Write Away Podcast! - Ideas & Inspiration

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Saturday Seven ~ April 27th 2019

Happy Saturday, what have you been up to this week? Here is a rundown of highlights for the week. I hope you find them useful in your life! My goal as a person and a writer are to always Pay-It-Forward, so please let me know how I can help you. YES, YOU!
Enjoy your weekend & this post! Amazing things to come!
~Amy

·        What am I Reading? – A terrific post by Astounding Author Kristen Lamb ~ Three Ways We Sabotage Our Own Success & How to Change https://tinyurl.com/y5pn562f ~ the focus is writing, but the blog is meant for anything. Dieting, projects, life! She is always such an inspiration and so relatable. Love it! Highly recommend you check out this post and her blog in general.

·        What am I Listening to? –   Funny enough, my own book. Last week’s Saturday Seven was canceled due to my fevered effort to finish Finders. Now I am editing and using something new! My soft edits completed (Grammar, spelling, etc.) I am currently listening to the manuscript via MS WORD. Text to Speech used to be a thing you had to purchase but it is included in MS WORD (under the Review Ribbon), and the voice is actually pretty natural sounding. I HIGHLY recommend listening to anything you write. It points out errors and phrasing you would not otherwise detect.

     

·        What Quote am I pondering? – “Free will” is one of the most precious gifts we have. To give it over to peer-pressure, psychics, or a dependency on drugs and alcohol is dangerous and incredible waste.” ~ Lorraine Warren, Ghost Tracks: Case Files of Ed & Lorraine Warren ~ So very true! My drug of choice is sleep, and even that is horrid. If you want something go get it! Do not let anyone stand in your way! Special Note ~ Lorraine Warren passed away in her sleep last week at age 92. She is now waltzing with Ed in Heaven! ~ God Bless you Lorraine and Ed Warren and thank you for fighting the good fight!

·        What am I Researching? –  This week was all about architecture. One of the last things I do in a manuscript is to add the descriptions of local. Like an ominous church standing on the top of a hill. And then once in the church what are all of the rooms called, like Vestibule, Nave, Sacristy and Sanctuary. Also comes in handy when you are writing an action scene where your characters are split into different areas. You’d think I would remember this stuff from six years at Catholic School? Apparently not. Lots of fun!

·        Yummy Meal of the Week – Pot Roast ~ a family favorite! Garlic, Onion, Soy sauce all thrown into a pot with Sweet potatoes (or red potatoes), carrots, & celery. Slow cook for 8 hours and viola, a perfect meal and leftovers for a week! Add some BBQ sauce and bread --a yummy sandwich has emerged!

·         What did I Learn? –  I learned the comma, and I am not friends. Seriously, I edit and find that I put commas where they are not needed and am missing commas where they are required. Good lord, thank goodness for Grammarly! Also, this time around I am an and lover. Went back and fixed all of them but jeez! I think it is my fear of fragmented sentences which makes no sense at all, but that is the source – I think.

·         What am I Watching? –  Easter Sunday I watched a Live streaming Easter Pageant through Victory Church here in Tulsa. It was very professionally done – like Hollywood approved—pretty authentic. The Way of Sorrows and the Crucifixion was brutal, bloody, and dramatic. All in all, well done and I was impressed.

      I am on tour again promoting the Dead Air Chronicles! Lucky random commenters have a chance to win free books and there is a $25 Amazon Card grand prize! Check out the tour dates through May 18^th and I hope to see you there!

Tour Dates & Locations

**Special Announcement**

I will be featured on an upcoming Podcast!

Write away Podcast host Natalie Lockett is interviewing me on Creativity and Story Ideas

Check it out on May 1^st

HERE

Come Find Me!

Don't have a Kindle, no problem. I've got you covered! Read eBooks on your phone, tablet and computer no Kindle Needed!

Saturday Seven ~ April 6th 2019

Happy Saturday, what have you been up to this week? Here is a rundown of highlights for the week. I hope you find them useful in your life! My goal as a person and a writer are to always Pay-It-Forward so please let me know how I can help you. YES, YOU!
Enjoy your weekend & this post! Amazing things to come!
~Amy

What am I Reading? – I am addicted to the Curiosity App (a must for your mind) Curiosity offers quick 5-minute articles on everything from space exploration to time management.  This week I read all about how Jupiter’s Red Spot is Shrinking, The Simple Technique that will instantly make you a better Listener & Daruma Dolls are a Japanese tradition for achieving goals. Good stuff!!

·       What am I Listening to? –  Exciting news! I have been asked to be on a podcast! The amazing host of Write Away, Natalie Lockett, has asked me to be a part of a creativity panel and I am thrilled! We will be talking about inspiration and creativity resources. It airs on May 1^st! Check out previous episodes now here.

       

·       What Quote am I pondering? – Pay it forward ~ not really a quote but been thinking a lot about my own blessings and good fortune. I am a big believer in karma and what goes around comes back around. I try to keep this in mind with every action I take, personally and professionally.

·       What am I Researching? –  Interesting enough, kink. Yes, I said kink and yes, I mean that kind of kink. One of my fellow writers is writing a book on alternative lifestyles, specifically, polyamory and kink. Not something I have ever considered for myself but interesting none the less. I am looking into understanding the lifestyle and choices of the community. Here is a terrific article I found if your curiosity is at all piqued.

·       Yummy Meal of the Week – Baked Feta Crusted Salmon – Holy yum! Love fish, and super love this amazing dish! Get the recipe here.

·       What did I Learn? –  Choosing our battles is important. There are lots of reasons to fight back, draw the line and state enough is enough and there are just as many reasons not to. Some people use the fight as a vehicle for drama, attention, and even distraction. Either way, it is used energy --positive or negative. As I have gotten older, I am realizing I need to choose how best to expend my energy and what battles (good and bad) are worth fighting and which are better spent unfought and even ignored.  This is a difficult choice at times, but definitely necessary because in the end not battles are won in the fight, some are won in the strategy to ignore, compromise and or resolve without conflict.

·       What am I Watching? –  The Rookie on ABC. I have always been a fan of Nathan Fillon, he got my attention in Serenity (Firefly) and then again in Castle. I was recently challenged into watching the pilot episode of his new ABC show – The Rookie about a 40-something man who is looking for a clean slate after his divorce. Showing bravery and a knack for de-escalation he moves to Los Angeles and becomes a police officer.  Obviously, I was not initially interested in the show but after the pilot, I have to admit I am intrigued. I am a fan of 911 and this has a similar feel. I am putting it to the three-episode test! (if you are curious, the deal was I have to watch The Rookie and they had to watch Blindspot – they are almost through Season One!)

Have any thoughts on my week’s activity or want to make a recommendation? Drop me a line, or a tweet. One lucky commenter will win a free Romine book of their choice! Never want to miss a blog post or a Saturday Seven? Join my mailing list and I will be happy to send it straight to your inbox!

Come Find Me!

Don't have a Kindle, no problem. I've got you covered! Read eBooks on your phone, tablet and computer no Kindle Needed!