WRITING CAN BE STRESSFUL

by Judy Ann Davis

There are only two options:
Make progress or make excuses.
—Anonymous

Have you ever felt overwhelmed with the projects you’ve planned for yourself?

Although I often find writing to be fun, it can also be stressful. I’ve been working diligently, trying to update the covers and formats for three novels in Ashmore Brothers series which are historical western romances, each with a mystery. I now want the three stand-alone books to be more consistent and appear like part of a collection.

The process has turned out to be more hours and days—and more intensive work—than anticipated. Covers have to be created with the help of an artist. The stories need to be lightly edited again for grammar, and then proofread with back information and links updated. Headings, margins, page numbers, and chapters, all have to be replicated in the same font and format.  Lastly, everything will need to be uploaded.

The funny thing about a labor intensive project is the yearning to step away and find some calmness and rest. But then, I sit in the sunshine and ponder about parts of the inside text that need more tweaking—and have the urge to get up and make the changes before I forget.

There’s a phrase by Gustave Flaubert (1821-1880), French author of Madame Bovary: "I am irritated by my own writing. I am like a violinist whose ear is true, but whose fingers refuse to reproduce precisely the sound he hears within."

 

I’ve come to the conclusion, if a prolific writer over 160 years ago felt he was stumbling through the writing process, I have to just hang in, taking the process one step at a time.

But honestly, I feel like I’m climbing stairs instead of taking the journey on flat ground.

Have you confronted a project which seemed overwhelming? Hints and suggestions are welcome. 

VISIT MY AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE FOR ALL MY BOOKS 

 

Researching Death Masks - Do U Know What they Are?

DEATH MASKS

 Victorian Crooks

Do you know what a death mask is?

So many authors write about historical eras, think Westerns, Regency, Medieval. Have you ever wondered what these real-life characters looked like? I know I have and was fascinated to run across some articles about 'Death Masks".

Before photography came along, death masks served as a reference for painters and sculptors to depict the noble and the famous. They were extremely, even eerily, accurate impressions of their subject, made from plaster or wax in the first hours after death 

A resemblance of a person’s face, made either from a wax or a plaster cast, subsequent to death and directly from the dead body is essentially what a “death mask” is all about. Death masks have been used in large-scale as an effective means to consign the dead individual to an ever-lasting memory.

Death masks have found a prominent niche either as keepsakes of the dead or for the making of portraits. Sometimes, during the course of the making of the masks, the eyes were slightly tweaked to infuse a hint of aliveness on the subject. To retain the natural humanly elements, these casts brought the actual features out into the open by doing away with any kind of perfections.

The oldest-known European example of a death mask belongs to the face of Edward III, king of England. He reigned from 1327 until his death in 1377 [source: Gibson]. With the dawn of the Renaissance, artists began to perfect realistic portraits of their subjects. Death masks weren't necessarily needed anymore, so why keep making them? The masks had become mementos of the dead. It's the last likeness of a loved one a family can own, and a death mask preserves what some consider to be the very essence of a person -- their face. The plaster negative could be used to make multiple positives out of stone, metal or wax that could then be shared to commemorate the dead. Royal and wealthy families proudly displayed their macabre reminders of the recently deceased.

[Source: Gibson]

There are, literally, hundreds of articles about death masks, so I won't go into great detail about them, but rather I'll show you some pictures of some of the most famous that had death masks made. And, you can refer to some other sites to see more (links below)

Twenty Five Famous People and Their Death Masks

These aren't Death Masks, but faces of the past cast in a new light: Historical artist transforms famous figures including Ned Kelly and Harry Houdini in fascinating set of colorized portraits.

Artist's Rendition of Famous Historical People

One never knows where an Author's research will take them. I hope you enjoyed the article about Death Masks and how, in some ways, history was preserved through them!

ABOUT KETA

Keta Diablo lives in the Midwest part of the United States on six acres of gorgeous woodland. When she isn't writing or gardening, she loves to commune with nature. A pair of barn owls returns to the property every year to birth their young and show them off in the high branches of the oak trees. Nothing more adorable than these white fluffy babies with heart-shaped faces. A lifelong animal lover, Keta devotes her time and support to the local animal shelter. Emma LaPounce, a rescued feline, has been her furry companion for the last ten years. 

Keta is an award-winning and Amazon bestselling author who writes in several genres: Western Romance, Historical Romance, Paranormal Romance and Contemporary Romance. Occasionally, she writes Gay Romance. Her books have received numerous accolades, including RWA contest finalist, Authors After Dark finalist, Top Pick of the Month and Recommended Review from many top review sites, and Best Romance Finalist from The Independent Author Network.  

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Read any Good #Alien Books Lately - Celebrate World Space Week

The world celebrated World Space Week last month (October 4th through 10th).

Scientists from around the world gathered to talk about whether or not aliens existed, and of course, here in the U.S., there was all that hoopla about Area 51 and the thousands of people who intended to storm the compound searching for dead aliens. As it turned out, thousands didn't show up, but there were plenty of alien enthusiasts who did...dressed up in alien regalia.

There is no direct proof of any life beyond Earth, but the universe is home to a lot of stars. And as research over the past decade has shown, perhaps at least 50 percent of those stars harbor planets. Scientists estimate there are 1 trillion planets in the Milky Way alone. "Surely some of them have undergone what Earth has undergone and developed life, and eventually what we call sentient life," they say. The argument is simply one of probability. "If we are the only intelligent beings in the galaxy, or for that matter in the universe, then we are truly a miracle," he says. This image from the Hubble Space Telescope shows a cluster of young stars in the Milky Way.


Here's a List of some top Alien books from Amazon. If you're an Area 51 enthusiast or addicted to sci-fi novels, you might want to check them out.

Winter World (The Long Winter Trilogy Book 1)

Earth Unknown (Forgotten Earth Book 1)

The Amber Project: A Dystopian Sci-fi Novel

And according to Ranker, here are the top five Alien movies over the years. 

Alien: Sigourney Weaver, John Hurt, Ian Holm
Predator: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jesse Ventura, Carl Weathers
Independence: Day Will Smith, Jeff Goldblum, Vivica A. Fox
Signs: Mel Gibson, Joaquin Phoenix, Abigail Breslin
Avatar: Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Michelle Rodriguez
E.T.: Robert MacNaughton (Michael) Drew Barrymore (Gertie), Henry Thomas (Elliott)

I've seen them all, and particularly loved Signs. It's not just a movie about aliens, but about a pastor who struggles with his faith in God.  

How about you? Do you believe aliens exist? Leave a comment and let us know.

* * *

 “A fantastic fast paced story filled with love, betrayal, and a demon fight that will leave you saddened and breathless.” ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

What a read! Absolutely loved getting everyone's perspective on the demons and devils. I really enjoyed Keta Diablo's take of demons - not only demons on the loose but also the internal demons we all must bear." ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐

"A fantastic story full of mystery, suspense and feisty romance. I really loved the concept. The story held my attention the whole way through." ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐

I haven't written an alien book....yet, but I have written a great demon story (I SPY A DEMON) now on Pre-order CLICK HERE for only .99 pennies. The book releases November 14th and has had rave reviews.

Thanks so much for stopping by Smart Girls Read Romance. Happy Reading!

  ️

Change by Paty Jager

photo by Paty Jager

There are so many quotes and sayings about change. Ones that help with peace of mind, health, how you behave. But I've discovered that change, whether of my own accord or influences out of my control can be a good thing if I have an open mind.

This is what the dictionary says for change as a verb.

Change:
1 a: to make different in some particular- alter
   b: to make radically different: transform
   c: to give a different position, course, or direction to
2 a: to replace with another
   b: to make a shift from one to another- switch
   c: to exchange for an equivalent sum or comparable item
   d: to undergo a modification of
   e: to put  fresh clothes or covering on

As I wrote these, I realized that everyone of them- other than fresh clothes ;) - has happened to me since January of this year. And the amazing thing is I can sit here and even though I am 3 months behind in getting a new book out, I'm calm and not sweating it.

Alter- I have altered my way of thinking about having to get a "product", be it a book, box set, or audio book, out every month. I have a life with more grandchildren living closer and new adventures that keep turning up. I want a life outside of writing. This is something I altered this year.

Transform - It isn't radically different, but I've transformed my process of writing in the last two years and it has helped me to produce books even when, at times, my life feels chaotic.

Different course or direction - I made the conscious decision this year to only write mystery books. It was a relief to be able to focus on one genre, the one I love the most.

To replace with another - that would be the above. I have replaced romance with mystery.

Switch - I switched my way of thinking that I had to be everywhere all the time to be seen. I'm now part of fewer group blogs and I am only doing Facebook for social media and keeping my focus on FB groups who read what I write rather than trying to be involved in everything halfway related to what I write.

To exchange - I have exchanged my FB schmoozing time to doing ads for my books.

Modification - I have modified how I view social media and how I push myself to get books written.

Fresh clothes - Yes I still change my clothes every day! LOL

These changes I've made in my writing life this year have made me a happier, less frantic person and I've been able to relax and enjoy the opportunities that have come my way.

Look at your life and see if you need to make a change or two to make you happier or more fulfilled.

Paty Jager is an award-winning author of 40 novels, 8 novellas, and numerous anthologies of murder mystery and western romance. All her work has Western or Native American elements in them along with hints of humor and engaging characters. Paty and her husband raise alfalfa hay in rural eastern Oregon. Riding horses and battling rattlesnakes, she not only writes the western lifestyle, she lives it.

blog / website /  Facebook / Paty's Posse / Goodreads / Twitter / Pinterest   / Bookbub

MINDFULNESS Is All The Rage These Days - #FREE book #amwriting #amreading

Thank you so much for visiting Smart Girls Read Romance today. We're talking about a topic that is not only very popular but beneficial health-wise to readers and writers. I hope you enjoy it! Check out the books on Mindfulness on Amazon - last week there were one or two that were #FREE. I hope this one is still #FREE as you read this post. Give it a try! Be a part of the Mindfulness rage. MINDFULNESS FOR BEGINNERS

Meditation can seem a daunting task, can I do it? Will I be good enough? I can’t settle my mind to do what needs to be done. A common misconception about mindfulness is that you have to be into meditation, or have to practice long hours to get any benefit from it. Neither could be further from the truth.

A simple form of mindful meditation has you taking the time to scan your body part by part and acknowledge each part in turn. You start at the top of your head and end with the tips of your toes. Let’s say you start your practice and the first thing you notice is that you have a headache. The purpose of mindfulness is not to dwell on the fact that you HAVE a headache and to dwell on how painful it is, but instead to acknowledge it and to continue on. It’s not about trying to come up with the “right” answer or trying to fix something, it’s just trying to realize what it is and say, “Yes, my head hurts but there’s more to me than that. I am more than just a headache.”

When scanning your body there are many distractions that can come up. Kids running around making noise, cars honking, thoughts of things going on at the office, that’s when you pull your thoughts back to your body scan, not with reproach but gently and kindly.

Even authors and readers use mindfulness. When you take each word as it is written and focus solely on each one as it’s written. You can hear the silence from when the birds stop chirping, the growl that paralyzes you in fear. Everything you write, everything you read can be a practice in mindfulness if you take the time to focus on each word. Take this passage for example:

First, the birds went silent and then the bushes rustled to her right. A guttural growl sent raw fear pedaling through her veins. Had she flushed out a bear, worse, a mama bear protecting her cub? Her hands went to the straps around her neck, a foolish instinct that overrode the alarm bells roaring in her head. She slipped the camera over her shoulder, her hands shaking like leaves caught up in an eddy. When the scrub brush parted, a mountain lion strolled onto the trail. The alarm bells morphed into paralyzing fear. Holy crap, what is a mountain lion doing in this neck of the woods?

When you read that you could almost put yourself in that situation, it's as if you were almost there. If you want to take some more time getting into this story check out Season, Unforgettable by Keta Diablo.

What Reviewers Are Saying . . .
"So much action. The plot kept winding around and had me guessing the whole second part of the book. This is my first book by this author. It was so good I plan to read more. I give this five BIG stars. I loved it so much!"

"Diablo made me laugh, cry and mostly, bite my fingernails down to the quick. I thoroughly enjoyed every nail-biting page, and award Season, Unforgettable five unforgettable stars!"

About Season, Unforgettable
Her land is not for sale, not even to the gorgeous man who saved her from a mountain lion attack. Both will discover that sometimes love blooms between enemies and sometimes it's even lethal.

AVAILABLE HERE - .99 CENTS

Thanks so much for visiting today, 

 

Procrastinate? Never! by Paty Jager

I am always 15 minutes or more early for everything. I don't like to be late for appointments or publishing books. But lately...I feel like I am constantly behind. I HATE this feeling.

When I'm late or behind, acid boils in my stomach and my right eyelid twitches. Lately both have been happening more and more often. And it doesn't help having hubby say,  "I thought you wrote for fun."

I do write for fun. I love coming up with characters and building stories around them. That is the fun part. The not so fun part is promoting and trying to keep new books out in front of the readers so they don't forget my characters or me. So they are ready to buy the next book I put out.

But lately...I made a decision to stick to one genre for a while. Which I am ecstatic to stick with mystery. It is my first genre love! LOL  But it seems as if since I decided to do that instead of getting books out faster, I'm slower.

Of course the last month I spent 12 of the 30 days traveling and the days before traveling getting ready for traveling. However, that doesn't mean a thing since I am back at my desk. Haha to me! I may be back at my desk but I'm not jumping in with both feet and getting the book I have half written going or getting rewrites from my Critique Partner on another project out to the next reader.

No. Instead I spent half of today finding a system that worked for me to keep track of what happens each day in the work in progress.  After printing and discarding several different calendar pages, I realized I wanted something I could put sticky notes on. As I go through the WIP to get reacquainted with it, I wanted to make notes.

I came up with this:

I can read along, make a note on a sticky, and place it on the board under the day something happened. So much easier than scribbling everything that happens that day on a 1" by 1" square.

After making my board I did get through more chapters in my WIP.

While sitting at the computer and not really writing, because I was thinking about the next book I'm going to write- yes it's a curse. I can't just have one book in my head at a time. I have the one I finished the one I'm working on and at least one to two books that are coming in each series in my head. The day I am only thinking about one book will be the day I decide to stop writing.

As I was whining, I was thinking about the next book in another series and how I really need to write it now while the area I visited was still fresh in my mind. Even though it is a book that will come down the road in the line up in the series. As I was thinking about it I googled what I needed to look up to get the premise and plot of the book rolling and *POW*  the perfect event for my character to attend is a huge thing in the country where he will be going. I love it when all the factors of making a book fall into place.

I'm still behind, but slowly pulling out of the procrastination and looking forward to the next 6 books flashing in and out of my brain at any given time during the day and night.

Are you a procrastinator? Or do you get ill when your are late or behind?

blog / website /  Facebook / Paty's Posse / Goodreads / Twitter / Pinterest   / Bookbub

I Kissed A Boy And I Liked It!

Hey. I'm so happy you stopped by Smart Girls Read Romance today. We're talking about kissing! Yes, you heard that right. And...romance cut its teeth on kissing.

Have you noticed how many books these days have the word "kiss" in the title. I mean, I'm not personally promoting kiss books, but take a peek:

3:00 a.m. Kisses, French Kiss, Blood Kiss, Kiss Me Like This, Sealed With a Kiss

Okay, you get the idea. Lots and lots of books are themed around 'kissing'. 

Bet you didn't know that the technical term for kissing is:

                                         ~ Osculate ~

Encarta Dictionary: to kiss somebody

RhymeZone: to touch with the lips or press your lips against someone's mouth or other body part.

Oh, yeah? I'm diggin' this RhymeZone definition. *wink* Other body parts?

Little known facts about kissing

* A kiss triggers a cascade of neural messages and chemicals that transmit tactile sensations, sexual excitement, feelings of closeness, and even euphoria.

* Kissing may have evolved from a primate mother’s practice of chewing food for her young before feeding them mouth-to-mouth.

* Some scientists theorize that kissing is crucial to the evolutionary process of mate selection.

* Lips may have evolved first for food and later applied themselves to speech.

* Scientists believe kissing can be addictive

* Five cranial nerves that affect cerebral function are at work when you kiss, shuttling messages from our lips, tongue, cheeks and nose

* Kissing unleashes a cocktail of chemicals that govern human stress, motivation, social bonding and sexual stimulation.

* Kissing boosts pulse and blood pressure; pupils dilate, breathing deepens and rational thought retreats.

Did you ever think kissing could be powerful enough to do all that? More recent studies show 59% of men and 66% of women admit there were times they were attracted to someone until they kissed them. “Bad” kisses did not factor into the equation, but rather those participating in the study indicated they just didn’t “feel right” about the kiss. The relationships ended abruptly after the lip-lock. (Otherwise known as "the kiss of death" hee hee)    

Kissing, it turns out, unleashes chemicals that ease stress hormones in both sexes and encourages bonding between people. Both men and women had a decline in cortisol (a chemical associated with stress) after 15 minutes of kissing.

Men tend to think of kissing as a prelude to copulation (Come on, you're kidding me, right?) Men also prefer “sloppy” kisses. They admit to getting off on exchanging saliva to transmit testosterone, thereby increasing the sex drive in both partners. (Sneaky little devils).

Overall, the science of kissing *philematology* is still vastly under researched, but scientists are making great strides in this regard. And all along we thought we were just making contact with our mouths.

I saved the best picture for last. Ah, that first kiss. Please tell us in the comment section about your first kiss. (I just know these are going to be hilarious). You can even sign off as Anonymous.

Happy kissing!

Speaking of kissing, there's lots of it in the book I'm promoting this week:

Chasing the Dead

Western Romance/Suspense

 (of course it has a ghost! And he's scary) 

In 1884 New Mexico, Madrid Arrende finds herself kidnapped by the Apache. Determined to rescue her, her wealthy father realizes there is only one man capable of bringing her back alive...Deacon Bannister. Deacon doesn't give one whit about the large sum of money Don Erasmos Arrende has offered him to find his daughter. He only cares about bringing the woman he left at the altar a year ago home.

A ghost is terrorizing the Apache village and the young maiden, Sacheen, has been banished by her People for unleashing Uday's wrath. Now, Deacon, Madrid and Sacheen must flee for their lives across the rugged New Mexico landscape with the evil spirit in hot pursuit.

Will they make it back alive to Madrid's father's hacienda or will Deacon lose Madrid forever?

                      

           AVAILABLE AT ALL RETAIL STORES       

Spring Is A Time of Renewal, A Time To Start Again #amwriting #amreading

Signs of Spring renew us, energize us to start new projects, explore new opportunities and awaken from our Winter lethargy. Well, if your my age, and not skiing, snowmobiling or hiking through mountains of snow, you will recognize what I mean by lethargy. Lol.

I decided to write down all the things I'm doing right now, hoping to kick-start my reading, my writing, my cooking and returning to things I always enjoy.

So here's what I'm up to these days. How about you? What R U reading and writing?

What I’m Reading:

The Mortician’s Daughter, C.C. Hunter

Really enjoyed this book! It’s geared toward the younger crowd with a paranormal slant. Think ghosts and angels!

What I’m Writing: A Darker Shade of Evil: A Demon & Devil Anthology. Coming to an e-reader near you in July. Ten USA Today and International Bestselling authors are about to deliver ten SEXY stories about demon hunters, minions of Lucifer and romance! What’s not to love about gorgeous alpha males and the strong women who love them?

What Am I Listening To:

Mumford and Sons – I Will Wait For You                                          

https://youtu.be/rGKfrgqWcv0

What I’m Tossing Together In The Kitchen:

This is a favorite at our house. I think they’ll love it at your house too.

Bluberry French Toast

What New Word Did I Learn?

Wangle - To resort to trickery or devious methods; to adjust or manipulate for personal or fraudulent ends; to make or get by devious means: finagle.

What I’m Watching:

The Netflix Series “You”. Psychological Thriller. Can we say ‘atmospheric’, ‘spooky’, ‘creepy’, ‘stalker’? Based on the novel “You” by Caroline Kepnes.

Trivia: Bet You Didn’t Know…The only part of the human body that has no blood supply is the cornea. It takes its oxygen directly from the air.

What Book Am I Promoting This Month?

SEASON, UNFORGETTABLE

What Reviewers Are Saying . . . Read the many 5 Star Reviews!

“The unexpected & thrilling shift of events turns this romance into a cross-genre novel encompassing suspense, thriller & mystery.”

“This is not your typical boy meets girl romance. Fasten your seatbelt!”

“I loved how this book went to romance to intense thriller!” 

AVAILABLE HERE

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