CHAPTERS WRITING CLUB

 After more than a year of virtual meetings, Chapters Teen Writing Club is finally going to meet in person. We are all excited to get back together and share our enthusiasm for writing.

A NEW WRITING PROMPT

 Have someone give you four unrelated words and then create a story with those four words in the story.

Happy Writing!

TOOK MY OWN ADVICE

 This has been a hard week for me. I have been suffering from indecision and lack of confidence with my new manuscript. After wallowing in pity, I decided to take my own advice. I went for a very long walk. I forced myself to look, listen, taste, and feel everything around me. I have to admit, that I came back a new person. I am excited to start writing again! So, don't hesitate. Clear your mind and get back to what you love the most.  Happy writing.

Writer's Block

 Are you experiencing writer's block? Go outside and take a stroll.  Be aware of everything around you. Listen to the birds. Smell the air. Look at the trees. Take a mental picture of the sky. Watch people as they pass you. File those experiences in your mind. When you are finished with the walk, write those experiences in the form of a short story. Don't hold back. Let your mind guide you.

New Manuscript in the Works

 Hi Everyone,

I am excited to announce that have a new manuscript in the works. The story, targeted for young adults, centers around a teen who gets a second chance on life. Although the story has Christian undertones, it is by no means preachy. Now a days, when hope often seems beyond our reach, and, because of the pandemic keeping us from from family and friends, I felt an uplifting story, filled with excitement, hope, and promises is what we all need. If you believe that everyone deserves a second chance, that life is precious, and good wins over evil, you will enjoy this story.

Writer's Block

 Writer's Block?

I have found that the best way to get rid of writer's block is to find a story prompt. Go to any genre and pick a prompt. Sometimes it helps to pick a genre you have never tried before. This exercise will help you to think outside the box.

Happy writing

Time to write

 Finding time to write in this hectic time is not easy. School, family obligations, and a host of other concerns can get in the way. Don't get down on yourself. A window of time will open up to you. Take one day at a time, relish what you have, and all will fall into place

Hints for Writer's Block

 Having writer block? Don't fight it. Step away from the computer. Clear your mind by taking a walk or picking up that craft you left undone. When feeling refreshed, look up prompt suggestions, pick one and write a fifteen to twenty-minute piece. You will be surprised as to how creative your mind can be! Happy writing.

Chapters Writing Group

I would like to say a word about Chapters Writing Group. During these hard times, I want to send out a message to them, congratulating them for their perseverance in what has to be a difficult situation. We have gone from weekly in person meetings to weekly computer meetings, and during it all, they have remained true to their conviction of honing their art. They continue to share their work with one another, offer helpful criticism, and build up one another. So proud of you all. 

 Announcing the publication of my new YA book, A Bristol Manor Mystery:Beyond the Closet Door

Like mysteries wrapped inside the paranormal? If so, this book is for you.

                                                        Synopsis:

To Greta Steele, strange happenings only take place in books and movies. Haunted houses, ghosts, spirits, things that go bump in the night, are nothing more than creations of overactive imaginations. At least that’s what she thought when she was living a nice, normal life.

After losing their parents to a fatal car crash and experiencing a disastrous Nebraska tornado, Greta and her older sister, Maryanne, move to a small Chicago community where they purchase Bristol Manor, an old run-down mansion thought to be haunted by a teenage ghost.

From the moment Greta moves into Bristol Manor, she experiences frightening, supernatural events that turn her life upside down.

Coupled with the angst of  beginning tenth-grade at a new high school and dealing with a formidable bully, Greta is sent on a fear-filled journey, where good clashes with evil, and uncertainty clouds every day.

With stubborn determination, she solves a sixty-five-year old mystery, rights a wrong that kept an innocent soul from eternal peace, and softens the heart of a misguided bully.

 

Jordan Finch and the Treasure Seekers

Check out my new book, "Jordan Finch and the Treasure Seekers" on Amazon. You can read the first few chapters for free.

Happy reading!

My teen group, Chapters Writing Club is in full bloom. The group is working hard on short stories to submit to a new teen magazine.

My New Book

September 2, 2017

My new Ebook, Jordan Finch and the Treasure Seekers, is available on Amazon.  Check it out.
I am excited about the story and its availability to anyone who has a tablet, phone, or Kindle device.

A Wonderful Day

April 27, 2017

My day began with the 7th grade writing group at Glacial Drumlin Middle School. We had a thoughtful and productive meeting with each student sharing their work and giving feed-back to their fellow members.

Cathy Kozlowicz a reporter from the Herald-Independent and McFarland Thistle sat in on our meeting. She is writing a feature story on the group, including photos and quotes from the students.

After Glacial Drumlin, I visited Cottage Grove School where I worked with 3rd and 4th graders on their respective stories.

In the evening, I lead Chapter's Teen Writing Club. The club consists of a group of students from different schools in the area who, under my supervision, gather each Thursday night at the Pinney Branch Library to sharpen their writing skills.

Last night, we brainstormed on a common plot, broke into small groups, and helped one another bring to life our creative juices.

The group is kind, encouraging, and uplifting. I am proud to know each and everyone of them.

My current work in progress is Spirit Quest, an amazing story of hope and determination.

CHAPTERS WRITING CLUB

MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

PLACE: Pinney Branch Library.

MEETING DATE: October 4, 6:00 to 8:00 p.m


Join my new, exciting venture, Chapters Writing Club. This is a fun, creative club that offers aspiring writers a chance to bounce ideas off other creative people. I guarantee it is worth your time.

Bring laptop or pencil and paper and be ready to be INSPIRED!.

GREAT NEWS!

Fading Away will be featured at the NEW YORK BOOK EXPO
May 31-June 2.

Update on "Fading Away"

The reviews for "Fading Away" are awesome. I am proud that the book is helping so many people. If you are suffering from Anorexia, you need to read this story. If you know someone who is suffering from or contemplating anorexia, tell them about the book. You will be glad you did,

Fading Away

Just received notification that my publisher accepted my manuscript for "Fading Away",  I am excited and can't wait for it to be published.

Fading Away is a fictional account based on real life events. The story centers on a family’s personal experience with the eating disorder, anorexia nervosa.

Through a compelling self-analysis, the main character, Carla Jo (C.J.) Priestly, shares the heart-wrenching story of her struggle with anorexia. Her honest reflection brings to light the heartaches, as well as the hardships, that engulf her and her family members. She tells of her life-long struggle against the disorder she refers to as, ED, and shows that with courage and faith one can accomplish the seemingly unattainable.

T.V. Interview

I was asked to give an interview at the Bolingbrook Community Television Station in Bolingbrook, Illinois. I had a wonderful time with the host of the show, Dyanne. We talked about inspiration, what drives an author to write, the amount of time it takes to write a story, and the ups and downs of getting published. I enjoyed the time with Dyanne and can't wait to see the airing.