Musings of a Sparrow….
My thoughts about God, writing, and life in general….
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Novel: Filling the Cracks—Chapter Ten
Virgie’s hugs and concern for Beth ended at the same time as Constable Kitchener left the house and drove away in the patrol car with Hughes….
Reading List for October/November 2023
I intend to finish Romancing the Beat this fall as well as read, at minimum, the following books….
Novel: Filling the Cracks—Chapter Nine
It was the most frightened she’d been outside of a beating….
How to Publish a Book in Today’s Marketplace: An Author’s Options.
At a writers’ conference this summer, I recently learned that I have several options when it comes time to seek publication of the first book in the trilogy I’ve written….
Novel: Filling the Cracks—Chapter Eight
It was a complete accident, and reasonable people understand that accidents happen. Though disappointed and upset, the average person would have accepted it as an unintentional freak occurrence and let it go. However, Virgie Clark and Gary Tremblay were not reasonable….
My Publishing Journey… Thus Far
As mentioned in previous blog posts, I began writing at a young age. By fourteen, I regularly wrote fanfiction novels about my favorite show, Star Trek: The Original Series. Later, I wrote fanfiction about Star Trek: The Next Generation and, in adulthood, about House M.D. I did write the odd original fiction short story or novella. None of these did I share with my family and friends (though the House M.D. fanfiction was shared on fanfiction websites). It wasn’t until my husband and I moved to the United Arab Emirates for his career that I had more alone time than I knew what to do with. Then, I decided I would pass the long hours writing an original novel that I would eventually try to have traditionally published….
Novel: Filling the Cracks—Chapter Seven
A week passed, and life continued as usual for Beth. She walked to school daily with Lisa and spent most of her time in class bored; she excelled and completed her assignments before the other students. Afterward, she went home, cleaned, cared for Otto, and did her best to stay in the good graces of Virgie and Gary. No help from the outside came for her, and she lost hope that it ever would. It was her fate in life. She would either learn to live with it and press on or find her way out alone….
Three Lessons I Learned at Writers’ Conferences Summer 2023
I had the opportunity to attend two virtual (online) conferences this summer. They were the first writer’s conferences I had ever attended, and despite not being around other writers in person, I found them exciting and informative….
Novel: Filling the Cracks—Chapter Six
Marg waited until Constable Hughes left before she turned to Lisa and Aurora, shaking her head in confusion….
Why I Changed the Name of My Brand and Author’s Platform
When I first decided to break out of my shell and write original fiction with the intention of mass publication for a public audience, I debated over whether or not to use a pen name….
Novel: Filling the Cracks—Chapter Five
The rest of the weekend was spent at the lakefront, hiking, sitting at the campsite, playing card games, or visiting around the campfire. No one forced Beth to wear a bathing suit at the beach. She rolled up the pant legs of her jeans, waded, and splashed in the water with Lisa and her family….
A Soundtrack for Filling the Cracks
Since I began writing fanfiction online, before I started writing original fiction, I used to create a soundtrack for each story similar to the soundtracks produced by blockbuster movies….
Novel: Filling the Cracks—Chapter Four
Beth stopped at home after school on Friday only long enough to drop off her book bag and pick up Otto, and their duffel bags, which she’d left near the side door so she wouldn’t have to enter the house, run into Virgie, and risk having her mom change her mind about allowing them to go on the camping trip. She opened the side door, hung her book bag on a hook, and shouted for Otto. He came running from his bedroom dressed in a T-shirt and sweatpants, appearing more excited than Beth remembered him being in a long time. They grabbed their bags and headed to her friend’s house without saying a word. Lisa waited for them on the sidewalk, and together they hurried away from the Clark home before Virgie stopped them….
Stop Child Abuse: My Desired Takeaway from “Filling the Cracks”
One of my purposes in writing fiction has been, of course, to entertain my reader. I want them to enjoy or at least appreciate what they’ve read and desire to return to read more of what I’ve written. I feel secure in saying that’s a desire of most if not all, fiction writers. That’s not all the takeaway I want from my writing, however. In almost everything I write, I discuss an issue to provoke a reaction from my reader, hopefully inspiring them to take action. If I provide a good time without making a statement or some difference in my writing, then in my estimation, I’ve fallen short of my goal….
Novel: Filling the Cracks—Chapter Three
Marg Jones poured boiling water from the electric kettle over the orange pekoe bags in the porcelain teapot. While the brew steeped, she plated assorted cookies, set the teapot, cream and sugar, lemon wedges, and plate on a wooden serving tray, and carried it into her dining room. Seated at the dark oak table was one of her neighbors, one she’d never had over for tea before but, regretting that, had called an hour back and asked her to come over. Marg had the day off from the Coverville Secondary School, where she worked part-time as a secretary. Virgie Clark worked evenings at the Coverville Hotel restaurant, so they were both available for a tete-a-tete….
My Research Trip to Chilliwack, B.C.
A couple of weeks ago, I had the opportunity to visit family members who live in Chilliwack and Abbotsford and used the opportunity to tour the area and get a feel for the environment in which my story will take place….
Novel: Filling the Cracks—Chapter Two
Virgie stood with her shoe gripped in her hand. The vein in her forehead had popped, her jaw was set, her nostrils flared, and the muscles in her neck flexed. Her mother was beyond rational. Livid, she repressed her fury only long enough to terrorize Beth’s heart from anticipation….
Fanfiction: My Writing Experience
When I was about eight years old, I wrote poetry whenever I felt sad, afraid, or unloved, which was most of the time. I still have those poems saved in a scrapbook. However, the first real short stories (which evolved into novella and novel lengths quickly) that I wrote were fanfiction. That’s how I cut my teeth in writing, and I wrote almost exclusively fanfiction from the time I was twelve or fourteen years old until I was about forty-one years old. The subject matter flipped from science fiction to modern medical drama, but my obsession for writing it remained as intense….
Novel: Filling the Cracks—Chapter One
May 1984
Many things fell through the cracks in Coverville, never to be spoken of or acknowledged. Political bribes. Petty crimes. Spousal abuse. Affairs. Beth Clark’s home life was one of many taboos….
My Reading List for August/September 2023
Even with the best intentions, I didn’t read everything I listed for June and July, so I shortened my list and expectations for August and September 2023. However, I am persevering with my reading!