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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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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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:
Love the Voyagers cover! I've pre-ordered my copy. Looking forward to reading it when released.
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!
Good thing you picked up that book.
The IWSG is going to rock this year!
The PERN series is one of my all-time favourites!
So many great things for IWSG!
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
Thank you for pre-ordering it.
Thank you - I will pass that along to the illustrator.
I've read every one of those books multiple times.
You are a blessing, Diane. If your aunt's still alive, please give her a big tight hug!
Hi Diane, best wishes for Voyagers: The Third Ghost An Insecure Writer’s Support Group Anthology. Have a healthy and prosperous New Year!
So cool what inspires us to write.
The new anthology sounds amazing. Can't wait to read the stories.
Teresa
I was about that age when I started writing, too. That is a really good cover! :)
Congrats to the IWSG! And I know I said this already, but the cover to Voyagers is great!
Congrats on how far you've come. :-)
Anna from elements of emaginette
Beautiful cover! Congrats to all the anthology authors.
A white dragon sounds like the perfect inspiration for entering the magical world of writing. :)
Sadly she passed in 2018.
Thanks, I'll let the illustrator know.
My illustrator was actually quite pleased when he finished it. A rarity!
The Dragonriders of Pern is a great book series. I, however, just wanted a dragon. ��
Love your story of when you knew you wanted to be a writer. And the cover for the anthology is awesome.
That is so sweet. Beautiful post.
I am so excited to be in the Anthology. (Is it to late to add "follow the way?"
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!
I definitely want to hear more about that twitter pitch. It sounds awesome. :)
Books are like velcro for writers...if something resonates - like seeing your name on the cover - it'll stick.
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...
Lots of great things going on for the IWSG! Love the cover!
That is a great reason. Wanting to see your name on a book. Great cover indeed.
This is going to be a really cool anthology! Hope you find some cool new manuscripts from the pitch party. Happy 2020 :)
Congrats on being names a best website again. Great cover. I have all the anthologies on my keeper shelf.
Hi, I follow you on gfc # 800 ,follow back?
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The anthology cover is amazing! And I love how your interest in writing was awakened. Simple and direct.
The anthology cover is amazing! And I love how your interest in writing was awakened.
I love Anne McCaffrey's Pern books. I believe I've read them all.
You started writing young and are still writing. Exciting. And, soon, another anthology to read. Sounds great.
McCaffrey is an incredible author and that’s exciting how she inspired you. Happy IWSG day :)
Anne McCaffrey, sigh... I still remember not being able to put The Rowan down and reading all night long (until dawn).
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.
I love why you became a writer:)
Woo Hoo to IWSG making the top 100 again. Though, no surprise:)
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!
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
A great Voyager's cover Diane. I am not on Twitter perhaps I ought to think about it.
Yvonne.
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.
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.
That was a magical age for me too. I used my own money to start buying books!
Sounds like another great anthology.
That was a great book. I loved Anne McCaffrey. Great post. I'm a little late making the rounds. Happy IWSG!
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.
Sometimes all it takes is that little spark to make you realise the path you want to choose in life :)
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!
Nice
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
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!
Sweet. The hard work will yield its own rewards and besides the cover looks deadly.
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.
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.
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.
How did the pitch go?
I bet your family is so proud of all your accomplishments. I know I am:)
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.
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!
Just stopping by to say hey, and have a great day and productive evening.
Hugs
The anthology sounds very interesting! Best of luck!
THE WHITE DRAGON got me started enjoying Fantasy.
The Journey cover is awesome.
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!
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