October 4 question - Have you ever slipped any of your personal information into your characters, either by accident or on purpose?
I’ve slipped in general things. One character moves to New Mexico and I lived in Albuquerque for 4 years. One character struggled with self-image and parental issues, as did I.
There is a scene in one of my books where the characters are playing miniature golf. They start to move around the barriers and bricks and behind them, others start playing as if those were part of the real course. Yes, my husband, his cousins, best friend, and I did just that many years ago! Shh, don’t tell anyone - I bet some people are still trying to putt around those bricks.
The Insecure Writer’s Support Group Writing for Profit - Available Now
ISBN: 9781939844453
Free!
Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo
Word count: 3500-6000
Genre: Mystery/Crime/Thriller
Theme: Tick Tock
Don’t miss this great opportunity to be in a royalty-paying anthology.
Show Us Your Writer Insecurity!
Are you proud to be an insecure writer?
Then show us!
On Wednesday, October 4 (today), post a photo of yourself (or your alter ego) with any of the IWSG swag or with the IWSG logo. Then leave a comment that day at either the IWSG website’s post or the IWSG Facebook post directing us to your photo. (All blog, Facebook, Goodreads, and newsletter members welcome, but photo must be posted on a blog or Facebook to qualify.)
The IWSG site admins will visit each one and pick the top three. Why? Because there are cool prizes involved:
Third place – EBook of A Change of Mind and Other Stories by Nick Wilford, eBook of The Remnant by William Michael Davidson, eBook of Cling to God by Lynda R. Young, eBook of Already Home by Heather M. Gardner, and eBook of Dragon of the Stars by Alex. J. Cavanaugh.
Second place – The entire eBook collection of the Totem series by Christine Rains, eBooks of Princess of Las Pulgas by C. Lee McKenzie, audio book of CassaSeries by Alex J. Cavanaugh, eBook of Black and White by Nick Wilford, and your choice eBook from J.L. Campbell.
Grand prize winner - IWSG website interview, IWSG newsletter spotlight, IWSG pinned tweet for one week, C. Lee McKenzie's Featured Follower for the month, the IWSG Goodreads book club eBook for October/November, a short chapter critique, and a pair of IWSG erasers.
We have some great IWSG swag – notebooks, pens, mugs, tote bags, etc. Proceeds go to fund the upkeep of the IWSG site.
Dancing Lemur Press, LLC October Special
Buy one audio book, get one free!
Buy any of the eleven Dancing Lemur Press, L.L.C. audio books in October 2017 from either iTunes, Amazon, or Audible.
Send a copy of your receipt (less any payment info) along with your 1st and 2nd choice of free audio book to inquiries AT dancinglemurpressllc.com.
You will receive a code for a free audio book download.
Choose your free book from these ten titles:
The Remnant by William Michael Davidson
Tornado Warning by Tamara Hart Heiner
CassaStar by Alex J. Cavanaugh
CassaFire by Alex J. Cavanaugh
CassaStorm by Alex J. Cavanaugh
Bloodwalker by L.X. Cain
Matowak: Woman Who Cries by Joylene Nowell Butler
Under a Purple Moon by Beverly Stowe McClure
Dragon of the Stars by Alex J. Cavanaugh
(CassaSeries by Alex J. Cavanaugh available as audio book but not available as free audio selection.)
Visit Dancing Lemur Press, L.L.C. and select your audio books today.
It’s Halloween!
Time to read a good scare
What books chill you?
October 30-31, 2017
Who else is an insecure writer and proud of it?
Just got the Writing for Profit book. I'm super insecure about actually getting published (if I was so lucky) and being able to produce. Maybe this will help me.
ReplyDeleteGoes to show that mini golf can be played anywhere one wants. Working things in sure can bring stories further into reality. Sure showing the swag at your sea!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great sale! Will tweet the post to spread the word. Love the pic of you with the IWSG goodies!
ReplyDeleteExcited about the audio book sale!
ReplyDeleteThat's sneaky about moving the bricks. Your secret is safe with us! ;) Love your picture.
ReplyDeleteLooking good with your IWSG swag, Diane!
ReplyDeleteKaren, it was really, really funny.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Karen.
Christine, don't tell anyone.
Thank you, Michelle.
Hi Diane, I could just visualize you moving those barriers and bricks to play miniature golf :)
ReplyDeleteBtw..love your picture, you look super.
Insecure . . . and Proud!! I think it's that insecurity that pushes us to a work through our doubts and anxiety to succeed . . . with a little help from IWSG. Nice SWAG!
ReplyDeleteI love your approach to putt-putt :-) The audio book promotion is awesome. When it comes to scary books, I try to read those that scare me. Although, I did finish a book that really was disturbing yesterday and scary in its own way. It involved cults and child abuse. I have to say that I didn't have very pleasant dreams last night.
ReplyDeleteToo funny about the mini golf!
ReplyDeleteMy 'made-up' settings are actually real ones (just to help keep me error-free with maps, directions, etc. in my stories).
Hah! The putting round bricks thing sounds like something I'd do - and then try to work into a story.
ReplyDeleteI think you're right. We are all insecure whether we've published a book or not. I love reading scary books. But not too scary!
ReplyDeleteYeah, PLACES are so much easier to include when you are familiar. If you get details wrong because you haven't spent time there, people can easily spot it.
ReplyDeleteYou're braver than I am. Great pic. :-)
ReplyDeleteAnna from elements of emaginette
Oh my gosh! That story about miniature golf is the best! It makes me want to do the same thing, although my luck, I'd get caught. haha I love all the swag and what a great picture!
ReplyDeleteEnjoy the rest of your week!
Elsie
I love how little bits and pieces of us get tossed into our stories. Sometimes, for me, it's just like something I saw or was told or did myself. Other times, the actual event gets twisted around in such a way that I'm the only one that would ever recognize it.
ReplyDeleteI slip in things all the time about myself or my past into my stories. I love it. For Flaming Crimes, there's so much from me and my real life in there.
ReplyDeleteYou always have great info to share!!! Thanks. And quite the prankster you are.
ReplyDeleteLove the mini golf story. I wonder how many people read it and then decided to do the same thing at their own local mini golf course. :)
ReplyDeleteGreat photo!!! I love all the amazing things that IWSG is doing right now. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm currently wearing my shirt and plan to head to a coffee shop this afternoon ... it's always good for a conversation starter.
Loved the picture, loved themini golf story, Loved the entire post Diane.
ReplyDeleteYvonne.
Nice photo, Diane. I wonder about the picture of wine behind your back. Do they have a dedicated IWSG wine?
ReplyDeleteGreat photo! You know, I didn't think about living location, but I guess I worked that into my story too. That, and pole dancing. :)
ReplyDeleteLoads of great things going on. Can't wait to see the entries for the anthology. I think moving the crazy golf obstacles shows the mischievous streak in you!
ReplyDeleteThe best frame of reference is your own knowledge and life experience, so I think we all use it to some extent in our writing. At least bits and pieces of ourselves make it into our character's psyches. They're always braver than me, though. LOL.
ReplyDeleteA rogue goofy golfer, huh? Sounds fun!
I've put my characters in places I knew well for certain short stories. It can save time if you don't have to research the setting, and you often know things about those places that are fun or interesting.
ReplyDeleteI think I might have taken the "Show Your Writer Insecurity" contest a little to literally, but oh well!
Great IWSG picture! That's funny and a tad mean about the mini-golf course. I can just imagine it!
ReplyDeleteI don't think we could ever help slipping stuff in there about ourselves. It's just part of writing. :)
ReplyDeleteGreat picture!!
ReplyDeleteI truly believe most writer's put a little bit of themselves in their stories. Especially our emotions, which we can relate to our characters.
That's a great deal on the audiobooks!! :)
ReplyDeleteLove the pic - when the merchandise is available in Canada, I'll jump on the bandwagon too :)
It's fun, and sometimes therapeutic, to be able to use real life events in our writing.
ReplyDeleteLove the pic, Diane. I have to go dig my t-shirt out. I'm just not sure which of the 1000 boxes it's in. All I marked on the outside was Joylene's clothes. I know, bad on me.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Rachna.
ReplyDeleteEllen, that's too scary.
Elsie, I'm surprised someone didn't turn us in.
MJ, I think quite a few.
Olga, that would be a great idea, wouldn't it?
Loni, pole dancing? Do tell.
Nick, I am spunky and sneaky.
Jemi, it can ship to Canada, you just don't want to know the shipping cost.
Joylene - LOL!
Love your pic. You are so cute. IWSG Spirit award should go to you.
ReplyDeleteJuneta @ Writer's Gambit
Great mini golf story. Must get a copy of the new anthology. Looking forward to see the winners and their photos. Should be fun. Love your picture.
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh, I love your photo!!
ReplyDeleteAnd I love the mini golf story. Don't worry, your secret is safe with me ;)
Got my free book. Every time I see a picture of you I fall in love with your hair. My granddaughter(I never get tired of talking about her) has red hair. Lots of excitement going on in IWSG.
ReplyDeleteGreat audio sale. Audios are a wonderful way to read a book when you're busy.
ReplyDeleteThat was a mean thing to do on the miniature golf course. And funny, too.
ReplyDeleteThat is EVIL about the miniature golf ha ha! Right, I forgot about all of the familiar locations I use in my novels--that is inserting myself into the story.
ReplyDeleteSlipping in stuff that we know personally makes the writing more real. When I write fiction I'm kind of writing about me in disguise--an extreme disguise and sometimes all the characters are me doing things that I've done or in places where I've been.
ReplyDeleteLee
Tossing It Out
Hi Diane - I suspect many others will have moved those bricks a few times since ... but a wonderful story. Love the photo ... and brilliant all you're doing to help others ... it inspires me on - cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteYou moved the bricks??? How could you? LOL I'll bet it was fun. Great pic of you with the swag.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure the moved bricks would have freaked me out if I was playing that mini-golf course. I picked up the "Writing for Profit" book, although I haven't had the time to check it out yet.
ReplyDeleteSo glad to see Writing for Profit is available. I got my copy. I'm looking forward to reading about other authors' tips.
ReplyDeleteThe mini golf story made me laugh and the anthology looks great! I've thrown bits and pieces of myself in characters but never major things.
ReplyDeleteGreat pic with all the IWSG swag!
Great photo of you and swag, Diane.
ReplyDeleteWe should all be proud insecure writers.
I'm very excited to be one of the anthology judges and look forward to reading some wonderful stories. The ISWG gang rocks!
ReplyDeleteI picked up the Writing for Profit book!
ReplyDeleteIf I don't make any extra profit with it, I want my money back!
IWSG October
What a lovely picture of you sharing the IWSG swag! That story is great and reminds me I haven't taken my boys mini-golfing yet! Lots of lessons there.
ReplyDeleteSome of my characters occasionally echoes my views:)
ReplyDeleteHope you have a great weekend, Di.
Juneta, thank you.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Susan. My best friend also has really long red hair, just curly.
Diane, Craig's cousin started it!
CD, I'll refund your virtual money. LOL
Maurice, I hope you don't visit a course after me.
Sandra, it's been very productive so far.
Hi, L. Diane,
ReplyDeleteLOOKING GOOD!
Should check out your sale. Have a LONG drive to Florida coming up soon and I would love a few good audio books to listen to as I drive....
MYSTERY/CHRIME/THRILLER, now that sounds like an intriguing anthology.... I just may have something if I can finish it on time! So hard to wrap my head around writing with the move and my joint issues... but HOPEFULLY!
I don't play miniature golf because my blood pressure gets too high. I'm already terrible at it without any kind of shenanigans.
ReplyDeleteOctober is the perfect time to read a scary story, so I will have to ponder that one.
Kudos to everyone who put together writing for profit. We can all sure use that:)
ReplyDeleteLooks like you're a card carrying member of the IWSG! Fun. I also bought the t-shirt.
ReplyDeleteLove the mini golf story. :) Small parts of myself and things that have happened to me have slipped into stories too.
ReplyDelete~Jess
Can't say I've written personal info into my characters, unless you count my zombie story. The MC is more or less a caricature of myself as a teenager. It's like the ultimate "truth or lie" game figuring out what things actually happened. Good catching up with you again! :)
ReplyDeleteHooligans and Shenanigans! LOL Like you I have more general things I've written in.
ReplyDeleteYes and damn proud of it. Thank he good Lord above for help during these difficult times. Oh, and the support of IWSG!!!
ReplyDeleteOne thing I've never played is miniature golf. Not sure why I just have't. looks like fun one day I'll have to give it a try.
ReplyDeleteNext time I go to Boone, I'll try to check out your friend's art gallery. When I take a workshop at Cheap Joe's, it's so intense after 8:30 to 5:30 that we go to a restaurant for dinner then back to the hotel for the night. Thanks for letting me know about it.
ReplyDeleteI tend to slip in generalities, too. Nothing really personal, though.
ReplyDeleteAw, that's such a cute picture. That contest was a great idea.
ReplyDeleteLove the mini golf story. I'm sure it made the course more challenging.
We're going to be on the lookout for you at the miniature golf courses:)
ReplyDeleteSorry I missed you on posting day. It's been a busy last month.
ReplyDeleteGreat IWSG swag pic. ;)
Hope your weekend is pleasant and productive.....or just pleasant:)
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to great tips from The Writing For Profit download:)
ReplyDeleteI believe I've mentioned this before, but that's a really good pic of you.
I've just realised your blog is one year older than mine, thats so cool. Working steadily surely does pay off with glee.
ReplyDeleteDLP should be the model. I agree - it's rude to not respond to emails. Glad you take the time, Spunk.
ReplyDeleteI can't fathom taking on NaNoWriMo. Never have.
Thanks for the helpful tips and input.
A great week to you!