Our trip to Snowshoe, WV: Part 3, The realization

 

I have been having a fantastic, productive trip so far! Yesterday morning, I wrote the outline for my next novella. In the afternoon, I started writing the book. All that after finishing my WIP on Sunday. 

It snowed yesterday and is snowing again today...so many good things to be thankful for.  

As I prepared for my day today, I realized that my book release for Autumn's Wish is just days away! 

March 5th is the official book release on Amazon. Wow! That went fast. 

Autumn's Wish is available for pre-order NOW on Kindle:  

PRE-ORDER AUTUMN'S WISH NOW

 

Book Description:

Newspaper writer, Autumn, wishes on a star, seeking help to discover herself and live a life she considers worth living.

For ten years, Autumn has been writing for the same newspaper, living in the same apartment, going through the same routines, day after day.

One cold November morning, she decides that she has had enough and that change is long overdue.

New beginnings and self-transformation, with a touch of steamy romance, will have you wanting more of Autumn's Wish.

She asked. She believed. She received.
AUTUMN'S WISH

This book was previously published as, Twinkle, Twinkle Christmas Star.

 

Thank you! 

 Our trip: Part 1, The drive

Our trip: Part 2, The walk for coffee

Our trip to Snowshoe, WV part 2: The walk for coffee

 

Yesterday, I mentioned that today, I would be venturing out into the cold. Well, this morning, that is exactly what I did!

 If you have TicTok...

Watch me walk though the snow...

I bundled up, which you can see in the above photo and ventured out. It has been snowing for hours and has yet to let up. The icy snow was pelting me in the face at one point and made me giggle while recording my video.

I walked over to the Starbucks, that I point out in my recording, and got cup of decaf to warm me up. They have no tables and only allow 8 people in at a time. But, I got my coffee!

 

More fun news... I completed writing my WIP which was a novella. I will do the final edit when I get back home. Today, I am starting on the outline for another book. 

This trip has been relaxing and productive so far! 

My tall, decaf, caramel macchiato with almond milk. 

 

Our trip to Snowshoe, WV part 1 The drive

Last years weekend in Snowshoe post

 

 

Our trip to Snowshoe WV, Part 1: The drive

 

Yesterday, my husband and myself drove to Snowshoe, West Virginia. It's a dual trip of sorts. My husband will snowboard and I will write, write, write! My plan is to finish the novella I am working on and start another one.

Last year when we drove up, we encountered a few interesting situations. You can read about them here: 

Weekend in Snowshoe, West Virginia: The things I did and saw

We remembered when we saw the first Dollar General store, that we drove by so many last time. We decided to count them this trip. We drove by 9 Dollar General stores on the way here! If we drove by 9, imagine how many more there are that we didn't drive by! People in Virginia and West Virginia love their Dollar General's. 

This was us driving behind a hay truck, before it started to snow. 

 

 

My expression after counting numerous Dollar General stores and getting stuck behind a truck loaded with hay. 

Tomorrow, I will go outside and explore! That should be fun....stand by for the post!

New Logo: Author Deanna Martinez-Bey

 

Check out me new logo! It screams...ME! It has everything I love about being an author: the color pink, books, coffee, and reading glasses! OK, maybe I don't love my reading glasses, but I DO love the logo.

It was created by Missy Farrow and here is her Instagram page for you to follow: Mfarrowsocialmedia

Missy also has a fantastic blog that will make you laugh: Missy Farrow on social 

When she was creating this masterpiece, we discussed how a social media logo should be simple and not contain too many details because the photos are so small on most of the social media sites. I completely agree and am thankful that she pointed that out!  

 

Family history and traditions with Author Deanna Martinez-Bey 

Let's discuss outlining books 

Book release: The Ultimate Guide To Cookies

Do you write when you're not in the mood?

 

Maybe a more direct question would be: Do you write when you don't feel like it? 

If only there was a direct answer to that question...

I would have to say: Yes and No.

The key to completing a writing project is to plan for time to write each day or week. However, what if you are sick or going through a difficult time in your life? Do you write anyway, regardless of your circumstances?

Well...sometimes I do and sometimes I don't.
I find that if I am feeling icky, as in not feeling 100% in my physical body, I can still write and write well.
I have also found that if I'm REALLY sick, I can not by any means put the words together to write at all!

In addition, if I have something really heavy weighing on my mind, I have a hard time writing. If I have minor things on my mind, I have no problem setting them aside to write and sometimes, just sometimes, writing will help me get through the circumstances and I will feel better as a result.

Only you truly know if you are capable of writing according to how you are feeling. What is right for me may not be right for you. You may find that writing will help you feel better no matter what you are going through in your life.

The only way to know for sure is to give it a try.

Tips:

• Always stick to your writing schedule.
• If you are unable to write because of sickness, rest and try again tomorrow.
• If you are dealing with an emotional issue, try to write. It may help you through.  

 

Let's discuss outlining books 

Book release: The Ultimate Guide To Cookies 

Family history and traditions with Author Deanna Martinez-Bey 

Book review: Point Of View

Write It! Podcast: The place for writers

 

Have I mentioned that I have a podcast for writers? I do!

It is called Write It! and I talk about all kinds of valuable information for writers. You should check it out:

WRITE IT! 

Write It!

By Deanna Martinez-Bey

 

Write It, is the place for writers. We will talk about writing techniques, tips, and tricks. All authors, writers, editors, and bloggers are welcome! 

 

 

 Book release: The Ultimate Guide To Cookies

Book review: Point Of View 

Best hashtags for authors on Twitter 

Let's discuss outlining books

 

Should writers write books by following an outline? This seems to be a great debate among writers. Some writers swear by using outlines and others would rather fly by the seat of their pants.

I prefer to make and use an outline when I am writing my books. I like to form a basic outline that lays out the gist of what the book will be about and the character’s names and personalities. I also prefer to lay out the basics of each chapter. 

I do feel that if the outline contains too much information, meaning too many details, it will constrict the writer. We still need to have the freedom to add characters and events as we see fit. Often times if an outline contains too many details, it prevents us from being able to be creative with our book.

Let’s compare the two options. Reasons to outline:

1. Gives us direction
2. Helps us glide through writing the chapters
3. Gives us a goal
4. Helps us remember character names and details (we can refer back to our written outline)
5. Keeps us on track

Reasons not to outline:

1. I can’t think of any
2. I don’t know
3. Oh, here is one: It can be fun not to have clear direction?

The bottom line is I recommend a simple outline. They are helpful to me and I think it would be helpful to you as well. Let me give you an example of what an outline can consist of:

• Basic details of the book (What it is about, the character details)
• Certain points you want to be sure to touch upon
• Chapter titles (this will guide you what to write in each chapter) 
  
• Other details you want to include

Details you may not want to include in the outline:
Every detail as to what the character says, does, and feels.

Love a good Podcast? Listen to Write It!