Tag Archives: The Fine Art of Keeping Quiet

The fine art of public speaking

Bloganuary: What fear have you conquered?

When I was sixteen, I decided—somewhat out of the blue—that I couldn’t go through life being petrified of public speaking.

Because I was petrified. And I knew that other people would expect me to talk, especially as an adult. Because that’s what adults did. They talked.

So I joined our high school speech team.

Nearly every weekend during the season, I’d hop on a school bus and ride with my teammates to wherever that week’s tournament was. I’d read my piece three times. At the end of the day, I’d dissolve into a puddle.

At first, I was terrible. Really, really terrible. I’d rank the lowest in each of my rounds (a 5 on a scale of 1 – 5). I was okay with that because I wasn’t doing this to win a prize.

But a funny thing started to happen. By the season’s end, I was pulling in solid 3s each round, with a scattering of 4s or even a surprise 2.

The following year? I started at the 3 and 4 ranks and inched my way up. I earned an honorable mention at one of our big tournaments hosted by our rival high school and actually placed third in another.

I didn’t go to the state tournament, but then I didn’t want to. I’d accomplished what I set out to do, and I was no longer the participant everyone felt sorry for in each of my rounds.

And many years later, I wrote a novel based on these experiences.

Make no mistake: I still don’t like public speaking. You won’t see me joining Toastmasters any time soon. But I look back on that sixteen-year-old and marvel at how she could’ve been so prescient … and brave.

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Free Fiction Friday: The Summer Reading List

Keep the binge-reading going with the Summer Reading List.

Included in this giveaway is The Fine Art of Keeping Quiet, which now has a reading group guide. You can download the guide in PDF format here.

Happy reading!

 

 

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Weekly writing check-in: the one at the end of November

More proofing this week, revising, and other whatnot. Even so, I managed to eke out 3,200 words. I mentioned at the start of the month that I wanted to do the equivalent of National Novel Writing Month, or 50,000 words. I ended up with 30,000, which considering I switched gears and did a few other things during this month, isn’t too bad.

Switching gears like … organizing a promotion for The Fine Art of Keeping Quiet (see links below). Between now and December 14th, I’m having a 99 cent sale on the electronic version. Or! If you buy the paperback via Amazon, you can get the Kindle version for free.

So? November? You didn’t turn out too shabby at all. I think I’ll keep you.

Writing Work:

  • Writing ~ 3,200 words
  • Revising, editing, proofing, oh my!

Submissions:

  • None

Rejections:

  • None

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

None, but! The Fine Art of Keeping Quiet is now on sale! If you buy the print version via Amazon, you can get the Kindle version for free. Just in time for the holidays. Buy early, buy often.

PrintKindleNookiBooksKobo

Keeping Quiet

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Veteran’s Day 2014 Charity Challenge: Gone, but Not Forgotten!

Keeping QuietToday’s the day! You can read more about the challenge below and follow the link to see all the books available. Get a jump on your holiday shopping!

Below are the links for The Fine Art of Keeping Quiet. I’m donating royalties from all sales, print, e-book, and audio, so buy early, buy often. I will be donating to Veterans in the Arts, a local organization.

Plus, if you buy the print version via Amazon, you can pick up the Kindle version for 99 cents.

PrintKindleNookiBooksKobo

Audio: Amazon, Audible, iTunes

Veterans Day 2014 Charity Challenge: Gone, but Not Forgotten!

On Veterans Day 2014, 50 veteran authors will pledge 100% of their print, e-book and audio book royalties to their favorite veteran’s charity. In most cases, these are organizations that assisted the authors personally and they are trying their best to give back.

Veterans from each service branch and every conflict period, from Vietnam to even one author deployed to Afghanistan at this moment, are pledging. This diverse collection of works includes New York Times and USA Today Bestsellers and covers most genres. From romance to action-adventure and everything in between, there’s something for every taste here!

The ultimate goal of this event is to raise at least $10,000 for the 15+ veterans charities they’re supporting. If you aren’t interested in any of the books available, they have a page set up ranking the money raised for each charity and spotlighting bonus donations here. Whether you contribute to the best performing or the least performing, either way your donation will be put to good use!

The complete collection of participating books and charities can be found here:

Veteran’s Day 2014: Gone, but Not Forgotten!

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The Fine Art of Keeping Quiet: Book Tour!

Well, admittedly, we were working with a limited budget, and the venues were small. Still, I think it went off splendidly. Here are the highlights:

Things got off to a slow start.

Things got off to a slow start.

They say this book is on fire.

They say this book is on fire.

car

As marketing techniques go, this one needs some work.

I hear this book really has legs.

I hear this book really has legs.

Coming soon to a local branch near you!

Coming soon to a local branch near you!

fence

No need to be on the fence about this book!

 

Ardent fan demanding autograph.

Ardent fan demanding kibble catnip autograph.

I hope you enjoyed this virtual tour as much as I did the real one! All without a single arrest for trespassing!


Available in print and electronic format:

PrintKindleNookiBooksKoboSmashwords

Also available as a Kindle Match Book. Buy the Print version from Amazon and get the Kindle version for 99 cents! (Note: you must buy the paperback first for this to work.)

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Published: The Trouble with Prom + a sneak peek

Sometimes the slipper just doesn’t fit

The Trouble with PromTwo contemporary young adult short stories

Glass Slipper: What do you do when the boy you’ve known forever dumps you the day before prom with everyone in a packed cafeteria looking on? Stalk him in your pajamas, of course. For Mira, this is only the start of a not-so-Cinderella prom.

Breaking Plans: Constance has plans, ones that include leaving her small town immediately after graduation. Prom isn’t part of her agenda. Constance is proficient at breaking rules. But breaking plans? Never. Except that might be the one thing she needs to do.

Bonus Content: Get a sneak peek of The Fine Art of Keeping Quiet

Buy now:

Kindle, Nook, Kobo, iBooks, Smashwords


There you go: Two stories plus a sneak peek at The Fine Art of Keeping Quiet (the first four chapters), all for less than a cup of coffee at most places.

 

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Weekly writing check-in: the one with the cover reveal

Keeping QuietSo, yesterday, if you noticed, was the cover reveal for The Fine Art of Keeping Quiet. But I’ll add it in here, just in case you missed it.

The scheduled release date is June 24, 2014, so stay tuned. It will be available in e-format and print, and so far it’s been a grand adventure pulling this all together.

In other news I got another new story submitted, which made up for the three that were rejected. I also pulled a story from a market that had it for a very, very long time. It was, in theory, short-listed. But since this particular market has had long stretches of silence, I thought it better to pull it and do something else with it.

Plus, the editor at Fantasy Scroll Magazine asked me to do an author interview that will run in the issue with the story I sold them last week.

Writing Work:

  • Lots of proofing, lots of typo catching, lots of “What on earth is wrong with my spine?” (the book’s spine that is, not my own)

Submissions:

  • A (K)night in the Royal Arms (new story!)

Rejections:

  • Five to Freedom
  • What Little Remains
  • The Perfect Canvas

Acceptances:

Publications:

  • None

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