Simple importing/exporting of content: more on that here.

(9) Maybe it’s coincidence, but seems like many of those making a name for themselves in the writing world (i.e., Kristen Lamb, Sean Platt, etc) recommend using WordPress. Honestly, I’ve yet to read different.

(10) This is the newest reason: badges for celebrating milestones. Cool and fun!

(11) Way more features, incentives and ideas that I’m by no means aware exist. BUT: go to WordPress.com and start looking around. Promise you’ll come across something that meets your needs.

So, there you have it. MHO of why WordPress is the way to go if you’re looking to start a blog or switch from the software you’re currently using. Now, the audience participation part: assuming you’re a blogger too, which software do you use? Are you happy with it? Why or why not? And as a blog reader, do you notice any difference between blogs hosted by different companies?

Again, I thank you, Nathan, for having me here! For those of you who liked what you read, won’t you please take a moment and help spread this content into cyberspace by clicking one of the share buttons below? Thanks for taking the time to read!

My thoughts on a great, romantic weekend read on Friday. Hope you stop in!

Have a wonderful day!

Joanna

Another Mash-Up: TEN Awesome Articles…

I put together this collection during the month of March. Thought I’d save them for a dry blog day! Check them out: a little of everything! Have a great day, and please take a moment to ‘share’ before you head on to your next virtual stop!

Friday: The Home Fries recipe I promised to fellow tweep @JTEllison

Now without further ado:

Beyond the Call: Face Your Fears!

Is Time Travel Possible? This one was just plain-old fun—and got me thinking on one of my favorite possibilities!

Mommy Moments: Snap Judgments—not just for mommies. All parents are guilty at some time during ‘the journey’!

Because this one turned me on to a very viable possibility: Author Terry O’Dell and her experience with NOOK First

Duolit’s Six Writing Outline Templates and Three Reasons to Use Them

Came across this gem as a result of my Discipline V. Control series!

Help for navigating Facebook’s Timeline

Answer all those necessary ‘WH’ questions and chances are you’ve laid the groundwork for your next story!

10 Super Awesome Insider Tips (for WordPress Users)

6 Reasons Why It’s Foolish Not to Self-Publish—Parts 1 & 2

Until next time,

Joanna

Blogging Etiquette–Faux Pas or Nah?

Happy Thursday all,

Not sure if sharing this is my best move, but an episode involving a comment I posted during a recent first-time visit to a blog inspired these thoughts. I came by said blog via a link in a loop; I’d never heard of the blog author or her guest but really liked the site.

Long story short, my comment included a link back to my blog. The post I linked to was so on-topic, you could read it in the URL. When I checked back at the site a while later, I noticed my comment had been ‘removed by the blog moderator/administer.’

Honestly, I was a bit taken aback. Yes, it was my first visit there, but I really wasn’t trying to be rude. Maybe I was excited to read content that reminded me of my own very similar post so I linked back to it, thinking it might be beneficial to someone else. BTW,  I have no problem with someone linking back to his/her blog from mine. (I might take exception to linking to content that I don’t believe family friendly, but that has yet to happen so I’ll deal with that on a case-by-case basis, should the occasion arise!)

I thought about why so many of us blog in the first place: to establish relationships with people and to create a presence online. Maybe I’m too steeped in social media etiquette as per Kristen Lamb’s teachings, whose we-are-not-alone approach encourages us to be out there as much as we can, supporting and promoting others, and when appropriate, ourselves too. (Perhaps I’ve missed something? IDK, someone would have to write something ridiculously offensive for me to consider removing any comment, or even editing it. Cyberspace—particularly the blogosphere—is so vast, I believe there is room for all of us. A final thought on the sharing part: perhaps anyone who clicked on my link might have found my content helpful. And said link-clicker would have already read the blog where comment was posted, so I don’t believe I was taking away from the original blogger.)

So what do you all think about this? Did I err or break a rule of blog etiquette of which I am unaware? Please feel free to comment away (email me privately, DM me on Twitter or send me a message via Facebook) and enlighten me. I would love some other thoughts on this—really!

Thanks, TTFN and a great day to all,

Joanna

Jenn Nixon can be WILD AND WICKED!

Getting a seriously late-in-the-day start friends, but happy Friday and upcoming weekend just the same. I am SO looking forward to the BNP Paribas Tennis Championships starting tomorrow. I need something to tide me over until the French Open late in May!

Just finished reading fellow Liberty States Fiction Writer Jenn Nixon’s WILD AND WICKED:  Quick, short read, a very fun ride and so NOT LACKING in heat and perfect for getting you through the weekend. (Please note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my thoughts on it.)

In a nutshell, Veronica Chance, goes undercover as a waitress at a “gentlemen’s club.” She is in search of her sister, who appears to have gone missing. On her first night at work, she winds up providing a mini lap dance to none other than the country’s most sought after detective, Mason Storm. Each immediately realizes the chemistry between them. Mason quickly picks up on Veronica being in such a place for more than cash. Veronica senses the ‘good guy’ in Mason. As the night winds down Mason has his first opportunity to play hero and rescues Veronica when he realizes she was drugged at an after-party where hedonism runs rampant, women are used and possibly being trafficked. Mason is also impressed with Veronica’s smarts; most especially how much she’s learned—in one night— about a case he’s been working on for two years. They agree to team up.

The rest you’ll have to read for yourself.

I have to say, author Jenn Nixon packed a whole lot of story into 48 short pages. She had me hooked on Mason by the end of his first scene. (I’m such a sucker for the hero who picks up on the damsel in distress.) Veronica is self-assured, smart, witty and just…happening. Well written, fast-paced; packed with chemistry, humor, vivid language and popping scenes on all levels, WILD AND WICKED did not disappoint. (I take that back. It did too disappoint. It ended. But: CHANCE OF A STORM, the sequel, is available. I’ll be reading–and most likely providing my take on it too!) Read more about all of Jenn’s books at her website!

About the author: Jenn Nixon was born, raised, and still resides in New Jersey . She is a member of Romance Writers of America and Liberty States Fiction Writers. An active blogger and social media participant, Jenn likes to stay on top of what’s hot and popular around the world whether it’s TV, books, movies, or politics.

Like what you read? Please take a second to click a share button or two. You’ll not only be doing me a service, you’ll be promoting Jenn’s work as well! We both thank you!

Have a great weekend and enjoy all your weekend reads!

Joanna

Jersey Author Irene Peterson: Going for it Her Way!

Hi all! Getting into spring paperwork rush but I have a goal this year: get to work a little on the early side and keep as many reports as possible within the confines of the school environment (a phrase I use often when I write those kiddie updates). The other goal is to keep up with a minimum of two posts/week. Know what? With a little clarity and a little effort, this goal-setting thing really can push me in the direction I say I want to go, lol.  

Today we have a guest. Straight-from-the-hip shooter and fellow Jersey-girl/Liberty States Fiction Writer Irene Peterson. She’s gone the Amazon route with the sequel to her debut romance, Glory Days (a book I’ve read and thoroughly enjoyed). Today Irene shares about her journey while writing and later editing that story, as well as the sequel it spawned—a had-to-be-written-Irene’s way recounting of Carly’s story. Today’s e-publishing opportunities provided Irene the ticket to do just that.

Here’s a little more background on Irene: Irene has lived in central New Jersey all her life, except for the time spent at Ft.McClellan inAlabama as a WAC.  She is not terribly athletic, wears glasses and yet was once Miss Industrial Arts at her college. She swears this is the truth! The Jersey shore is her favorite place to hang out with her family.  Her friends have an uncanny way of appearing in her books…after all, one must write what one knows.

Welcome, Irene! 

I just read a blog post about a woman who almost lost her baby because she was RH-.  It was against a political candidate. Then I read a blog post about a woman who fell and busted her shoulder and can’t write using her hand any more and how awful that was.

Made me think.

Would anybody want to know how cruddy my life has been?

It sure qualifies, but I don’t want that.

I don’t know if I can be uplifting, either.

But I can tell what made me want to write Glory Days and immediately afterwards, the sequel.  I was sick and tired of being told to write what I knew and be creative and follow the guidelines and play by the book.  I did all those things and got nowhere. So I sat down to write a story my way and I knew it was good from the first page.  I wrote from my heart and head.

The first words spoken by the hero were…”Ef (in full) it.”  Then he went on to talk about how hung over he was but he still had to get up to answer the door to his office/apartment.  Couldn’t have a drinker, they told me. That got changed.  The original book title was Bourbon John…had to change that; one particular outlet wouldn’t sell a story with bourbon in the title.

I had him go downstairs to get coffee with a towel wrapped around him…that got moved when the editor had me put the beginning of Ch. 21 where Ch. 1 should have been.  Had to put in more sexy scenes, so I did. On my own, I took out the word s**t 35 times, but left in some 30 more because that was how the hero talked and I felt he should talk. My editors liked the raw, edgy language, but I had too much in about the girl Carly—the hero’s daughter—that had to be taken out to make my women’s fiction a romance.

I had to make it, I had to get published; it was my goal in life at the time, so I did it. I prostituted myself for the honor and pleasure of holding my paperback book in my hand and going to signings all over the east coast.

You do amazing things to reach a goal.

Yes, Glory Days was pretty raw at first.  It had tons more heart, but not romance.  I changed it and it sold rather well. The book won the Golden Leaf award for best contemporary novel.

But I had so much more to say about the hero’s long lost daughter that he never knew existed.  So, immediately after getting my book in my hand, I started writing the sequel, Carly’s story.  She had to get all her lust for life and her daring and her new-found family out to the public, because she was just that kind of girl…just like her father.

And there was the mystery about her mother.  Who was she?  Why didn’t her father ever tell her what he had learned about the woman?  How could Carly’s very existence be the cause of so much trouble and death? Those questions needed to be answered and I did.

I don’t know what happened to the manuscript then.  I sent it to the publisher. My then agent handled that, she said.  It was rejected because they were concentrating on historicals.  I have sincere doubts.

So, Carly languished in the computer for six years, which, coincidentally, was the amount of time I had given her to grow up when I started her story.

I wrote Glory Days from my heart and soul, rewrote it while still maintaining the character of the characters, just getting rid of so much about Carly. Carly deserved to be heard, so she went Dancin’ in the Dark.

Both Glory Days and Dancin’ in the Dark are available at Amazon.com. (So is Kisses to Go.) Want to know Irene a little more? Check out her website, and LiveJournal and look for her on Facebook.

So glad you stopped in Irene! Best of luck to you as you continue on this crazy journey we writer-author folks so willingly embark on!

 Until next time, friends,

Joanna

 

 

Coffee and Because I’m Slow On the Uptake

Hey friends and followers,

Happy final Friday of 2011! Can’t thank all of you enough for all the ways you’ve made this blog such a happy place for me. You may have contributed a post or a comment, told somebody else about it or simply clicked LIKE and/or FOLLOW; maybe you just read or happened by via search engine. No matter what, you’ve touched me whether you know it or not! Please know how precious you all are, whether I know you by name or not.

       

Now, since I forgot to announce this on Wednesday (that’s the ‘Slow on the Uptake’ part of the this post’s title–the ‘Coffee’ woke me up ), I’m inviting y’all to Calisa Rhose’s Chit-Chat space for a cup of virtual coffee and discussion on why sittin’ and chillin’ has gone wayside in today’s digitally-driven, insanely busy world. Plus, her first published historical romance, HOME, debuted this week, on her birthday. And being the kind soul she is, she reminded me (during her recent virtual visit here) that I celebrated NO MATTER WHY‘s second anniversary this month too.

So, if you can spare a few, come on down!

A safe and happy new year to all (though I’m thinking this is my 199th post–why not close out the year with Number 200?),

Lotsa luv,

Joanna