Stuck in a portal

 I started on my newest novel immediately after finishing my last one. Year after year, I finish one and start another. I had some downtime this Christmas, but was busy designing coloring books and getting my first children's book published (visit AngieMcP blog - if interested). But now that things have slowed down, I don't want to work on it. People are waiting for it and it's kind of needed to make my series better. Three books are better than two, and all that.

I have an outline (sort of) and I kind of know where it's going, but I still don't want to work on it. So for now, I'm hedging around it. I think once I get back into it, everything will fall into place. I hope so. I think it's because it takes an entire year to complete. That's so much time. I'm not saying it's not worth it, but I have been testing new writing styles. Some can be completed in a month (or even less).

I will continue to write full-length novels, also look to the future for different audiences.

Stay tuned and stay paranormally weird!
Penny

Why does KDP hate me and my ability to design book covers?

Oh, CreateSpace, how I wish you would come back!!! I miss you Cover Creator.  I cannot make a cover that doesn't get kicked out of KDP repeatedly to save my life. I download templates, re-download templates, pray to the gods... nothing seems to matter. My cover gets past the initial proof stage. It looks great. then I get the dreaded email from KDP stating my cover doesn't fit how it's supposed to.



I am ready to pull my hair out and not sure how to fix it going forward. Now I know why I'm happy to have some traditionally published work. Someone else can deal with this headache.

So here's to hoping for some good luck!
Stay paranormally weird!
Penny

My Fair Lady!

I went to see the Fathom Events My Fair Lady this weekend. I thought for sure I had seen the movie. I mean, who hasn't, right? Yeah. Apparently, I've never seen the movie. I knew some scenes and songs, but the movie was new to me. Crazy, I know! In the beginning, they related facts pertaining to the movie. I didn't know that Audrey Hepburn didn't sing the songs, and I didn't know that Julie Andrews was the lead in the Broadway play.  Andrews wasn't cast as the lead in the movie because she hadn't done any movies.

Which luckily that happened or we might not have gotten our beloved Mary Poppins! I did enjoy My Fair Lady and so glad I got to finally see it!

Ready for spring and ready for a sequel!

My sequel to A Girl's Guide to Time Travel will be out in the next few months. This story doesn't involve any characters previously met before. I realize people want sequels and publishers know this, but I wanted to create a series where the situations might be similar but each story contains completely different people. The pitch I could use would be: My main character finds themselves in strange situations.

Pretty simple, huh? Well, why did I pick something that requires so much research? I'm a glutton for punishment. The second story, A Girl's Guide to Purgatory, still needed research, but not as much. For purgatory, I could use my imagination and didn't have to rely on so much book work. And now that I'm working on the third installment, I'm back up to my neck in research.

I don't hate research, but it's hard for me to keep it all organized. Sometimes I find myself spending hours on background info, but in the end it will make the story more well-rounded.

Stay tuned for more Purgatory info!
Stay paranormally weird!
Penny

Surviving rejection letter after rejection letter... why do I go on?

The title does seem a bit melodramatic, doesn't it? At the moment, I feel that way. It might be twenty years I've done this, but every rejection cuts like a small knife. Now don't get me wrong, I know this comes with the territory. Even Stephen King got rejection letters. I tell that to all the authors I meet that relate their tales of woe.




It still doesn't make it any easier. I take a few hours to wallow in pity, while I wonder if I should just quit. But then I realize I write because I want to, not because I plan on getting rich. I write in hopes that a small number of people enjoy my adventures. I also write to keep my brain strong. With a chronic disease, I must keep my brain striving for more. I need more words, more phrases, and some days, it is just hard to think of simple words.

But that is why I continue. I write not just for potential fans. I write for my health. So, with every rejection letter, I grow stronger. I might not remember characters from my early books, but I strive to create more that will entertain my brain in the future.

This rejection letter was actually helpful and gave more information than the usual "Thanks, but no thanks" formality. I will go back to my manuscript and tweak. I can only do what I can do, but I will enjoy doing it.

And I will keep looking for something positive each day. I won't back down and maybe someday my work will end up in the hands of someone who loves it as much as me.

Write on!
Penny

A Girl's Guide to Time Travel made the LONG LIST for Chanticleer's Ozma award!

I survived the slush pile!! Quite a few months ago, I entered my traditionally published book, A Girl's Guide to Time Travel, into a contest. I did some research and came across the Chanticleer Awards and thought it worth taking a chance. I've never entered Time Travel into a contest before. I chose to enter the Ozma Contest that is geared toward the fantasy genre. Today, I just checked to see if any results were posted and I just saw my book has made it from the slush pile to the Long List.

I never expected to make even this first list, so I am tickled pink! I'm really not expecting to move forward, so thought I'd take this chance to toot my own horn for the day.

You can read the full article here: https://www.chantireviews.com/2018/11/29/ozma-book-awards-cibas-for-fantasy-fiction-the-2018-long-list/


These titles have moved forward in the judging rounds from SLUSH pile to the 2018 Long List (aka the Slush Pile Survivors). We incorporate the Long List when the judges request an additional round of judging to accommodate the number and/or quality of entries received.  These entries are now in competition for the 2018 OZMA SHORT LIST. The Short Listers will compete for the Semi-Finalists positions.
The coveted First  Place Category Winners of the 2018 OZMA Book Awards will be selected from the Semi-Finalists in the final rounds of judging.  The First Place Category Winners will be announced at the Chanticleer Awards Banquet and Ceremony. 
The First Place Category winners will automatically be entered into the OZMA GRAND PRIZE AWARD competition.  The 16 CBR Grand Prize Genre Winners will compete for the CBR Overall Grand Prize for Best Book and its $1,000 purse. First Place Category and Grand Prize Awards will be announced and recognized at the Chanticleer Awards Banquet and Ceremony on Saturday, April 27th, 2019, Bellingham, Washington.
These titles are in the running for the SHORT LIST of the 2018 OZMA Book Awards novel competition for Fantasy Fiction.

The following works have made it to the 2018  OZMA Book Awards Long List:

• Pamela LePage – Virtuous Souls
• J.V. Rutz – The Illusion Killer
• Megan Wong – Island Whispers
• Allan Batchelder – Steel, Blood & Fire
• Ea Bishop – RAGNAROK: Demon Seed
• Daryl Ellerbe – The Amazons
• Kristin Secorsky – Dragon Chosen: The Dragon Riders of Eryieth
• Paul E. Vaughn – Luminess Legends: Dragon Ascendants
• Kathleen Neeley – Master None
• David M. Jarboe – Realm Portals “The Celtic Otherworld”
• M.K Williams – The Phoenix Chronicles: Alone in the Light
• Jennifer Allis Provost – Gallowglass
• T.K. Riggins – Money Jane
• Susan Faw – Heart Of Shadra
• Glen Shipherd – Infinity – Rulers
• Franklin Posner – Suburban Vampire Ragnarok
• Nancy Guild Bendall – Nethermost Regained
• Anthony Nordvik-Nash – Hedda Stein-Sun’s UnRemembered Islands
• Nancy Guild Bendall – Nethermost Regained
• Elana A. Mugdan – Dragon Speaker
• Elizabeth Crowens – Silent Meridian
• Lindsay Schopfer – Into the North: A Keltin Moore Adventure
• M. K. Wiseman – The Kithseeker
• Miriam Cumming – Namesakes
• Penny Pearson – A Girl’s Guide to Time Travel
• Chris Dews – Antler Jinny and the Raven
• Philip Carlisle – Surviving Eros: Heart of Phire
• D.M. Cain – A Chronicle of Chaos

To view the 2017 OZMA Book Awards winners, please click here.
The OZMA Grand Prize Winner and the First Place Category Position award winners will be announced at the April 27th, 2019 Chanticleer Book Awards Annual Awards Gala, which takes place at the Chanticleer Authors Conference that will be held in Bellingham, Wash. 

Gearing up for holiday bazaar season! Ho ho ho!

Well, Christmas is right around the corner (I know, right?? Who can believe it's almost December??) I have been trying to find book events to attend to sell my novel and coloring books, but the last several book only events have kind of been a bust for me. The foot traffic just wasn't there.

So, I've been thinking out of the box (still) for my next couple of shows and have come up with Christmas bazaars and craft shows. The need for different Christmas ideas got me thinking that maybe my coloring books might be good to promote. At such a great price point of $5, it's not a pricey Christmas
investment.

Now I'm just trying to figure out what kind of Christmas décor I need for my table. I only have a 6 foot table (and possibly a 4 ft. card table), so 3 coloring books will take the bulk of the space. Also, I don't think my Greek demigod romance novel will be a top seller around Christmas. I mean, I would love to stumble across such a find at a bazaar, but I'm not sure if the "normal" people of southern Indiana want to see such a thing.

I have 2 holiday craft shows lined up; one this weekend and one in December (see my Events page if you're curious where they are located). After that, I'm still searching. My family will probably be happy to have me stay home for a weekend, anyway.

I'll keep you posted on how the events go!
Keep writing on!
Penny