The latest book, it’s a prequel to her “Packard Falls” life for Eden Tywyn. Available on Amazon now!

Of course, any time is perfect for writing, but in November there is an incentive – National Novel Writing Month, where the goal is to write a 50,000 word book throughout the month.

Thinking of getting that book out? Here’s some tips:

• Now, that may seem daunting, but that works out to less than 1,700 words a day. At 30 words a minute of typing (I won’t say who types that slow – but it’s me) that’s less than an hour of typing each day.
• It’s important to remember that a draft is just that – a draft. Too many people aim for perfection in their first story. Get the words down, and you can edit later.
• Don’t break the flow! One of the best techniques I ever learned was placeholders – when something bogs me down in my text, I put a note there like ***add link to website*** and keep on writing – then I can go back, search on “***” and fill in all the research. It keeps the flow of my writing going – well worth a try!
• Think positive. See the finished book in your mind’s eye. Gwen from time to time will remark how great it is to look at her finished books and realize “I did those.” You will too, but it will take a bit of slogging to get there. So focus on that positive future.
• November can be extra helpful, since joining the NNWM site (it’s free) means you can benefit from others on the forum, a countdown to the end of the month to “encourage” you, and even a certificate you can print out at the end when you complete your goals.
• Something I just found out this year: You don’t have to write a 50,000 word book as part of the contest. It can be part of a bigger book. Since typical books are around 100,000, this means I can write part of my great Canadian novel, and still feel I succeeded. Yes!
• Write. There is so much you will uncover, but only if you get into the trenches and write. Planning, waiting, talking – they can matter, but things change once you’ve started writing. There’s a famous quote, “No battle plan survives the battle.” Likewise, no plan for writing will survive actually writing. You will learn new techniques, figure out the best way for you to write, and so much more – but only if you actually write.

So give it a try. Make November the month you get your first novel written!

Shameless promo here: While Gwen works on the next two books in her series, I’ve been updating one of mine (I do non-fiction). It’s a beginner’s guide to WordPress blogs, using them to create a website. Called “How To Promote YOU With A WordPress Blog!” it’s finally updated for 2018/19, and available on Amazon (see links below).

Years ago, I created websites from scratch. Not fun. And changes were, well, annoying. Then along came WordPress and I could make a site that was easily changeable and updatable. Soon every site I made was a WordPress blog. Of course, the software is flexible enough that you don’t have to make a blog out of it. I’ve made sales pages, company websites, and (as you may have guessed) author websites, like this one.

And over the years, a lot of things occur over and over, Tricks of the Trade, if you will. So I collected them together, and wrote a book (well in this case, added to a book of tips I’ve accumulated over the years). The end result is a guide to all the nooks and crannies of Internet business, from getting a domain name to hosting your site to how to use WordPress to make an easy-to-maintain website.

Especially for Authors, you need a website. And rather than a high maintenance one, consider using something like WordPress, and getting it up and running fast, so you can concentrate on your book. After all, that’s where you should spend your time, right?

Here in Victoria the community is very supportive of the Arts – and for the written word the Public Library stands front and center.

For several years they have been offering exposure for new authors, putting their books on the shelves and focusing on the huge amount of talent we have in the city.

Today was a little “meet and greet” for the local authors who submitted to the 2018 group of Local Authors – besides a chance to be “seen” in the local community, the books will be made available in a dedicated collection for all to check out.

…And yes, Gwen’s second book was there!

You can read more about the emerging authors collection on their site via https://www.gvpl.ca/virtual-branch/emerging-local-authors/

I hope that other cities are doing the same – the support and encouragement from the community is extremely encouraging for a new author…

Plant Lady Mystery #3, “The Plant Lady Grows a Pear” is now live on Kindle!

To quote from the blurb:

“Eden Tywyn just wants a quite life, far from the past and the pain. Packard Falls was supposed to be that life. But her past is coming back at her with a vengeance, and attacking everyone and everything she’s slowly growing to love.

With her back-from-the-dead husband finally behind bars, things should be returning to normal. But the head of the Thorne family tree, Camille, is coming fast for HER head. It looks like the Plant Lady has her job cut out for her – but can she face the coming storm and somehow get the Thorne clan to leave her alone once and for all?

Oh, and there’s a couple of pear trees in there, too…”

Available right now for Amazon Kindle, and soon Createspace in paperback form.

Readers of PLM Book #3 may have wondered about the book Eden gets from Arthur and takes home, entitled “Should I Stay or Should I Go?” by Ramani Durvasula PhD.

It’s a real book. And a really FASCINATING book.

Before I read it, I thought a narcissist was just a vain person. And some are.

But for others the actual diagnosis is much, much darker.

Although the book explains far better than I can, roughly speaking, a pathological Narcissist (which the book deals with) cannot avoid acting like a self-absorbed 8 year old at all times. When things are going well, no problem; they can be charming and pleasant. But when things go bad, there is no adult behavior – only childishness.

The lack of adult behavior also precludes most adult emotions – but all the infantile ones. Impulse control, anger control, possessiveness, vengefulness, vindictiveness, and so on are all present, and at a child’s level. If you’ve encountered someone who acts like a child when things don’t go their way, you may not be dealing with someone who is acting like a child – they may actually be a child emotionally.

But even that is not as bad as it can get. Narcissism is also part of the makeup of many sociopaths, and the true narcissists often have complete contempt for others – their feelings, their lives – even their existence. I like to compare it to the scene in the first “Lord of the Rings” when Frodo puts on the ring and everyone becomes misty and hard to see. I believe Narcissists don’t actually see people as people, just useful tools to manipulate to get what they want. As such, they can be very, very cruel.

The book is mainly about people in relationships with pathological Narcissists, especially romantic ones, and whether to endure or leave (stay or go), but the book applies to everyone – bosses, relatives, coworkers. It’s very well balanced, leaving the decision up to the reader, and providing solutions to people whether they leave or decide to put up with the narcissist.

If you’ve ever wondered why a particular person doesn’t act like an adult, it may be because they cannot – and then this book will open your eyes as it opened mine (and Gwen’s)!