Single Moms are Gods

What a weekend. Started on Friday when I babysat my little 3-month-old granddaughter, Georgie, for a couple hours. She fell into a deep sleep stretched across my chest. I loved watching her slow breathing and occasional twitches as she reacted to dreams. That was the high point of my weekend.

Jessie, my Great Dane puppy, had surgery on Saturday morning, and I was a ball of nerves about it. I'd rather get a root canal than have her go under general anesthesia. While she was in the vet's office, I figured I would keep busy by pricing granite for new kitchen countertops, measuring and pricing new hardwood floors, and cleaning the pool for the start of summer. That's when the wheels came off. My brand new pool pump had stopped working.

Spent all morning scouring pool supply companies for information and prices for the repair. After getting quotes up to $1000 for “probable” pool repairs (based on symptoms I relayed), I decided to see if I could fix it myself (I'm pretty handy with tools.) I found the problem—broken PVC pipe coming from the pool into the pump. I fixed it for 99 cents thanks to one nice/honest pool sales clerk who told me the pipe didn't require a permanent repair, only a special tape designed for this problem. The roll of tape cost just under a buck and worked perfectly.

That done, I went shopping for the granite, wood flooring, and food for the week before picking up Jessie. None of these things by themselves were a big deal (except for Jessie's health), but the stress left me exhausted. Today, I cleaned house, mowed lawns, did the laundry, cooked food for later this week and took Jessie to her obedience school lessons.

All of this leads to one inescapable conclusion:  single mothers are super-women. I ran my butt off for three days and ended up falling asleep on the couch at 6PM with Jessie's head in my lap. I don't know how single moms (or dads) run like this day after day, week after week, for years on end. My hat is off to all of you.

The Role of Luck in Selling Books

I was walking my puppy, Miss Jessie, last week when a neighbor, one whom I had never met, asked to pet her. It was a fun. During the conversation, we talked about our work, and I mentioned writing. Less than a week later, I got a phone call from her (I had given her a business card), and she raved about my book, Maker of Angels. Turns out, she went to Amazon and bought both my western romance stories the day we met. She liked the first one so much, it is her selection for her readers club when it's her turn to host the meeting. Even her best friend in Florida got a call recommending the book.

This morning, during my daily Jessie walk, I stopped by her house with a couple autographed copies she requested. It's amazing how a simple walk with my puppy resulted in multiple books sales, even across the country. I'm trying to figure out how far I need to walk Jessie to sell 100,000 more books!

What is "luck?" It's defined as...“That which happens when preparation meets opportunity.” Let’s face it, I was lucky. Meeting this woman/avid reader was purely happenstance. Having author cards in my pocket was preparation. Was I brilliant or actively marketing? No on both counts. Actually, my close friend and fellow author, Sass Cadeaux, encouraged me to always carry cards and hand them out at every chance. I was more than a little reluctant. It seemed arrogant and pushy. Nevertheless, I took her advice and, since then, have made numerous sales simply from casual meetings.

Thanks for the suggestion, Sass. This new reader received one of my cards, and it looks like a dozen or more sales will ultimately result. Great advice! Now, I’m going to go buy some new tennis shoes, so I can walk longer distances. Let’s see…Sacramento to New York is about 2800 miles. Hey Jessie, get your puppy shoes ready! LOL

Stacey Donaghy--What do Literary agents Do?

Stacey Donaghy, of the Donaghy Literary Group, recently signed me as one of her represented authors. My manuscript, Faces of Hatred, is now on submission, and major publishers have already requested the full story for consideration.

Why is this such a big deal?

Stacey has an amazing track record in getting significant publishing houses to look at her client’s work. Ultimately, my manuscript has to earn a contract offer on its own merit, but, as my literary agent, she is opening doors to make that opportunity possible. I don’t mind admitting I am thrilled, intimidated and hopeful.

What happens if no major publisher wants the story? Did she fail?

Agents are tasked with opening doors. As the ugly gargoyles blocking entrances to the bastions of traditional publishers, they earn a position of trust from editors by submitting exactly what they know acquisition folks are looking for. (Apologies to the many good looking agents for my gargoyle metaphor.) That position of trust results from closely matching aspiring authors to specific needs of editors. If agents waste peoples' time with marginal submissions, they quickly lose influence and doors no longer open.

Stacey Donaghy has earned the respect and trust of editors in many major houses. Her standards are impeccable and her knowledge among the best in the industry. But, there’s more she does to generate sales. She admits she is not trained as an editor, yet she provides critical suggestions to tailor manuscripts to the target acquisition editors. For example, in my manuscript, she found one minor theme that might turn off a lot of editors. I took her suggestion and modified the story accordingly. There’s no doubt about it—the finished product is better for her feedback.

Plus, it feels good to be among notable authors in Stacey's stable of clients.

Now, it’s a waiting game. Please keep your fingers crossed. I can use all the good luck I can get. Stacey has done her magic, and I am thrilled.

Miss Jessie, Life-changing Great Dane

A lot has happened during my absence in the past few months. Let me first apologize for my blog going inactive. During that time, my marriage of forty-one years ended. My business went into a crisis caused by National Healthcare demands. I slipped into a deep depression, one compounded by poor health. My former business partner had died unexpectedly, and I had to scramble to assist some of his clients. For me, it was a time of stress, chaos, anxiety and diminishing energy. I became overwhelmed, and some things suffered. One sacrifice was the time demand of my blog.

How did I break out of the slump and depression?

Meet Miss Jessie.

Four-months-old, Miss Jessie

In addition to the other issues, I was lonely, desperately alone, and things looked hopeless. One of my friends has a wonderful Great Dane named Jet. She told me some puppies from the same sweet lineage were available, so I went to look at them. It was love at first sight. Jessie, a ten-week old pup, picked me. She approached me and pawed my leg. It was like she’d been waiting for me. The other pups didn’t even notice the hairy-faced, big guy watching them.

My decision was instantaneous as was the lifting of my depression. It’s amazing how a playful little fur-ball can fill a big hole in your heart. On the hour-long drive home, she whimpered for a few minutes, but finally rested her head on my forearm and fell sound asleep. She trusted me. It felt good. It felt right.

It’s been two months, since Jessie exploded into my life. Demands of a ten-week-old puppy disrupted everything. My work, my writing, my minimal social life…even taking a daily shower...required accommodations for this demanding puppy. She started as a chubby, twenty-pound ball of needle-sharp teeth and constantly chewed on everything from electrical cords to furniture to clothes and, yes, even my laptop. My forearm was covered in scratches and looked like I had escaped from a leper colony.

Monitoring Jessie cut my writing time to two-minute quickies tucked between potty trips, moving baby gates, and exchanging guitar cords for Kong chew toys. I admit, I wondered a few times if I had made a mistake introducing this time-consuming, fur-covered black hole into my life at the worst possible time.

Then, it happened. Jessie climbed up her puppy stairs onto her end of the couch. She crossed to me. Her left leg lifted over my shoulders behind my neck, and her right leg wrapped across my chest. Paws crossed and she pulled me against her to “kiss” my beard and ear. She fell asleep with head tucked against my shoulder. Love . . . in its purest form. Jessie appreciated me, needed me, and loved me. I knew then and there, we’d overcome any hardships. I would eventually get caught up with my work and my writing, but I needed her, and she needed me.

Super sweet!

Today, I can’t imagine life without Jessie. She tests my patience on occasion, but we are learning each other’s personalities and needs. There have been three emergency trips to the vet for 1) X-rays to see if the missing battery cover for the TV remote (she destroyed it) was in her gut, 2) she broke off a baby canine tooth, and 3) a local wasp gave her a bad sting on the muzzle that swelled into a large knot. She’s also a clown as she trips over her too-large feet while running, “eats” the stream of water from the hose, and crouches on the ground trying to make herself small to not intimidate little dogs.

I have kept family and friends up to date about Jessie’s antics on my personal Facebook page. There are lots of pictures and a few videos. Feel free to browse them if you are interested.

How does Jessie’s addition to my life relate to writing?

Emotion is the essence of fiction writing. Authors can convert intensity from their lives into conflict in a story. Lord knows, I have plenty of grist in my angst-account, but the new hope and vigor I got from Jessie’s arrival has freed me emotionally to get back to writing. My last six tumultuous months have come to a close. Yes, there are still loose ends to be tied down, but I’m on the cusp of something great . . . something that could put an exclamation mark on the beginning of the rest of my life. I’ll tell you about it in my next blog (titled Who’s Stacey?) in a few days.

Keep an eye out for Jessie updates...she's coming at us like a freight train!

"Look out! I can't stop!"

Thank you to all my friends for your patience while I went through those trying times.

Maker of Angels - win a Kindle Fire

When I started this blog, my intention was to keep it focused on writing issues. I did that for a long time, and I intend to continue with that theme most of the time. Today's blog is different. It's a shameless plug for my most recent book, Maker of Angels.

Wait! Don't go away, there's information here about marketing. Check out this super book release promo:

"Win a Kindle Fire from Amazon by answering 25 questions about Maker of Angels. That's right! You can read an excellent western romance story, and, on Dec 8 (a Sunday), answer 25 questions about the story. Each individual question winner gets an Amazon $5 gift certificate, PLUS a bonus entry into the drawing for the Grand Prize...the brand new Kindle!"

How's that for an incentive to buy a $3.49 eBook?

Let's talk about the cost of marketing and results. I spent $300 on a "marketing" company a few months ago to promote another western-romance book. What happened? Not a damn thing. That's right, not one sale resulted from that expense. Then, I signed up for a blog tour for another few hundred dollars. Results? Nadda. Sure, it's nice for the ego to see these people promoting your book, but I'm not some stupid five-year-old kid who gets off on mommy's empty compliments. Nope. I'm a businessman who get excited by sales results, so I looked at the high end professional services. A couple big name promotion companies offered their services for a whopping $4,000 - $5,000 per month!

"Is there another alternative?" I wondered.

With 35+ years of marketing experience, I figured there had to be a better way. I began experimenting. It only takes a few dozen book sales in a short period of time to climb the charts at Amazon. I knew many people who would be happy to read my book if I gave it to them, so that is exactly what I did. Gift books cost me a net of about $1 each. Didn't take a genius to realize that for the $300 I wasted on each of those marketing companies, I could have "sold" 300 books and been flirting with top 100 standings on Amazon. In turn, those readers would, theoretically, generate more sales through word of mouth. I tested the theory and it worked. Now, let's apply that same theory to my Maker of Angels book release celebration.

A Kindle Fire will cost me around $150. Twenty-five $5 Amazon gift cards are another $125. My total cost is only $275 and will get a lot more attention than all those other paid services COMBINED! Am I being generous, as one person told me? That's the wrong word. I'm actually engaged in effective marketing for both my book and the building of my author-brand.

The important truth for authors is that we are not just artists. We are also independent business people, promoting a product we love and believe in. It is important for us to invest in our vision to bring it to the public. Watch for the results of this book release event in an upcoming blog. I will tell you the final numbers, and how effective I feel it was. You get to experiment right along with me . . . on my dollar. Better yet, come to the Maker of Angels release event and try to win a new Kindle Fire. You'll have great fun, read an awesome story and you just might win that Kindle. I'll even make this easy for you...here's the link to Amazon to buy Maker of Angels!

How to Survive Publishing.

I’m back…with books and an important message to fellow writers!

Ghost of Lost Eagle
Western/romance featuring Native American paranormal lore that comes alive in the Old West. Available now in eBook and paperback on Amazon.
Signed copies available directly from the author.
Amazon US (paperback)
Amazon US (Kindle)
Amazon CA (Kindle)
Amazon UK (paperback)


Maker of Angels
Western/romance story of forbidden love as a Native American woman and a naïve cowboy struggle to find a home in the tension of the Old West. Available in eBook or paperback on Amazon.
Signed copies available directly from the author.
Amazon US (paperback)
Amazon US (Kindle)
Amazon CA (Kindle)
Amazon UK (paperback)


Have you ever been so busy that day and night run together in an unstopping collision of pressure? I suspect a lot of single moms know this all too well. The past few months have been that way for me, only on steroids (figuratively). Let's look at the pressures:

My Insurance Company - Demands began growing when my insurance company had to address the new government health insurance regulations. Clients were panicking and needed lots of education and help with their options. By itself, this would have been very manageable, but there’s more.

Publishing Books on Amazon - At the same time, I was learning to publish eBooks through Kindle Direct and paperbacks through CreateSpace. It was a time-consuming process in which I learned a lot and had to overcome numerous mistakes along the way.

Is that busy enough yet? The Western God of Chaos did not think so.

Marketing - Books don’t sell themselves…they need help, and I had no more free time, so I did what any good business person would do. I hired a “book promotion company” to kick off my marketing. It failed miserably. I stopped that waste of money pretty fast, losing a few hundred dollars and a couple months of precious time. Next, I signed up with Premier Virtual Author Book Tours for a “set of promotional blog reviews” to bring attention to Ghost of Lost Eagle. It was an awkward learning curve as I made mistakes and learned what I can, and cannot, expect from such an experience. Overall, it was a good lesson and investment. I will do it again, only next time with some experience-based tweaking to make it more effective.

So, here I was with insurance demands, publishing pressures, marketing management, all vying for attention. My schedule was packed, but that nasty Chaos Demon was hardly through with me.

Death of Close Friend - In the middle of all this, my wonderful friend and long-time business partner, Carlan Steward, died unexpectedly. It hurt and my composure cracked, as I let my carefully choreographed balancing act grind to a halt. Family and social needs came first, followed by his widow’s request for me to take over his clients and help her wind down his insurance practice. Everything else got put on hold.

But wait…believe it or not, there’s more!

Family/Personal Issues - on top of all this, a family crisis surfaced and my personal health began to falter under the stress. I won't go into details, but they caused additional stress and disruption.

Oh yeah - there was one more distraction. I hired a video production company, EVEK Studios, to film a movie style trailer for my latest book, Maker of Angels. I took time away from other demands to attend the taping of the scenes and meet the actors. Despite the time pressures, this experience was a blast. Imagine the thrill of seeing your characters come to life as flesh and blood people. Here’s the finished video…I love it and hope you enjoy it:

Maker of Angels movie-style trailer

How does a writer handle so many distractions?

The simple truth is that we all have limits. I certainly exceeded mine. That's why I haven't been able to post a blog in a while. I'll try to get back on track now.

Fortunately, I learned to push back against those limits, stretching them far beyond their anticipated breaking point. I’m surprised I held up. In retrospect, I am thrilled now that I can see light at the end of the proverbial tunnel, but where is the lesson in all this?

At the time of this blog, my insurance clients are happy. Two books reached the market and are beginning to sell. A third book (an eBook re-issue of my science fiction story, The Last Human War) will be out in December. Also, the sequel to Ghost of Lost Eagle should be published soon, probably in January.

What advice do I have for fellow writers after these difficult times?

I’ll be honest…I did not survive this extreme experience alone. I have a wonderful marketing assistant (she asked to remain anonymous) who picked up slack when I got overwhelmed, acted as a sounding board when I was not at my best, and made a great drill instructor, kicking me in the ass when I gave in to exhaustion or depression. I could not have weathered this storm without her support.

Successful people in Halls of Fame all say the same thing. Their success came after years of perseverance, not from a single moment of glory. Anybody can be good for a day, or even a week, but real success is measured by repetition over time. It’s no different in writing. Just as Michael Jordan needed assists from teammates to score as many points as he did, writers need help to be the best they can be. From beta readers to editors to marketing assistants to literary agents and publishers, literary success is a collaboration that makes us better than we could possibly be by ourselves.

That’s the little secret I learned through these past few terrible months. It takes help to succeed in the literary world. Yes, writing is a solitary activity, but publishing and marketing require a team.

Ghost of Lost Eagle blog tour Oct 16-Nov 6

My first ever "blog tour" begins next week (Oct. 16 and runs to Nov. 6).

Here is the link to the blog hosting organization's announcement:

Premier Virtual Author Blog Tours

Seventeen stops on this exciting book blog tour, featuring Ghost of Lost Eagle . . . help spread the word about this super tour.  I won't lie, I'm nervous.  Should I shine my shoes or have my teeth whitened?  Maybe I should buy a new shirt or dress up as a cowboy since the book is western-romance.  Seriously, I am excited about this new experience, so this should be fun and interesting for us all.  Watch for a surprise on each stop!

Help me support these book-loving bloggers by dropping by their sites on each tour stop.  I will be there, too, and will be happy to answer any questions!

Here is the tour schedule:

Follow the Tour:
 So Many Precious books Oct 16 Review & Giveaway
Ordinary Girls Oct 17 Review
Ordinary Girls Oct 18 Guest Post
Two Kids & a Migraine Oct. 21 Review & Giveaway
Paperback Writer Oct 21 Guest Post
Genuine Jenn Oct 22 Review
From Isi Oct 24 Review
Butterfly-o-Meter Books Oct 25 Interview
caroleraesramblings.com Oct 28 Review
Faerietale Books Oct 29 Review
Books, Books & More Books Oct 30 Review
Rose & Beps Blog Oct 30 Guest Post
Lauries Thoughts & Reviews Oct 31 Review
Lauries Paranormal Thoughts Nov 1 Interview
Joy Story Nov 4 Review
Tracy Riva Books & Reviews Nov 5 Review
Deal Sharing Aunt Nov 6 Guest Post & Giveaway

Making of a Video Trailer - FUN!

Imagine writing a story and having all your characters come alive . . . real flesh and blood people, yet all slaves to your story vision.  I am living that reality right now.

Maker of Angels tells a fast-paced tale of forbidden love in the Old West.  It's 1855 when Colton Minar, a young journalist from Boston, travels to Sacramento gold country to discover hidden stories of the Gold Rush for his newspaper.  Along the way, he meets Tess Winslow - owner of a dust-town brothel, Kaga Ishta - a tormented half-breed Indian woman, and Clyde Hamlin - a former gunfighter masquerading as a mercantile owner.

These characters came to life over the last week as a video production company filmed excerpts from my book for an upcoming video trailer.  I admit, I had preconceived notions about the looks, voices and mannerisms of my persona creations.


Kaga hostage to Tess & thug

Holy cow!  These talented thespians shocked me with fantastic interpretations of my book-people. Main characters were played by Actor Jenna Cook as Tess, Matt Thompson as Cole, Jori Gonzales as Kaga Ishta and Rob Hayes as the irascible Clyde.

Jenna perfectly captured the violent temper and cold self-assurance of Tess, while Matt skillfully grew Cole from an innocent greenhorn to a confident gunfighter who becomes labeled as Maker of Angels for his gun-fighting speed. Rob brought frightening realism to Clyde, Cole's mentor in quick draw.  Jori shocked me with her portrayal of the emotionally troubled, outcast Indian, Kaga Ishta, as her character slowly falls in love with Colton and saves his life more than once.

You can't imagine the emotional rush of "meeting" your characters in real life.  Tess actually became the psychopath killer right before my eyes.  Kaga melted my heart when she kissed Cole passionately after telling him there was no place for an Indian woman and a white man to make a home.

Colton and Kaga in wilderness scene

The most exciting thing about this experience is that each actor "added" substance to the characters.  I knew Kaga would peer into Cole's eyes, searching for understanding of her concern, but the actress made it real.  It was AWESOME!

The same goes for almost every scene I watched being filmed.  Even the smallest roles, played by extras, added to the video experience.



Katie & Caroline filled
in as "soiled doves"

Two local women became so excited about the video shoot that they rented "tainted lady" costumes so they could be extras in the brothel scenes.

From the actors to the camera crew to the wonderful business owners of the Ore Cart Steakhouse and Saloon in the rustic Sierra Nevada town of Foresthill, this video trailer experience is a highlight in my life.

If you ever get a chance to watch one of your creations come to life, by all means DO IT!

Carlan Steward

CARLAN STEWARD - May 1945 to September 2013


I must apologize for being AWOL recently.  I try to post four times a month, but I have been incapable of writing for a while.  My business partner, and wonderful friend, Carlan, died a few weeks ago, unexpectedly.  This man was part of my life, eight hours a day, five days a week for thirty-two years.  We laughed.  We overcame obstacles, and shared both good and bad fortune.  During that time, we developed a kind of man-love usually found between fellow soldiers who have faced death together in combat.  There was nothing I would not do for Carlan, and I know he felt the same way.  A void now exists in my heart, one that can never be filled, a place where his memories wait patiently for moments when I need encouragement or, perhaps, just to a safe place to hang out.  Goodbye my friend.  I miss you.

My Frankenstein - Video Trailers

In my story, Maker of Angels, Miss Nelly owns the Empty Nest, a house for "soiled doves" in the dust town of Tumbleweed. She's a madam, and she's careful to make sure young journalist-turned-cowboy, Colton, understands that her interest in him is entirely personal, not professional. He enjoys pleasures of the flesh for the first time with this beautiful redhead. The amazingly wonderful experience keeps him content in her clutches for nearly a month, but it doesn't last.

Hoping this will be the room for
the seduction of Colton.

Cole is supposed to be traveling to Sacramento to chronicle the gold rush for his Boston newspaper. Eventually, sex is not enough to keep him around, so he announces that he's leaving to complete his writing assignment. Miss Nelly explodes in anger.

Long red braids fly wildly as she tries to hit him with rapid fire projectiles of her China. This fails to assuage her anger, so this former lover sends assassins to kill the man who spurned her.

Many months later, Cole discovers the truth. Miss Nelly is actually Tess Winslow, the fastest lady gunfighter in the country and wanted for murder in three territories. The Empty Nest was her hiding place. She's really a cold-blooded killer, and she's not done with him after he leaves.

What does this story have to do with Mary Shelley's Frankenstein?

People building. I feel like Victor Frankenstein as I create people. Sure, my characters are fictional despite seeming quite real. Tess, the gorgeous seductress with a fiery temper, is a loathsome killer. Cole, the naïve, sweet traveler, turns out to be tough. Women swoon over him, yet his humility leaves him unaware of his effect on them. These creations, good and bad, are MY "monsters." They come to life through my story, but even that is not enough to fuel this Frankenstein analogy.

Evek Studios is a local production company. They build great video advertisements and commercials. I hired them to make a video trailer for Ghost of Lost Eagle. They have actors (male and female) who fit the descriptions in the story, and have found a fantastic period-correct 1850's hotel to shoot the seduction scene. Everything is going according to plan . . . or, is it?

I just realized my characters are coming to life; real flesh and blood. Cole's reaction to Miss Nelly's advances will be played out by actors. My Frankenstein-like creations are coming to real life. I am giddy over this and can't wait to see my monsters in the flesh.

Mwahahaha <wringing hands and wearing evil grin>