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The Big Day

No matter how many times I do this, I’m still going to be nervous. Good nervous. Happy nervous. But nervous nevertheless. So here I am again, trying to find the best way to let you know that the release date for my new book is here. As it turns out, I never know how to break the news in an extravagant, engaging way, so I’m just saying it as it is.

Grief, despair, death and loss are intertwined with friendship, hope, romance, humour, action and a touch of mystery in this new novel of mine. If this sounds like something which might interest you and you’re curious to find out where life takes Sandra and some of her friends, you might enjoy The Other Lane. Stop by, read a few sample pages and see how you like it! Continue reading “The Big Day”

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Writerly Woes

You have to wear many hats as an indie author, they say. And this to a person who hates wearing hats… –15o C out there and you won’t catch me with a hat on. But I digress. When it comes to all those authorly hats, I will happily wear lots of them, although the writing itself is what I really love doing.

Nevertheless, I don’t mind editing, formatting, and sometimes cover design can be quite fun, not only frustrating. But apparently, a great part of being a self-published author (and by the looks of it, even a traditionally published one) is exactly that – sharing about your writing habits and endeavours. Well, that is not where I shine. I rarely – if ever – even mention that I’m working on something new. How naughty of me…

It’s not that I’m secretive. But on the one hand, I’d rather spend that time actually writing than writing about how I’m writing; on the other, I’m never really sure how, if or when I might finish/publish afore mentioned book. Life has the nasty habit of getting in the way and derailing my writing plans. I don’t want to promise something I might never deliver.

I will admit though, I often enjoy finding out about other authors’ writing habits and their creative process and struggles; there’s a lot to learn from their experience. To that end, I keep saying I’m going to try and share more as well… starting with the next book. Of course, I think there is such a thing as too many updates – does anyone really care how many words a day I manage to write?

So now here I am, with my “next” book in the works, first draft completed, so I am one happy author. I could probably call it a second draft, since I do a first batch of editing as I go. (There you have it, I shared something about my writing process, so I can call it a day, right?). Since the pressure is off and the fun is over (because that’s the most enjoyable part of publishing for me), I can focus more on my blog.

Yep, you guessed it – new series coming up! And not a photo series, for a change. So let’s see what writing habits we have in common or where they might diverge. But in case you’re looking for a writing/publishing how-to, this isn’t it. Writerly Woes is going to be a collection of brief anecdotes, remarks and hopefully amusing bumps in the road, as well as the occasionally longer post sharing experiences others might find useful.

See you soon for the first writerly woe on my current list. Until then, happy writing and/or happy reading!

#1 The Prologue That Wouldn’t Reveal Itself

#2 Writerly Hot Potato

#3 In the Oddest of Places

#4 What’s in a Character’s Name?

#5 Missing Coffee Shots

#6 Biting That Particular Bullet and Putting a Face to This Author 

#7 Writing Tunnel Vision 

#8 There Will Be Tears 

#9 The Review Conundrum 

#10 Reading, Writing and AI – Oh My! 

#11 One Thing I No Longer Worry About 

#12 Social (Media) Butterfly… Or Not 

#13 Creature of Habits 

#14 What Does a Successful Author Make? 

#15 Another Silly Thing to Consider 

#16 The Two “Desserts” 

#17 A Strange Kind of Shortage 

#18 Writing Munchies 

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October Giveaway – Part II

Grief, friendship that endures, love triangles, a second chance for a happily ever after, and a chase to catch a killer in the hope to find closure – join Sandra and her friends on their adventure! Don’t miss the chance to grab a free copy!

The Other Lane

Life is a series of small choices and sometimes all of them feel wrong. Why did she really marry him, and why is he dead? Those are the questions Sandra has to answer when she eventually manages to overcome her grief, guilt and fury with the unexpected help of an old friend.

A year later, her husband’s fatal accident is still surrounded with questions, lies and regrets, when Sandra embarks on a sudden journey to find the truth. Instead, she is forced to acknowledge her friends’ grief and remorse, along with her own real feelings as she attempts to move on and find closure. More than a quest for answers and vengeance, her trip will reveal shocking twists and unfathomable secrets, putting all doubts about her brief, impulsive marriage to rest.

From the depth of despair to entertaining moments, from heartwarming events to chasing a murderer and kidnapper, one person will always be by her side. So when she is faced with the possibility of losing him, buried feelings and forgotten hope will resurface. On the way to acceptance and healing, true love and happiness could be waiting after the next bend in the road… so could a murderer.

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October Giveaway

Romance, love triangles, drama, friends to lovers, second chances, but above all, friendship that endures. Join Sandra and her friends at very different stages in their lives in these two standalone novels. Laugh and cry with them while they discover love as young adults or they learn there is no age limit for mistakes, new beginnings and hilarious mishaps when they meet again, in their 30s.

Christmas Reunion – Book 1

A family Christmas is not for everyone, so when Sandra suggests a singles’ reunion over the holidays, her childhood friends are all in. But what is her real reason for bringing everyone together?

Romance is in the air, but when old rivalries and forgotten feelings resurface, drama, intrigue and misunderstandings are inevitable. Bright, beautiful, successful Sandra may think she knows her heart and her friends, but a flurry of mixed emotions, funny moments and unexpected distractions will reveal everyone’s true desires.

Secrets and scars are exposed on a path to forgiveness, friendship and love, as second chances become real on Christmas.

Shooting Stars – Book 1

After an exciting summer, Sandra returns to old friends, new drama and unsettling questions. It’s 2003 and her close-knit group of friends learn to navigate life, experiencing love, loss and pain together. They share hilarious incidents, moving moments and heart-breaking experiences, relying on each other for support and understanding as they go through a journey of self-discovery and growth.

In their parents’ world of divisive values and expectations, where children are sometimes mere accessories, honesty and generosity are often underrated, while competition and money are revered, so Sandra and her high school friends struggle to cope with love, jealousy, ambition and pressure.

From unrequited feelings, tentative kisses and stolen glances to passion, love triangles, questionable choices and betrayal, friendship is the only constant and the most cherished escape.

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Here’s to Creativity!

“Every day is a blank slate, wherever I am in the world. It’s up to me, and to all of us, to fill it with what matters most: love, laughter, empathy, joy, compassion, kindness and whatever other kaleidoscope of colours stirs our soul. That’s creativity, from the heart.” – Miriam Blaker

As some of you may already know., writer and editor Yvette Prior is back with a new anthology in the “This Is How” series, and the complex, at times controversial, subject tackled now is creativity.

“And so we undo and re-stitch and rewrite, and that is how we create.” – Sherri Mathews

The contributing authors of This Is How We Create don’t attempt to define or regulate what might constitute the creative process. On the contrary, they offer personal opinions, thoughts and experiences that paint a comprehensive, heartfelt and often moving picture of what creativity might represent to different people from different cultures, with different creative outlets. Nevertheless, certain traits distinguish themselves as universal themes, and they may shed some light on a number of questions and doubts involved in anyone’s creative expression. Continue reading “Here’s to Creativity!”

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Writing Munchies (Writerly Woes #18)

Ok… this is a funny, but personally annoying issue.

I confess, I’m not vegan or even vegetarian, I enjoy the occasional alcoholic beverage, and I don’t think all carbs are the devil; as for sugar… I watch my intake, but a completely sugar-free existence borders on cruel punishment for me. I may not have the healthiest diet out there, but I try. I stay away from fast food, I keep a healthy distance from all the junk food crowding supermarket shelves, most of my meals and desserts are homemade, and I’ll only touch a sugary fizzy drink if it comes in a Gin&Tonic or Cuba Libre.

I care about my health, but I admit, I’m a vain creature who also cares about her looks. Within reason. And while I still have a fast metabolism, things began to slow down in my thirties, and from what I hear, now that I’m in my forties, it’s all down the hill from here. So no more stuffing my face with all the unhealthy snacks I can think of… like I had no problem doing in my teens and twenties. Certain culinary extravagances, especially the sugary sort, are saved for cheat days and special occasions, and this generally works well for me. I don’t mind a little discipline.

Unless I’m writing a book…

Am I the only one who craves junk food more than ever when writing? I can’t be the only one who has this problem! I hope I’m not the only one who has this problem… Please tell me I’m not the only one who has this problem!

Continue reading “Writing Munchies (Writerly Woes #18)”

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When You See a Guy Wearing Nothing but his Speedos in the Supermarket…

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Note – I first published this post in 2016. But considering recent sightings, it’s probably fair to say it’s a timeless one. Besides, it’s among my more popular older posts, still getting some hits. So in case you haven’t read it yet, have fun! 😉 

When You See a Guy Wearing Nothing but his Speedos in the Supermarket…

… You know it must be August at the seaside.

There’s always one, I keep reminding myself every summer… that is, if I’m lucky, because there’s a good chance I get to see more than one. Living by the sea certainly comes with lots of perks, but there are several peculiarities one needs to learn to accept as well. If nothing else, you can never forget that “vacation” is that magical time of year when boundaries get very blurry for most people. It may not always be fun to witness, it might often be maddening, but hey, you learn to live with it! Sort of…

So there he is, our summertime, vacation loving gentleman, proudly strutting his stuff, pushing a shopping trolley down a supermarket isle. Belly elegantly spilling over his tight, three sizes too small swimsuit, worn flip-flops flipping the delicate grains of sand finally escaping the trap of his hairy ankles, he knows exactly where he needs to be. Continue reading “When You See a Guy Wearing Nothing but his Speedos in the Supermarket…”

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A Strange Kind of Shortage (Writerly Woes #17)

One of the great things about writing? I, for one, find it a low-maintenance activity. It doesn’t require many things. Computer, notebook, a few pens and pencils, huge cup of coffee, and I’m good to go. Ok, some unhealthy snacks would be great too, but I’m trying to behave.

Yet there I was, early stages of a new book, unexpectedly stuck, and not because of lack of plot ideas. Computer, notebook etc, check. Coffee and unintrusive music? Check and check. Something else was missing.

Names. Character names, to be exact. I’ve been known to change character names during different stages of the writing process. The main character in my first novel went through three different ones, and Sandra was my second choice for the protagonist of several books. So I’m flexible, but I still have to call these people something while I write their story.

Of course, it’s my own stubbornness and a funny fixation causing this problem. As some of you may know, I write my books in English, but I’m Romanian. While I like to keep the fictional location obscure, I want my characters’ names to make sense in both languages. Herein lies the problem. It could be worse, I suppose. I could always throw my partly German ethnicity into the mix too.

With a brand new book in the works, not sequel, prequal or any other kind of extension of my previous ones, I need brand new names too. And… apparently I’m running out of character names that fit both languages and I also like. An internet search for international names will reveal lots of more or less overlapping lists, but as it turns out, not all of them sound quite as international as they claim. Just like for my previous books, I started a character name list; but at closer inspection, I found that most male names had a certain biblical resonance. Ok… back to the drawing board. I eventually came up with a set of names that work for me and also fit the characters (I think), but it was more time consuming than expected.

So this book is more or less covered, as far as character names go. But I am concerned for future projects. Which begs the question, to recycle or not to recycle… character names? Is it ok to reuse character names from previous books, as long as they don’t belong to the main characters?

What say you, my blogging friends? Too confusing for readers or an acceptable option? If you’re a writer too, how do you choose your character names?

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For Those Lazy Summer Moments

If you liked the snippets I shared so far and you’re considering reading the whole book, don’t miss the chance to snag a free copy. On July 31 – August 1 The Other Lane is available for free on amazon!

In case you’re getting ready for some lazy days on the beach, an ebook packs up nicely… especially a free one!

Happy reading and a big thank you to all of you for always having a kind, supportive word!

Life is a series of small choices and sometimes all of them feel wrong. Why did she really marry him, and why is he dead? Those are the questions Sandra has to answer when she eventually manages to overcome her grief, guilt and fury with the unexpected help of an old friend.

A year later, her husband’s fatal accident is still surrounded with questions, lies and regrets, when Sandra embarks on a sudden journey to find the truth. Instead, she is forced to acknowledge her friends’ grief and remorse, along with her own real feelings as she attempts to move on and find closure. More than a quest for answers and vengeance, her trip will reveal shocking twists and unfathomable secrets, putting all doubts about her brief, impulsive marriage to rest.

From the depth of despair to entertaining moments, from heartwarming events to chasing a murderer and kidnapper, one person will always be by her side. So when she is faced with the possibility of losing him, buried feelings and forgotten hope will resurface. On the way to acceptance and healing, true love and happiness could be waiting after the next bend in the road… so could a murderer.

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Final Days of the Summer/Winter E-Book Sale

If you haven’t taken advantage of The Annual Smashwords Summer/Winter Sale, don’t miss the final days! Stock up on all your favorite indie authors’ books!

Whether you’re looking for a great summer read or something to warm your heart in front of a crackling fireplace, a literary feast awaits you!

The sale includes exclusive deep discounts on nearly 180,000 titles, joining other ebooks that are priced every day at free.

As usual, I’m participating. So in case you are interested in any of my books or know someone who might enjoy them, you can download as many copies as you want. Several of them are free or deeply discounted during the promotion.

Enjoy the Annual Smashwords Summer/Winter Sale, and thank you for supporting indie authors and publishers!