Tag: The Girl Who Saw Clouds

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CLOUDS – Same, But Different

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What’s the same? Both books have the word “CLOUDS” in their titles, and the colors on the covers are very similar. Aimee Louise is on the cover of both books. What else is the same? The story of the US grid going down, and the farm becoming a refuge for neighbors and friends. And the villain? No change there either!

What’s different? THE GIRL WHO SAW CLOUDS is a Young Adult Novel, with a focus on Aimee Louise and the other children.

The focus of DANGER IN THE CLOUDS is on Major Elliott and the other adults.

Same story; different perspectives.

Which should you read? Depends on which perspective appeals to you.

THE GIRL WHO SAW CLOUDS

DANGER IN THE CLOUDS

psst. if you read both, let me know which one you prefer. And why, of course.

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The Beta Hero

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(Pic grabbed from the article in Indies Unlimited)

Yvonne Hertzberger wrote an outstanding article about the Beta Hero in Indies Unlimited. After reading her article, I realized I tend to write Beta Heroes too.  Beta guys have more depth, as far as I’m concerned.

I know a Beta Hero who learned to toss pizza when he was eight years old because he loved to cook. You’ll meet him in I ALWAYS WANTED TO BE A SPY when it’s published in January 2019.

THE GIRL WHO SAW CLOUDS has a Beta Hero. Remember how upset Pops got over Vanessa staying in town after the grid went down?

Even SWEET DEAL COZY MYSTERIES has more than one Beta Hero you’ll meet in Book 2 in Late Spring 2019. Not to give anything away, but you’ll recognize Roger and Jack.

Click the link below to read Yvonne’s full article. What do you think about a Beta Hero? Or do you prefer the Alpha Male when you read?

The Beta Hero: A Non-Stereotypical Male Character – Indies Unlimited

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How Writing Is Like Making Jam

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When I make jam, I pull out the Ball Blue Book of canning and check the recipe even though I’ve made jam dozens of time over the last several years. I crush the berries, dump in the sugar, turn up the gas, and stir. And stir and stir. I don’t use pectin to thicken the concoction, and I don’t have a jelly thermometer. I stir and after 30 or 45 minutes, it feels done. If I quit too early, I have berry soup. If I stir another two minutes, I have berry concrete. It’s all in the timing, and it all comes together—boom!

So this is my Writing blog, not my Farm blog, right?

I wrote a story on January 6, 2017. The story was 727 words. I added a few more words, and the name of my story became Novel Needs a Name. N3 became The Girl Who Saw Clouds last summer.  I have a total of 106 versions of Clouds. Different people have read different versions over the past year. One faithful reader has seen every single one! We’ll refer to her as Saint Rabbit. Writers have critiqued different sections, and I wrote and revised.

I read Don McNair’s Editor-Proof Your Writing and followed his twenty-one steps. Clouds was ready for a copy editor. Not too soon, not too late. Now I have to leave Clouds alone and let the copy editor do his work; otherwise, I’d have Cloud concrete, right?

Yesterday I read Guido Henkel’s Zen of eBook Formatting and made blackberry jam. Today I designed the book cover.  Only twenty more days before the copy editor’s work is due. Maybe I’ll make some more blackberry jam. Boom.