Stupid Book Reviewer

I bet you clicked on this thinking, "Oh snap! She's about to start some drama!"...Well, you may be right. Or at least I may step on a few toes in my quest to help book reviewers understand what writers and readers are asking for.

First let me clear up what we do want:

1. HONEST reviews of the STORY

.....What?? Are you sitting there waiting for a longer list? Well, that's all there is. All we need from reviewers is their honest opinion of how much they enjoyed the pages they just devoured. Tell us how much you liked or disliked our characters, the world they lived in, the overall story, or how it broke your heart when a character died (without spoiling the story). Good or bad tell it to us. We want to hear it. Yes, we do prefer the good reviews, after all writers spend months or even years making that world you just consumed in three days so a raving review is always what we are looking for. Writers love to brag about those 5 star reviews, share them on social media, post them on book covers, and even print them out and tack them on the front of the refrigerator so we can smile at it every time one of our kids beg us to fix them a bowl of ice cream (OK, maybe that last one is just me!).  Writers even read bad reviews (usually with one eye closed) and try to take in what didn't work for the reader. We don't want you to hold back a bad review even if it hurts as long as it's constructive (not mean spirited) criticism. Sometimes we need it to learn a little more about story creation mistakes so please post your honest review.

Now let me point out a few things that reviewers are shoving into their reviews that the author nor future reader doesn't give two craps about and quite frankly makes the reviewer look dumb:

1. If the length of the book was unsatisfactory to you.--Nope, don't care. Especially when you are going on and on about how you didn't realize the story (which is clearly marked "novelette" "Novella", or "Short Story") wasn't long enough.  YOU'RE A READER SO START BY READING THE COVER
2. If your friend who recommended the book mislead you to think it was another genera.-- Not the author's fault so don't give him/her a one star review simply because you didn't take time to read the book's blurb.
3. One star because you found the book cheaper on another sight.---Pricing isn't always in the authors hands and it has absolutely nothing to do with the quality of the story.
4. One star because you downloaded your copy from a pirating book sight and the formatting was awful.---Do I really need to expand on this? If so please do not read any of my books-EVER.
5. A bad review because you have a personal problem with the author.--Do your fellow readers a favor and just don't read or review any of said author's work. Save the rants for your blog, post, or a tweet (Score one for Freedom of Speach, baby!). People read reviews to learn if the story is something he/she would enjoy not for your hate of the human behind the ink.
6. SPOILERS....SMH...Please don't ruin the story for anyone by posting things in your review that will make the story not worth reading. If I already know who the killer is thanks to your review I'm not going to read the book....BUT I might just tag you in a round up of  last nights Walking Dead or Game of Thrones episode that you missed for revenge *Evil Grin*.

Let me conclude this post by saying thank you to everyone who takes the time to post well thought out book reviews. You are the bread of butter of the book industry.  Without you I would have a terrible time choosing what to read next. But Spider Man said it best: "With great power comes great responsibility."

**Disclaimer** This post isn't in any way about any particular review I've received personally---Unless I tagged you in a W.D. or G.o.T. spoiler--Then it's absolutely about your review :P .

Writers or reviewers, do you have more to add? Did I miss a pet peeve of yours? Post it in the comments below.

Happy reading!

Wenona

Setting of my next Book-Bankhead Forest

One of many water photos I've taken in Bankhead

If you read my blog post where I told you a bit about writing my hometown into the Blood Burden Series you already know I live by the "Write what you know," advice. And holding true to that line of thinking, when I was hit by inspiration to write my upcoming series I just so happen to have been standing beneath a huge rock formation known as the Needle's Eye in Bankhead Forest. So naturally, my outdoor loving character nicknamed Bird starts her dive into a dark world of demons and vampires on a beautiful sunny day's geocaching trip into the Bankhead Forest.

Growing up in Alabama I've always considered myself lucky to have the Bankhead Forest and Sipsey Wilderness in my area.  If you've never hiked it you are missing out especially if you're looking for total separation from the world...as in, you can actually walk deep enough into the woods to not hear traffic AND LOSE CELL PHONE SIGNAL...I can feel your gasp of shock from way over here lol! Yes, there are still places that you can truly escape to and not be disturbed until you decide to return to civilization and sometimes that's exactly what a writer's mind needs.

Well, I was about 3 miles into a hike with my dog when a small thunderstorm rolled in so we took shelter under this big rock with a hole all the way through it known as Needle's Eye.  This wasn't my goal spot for the day, I was seeking a bluff top near a waterfall I visited often, but either way I would be sitting until the shower passed so I pulled out my notebook, leaned back against the rock wall, and just let my mind wander as I rubbed my dog's ears.

There's something magical about a rain shower in the middle of the forest. Everything comes alive; the leaves dance, the ground seems to sing with delight as each drop reaches its pine needle covered surface. The tree tops sway along to the song of the wind and rock walls sparkle with newfound life all along their moss covered edges. But the longer I sat there the more my mind twisted the creaking of a tree or a splash in the stream into something dark. The image of someone being chased through the damp shadows jumped to the front of my mind.



I couldn't pass up capturing this owl-like face.

I grabbed up my notebook and started to scribble down the feelings.  The way the sounds carried so every echo seemed to come from each side of me, the way limbs would suddenly drop to the ground as if the weight of a stalking creature had became too much, and the unnerving silence when the wind stopped like the creeping darkness had paused long enough for the cover sound to rise again.

Before I knew it I had the sounds of Bankhead, both the beautiful and the dark, down on paper and the idea for the Bird's first chase scean fleshed out. The "Write what you know" advice carried me through again. Not only am I a avid hiker who knows the Bankhead Forest but I have also been out in the woods alone and felt very unnerved (not just from rain but that's a story for another time). I can truly put myself into my character's shoes as I write her adventure.

That's a nice feeling as a writer!

How do you connect with your writing world? Do you have a special place you like to go to while writing? Do you visit places that are similar to a location in your book? Share your story in the comments below.

Happy reading,
Wenona

On a Personal Note

Dear Reader,

Some days I struggle with what to write about on my blog. Oh, I can hear your gasp of shock all the way over here at my desk lol. But it's true. Some days I ask myself are you, the reader, coming here just for my books? Maybe you'd like a little insight into who I am when I'm not writing?

Since I don't have every fan's phone number so I can send you out a quick poll I just have to assume that all the other author's blogs I've read are correct in saying that you do in fact want to see if I'm actually human. (Don't ask my son that question though because he believes I'm from another planet where they have eyes in the back of their heads and don't pass gas.  Yelp...Glamorous right?)

So what would you like to know that you can't read in my bio on the right?

Would you like to hear about my struggles and joys as a parent/step-parent? How about what it's like to be a divorced woman who's finally found the man of her dreams? Or maybe you want to know about my adventures as a new chicken mom? Oh yes, I've found the joy of raising chickens and sometimes chicken poop is funny (most times it's not)! Or maybe it's just you have a question about writing in general. I'm game!

Okay, now it's up to you. Leave your questions or topics in the comments section and I'll be happy try to reply or if it's a big one I'll write a post for you.

Happy writing,
Wenona

Reasons start writing...Again.

So here's the great dream: Write a book.

Easily said.  "I'm going to write a book." ....Yelp, that rolled off the tongue nicely, right?

You gather your paper and the coolest pencil you own, you write down your ideas, you may even jot down a few notes that you've pulled together from some reoccurring dreams or life experiences you know will make great fodder for a story. Then you outline your first few chapters or maybe the whole kit-and-caboodle if you're really feeling your story.

You're on your way!!

Now you start profiling your characters. You google some snazzy pictures of girls with blond hair and a scar above her left eye, or guys wearing kilts (strictly research of course), and put them into folders so you can really see the person who's in your mind's eye. Then you decide if she's a bitch with a soft spot for squirrels or a blind detective that can drive a 18 wheeler like nobodies business (Ha! Maybe I should write that last one!). You hammer out all the good and bad of your character's personality so you know how he or she will handle anything your twisted writer's mind can throw at him.

Oh yea! Now it's time for the big show!

You write. And write. And write some more. Things are flowing good. You're testing the boundaries of your characters in this world that you created for them. Knocking back the cups of coffee in that niffty "writer" mug you picked up just for the occasion. Then BAM! You hit a wall. It may be that you re-read a chapter then afterwords thought, "This is pure ol' crap!" or maybe that plot twist you threw in there only seems to make sense in your mind not on paper.

You lay down the pen and stare at your work like you don't know it any more. "Who are you you strange beast? You are not who I was looking to create!" You toss the manuscript in a drawer or hide the file away on your computer and run away screaming and feeling a bit like Dr. Frankenstein after his creation turned against him.

Now what? Do you give up?

NO!

"Why not", you ask.

Well, here's my list of 8 reasons to pick that pen up again.

1. IT'S YOUR DREAM! -Do you really need more reason than this?
2. The world needs to hear your voice.  Your creative work is something that can only come from you. Don't deny the world a peak into a place no one will ever see if you give up.
3. Because it's not easy. Okay, I know that this one may seem like a great reason not to write but there are few dreams that are easier to give up on than writing a novel. But if you stick it through, like so few do, you'll reach a goal that you will be proud of for the rest of your life. 
4. You've already put so much thought and time into it.
5. Every messed up plot twist, weak character, or strange tangent you've let the story get on can be fix. That's what the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th drafts are for.
6. Because you've already bragged to your friends that you're writing a book. Come on! You know you don't want to be the butt of your office jerk's joke, "So Bob, how's that novel going?"  *Snicker, Snort*.... (SCREW YOU, JERK!)
7. You wake up every day thinking about writing this story. It's eating at you. It's begging you to fill the rest of its pages with beautiful words and fancy punctuation. All you have to do is pick up that pen.
8. IT'S YOUR DREAM!!-Okay, I know this is a repeat but it's worth it. And YOU'RE WORTH IT!

You've got this! Now get it down on paper and out into to world.

Happy writing,

Wenona

Westworld -Interesting Plot for an Old Storyline

Around my house we never watch anything in real time. We just can't sit still until after the sun goes down so anything that gets watched in full must be recorded for when we have nothing else going on. So a few weeks ago my honey said "I recorded the first episode of Westword. I think we're going to like it." I took him at his word since our taste matches pretty well when it comes to stories. We sent the kids to watch a movie in their room (it's HBO and we all know how much HBO loves to flash boobs and bare bottoms) then we settled down to watch this new show.

....Which turned out to be an old story line.

Robots who think they are humans thrown into a world where they become smarter then they were designed to be.

About 20 minutes in I was half paying attention and half scrolling social media.  My honey asked, "You don't like it?"  And I was like, it's not that I don't like it, it's that I can tell you where everything is going this episode without watching any more of it (#writerproblem).  The characters were interesting, the story was so-so, and the emotional investment I felt was minimal but I didn't give up since I could see how much he was liking it.

So we finished the episode, me half paying attention and him engrossed.  But at the end it did leave things hanging on a nice hook that didn't totally turn me off to the story so a week or so later we had a little down time again and turned on the second episode. That's when things started to shift a bit for me. Maybe it was my writer's mind letting go of the plot details and actually allowing me to enjoy the show or maybe I was just too tired that night to break down every character's motive but either way I actually couldn't wait to watch the 3rd episode. No, really. I caught myself several times the next day wondering about that show. I would get lost in imagining what it would be like to wake up day after day and do the same thing because I was programmed that way. This fictional world was having a real impact that was rare for me to find outside of a book.

This has made me realize that an old story can be retold and be unpredictable and even exciting. I've turned my nose up to a large amount of books over my lifetime just because it was a retelling but I guess I should have giving them a chance. Sometimes echos in a different voice are surprisingly captivating.

How about you? Have you had any surprises when reading or watching something you normally wouldn't pick up for yourself? Tell me about them in the comments below!

Happy reading,
Wenona

Writing about my home town-Just Add MAGIC

Let me start out by saying my Alabama home town has always been magical to me. Though I've not had a Double Springs address for over 20 years now I've never strayed too far from its boundaries. The people that live along those quite streets are nothing short of superheros, always going out of their way to help a neighbor even when they are tired bone deep from their own day's work. A stranger who finds his self stranded on the side of the road will quickly see two or three cars pulling over to offer help and yes, one of those people will likely be called "Bubba" but he'll be better help than any person road-side assistance will send to your rescue. The joy of giving your time to someone who's in need is a magic that a lot of towns have lost yet the little town I call home still manages to keep that spirit alive.

This small town also allowed me few distractions as a child and plenty of land to explore. A person who has grown up in a large city may label this kind of living as boring but it gave me the freedom to spend days visiting a dragon that I imagined lived under the bluff behind my home or the fairies I was convinced lived in the enormous oak tree in my front yard. I remember clamoring to my smiling mom to tell her that I caught a glimpse of a tiny, winged lady peaking down at me while I was stretched across a tree limb reading a book.  So when it came time for me to place Nicole into her fictional town it was very easy for me to see magical places fitting into my little two red-light town.

Why did I write about my home town instead of creating a new one? "Write what you know" is the first bit of advice that stuck with me as I started the Blood Burden Series and, though this may not be how all writers interpreted those words of wisdom, that's what I did. I used a version of my home town where I mixed its modern day layout with the layout of how it was when I was a child, added a few locations that were needed for my story's flow, left out any business names (for legal issues) or called them by nick names so that some of the locals might be able to say "Hey, I know exactly where that's at!", and before I knew it I had created a town in which to grow my story around.  This way of world building has stayed with me with all the stories I've created since my first.

Now Nichole didn't stick around in that little town the whole story but by writing what I knew I had a great jumping point for when I needed to write about a location in Ireland or a airport hundreds of miles away. Being this was my first stab a writing a novel I was able to learn what details needed to be included for people to really feel, smell, and taste what it was like in Nichole's town and this allowed me to do better research when it came to locations I'd never been to.  I learned from building the first location what small and big details were important to make the world believable and magical at the same time so the new locations flowed out a lot easier.

What am I hoping you get out of this post? Well, I guess that all depends on why you clicked onto my blog in the first place.  Are you a fellow Winston County resident who was curious if that place in the book was supposed to look like that old store in Double Springs? Then I hope I've satisfied your curiosity and that you are proud of how the town looked with a little magic thrown in. Are you a writer who was looking for a bit of help with world building? If so please do let the "Write what you know" advice guide you.  You will not struggle near as much with the flow if the place, subject, or focal matter of your story is something you know the ins-and-outs about. Or are you a reader of my works hoping for a little behind-the-scenes info about the series? Well, I think I helped you the loyal reader out too. But if you have more questions be sure to leave them in the comments section and I'll do my best to fill you in.

Happy reading!

America, Please Vote Today!

Just a friendly reminder that today is the big day! By now most of you have done your research on all the candidates and issues that will be presented to you on today's ballot but if you happen to still be on the fence there is still time. Google your local ballot. There are sites that give you a short breakdown on each amendment you'll face and there's tons of round-ups that tell you where each candidate stands on the issues. Here's the one I've been useing https://ballotpedia.org/Presidential_candidates,_2016.  Make your voice heard!

Happy voting!
Wenona