MAY #IWSG: May You Fulfill All Your Dreams!

        

Come join Alex J. Cavanaugh and the Insecure Writer's Support Group. We discuss our fears, insecurities, ups and downs of the writing process and post the first Wednesday of every month! http://alexjcavanaugh.blogspot.com/p/the-insecure-writers-support-group.html

                                            

                                            You ready?
                        Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!

The awesome co-hosts for the May 4 posting of the IWSG are Kim Elliott, Melissa Maygrove, Chemist Ken, Lee Lowery, and Nancy Gideon!

Every month, we announce a question that members can answer in their IWSG post. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience or story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSG post or let it inspire your post if you are struggling with something to say. 

Remember, the question is optional!

May 4 question - It's the best of times; it's the worst of times. What are your writer highs (the good times)? And what are your writer lows (the crappy times)?

The good times consist of having my first book published and winning an award. The lows are mostly not having the time to finish my dream. But we are moving to an enormous house with a built in home office and I am sooo excited! I'm going to get organized and on with publishing a slew of books. Stay tuned.

Busy packing today! We are staying in the city limits but moving to the country. Do you need to be organized before you can write, edit, work out publishing details? 

 

April #IWSG: To read or to be read to--via audio books

 

                                               

Come join Alex J. Cavanaugh and the Insecure Writer's Support Group. We discuss our fears, insecurities, ups and downs of the writing process and post the first Wednesday of every month! http://alexjcavanaugh.blogspot.com/p/the-insecure-writers-support-group.html

                                                Remember, the question is optional!!!      

                                               You ready?

Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!

April 6 question - Have any of your books been made into audio books? If so, what is the main challenge in producing an audiobook?
The awesome co-hosts for the April 6 posting of the IWSG are Joylene Nowell Butler, Jemima Pett, Patricia Josephine, Louise - Fundy Blue, and Kim Lajevardi!

I'm a little late to the blog hop party today. Loving this spring weather! 

To be read to is an easy question to answer. Yes, I love audio books. Yes, I buy them on Chirp--no monthly fees. I listen to them with my daughter. It's been a life-changer for her. She eagerly asks for the next book in the series.

 

I've seen ads on Pinterest where you can sign up and get paid to actually use your voice to read an audible book. I wonder if you have to audition? Just curious. Wouldn't that be cool to hear your own voice reading an awesome book or your own? 

Gotta run. Hope this post finds you refreshed and ready for spring or summer! 

MARCH #IWSG

                                                  

Come join Alex J. Cavanaugh and the Insecure Writer's Support Group. We discuss our fears, insecurities, ups and downs of the writing process and post the first Wednesday of every month! http://alexjcavanaugh.blogspot.com/p/the-insecure-writers-support-group.html

                                                Remember, the question is optional!!!      

                                                                         You ready?

Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!

March 2 question - Have you ever been conflicted about writing a story or adding a scene to a story? How did you decide to write it or not?
The awesome co-hosts for the March 2 posting of the IWSG are Janet Alcorn, Pat Garcia, Natalie Aguirre, and Shannon Lawrence!

The snow has disappeared as we jump right into today's high of seventy-two degrees. Hope everyone is enjoying the first signs of spring. Okay, so this weather is more like someone hit us over the head with summer, but I'll take it! I'm spring cleaning and organizing and enjoying the great outdoors again. 

This will be short and sweet as I have to "go to work" today. Even though I work from home (still loving it!!!), I have to be "out of the office" for a few hours today. Take care and God bless. 

Happy spring cleaning or writing or both. 

February #IWSG: Snow Over It

                                                        

Come join Alex J. Cavanaugh and the Insecure Writer's Support Group. We discuss our fears, insecurities, ups and downs of the writing process and post the first Wednesday of every month! http://alexjcavanaugh.blogspot.com/p/the-insecure-writers-support-group.html

                                                Remember, the question is optional!!!      

                                                                         You ready?

Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!

February 2 question - Is there someone who supported or influenced you that perhaps isn't around anymore? Anyone you miss?

The awesome co-hosts for the February 2 posting of the IWSG are Joylene Nowell Butler, Jacqui Murray, Sandra Cox, and Lee Lowery!

My fifth grade teacher read to the class and cultivated my love for books. However, she is still alive! A few English teachers and professors in college made writing fun. I think most of the people who influenced me are still present and accounted for. 

However, I missed having quality or quantity writing time when I worked as a librarian. I got plenty of reading time, which I will never regret. Now that I work mostly from home, I write everyday. Balancing this new job and starting a different path to publication has been the best decision ever. Words are flowing, plots are forming and twisting, and the pressure is off. I'm my own boss! 

We are ready for the snow-pocalypse! There's already a foot of snow outside. I'm praying this is the last storm of the season. Do you like being your own boss? Have you ever changed directions in your writing journey? 

January #IWSG: The Underdog

                                           

Come join Alex J. Cavanaugh and the Insecure Writer's Support Group. We discuss our fears, insecurities, ups and downs of the writing process and post the first Wednesday of every month! http://alexjcavanaugh.blogspot.com/p/the-insecure-writers-support-group.html

Remember, the question is optional!!! 

You ready?
Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!

 

January 5 question - What's the one thing about your writing career you regret the most? Were you able to overcome it?

The awesome co-hosts for the January 5 posting of the IWSG are Erika Beebe, Olga Godim, Sandra Cox, Sarah Foster, and Chemist Ken!      

I had the pleasure of watching American Underdog this past weekend. What an amazing true story of Kurt Warner and his football career. Everybody feels that life is against them at some point. However, if you don't get over unfortunate events, you will never move on. 

One of Kurt Warner's teammates on the winning Super Bowl team the St. Louis Rams is a good friend of our family. His son and my son are best friends and wrestled on the same wrestling team coached by my husband. Small world! These people are real and give God the glory for everything in their lives, the good and the bad.

 I encourage you to see the film. It's not a typical Hollywood agenda-filled two hours. What a great inspirational story that will not leave you disappointed!

Will you be an overcomer this new year? How will your begin in 2022? Will you let disappointment defeat you? Spoiler alert: God wins in the end! 

#IWSG: December: BACK IN THE GAME

                                                                 

                                               

Come join Alex J. Cavanaugh and the Insecure Writer's Support Group. We discuss our fears, insecurities, ups and downs of the writing process and post the first Wednesday of every month! http://alexjcavanaugh.blogspot.com/p/the-insecure-writers-support-group.html

Remember, the question is optional!!!       

                                             You ready?

Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!

This month's optional question:
 In your writing, what stresses you the most? What delights you?
The awesome co-hosts for the December 1 posting of the IWSG are PJ Colando, Diane Burton, Louise – Fundy Blue, Natalie Aguirre, and Jacqui Murray!

I love coming up with new story ideas. Opening scenes excite me. The release of a new book, movie, or TV series creates the same feeling in me as a kid on Christmas morning. When an author I love writes another book in the series I adore, I jump for joy like I won the lottery.  

Stressing....where do I start?? I'm over stressing about not being able to control my writing career. After wining countless writing contests and securing a literary agent, my agent left her agency a year ago and went straight for representing only graphic novels. She quit before we even got started so to speak. Don't get me wrong. I love graphic novels and so do kids! But there is so much more to the middle-grade and young adult market. And, yes, I could publish more books with my original publisher of my first book, but something is holding me back. 

I'm back in the writing saddle and changing things up. Being a teacher and a librarian for over a decade, I understand what kids want to read. Running two libraries and helping my daughter with endless amounts of homework last year, left me exhausted and unable for any time to write or think about my writing career. Working from home has freed me! With several books ready to go, I will be forging a different path in the new year. 

Is your holiday season starting out on a good note? On a scale of 1-10, how excited do you get over new releases, book series, or a new season of your favorite show? 10 for me!!!

FYI: Alex Rider season two drops December 3rd! Locke and Key season two did not disappoint.

#IWSG November: Falling for Book Blurbs

                                        

Come join Alex J. Cavanaugh and the Insecure Writer's Support Group. We discuss our fears, insecurities, ups and downs of the writing process and post the first Wednesday of every month! http://alexjcavanaugh.blogspot.com/p/the-insecure-writers-support-group.html

Remember, the question is optional!!!       

This month's optional question:
What's harder to do, coming up with your book title or writing the blurb?

The awesome co-hosts for the November 3 posting of the IWSG are Kim Lajevardi, Victoria Marie Lees, Joylene Nowell Butler, Erika Beebe, and Lee Lowery!

 

To answer this month's question, I enjoy writing book blurbs almost as much as I love coming up with titles. Reading solid book blurbs in your favorite genre helps you create your own. Sometimes I read book titles on the shelf and make better ones up in my head. Like, what was the author/publisher thinking?? 

We are in the grips of fall weather, and I couldn't be happier! This is the moment I live for all year. My oldest son got married last month, a bittersweet moment. My house is slowly getting back to normal. I've already transformed his old room into my home office and guest room. So excited to have a place to work from home and start the writing journey again. 

Enjoying fall? Any exciting plans or excursions this season? Anyone participating in NANO? Anyone "falling" into a good book or TV series?