WORD PLAY PODCAST - WEEKLY TOP TEN - 12/08 - 12/14

These are the most-listened-to episodes of the week. Did your favorite make the list?

1)   Angela Ford
2)   Heidi Luerra
3)   Bullet Books Speed Reads Part One
4)   Bullet Books Speed Reads Part Two
5)   Grace Augustine
6)   Jenna Greene
7)   Miranda Oh
8)   Kathrin Hutson
9)   Leanna Sain
10) Scarlett Braden

*stats compiled from Podbean - these do not include numbers from ArtistFirst Radio Network

Why I love Anthologies ~ by Terri A. Wilson

When I was in school, I HATED group work. There was always the wasted time trying to agree on what to do, and then no matter what, there was always that one person who never did the assignment. And on the flip side, there was always that one person who wanted to do everything. In my professional life, it was the same only instead of groups we called them committees. As a teacher, I spent almost as much time doing committee work as I did teaching!

So why do I enjoy anthologies? I have worked on some that turn out the way they should have, and some have been awesome. WE KNOW THE TRUTH, DO YOU? was one of those anthologies that worked out fabulously. It came together in about six weeks.

Twenty-five authors came together to answer the question, “what’s inside Area 51?” No two stories are alike, and they cover many genres, so it’s not just aliens. We donated ALL proceeds to the Gary Sinise Foundation (I can say that now, though I need to let you know the foundation did not sponsor this and had nothing to do with it.) I made the first donation today. That felt good.

Here are the good things that came out of that project that you may not know:

1. Several of the authors were retired military and/or had family in the military.

2. Several of these authors had never worked together before.

3. Most of us panicked because we had no idea what to write about.

4. Our book hit #1 in several categories, including New Release, and stayed in the top 100 for almost a month.

5. Annie Walls of Oddly Inked Book Covers donated the cover.

6. This was Lori Joseph’s first published piece.

7. Several authors from this group will be at Space Coast Book Lovers this coming June.

Thank you to everyone who bought a copy of this book, read it through KU, and/or shared about it.

 


I have another anthology coming out for Christmas - YOU ARE MY GIFT.  And while you're on Amazon, please check out BAD, BOLD, AND BEAUTIFUL

If you are a newer author, anthologies can be a great way to gather new fans and network with other authors who will likely become great friends and resources. When I first started writing, I searched Facebook for anthology groups that centered on Anthos. I will tell you I have paid to be a part of an anthology, and that isn’t uncommon. The costs go for covers, editing, and marketing. However, none of the anthologies I paid for have made enough to pay back the entry fee. Be wary of paying anyone as I can also tell you, I’ve lost money. Not a lot, but I enough to be careful in the future.

Once you join an anthology, the most important thing you can do is turn in an edited story by the deadline. Deadlines are important and yes, I know sometimes stuff comes up. But don’t be that author. If you commit to something, do it, plain and simple. The next important part is marketing. Most anthologies do not have a huge marketing budget and rely on the authors to promote, promote, promote. Make sure you pull your weight. The power of group marketing is what helps most authors make USA Today Bestseller. It’s that important.

Don’t dismiss anthologies as a reader or an author. Enjoy the process and the product. You might be pleasantly surprised.


Listen to Terri A. Wilson's podcast episode here.

Episode 120 - Guest Angela Ford

Angela Ford - author of the Healing Hearts Ranch series, the Cyber Crimes series, and the Sunset Beach series.
 
Website

Episode 119 - Guest Heidi Luerra

Heidi Luerra - author of The Work of Art: A No-Nonsense Field Guide for Creative Entrepreneurs
 
Website

WORD PLAY PODCAST - WEEKLY TOP TEN - 12/01 - 12/07

These are the most-listened-to episodes of the week. Did your favorite make the list?

1)   Bullet Books Speed Reads Part Two 
2)   Bullet Books Speed Reads Part One
3)   Jacquolyn McMurray
4)   BB eBooks
5)   Mandy Tremelling
6)   Lisa Kessler
7)   Rich Amooi
8)   Mina Beckett
9)   Anna Hague
10) Dawn Hosmer

*stats compiled from Podbean - these do not include numbers from ArtistFirst Radio Network

It’s Research. I swear! ~ by KR Brorman

 
Sylvia Plath said, “Everything is writable about.” There’s more touchy-feely inspirational mumbo jumbo in the full quote. However, as we are saturated, especially in America, with the “Holiday Season,” there is no lack of writeable material.


 

Store clerks who like to share EVERYTHING.
That relative who brings a new significant other they met on Tinder.
Cousin Eddy rolling up in his tenement on wheels, “sh***er’s full.”
The drunk HR director copping a feel over the cocktail weenies.

From Thanksgiving through Christmas and New Year’s, we average what, a dozen or more events with family, friends, work, church, civic or professional organizations? Do you live in a small Texas panhandle town? I do. Congratulations! You can probably add in three basketball tournaments and possibly football playoffs. Actually, I’ve done my time in high school sports mom purgatory and get to enjoy it from the warmth and safety of social media cheap seats sipping white wine spritzers and watching Hallmark Christmas movies on the 24/7 cycle. Don’t judge, it’s all research!

Back to the gatherings. “They,” the marketing and media savvy gurus, warn us to steer clear of the third rails of politics and religion. The same advice is often given for family gatherings. We may be able to avoid one, but let’s face it, there are a HUGE elephant and donkey in the room, and they have both tracked crap all over the proverbial carpets. And for some families, it’s a study in primal human behavior. For others, it’s an exercise in tolerance and acceptance. Which do you think makes for better stories?

“How was Thanksgiving?”

“Oh, you know, my raging atheist Aunt Marge and my Evangelical street preacher cousin Jim sat and cheered on the Dallas Cowboys. Nothing brings people together like football.” Zzzzzzzzzzzz


“But Kristine,” you say. “What about the fun stuff?” Comedian Jeff Foxworthy has a bit about traveling to see relatives just for the comedy fodder. It’s all fuel. My great-granny Picket would have pumpkin pie with “the pink stuff” and a slice of ham chaser for dessert to “cut the sweet.” Marathon games of Phase 10, Uno, Domino Trash Train, and my all-time favorite moment…my husband holding the most offensive Cards Against Humanity card for my dad to read. Read and laugh until I thought he was going to pass out. All research!

Does your GPS operate in adventure mode? Mine does. I swear I’ve been through every seedy neighborhood, side street, or back alley to get to an airport, especially if there was an easier direct highway route. True story. While traveling through Ireland and Scotland with my besties, who also happen to be my creative sounding board, graphics department, proofreader, and development team, the sat nav was neck deep into adventure mode. So much so, we began referring to it as “Barry, the travel agent.” On the surface, this is not wet your pants hilarity. After 2 weeks, a few hundred miles, and countless sleep-deprived hours and multiple, I say multiple, “not today death” experiences on single-lane UK roads, and when the National Weather Service goes and names the first hurricane to threaten a US coast “Barry” …you can see how the name must weave its way into our collective lingo and new romance series – hint hint wink wink. Everything is research.

In his book, Anatomy of a Premise Line, Jeff Lyons writes, “The function of storytelling to teach ourselves about what it means to be human.” As we don our ugly sweaters and gorge on pudding and roast beast, if we happen to get lost over the river or through the woods, remember these aren’t obligations to family, employers, or community. They are connections. They are humanity. They are us in all our unvarnished glory. These are the writeables.

And if anybody asks why you’re doing (insert silly thing here), you can say, “It’s research. I swear!”


KR Brorman’s Award-winning debut novel Eden’s Fall and sequel Winter’s Thaw, co-author CC Cedras, with SA Young, are available at your favorite bookseller.

She lives on a farm in the Texas Panhandle with her husband. She currently serves on the Texas High Plains Writers Board of Directors. KR’s first independently written novel, a contemporary Texas romantic suspense, is slated for 2020.

Connect on:

@TheBlondeKB - Twitter

TheBlonde Kristine - Facebook

TheBlonde Kristine – Instagram

 


Listen to KR Brorman's podcast episode here.

Episode 118 - Guest Bullet Books Speed Reads - Part Two

Manning Wolfe, Bill Rodgers, Kay Kendall, Jay Brandon, and V.P. Chandler

Bullet Books Speed Reads

Episode 117 - Guest Bullet Books Speed Reads - Part One

Manning Wolfe and Bill Rodgers

Bullet Books Speed Reads