Update on My Writing Life

So . . . I've been a little busy. In November, December, and January, I worked as an interim editor for a local magazine while their current editor went on maternity leave. It was nice to get back into the world of magazine production, and as a bonus, I had a crash course in the importance of digital content! I'm now taking on more content writing jobs, as well as working on one big health and fitness project, so the experience I'm getting is invaluable.

Here are a few of my recent blog posts:

About Writing and Publishing:

Book Review of Flight of Dreams by Ariel Lawhon

Creating Visuals to Accompany Blog Posts (Like the one on the right!)

Spotlight: A Must-See Film for Writers

5 Apps for Writers

Out and About in Charlotte, NC:

5 Places to Work Out with Kids in Charlotte 

5 Places for a Fun Mom Night Out in Charlotte

5 Places to Bounce With Your Kids in Charlotte


*Coming up in the next week, I'll tackle the revisions on a YA novel (like a boss project manager) I wrote during NaNoWriMo ages ago. Stay tuned for updates!

Book Review: Afta-U by Jennifer-Lynn Keniston

About Afta-U:

Michael’s smile broadened. “It seems you’re surprised to see me, Jean. Don’t tell me you thought that they’d leave an eleven-year-old boy locked away forever.”

Twenty-nine years after the tragic death of her childhood best friend, Hope, Jean Cartwright Rhodes returns to her hometown with her husband and daughter after she inherits the house her friend’s family once lived in. Now, years later, she finds herself haunted by a dark truth – and by the specter of Hope herself.

Every time Jean looks through her kitchen window, she sees two stark reminders of her troubled past; the Afta-U sailboat, ironically named after young Hope, and the old oak tree where her eleven-year-old friend met her death at the hands of another child.

Afta-U unfolds as a psychological chess match, a complex web of intrigue, unexpected relationships, lies, and devastating secrets as Jean stuggles with the impact of decisions she made long ago on all the lives around her. When Jean confronts and tries to come to grips with Hope’s killer, she finds herself waging a personal battle between madness and redemption.

Jennifer-Lynn Keniston:

Raised in Hanson, Massachusetts, the author earned a Master of Arts degree in English, from Bridgewater State College in Massachusetts, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in English, with a concentration in writing and a minor in philosophy, from Plymouth State College in New Hampshire. Jennifer-Lynn currently works as a project manager for a company that provides cloud software products for call centers at small, medium, and enterprise companies. In April 2014, she started her own business, Ansel Resume Resolution Services LLC, writing resumes and cover letters. She now lives and writes in Concord, New Hampshire, and enjoys teaching Spinning classes in her free time.

Website: http://www.jenniferkeniston.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorjenniferkeniston/

Twitter: @jenkeniston

Purchase Link:

http://www.amazon.com/Afta-U-Jennifer-Lynn-Keniston/dp/1680284274/

Review:

It’s amazing sometimes what the heart and soul can endure, and the characters in the novel Afta-U are definitely a testament to that. When the main character, Jean, moves into her best friend’s childhood home, she wants to feel connected to the innocence of her early years and the good memories of Hope, her best friend who tragically died at the age of eleven. Unfortunately, it doesn’t turn out that way.

As a parent, reading the details of Hope’s death was terrifying, especially seeing how quickly something meant to be a game can spiral out of control. The memory of that event is something Jean buried deep within herself and never truly confronted. But now she’s sharing Hope’s childhood home with the ghost of Hope herself, a solemn figure who doesn’t speak.

Constant reminders of you swirled around me every day. I could hear your laugh in the physical walls of my current house and the land itself, haunting echoes of my childhood memories of you.

The paragraph above is an example of how Jennifer-Lynn Keniston’s lyrical prose draws the reader in from the opening pages, along with the use of symbolism and the complex and often complicated nature of human relationships. The characterization is also excellent—I loved the character of Nick, Jean’s husband, and I loathed the two villans, Damian and Michael.

I think many of us can relate to the feeling of being overwhelmed by a traumatic event in our lives, and how it can make you want give up and stop fighting, even if just for a little while. Afta-U is a heartbreaking tale of the loss of childhood innocence, and how the emotional scars can find a way to resurface no matter how much time has passed. But it’s also a testament to how a person can heal if they can hold on to their faith and have a strong support system to lean on.

As a bonus, the author is also a talented poet, and poems that add depth to the story are interspersed throughout the novel:

Autumn

Red flames danced

As the white envelope

With black penned ink fell

Trying to silence the voice whose story it was to tell

A lamb’s choice breathes air to the fire below

Shifting from shielded innocence

To the heavy stature of a lioness

Defining a choice and one’s free will

The catcher of lost souls

A saddened sparrow weeps

As colored beach sand and tears freely flow

Learn more about the inspiration behind the book in this interview at WOW! Women on Writing.

Book Review: The Romance Diet by Destiny Allison

I love it when a book helps me discover something about myself that I need to work on. That’s what happened when I picked up The Romance Diet as part of Destiny Allison's blog tour with WOW! Women on Writing. 

The Romance Diet:

Brave, raw, and unflinchingly honest, this book is a weight loss journey, a love story, a heart beating loudly on the page. Every day we battle against something--injustice, our spouses, our weight. Seldom do we acknowledge the real wars we wage. Repressing feelings and silencing our voices, we suffer under the surface, attributing emotional distress and unwanted pounds to the inescapable effects of hormones or age.

But weight gain, anxiety, and marital difficulties aren't always so easy to explain.

In her poignant and touching memoir, Allison doesn't offer recipes, exercise tips, or advice. Instead, she shows us how to stand up, express what we want, and develop empathy for ourselves and the people we love. In doing so, she provides invaluable insight for those seeking to lose weight, save a marriage, or make a significant life change.

Includes a Readers Guide.

Review:

The Romance Diet is so much more than I expected. There are many people who could benefit from reading this book—couples who need help communicating with each other, people who are longing to have a more healthy relationship with food and exercise, those who are still dealing with the long-term effects of a traumatic incident in their lives, women who need help asserting their independence . . . the list goes on and on.

The book begins with Destiny’s realization that the injury that caused her to stop working as a metal sculptor also caused her to gain a significant amount of weight, and her husband Steve was along for the ride. Their love of rich, decadent food grows out of control until Destiny decides they need to take the first step towards making a healthy, positive change. Little does she know other things in her life would unravel because of it.

There’s a part of the book where Steve repeatedly tells Destiny that she’s sexy. She grows frustrated and longs to tell him that she’s not just a body—but a smart and capable businesswoman, artist, a writer. Reading her story brought back feelings and resentments that are buried within me as well. I too long to be complimented for my accomplishments by my spouse—and don’t get me wrong—he does do that, but he also says things like “oh they want to hire you because they’ve seen your picture,” or “you can’t expect to make too much money because you haven’t spent time climbing the corporate ladder.” Statements like that burrow deep inside me until they erupt in a resentful tirade because I grow tired of feeling disrespected. After reading The Romance Diet, I’ve started speaking up more and simply telling my husband how I feel when he makes those comments, whether he means any harm by them or not.

I’d like to point out that The Romance Diet is creative non-fiction at its finest. Destiny has a way with words that find you savoring each page and wondering what’s to come next.

Weeds intertwined with lavender stems in my neglected garden. A stinkbug meandered across a flagstone step. Like the aspen leaves on our sole surviving tree, I felt limp and colorless.

Or:

Too fat, too thin, just average. Long hair, short hair, high cheekbones, no cheekbones. Pear shaped, card shaped, hourglass. Big breasts, flat chests, the spread of hips. Like most women, I asked "Am I good enough?" a thousand ways each day.  

About the Author:
Destiny Allison was a professional and award-winning sculptor. Her work is collected by individuals, civic entities, and corporations worldwide. When an injury required her to re-envision her life, Allison did what she always does. She applied her explosive creativity and dog-with-a-bone tenacity to new endeavors.

In 2011 she was named Santa Fe Business Woman of the Year. Her community building efforts and innovative business model transformed a bankrupt shopping center into a thriving community and commercial center.

In 2012 she published her first book, Shaping Destiny: A quest for meaning in art and life. The book won best independent non-fiction/memoir in the 2013 Global Book Awards.

Since then, she has published two novels and opened a general store.

Allison believes that one’s life is one’s greatest work of art. Hence, she flows freely between mediums. Unafraid to make mistakes and always passionate, she lives in Santa Fe, NM.

More info at: www.destinyallisonbooks.com,
Facebook: Destiny Allison Books
Twitter: sfsculptor

Purchase Link:

http://www.amazon.com/Romance-Diet-Body-Image-Ourselves/dp/1632930900/

Learn more about the inspiration behind this book in this interview at WOW! Women on Writing.

Chicken Soup for (This Writer's) Soul

Everyone needs a go-to comfort food. I have quite a few--homemade macaroni and cheese, chicken and dumplings, pizza, anything chocolate . . . the list goes on and on, really. When you work from home, it's not unusual to look up at 5:30 or 6 p.m. and wonder where in the world the afternoon went. As I rummaged around my pantry last night in search of something somewhat healthy to make for a quick dinner, I had an idea. I would try to make my own version of a childhood favorite dinner--the Campbell's Soup Chicken and Stars. It turned out great, the family cleaned their bowls, and I felt good having served up a delicious and low-cal dinner.

I posted a photo on Facebook and a few of my friends asked for the recipe. Here's what I gave them:

Ingredients: 
Two or three small chicken breasts
Two tbsp. olive oil
Four cups of water
32-oz. container of chicken broth
Three small carrots, peeled and diced
One clove of garlic
One cup of Simply Balanced Organic Stelline Pasta
Salt and pepper

Instructions: Dice the chicken and saute it with the olive oil and garlic until cooked through. In a separate medium-sized pot, bring the carrots to boil in the four cups of water. Add one cup of the pasta the container of chicken broth. One the carrots are soft and the pasta is cooked, add in the chicken and whatever seasoning you prefer. I like to add about one teaspoon of the 21 Season Salute from Trader Joe's to give it a little extra kick. Makes about six to seven small servings. Serve and enjoy!

Tips on How to Pitch Magazines Successfully

I had the honor of taking part in a panel discussion last night in Charlotte, courtesy of the local chapter of the Women's National Book Association-Charlotte (WNBA) and the Charlotte Writers' Club. I have to admit I was nervous about presenting on the topic of how to make money writing for magazines, but once I began writing down my talking points I realized I have a learned a thing or two  about magazine publishing over the years. The audience couldn't have been more attentive, and they had some great questions for all the panelists, which included Karon Luddy, Alice Osborn and Mica Gadhia. One thing I regretted was that I didn't have time to make copies of a handout. So, for anyone that was at the panel and missed any of the "Do's and Don't of Pitching Magazines," I've included them below:

Do's and Don'ts of Pitching Magazines

Don’t send out scattershot query letters. Meaning, don’t write up one query letter and send out to multiple magazine editors at once. Editors are much more likely to consider you for an assignment if you are familiar with the magazine you’re pitching and make your query personalized. Spend a little time skimming through some recent issues of the publication, and get a feel for how it is laid out. Mention recent published articles that you connected with to show your familiarity.

Do have an interesting lede (or hook) pertaining to your article topic that illustrates why it would make a good piece for a magazine. You only have a few seconds to catch an editor’s eye. Make them count.

Do pitch different types of magazines, both big and small. It’s a great experience, and over time, you’ll become more comfortable crafting your ideas and hitting the send button.

Don’t send your ideas to the wrong person. Study the masthead of the magazine you are hoping to query. Publishers typically focus on the sales side of a magazine and aren’t really connected to the editorial side. Your best bet is to address your query to a specific editor.

Do pick up a copy of the latest version of The Writer’s Market. You will find listings of magazines you never even knew existed, including editorial contact names, pay rates, and what types of articles specific markets are seeking.

Happy writing and querying, everyone!

From left to right: Karon Luddy, Alice Osborn, Me, Mica Gadhia

Book Review: Last Night at the Viper Room

I have to admit that in my teens, I was an adoring fan of actor River Phoenix. "Stand By Me" continues to be one of my favorite movies of all time. I knew vaguely of Phoenix's background--that his parents had been "hippies" and he and his siblings lived in a commune for a while, and he didn't eat meat. Beyond that, I guess you could say I knew what he and his management allowed the public to know. I do know I was devastated (and shocked) when I learned of his death by drug overdose during my senior year of high school.

There was a lot we had no idea about. Times were different in the late 1980s/early 1990s. There weren't blogs to around to share the dirty little secrets of celebrities, and paparazzi didn't seem quite as aggressive as they do now. A few months ago I came across a show on the Reelz channel called "Autopsy: The Last Hours of River Phoenix." I was drawn in immediately. I think what struck me the most was that River didn't have to die in the early morning hours of Oct. 31, 1993 at the Viper Room in Hollywood. By all accounts he had been clean during the filming of his last movie, "Dark Blood," and decided to let loose that night. He had marijuana, valium, cocaine, and pseudoephedrine in his system (he was nursing a bad cold). He went to the Viper Room in the hopes of jamming on stage with Johnny Depp and Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers. The stage was too crowded and they couldn't let him perform. Even though he wasn't consuming alcohol that night, at some point he ingested a speedball (mixture of cocaine and heroine) in a liquid form. It was too much for his body to handle. Even though the nearest hospital was only a mile away, the group he was with didn't want anyone to know he was on drugs, so they sat with him as he more violently ill. No one called 911 until he started seizing, and by the time the paramedics reached the club it was too late.

One of the people interview for the Reelz program was Gavin Edwards, author of Last Night at the Viper Room: River Phoenix and the Hollywood He Left Behind. I found the book at the library a few days ago and picked it up. Edwards is a contributing editor for Rolling Stone and has also written for Details, Spin, and the New York Times Magazine. The book follows the life of Phoenix (born River Jude Bottom), from his humble early beginnings living with the questionable Children of God cult (which encouraged free love, even among young children) to his family's decision to have their children seek fame and fortune in Hollywood. I love how the book is structured--it reads like one long magazine article, featuring interviews from actors/directors Phoenix worked and pulling from previous media interviews. I learned so much reading this book, and it was heartbreaking. Phoenix never had a proper education, and he had trouble relating to kids his own age because he had not spent a lot of time with them in normal social settings. He most likely had dyslexia. His first love was music. He desperately wanted to be a musician, but acting did a better job of paying the bills. His work supported his entire family--he was the breadwinner. Although he talked about being "anti-drugs" in media interviews (he was also a devout vegan), he was first exposed to drug and alcohol use in his preteens on various movie sets.

The other thing I found interesting about Last Night at the Viper Room was how the author also wove in a timeline of other up and coming young actors in Hollywood (Johnny Depp, Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, etc.) and what was happening in their careers as Phoenix's career progressed. For a pop culture junkie such as myself, this was just a bonus.

If he had been given medical attention earlier in the evening of Oct. 30, Phoenix might not have died that night. But with the downward spiral he was on, we can't really say if he would have lived any longer. Reading this book helped me understand how such a talented young actor could have become overwhelmed and led down the path he ended up on. I couldn't put this book down until I finished it, and then my heart hurt for a very long time afterward.