reading

Plan Ahead for Christmas Giving

Posted on by Brenda Poulos

The last three months of the year are especially good months to purchase books as Christmas gifts.

Many authors write Christmas/holiday-themed books especially for that purpose. Whether as gifts to others—or for yourself—you can get good deals during the last quarter of the year.

On Amazon, search for your favorite authors in the next couple of weeks and see what they are offering. (Remember: Sonnets for Marigold will be among them sometime in November).

Note: Amazon functions as Print-on-Demand. This means that each book is printed only when it is ordered. Copies of books are not stockpiled anywhere. 

So, don’t wait until December to make your purchases because the large demand around the holidays can slow down delivery times. 

A Sonnet for Marigold

Posted on by Brenda Poulos

The party was for couples, but as I looked across the hall, I saw the men huddled together talking about football. The women were divided in two groups-pre and post babies.

Whether it be baking, quilting, painting, exercising or all things in between, I guess birds of a feather really do flock together.

We all tend to gravitate toward others who share similar interests.

It should be no surprise that there are many interest groups that have formed online. One of the most popular online interest groups is readers, but even in a group of “reader” friends, sometimes fiction fanciers split off from those who like reading non-fiction.

 A simple trip up to the search bar can help you find dozens of new books to read—after all, there are literally hundreds of books published each week across the globe.

 A Sonnet for Marigold will soon join my recent book, Mending Fences, on my Amazon page as my two newest offerings for this fall. 

Since it was the first time I have written a Romantic Suspense novel, it was a challenge. But it was also lots of fun. I’m glad I pushed myself to make this change. I hope you’ll let me know if you enjoyed reading it.

Please look for A Sonnet for Marigold this November!

Mending Fences

Posted on by Brenda Poulos

My novella, Mending Fences, is now on Amazon in both Kindle and paperback formats. 

 I previously published this novella in a collection alongside three other authors. It is now available as a stand alone novella with special pricing.

After the death of his beloved grandfather, Mason finds himself torn between the needs of Rose, the aging grandmother who raised him, and the demands of Lee Ann, the mother who abandoned him as a baby.

Mason’s relationship with Lee Ann is turbulent and complicated. After marrying the wealthy Rex LeMasters, Lee Ann charged back into Mason’s life, reclaiming him and his older sister, Glory, and moving them from the family ranch in Boise, Idaho to Green River, Washington when Mason was fifteen. His mother has not spoken to Mason’s grandparents since that time.

 When Gram takes a fall, Lee Ann at last returns to see her mother—a visit which dredges up memories of a secret buried since Lee Ann’s childhood. 

Will learning the truth about what caused the rift between them so many years ago help them move forward toward reconciliation? Will Lee Ann’s new perspective on the past serve as a catalyst to restore her relationship with her own children?

This novella will inspire you to face your own difficult circumstances, let go of bitterness resulting from past hurts and disappointments and offer forgiveness to the significant people in your life. 

Read and Write Outside the Box

Posted on by Brenda Poulos

I am sooooo tired of stories about people who have had a relative pass away and being left to renovate a bed and breakfast on a remote island.

Coming up with more original themes for books shouldn’t be that difficult. Let’s start with looking at our own experiences.

A couple of my friends write blogs about the “good old days” and they always get accolades from readers.

Why?

Because these are shared experiences with readers who grew up in the 60’s, like we did. When we talk about lava lamps and hula hoops, they smile and recall what it was like for them.

Readers are drawn to authors who mention events, games, music, food—things they recognize from their own lives.

My grandson’s favorite cake is topped with coconut icing. Watching him eat it reminded me that it was my father’s favorite, too, and that gave me a great idea for a future short story.

Ideas are all around us, if we are willing to think—and write—outside the box.

Readers, Authors Need Your Help!

Posted on by Brenda Poulos

Authors need feedback from readers in order to write enjoyable books for their reading audience.

If you are a reader, here’s how you can help:

  1. Leave honest reviews on Amazon, Facebook, Goodreads, various book-related websites, and authors’ websites. (Below, I’ve included one I just received this week for my latest book, Justice for Jessie: Forgiving the Unforgivable.)

Review from Ann Ferri- Book Bub:   This is a *Must Read* book. It hooks you on the first page and doesn’t let go. It is full of emotions and will keep you turning the pages to see what happens next. This is a new to me author and I loved her writing style and can’t wait to read more of her books. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

2)    Buy their books! Sales reflect customer satisfaction.

3)    Read the authors’ blogs, leave comments, and “follow” them. We really do want to hear from you!

4) Tell your friends about a good book you’ve read—even feel free to loan it to someone. This is a great way to introduce readers to an author who is “new” to them.

As always, thank you for following me. I appreciate your comments.

Brenda

The Case for Punctuation

Posted on by Brenda Poulos

I read a book last week which was devoid of punctuation. It was a funny and fascinating read. However, without punctuation, I found myself rereading sections, changing the emphasis of words and phrases as I guessed at the author’s intended meaning.

Whoever “invented” punctuation made a valuable contribution to the meaning and enjoyment of the written word. Something as simple as the placement of a comma can make a huge difference.

In my critique group, we spend time each week discussing the rules of punctuation. If you think that the creativity of writing can be separated from the mechanics of writing, do this simple exercise:

Write a paragraph with no punctuation and give it to a fellow author to read. I promise they will be frustrated  and probably misunderstand your intended meaning.

Punctuation has always been a stickler. But without it, where would we be??? 

Chapters: How Long? How Many?

Posted on by Brenda Poulos

How many pages should comprise a chapter? How does an author know when to finish one chapter and begin another?

Good new: There is no hard and fast rule. Some books don’t even have chapters at all!

I like writing chapters, myself, because they are good break points in the story. Some readers even gauge their reading by chapters. They may always read  a certain number of chapters at a time—more or less depending on how ‘engaged’ they become.

Some authors write a specific numbers of pages in a chapter. I seem to write at a certain rhythm and 10-12 pages is the average length of my chapters.

If chapters are too long, interest may wain and if too short, they may not contain enough “depth.” 

Varying chapter lengths throughout the book will give the book more interest and variety.

Ideally, longer chapters more often are transitional, and shorter chapters are used for fast-paced excitement.

Books written for a younger audience, YA for instance, should have shorter chapters than books gauged for adults.

One thing is essential, however, each chapter should end with a cliffhanger—or at least something that makes the reader want to continue reading. 

Make your readers CRAVE the next chapter. End where the action is the most dramatic.

So how many chapters should a book have?

Different genres lend themselves to certain numbers of chapters. Fast-paced thrillers tend to have shorter chapters.

The more characters and the more intricate the plot, the longer the chapters and the more total chapters in the book.

Complex, non-fiction books should be shorter, unless textbooks or those written for more academic “types”.

More questions or anything to share?

Preparing for a Book Fair

Posted on by Brenda Poulos

I was asked what an author should take to a book fair. Although the answer may seem simple, there are a few decisions to be made so your experience will go smoothly.

1) A bright and wrinkle-free cloth to cover your table.

2) A bowl of wrapped candy, business cards, bookmarks, pens, or other freebies.

3) Change for cash purchases. I wear a fanny-pack instead of using a  cash box. There are those who use the crowded circumstances for their own devious purposes. Take a “square,” if you are accepting credit cards. Don’t accept checks, since that can lead to a disappointing outcome… for YOU.

4) A small poster or banner. I make an 8 x 10 that I put in a plastic frame. Print in color, so it will be eye-catching. Put your name, book covers, and/or pricing information. Which leads to #5.

5) I always price my books at a special “fair savings” and in rounded denominations so that I won’t have to use coins to make change.

6) At the last fair I attended, I noticed several authors had packed their books into small rolling suitcases. The bags I had mine in were heavy and unwieldy. Perhaps the Goodwill Store will have one at a nominal cost…

7) Show interest in your “customers” by standing. Also, to make sure they stop at your table (and not pass you by) say something they cannot resist, such as “Oh, what a cute baby!” Or “Would you like a Tootsie Roll?”

8) There are lots of little things to remember to do ahead of time, like using mouthwash/breath mints. I suggest eating breakfast ahead of time. Maybe it’s just me, but I’m turned-off when I (as a shopper) walk up to talk to an author and they are in the midst of downing a donut!

You ask if book fairs are with the trouble? See my previous post in “Archives.”

Has Amish Fiction Met Its Demise?

Posted on by Brenda Poulos

I don’t write “AMISH”, but I sure enjoy reading Amish books. About three years ago, these were very popular and it seems like I devoured every one of them. It didn’t matter who the author was (although I did come to have my favorites). I simply liked the good, clean reads, with the conflicts of religious beliefs which sets them apart from mainstream christian practices.

At any rate, last year I noticed that there might not be as many Amish books coming to the market. This year, I’ve only seen a few.

I asked myself if this was just a “sign of the times,” had I really read everything out there, or were there just not as many authors who were writing in this genre? 

Perhaps it was something else entirely. 

Back in 2002, there were only a couple of authors writing Amish fiction, while currently there are over 60 authors and hundreds of titles.

Among them are: Amish Romance, Soon-to-be Amish, Leaving the Amish, Amish cozy mysteries, Amish Wild West Adventures, Amish quilting, Amish cooking, and so on.

I have found that Amish fiction hasn’t slacked off. In fact, at some point it even spawned a sub-genre called “bonnet fiction,” a flourishing genre of Amish Romance. 

So, to answer my question. I have fewer choices now because I have read so many of these books! 

These authors aren’t going anywhere. They are still writing uplifting and inspiring stories.

A Valentine for YOU !

Posted on by Brenda Poulos

Since this is Valentine’s week, I want to take this opportunity to say “I Love YOU” to all of my readers and fellow authors.

It has become my passion to write with you in mind, creating memorable stories with deep underlying messages.

This week, I received two heartfelt communications from readers that told of life changes they experienced as they read my newest book, Justice for Jessie. I was overwhelmed by their expressions of gratitude. Just those few encouraging words were enough to reignite my enthusiasm for writing and give me the boost I needed while tackling a particularly difficult chapter in my current work.

I am humbled.

Both in our personal and professional lives, we all need to be told that we matter. That we’ve made a difference in our little part of the world. That what we’ve said—or done—is appreciated.

So, I thank you for the kind words, a short notes, and encouraging reviews. I truly appreciate each one.

And I appreciate YOU.