Tag: Authors

Branding Like a Boss

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This month, my writing group has taken an interest in developing their author websites and all I could think of while they were discussing this topic was… “Please don’t look at mine as an example.”

Why?

Because I’m one of those authors that still hasn’t decided on how to brand myself. You look at my landing page on my website and you will have no clue as to what I write. This is because I’m prone to genre-hopping. This allows me to write anything I want, whenever I want. I like to be in control. I don’t want to be known for only one thing. Yesterday, I worked on Literary Fiction and today I worked on a Suspense-Thriller novel. Who knows what I’ll work on tomorrow?

What’s wrong with that? Read more

Selfish Mom Rubs Elbows With the Masters

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Happy Mother’s Day to all the women who are moms, who want to be moms and who refuse to be moms. Yesterday was a day for love, as we all have or had an amazing woman as a mother, and we all should’ve celebrated with cake, while we remembered the love they shared with us.

This year for Mother’s Day, I was a selfish mom.

I bought myself a present. One I didn’t want to share with anyone, but me:

Alone time, away from the family to do this… Read more

Grey-Bruce Story Collection Hits Shelves Soon

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Ascribe Writers - Photo by Taylor Rebecca Photography
Ascribe Writers – Photo by Taylor Rebecca Photography

 

The Ascribe Writers are pleased to announce the publication of their first collection of writing by our members entitled Beneath the Surface: A Collection of Grey-Bruce Stories.

Anthology - Front CoverWithin the pages of this anthology, you will find short stories with subject matters that will appeal to almost everyone: history, romance, fantasy, science fiction, animals, relationships, parenthood, holiday celebrations, antique cars, aging, murder, gardening, werewolves, dragons, health, religion and more.

This book features 14 stories from nine local contributors; all stories varying in different writing styles, genres and topics, as well as several time periods (historical, contemporary and futuristic). In addition to the short stories, the collection includes a foreward by Andrew Armitage, a local author, historian and former librarian who believes in preserving stories about the Grey-Bruce area that would be lost to us, if we didn’t write them down and share with others.

Here is a sneak peek at what is inside this new collection of stories: Read more

Writers Can Make A Difference

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2015 Muskoka Novel Marathoners at Nuit Blanche in Huntsville - Photo credit: BL Storrie
2015 Muskoka Novel Marathoners at Nuit Blanche in Huntsville – Photo credit: BL Storrie

I AM A WRITER! Or so I tell myself, almost every day.

That doesn’t sound like a problem, but it is. My dilemma is I don’t always write every day. Sometimes, I can go a week or two, without writing a single word of any real relevance to my current work-in-progress. Instead, I’m using my spare time to help other writers in a very unique way, by making decisions, by composing emails of encouragement, by pumping up the writers and getting them excited. You see, I volunteer as the Muskoka Novel Marathon Writer Liaison, and if that’s not enough, I also do all their social media postings and tweets, plus take care of their website for the whole year. I encourage the 40 participating writers to fundraise for the YMCA Literacy Programs, because I believe strongly that everyone should be able to experience the Magical World of Reading. This year, we raised over $29,000 for these programs that help people who are struggling with basic reading, writing, math and computer skills. This makes me feel pretty good. That’s over $6000 more than last year’s amount. I’m definitely smiling.

This past weekend, we finally experienced the moment, where all 40 writers gathered to spend 72-hours straight in one room… TOGETHER! Seriously, it is one of the best writing weekends of the year for me. It is an experience like no other adventure that I’ve ever taken part in. 40 people that range from quiet and non-social, to wacked out crazy people, who will light their hair on fire, just to get a few laughs (see picture above). Besides writing, we hug, we cry, we laugh, we walk barefoot, we sing, we dance, we scream, we whisper… and most of all, we have fun together. What’s not to love?

Read more

10 Reasons to Attend a Writers’ Conference

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Master Class with Wayson Choy ~ OWC 2014 (Photo by Lori Twining)

A Writers’ Conference is a place where writers gather together to celebrate the craft of writing. Writers are inspired, educated and are able to connect with other writers of all levels (beginners to advanced). A conference provides writers with the opportunity to network with other professionals: writers, authors, editors, agents and publishers. It also encourages writers to write, to publish, to promote and sell their own work.

New writers fear attending a writers’ conference.

“I’m not a real writer. Conferences are for real writers, they’re not for me.”

Published writers avoid writers’ conferences.

“I’ve been published already. I could teach every one of those workshops listed on the schedule. I don’t need to go to a conference.”

I disagree. Writers’ Conferences are for ALL writers. There is something beneficial about attending a conference at least once a year. I was lucky enough to attend two writers’ conferences this past year, and one was a newbie conference, so it had it’s issues, but overall, there was something awesome for me at both of them. Read more