Mariposa's Musings

Big news! I’m going to be at an author signing event in Las Vegas on November 8th. Over 100 authors in the same place, signing books and meeting readers. You’re welcome to either bring your own books or purchase some in person.  Those that sign up and pay the $2.50 entry fee will be entered into a drawing to win  a Kindle Paperwhite! I’ll be at Sam's Town in Las Vegas from 3-5pm on November 8th, The address is: 5111 Boulder Hwy, Las Vegas, NV. I also write Women's fiction as Susan Winters and my table will be under that name. I hope to see you there!

Kellie Coates Gilbert is one of the amazing writers that I met at the 20 Books to 50K conference in Las Vegas last year. She is as warm and engaging in person as she is online. I’m thrilled to have her as a guest today. Tender, funny, bittersweet, and wonderfully moving, Sisters  celebrates the joys and heartaches that can only be shared by three sisters living in the mountain resort known as Sun Valley, the mistakes made in the name of love and the healing power of new beginnings . Kellie Coates Gilbert has won readers’ hearts with her compelling and highly emotional stories about women and the relationships that define their lives. A former legal investigator, she is especially known for keeping readers turning pages and creating nuanced characters who seem real. In addition to garnering hundreds of five-star reader reviews on Amazon and other retail sites, Kellie has been described by RT Book Reviews as a “deft, crisp storyteller.” Her books were featured as Barn...

“Writers aren’t exactly people…they’re a whole bunch of people trying to be one person.” F. Scott Fitzgerald I believe Fitzgerald’s quote to be especially true for indie published writers. Not only do you have a cast of characters in your head vying for attention, as an indie writer you are the CEO, publicist, finance director and tech support of your own business.  Even if you hire out for some of the heavy lifting jobs (like editing), the success or failure of your enterprise rests squarely on your shoulders. That’s why I’m thrilled to announce the inaugural IndieAuthor Day  taking place in libraries across the country on October 8 th with a live webcast scheduled for 2:00PM EST.   My local library, Washoe County Library-Spanish Springs , will have their event on Sunday, October 9 th from 2:00-4:00PM PST. The Spanish Springs event will host about a dozen local writers (including yours truly).  Authors will have their books available for purcha...

Writers' conferences can be an excellent opportunity to network and learn about the business of writing. But in order to get the most out of any conference, you must define your primary goal. Yes it has to be more specific than "be a successful writer". Think about what you are trying to accomplish and who can help you toward that goal. Study the panel biographies and develop a short list of relevant questions. Keep your questions brief. While a panel member may have a wealth of industry knowledge, she does not have the time to tell you everything she knows about the business. On the other hand don't be so focused on your mission that you lose sight of potential opportunities. Even if you are intent on the traditional publishing route, it might not hurt to strike up a conversation with an indie romance author who happens to be on the USA Today 's best seller list. On Saturday, April 18, 2015 the  Truckee Meadows Community College Writers' Conference  p...

This is my 4 th year attending the TMCC Writer’s Conference and I’m always amazed at what the conference delivers for the price ($99) and this year was no exception. Like many community colleges, TMCC has been hit hard by the economy, the fact that the college ran the conference with its highest attendance ever is a miracle. Writer and KUNR Broadcaster, David Stipech, opened with a discussion on the writer’s journey. He noted a couple of key points to a writer’s reality check. · Do you know what you want out of writing? · Are your setbacks motivating you or stopping you? “No” should be a street sign not a stop sign. I especially liked his comment that it is okay to feel frustration-people without ambition seldom feel frustrated. Editor for Writer’s Digest books, Chuck Sambuchino advised writers to approach markets and agents that are small, new or local. He urged writers write to articles for magazines and local papers to establish cre...

April 28th to May 1st, the publishers, editors, authors and friends of The Wild Rose Press gathered at the Silver Spur Ranch www.silverspur-ranch.com in Bandera, TX for TWRP's first Writer's Conference. The staff was friendly and attentive (and kept the jar filled with chocolate chip cookies). The retreat provided the right mix of workshops and field trips (including a visit to the Bandera Gun Club and the local rodeo). The keynote speaker, Jo-Ann Power http://www.jo-annpower.com/ shared her expertise on author promotion. The conference brought together writers from British Columbia to New Hampshire and it was a wonderful experience. Kudos to Rhonda Penders & RJ Morris!

TMCC Writers’ Conference Highlights This is third year I’ve attended the Truckee Meadows Community College Writers’ Conference( http://wdce.tmcc.edu . In its 20th year, the TMCC Writers’ Conference once again delivered the right blend of market perspective, writing tools and inspiration. The 1-day conference featured 8 speakers including 3 literary agents and 1 E-publisher and had a turnout of about 150 participants. Smashwords founder, Mark Coker noted 3.6 million people have downloaded Stanza, a free e-book app for the iTouch. He declared “Mobile phones are the unsung heroes of the e-book revolution. http://www.smashwords.com . I was fortunate to chat with TWRP author, Leigh Bale, www.LeighBale.com during one of the breaks. A gracious lady in person and on stage, Leigh delivered an intriguing presentation on the use of an intangible villain such as a character’s inner conflict or external forces such as natural disasters, war or time. Mystery novelist and POD specialist,...