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.
The
awesome co-hosts for the April 5 posting of the IWSG are Jemima Pett, Nancy Gideon, and Natalie Aguirre!
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!
April 5 question - Do you remember writing your first book? What were your thoughts about a career path on writing? Where are you now and how is it working out for you? If you're at the start of the journey, what are your goals?
I do indeed. Unfortunately, it never saw the light of day. I started writing in the dark ages. Back then, it was trad or die. Mine died😊 But I’ve been writing ever since. My writing goal was to be successful enough to support myself with my writing. Unfortunately, that never materialized. But that’s okay. Mind you, I’d click my heels in the air then come down and do a tap dance, if I ever got a movie contract or hit Amazon’s number one bestseller😊 but for right now I just keep fighting the good fight or more like writing a good fight😊 What about you?
March/April Reviews in no particular order.
* Disclaimer. If I run into an occasional typo, I ignore them and don't factor them into my review.
A delightful short
Piper, a young female reporter, loses her job at the same time she loses her good luck charm—a dried red carnation from a high school crush—and blames her misfortunes on the loss of her charm. Between jobs, she heads back home where she reunites with her best friend Jack and begins to reevaluate where her luck really lies.
I really enjoy the author’s writing style. Her stories flow smoothly and are well-developed. Her characters are fleshed-out and relatable, and her world building is seamless. Everything I’ve read by Ms. Troilo has held my interest. If you’re looking for a fun read that will leave you with a smile on your face when you finish it, I highly recommend this story and this series😉
Available at Amazon
I thoroughly enjoyed this read and finished it in one sitting. The writing sparkled, funny in parts, suspenseful in others. The descriptive visuals flowed like poetry. The characters were down to earth, likeable and relatable. AND the story has a cat in it😊Definitely one of my favorites by this author. Highly recommended to Biggar fans—of which I am one—and anyone just looking for a feel-good tale.
AND Don't ya just love this cover? It had me at the cat:)
Available at Amazon
A gem of a collection.
These captivating shorts were all written by young people. Their narratives range from paranormal, horror and suspense to relationship abuse. Every story well told.
As fascinating as I found the stories and they were all exceptionally well written, I found the brief bios at the end of the stories even more so. For example: “As a critter lover, Ashlyn wants to assure readers that no animals are ever harmed in the making of any of her stories.” 😊 FYI: Ashlyn is an 8th grade honor student.
Another writer is an ‘advocate for teen dating violence victims’.
Another is in the 4th grade.
One is a teen bakery owner.
One is a member of an improv troupe. And the list goes on.
I thoroughly enjoyed the stories and think you will to. There’s something for everyone. Kudos to the writers. Their author-mentor and their publisher, both of whom, made this book possible.
Available at Amazon
This nonfiction is geared toward the teaching profession and those interested in joining the profession. I’m not a teacher, but my husband was, and my son and daughter are, so I read the book with great interest.
Mr. Springer touches all bases. He delves into working with co-workers, the administrators, students and their parents.
He shares the frustrations that teachers encounter in their chosen profession along with special students he’s had and moments he’s shared with them. He even touches on setting up the classroom.
And though, as mentioned previously, I’m not an instructor, I thoroughly enjoyed the read and appreciate how much of himself the author shared with the reader.
My take away: We need more folks like this talented man teaching our children. Recommended for the professionals, parents and those that just enjoy a feel-good read.
Available at Amazon
FYI: Scammers have moved into the writing world. Natalie Acquire had an excellent article on literary agent scammers you might want to check out.
http://www.literaryrambles.com/2023/03/agent-scam-alert-how-to-protect.html
