#IWSG - April - Bursting with excitement and awesomeness!!!

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day.

 

 

Our Twitter handle is @TheIWSG and hashtag is #IWSG.

The awesome co-hosts for the April 1 posting of the IWSG are Diane Burton, JH Moncrieff, Anna @ Emaginette, Erika Beebe, Karen @ Reprobate Typewriter, and Lisa Buie-Collard!

April 1 optional question - The IWSG’s focus is on our writers. Each month, from all over the globe, we are a united group sharing our insecurities, our troubles, and our pain. So, in this time when our world is in crisis with the covid-19 pandemic, our optional question this month is: how are things in your world?

Hello sequestered peeps!! I hope this blog post finds you well.

It's been a difficult and trying time in our world. Honestly, my emotions have been all over the place, and I guess that's to be expected, but it's not any way to live.

My family is trying to stick to a schedule so that we can get stuff done, even if we don't feel like it. (That one is aimed mostly at The Teen).

No matter what, we are resilient.

We will prevail.

 

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We’re revving up for the annual IWSG Anthology Contest!

It doesn’t open until May 6, but here’s a hint...

The genre – science fiction!

And the amazing judges –

Dan Koboldt, author and #SFFpit founder

Lynda R. Young, author

Colleen Oefelein, agent, The Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency

Damien Larkin, author

Ion Newcombe, editor and publisher

Julie Gwinn, agent, The Seymour Agency

David Powers King, author

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#IWSG Instagram for April: 

 

 

 

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According to my blog bestie, Tara Tyler, I was her Friendliest Facebooker during her Beast World campaign! Thank you, Tara! Best wishes on your books! Head over to her blog today to give her some love!!!

 

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Did you know that Write Club has begun! Go see DL Hammons to get all the details!!

 

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 Have you been following the Self-Distancing Adventures of Daisy, Kieran, and Hamish? You can find them on my Facebook and Instagram!

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Right now on Smashwords there is a huge Authors Give Back sale on books, including 30% off all three of my ebooks! https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/HMGardner28

#IWSG - March - I've got an Insecure Tip and my book is just 99 cents!!!

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer - aim for a dozen new people each time - and return comments. This group is all about connecting!

Our Twitter handle is @TheIWSG and hashtag is #IWSG.

Facebook Group / Newsletter
Twitter / Book Club / Instagram

IWSG Guide to Publishing and Beyond and IWSG Writing for Profit Anthology: Parallels /  Anthology: Hero Lost Anthology: Tick Tock / Anthology - Masquerade IWSG Merchandise

 

Optional March 4 question - Other than the obvious holiday traditions, have you ever included any personal or family traditions/customs in your stories?

The awesome co-hosts for the March 4 posting of the IWSG are Jacqui Murray, Lisa Buie-Collard, Sarah Foster, Natalie Aguirre, and Shannon Lawrence!

IWSG Instagram schedule for March:

 Happy March everyone! It's already pretend Spring here in NY! I swear I heard peepers last night and we're wearing sweatshirts! Either a big, bad storm is coming to kick our butts or we really will get an early Spring!

Here's a tip that helps me not be so insecure: Someone mentioned on the FB group that they lost a large portion of their WIP and their back-up plan failed.
I've started to email myself a copy of my work to my gmail. That way if my computer has issues, I can still get to my stuff from another computer.
Got any tips to share?

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It's #ReadanEbookWeek!!!

Today is the last day you can get And Then You Fall on Amazon for just 99 cents!!  Click HERE to get your copy now!!

Valentine Special! #Free #Sale for Maguire's Corner series!

Hello my friends!

Because it's almost Valentine's Day, and since all 3 of my ebooks are now up on Smashwords, I'm having a special to celebrate!

If you purchase through Smashwords, which is totally free to sign-up for, and has all of these formats to choose from: epub mobi pdf lrf pdb txt html, ...

Already Home is free until February 15th!
One Good Catch is just 99 cents until February 15th!
And Then You Fall is $2.99.

 
Don't miss out on this great deal!
https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/HMGardner28

Thank you!
HMG

#IWSG - February - Special Guest -- Tara Tyler!!!

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

Our Twitter handle is @TheIWSG and hashtag is #IWSG.

February 5 optional question - Has a single photo or work of art ever inspired a story? What was it and did you finish it?

The awesome co-hosts for the February 5 posting of the IWSG are Lee Lowery, Ronel Janse van Vuuren, Jennifer Hawes, Cathrina Constantine, and Tyrean Martinson!

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Hello and Happy February Insecure friends!! I have a special guest today, Tara Tyler, and she's here to talk about her Beast World series. I'm so completely proud of her and her accomplishments!

This whole writing thing is so freakin' hard, I wouldn't wish it upon my own enemies, but she's handling a huge obstacle thrown at her with grace and style! Make sure you read her post below.

Meanwhile...I was able to add all three of my books to Smashwords, which means that they will be available on other platforms like KOBO, Barnes & Noble, and Apple Books, just to name a few! YAY!

Stay tuned, because I'm thinking of doing a little holiday promotion! I'll let you know about it when I figure it out! Thank you!

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Welcome, Tara!!

Taking Back Beast World, Phase 2. Disney/Pixar's Onward comes out Mar 6 with a setting eerily close to BEAST WORLD, and it's time to speak out again--in a positive way!

Thanks for hosting me on this journey, Heather!

Adventure - Inside-Out
by Tara Tyler

We all need a little adventure in our lives!

I love this picture!

Kids are full of lively, risk-taking instincts. They mostly get their adventures Outside or IRL (in real life) They play, pretend, have sleepovers, explore, and are always up for trying new things (except green food).

When I was a kid eons ago, I loved to go to the pond and discover. With friends, we would play family or castle or school or making movies. I was pretty bossy (still am) so I was usually in charge and chose my part first. I was the baby, the princess, the teacher, the director. I'm surprised my friends stayed friends with me! But we always had a blast. And I think most kids (like my boys) start outside and have just as much fun as we did in the day. We just need to keep limiting the screens while we can, because...

Inevitably, kids turn into teenagers. Ugh! The adventure goes Inside for a while (until they can drive--yikes!) True then as it is today, just a little more technology. Teens find adventure in video games, movies, YouTube, and social media. As generations change, I've found kids and teens are basically the same, even though we have a danger of becoming addicts to our phones, this is how life is now.

The Key to Great Adventure Inside or Out is taking risks, but being smart about it. There is such a thing as too much of a good thing. If we limit the kids and teach teens to set their own limits,  hopefully we'll all be successful adventurous adults!

One last thing: In awesome news, I heard books are making a comeback! We authors need to keep writing and inspiring kids, teens, and adults. Books are the best Inside Adventure for all because it exercises your brain which keeps you young. Just make sure to get some physical exercise once in a while too!

How do you Find Adventure?

Tara Tyler has had a hand in everything from waitressing to rocket engineering. After moving all over the US, she now writes and teaches math in Ohio with her husband and one boy left in the nest. She has two novel series, Pop Travel (sci-fi detective thrillers) and Beast World (fantasy adventures), plus her UnPrincess novella series where the maidens save themselves. She's a commended blogger, contributed to several anthologies, and to fit in all these projects, she economizes her time, aka the Lazy Housewife—someday she might write a book on that... Make every day an adventure!

How to find:

website: Tara Tyler Talks

twitter: @taratylertalks

facebook: Tara Tyler - Author

Instagram: taratylertalks

newsletter: tara tyler news

Thank you for visiting my blog today, Tara! You are ROCKIN' IT!!!

HMG

#IWSG - January 2020 - #IWSGPIT is one week from today!

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer - aim for a dozen new people each time - and return comments. This group is all about connecting!

Twitter handle is @TheIWSG and hashtag is #IWSG.

January 8 optional question - What started you on your writing journey? Was it a particular book, movie, story, or series? Was it a teacher/coach/spouse/friend/parent? Did you just "know" suddenly you wanted to write?

The awesome co-hosts for the January 8 posting of the IWSG are T. Powell Coltrin, Victoria Marie Lees, Stephen Tremp, J.H. Moncrieff! 

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Happy New Year!

Besides the happy news that I finally self-pubbed my 3rd book in the Maguire's Corner series, I don't really have much to tell you for 2020.

I don't really know what, or if, I will be writing anything new for now. I have my original manuscript, the one I started this blog about, still languishing on my laptop somewhere. It basically needs a complete re-write.

At times I think I should write an NA or even a YA book, but I'm way out of the loop on those. I should just go into my TEEN's room and read everything he has, but you know...life and stuff.

Maybe a short break is in order. For now I think I will just continue to read the romance stuff on my Kindle.

Honestly, reading a few books that I think suck will usually push me to start writing my own stuff again.

How about you guys? Got big plans? Bigger goals?

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The next #IWSGPit will be on January 15, 2020, 8:00am - 8:00pm Eastern Standard Time.

Create a Twitter-length pitch for your completed and polished manuscript and leave room for genre, age, and the hashtag. On January 15, Tweet your pitch. If your pitch receives a favorite/heart from a publisher/agent check their submission guidelines and send your requested query.
Many writers have seen their books published from a Twitter pitch - it’s a quick and easy way to put your manuscript in front of publishers and agents.
Rules:
Writers may send out 1 Twitter pitch every hour per manuscript.
Publishers/Agents will favorite/heart pitches they are interested in. Publishers can either Tweet basic submission guidelines or direct writers to their submission guidelines. (Writers, please do not favorite/heart pitches.)
No images allowed in pitches. 

Go HERE for more information!

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The Insecure Writer’s Support Group made the list - The Write Life’s Best Websites for Writers 2020! 

That's four years in a row now.

Thanks to all of you for making it happen.