Brand New Website by Eileen O'Finlan

 

Click here for purchase information

 

Click here to visit Eileen O'Finlan's website

I knew the time to renew my contract with the company that built and maintains my website was coming up and I was dreading it. The annula fee was exhorbitant. Besides that, I wanted a new look, something that felt more me. Don Lutz, the husband of my friend and fellow writer, Jane Willan, had built a beautiful author website for Jane so I asked him how much he would charge to build one for me. His answer - ice cream. That was a fee I could afford.

Don and I met to discuss what I was looking for, what feel I wanted, how I envisioned presenting my author brand. I gave him a quart of chocolate ice cream. He built a basic site. We met again for a training session in which he taught me how to design the pages, create links, upload pictures, and whatever else I thought I might do on the site. He also linked the sign up box for my newsletter to my email marketing platform creating a smooth transition and worked with my previous site host to get my domain name transfered to me. I gave him another quart of chocolate and a quart of black raspberry.

I now have a website I love, one that I feel reflects me and my brand perfectly. I have one more meeting with Don coming up so he can help figure out how to design the rest of the pages I want to add. I will bring more ice cream. 

This, by the way, isn't just any ice cream. For years I have purchased my milk from a local dairy farm. They make other dairy products as well. Their ice cream is beyond belief. Hancock Dairy Farm uses primarily Ayershire cows which give the creamiest milk so everything they make from it is utterly (udderly??) delicious! Don's reaction to his first taste of their chocolate ice cream was, "Now this is what ice cream is supposed to taste like!" Once a week during the season, I stop on my way home from work at the farmer's market to pick up my milk which allows me to avoid the delivery charge I pay during the rest of the year. At the same time, I pick up Don's ice cream (and maybe some for myself). Hmmm...if they have it, perhaps I'll pick up some of their amazing chocolate cheese for Don to go with his ice cream. Maybe some for me, too.

Check out my new website here!

The ice cream-making cows at Hancock Dairy Farm 

in Barre, Massachusetts

Writing a Historical Novel ~ Part One ~ Choosing Names for My Characters by Rosemary Morris

 

To learn more about Rosemary's work please click on Grace, Lady of Cassio.

My new novel, Grace Lady of Cassio, the sequel to Yvonne, Lady of Cassio, is a classic, fact fiction, medieval romance set in Edward III’s reign, has been released as a paperback and an e-book.

I am often asked; “How do you write a historical novel?”

There is no right or method to write any novel, so authors have different methods. Some plunge in with no preparation, others plan each chapter before they write the first paragraph.

I spend a long time thinking about the characters. Before I begin a new novel, I must become acquainted with the hero, heroine and other important protagonists.

It takes me a long time to choose appropriate names. The first names of most medieval English males and females derive from their religion. For example, Yvonne stems from Ivo, in old French, Ive (s) and St Ives is said to have come to England from Persia In Latin the meaning of gratia is Grace.  Gracia, Grecia, Gricia occur in 13^th and 14^th century and may represent Grace. These examples justify my appropriate choice of Christian names in the first and second stand-alone novels about The Lovages of Cassio. I am equally careful to choose suitable names in my novels set in Queen Anne Stuart’s reign, 1702-1704, and those set in the ever popular Regency era.

Medieval parents’ choice of names was conservative. Although the choice for new-born sons and daughters were limited, I imagine that, in common with 21^st century parents, some medieval mothers and fathers had earnest discussions about what to name their babies. Apart from being baptised with saints’ names or their derivatives, sometimes children received the first names of legendary figures, famous people, or royalty.

As the saying goes, I think it is worthwhile ‘going the extra mile’ to carefully select my character’s names, bearing in mind they should be appropriate for their social class. While researching my novels I discover lots of names that have gone out of fashion. For example, I chose Richelda for the heroine in my novel, Tangled Love, set in Queen Anne’s reign.

I neither invent improbable names which are glamourous, nor do I choose recently invented names such as Shanna or Sky. I also stick to conventional spelling instead of using a different one, for example Maree instead of Mary or Richearde instead of Richard which would jerk me out of the story.

Recently, I read the first few pages of a historical romance in which the hero and heroine’s exotic first names would only be found in today’s kindergartens or primary schools. I discarded the novel because, in my opinion, I did not have faith in a historical novelist who could not be bothered to choose appropriate names for characters will not accurately create past times for her readers.

 

http://bookswelove.net/authors/morris-rosemary

 

www.rosemarymorris.co.uk    

 

Unicorns in the Middle Ages by S.L. Carlson

 

 Visit S.L. Carlson's BWL Author Page for details and purchase links

 

I am S. L. Carlson, a proud and grateful BWL Publishing Inc. author. My books can be viewed and purchased by visiting    https://www.bookswelove.net/carlson-s-l

 

People may wonder why an adult would write about unicorns. After all, aren’t unicorns today associated with rainbows, flowers, wishes, and puffy-white clouds? Yes… that is, for little girls. I’m no longer little; although, I must admit that I do appreciate all of the above relations.

 

In the Middle Ages, unicorns were associated with virgins, since only innocent young maidens were capable of approaching the allusive animals. Well…er…(pointing to wedding ring). I’m married. But I am also sweet and (cough) innocent, so why wouldn’t unicorns want to come to me. Why?

 

 

 

 

So what comes to mind when you hear the words War Unicorn? (Take a moment.)

 

I thought of this combination years ago during a challenge at a writers’ conference. We were asked to think of two opposing words, then develop a synopsis or short story using them. And that, my friends, was the very beginning of my 4-book series The War Unicorn Chronicles.

 

In the beginning book, War Unicorn: The Ring, a young apple farmer finds a magical ring containing a unicorn. Their relationship begins rocky, to say the least. One, a peaceful farm boy, and the other a 300-year-old war veteran. But after four books, the two are still together, so you can figure out what their connection is by reading the series.

 

Enjoy your fantasies.

 

S. L. Carlson Blog & Website: https://authorslcarlson.wordpress.com

BWL Inc. Publisher Author Page: https://www.bookswelove.net/carlson-s-l

 

Why Should You Write What You Know? by Diane Bator

 

After 17 months of making videos and appearning on Zoom calls and podcasts, I did my first In-Person event at our local library! I was so excited to stand in front of a group of people again and talk about Writing What You Know and my two new books, All That Shines and Dead Without Remorse. It was so inspiring for me to chat with novice writers after the session who loved the advice I gave and came away feeling totally motivated to write their first book. In return, I came home excited to continue to write and work with other writers to make their dream a reality.

So what do I mean by "write what you know"? 

Novice writers have been given that advice for many years and, a lot of the time, they have no idea what it really means. They get stuck in a box of thinking you can only write your life - which most of us feel is a pretty dull subject! Whether it be about your current job, your lifestyle, or your own life experiences.

That's only partially correct.

I was stuck in that same rut until I read one simple paragraph written by Natalie Goldberg on page 48 of Writing Down the Bones:

"Writers live twice. They go along with their regular life, and are as fast as anyone in the grocery store, crossing the street, getting dressed for work in the morning. But there's another part of them they have been training. The one that lives everything a second time. That sits down and sees their life again and goes over it. Looks at the texture and details."

I belive it is in those textures and details that we truly write what we know. 

No matter what genre you write, there are always sights, smells, tastes, textures, and sounds that we as writers can add to build the setting and tension and to create a realistic backdrop for our books.

If your book takes place on a spaceship deep among the stars, you already know what the darkness looks like. You can describe what metals feel like, look like, and even sound like when you knock on them or grind them together. Is it shiny and sterile? Is it an old ship with panels falling off to reveal internal circuitry? 

When writing a fantasy novel, you have likely walked through forests and are familiar with the sights and sounds of birds, trees, and babbling brooks. While you might not have seen a dragon before, you can compare one to a lizard, just on a grander scale and with wings that could cause serious damage to a cottage.

For mystery and even paranormal writers, we've all been alone inside a building before. Bring in that sense of dread and suspense where you have no idea what's around the next corner. Have your character hear a sound that they can't identify. Their heartrate would speed up and their hands grow clammy because they have no idea who - or what - is in the building with them.

Bring in the simple things:  The smells in the air before or after a rainfall. The taste of coffee, or what passes for coffee or strange herbal teas in their worlds. The rustle of leaves as the wind blows. The texture of shiny or matte metals. The creaking of wood on a pirate ship. Snow falling on your face.

Can you write about your job? Why not? As long as you're not giving out top secret information, you can fictionalize places, people, and events. Writing the bitter truth about easily idenifyable people will put you in the realm of non-fiction. It can also open you up to a lawsuit! Think before you publish.

I believe very strongly in writing what you know when it comes to creating stronger fiction. I even have a simple formula for it.

Take one part imagination

Add one part reality

Blend in a flowing, believable way

That engages your readers

Repeat in the next story or novel.

Thank you for joining me today!

You can learn more about me and my books at http://bookswelove.net/bator-diane/ and at my website https://dianebator.ca/

Diane Bator

 

BWL PUBLISHING INC. NEW RELEASES AND FREE BOOK FOR SEPTEMBER 2021

CLICK THE BOOK COVERS TO PURCHASE EBOOKS

•  Canada by Jove is a historical fiction novel about a handsome and daring young Englishman, Bert White, who accompanies his brother, Ernie, on a journey across the ocean to Canada in 1910. They leave England with only a few pence in their pockets, but with their pleasing personalities, musical talents and imaginations, they arrive in Montreal with enough cash to enjoy a few weeks of leisure before looking for employment.
• This novel takes the reader on a journey through the towns and cities of 1900s Canada from the East Coast to the West Coast. Readers experience the hardships that early settlers had to endure, and except for the town of Glory, all the cities and towns mentioned in this book are, or were, real.
• Bert is willing to try his hand at any job that comes his way but he soon discovers that being a cowboy isn’t as romantic as he had imagined and a hobo’s life isn’t enviable.
• In Calgary Bert meets Nell, a pretty young girl who has come from Nova Scotia to stay with her sister and brother-in-law. They marry and after their fourth child is born, they set out on a journey by car for Vancouver—a four month journey in an older model touring car, loaded down with all their belongings and tenting gear, through mountains and canyons on dirt, trail-like roads. The dangers they encounter on this trip are frightening but the scenery and the towns they visit make it all worth while.

• Join this extra-ordinary couple as they build a life and raise a family at a time when the Canadian west was in its infancy.