#IWSG - JULY - Book sale and Anthology Contest!!

It’s time for another group posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! Time to release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to those who are feeling neurotic.

The awesome co-hosts today are Jenni Enzor, Beth Camp, Liesbet, Tyrean Martinson, and Sandra Cox!

July 1 optional question - There have been many industry changes in the last decade, so what are some changes you would like to see happen in the next decade?







Well, howdee-howdoo!
Happy July 1st, for those of you who stopped looking at the calendar.
I hope you're all staying safe.
I hope you're reading.
I hope you're writing.
I hope you're taking good care of yourselves as you also take care of others.
I hope you're fighting the good fight.
I hope you're indulging in chocolate.

Smashwords is having their 12th Annual Summer/Winter Sale! All 3 of my EBOOKS, Already Home-One Good Catch-And Then You Fall, are half-off for the month of July!

The IWSG Anthology Contest is open!

Guidelines and rules:
Word count: 4500-6000
Genre: Science Fiction
Theme: Dark Matter
Submissions accepted: May 6 - September 2, 2020
How to enter: Send your polished, formatted (double-spaced, no footers or headers), previously unpublished story to admin @ insecurewriterssupportgroup.com before the deadline passes. Please include your full contact details, your social links, and if you are part of the Blogging, Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter IWSG group.
Judging: The IWSG admins will create a shortlist of the best stories. The shortlist will then be sent to our official judges.
Our judges: Dan Koboldt, Lynda R. Young, Colleen Oefelein, Damien Larkin, Ion Newcombe, Julie Gwinn, and David Powers King.

#IWSG - June - New anthology contest open!!!

It’s time for another group posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! Time to release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to those who are feeling neurotic. If you’d like to join us, click on the tab above and sign up. We post the first Wednesday of every month. We encourage everyone to visit at least a dozen new blogs and leave a comment. Your words might be the encouragement someone needs.

 

The awesome co-hosts today are Pat Garcia, J.Q. Rose, and Natalie Aguirre!

We need co-hosts! July 1, Aug 5, & Sept 2. If you can help, leave a comment.

 

 

Today’s optional question - Writers have secrets! What are one or two of yours, something readers would never know from your work?  

 

My secret? I write romance and yet I get totally embarrassed reading or talking about ... The Sex. :)

Hi guys! I knew what day it was, saw it on my calendar, but I totally forgot to write my blog post, so I had to steal all the info from the IWSG web page and Alex's blog! I sure hope they don't mind!

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The annual anthology contest is open!

Theme: Dark Matter

Submissions accepted: May 6 - September 2, 2020
Guidelines and rules:

Word count: 4500-6000

Genre: Science Fiction
How to enter: Send your polished, formatted (double-spaced, no footers or headers), previously unpublished story to admin @ insecurewriterssupportgroup.com before the deadline passes. Please include your full contact details, your social links, and if you are part of the Blogging, Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter IWSG group.

Judging: The IWSG admins will create a shortlist of the best stories. The shortlist will then be sent to our official judges.

Our official awesome judges:

Dan Koboldt, author and #SFFpit founder
Dan Koboldt is the author of the Gateways to Alissia trilogy (Harper Voyager), the editor of Putting the Science in Fiction (Writers Digest, 2018), and the creator of the sci-fi adventure serial The Triangle (Serial Box, 2019). As a genetics researcher, he has co-authored more than 80 publications in Nature, Science, The New England Journal of Medicine, and other scientific journals. He is represented by Paul Stevens of Donald Maass Literary Agency.

Lynda R. Young, author
Lynda R. Young is an Aussie writing fantasy novels as Elle Cardy. Wielder’s Prize is her debut YA epic fantasy. She is also an editor, game developer, 3D artist, graphic designer, photographer, gamer and more.

Colleen Oefelein, agent, The Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency
Colleen Oefelein is an author of YA, picture books, and author promotion guides, a devourer of books, and the owner of the book review site North of Normal. Formerly an associate agent and PR manager with Inklings Literary Agency, Colleen has hosted numerous “Pitch Perfect” and “Rejection Correction” workshops on Facebook and at conferences nationwide, and she’s mentored several authors one-on-one through online pitch contests such as Pitch Wars.

Damien Larkin, author
Damien Larkin is an Irish science fiction author and co-founder of the British and Irish Writing Community. His debut novel Big Red was published by Dancing Lemur Press and went on to be longlisted for the BSFA award for Best Novel. He currently lives in Dublin, Ireland and is working on his next novel Blood Red Sand.

Ion Newcombe, eidtor and publisher

is the editor and publisher of AntipodeanSF, Australia's longest running online speculative fiction magazine, regularly issued since January 1998. His qualifications and employment range from horticulture through electronics into literature and communications.

Julie Gwinn, agent, The Seymour Agency
Julie Gwinn most recently served as Marketing Manager for the Christian Living line at Abingdon Press and before that served as Trade Book Marketing Manager and then Fiction Publisher for the Pure Enjoyment line at B&H Publishing Group, a Division of LifeWay Christian Resources. Recently, she was awarded Editor of the Year from the American Christian Fiction Writers and won B&H’s first Christy award for Ginny Yttrup’s debut novel Words.

David Powers King, author
David's works include Woven, The Undead Road, and Full Dark: An Anthology. He currently resides in the Mountain West with his wife and 4 children.

Prizes: The winning stories will be edited and published by Dancing Lemur Press' imprint Freedom Fox Press next year in the IWSG anthology. Authors will receive royalties on books sold, both print and eBook. The top story will have the honor of giving the anthology its title. Please see their website for general guidelines on the types of stories they publish.

We’re excited to see the creativity and enthusiasm that’s such a part of this group put into action. So don your creative caps and start writing. And spread the word!


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Have news and want a shout out? Email us!
Each month, we send out the IWSG newsletter packed with information, updates, and tips. If you'd like to be included or add quick promo for your work, just let us know.
Email me: elizabethseckman(at)ymail(dot)com
*please add IWSG shout out to the subject line


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Have a question about marketing or publishing?




Carolyn Howard Johnson has a series of books that are a great resource for writers who need to do their own editing and promoting. She's one smart lady and she's agreed to help our writers by answering any question from editing to promotion to publishing. If you have a question you'd like Carolyn to answer, add it to the comments or email me at elizabethseckman(at)ymail(dot)come. Add IWSG Question to the subject line.


This multi award-winner, now in its third edition, celebrates its 16th Anniversary as the flagship of Carolyn Howard-Johnson’s

HowToDoItFrugally Series of books for writers. For only a few cents a day the third edition of The Frugal Book Promoter assures your book the best possible start in life. The author was inspired to write this book full of nitty-gritty how-tos for getting nearly-free publicity for her UCLA Writers’ Program class. A former publicist, journalist, and retailer, Carolyn shares her professional experience as well as practical tips gleaned from the successes of her own book campaigns. She tells authors how to do what their publishers can’t or won’t and why authors can often do their own promotion better than a PR professional. Check out Carolyn's website and see all of her books.

#IWSG - May - A new book and a new contest!!

It’s time for another group posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! Time to release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to those who are feeling neurotic. If you’d like to join us, click on the tab above and sign up. We post the first Wednesday of every month. I encourage everyone to visit at least a dozen new blogs and leave a comment. Your words might be the encouragement someone needs.

The awesome co-hosts today are Feather Stone, Beverly Stowe McClure, Mary Aalgaard, Kim Lajevardi, and Chemist Ken!
 

Today’s optional question - Do you have any rituals that you use when you need help getting into the ZONE? Care to share? 

Voyagers: The Third Ghost

Release date – May 5, 2020
Print 9781939844729 $13.95
EBook 9781939844736 $4.99
Juvenile Fiction - Historical / Action & Adventure / Fantasy & Magic
Dancing Lemur Press/Freedom Fox Press

Journey into the past…

Will the third ghost be found before fires take more lives? Can everyone be warned before Pompeii is buried again? What happens if a blizzard traps a family in East Germany? Will the Firebird help Soviet sisters outwit evil during WWII? And sneaking off to see the first aeroplane – what could go wrong?

Ten authors explore the past, sending their young protagonists on harrowing adventures. Featuring the talents of Yvonne Ventresca, Katharina Gerlach, Roland Clarke, Sherry Ellis, Rebecca M. Douglass, Bish Denham, Charles Kowalski, Louise MacBeath Barbour, Beth Anderson Schuck, and L.T. Ward.

Hand-picked by a panel of agents, authors, and editors, these ten tales will take readers on a voyage of wonder into history. Get ready for an exciting ride!

Winners:
The Third Ghost – Yvonne Ventresca
Winter Days - Katharina Gerlach
Feathered Fire – Roland Clarke
The Ghosts of Pompeii – Sherry Ellis
Dare Double Dare – Louise MacBeath Barbour
The Blind Ship – Bish Denham
A World of Trouble – Rebecca M. Douglass
The Orchard - Beth Anderson Schuck
Return to Cahokia – L.T. Ward
Simon Grey and the Yamamba - Charles Kowalski

Special thanks to our amazing judges:

Elizabeth S. Craig, author and honorary judge

Dianne K. Salerni, author

Lynda Dietz, editor

S.A. Larsen, author

Rachna Chhabria, author

Lindsay Davis Auld, agent - Writers House

Tonja Drecker, author

David Powers King, author


Our previous IWSG anthologies -
Masquerade: Oddly Suited
Tick Tock: A Stitch in Crime
Hero Lost: The Mysteries of Death and Life
Parallels: Felix Was Here

The 2020 IWSG Anthology Contest is now open!

Guidelines and rules:

Word count: 4500-6000

Genre: Science Fiction

Theme: Dark Matter

Submissions accepted: May 6 - September 2, 2020

How to enter: Send your polished, formatted (double-spaced, no footers or headers), previously unpublished story to admin @ insecurewriterssupportgroup.com before the deadline passes. Please include your full contact details, your social links, and if you are part of the Blogging, Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter IWSG group.

Judging: The IWSG admins will create a shortlist of the best stories. The shortlist will then be sent to our official judges.

Our official judges:

Dan Koboldt, author and #SFFpit founder
Dan Koboldt is the author of the Gateways to Alissia trilogy (Harper Voyager), the editor of Putting the Science in Fiction (Writers Digest, 2018), and the creator of the sci-fi adventure serial The Triangle (Serial Box, 2019). As a genetics researcher, he has co-authored more than 80 publications in Nature, Science, The New England Journal of Medicine, and other scientific journals. He is represented by Paul Stevens of Donald Maass Literary Agency.

Lynda R. Young, author
Lynda R. Young is an Aussie writing fantasy novels as Elle Cardy. Wielder’s Prize is her debut YA epic fantasy. She is also an editor, game developer, 3D artist, graphic designer, photographer, gamer and more.

Colleen Oefelein, agent, The Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency
Colleen Oefelein is an author of YA, picture books, and author promotion guides, a devourer of books, and the owner of the book review site North of Normal. Formerly an associate agent and PR manager with Inklings Literary Agency, Colleen has hosted numerous “Pitch Perfect” and “Rejection Correction” workshops on Facebook and at conferences nationwide, and she’s mentored several authors one-on-one through online pitch contests such as Pitch Wars.

Damien Larkin, author
Damien Larkin is an Irish science fiction author and co-founder of the British and Irish Writing Community. His debut novel Big Red was published by Dancing Lemur Press and went on to be longlisted for the BSFA award for Best Novel. He currently lives in Dublin, Ireland and is working on his next novel Blood Red Sand.

Ion Newcombe, editor and publisher
is the editor and publisher of AntipodeanSF, Australia's longest running online speculative fiction magazine, regularly issued since January 1998. His qualifications and employment range from horticulture through electronics into literature and communications.

Julie Gwinn, agent, The Seymour Agency
Julie Gwinn most recently served as Marketing Manager for the Christian Living line at Abingdon Press and before that served as Trade Book Marketing Manager and then Fiction Publisher for the Pure Enjoyment line at B&H Publishing Group, a Division of LifeWay Christian Resources. Recently, she was awarded Editor of the Year from the American Christian Fiction Writers and won B&H’s first Christy award for Ginny Yttrup’s debut novel Words.

David Powers King, author
David's works include Woven, The Undead Road,, and Full Dark: An Anthology. He currently resides in the Mountain West with his wife and 4 children.





Prizes: The winning stories will be edited and published by Dancing Lemur Press' imprint Freedom Fox Press next year in the IWSG anthology. (Please see their site for general submission guidelines.) Authors will receive royalties on books sold, both print and eBook. The top story will have the honor of giving the anthology its title.

We’re excited to see the creativity and enthusiasm that’s such a part of this group put into action. So don your creative caps and start writing. And spread the word!



Last night I posted this on Facebook:
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I'm having a moment of silence tonight.
We are losing so many amazing people in this country.
We don't know most of their names.
We didn't get to say goodbye.
We can't even mourn them properly.
I'm thinking about them tonight.
May they rest in peace.
May their families find some comfort. 
-------------

I feel so bad for these people and their families. I feel like they're just numbers on a chart that's going up and up and up, but we never acknowledge the actual people.

If you're so inclined, please take a moment to think about the people we've lost, the people that are sick, and the people who have recovered, but their health will never be the same.

We're in for a long haul and we need to make sure we don't forget what our humanity looks like.

Need some real joy? Check out SGN on YouTube. Some Good News by John Krasinski is the feel good show we needed. Not only is he really funny, but he's sharing good people doing great things.

#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!!