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Wednesday, May 3, 2017

#IWSG - Good News


It's the 1st Wednesday. Happy Insecure Writers Support Group Day. IWSG is the brainchild Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh.

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

Thanks, Alex, for starting this group and keeping it going. And thanks to this month's awesome hosts:   Nancy Gideon, Tamara Narayan, Liesbet @ Roaming About, Michelle Wallace, and Feather Stone!

Before I get to my own good news, IWSG had some, too. Be sure to check out the new anthology Hero Lost: Mysteries of Death and Life


Congratulations to the authors: Jen Chandler, L. Nahay, Renee Cheung, Roland Yeomans, Elizabeth Seckman, Olga Godim, Yvonne Ventresca, Ellen Jacobson, Sean McLachlan, Erika Beebe, Tyrean Martinson, and Sarah Foster.

My Good News

Last month, I announced I'd finished my work-in-progress. My news this month is that my novel has been published. The Case of the Meddling Mama took so long, in comparison to how I usually write. It was a source of frustration, mainly because I couldn't understand why I dogged around on it. Once I buckled down (so to speak) and pushed myself, I finished it and got it off to my wonderful free-lance editor. She found little that needed changing. Whew! Quite a few typos and some grammar stuff. I love that kind of editing. How many of you remember the ad that stated "We serve no wine before its time." (I might not have gotten that correct, but I'm guessing you might know it.)  Perhaps, this was the right time for that story.

In other news, we are home from Arizona. Again. Loved being able to celebrate our granddaughter's 2nd birthday. Her parents are bringing her up right. They read to her at night. And during the day. In fact, whenever she'll sit still. Needless to say, her grandmother read to her often, too. 

The optional question this month: What is the weirdest/coolest thing you ever had to research for your story?

That is a great question. For The Case of the Meddling Mama I researched drugs, both legal (prescription) drugs and the illegal ones. One of the characters (a teen) was convinced his buddy was using drugs. I needed to know what kinds of drugs high school kids would take and the dangers they faced. Without being preachy (I hope), I let my readers know some of the ways kids get drugs. Working in a serious topic when my mysteries are light and humorous was a challenge. I hope I did justice to it.

I learned quite a bit about drugs, but what really freaked me out were the pop-up messages. Most had advice about conquering drug addiction and where help was available. Was Big Brother watching me? 


Blurb
Go on an adventure with PI Alex O'Hara as she solves another case. Nick's mother has moved in with Alex, putting a crimp in Nick and Alex's romance. What's a girl to do? At least her new case is an easy one.





Click here to find others on the Insecure Writers Support Group Blog Hop. Or go to IWSG on Facebook to see who’s blogging today. 


49 comments:

  1. Loved this since I was the insecure writer this morning. Hope you had a blast on your trip!

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    1. I did. Hanging out with a 2-yr old is my idea of fun. LOL

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  2. I feel that all the time with my research--especially while researching stuff about psychopaths, body melting, and knock out injections. Hey, there's some serious spy stuff going on over here. ;)

    Two!! What a precious age. I'm so glad you were able to get away.

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    1. Thanks, Crystal. I thought drugs was difficult. Not sure I could research psychopaths. Good spy stuff, though.

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  3. Glad you had a great time with your family, Diane. And congrats on finishing your manuscript. You must have been thrilled with the edits. Keep us in the loop of your progress. Sounds like a great read. Take care.

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    1. Thanks, Nicola. Every new release brings joy along the journey. Thanks for your encouragement.

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  4. Congratulations on the book! Glad you had a nice time with your granddaughter. :)

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    1. Thanks, Madeline. I wish I'd enjoyed my own kids at that age as much as I enjoy the grandkids.

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  5. Congrats on the book! And we all have scary things in our browser histories, how to score drugs is pretty tame in the grand scheme of things. :-P

    IWSG May

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  6. Congratulations on getting your book published. Now take a deep breath before you start on the marketing.
    All the best.
    Shalom aleichem,
    Pat G

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    1. A deep breath? What's that??? Thanks, Pat. I know I should just enjoy the fact that the book is out there.

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  7. Congrats on the new book release! Wishing you many sales.

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  8. Congratulations! I've had the same issue with my current Klondike PA mystery book...argh!!

    DB McNicol, author & traveler

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    1. Thanks, Donna. Good luck with your mystery. I often felt like tearing out my hair, but in the end it was worth it.

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  9. Congratulations on the novel. I wish you all the success in the world.

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  10. Congrats! I'm happy to hear you got your book finished and published. Hope it does well. And yay for a trip to Arizona. My in-laws live out there.

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    1. Thanks, Meka. Arizona is sure different from Michigan. I loved the warmth, easy on the joints.

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  11. Can't wait to read the new one!! It's hard leaving those little ones behind, isn't it?

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    1. Oh, it is hard, Nancy--as you well know. They grow up so fast. I think our grandson grew three inches during the month we were gone.

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  12. Congrats on the new book! I just ordered it, but I should have asked first: is it a standalone, or will I be completely lost without having read the first two books?

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    1. Thanks so much, Susan. You can read it alone. I work hard at not info-dumping yet leaving in enough so the reader isn't lost. I hope you enjoy Meddling Mama.

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  13. Congratulations on the new book. Exciting news.

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  14. My grandson just turned 3 yesterday!! They are the best!!

    Congratulations on getting you new book published. The research sounds interesting.

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    1. Thanks, Cathrina. What a great age. I loved the language development. Rolling over, crawling, and walking were great First that we got to witness. But listening to her chat is awesome.

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  15. Congratulations on your latest book, Diane. Wishing you success with it. I often think Big Brother is watching me on the internet. Sometimes I work some odd subject into an email I'm writing, just to see what ads Google hits me with related to the topic. Facebook too. Reading to children is critical! I'm glad to hear that your granddaughter's parents and you are reading to her. You can never start too young! Take care!

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    1. Thank you so much. I'm always amazed at the ads I get after visiting certain sites. Scary. I love reading and esp. reading to the kids.The older grandkids don't want me to read to them anymore because "I can read faster than you." That puts me in my place. LOL

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  16. Good for you, Diane, slipping in some non-preachy, warning stuff. :-) Congrats on the release :-)

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    1. Thanks, Teresa. It's a warning to me, too, that I need to keep my meds away from inquisitive grandchildren.

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  17. Well done for "smashing it" and getting the piece finished and sent off! Good luck with the release.
    Claire

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    1. Thanks, Claire. Love your name, btw. I wanted to name our first girl Clare, but Hubs refused. He knew a boy named Clare. Go figure.

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  18. Congrats on being so productive! Only a few changes in regards to spelling and grammar?? What a dream job for an editor. :-) Well done, I'd say. Funny how it goes, that you are sweating and struggling with the creation of a work and that the next stage goes so smoothly...

    How wonderful that your granddaughter is surrounded by books, and by readers! Liesbet @ Roaming About – A Life Less Ordinary

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    1. Thanks, Liesbet. I guess all that sweating and struggling paid off. All of my grandchildren will grow up to be avid readers if we set a great example, as well as read to them.

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  19. Congrats on your new story! And thanks for the anthology mention. :)

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  20. Congratulations!
    And now the Internet thinks you have a drug addiction.
    Big congratulations to the Hero Lost authors.

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  21. Welcome back after your travels and congratulations on your new book!
    Discarded Darlings - Jean Davis, Speculative Fiction Writer

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  22. Congrats on publishing The Case of the Meddling Mama! That is fantastic news, Diane!

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  23. Big Brother is always watching. Whenever I Google something, if it relates to a sellable product, that product will show up on my computer right away in the sidebars. It's kind of creepy. My advice? Google something pretty like flowers or the Biltmore House. Then, at least, you'll enjoy the images Big Brother sends your way.

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