IWSG FEBRUARY 2017 A Reading Smorgasbord
Happy IWSG Day Everyone!
#IWSG Twitter Hashtag
Insecure Writer’s Support Group
FOUNDED BY
Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh
Join the community here.
Your co-host this month are:
NOTE: It seems I can comment on some blogs and not others if my way around works, but it is not working with all blogs anymore. The way around is to sign in with something besides WP. This is a WP known issue but it affects other e.g. Blogger and so on. WP has known about for about 2 years according to post to them I have found but they have not found a fix for this that I could find. They also stated as much in their last post I found.
If it will allow me to comment I will but don’t think I am ignoring you. I will visit anyway and try. I normally hit around 100 or more blogs during the week of IWSG and over 50 on the day.
Hero Lost
Mysteries of Death and Life
An Insecure Writer’s Support Group
Anthology Can a lost hero find redemption?
What if Death himself wanted to die? Can deliverance be found on a bloody battlefield? Could the gift of silvering become a prison for those who possessed it? Will an ancient warrior be forever the caretaker of a house of mystery?
Delving into the depths of the tortured hero, twelve authors explore the realms of fantasy in this enthralling and thought-provoking collection. Featuring the talents of 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.
Hand-picked by a panel of agents and authors, these twelve tales will take you into the heart of heroes who have fallen from grace. Join the journey and discover a hero’s redemption!
Winners of the IWSG Anthology Announced Today!
Release date: May 2, 2017
Fantasy (FIC009000) Freedom Fox Press
Print ISBN 9781939844361 eBook ISBN 9781939844378
Let’s give a cheer and welcome to a new IWSG Admin Heather Gardner
CONGRATULATIONS HEATHER!
IWSG FEBRUARY QUESTION:
How has being a writer changed your experience as a reader?
Well, in trying to write a book or just story I’ve learned that hours, days, months, maybe years, of work go into the writing to produce one quality book and does not necessarily include the labor, little extras, required to publish it.
I think being a writer has made me an oxymoron as a reader. I am quicker to spot typo’s and mistakes, be more critical of story quality as well as structure, yet I am also more tolerant of these same things because I know its work to get it right and takes lots of practice doing it, and other’s faux pas teach me.
There is a talent to breaking down a story, spotting story elements, categorizing them while understanding the role they play in the story, why they work or don’t, why you need them and how to use them for best impact.
Being a writer has given me so much more respect for writers in general and awe in a well-written story. That makes me a very appreciative reader. I am addicted to reading, so when I find that story that grabs and wows, I devour everything the author has to offer. I’ve always done this even as a kid.
~Juneta 😉
STORY STRUCTURE DATABASE created by K. M. WEILAND excellent learning tool for authors.
BETTER NOVEL WRITING PROJECT DECONSTRUCTING NOVELS ONE DOODLE AT A TIME
CURRENTLY READING
You can read my review of Forbidden by F. Featherstone during Mystery Thriller Week on February 14, 2017. F. Featherstone is part of our IWSG community and will have a guest post in my Author Spotlight to go along with my review.
You can read my review of Mythos Christos Edwin Herbert debut novel during Mystery Thriller Week on February 20, 2017.
February’s Author Spotlight is on Renee Scattergood & Chrys Fry.
Renee Scattergood
Shadow Stalker 4 Book Series (Episodes 1-18 in 3 parts) + Prequel
Shadow Stalker Series – A people who walk between worlds in shadows. A girl destined to enslave a people she has never known whose destiny has been kept from her. Can she help her people without succumbing to the prophecy?
Join the adventure. Discover a new world and people’s.
Prequel: Demon Hunt, Download Part I (1-6) FREE, Shadow Stalker Part 2 (7-12), Shadow Stalker Part 3 (13-18)
Chrys Fey Disaster Crimes Series
Launch Celebration Blogfest: “I Survived” Jan 20th Hosted by Chrys Fey – 19 different stories of survival for you to read just follow the links.
Tsunami Crimes: (Book Three Disaster Crimes)
Beth and Donovan have come a long way from Hurricane Sabrina and the San Francisco earthquake. Now they are approaching their wedding day and anxiously waiting to promise each other a lifetime of love. The journey down the aisle isn’t smooth, though, as they receive threats from the followers of the notorious criminal, Jackson Storm. They think they’ll be safe in Hawaii, but distance can’t stop these killers. Not even a tsunami can.
This monstrous wave is the most devastating disaster Beth has ever faced. It leaves her beaten, frightened. Is she a widow on her honeymoon? As she struggles to hold herself together and find Donovan, she’s kidnapped by Jackson’s men.
Fearing her dead, Donovan searches the rubble and shelters with no luck. The thought of her being swept out to sea is almost too much for him to bear, but the reality is much worse. She’s being used as bait to get him to fall into a deadly trap.
If they live through this disaster, they may never be the same again.
WANT TO BE PART OF MY AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT? Click Here?
IT IS THAT TIME AGAIN,
STORYTIME BLOG HOP JANUARY 25TH, 2017! COME READ.
Founded 2015 by students of “How To Think Sideways: Career Survival School for Writer’s,” created by writer and teacher Holly Lisle.
The next Storytime Blog Hop is APRIL 26TH, 2017. START WRITING NOW & JOIN US!
Same Rules & Guidelines
Hostess & Timezone Converter link date TBA closer to the event.
Mystery Thriller Week 2017 Join, Read or Both! Watch The Event Trailer
I have the same problem with commenting on other blogs. I’m able to comment about 85% of the time. Thanks for co-hosting this month! Eva
I completely get this. You know how much goes into writing so you can pick apart a piece as well as realize how much went into it to create it.
For years I had a Blogspot blog. Since my Google profile still lives, that’s what I use for Blogger replies. You’d think WordPress and Blogger could learn to play nice together.
Reading a great story or book is not only satisfying, it’s inspirational. It makes me want to do better.
Good luck, Juneta, with your search for a solution. Sometimes I wonder if there’s a gremlin in cyberspace that takes great joy in making our days as frustrating as possible. 🙂
I’m a little late to the party, but yes! Thank you for hosting. AGAIN. (and again and again…) I pull things apart, and notice the errors, too… and I wind up completely dedicated to my favorite authors. It’s amazing the number of books I can speed through, if I’m crazy about the writing and the story!
More respect as a reader and writer – that does sum it up.
Thanks for mentioning the IWSG anthology. We’re very excited about it.
I’m sure WP know of a solution but choose not to fix it for exclusivity reasons.
And yes, I’ve found a new respect for authors too as a writer/reader too.
I’m sorry you are having a problem commenting. Visiting 100 blogs for IWSG or even 50 on the day of is a lot!! I do my best to visit 10. 🙂 (Of course, I’m not a host. So there’s that.)
I know what you mean about wanting to read everything an author has written after reading one great book by an author. I definitely enjoy doing that as well. As a kid though, I remember my teachers encouraging me to read a wide variety of books and not just the books found in a particular series or in a particular genre. Oddly enough, I now tend to enjoy nonfiction more than fiction which might be why I’m not so great at picking up on writing techniques/styles. I might be too consumed with facts. *shrugs*
Hopefully WP will get their issues sorted out soon. Two years is far too long for a problem like that to be in existence. They really should have figured it out by now, I think. 🙁
Thanks for co hosting the IWSG bloghop. Hope you can sort out your blog comment problems soon.
I enjoy reading KM Weiland’s story structure posts – they always help me to get through that tricky part in the novel.
Yeah, once I’ve read one novel of an author and loved it, I usually read the rest too 🙂
As for the commenting thing: I have my Google+ ID, my WordPress one that works with Gravatar and a Disqus ID. Some sites don’t really tell you which one you should use, but somehow Chrome figures it out for me 🙂 And if all else fails, I fill in the form at the end of the comment section. Good luck with getting your comments out there.
Thanks for co-hosting, Juneta! I appreciate you understanding of what it takes to write a book.
Finding the balance between critical and tolerant is considerate…after all, writing is hard…and writers put their hearts and souls into their stories.
Good luck with the gremlins!
Thanks for co-hosting the IWSG this month.
And you are also one of the kindest writers I know. 🙂
Anna from elements of emaginette
Good to know about the commenting issue. I feel the same way about reading as a writer. I also find that it takes me much longer to read nowadays, because I often circle passages a couple times if there’s a technique I like.
Thanks so much for featuring me this month! 😀 I haven’t run into the commenting issue yet. Hopefully I don’t… it doesn’t seem they’re too interested in fixing the problem. 🙁
Get those gremlins! Thanks for cohosting this month.
Thanks for co-hosting this month’s IWSG, Juneta. Dang! If technology isn’t persnickety. At least it is for me. My laptop still hates me! All the best to you!
My being a writer has made be a bit of a snob when it comes to reading other works. It’s one reason I developed a new grading scale when I write a review, that helps me give a more fair review that is not biased against my own enjoyment of it quite so much. I try, like you, to be tolerant of mistakes, as I hope people are with my work. A good editor is expensive, especially with the number of times we need them, and I keep that in mind as I read them.
I do make a firm rule that if I give something 3-stars, I email the author to let them know why I want to give it 2-stars or 1-star, and offer improvements (if they wish to hear it). However, I won’t give something less than 3 stars, and if the quality is below that, I don’t post at all.
Thank you for co-hosting! I guess being a writing reader is a double-edged sword. I appreciate all the work that goes into creating a book, but, just like you, I spot typos and they annoy me. I also try to learn from the books I read and am a picky reader, because of lack of time, but also, because I want books to be meaningful and inspiring. While I used to read for enjoyment, now it is more to learn about writing, plot, dialogue, structure, …
Liesbet @ Roaming About – A Life Less Ordinary
WP doesn’t allow me to comment on Blogger either. I have to use my Blogger account (Google account) for that. It’s been going on for several years, and I don’t think anyone is trying to fix it. Google is pretty jealous for its social media. I think it is their fault. They don’t want to allow anyone to mess with their ‘babies,’ of which Blogger is one.
If I spot too many problems in a story, I now tend to put it aside. These days I read to learn about the craft of writing, so there’s no point in learning any bad habits. Thanks for co-hosting this month’s IWSG!
Like you, I’m now far more appreciative of a well written story – especially the ones which are deceptively quick and easy to read.
That’s no fun about blogs eating your comments. Mine is the type where you enter in details and post, rather than using a login, so hopefully it doesn’t fight you on your comment.
I know what you mean about being more critical and lenient with reading. That seems to be what happens to most writers. 🙂
Thanks for co-hosting, Juneta! Sorry about the commenting issue. I couldn’t use the “reply” function on my own blog last week. Who knows what evil lurks in the heart of Blogger and WP?
Thanks for co-hosting, Juneta! I have the same problem with commenting on some of the blogs. Very frustrating! My only down side to being a writer is not having the time to be the reader I once was.
Thanks for co-hosting this month. Hope things come around for your commenting. That’s gotta be frustrating.
I think it would be difficult not to have writing change a reading experience. It’s like learning how to do something, doing something on your own, and then teaching someone else to do something. Each of those is a different experience effected by the others.
Cool author spotlights.
I’m the same in terms of being more forgiving. If there are forgivable typos, or if there’s a lose end that doesn’t get tied up I can let it go. I’m way more forgiving as a writer, especially when it comes to mysteries.
Great post. Thank you for co-hosting!
Best,
Adrienne
When you write, you have more of an appreciation for the process and can definitely sympathize with other writers.
I’m more appreciative, but also more critical. I’m also less patient, which is something I don’t like about myself. I used to be able to press on, but now if it’s too slow, to erroneous, not tightly edited, I struggle to finish it now.
Thanks for co-hosting. I do hope you don’t have too much commenting on my blog – it’s WordPress / Genesis framework?
I started having issues with WP about six months ago (commenting). They must have changed something. *shrugs* Anyhoo, see, I used to get caught up in line edit type issues in a book, but now I watch the big picture. For me, it’s especially the character arcs.
You really have a lot of news here. I hate those problems with blogger. WordPress seems to have even more.
Great post, Juneta. Congrats to the authors you mention on their new books. Always exciting. I agree about falling into reviewing when I should be reading. I struggle against that especially when I’m rating new author books.
I too have learned to be more accepting of “mistakes” while I read because I know how long it takes to write a story or book. Here’s hoping the Monster Blog will be vanquished soon.
It def helps to put yourself in the writer’s shoes. Maybe they are a newbie or their editor wasn’t up to par. Thanks for co-hosting today!
Love the idea of being both more critical AND more tolerant. And I am so with you on being more appreciative of the work and the skill and the talent that goes into a great story and book.
Sorry the commenting problem is still with you. What a rotten time for that! Whenever I spot a typo in a traditionally published work, I feel vindicated, as in, “HA! You’re not perfect either!” When I see a bunch of typos in a self-published book, I worry about the quality of the work and sympathize at the same time. I’m still finding typos in my self-published work. I guess it’s a sign that hiring a copy writer is a necessity.
Thanks for co-hosting today, Juneta! And thanks for an enjoyable post. Sometimes I walk into a large bookstore, like Munroe’s Books in Victoria, B.C., look around, and imagine all the writing labor that went into producing the many stacks of books. I’m more forgiving of authors in many ways than I used to be. Have a great day!
That’s a great way to look at it, appreciating the hard work other writers put in. Happy IWSG day!
I love great writers even more now that I see what they did–and envy at times! Suggestion for your comment troubles–it’s usually a browser cookie setting. You may need to unblock some of them. I had that problem too until I figured that out. Just a thought. Thanks for hosting!
Thank you for co-hosting and giving us plenty of awesome reads!!!
Yes, I’m more appreciative of good writers too. Though I am a more critical reader. I hope that monster blog comment eater gets lanced soon! Thank you for co-hosting today. 🙂
I hear you on being more appreciative of other writers. It’s the same with me, but at the same time, I’ve had to learn how to keep reading despite glaring issues, because now EVERYTHING glares when I spot them.
It does make us more appreciative of the effort involved in writing.
Sorry you are having comment issues. Just do the best you can.
Thanks for co-hosting today!
You’ve given me some excellent reading options, Juneta. Thanks. And thanks for co-hosting.
I agree. Reading a well written book gives me so much respect for the writer who wrote it because I know it is hard work to put out a book with quality.
Thank you so much for co-hosting this month.
Shalom aleichem,
Pat
Thanks so much for co-hosting! I have problems commenting on some people’s blogs as well which can be frustrating and I hate that people might think I didn’t bother, when I just wasn’t able to. Writing has definitely made me a much more appreciative reader too.
Spotting story elements! Ah, there is so much to learn. I’m just beginning to recognize pacing, witty dialog, and unique characters. So darn much to learn. Although, I continue to remind myself: write. Put the rules aside and write! Thank you for hosting and I hope you are able to overcome the comment challenge.
Hey Juneta,
Well done for hosting AGAIN!!
Hope your comments problem sorts itself out soon, these things can be soooo aggravating.
Big hugs 🙂
A x
Lol; word press and blogger are not always compatible. That’s why you also sign up for venues such as quora and disquos for commenting. If this shows, it shows. See ya’ around Juneta 🙂
I’ve done what Donna has referred to actually, and maybe that’s why I’ve never had a problem with commenting.