Business and Politics Don't Mix

Time for our monthly IWSG meeting!

Here's my advice: Keep politics out of it and we'll all be happier!

When anyone brings up politics, half the nation is with them, and the other half is against them. It's just not good for business. I don't want to know who a company supports because I want to base my purchases on what I like, not how they vote. We should all VOTE, give our support, and get on with our lives, accepting the outcome either way. I have lots of friends on both sides and I like them for who they are.

I also keep politics out of my writing. Even when writing about politicians, I don't say which party they're in and give them qualities from both sides. I don't want debates about politics to taint my adventures. Just have fun reading the story!

Next topic: MASKS!

To re-open, we need to wear them. I have mixed feelings, but as a teacher, I want to get back to school and help the kids in person (I think the majority can agree that online was not good for most kids and teachers and parents!) That said, I made a Lazy Housewife video for DIY cheap and easy masks.

If you're looking for a fun apocalyptic action/adventure with some romance, I'm publishing a weekly Short Story Series: THE DAY DAVE BROKE THE INTERNET. With school starting, I'll be posting new episodes weekly through Thanksgiving.

Dave didn't know he was lonely until his friends pointed it out. But when he gives in and tries an online dating site, something catastrophic happens - talk about a bad omen.

(Previous episodes)

And lastly, I invite you to enter my Summer Book Bday Giveaway!

As a teacher, I publish most of my books in the summer and I want to share my celebration with you!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Have a wonderful August

Hope this cursed year isn't taking too much of a toll on you!

Stay safe & healthy!

No Foolin Around - Serious #Awards & Announcements!

So much is going on!!
First, my IWSG post in conjunction with the culmination of my Beast World campaign.

The writing/blogging community is the best group of people out there! I've said it before, but they are so supportive! Today, I'm handing out some awards to recognize my helpers who gave me their most valuable asset--their TIME!

Based on the number, here are the top awards:

And here are the stats of all my wonderful volunteers and how much they helped!

I made new connections, found volunteers to review the Beast World series, was blessed with a wonderful new piece of art, and received offers to guest post at other blogs. And I re-pubbed the ebooks!

Never be afraid to ask the writing community for help--they come through!

* * * * *

I'm also more than happy to return the favor!

Today I'm very happy to share my time and blog space with one of my awesome writer friends to celebrate the release of her incredible book, which I absolutely adored!

DANCING WITH DEMENTIA
Recognizing and Coping with the Early Stages of Dementia
by Jemi Fraser

Let's take a little more in-depth look into Jemi's life and her book. Her mom is the star, and with the recent restrictions at nursing homes, Jemi had to find a new way to see her--online!

Jemi: Thanks so much for doing this :) Mom is doing great despite the lockdown. Seeing her and chatting, with the help of the staff, makes everything so much easier for us. So thankful for those great people!

TT: Your book was so real. Though dementia is no laughing matter, it was pretty funny at times. Do you ever insert comedy in your fiction?

Jemi: Thanks!! I’m glad our crazy reality comes across. A strong sense of humour really gets us through!

My upcoming romantic-suspense series definitely has humour in it. My characters often have a sarcastic edge to them and that’s so much fun to write! I also think our family’s gallows humour comes through in several of my characters and the situations they get themselves into!

TT: I had to look up gallows humor--thanks for the new word!

I think you and your sister are saints the way you take care of your “mum” through so many trials and still kept working! Do you think you might write a book about her? or your own life someday?

Jemi: Wow - thank you! Definitely not saints, but we do love our mum! I don’t know if my heart is up to another true-to-life book at this point, but you never know. Mom’s had a fascinating life and I’ve thought about a YA historical romance set in the post WWII era based on it. Maybe one day!

TT: A YA historical in that era sounds fantastic!

The way your mother treated people, especially her second husband, reminded me of my grandmother, bossing folks around and doing as she pleased. It made me wonder if I’ll be that way when I’m older (have a lot of that in me now!) Do you ever wonder or worry how you will be later in life?

Jemi: Love it! Mom definitely enjoys being in charge and she believes she is ALWAYS the most qualified person in the room for any task or opinion. I have a wide and strong independent streak in me but I’ve always been quieter and more private than Mom. However, I suspect more of “Mom” will show up in me as I get older! My kids have been warned!

TT: Now for a couple of easy ones...

How do you like living in Canada?

Jemi: I wouldn’t live anywhere else!! Northern Ontario is beautiful and the people are awesome. Our fall leaves are spectacular. Our biggest con is probably how long the snow sticks around. While it is melting, we still have 2 to 3 foot snowbanks. In late March/early April that’s a definite con!

TT: Yes, you kept saying how wonderful the staff of most places was--I had to remind myself you were in Canada. I was jealous until I kept reading about the snow! haha

And lastly, What writing are you working on now?

Jemi: I’m planning to publish my Bloo Moose small-town romantic suspense series in the fall. Book 1 is ready to go, Book 2 is on the spit-and-polish round, Book 3 is in the final revision round. Book 5’s first draft is done, and Book 4 is still wandering around in my head (it’s the stubborn one). Ideas for Books 6-8 are there but need to be fleshed out. I’m hoping to publish at least 3 of them at the same time. Lots of fun ahead!

Holy Bullwinkle! That's a ton of stories! Congrats! I'll be around to read and help.

DANCING WITH DEMENTIA,

Recognizing and Coping with the Early Stages of Dementia

by Jemi Fraser

◊ Genre: Nonfiction, Memoir
◊ Publisher: Just Jemi Books
◊ eBooks
◊ ISBN-13: 978-1-9991258-1-3

Dementia and Alzheimer’s touch the lives of millions around the world, but so much is still unknown.

As first-generation Canadians, we didn’t recognize the early warning signs. We didn’t know the differences between regular aging and the early stages of dementia. We’ve made mistakes but we’ve learned a lot.

DANCING WITH DEMENTIA will help you:
•Identify those early warning signs
•Use visuals to improve communication
•Choose your words wisely
•Redirect and reassure
•Stay calm and cope with your own emotions
•Consider nursing home options
•Improve caregiver self-care

We’ve learned to dance the early steps of the disease with our love and laughter intact. If you are looking for help recognizing early signposts along with practical ways to cope with early Dementia and Alzheimer’s, this book is for you.

DANCING WITH DEMENTIA buy links:

Amazon.com              Amazon.ca          Apple Books       Barnes & Noble          Kobo

Add DANCING WITH DEMENTIA to your Goodreads shelf

About the Author

Jemi Fraser writes both fiction and nonfiction. Her nonfiction work focuses on the ways that dementia has impacted her family. Her fiction work varies from contemporary romance to suspense and flash fiction. Years as a teacher have taught Jemi that life is short and that happy endings are a must.

She lives in Northern Ontario, Canada where snow is always a topic of conversation and the autumn leaves make everything better.

For more on Jemi and her writing, visit her following sites:

Website          Just Jemi Blog       Dancing With Dementia blog 

Amazon Page        BookBub      Goodreads       Facebook       Twitter

Finally, Enter this giveaway is for a $20 Amazon Gift Card. (open internationally)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour through MC Book Tours.

Tips on Writing a Screenplay & a big REVEAL!

If you don't know Heather Holden, you should. She's a fantastic artist with a unique style. And she writes hilarious vampire/horror comics. I've been dying (haha) to have her draw something for me, and finally decided to commission Gabe - he needed a new look. And here he is!

Gabe Thorntry by Heather Holden

Now in this snapshot of Gabe, can you see he's short? He's also smart with his book (haha) and a little unsure of himself, but a pretty happy guy in high school. And he's a green goblin. That's a lot to get from a picture, but it's all there, captured by the artist!

And as my last guest post of the Taking Back Beast World campaign, I'm excited to be at Heather's place talking about Gabe's journey in visuals!

THIS JUST IN! 

I re-published BROKEN BRANCH FALLS, Beast World Book One 

for KINDLE! Yippee!

Now, on to the topic at hand:

SCREENPLAYS & SCRIPT WRITING

I love having so many terrific writers as friends--I get exposed to so many great stories! And I'd love to see them up on the big screen or as a series on the small screen. I've even offered to collaborate on writing screenplays with some of them. Unfortunately, it's just one more thing on my never ending want to do list... But it's definitely not at the bottom.

If you've ever pictured your book as a movie, you should try turning it into a screenplay! This is especially good for short stories, and you'll see why in a moment. You can also dive straight from an idea into a screenplay. Here, I've gathered some pros & cons & tips for writing a Screenplay:

• Downsizing - This is the hardest part. If you start with a 300-400 page MS, you have to cut it down to 100-120 pages! This is because one page of a screenplay = one minute of film. And the pages are severely formatted, think minimalist. 
• Things that are easy to cut: You don't need paragraphs describing the characters' inner thoughts--they're acted out. No detailed descriptions of scenes--they're part of the set. Any minor scenes that don't move the story along, cut 'em.
• Things not so easy to cut: characters or scenes you love, but the story could be told without them. It's going to be hard to determine who stays and who goes. And some scenes will have to be rolled into one or rewritten entirely in the interest of time. This is why the movies are so often lacking when compared to the book... 
• Formatting - There are many programs and software packages that will help you format your screenplay. I cannot afford such things, especially when I am willing to search for a cheaper alternative, which I found. There's a terrific Word Doc Template, and it's very easy to use, once you get the hang of it. But you definitely need to know this important part of the process!
• Take Control - With all the cutting that must be done, you should be the one to do it. You know the story and know what is necessary and what isn't. You also have to be honest with yourself. You have to cut it down to the essentials only -- and you have to visualize what that looks like. Will it make a good movie? Can you juice up any scenes to make them more visually stimulating? Cut, cut, and rewrite, then cut some more.
• Don't Lose Control - Make sure you are a part of any rewriting or editing decisions if your MS gets picked up. They never leave it as is. Be flexible, but be heard!

• Research - So important to research! Go read a screenplay of a movie you know... many are available in the public domain! Sign up for Script Writing newsletters and follow other screenwriters who seem to know what they're doing. Read up on formatting and tips for pacing. SAVE THE CAT by Blake Snyder is a splendid guideline for writing a screenplay (or writing a book!) It has loads of info you'd never think of, but it's true and eye-opening. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Screenplay writing can be invigorating and exciting. It can also be somewhat traumatizing. Either way, it's something to consider, especially with so many competitive venues for visual entertainment.

One last thing... Funny how things work out!
I planned my Taking Back Beast World campaign post topics over a month ago--that way I don't have to scrounge up ideas to write about. As you know, this last week was Screenplays. Then, by happy coincidence, I just received some exciting news: I made it to the Quarter Finals of a Script-writing contest!

A few months ago, I transformed JOLISSA - AN ANTI-PRINCESS STORY into a screenplay and submitted it to an animated script contest. I was so excited to find out I made the first cut! I don't know how much farther I'll go, but I've been floating with that awesome recognition. Wish me luck!

Ever consider writing a screenplay? Go for it!

Are there any books you'd like to see on the big or small screen?

Still giving away free ebooks! Just ask!

Stay distant, but stay in touch!
Stay smart and stay safe!

#WritersLife can be Lonely

Many writers and artists are introverts. It can be a lonely occupation. We sit alone with our thoughts, expressing them through written words and images. It takes a lot of courage for creatives to put their work out into the public for scrutiny and judgment.

But we must! We need to share our hard work - everyone needs validation and approval, despite some negative feedback which should help us improve and grow stronger, right?

Starting slowly, we send our precious works out into the world. First, we recruit betas and critique partners who are the best encouragers, giving insightful, constructive advice. When we feel confident (haha) to move on, we can hire an editor, or polish it as shiny as possible, and try querying, continuing to improve with each rejection--which will be many!

Once you are published, (and you will be published, but only if you keep at it!) that's when the really hard work starts. Marketing.

As a teacher, I consider myself more outgoing since I get up in front of very critical audiences on a daily basis! I'm not afraid to go to events and put myself out there. But as a writer, I'm a one woman show. I have to set my own writing goals and deadlines. I have to look for the events and try new things and leave my comfort zone. I have to make a commitment to myself to keep writing and figure out ways to market my books without annoying all my friends!

It can be very difficult to keep going with so many negatives to overcome. And it's all on us. The negatives are a direct reflection on our work, so it's hard not to take it personally or let it get us down!

And that's why I'm so thankful (again!) for the writing community. We all know how it is. I can't say enough how much I appreciate my awesome writer friends. They understand and won't let me give up!

If you'd like to join our weekly twitter chat where we discuss writerly things and life in general, we'd love to have you. Don't forget the hashtag!

Now this...
I had another great week during the TAKING BACK BEAST WORLD campaign! ONWARD is out there, and apparently it will make you cry. I don't like to cry at movies, especially animated features.

But like I said, it was a fantastic week! I had so many visitors at C. Lee McKenzie's & Alex Cavanaugh's blogs, I'm still getting around to visiting back! So here's a big

This week, I'll be talking about School Presentations at Sherry Ellis's place. She's also a great example of excellent MG writing and putting herself out there. Hope you can stop by!

Are you an introvert? Do you go to writerly events?

What advice do you have to encourage writers to get out there?

Happy Daylight Savings!

The #WritingCommunity is Priceless

Happy March & Happy IWSG Day!
I am so thankful for the writing community and all the great friends I've made from all over the world. No matter where we're from, we can chat and laugh and share our dreams without judgment--like we're at a virtual slumber party!

Last week, I posted a self evaluation quiz about phone addiction. I was happy to see responses similar to mine. Basically we use the phone as a tool of communication and information, but we could live without it if we had to. This is probably because older generations have lived without "smart" technology. And we need to pass that revelation on to future generations, so they don't turn into zombies... ha ha

One of the best uses for the internet has been connecting with other writers. The support, advice, and shared commiseration I've received from my online writer friends has been essential to me sticking with my writing. I'm especially grateful for the continued Insecure Writing Support Group "meetings" which keep me blogging at least once a month! Thanks, Alex!

My writer friends have been especially wonderful through this latest turn of events and helping me out with my Taking Back Beast World campaign...

The Disney/Pixar movie Onward, similarly set in my Beast World, comes out Friday. So far, the reviews are not good. I'm not sure how I feel about that... I'm not going to judge it--probably won't see it until it's free on Disney +. But it's rather disappointing. Like they've ruined it for me. It also makes me want to go to Dreamworks and offer my alternative (I'm researching it, soooo hard to get a pinky toe in the door, nevermind a foot!). For now, I'm going to finish out my campaign with the help of my wonderful friends, and hope Beast World gets noticed by more folks looking for an inspirational, relatable, comical, fantasy adventure!

Last week, Jemi Fraser left me a couple of fantastic reviews -- I saved announcing them for this week as that's my campaign topic the week.

Also this week, I'm so honored to be appearing at...

• Alex's infamous blog talking about Turning Books into Movies (3/4)
• C. Lee McKenzie's blog talking about Handling Teenage Troubles (3/5)

Finally, I want to give some back and tell you about a wonderful romance writer I know...

Elizabeth Seckman

She's got a fabulous new release!

ABOUT US
by Elizabeth Seckman

Hayden Matthews is trying to get as far away from love as possible. After wasting eight years in a failed marriage, she's ready for a nice, peaceful life where she can raise her daughter to be strong, independent, and happy. But to make that happen, she must fix her own life first.

Cam Vorelli has pined for Hayden since he was in grade school. Always in the friend-zone, he stood on the sidelines, his heart breaking, as she said I do to the wrong man. A man he knew didn’t deserve her, who could never love her as he did. But what could he say? She was marrying into his family. Cam would never break a holy vow much less be disloyal to his kin.

Until he sees the bruises on Hayden. Abuse is a game changer.

Hayden knows leaving a husband like Tag, with a hot temper, a badge, and a gun will be tricky. She needs someone she can trust. Not looking for a romantic entanglement, she calls Cam, with her soon-to-be ex fearful of his former NFL cousin as a bonus.

Though Cam comes to her rescue with the purest of intentions, he won't deny fate if Hayden starts to feel the same for him...

And it's available NOW for FREE!

Kobo: FREE      Smashwords FREE       Amazon: 99 cents 

About the Author

Elizabeth is a multi-published author of books for people who are believers in happily-ever- after, true love, and stories with a bit of fun and twists with their plots. The mother of four young men, she tackles laundry daily and is the keeper of the kitchen. She lives along the shores of the Ohio River in West Virginia, but dreams daily of the beach.

Facebook/ Blog/ Website

You'll love her style. Take it from me.

Don't be afraid to ask your friends for help. 
We're all ready to be there for each other!

Hope your March is off to a Springy start!

#Organization - without the STRESS!

I did it! CRADLE ROCK is now available! Again!

CRADLE ROCK
Beast World, Book Two

In a world ruled by peaceful beasts, Gabe the goblin and a small group of friends travels to bleak Sector Three where Ona, his ogress girlfriend has gone missing on her expedition to find evidence of humans. 

Danger? Wild animals? Poisonous mist? Bring it on. Nothing will stop him from saving his girl. Not even humans - there's no such thing!

Amazon -- Goodreads

The Taking Back Beast World campaign, phase 2 is chugging along. Today, I'm visiting Patricia Josephine with a post about THE BEASTS! Which one are you? Stop by if you have time!

This campaign has not only inspired me to get my Beast World series re-published, but I'm also anxious to work on the next one! There's so much to do! I need update all the links, re-configure the ebooks, and more, so much more... But I've got things under control. And when I don't, I deal with it as I can.

So I thought I'd give you a glimpse into my process of

ORGANIZATION!

If your life is organized, you can find things when you need them because they are where they're supposed to be. You know when your bills are due, and you know how much money you have to pay them. Your meals are planned out for the week and shopping is done in advance so you'll have the right ingredients. The house is clean and neat. And mornings are less chaotic because you have everything laid out ahead of time ready to go.

Unfortunately, this is a fantasy. Life is messy! As I work my way through re-publishing and my campaign, I have a huge list of things I want to get done. And the rest of my life doesn't slow down to make it easier.

Organization does help, though. If you want to get organized, I suggest you do these things first!

• Prioritize - Usually more than one area of your life needs organization. Since you can't wave a magic wand to have it all done at once, you need to choose the most important thing and start there (like money and bills, the main area of the house, or your phone apps) Once you're in a comfortable place/routine for that item, you can move on to the next.
• Purge - This is a key to reducing stress. Get rid of things you don't need! If you haven't used it in 2 years? (you choose the time) donate it or throw it away. The less stuff you have, the less stuff you have to find room for!
• Plan - ask yourself what you want. Organization is a broad term. Do you want: Less clutter? Easier access to things? To make time for things you want to do? Once you know what you want, you need to choose when to do your organizing, and it will take less time to get it done.
• Please? - Organization is great, but if everyone else in your house doesn't help, the mess and chaos quickly return. Tell everyone what you're doing and what they need to do. And you'll have to keep reminding them (train them!) until everyone is working together automatically.
• Patience - Wrenches happen. Life changes. Unexpected surprises turn up all the time. No matter how much you organize and try to plan ahead, expect something to throw your schedule out of whack once in a while. You can go back to or adjust your organization once you deal with extenuating circumstances beyond your control. It'll all work out!

So do what you can to get organized. But don't stress over it! As Mr. Skeemander says, "Worrying means you suffer twice"


via GIPHY

Happy Presidents Day!

Have a terrific week!

Help! I've been Abducted by Aliens! a blog hop

Before we get to the good stuff, just want to give a shout out for my Taking Back Beast World Campaign!

This week, I'll be talking about Teenage Hijinks & Fessing Up at Elizabeth Seckman's place. (She's doing the Alien Blog Hop too!)

One of the things I love about writing the Beast World series is the variety and depth of characters. As a teacher, I get a first-hand glimpse at how teenagers behave on a daily basis. They're wonderful creatures with spunk, sneak, and sensitivity. They don't know as much as they think they do, but they're up for trying new--and sometimes risky--things anyway. That's how we all learn and grow.

Remember getting in trouble when you were a teen??

And now, my entry in my creative friend, Patricia Josephine's blog hop to celebrate Abducted Life's 3rd book bday! (Here's the list and the details)

Waste Not
by Tara Tyler

I hate my life.
Danae absent-mindedly strolls through the grocery store and plunks a can of green beans into her cart.

With three kids gone on their own and one teenage girl left who’s never around, Danae wonders what’s left of her life? Her job is boring, and so is her husband. She catches a glimpse of her drab reflection in a refrigerator door. She used to be pretty.

She feels invisible and useless. No one would notice if she disappeared. Maybe she could run away.

In the parking lot as she puts her bags in the car, a green beam of light surrounds her from above and sucks her up into the clouds.

~ ~ /  \ ~ ~

What happens to earth women at 50? This is the tenth one this week.

Half-way up, the beam stalls and almost drops her. Dor whacks the console with his fin, and it finishes reeling her in.

The dark-complected woman squints at him then looks around. “Is this a joke? Jordan?”

Dor blinks his large eye at her. Who’s Jordan?

“Jordan is my joke-playing son. Wait. Did you just talk in my head?”

Yes. He floats her to an inclined, upright operating table.

“So this is for real?”

Yes. Straps reach out and restrain her.

“How are you doing this?”

He rolls his eye. I’m a telepath and telekinetic.

“Well you need to tele-put me back right now!”

Dor ignores her.

“You look at me with that big green eye when I’m talking to you.”

He blinks at her.

“Who’s in charge here?”

I am.

“You? You’re just a kid. But judging by the state of this messy, smelly ship, I believe it. What a dump! And you have no manners whatsoever, jerking me around. Where’s your mother?”

Dor puts her to sleep. What a racket.

While he works inserting tubes and wires into the specimen, he glances around. Living alone for so long, he never cared about his entrails or used nutrition bags lying around. And without a nose, "smelly" isn’t a thing.

Once the woman is set, Dor cleans up. If his boss popped in for a surprise inspection, he’d get demerited. In a way, the woman helped him. He looks at her.

In her peaceful stasis, she reminds him of his mother.

He wakes her up.

~ ~ /  \ ~ ~

my poorly attempted alien sketch!

Danae scowls at the little purple, scaly alien, hovering next to her with his flippery fins for hands and feet, plus two more on his head and a third overgrown one, flopped down covering half his huge eye like a rebellious teenager trying to look all that.

She sniffs at him and looks away.

I apologize.

She huffs.

It won’t be long.

She raises an eyebrow at him. Noticing the wires and tubes, she’s wary and frightened.

Don’t be afraid. I won’t hurt you.

She frowns. Darn telepath.

He checks the monitors.

“You must be lonely.”

It’s not bad.

“You remind me of my son.”

He blinks at her. You are like my mother. Our world is similar to yours.

“Selfish leaders and wasted resources?”

Yes. How’d you know?

“Seems appropriate. So why’d you take me?”

We need harvesters.

“You’re harvesting…” She laughs. “I hate to disappoint you, but my well is dry.”

Dor laughs in her head. Oh, we don’t want your eggs.

A bright light flashes in Danae’s eyes, hypnotizing her.

~ ~ /  \ ~ ~

Dor has the lobotomizer delicately remove her brain and replace it with a hard drive. His eye smiles as the brain is placed in a jar.

Just like my mother.

Hope you enjoyed it. And take some time to check out the others!

Brought to you by...

ABDUCTED LIFE
by Patricia Josephine

Savannah Janowitz’s perfect life was destroyed the night she and her boyfriend vanished without a trace. A year later she reappears—alone. With no memory of what happened and strange, new abilities manifesting, Savannah struggles to rebuild her life.

Evan Sullivan was changed by the horrifying experiments. Now he hides in the shadows and watches Savannah rebuild her life without him.

Neither can let the other go. Once reunited, Savannah and Evan see a glimmer of their old lives. As they face what happened to them together, they realize aliens aren’t the only danger out there.

Someone closer to home is watching, waiting for the right moment to tear them apart.

Amazon   Smashwords   B&N

Catch up with Patricia:

Website   Twitter   Facebook   Instagram   Newsletter   Goodreads

Have a great week!

If you like #Pixar 's Onward, You'll Love BROKEN BRANCH FALLS

This IWSG post is brought to you by the Taking Back Beast World Campaign - Phase 2. Stand up to your Bullies!

You may or may not know, but there's an animated film coming out next month: Onward by Disney/Pixar. Last summer one of my sons saw a sneak peek trailer and showed me because it reminded him of my Beast World series.

When I watched it unfold, my heart sank. I literally started to shake and freak out! Even more crushing, some of my fave actors are the voices. The stories are different, but the setting is the same, identical. I knew I had to do something. And the Taking Back Beast World Campaign was born.

It was a great success for little old me, pushing me to publish WINDY HOLLOW, BW #3. I shook things up, made new friends, got great new reviews, started a weekly chat, sold more books, and got noticed by Pixar (they basically said I was nobody and told me to stop bothering them...Ha!) I don't want to sue, I just want recognition!

Now on to Phase 2. The movie comes out Mar 6, and it's time to speak out again. I'm so excited to have an awesome writing community of friends backing me up. I have big ideas, but not a lot of time and money to carry it all out, so I'm doing what I can. I re-published BROKEN BRANCH FALLS and am working on CRADLE ROCK. I've organized lots of posts and interviews and reviews and social send-outs.

I may even "protest" at a theater--not a bashing Pixar protest, but a total publicity stunt. If the news caught it, that would be great! It all depends on if I can get some folks to help me. Most people don't like confrontation or attention.

My goal is to get Beast World noticed. I'm going to display the comparisons in a positive way:

• If you like Disney/Pixar's Onward, you'll love BROKEN BRANCH FALLS by Tara Tyler

That way, it's a win-win!
And here are some more comparisons for you...

• If you liked Game of Thrones, you'll love EFFIGY by M.J. Fifield
• If you like the Hallmark Channel, you'll love the MAGUIRE'S CORNER series by Heather M Gardner and HOOSIER DAD by Elizabeth Seckman
• If you liked Melrose Place and Vampire Diaries, you'll love THE THIRTEENTH FLOOR series by Christine Rains
• If you liked Battlestar Galactica, you'll love CASSASTAR by Alex J. Cavanaugh
• If you liked The Outsiders, you'll love NOT GUILTY by C. Lee McKenzie
• If you liked Murder, She Wrote, you'll love MURDER AT THE MARINA by Ellen Jacobsen
• If you liked The Great Wall, you'll love DRAGONFLY WARRIOR by Jay Noel
• If you liked American Pie, you'll love THREE DAVES by Nicki Elson

There are many more, but that's all I could think of at the moment. Share yours in the comments!

I won't give up. I'm up for the challenge. And I'm always happy to have more helpers, or just give my posts a share. We "nobody" writers have to stick together and not let the big bully mega-corps walk all over us.

Thanks for your support!

Tara Tyler Talks #Goals and Remember Blog Hops?

Anyone fall of the Resolution Wagon yet?
I hope not! Keep at it all month and it SHOULD become a good habit.

I was really feeling the need for New Year's Resolutions this year. The treat train finally came to a stop, and I totally purged my pantry. Better eating is Goal #1 and my method is--if I don't buy it, I can't eat it!

Speaking of goal-setting, one of my writer friends appropriately pushes forward any goals not met the year before. As surprises, emergencies, and other life stuffs jump out at us throughout the year, our goals get shoved aside. Sometimes this is for the better. Maybe we weren't ready to publish yet, which is just one more step toward the worst part of books--the dreaded marketing... Not to mention, some unexpected experiences can add quality to our writing. No worries, we deal with what comes and adjust accordingly. So don't fret if you can't reach all your goals.

The first step toward achieving goals is to write them down (and I love lists). So here are my broad Writing goals for 2020:

• Taking back BEAST WORLD Campaign, Phase 2 - a subtle undercut jab at Pixar for appropriating my unique setting. Would love to have you JOIN THE CAUSE!
• Repub Cradle Rock, Simulation, and Disposal (and tweak Windy Hollow) -- 2 down, 4 to go!
• Publish GERTRUDE - the Nerdy Princess
• Write first draft of CONDUCTION, Pop Travel #4
• Polish and Submit FARTHER ALONG, Christian YA
• Connect more with writer friends by posting more often
• Market more... ugh.

My process: chip away at this list on the weekends and go gung ho during the summer.

What are your goals for this year?? 

Let's help each other stay on track. I'll be checking in more regularly this year. Hopefully that will help!

One way to connect more... Remember Blog Hops? I was just reminiscing about how much I liked them and how I met new writer friends when we used to do them... and BLAMMO!
Patricia Josephine is having one!

Valentine's Day is ABDUCTED LIFE's birthday. To celebrate, Patricia's asking us to write a little story about being abducted by aliens... sounds like fun! I'm making the time.

Here are the deets:

• Possible approaches: Government report. First person encounter. Stowing away on an alien spaceship. Maybe write it from the alien's POV. Go to the Outer Limits!
• 500 words or less. 
• Posts will go up the week of Valentine's Day.

I hope you join in! Sign ups for the blog hop
(This prompt also fit right into another contest I happened to find, so I already wrote my story--submitted to the contest too. Love when that happens. Thanks, Patricia!)

Good luck with your Goals & Keep Writing!

Tara Tyler Talks about #StarWars (spoilers!)

Happy New Year - bla bla bla

But seriously IWSG-ers, I hope you have a great 2020. If things are going badly, I hope you find a way to turn them around. If things are going well, keep up the good work!

January is a time of reflection. I want to raise the level of my blog from a once-a-month series of IWSG entries to more frequent and more substantial posts. I want to be more engaging!

And so, I give you my first post for 2020--

Let's go to the Movies??

Consider STAR WARS. (NOTE - Spoiler Alert! Plenty of annoying spoilers ahead)

There's nothing like the opening burst...

There's also nothing like the original trilogy. Sure, special effects are better now, CGI is amazing, and meeting new characters is always fun. BUT, just like the last season of Game of Thrones was rushed and lacking, this latest Star Wars trilogy was full of spontaneous, easily foiled threats and not much substance or explanation. I'm sorry to say, True Star Wars fans have been let down.

The Rise of Skywalker was a great action-adventure sci-fi movie, no doubt. My hub even liked it, and he's not a big SW fan. But my closet-nerd son and I felt a disturbance in the Force. So many story lines were severely under-developed and conveniently explained away with a glib comment for us all to accept. It was full of miraculous, impossible saves; instant armies, easy escapes, and predictable rebellious behavior... I felt like I was watching a teenager's spoof seeing what he could get away with--wouldn't it be cool if this happened!

Most egregious irritations:

• Poor Fin - so much potential wasted--they made this guy do nothing but annoy everyone, "Rey!" 
• And the Planet-Destroying Cannons upgrade on a surprise fleet of Star Destroyers--where did they come from? Santa? But the placement of the cannons gave me a chuckle. It was like they all got a kick in the crotch... that magically destroys the whole ship **eye roll**

There was No build up. No anticipation. No time to wonder what might happen, we know what's going to happen. As a writer, you know what I'm talking about.

I had more complaints, but I won't torture you further. And there were some good moments.

• I really liked the new female characters, but there wasn't enough time to expand on them. I would've been happier if they'd split it into two films just to give us some backstory and character development.
• Palpatine was a great twist. But what were all those zombie fans??
• Funny thing, I liked Kylo Ren's character arc (Frankly, I would've chosen him over Rey as a true Skywalker.
• It's just a good thing Chewy didn't die! (Told you there'd be spoilers!)

One saving grace for Star Wars fans: The Mandalorian is fantastic! It has everything the new movies don't, plus awesome LOL scenes and Baby Yoda!


Movies in general lately are lacking in quality and depth. Sequels, Spinoffs, and Remakes are the currency of the day. Over the holidays, I also saw JUMANJI 2 which was pretty terrific, better than expected, but still a sequel, with a teaser of another is in the works. And here are the previews we saw:

>>Scooby Doo origins              >>Mulan live-action              >> Dr. Dolittle upgrade

>> Black Widow spinoff              >>"new and improved" Ghostbusters sequel

Absolutely nothing original.
Money is the biggest motivator which is understandable since it is a business. But the industry isn't taking chances on anything new...

So I call on YOU, fellow writers!
Keep writing. Keep improving. And try a Screenplay! Submit to contests. Put your awesome works out there for these sheltered producers living in their Hollywood Bubble. They need us! (I just submitted JOLISSA to an animated screenplay contest!)

Okay, I think I've talked enough.

Oh, yeah. One last thing -- I'm putting together a team!

Disney/Pixar's Onward is coming out soon (you may remember me mentioning how they "stole" my Beast World concept) So I'm starting Phase 2 of my Taking Back Beast World campaign. I re-published BROKEN BRANCH FALLS!! And CRADLE ROCK is soon to follow.

If you're up for helping me promote the ORIGINAL Fantasy Creatures in High School, here's the new FORM
Thanks for your support!

And don't forget to join us for the #WedWrant Twitter chat tonight at 7:30 PM EST - be sure to use the hashtag!

Blessings a-plenty in 20-20!

Oh, #Pumpkins !

Yay, it's Fall! Love Fall. Love Pumpkins.
Need to stop cursing. So replacing curse words with pumpkins... Try it. It's pumpkin nuts!! (hahaha)

Oh yes. It's also OCTOBER! Hopefully we'll have more cool days than hot days this month. And as we begin October, welcome to IWSG day.

I actually have a goal for this month, with a deadline of 10/20: I must get Pop Travel re-published!! I have 2 events in November and I'm almost out of books! So my post is about...

How to tackle a big project within a deadline

1. Know your time constraints. I only have the weekends to work on my writing stuff these days. And I have lots of other responsibilities then too, so I have to manage my time wisely.
2. Make smaller, reasonable goals. Right now, I'm 1/3 done with my edits. Here's my breakdown for what's left to do:
• 10/5 & 6 - have 2/3 or more edits done, work on cover tweaks
• 10/12 & 13 - finish edits, start formatting, finish cover
• 10/19 & 20 - finish formatting, PUBLISH!
3. Limit distractions. Ooo, I like the prompt for that contest! No! Bad kitty! Must focus on the GOAL.
4. Keep the GOAL in mind. I try to work on it whenever possible during the week, if I can.
5. Celebrate when you reach it! Not only is it a giant relief when you reach your goal and worth celebrating, but it encourages others that they can reach their goals too! Like Heather Gardner just re-released her two awesome romance thrillers--all by herself. ALREADY HOME and ONE GOOD CATCH. Way to go girl!

In other good news... I had a terrific signing at my local bookstore a couple weeks ago. Much better than expected. I also picked up this adorable ipad cozy...

AND I got a fantabulous review for the entire Beast World Series. Check it out here at Pen and Paper. Reviews are priceless!

Hope you enjoy the pumpkin out of October!

How to stay sane as a creative genius

Many people favor one side of their brain or the other, or at least many people think that's how it works...

an article from Psychology Today states:
"...theory about the brain suggests that people who are left brain dominant are more quantitative, logical, and analytical, while right-brained individuals are more emotional, intuitive, and creative free spirits; however, there is no evidence to support these classifications. On the contrary, most behaviors and abilities require the right and left side of the brain to work together to achieve a common objective."

My right brain was surprised to read this, but my left brain was not (haha). With this in mind (groan), it takes a versatile person to be a creative genius--someone who can use both sides of their brain in harmony.

Then, another question came to mind: Why do so many creative geniuses seem to have psychological afflictions? Is there a correlation? After doing a minimal amount of research, most of the articles I read said that though many famous geniuses seemed to share a thread of mental illness of some kind, there was no conclusive evidence to suggest an artist needs to suffer to achieve greatness.

My logical side says:
The human mind is fragile and complex. Being a creative person for a living, you are constantly judged. All that negativity and rejection can do two main things: 1) damage your psyche and 2) push you to be better. That's where I believe the relationship lies. Anyone who can't handle the criticisms and callous judgments might give up and never achieve greatness. It's only those who persevere through harsh words and subjective comments, putting emotion and strength back into their work that become incredible artists.

Lately, several artistic friends have been going through doubt, dry spells, and depression. I'm amazed at how many, really. But I believe every one of them will reach success as creative geniuses because they are sticking with it. I applaud them and pray for them and hope this small bit of logical encouragement helps them understand themselves a little better and proves to them how great they can be. How great YOU can be!

Believe in yourself!!

And as we continue with the WINDY HOLLOW -- Beast World #3 Release Tour...
Last week, in case you missed it...
6/20 - Heather Holden - Reverse Interview, I interviewed the Artist
6/22 - Ellen Jacobson - Fun Interview
Here are the stops this week:
6/24 - Patricia Lynne - Keeping Magic Alive
6/26 - MJ Fifield - Fantasy World-Building

I hope you'll stop by for some Magical, Fantastical Fun!
And don't forget to join in the Giveaway!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

WINDY HOLLOW - I did it!

WINDY HOLLOW
Beast World MG Fantasy Series, book #3
by Tara Tyler
Available NOW!

In BROKEN BRANCH FALLS, Gabe and his friends go on a quest to save their school, blowing up all the rules, and discover their origins.

Then they go to CRADLE ROCK and meet some real live humans, scaring them into attack mode. The Beasts realize they have to spread the truth ASAP.

Now, school's out, and Gabe is ready for a break from all the drama...

Gabe and his friends fly over the Great Sea for the wedding of the century: a dragon prince and a beautiful harpy. But Gabe can't relax on this vacation. Besides competing in rigorous wedding events, he overhears the nearby human village WINDY HOLLOW is in danger from an evil human scientist and a vengeful were-ogre experimenting on beasts. Gabe and his friends risk crossing the mountains to help, despite several warnings. 

Maybe he's going too far this time, but he's in too deep to quit. It's do or die, hopefully not die!

Paperback ~~~ Ebook

After agonizing delays and finally accepting the inevitable, I took my rights back and published Windy Hollow myself. Now, I have to see what's what the rest of my books so I can re-publish them! All in all, it's not been too terrible. And those older books could all use a tune-up anyway. We get better and better with each book, right?

For now, I am soooo excited to have several friends helping me spread the news about WINDY HOLLOW! Check out my Release Blog Tour schedule where I'll be interviewed, guest posting, and more!

6/20 - Heather Holden - Reverse Interview, How does she Create such Awesome Art?
6/22 - Ellen Jacobson - Interview with some surprising questions!
6/24 - Patricia Lynne - Keeping Magic Alive
6/26 - MJ Fifield - Fantasy World-Building
6/30 - SA Larsen - Special Newsletter & a Vlog?!
7/1 - My IWSG post with updates and a Special Guest!
7/3 - Alex J. Cavanaugh - IWSG Day - Fantasy Movies
7/4 - Tonja Drecker - Independence Day! - Kids in Books
7/8 - Christine Rains - Levels of Romance
7/10 - Heather M. Gardner - Binge Watching TV
7/15 - Tyrean Martinson - Hiking!
7/17 - Julie Flanders - Gotta Have Friends
*7/22 - Juneta Key - Surprise Post! (she doesn't even know what it's about yet!)

I'm overwhelmed with appreciation. I'd never be able to do this alone. So glad to have this generous community offering time and talents!

And of course, there's a giveaway!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks for stopping by and playing. Your support is priceless!