July 4th is coming up ...have you started your Christmas shopping yet?

cj Sez:  Next weekend is July Fourth … Independence Day … the celebration of the birth of independence for the United States of America.

  As a nation, we are sadly less united this year than we’ve been in a very long time, but I appreciate where I live and the freedoms I have, freedoms fought and died for by heroes since the 1700s. And the struggles continue. I stand to honor our flag, place my hand over my heart to recite the pledge of allegiance to that flag, and am happy and proud to be an American...and so is Lee Greenwood: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4X0uH9s1xg 

P.S. July 4 is also the birthday of Mahala Church, one of the original authors of Lyrical Pens. Happy  Birthday, Mahala, and best wishes for many, many more.

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Following up on last week’s post about review trolls, here’s my idea about what the number of review stars means to me:

1 star      Didn’t like it at all. It had major issues, as in perhaps it didn’t meet expectations for the genre.  Example: If it was supposed to be a romance but didn’t have a happily ever after ending. (Personally, I wouldn’t give a story like this a review because it really deserved zero stars, and I can’t do that.)

2 stars    Kind of liked it, but there were too many errors. Those errors could include a lot of punctuation mistakes, facts wrong, poor characterizations, settings not described or wrong, or a thread introduced in the beginning of the story didn’t get tied up.

3 stars    Liked it. Didn’t skip paragraphs or pages. Had no trouble reading to the end.

4 stars    Good story. Well told. Really liked it. Captured my attention.

5 stars    Loved this story. Happy to recommend it.

   Now that I’ve re-read my personal take on what review stars mean—with apologies to the all the authors who desperately want 5-star reviews, myself included—I’m going to have to revise how I score the stories I read. I would expect my stories to receive the same kind of consideration.

   One rule I have: Unless pushed to the edge, I do not want to write a review for close friends’ books. If I don’t like the story, it’ll cost me a friendship. If I like it but don’t give it as many stars as they expect or that I gave to someone else, it’ll cost me a friend.

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   That’s it for today’s post. You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same, (Sending up prayers for your health and safety.) 

cj

  My love story, “Love is Immortal” is the first short story in Bienvenue to the Chateau Rouge anthology

One of the 5 star reviews … 5.0 out of 5 stars Great read

“This is a wonderful array of short stories about an awesome hotel and an incredible staff. Totally keeps your attention through each story.”

   The anthology is available through these fine sites: https://books2read.com/u/bpOMw9?fbclid=IwAR3R2NTI8nH5U8JhXwJynbxkbYQhlK4H-sbTFU5YRhGDB2CocTPkdf8TSEE

   TO ORDER my autographed books or any book of your choice on-line from my favorite indie bookstore, contact The Haunted Bookshop here: The Haunted Bookshop 

➜ Follow me . . .

➜         on Amazon: Amazon Central Author Page = https://amzn.to/2v6SrAj

➜         on Facebook at:   cjpetterson/author/facebook

➜         on BookBub:   https://www.bookbub.com/authors/cj-petterson

Fathers Day and review trolls

cj Sez: Happy Father’s Day to all the fathers, step-fathers, grandfathers, and adoptive fathers.  

From the Lyrical Pens Archives:

A fellow writer was grieving and questioning what to do about a one-star review on Amazon that complained about something that wasn’t in her novel. Obviously, the reviewer hadn’t even read the book.

   One- and two-star reviews can be devastating, both for future sales and on the author. Wherever there’s an opportunity to post a review, there will be trolls ready and waiting with low ratings—whether they’re warranted or not. I’ve seen reviews by people who purchased an item on Amazon then rated the product one star because they thought delivery took too long. Had nothing to do with the quality of the product.

   So where am I going with all this? It’s to reinforce why comments and reviews need to be put in perspective. Don’t let the naysayers persuade you that your work isn’t good. Hiding within the electronic wafers of the Internet are nameless, faceless, and wretched on-line trolls. (Whew! I feel better now.)

   We can’t realistically expect all reviews to be five-stars (okay, we do, but that’s beside the point). I admit to having desperate pangs when someone dings a story. Yes, it skews the “average,” but then I re-read the good reviews that I do have (some posted, some not) and calm down a bit. I remind myself that I cannot please every reader out there. There will always be someone who dislikes some characterization, challenges some datum, or is offended by a piece of history. Always. Duh. That’s the reason there are a gazillion different stories in multiple genres for the gazillion different readers.

   If you receive a poor review from an on-line troll, consider the source, and please do not respond to the reviewer. That could dig a deeper, darker hole than you want to dive into. For a review like the one mentioned in my first paragraph, perhaps a conversation with Amazon (if that’s where it is made) might get the unjustified/ unfair review removed. Might.

   In the meantime, if you’re like me, you’ll console yourself with a treat, and a hot fudge cream puff works for me.

   Speaking of reviews . . . have you taken the time to give an on-line review for the latest book you read? You might be able to refute some troll.

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Passing along info…

***Call for #submissions!***
Bienvenue Press is pleased to announce a Christmas-themed anthology for charity benefiting the Acadiana Writing Project.
What are we looking for? Romance stories featuring a character who works in the educational system.     https://bit.ly/2Yn0iGX

***

   The following is, or should be, a keeper for your personal “The Craft of Writing” library:  https://writersinthestormblog.com/2020/06/power-of-pronouns-part-1

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   That’s it for today’s post. You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same, (Sending up prayers for your health and safety.)

cj

   My love story, “Love is Immortal” is one of the short stories in Bienvenue to the Chateau Rouge anthology. 

   I also have a short, short story in the bonus Lagniappe, which is a free download.

5.0 out of 5 stars Another awesome hit from Jolie St Amant

"If you like vampires and spirits, things that vanish into thin air, or even if you don't you will love this book. I have read all her Chateau Rouge book and never get let down."

   The anthology is available through these fine sites: https://books2read.com/u/bpOMw9?fbclid=IwAR3R2NTI8nH5U8JhXwJynbxkbYQhlK4H-sbTFU5YRhGDB2CocTPkdf8TSEE

   TO ORDER my autographed books or any book of your choice on-line from my favorite indie bookstore, contact The Haunted Bookshop here: The Haunted Bookshop 

➜ Follow me . . .

➜         on Amazon: Amazon Central Author Page = https://amzn.to/2v6SrAj

➜         on Facebook at:   cjpetterson/author/facebook

➜         on BookBub:   https://www.bookbub.com/authors/cj-petterson

An almost-forgotten holiday

cj Sez: Today is FLAG DAY, the day set aside by President Woodrow Wilson in 1916 to celebrate the anniversary of the Stars and Stripes as our national flag.

   On June 14, 1777, the Second Continental Congress designated, by resolution, a United States flag with “13 stripes, alternate red and white” and “13 white stars in a blue field.” The stars were in a circle so that no one colony would be viewed above another. It is reported that George Washington said, “Let the 13 stars in a circle stand as a new constellation in the heavens.” Today the 13 stripes remain, representing the 13 original colonies. Since 1960, shortly after Hawaii became our fiftieth state, there have been 50 white stars in that blue field.

   The Continental Congress left no record to show why it chose the colors. However, in 1782, the Congress of the Confederation chose these same colors for the Great Seal of the United States and listed their meaning as follows: white to mean purity and innocence, red for valor and hardiness, and blue for vigilance, perseverance, and justice. According to legend, George Washington interpreted the elements of the flag this way: the stars were taken from the sky, the red from the British colors, and the white stripes signified the secession from the home country.

   Find fast facts about “Old Glory” here: https://www.history.com/news/what-is-flag-day

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   Writing apropos metaphors: A Jane Friedman blog post by developmental book editor Jessi Rita Hoffman.

   “Do you torture your metaphors, linking unlike things in outrageous comparisons? Do you manufacture odd phrases and invent “words” in an attempt to seem “literary” and “sound like a writer”? If so, you probably don’t even know you are doing this, yet the pretentious writing this results in is one of the marks of an amateur writer.”

https://www.janefriedman.com/do-you-torture-your-metaphors-the-problem-of-self-conscious-writing/      

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   The Mystery Writers of America organization posted an extensive list of books written by some of their members. A favorite author or new best friend author…you’re sure to find a book that grabs your interest here:  https://mysterywriters.org/new-books-by-mwa-members-june-2020/?fbclid=IwAR3cJ43CqSyrmnT_6vlrzzAr30uu39lqDKsVBRJ_5Jj2u-yZCy13QOtcsuQ

   According to MWA:  “They may all be found at your local Independent Bookstore.  Remember – books make the best presents and can help get you through these challenging times. Visit this link to find a store near you: http://www.indiebound.org/  ”

(cj Sez: In Mobile, The Haunted Bookshop is one of the “indiebound” stores.)   

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  That’s it for today’s post. You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same, (Sending up prayers for your health and safety.)

cj

   My love story, “Love is Immortal” is one of the short stories in Bienvenue to the Chateau Rouge anthology.

   One of the 5 star reviews for Bienvenue…In love with the Chateau Rouge

“I can’t express how much I want to book my next vacation at the Chateau Rouge. I have absolutely fallen in love with the place and its inhabitants. All the stories make you feel as if they aren’t only real, but old friends.”

   The anthology is available through these fine sites: https://books2read.com/u/bpOMw9?fbclid=IwAR3R2NTI8nH5U8JhXwJynbxkbYQhlK4H-sbTFU5YRhGDB2CocTPkdf8TSEE

   TO ORDER my autographed books or any book of your choice on-line from my favorite indie bookstore, contact The Haunted Bookshop here: The Haunted Bookshop 

➜ Follow me . . .

➜         on Amazon: Amazon Central Author Page = https://amzn.to/2v6SrAj

➜         on Facebook at:   cjpetterson/author/facebook
➜         on BookBub:   https://www.bookbub.com/authors/cj-petterson

A box of tissues, an uplifted heart

cj Sez:  GUIDING EMILY launches today! And Lyrical Pens is happy to host the third in a three-part series by author Barbara Hinske, writing about her research for the novel.

  Today's post is about Barbara's need (and maybe yours) for a box of tissues on Graduation Day. 

Have you ever wondered about the making of a guide dog?

   “From the puppy raiser family of ten who had driven all the way from Texas to California, to the mother and daughter who had surrendered their twenty-fifth puppy, the room was filled with excitement as people waited for their star student to take the stage.

   I was the first to arrive and selected a seat in the back. The large room was filled with chairs arranged in a semi-circle around a podium. I wanted to observe the graduates and watch the reactions of the crowd. Attending this ceremony was part of the research for my new book, Guiding Emily.

   I had been told that the afternoon would be emotional and been asked if I’d brought tissues. I smiled and said “yes”, but I didn’t think I’d need them. The puppy raiser families would be sad to say a final goodbye to the dog they had spent a year or more loving and socializing. The handlers receiving their new guides would be happy. I wasn’t prepared to witness the bonds of human connection that had been forged or the outpouring of selflessness, generosity, and compassion that defined every interaction.

   When called to the podium, one of the veteran puppy raisers told the audience that she was able to perform this life-changing service by reminding herself that she had a puppy to love and not a dog to keep. I sniffled.

   Another group told us that they’d been in constant contact with the handler who would be taking their puppy and now considered him part of their large, happy family. With plans made for the guide and handler to join them for Thanksgiving, we learned that these puppy raisers had “adopted” eight other handler/guide couples. They saw each other on a regular basis. I pulled out a tissue and dabbed at my eyes.

   Next up was the fifty-something technology giant executive who said that he was looking forward to going into his office with his new guide—that she would encourage people to talk to him and help him make friends at the office.

   Had I ever avoided a blind co-worker in another department because I felt awkward and didn’t know what to say?

   Had I ever considered how isolated that must have made the co-worker feel?

    I removed my glasses and patted away tears on my cheeks.

   As the ceremony continued, I stopped observing and became enveloped by the wellspring of joy and love that permeated the room.

   I left with a handbag full of soggy tissues and an uplifted heart.

Join the movement to improve lives: learn more about Guiding Emily

   Barbara Hinske is an attorney who recently left the practice of law to pursue her career as a full-time novelist. She is the author of the bestselling Rosemont series and the murder mysteries in her ‘Who’s There?!’ collection. Her novella The Christmas Club was made into a 2019 Hallmark Channel Christmas movie.  

   She inherited the fiction gene from her father who wrote mysteries when he retired and told her a story every night of her childhood. She and her husband share their own Rosemont with two adorable and spoiled dogs. A true homebody, Barbara is besotted with decorating, entertaining, cooking, and gardening.

Today is Launch Day for GUIDING EMILY. 

To order your copy of this heart-warming story, click BUY NOW

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cj Sez: That’s it for today’s post. You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same, (Sending up prayers for your health and safety.)

P.S.

My love story, “Love is Immortal” is one of the short stories in the paranormal anthology BIENVENUE TO THE CHATEAU ROUGE. Here’s another 5-star review:

Great read

“This is a wonderful array of short stories about an awesome hotel and an incredible staff.

Totally keeps your attention through each story.”

   The anthology is available through these fine sites: https://books2read.com/u/bpOMw9?fbclid=IwAR3R2NTI8nH5U8JhXwJynbxkbYQhlK4H-sbTFU5YRhGDB2CocTPkdf8TSEE

   TO ORDER my autographed books or any book of your choice on-line from my favorite indie bookstore, contact The Haunted Bookshop here: The Haunted Bookshop 

➜ Follow me . . .

➜         on Amazon: Amazon Central Author Page = https://amzn.to/2v6SrAj

➜         on Facebook at:   cjpetterson/author/facebook

➜         on BookBub:   https://www.bookbub.com/authors/cj-petterson

The Journey Continues . . . White Cane Training

cj Sez:  Lyrical Pens is pleased to present part 2** of author Barbara Hinske’s writing journey and hands-on research for her latest novel, GUIDING EMILY—slated for launch June 12.

  The topic today is Barbara’s awesome and scary experience with white cane training.  Welcome back, Barbara.

“What would you do if you lost your eyesight? This is a very real question for more than fifty thousand Americans each year. One thing you’d need to learn is how to use a white cane.

   As part of my research for my new novel, Guiding Emily, I took white cane training. Spencer Churchill, an orientation and mobility instructor at The Foundation for Blind Children, fitted my cane and provided me with a pair of goggles that had been blacked out, leaving only a pinhole of vision in the center of the left eye. These glasses replicated the usable vision of many blind people, he told me. I was able to discern light and dark and had clear vision in that tiny circle.

   This wasn’t too bad, I thought. I could move my head around and find my way. Spencer later told me that many blind people try to cope with their restricted vision this way. As I soon found out, it doesn’t work. Swinging my head as rapidly as needed to walk fluently was ineffective and left me dizzy and headachy.

   Spencer had me put my left hand on his right elbow. We stepped out of his office and took one spin up and down the hall, with Spencer acting as my sighted guide. I knew there were no obstacles in my path, and I was being led by an instructor who wouldn’t let anything happen to me. I could always pull off the goggles, too. Still, the experience was unnerving. I took deep breaths to settle myself.

   Next, Spencer instructed me on the back and forth sweeping motion of the cane. The tip of the cane sweeps to the spot where the foot will go. I got the hang of it. The tip of the cane is also used to explore doorways and changes in elevation, like steps and curbs. We tried that, too.

   I learned that many blind people compensate for their lost vision by counting steps from object to object within their own homes. That method of coping takes a person no farther than their own front door. He showed me how to locate a landmark (the huge copy machine) and remember destinations from there (three doorways to his office, two to the ladies room). I was still trying to cheat and use my pinhole of usable vision. I became hyper aware of my body in space. It felt like the air was pushing in on my shoulders.

   We then went outside to the quiet sidewalk that ran along the building. The busy main road was nowhere near us. I walked up and back with my cane, Spencer showing me how to recognize and navigate curbs. We explored the truncated domes in the concrete that signal an entrance to a street. He was at my side the entire time and I knew, intellectually, that I was completely safe. Sweat soaked my collar on this cool spring day. I was panic stricken.

   Proficiency in the use of a white cane is essential for people who are blind. I had enough of an introduction to it to believe that it is doable and to appreciate how much courage and practice it takes to master this skill.

   The Foundation for Blind Children provided me with invaluable support in my research. I interviewed many of the staff members and clients. I will never forget the newly blind adults who shared their mental and emotional journeys in the process of regaining their independence.

When people talk of courage, I think of them.

To Spencer and all of the other instructors and counselors who work with the visually impaired to restore their independence:

   You improve lives in immeasurable ways.

   You have my unending admiration and respect.

Join the movement to improve lives: learn more about Guiding Emily

Barbara Hinske recently left the practice of law to pursue her career as a full-time novelist. The idea for Guiding Emily was conceived during a tour of The Foundation for Blind Children. She was inspired and moved by their mission and is donating half of her proceeds from the book to the Foundation. She is the author of the bestselling Rosemont series and the murder mysteries in her ‘Who’s There?!’ collection. Her novella The Christmas Club was made into a 2019 Hallmark Channel Christmas movie.

To pre-order Guiding Emily, click BUY NOW

cj Sez: Be sure to stop by Lyrical Pens on Friday, June 12, for Part 3 of Barbara’s journey: Graduation Day.

(** cj Sez: I love alliteration.)

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cj Sez: That’s it for today’s post. You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same. 

(Sending up prayers for your health and safety.)

My love story, “Love is Immortal” is one of the short stories in the paranormal anthology BIENVENUE TO THE CHATEAU ROUGE. 

Here’s one of the 5-star reviews:

Sweet with a touch of Other

“An immortal returns, seeking to hold onto his love forever; a dangerous arrogance threatens the secrets found within the walls of Chateau Rouge, and drastic measures are taken. Spirits and the unknown flicker into view and then are gone, leaving the spectator to wonder... What is real?

Vampires and magic, danger and desire; all reside within the pages of this collection of short stories, spanning years and situations, but always with humor and love.”

   The anthology is available through these fine sites: https://books2read.com/u/bpOMw9?fbclid=IwAR3R2NTI8nH5U8JhXwJynbxkbYQhlK4H-sbTFU5YRhGDB2CocTPkdf8TSEE

   TO ORDER my autographed books or any book of your choice on-line from my favorite indie bookstore, contact The Haunted Bookshop here: The Haunted Bookshop 

➜ Follow me . . .

➜         on Amazon: Amazon Central Author Page = https://amzn.to/2v6SrAj

➜         on Facebook at:   cjpetterson/author/facebook

➜         on BookBub:   https://www.bookbub.com/authors/cj-petterson

Have you ever heard a story that changed your life?

cj Sez:  Lyrical Pens is happy to host author Barbara Hinske who is sharing what inspired her to write her latest novel, GUIDING EMILY, slated for launch on June 12.

   When Barbara offered Lyrical Pens the choice of three pre-launch posts, I wanted to use all three. Today is part one: Her inspiration behind this awesome book.  Take it away, Barbara.

My inspiration behind Guiding Emily

“Have you ever heard a story that changed your life?

   Within thirty minutes of stepping through the Foundation for Blind Children’s doorway, my life found its new purpose and mission.

   I’ve lived down the street from The Foundation for Blind Children for decades. I’d never been inside. The Foundation’s Development Director, Steve Pawlowski, encouraged my husband and I to come for a tour with such enthusiasm and pride that we felt we couldn’t decline.

   The Foundation provides education, tools, and services for “children” from birth through one hundred and four. From observing teachers working one-on-one with students with multiple disabilities, to seeing the six-year-old child from Canada running and hugging staff even though his parents had been told by their Canadian doctor he would never walk or talk, to photos displayed on the wall of the group of blind teens and young adults who had climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, I was moved beyond measure.

   Choking back tears, I asked Steve how I could help. What did the Foundation need? His answer was simple and straightforward: (1) funding, and (2) to raise awareness of problems that visually impaired people face within the sighted community.

   I’m an author and knew that a novel could address both of these issues. The story line of my new series was born in that moment.

   Guiding Emily is the first book in a series and is a love story between Garth, a guide dog, and Emily Main, his handler who loses her eyesight on her honeymoon. It’s the heartwarming/ heartbreaking/poignant tale of their journey together.

   Half the profits from Guiding Emily will be donated to The Foundation for Blind Children. For the price of a book, every reader receives a novel that will provide a welcome respite from daily life and supports a remarkable organization that believes vision loss is a diagnosis, NOT a disability. What could be better than that?

Join the movement to improve lives: learn more about Guiding Emily ”

Barbara Hinske is an attorney who recently left the practice of law to pursue her career as a full-time novelist. She is the author of the best-selling Rosemont series and the murder mysteries in her ‘Who’s There?!’ collection. Her novella, The Christmas Club, was made into a 2019 Hallmark Channel Christmas movie.

The book is available for pre-order by clicking...  BUY NOW

   

cj Sez: Be sure to stop by Lyrical Pens on Wednesday, June 10, for Part 2 of Barbara’s journey: White Cane Training. 

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Call for submission

Bienvenue Press put out a call for submissions for their 2020 charity anthology. The deadline is August 1, 2020.

“Bienvenue Press is pleased to announce a Christmas-themed anthology for charity benefiting the Acadiana Writing Project. What are we looking for? Romance stories featuring a character who works in the educational system. These stories can be any genre of romance (contemporary, historical, paranormal, etc.). However, there needs to be a HEA. The anthology will be published in December 2020.”

   For details, please visit their website: https://bit.ly/2Yn0iGX

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cj Sez: That’s it for today’s post. You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same. 

(Sending up prayers for your health and safety.)

My love story, “Love is Immortal” is one of the short stories in the paranormal anthology BIENVENUE TO THE CHATEAU ROUGE. Here’s one of the 5-star reviews:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Linked Stories

“I received an ARC and enjoyed all the stories. While linked through the setting and characters, each of the selections has a delightfully different approach to the experience of Chateau Rouge. Creative and never boring, the linked characters were all appealing, and the New Orleans mood was spot on.”

   The anthology is available through these fine sites: https://books2read.com/u/bpOMw9?fbclid=IwAR3R2NTI8nH5U8JhXwJynbxkbYQhlK4H-sbTFU5YRhGDB2CocTPkdf8TSEE

   TO ORDER my autographed books or any book of your choice on-line from my favorite indie bookstore, contact The Haunted Bookshop here: The Haunted Bookshop 

➜ Follow me . . .

➜         on Amazon: Amazon Central Author Page = https://amzn.to/2v6SrAj

➜         on Facebook at:   cjpetterson/author/facebook

➜         on BookBub:   https://www.bookbub.com/authors/cj-petterson