Wednesday, January 08, 2020

The Insecure Writer's Support Group - #IWSGPit and Cover of Voyagers

It’s time for another edition of The Insecure Writer’s Support Group, founded by Ninja Captain, Alex J. Cavanaugh.

Today’s question:
What started you on your writing journey? Was it a particular book, movie, story, or series? Was it a teacher/coach/spouse/friend/parent? Did you just "know" suddenly you wanted to write?

I was 13 years old. My aunt took me to a bookstore to pick out a book. I picked up Anne McCaffrey’s The White Dragon, just released in paperback. I knew at that moment I wanted to be an author – I wanted to see MY name on a book cover.

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The #IWSGPit is next Wednesday!

You DO NOT want to miss this opportunity to participate in a Twitter pitch party that could change your writing career forever.

Dancing Lemur Press has signed FOUR books from Twitter pitch events, at least three of them from #IWSGPit.

So, visit the IWSG site for information, hashtags, and details.

Dancing Lemur Press will be watching your pitches!

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The Insecure Writer’s Support Group made the Write Life Best Websites for Writers again this year!








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Presenting the cover for the next IWSG anthology:



Voyagers: The Third Ghost
An Insecure Writer’s Support Group Anthology

Journey into the past…

Will the third ghost be found before fires take more lives? Can everyone be warned before Pompeii is buried again? What happens if a blizzard traps a family in East Germany? Will the Firebird help Soviet sisters outwit evil during WWII? And sneaking off to see the first aeroplane – what could go wrong?

Ten authors explore the past, sending their young protagonists on harrowing adventures. Featuring the talents of Yvonne Ventresca, Katharina Gerlach, Roland Clarke, Sherry Ellis, Rebecca M. Douglass, Bish Denham, Charles Kowalski, Louise MacBeath Barbour, Beth Anderson Schuck, and L.T. Ward.

Hand-picked by a panel of agents, authors, and editors, these ten tales will take readers on a voyage of wonder into history. Get ready for an exciting ride!

Available May 5, 2020
$13.95 USA, 6x9 Trade paperback, 168 pages, Freedom Fox Press
Juvenile Fiction: Historical (JUV016000) / Action & Adventure (JUV001000) / Fantasy & Magic (JUV037000)
Print ISBN 9781939844729 eBook ISBN 9781939844736
$4.99 EBook available in all formats

To pre-order: Amazon print / Amazon Kindle / B&N / iTunes / Kobo



What set you on your writing journey?
Are you participating in #IWSGPit?

70 comments:

Ellen Jacobson said...

Love the Voyagers cover! I've pre-ordered my copy. Looking forward to reading it when released.

Nick Wilford said...

I love that you set the course on your goal at such a young age. I didn't have any such ambitions then. I would write stuff, but didn't become serious about it until much later.

Great cover on Voyagers. Really piques the interest!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Good thing you picked up that book.
The IWSG is going to rock this year!

Jemi Fraser said...

The PERN series is one of my all-time favourites!
So many great things for IWSG!

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Diane - you've helped us blogging 'lot' so much with your advice, helping with the anthologies, Dancing Lemur Press, the IWSGPitch and the IWSG group ... congratulations and here's to lots more interaction in 2020 - cheers Hilary

L. Diane Wolfe said...

Thank you for pre-ordering it.

L. Diane Wolfe said...

Thank you - I will pass that along to the illustrator.

L. Diane Wolfe said...

I've read every one of those books multiple times.

Joylene Nowell Butler said...

You are a blessing, Diane. If your aunt's still alive, please give her a big tight hug!

Stephen Tremp said...

Hi Diane, best wishes for Voyagers: The Third Ghost An Insecure Writer’s Support Group Anthology. Have a healthy and prosperous New Year!

T. Powell Coltrin said...

So cool what inspires us to write.

The new anthology sounds amazing. Can't wait to read the stories.
Teresa

David Powers King said...

I was about that age when I started writing, too. That is a really good cover! :)

Chrys Fey said...

Congrats to the IWSG! And I know I said this already, but the cover to Voyagers is great!

emaginette said...

Congrats on how far you've come. :-)

Anna from elements of emaginette

Nicki Elson said...

Beautiful cover! Congrats to all the anthology authors.

A white dragon sounds like the perfect inspiration for entering the magical world of writing. :)

L. Diane Wolfe said...

Sadly she passed in 2018.

L. Diane Wolfe said...

Thanks, I'll let the illustrator know.

L. Diane Wolfe said...

My illustrator was actually quite pleased when he finished it. A rarity!

H. R. Sinclair said...

The Dragonriders of Pern is a great book series. I, however, just wanted a dragon. ��

Natalie Aguirre said...

Love your story of when you knew you wanted to be a writer. And the cover for the anthology is awesome.

R's Rue said...

That is so sweet. Beautiful post.

Bish Denham said...

I am so excited to be in the Anthology. (Is it to late to add "follow the way?"

Fundy Blue said...

Here's to all the awesome aunts in the world who encourage their nieces and nephews to read and write! Lovely memory, Diane! Thanks for sharing it!

J E Oneil said...

I definitely want to hear more about that twitter pitch. It sounds awesome. :)

Karen Baldwin said...

Books are like velcro for writers...if something resonates - like seeing your name on the cover - it'll stick.

C. D. Gallant-King said...

Congrats to all the Antho contributors! You're in a for a ride!

I nearly forgot about the Twitter Pitch, but I may have something to share...

Sarah Foster said...

Lots of great things going on for the IWSG! Love the cover!

Pat Hatt said...

That is a great reason. Wanting to see your name on a book. Great cover indeed.

Carol Kilgore said...

This is going to be a really cool anthology! Hope you find some cool new manuscripts from the pitch party. Happy 2020 :)

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

Congrats on being names a best website again. Great cover. I have all the anthologies on my keeper shelf.

Inspiration and Fashion said...

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Tonja Drecker said...

The anthology cover is amazing! And I love how your interest in writing was awakened. Simple and direct.

Tonja Drecker said...

The anthology cover is amazing! And I love how your interest in writing was awakened.

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

I love Anne McCaffrey's Pern books. I believe I've read them all.

Beverly Stowe McClure said...

You started writing young and are still writing. Exciting. And, soon, another anthology to read. Sounds great.

Erika Beebe said...

McCaffrey is an incredible author and that’s exciting how she inspired you. Happy IWSG day :)

Liz A. said...

Anne McCaffrey, sigh... I still remember not being able to put The Rowan down and reading all night long (until dawn).

Angela Brown said...

I would say 13 is too young to know that you want to write, but that would be so much malarkey lol! I'm glad you set your eyes on the prize early on and worked to get there.

Sandra Cox said...

I love why you became a writer:)
Woo Hoo to IWSG making the top 100 again. Though, no surprise:)

Gwen Gardner said...

What a nice aunt you have, And look at you now. An author and publisher. Go you!

I love the new anthology cover! Great illustrator!

Denise Covey said...

Love the cover for the new anthology.
I had a story published in a newspaper when I was 11. I haven't looked back since!

dolorah said...

The White Dragon is still one of my most favorite books! Anne McCaffrey ruined all other dragons for me, lol.

The cover is gorgeous. Congrats to contributing authors. Sounds like a great book.

Rachna Chhabria said...

I'm going to add The White Dragon to my TBR list. Your aunt is just amazing.
Ohh...wow...I love the Voyagers: The Third Ghost's cover.

J.H. Moncrieff said...

I actually met my agent through a Twitter pitch, so I can attest they work.

I started writing little picture books when I was a toddler. I have no idea what compelled me. My mom read to me a lot when I was a baby, and my grandpa was an oral storyteller. That's the best explanation I can think of. It always just felt like what I was supposed to do.

Chemist Ken said...

I still have The White Dragon on my bookshelf. I haven't read it for a long time, but I'll admit that Anne McCaffrey’s books set the baseline for what I believed dragons should be like. Intelligent and caring. Maybe a little scary if the occasion called for it.

Anonymous said...

I love that you were inspired at such a young age. How amazing is that? Plus you have a fond memory to look back on. So cool!

Elsie

nashvillecats2 said...

A great Voyager's cover Diane. I am not on Twitter perhaps I ought to think about it.

Yvonne.

Susan Flett Swiderski said...

It's very cool that you can pinpoint the exact time and the exact book that inspired you to become a writer. That book must've made quite an impression on you. And the world is a better place for it. You've done sooooo much to help other writers find their way.

S.A. Larsenッ said...

So cool the way you were inspired to write. Seeing your name on the cover is pretty cool. I love how IWSG is doing pitches. And I can't wait for this anthology release. I love the cover.

Jennifer Hawes said...

That was a magical age for me too. I used my own money to start buying books!

Sandra said...

Sounds like another great anthology.

Juneta key said...

That was a great book. I loved Anne McCaffrey. Great post. I'm a little late making the rounds. Happy IWSG!

Elizabeth Seckman said...

I forgot to add the new cover to the post. I'm doing a great job of missing something with each job I do. I'll post next week.

DRC said...

Sometimes all it takes is that little spark to make you realise the path you want to choose in life :)

Olga Godim said...

A fantasy book started your writing. Yes! I understand completely. I'm in the same boat. A fantasy writer inspired my own drive to write my own fantasy world and characters.
Great cover for your new anthology!

Raza Ali Sanjrani said...

Nice

DMS said...

I have never read the book that inspired you to want to have your name on a book cover- but now I am curious about it. What an exciting moment to remember. :)
~Jess

J.Q. Rose said...

That must have been a special moment in your life to have such a clear memory of your goal to become a writer. Love this. Great cover!

SpacerGuy said...

Sweet. The hard work will yield its own rewards and besides the cover looks deadly.

Rawknrobyn.blogspot.com said...

That's a great cover - love the ghostly woman on it. Congrats to you and all contributors.

I can't think of any particular thing that got me started as a writer. Bad stuff happened, and I needed an outlet.

Be well, Diane.

Michael Di Gesu said...

Hi L. Diane,

What a great influence for the start of your writing dream. In my youth, I was more interested in my drawing and painting. I did write, but never took it seriously. When I finally decided to write, I was just turning 40 and I saw my first HP film. I was hooked. A few years later when I read the HP books, that was when I began my first MG novel.

Notes Along the Way with Mary Montague Sikes said...

What started me as a writer? Great question. I became a free lance writer quite by accident and too long a story for here. Seeing my articles and by-line inspired a desire for much more.

Sandra Cox said...

How did the pitch go?

Sandra Cox said...

I bet your family is so proud of all your accomplishments. I know I am:)

Shannon Lawrence said...

I recently dug out my very first McCaffrey book and gave it to my daughter. She loves dragons. I hope she loves the book as much as I did.

Sherry Ellis said...

I hope you found more great stories from the recent Twitter pitch!

Interesting to learn of the spark that ignited your desire to be a writer!

Sandra Cox said...

Just stopping by to say hey, and have a great day and productive evening.
Hugs

Melissa said...

The anthology sounds very interesting! Best of luck!

dolorah said...

THE WHITE DRAGON got me started enjoying Fantasy.

The Journey cover is awesome.

Tara Tyler said...

the white dragon was one of my favorites as a teen too! sparked me to read more =) didn’t get the writing bug till way later...

thanks for supporting me on this crazy journey!