#IWSG: Not Dreaming It Up

 

Wow, we're halfway through the year already?! And it's the first Wednesday of the month which means it's time for an Insecure Writer's Support Group post. If you'd like to join the fun, you can sign up HERE. 

Thanks to our host, Alex Cavanaugh, and this months co-hosts (including me!), PJ Colando, Kim Lajevardi, Gwen Gardner, Pat Garcia, and Natalie Aguirre! for supporting this month's event!

The July 5th optional question is: 99% of my ideas come from dreams. Where do yours predominantly come from? 

Soooo, I'm probably the odd man out, but here it goes...

In the cozy mystery genre, punny titles are a must. I write in the paranormal sub-genre of cozy mysteries, so I have to narrow it down to include my ghostly element. I do love my ghosties! 

Rather than coming up with the story, and then the title, which seems like the logical thing to do, I do the opposite. I spend a lot of time brainstorming paranormal punny titles, like, A Scandal in Boohemia (Sherlock Holmes fans will get it) and Something Borrowed, Something Booed (from the old wedding mantra, something borrowed, something blue). For this particular series, I use the word "boo" in the titles. From there, I develop my story idea (and often more than one). 

For some reason, titling in this way tends to spark my imagination for story ideas. So, 99% of my story ideas come from thinking up titles.

Weird, huh?

Where do your story ideas come from? 

IWSG: Taken by Surprise

Today is Insecure Writer's Support Group Day. This is a monthly event where we share the ups and downs of our writing journeys, and encourage and support our fellow writers on theirs. We post on the first Wednesday of every month. Please go HERE if you'd like to sign up.

The awesome co-hosts for this month's posting of the IWSG are Renee Scattergood, Sadira Stone, Jacqui Murray, Tamara Narayan, and LG Keltner! And thank you so much to our founding ninja father and host, Alex Cavanaugh. 

If you're struggling with a topic, here is the optional question for this month's consideration: 

Has your writing ever taken you by surprise? 

(For example, a positive and belated response to a submission you'd 

forgotten about or an ending you never saw coming?)

What flows from the fingers to the page is often surprising, even for those--like me--who use an outline. Because an outline is only a guideline that I follow until my muse takes me in another direction. Sometimes it's a power struggle though, and I have to compromise. 

In my current WiP, my victim aka "dearly departed dead guy" keeps speaking like a 1940s gangster. He is NOT a gangster. He's a modern day dance instructor whose dance studio specializes in themed dances for special occasions. 

But sometimes, when they insist, you have to compromise. DDDGs most recent wedding gig had a Roaring Twenties theme, and in fact, he sort of died in the line of duty (dancing duty, that is) still wearing his 1920s duds. So I'm allowing him a few 1920s phrases of the Molls and Dolls variety so he'll cooperate. 

What about you? 

Any surprising (aka willful) character struggles? 

Surprise acceptance letters?

Unforeseen twists?

Second Death: Is It Possible?

Today is Launch Day!

Discover the phenomenon of a second death.

How is it possible you ask?

Read to find out.

 

 

Second Death

Book I
The Afterlife Novella Series

 

Cover by Corona Zschusschen


Tweetable Character Quotes

 

“When faced with the strangeness of afterlife, a morbid sense of humor is a must...” Badger, Second Death. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00N6TYPOE @UnRealms

 

 

 

“What do you mean by under the weather? He’s dead, how can he be sick?” Indigo, Second Death. #YA #PNR http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00N6TYPOE @UnRealms

 

 

 

“If looks could kill…if he wasn’t already dead, I mean.” ~Sarah Scroggins, Second Death
#Afterlife series http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00N6TYPOE @UnRealms

 

 

 

 

Blurb:

 

Second Death:

The Sabrina Shores spirit community is in crisis.

Ghosties are mysteriously disappearing at an alarming rate.

They’re simply…gone. A second death.

The clues are limited, but it’s clear that the one common factor is Gertrude’s Garden, the nightclub social center of the spirit community which just happens to adjoin the Sabrina Shores cemetery: the one place Indigo makes a point of not going. Ever. She has her reasons.

 

Indigo Eady:

Much to her chagrin, Indigo Eady is a celebrity among spirits. She’s the girl who can see and speak with them. She has a proven track record in helping spirits find their murderers, so it’s no surprise when she’s drafted onto the Missing Paranormal Committee. Who better to help them than the experienced teenage ghost whisperer- investigator and her friends?

 

***
 

Blog Tour Stops:

(Book I)

(Yeah, I rub elbows with some awesome peeps!)

 

Monday 9/22/14 - Julie Flanders

Tuesday 9/23/14 - Untethered Realms

Tuesday 9/23/14 - Christine Rains

Tuesday 9/23/14 - Miranda Hardy

Wednesday 9/24/14 - Angela Brown

Wednesday 9/24/14 - Jamie Ayres

Friday 9/26/14 - Ellie Garratt

 

Check back in two weeks for book II release

of Ghostly Gallows and tour schedule beginning October 6th!

 

Then, two more weeks on October 20th is the release of book III, Secret Keepers - still need hosts for book III!

 

Giveaways!

 

1. Everyone who comments here or at any of the stops during my Afterlife Blog Tour will be put into a drawing for FREE ebooks of Second Death, Ghostly Gallows and Secret Keepers. Five copies will be given away during the two week release period of each book.
2. Everyone who leaves a review of any book in the Afterlife series by October 31, 2014 will be put in a drawing for a $25 Amazon gift card.
3. Everyone who purchases the complete ebook set or boxed ebook collection set by the end of the Afterlife blog tour (by October 31, 2014) will be put in a drawing for a $25 Amazon gift card (boxed ebook set available October).
4. A print book giveaway of the series will also be up for grabs - stay tuned for more details!

Send your purchase links with the heading "AFTERLIFE" in the subject line to GwenMGardner@cox.net to be entered into the drawings.

 

 

 

IF you feel like buying now:

 

Amazon / B&N / iTunes / Google Play

 

 

Connect with me here:

 

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