Happy Fourth of July!!
I’m keeping it quiet here this summer to focus on my writing and family, but I wanted to pop in and wish you all a happy summer and, for my American friends, Happy 4th of July!
Happy summer!
May 2019 Goals!
April was a doozy! Wow, it was busy. And cold. And rainy. But who cares? Because May is here and I really hope it brings much warmer weather!
I have a lot of goals this month. Do you have anything you’d like to finish before summer unofficially arrives?
Let’s get to it. Here are last month’s goals.
Jill’s April 2019 Goals
- Finish writing, revising and polishing the proposal for book 2 in the Love Inspired cowboy series.
- Promote His Wyoming Baby Blessing, releasing April 16!
- Prep for speaking engagement: I’m giving an Exquisite Planning workshop to Central Ohio Fiction Writers!
- Health: Meet fiber goals, exercise 5 days/week.
How did I do?
- Finish writing, revising and polishing the proposal for book 2 in the Love Inspired cowboy series. CHECK. Yes, indeedy, this got done!
- Promote His Wyoming Baby Blessing, releasing April 16! CHECK. Love seeing my books out in the world!
- Prep for speaking engagement: I’m giving an Exquisite Planning workshop to Central Ohio Fiction Writers! CHECK. Delightful meeting other writers.
- Health: Meet fiber goals, exercise 5 days/week. NO CHECK. In fact, I gained five pounds, so there’s that. 🙁
Jill’s May 2019 Goals
- Final edits of Her Cowboy Till Christmas, Book 1 in Wyoming Sweethearts series.
- Draft rest of manuscript of Book 2 in Wyoming Sweethearts series.
- Continue plotting another book.
- Health: Meet fiber and calorie goals, exercise 5 days/week.
How did you do?
I spent a few hours by the river plotting and planning yesterday. And I buckled down and committed to my health plan again. Sometimes we just need to tell ourselves we’re doing it. No excuses. I hope you have a wonderful month and get a lot done!
In Stores Now:
She’s pregnant on his doorstep…
Saddle up for this Wyoming Cowboys novel
When his childhood friend Kit McAllistor shows up, widowed and pregnant, rancher Wade Croft offers her a place to stay…but he can’t offer her his heart. As old feelings begin to surface, past tragedies force Wade to ignore them. But on the brink of losing his ranch, will he also risk losing the woman he’s beginning to love…or can he cowboy up in time?
For Purchase Links Click HERE!
Have a delightful day!
Encouragement from the Blogosphere
My brain is covered in a thick fog as I do the final polish of my manuscript. I apologize to everyone in my life. I’m scattered and self-absorbed. I will be myself again soon–I promise!
Writers, you know what I’m talking about. It’s very difficult to turn off the world we’ve spent months building. As my deadline looms, I worry I’ve missed key themes the book needs. Little things ping me.
Did I overstate his conflict? Is hers clear? What word/phrase did I overuse but have no clue I did?
Anyway, I scrolled through blogs on Feedly this evening, and my breathing slowed. My heart stopped racing. My brain relaxed.
I was encouraged.
- “A Letter for D” by Wendy Paine Miller. I love this beautiful post. Wendy and I have been friends for years. She’s an amazing person, a brilliant writer, and her words always ring true.
- “The Importance of Alone Time” by Mary Manners via Seriously Write. Mary acknowledges the time-consuming aspects of the writing life that aren’t actual writing, and she makes no apologies for shutting the office door and getting things done. Love that attitude!
- “My Book is Being Made into a Movie!” by Belle Calhoune via Love Inspired: A Story for Every Reader. Have you read Belle’s Love Inspired novels? They are brimming with romantic optimism! One of her books, An Alaskan Christmas, is being made into a movie! Congratulations, Belle!
- “It’s Monday. What are You Reading?” by Cheryl C. Malandrinos via The Book Connection. Recommendations? Lists? Covers? YES! I’m always encouraged when I see what other people are reading.
Blogs make me feel connected in a way social media sites don’t. I think it’s a combination of focusing on one thing at a time and knowing the title of the post before I read it–I know what I’m getting.
As soon as this book is turned in, I’m treating myself to a long library visit where I’ll check out a towering stack of books. Oh yes…I’m ready!
What has encouraged you this week?
***
RESORT TO ROMANCE WEEK 2!
A Messed-Up Match by Jessica R. Patch released yesterday! It’s the second installment of the Resort to Romance Series. It will be only $0.99 until next Monday–then the price goes up!
You can pre-order weeks 3-10 of the series for $0.99 each–click RESORT TO ROMANCE SERIES for all the links!
If you missed the first release, my novella, A Meddled Match, is $2.99!
Have you entered our mega-giveaway? Go to my HOMEPAGE and scroll down for the entry options!
Enjoy your week!
What are Your February 2019 goals?
Well, that went by quick! After last week’s Polar Vortex, I’m thankful February is here. The sooner winter is over, the better!
January was a blur of planning, busy work, and writing a first draft. February, for me, will be all about two things: launching the Resort to Romance series and revising a contracted Love Inspired book. Oh, and roses and chocolates…Valentine’s Day will be here soon!
First, let’s see how I did with last month’s goals.
Jill’s January 2019 Goals
- Finalize A Meddled Match: Resort to Romance Series to prepare for February launch! This includes setting up promo, sending out ARCs, uploading to Amazon, etc…
- Replot and draft rest of book one in the new Love Inspired series! It’s now going to be a Christmas book releasing this December. Aaah!
- I’m the 2019 president of Maumee Valley Romance Authors, Inc. and need to do several administrative tasks to start the year off right.
- Health: Log calories daily in MyFitnessPal, stay within calorie range, workout for 30 minutes 4+ days/week.
How did I do?
- A Meddled Match is ready to go! CHECK
- Book one (working title is Wyoming Twins Christmas Reunion) is drafted. It needs A LOT of work! CHECK
- MVRAI administrative tasks? Yep. These will be ongoing throughout the year, but I’m off to a good start. CHECK
- Health. *Giggling* Okay, three weeks I stayed on track. Last week? Nope. NO CHECK
Jill’s February 2019 Goals
- Revise and submit Wyoming Twins Christmas Reunion
- Promote A Meddled Match
- Health: Track calories, meet fiber goals, exercise 5 days/week.
How did you do last month? What are your February goals?
Have a terrific day!
2 Ways I Prevent Writer’s Block
It’s the final Wednesday of January! Where did this month go? Well, around here it was buried under snow and negative temperatures, but I’ve whined enough on social media sites, so I’ll shut my mouth!
I’ve been writing a first draft, and first drafts are the hardest stage of writing for me. I love plotting–adore plotting! Revising? Challenging, but I enjoy it. Polishing gets me excited because I know the book is THIS close to being finished. But the writing itself…
It would be terribly easy for me to get writer’s block. Every day. I wish I was kidding! For me, getting started is the tricky part. Thankfully, there are a bajillion writing blogs out there, and I’ve experimented with various tips. Here’s what gets me back into my story each day.
2 Ways I Prevent Writer’s Block
- At the beginning of each writing session, I read through the previous scene.
- At the end of each writing session, I sketch out the next 2-3 scenes.
If I didn’t do these two steps every time I sat down to write, I would stare at the screen for hours.
Reviewing the previous scene jogs my memory and gets me back into the story quickly. And since I have the next 2-3 scenes outlined, all I have to do is review my notes to pick up where I left off.
At the end of the writing session, I’m usually really tired. I’m always tempted to skip my prep work for the next day. But I don’t let myself. I know from experience if I don’t spend 5-10 minutes thinking of the next scenes, I’ll regret it. I’ll end up wasting time and creating more work for myself. No thanks!
How do you prevent writer’s block? What gets you back into your story quickly?
If you’re dealing with the bitter cold like I am, try to stay warm! If you’re in warmer climates, I wish I was there!
Writing Slow and Not Loving It
I’m writing a first draft right now. I’m excited about the story. I know the main characters, know the main plot points. Usually, I can estimate a word count goal for the day (depending on what I have going on) and meet it in a set amount of time. Not this time, my friends.
I’m writing slow. I’m talking S-L-O-W.
It’s frustrating.
Yesterday, I didn’t even hit my word count goal, and I worked past six pm. Today, I did hit my word count goal, but it took seven hours to do it.
I want to write faster! What’s going on?
Right now I’m chowing down on a creamy caramel and trying to figure out why I’m struggling to get the words on the page. My thoughts:
- It’s January. I live in northern Ohio, and we had a severe winter storm this weekend. Yesterday it was below zero. Today wasn’t much better. I can’t blame everything on the weather, but being cooped up inside with gray skies does affect me.
- This is the first book in a new series. I’m still getting to know the secondary characters. I’m creating the town and the feel of the community. Plus, there’s a lot of plot to pack into this story.
- I’m in the middle scenes. My mind can’t always keep track of the various plot threads in this phase. I drop things–the faith thread, the romantic tension, the conflicts and goals. And it slows me down because I know I’m not getting it all but I don’t know what I’m dropping. At night, I usually get lightbulb moments–hmm…I forgot to address the emotional fallout from the previous scene. Or this IS a romance, right? Shouldn’t the MCs be getting butterflies?
That’s all I’ve got. Tomorrow I’ll force myself to sit in my office and tap out words until another scene takes shape. Then another. And at some point I will walk away from my laptop–with or without having met my word goal for the day. And I’ll repeat this until the book is finished.
Then I’ll find all the threads I dropped and all the areas I know are flat, and I’ll revise the book to make it shine.
In the meantime, I’ll have another caramel and try not to overthink it.
Writers, what slows your writing down? How do you get through it?
Thank you to everyone who entered The Rancher’s Unexpected Baby (by Jill Lynn) giveaway! The winner is Lori R.! Congratulations, Lori, check your email for further instructions!
Day 2 of 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway!
Welcome to Day 2 of the 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway!!
I’m so excited to be participating in our third annual 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway. If you love Christian romance novels, this is the giveaway for you! I’m thrilled to join Liz Johnson and ten other fabulous authors of inspirational fiction to give away prizes galore, including eleven books.
Here’s how it works. The prizes accumulate, and you only have to enter once! A winner will be selected each day. Woohoo!!
Today’s winner will receive:
A copy of my latest release, Wyoming Christmas Quadruplets and…
Christmas with the Cowboy by Tina Radcliffe plus a jingle bell necklace!!
Here’s how to enter:
Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway below by following some of your favorite authors on social media and signing up for their newsletters. We draw a new winner every day, and on December 12th, we’ll give away a $150 Amazon Gift Card OR a 1-Year Audible Gold Subscription (winner’s choice) in addition to all the other great prizes!
Stop by Jessica R. Patch’s blog tomorrow to see what prize is added then!
Thanks so much!
***
My Christmas novella, Sugarplums and Second Chances, is only $0.99 on Kindle! Why not give it a try? It’s a companion to my Lake Endwell romance, Hometown Hero’s Redemption.
Buy it HERE for $0.99! It’s also available for paperback on Amazon.
Are some mistakes beyond redemption?
When former NFL star, Chase McGill, invites Courtney Trudesta, the widow of his former teammate, to spend Christmas with him and his son in Lake Endwell, he simply wants to repay her for the weekly letters she sent while he was in prison.
He didn’t expect to fall for her.
Chase regrets his past and knows it will take more than sugarplums and wishful thinking to heal Courtney’s lonely heart. But with a dose of small-town charm and plenty of Christmas cheer, they might have a second chance at happiness…with each other.
Buy it HERE for $0.99! It’s also available for paperback on Amazon.
Jill Kemerer is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
4 Tips to Start and End a Scene #WW
Scenes build stories. How you begin and end them can mean the difference between a reader finishing your novel or tossing it aside.
When you’re writing, it’s fine to put down whatever comes to mind so your brain can push through and get the draft on paper. But when you’re revising, it’s wise to analyze each scene’s hook and ending to make sure they’re pulling their weight.
Here are my “rules” for how to start and end a scene.
1. Don’t bore the reader.
Madeline slathered butter on the bagel. Stan had really crossed a line.
Whoop-dee-doo. Does any reader care if Madeline has butter on her bagel or not? I don’t think so. And while the second sentence gets more to the heart of the matter, the first sentence is what counts.
Try this:
She wanted to chuck her bagel at Stan’s head. The nerve of him, treating her like a five-year-old in front of her boss.
2. Give transition details early in the scene.
Readers need to know how long it’s been since the previous scene, whose point of view we’re in, the location, and any other pertinent setting information. Don’t make them guess!
She wanted to chuck her bagel at Stan’s head. The nerve of him, treating her like a five-year-old in front of her boss. Madeline peeked out of the break room but saw no sign of him. Good. After this morning’s humiliating meeting, she hoped he crawled back to corporate headquarters where he belonged.
3. Tease the reader at the end of a scene.
Stan handed her the report. “Verify your numbers with this.”
Stimulating. I, for one, don’t get excited over a hero handing a heroine a report and telling her to verify her numbers. YAWN…
How about:
“Verify your numbers with this.” Stan’s tone was as icy as his blue eyes. She snatched the report out of his hand.
She’d verify them all right. And if he questioned her expertise again, she was taking the other job offer, even if it meant a cut in pay. No job was worth this.
4. Check scene hooks and endings.
A quick and easy way to make sure these openings and closings are doing their job is to copy/paste the first and last sentence in each scene in a separate file. When you have them pasted one after the other, it’s easy to spot the duds. Try it! I always find a few that need punching up.
What are you tricks to start and end scenes? I’d love to hear them!
Have a great week!
*
Are some mistakes beyond redemption?
When former NFL star, Chase McGill, invites Courtney Trudesta, the widow of his former teammate, to spend Christmas with him and his son in Lake Endwell, he simply wants to repay her for the weekly letters she sent while he was in prison. He didn’t expect to fall for her.
Chase regrets his past and knows it will take more than sugarplums and wishful thinking to heal Courtney’s lonely heart. But with a dose of small-town charm and plenty of Christmas cheer, they might have a second chance at happiness…with each other.
Sugarplums and Second Chances is only $0.99 on Kindle. Purchase HERE!
Friday Extra! First Peek at Natalie Walter’s Cover!
I know I don’t usually post on Friday, but I’m so excited to share with you the cover of Living Lies, the debut novel of Natalie Walters! I had to do a Friday extra. 🙂
Here’s a little about the book, an inspirational romantic suspense (available for preorder now, releases May 21, 2019)!!
LIVING LIES
In the little town of Walton, Georgia, everybody knows your name–but no one knows your secret. At least that’s what Lane Kent is counting on when she returns to her hometown with her five-year-old son. Dangerously depressed after the death of her husband, Lane is looking for hope. What she finds instead is a dead body.
Lane must work with Walton’s newest deputy, Charlie Lynch, to uncover the truth behind the murder. But when that truth hits too close to home, she’ll have to decide if saving the life of another is worth the cost of revealing her darkest secret.
Debut novelist Natalie Walters pulls you to the edge of your seat on the first page and keeps you there until the last in this riveting story that will have you believing no one is defined by their past.
Are you ready to see the cover? *rubs hands together*
Ooh-la-la!! Looks creepy and good!! I know I wouldn’t want to be on that dark path!
Check out Natalie Walter’s website (linked) for more information about her and her book!
What are you doing this weekend?
I’ll going to writer’s group tomorrow! If you’re in the Toledo, Ohio area, check out www.MVRAI.com!
Wyoming Christmas Quadruplets Giveaway
*Please stop back at 2pm EST to enter the giveaway!*
It’s giveaway time again! Yay!!
I hope you had a lovely summer. Mine was busy writing! Nothing wrong with that. And I’m very excited for my upcoming release–Wyoming Christmas Quadruplets! This is book three in the Wyoming Cowboys series and follows Marshall’s bumpy road to love. The babies on the cover are his sister’s, and he and the new baby nurse are helping out with the infants. Needless to say, this holiday season will be memorable for them all.
Here’s the back cover description:
Six weeks on a ranch caring for quadruplets—aspiring nurse Ainsley Draper’s prepared for a busy Christmas. When the children’s handsome uncle opens the door, her task gets extra complicated. Marshall Graham is upholding his promise to look after his twin sister, the babies’ mom. But as family loyalty clashes with new love, will the perfect present include a future with Ainsley?
Purchase links and extras HERE!
***
The book will be in stores starting September 18, 2018! The ebooks will be available on October 1, 2018. To celebrate, I’m giving away a gift package! One winner will receive large print copies of Wyoming Christmas Quadruplets, Reunited with the Bull Rider, and The Rancher’s Mistletoe Bride. The package also includes three Christmas ornaments, a cute picture frame, candy sticks, and a ten dollar Starbucks gift card. The easy entry options are below!
*US Residents only. 18+. Giveaway is open from September 04, 2018 at 2pm EST through September 30, 2018 at 9pm EST. Winner will be notified via email. See entry form for complete rules.*
***
***
What are you looking forward to this month?
Have a terrific day!!