Wednesday, February 4, 2026

IWSG Wednesday AND Did You Know Thursday

 


The first Wednesday of every month is officially IWSG day. IWSG was formed by Ninja Captain Alex Cavanaugh. Members post about their doubts and fears, discuss struggles and triumphs, and offer words of encouragement to others who are struggling. 

Our Twitter handle is @TheIWSG and hashtag is #IWSG.

The awesome co-hosts for the

February 4 posting of the IWSG are:   

J Lenni Dorner  https://jlennidorner.blogspot.com/ 

Victoria Marie Lees https://www.victoriamarielees.com/ 

Sandra Cox  http://sandracox.blogspot.com/ 

 

Every month, we announce a question that members can answer in their IWSG post. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience or story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSG post or let it inspire your post if you are struggling with something to say. Remember, the question is optional.

February 4 question - Many writers have written about the experience of rereading their work years later.  Have you reread any of your early works?  What was that experience like for you?

No matter when or how many years later, I can always find something I need to rework or correct.

January/February Reviews in no particular order.

* Disclaimer. If I run into an occasional typo, I ignore them and don't factor them into my review.

 

 

PROMOTE YOUR BOOK ON A SHOESTRING…OR LESS by Dawn Colclasure 

This is a very quick read of solid suggestions on how to promote your book cheaply or free.  Definitely helpful for a beginner, and while I’ve been writing since dinosaurs roamed the earth😊it was a worthwhile investment for me because it listed cost-effective blog tour groups that I was unaware of. PROMOTE YOUR BOOK ON A SHOESTRING...OR LESS is an inexpensive, helpful aid on how to get the word out on your new/latest release.

Available at Amazon 

 

 

WHISPERS OF A SOUTHERN MOON By Priscella Bettis 
 
A configuration of poetry and short stories with a Southern Gothic flavor successfully blended with deep-seated inspiration and beliefs.

Descriptive prose brings each offering to life:

“The front door opens, hurling chandelier light and furnace heat onto the stoop.”

“Beneath her, heat from the asphalt seeped through the soles of her sneakers.”

One of the shorts included that abounds with the author’s vivid prose: FIX YOUR FACE is a priceless piece of Southern Gothic with an ending that’s both subtle and sardonic.

After the stories and the poetry, the author shares a portion of herself with her readers. Her background. Her religion. Her writing. Something that I’ve always felt is difficult to do.

Much talent went into this work and will be loved by Bettis fans and fans of Southern Gothic flavored with faith.

Available at Amazon 

 

 

THE KIND MOON AND THE HARDWORKING SUN by Zea Perez

This is such a sweet little story. Ms. Perez’s love of both children and nature shine through.  I love the idea of a kind moon and a hardworking sun😊  It’s also an excellent tool to use when parents must work outside the home—which is the situation for most of us in today’s society—instead of being a stay-at-home parent. A quick read that will be a joy for both adult and child.

 Available at Amazon

 

NULL SPACE by MK Alexander

This series keeps getting better and better.

NULL SPACE is Book 2 in The Seven Sisters Series.

Once again York, now made a lieutenant and given a spanking new ship with a mysterious mission, takes us on another wild romp through space. He and the bird-people—beings with feathers and backward knees—have banded together to try to save the galaxy from worm-like parasites that are bent on taking over the universe and destroying all other species in the process.

In NULL SPACE, we are reunited with the beloved characters of Book 1 that Alexander introduced us too.  The author’s world-building is, as always, rich and textured.  I thoroughly enjoyed the second in the series and look forward to the third.

Available at Amazon 

 

NOISELESS by Dawn Colclasure

 NOISELESS tells a non-fictionalized account of deafness in poetry form, written from the author’s perspective. It delves into such issues as discrimination, misconception and situations the author has encountered due to deafness, including social isolation. I found it both amazing and wonderful that the author can hear in dreams.

A very well-written account of an invisible disability. Kudos to the author.

Recommended for everyone.

Available at Amazon 

 

 

BALANCE OF NATURE by Jacqui Murray  

A mystic adventure set in prehistoric times. 

“They tore deep into Nature’s flesh with their digging sticks.”  And so, begins the story.

After Mother Nature has pummeled the tribe for their disrespect, the Neanderthals are once again looking for a place to call home. They must endure much and overcome many obstacles: the weather, the conditions, the travel itself, and hardest of all—betrayal.  

If you’ve been following this series you’ll encounter many familiar characters. Yu’ung and her mother. Fierce. Shanadar. And, of course, the Canis pack😊.

Once again, the author digs deep into prehistory to help us become better acquainted with our distant ancestors and, in the process, weaves a story of resilience and courage.

A must read for Murray fans, of which I am one.

Available at Amazon 

 

AND

 

Did you know, that even though Lewis Carroll was a Mathematics scholar at Oxford he was terrible at finances?

 

150 Interesting Facts About Our Favorite Authors [Infographic] 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

52 comments:

Renee Scattergood said...

I'm always fixing stuff on my books. That's one of the benefits of self-publishing. You can upload updates to the manuscript whenever you need to. So if you miss something, it's not that big a deal. It's easier with ebooks than print, but still.

Thanks for co-hosting!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

I'd always find something to fix as well.
Finances require a whole different set of skills outside of math.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

And thanks for co-hosting today!

David M. Gascoigne, said...

It doesn’t really surprise me about Lewis Carroll. A good mathematical challenge is akin to a symphony; dealing with finances is like root canal surgery.

Jamie said...

Yeah, there's always something to change or update.

Natalie Aguirre said...

I think we can all find things to revise in older works. You read a lot this month. I'm glad you enjoyed Jacqui's new book.

Christine said...

Very good

Crystal Collier said...

The deaf poetry, that's fascinating to me. My daughter has been doing ASL (and some BSL) for about 7 years and had connected with the community in our area. They are such a unique group and latch onto our family as a result of her involvement in their lives.

L. Diane Wolfe said...

I'll always see things I want to fix but I still enjoy reading my older stuff.

R's Rue said...

Have a lovely day my friend.

Liza said...

Thank you for the reviews and thank you for co-hosting IWSG this month.

Lynn said...

I agree, there is always room for improvement. Thanks for co-hosting this month!

D.L. Finn said...

I cringe reading older stuff and have done some editing on some of it. Great reviews, of course I found a couple to add to my Kindle. Who couldn't resist bird people? I loved Southern Moon too xo

Linda's Relaxing Lair said...

Great post, Sandra, thanks for sharing. Some of those books have beautiful covers.

Jenni said...

I think we just have to decide to step away at some point, because we'll always find something. Thanks for the book recs! I just got the Shoestring One.

Yvette Carol said...

I'm glad to hear someone finds re-reading their earlier work the same way. I always read hopefully, then sooner or later I'm reading with eyes squinted as I see error after error.

Arlee Bird said...

Finances can be a pretty baffling topic sometimes. I'm not real good with them either. But I'm not a mathematician either.

Lee

Rosemary Johnson said...

You can never stop editing. That's my problem too, and I referred to it in my IWSG blog post this month.

PJ Colando said...

Thanks for reading and commenting on my post. I liked your book reviews - all eclecltic and interesting choices.

Melissa said...

That is the truth. We can always find things to tweak. Thanks for co-hosting.

Olga Godim said...

I try not to think as an editor when I reread my stories. Makes it easier, if I read them as if they were written by someone else. It is all in the mindset.

Sandra Cox said...

I agree completely, Renee. A definite plus for self-publishing.
Thanks for stopping by.

Sandra Cox said...

There's always something to rework, isn't there, Alex?

Sandra Cox said...

Thanks for Captaining:)

Sandra Cox said...

Great analogy, David:)

Sandra Cox said...

Innit the truth. Thanks for stopping by, Jamie.

Sandra Cox said...

Jacqui's books are always a lovely blend of fiction and prehistory. I can't imagine how much research goes into them.

Sandra Cox said...

Thanks:)

Sandra Cox said...

Good on you, Crystal, for your families involvement.
Noiseless made me aware of issues for folks with 'invisible' disabilities I'd never really thought about before.

Pat Garcia said...

Hi,
I enjoyed reading your reviews and will look into one or two of your suggestions.
Thank you co-hosting.
Shalom shalom

Jeanie said...

When you start cleaning out a room and come upon old journals and pages of poems, articles and other pieces of writing, you have to stop and read. And i did. Some was remarkably good. Some -- well, not so much! It's humbling but also makes you feel better about today!

Priscilla Bettis said...

Thanks for spotlighting my book, Sandra. I've read Balance of Nature and found it both entertaining and informative. Noiseless sounds so interesting! The Kind Moon and the Hardworking Sun sounds adorable, and I think I'd enjoy Null Space. Promote Your Book on a Shoestring ... or Less is probably something I should read and heed! Great reviews!

cleemckenzie said...

Thanks for co-hosting today and for all the book reviews! You have done a bang-up job today.

Loni Townsend said...

I found I wanted to tweak so much of my first book that I'm rewriting it from scratch!

Thanks for co-hosting!

Sandra Cox said...

I just saw your post. OMG. OMG. You've been to House on the Rock. Woot. Woot.

Sandra Cox said...

Thank you, Regine. Hope you have.

Sandra Cox said...

My pleasure. Thanks for stopping by, Liza.

Sandra Cox said...

My pleasure. Thanks for stopping by, Lynn.

Sandra Cox said...

I'm sure the authors will appreciate you feeding your Kindle:)
I love everything you've written:)
I don't mind rereading my Westerns, but anything before I wrote in that genre....I'm not sure I wanna:) MK has a great series going and Priscella did an amazing job of entwining belief with Southern Goth, didn't she?

Sandra Cox said...

Thanks, Linda. The covers are great aren't they?

Kalpana said...

Happy IWSG day and thanks for co-hosting. I had to laugh at your line - no matter when or how many years later I can always find something I need to re-work or correct. I hear you.

Janet Alcorn said...

Thanks for co-hosting. I'm going to check out the book on book promotion.

Sandra Cox said...

Jenni, Isn't it the truth?
Excellent. I'm sure the author will be thrilled. It's very brief and a lot of the info you probably already know, but as I said, I was pleased to find inexpensive blog tours that I wasn't aware of.

Sandra Cox said...

LOL. Yvette, I feel your pain:)

Sandra Cox said...

Lee, Right there with ya on not being a mathematician:)

Jacqui Murray--Writer-Teacher said...

Thanks for the review, Sandra--and great folk to share the post with!

diedre Knight said...

Leapin lizards! I see at least two books I haven't read adorning the right side of your age. TBR security ;-) Thanks for co-hosting!

Sandra Cox said...

Innit the truth? There's no off button, is there, Rosemary?

Sandra Cox said...

Definitely some great reads this month. Glad you stopped by, PJ.

Sandra Cox said...

Melissa, Oh yes, endless tweaks:)

Sandra Cox said...

I think that's a great idea, Olga. Having a clean copy is very, very important, but having an emotional appeal to the reader--more so. At least to my way of thinking.

Sandra Cox said...

The authors will love that, Pat.
You are most welcome:)