insecure writers support group, writing

#IWSG Writing in the New Year

Happy 2022, insecure writers!! I love our founder Alex Cavanaugh’s inspiring message about the new year:

“We all know it’s been creatively challenging the past two years. Some managed to write like maniacs, but a good portion of us were sidelined by events wrought with turmoil and uncertainty.

But 2022 can be different. We can take control of our own creative future. We need to maintain hope. Without it, we won’t make it. We need to feed that spark of hope. That creative spark! That’s our wheelhouse.

So, we need to believe in ourselves. Believe in the words we write. And believe 2022 is our year!”

Join us here.

Thank you to our competent co-hosts: Erika Beebe, Olga Godim, Sandra Cox, Sarah Foster, and Chemist Ken!

January 5 question – What’s the one thing about your writing career you regret the most? Were you able to overcome it?

I regret not knowing more about the craft of writing before my first novel was published. Though I still feel a fondness for the characters of my first novel, adverb abuse, head-hopping, and bloated prose hurt the writing quality.

I have tried to overcome this regret by learning more about the craft through reading, studying writing, and working with my critique partner and editor. It felt great to edit my debut novel to reduce my cringe reactions.

Cheers to a healthy, happy 2022!

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New Release: MURDER AT THE MARINA by @Ellen_Jacobson #5starreview


Congratulations to Ellen Jacobson on the release of her debut novel, Murder at the Marina!


First I welcome Ellen for a guest post, followed by my FIVE-STAR review. Take it away, Ellen:

Thanks for hosting me on your site today to celebrate the release of my cozy mystery, Murder at the Marina. This is the first book in the lighthearted and humorous Mollie McGhie Sailing Mystery series, featuring a reluctant sailor turned amateur sleuth.

My own sailing adventures and misadventures inspired me to write this series. My husband and I bought our first sailboat in New Zealand in 2012. After a couple of years cruising in those beautiful waters, we returned to the States and bought a bigger boat which we moved onto in 2015. We’ve since cruised in Florida and the Bahamas, labored over endless boat projects, and worked to keep our cruising kitty (savings) topped up.

I wanted to reflect my experiences learning to sail, cruising and living aboard a boat, and being part of the boating community in my cozy mysteries. You could say that there’s a little bit of me in my main character, Mollie.

I thought I’d share one of the boating tidbits which I wrote about in Murder at the Marinanamely, fear of alligators and other sea monsters. When Mollie first visits Palm Tree Marina and walks down the dock, she worries about falling into the water and what dangers might lurk there. I can completely relate to this as we have alligators who make their home at our marina, swimming right next to my boat. Typically, alligators aren’t interested in attacking humans, but, unfortunately, there’s always someone who decides to feed them. Not a great idea. The gators start to associate humans with food and, more often than not, they have to be removed and destroyed.

Now that I’ve become more accustomed to alligators, I don’t freak out as much as I used to. In fact, we have a couple of babies swimming around at the marina right now and I caught myself thinking that they were adorable. Then I remembered the teeth. It will be interesting to see if Mollie does encounter alligators, crocodiles, or other creatures over the course of the series and how she reacts.

If you’d like to learn more about Mollie and her sailing adventures, you can find details about Murder at the Marinabelow.

Murder at the Marina (A Mollie McGhie Cozy Sailing Mystery #1)Murder at the Marina by Ellen Jacobson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Little Sweet Potato Sleuth

What a charming debut novel!

Mollie McGhie is an intrepid journalist who has just moved to a Florida coastal town with her husband, Scooter. Scooter has some endearing nicknames for his wife, like, My Little Sweet Potato, but his 10th wedding anniversary gift is not so endearing: a ramshackle sailboat. Neither Mollie nor Scooter possesses the skills to rehabilitate the boat, much less sail the open sea.

Mollie’s disdain for the sailboat multiplies when she finds a dead body on deck. Who murdered the victim? Suspects abound in the town’s colorful cast of characters.

After Mollie overhears one suspicious conversation, her clueless question cracked me up:

“Wait until those new marks of yours find out what you sold them.”

He shook Penny by the shoulders. “You better not say anything, you hear me?”

I was left with one question—who were these new marks she was referring to?

Chocolate is Mollie’s fuel for sleuthing. Not only is she trying to identify the murderer, but also she believes one woman in town suffers from alien abduction. Good thing her “journalist” job is for the Federation of Alien Research, Outreach, and UFO Tracking. She’s determined to beat out another woman for promotion.

Mollie’s investigative efforts do not impress the police chief.

”Mrs. McGhie, what a surprise to find you here. You seem to specialize in finding bodies.” Chief Dalton raised both of his eyebrows. “That makes two bodies in just four days, doesn’t it?”

His math was correct. I guess the ability to be able to do simple arithmetic was an important skill for police officers. That’s probably why I never joined the force. I struggle with math. I’m also scared of guns.

I found the female version of Inspector Clouseau to be fun and entertaining despite the danger swirling around her. A great read!

View all my reviews




Blurb

A dilapidated sailboat for your anniversary—not very romantic. A dead body on board—even worse.

Mollie McGhie is hoping for diamonds for her tenth wedding anniversary. Instead, her husband presents her with a dilapidated sailboat. Just one problem—she doesn’t know anything about boats, nor does she want to.

When Mollie discovers someone murdered on board, she hopes it will convince her husband that owning a boat is a bad idea. Unfortunately, he’s more determined than ever to fix the boat up and set out to sea.

Mollie finds herself drawn into the tight-knit community living at Palm Tree Marina in Coconut Cove, a small town on the Florida coast. She uncovers a crime ring dealing in stolen marine equipment, investigates an alien abduction, eats way too many chocolate bars, adopts a cat, and learns far more about sailing than she ever wanted to.

Can Mollie discover who the murderer is before her nosiness gets her killed?

Buy Links

Murder at the Marina—A Mollie McGhie Sailing Mystery #1
Print ISBN 978-1-7321602-1-7
eBook ISBN 978-1-7321602-0-0
Mystery


Author Bio

Ellen Jacobson writes mystery and scifi/fantasy stories. She is the author of the “Mollie McGhie Sailing Mystery” series. She lives on a sailboat with her husband, exploring the world from the water. When she isn’t working on boat projects or seeking out deserted islands, she blogs about their adventures at The Cynical Sailor.

You can connect with Ellen on:

The Cynical Sailor Blog – http://thecynicalsailor.blogspot.com/
The Cynical Sailor Facebook Page – https://www.facebook.com/TheCynicalSailor/

Newsletter Sign-up – http://eepurl.com/dpy5sv
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#IWSG How Does Writing Affect Your Reading?


Welcome to February’s edition of Insecure Writers Support Group, the brainchild of Alex Cavanaugh. Hop on board at Alex’s blog!


How was your January? I had to replace my furnace/AC/water heater and let’s just say I’m relieved I don’t have to survive on my measly author income after getting that bill. Luckily the system died when we had unseasonably warm temperatures in Ohio.

Are you ready for Singles Awareness Day on February 14th?


February Question: How has being a writer changed your experience as a reader?

Positive change: A greater appreciation for well-written books.

Negative change: Less enjoyment of many books. Before starting as a writer, I didn’t notice misspellings (like blond/blonde) or excessive verbiage. In the past, I skipped over cliches and telling instead of showing. Now those errors disgust me.

I feel fortunate fellow authors had the patience to read my debut novel, considering all my fledgling writer mistakes. I just re-edited With Good Behavior and chopped off 33,000 words, yahoo! The manuscript is with my publisher for a copy edit before we re-release it.

Speaking of revising, my website is over six years old and in need of an overhaul. Any web designers you’d recommend?

Thank you to this month’s co-hosts:

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New Release: SAVING EVANGELINE by @Nancee_Cain

Congratulations to Nancee Cain on her debut novel! Saving Evangeline is garnering quite a few 5 star reviews.


Evangeline is the town pariah. Everyone knows she’s crazy and responsible for the death of her last boyfriend. Even her mother left her and moved cross-country. Lonely and desperate, Evie decides to end her life.

Rogue angel Remiel longs to return to earth. There’s just one problem. He tends to invite trouble and hasn’t been back since Woodstock. The Boss sends him to save Evangeline, but there’s a catch. He can’t reveal his angelic nature and must complete the task as Father Remiel Blackson.

Forced together on a cross-country trip, a forbidden romance ignites and love unfolds. A host of heavenly messengers try to intervene, but Remiel and Evangeline are headed on a collision course to disaster. Will his love save her, or will they both be lost forever?


Get it HERE.

Add it to your Goodreads shelf.


Join Nancy at the Confess Your Love of Romance Novels Facebook event on Sunday, June 7 from 2-4pm


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New Release: A Little Faith by Emma James

Title: A Little Faith
Series: Ocean Beach #1
Author: Emma James
 Release Date: October 9, 2014

Synopsis
I had no idea a carefree island vacation would tear my life apart.

But now it’s time to put my walls up, make them impenetrable.

It’s the only way to survive.

~Faith

 
Six Years Later…

Harley, the protector. Retro, the straight shooter. 

Keanu, the funny bone. Levi, the model. And Text, who can’t seem to find himself.

All their lives were permanently altered by one event.

With a pact made, these five best friends need something from Faith.

Is she ready now to give them what they have been waiting for?

Join Faith as she goes on an emotional and heartwarming discovery where all may not be what it seems.

But with every ending, comes a new beginning, a second chance.

You just gotta have A Little Faith…

Welcome to Ocean Beach.

Links to Buy

AMAZON
US / UK / AU

Book Trailer
Playlist

Excerpt
“You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have.”
– Bob Marley

It’s a hot and humid night. We’re all looking forward to a beer and some nightlife as we take the short walk from our hotel to the Coconut Club.
At this time of the year, the island is packed with tourists from all over the world. This means lots of beautiful girls in their tiny bikinis with a tan and a smile and everybody looking to have a good time.
Only ten days into our two week surfing vacation with my friends, I’ve been having the time of my life. We’ve met some great locals who have entrusted us with their secret surfing spots, which they keep on the down-low. These are theirplaces to surf, not to be overrun by tourists.
The surf has been awesome. We’ve ridden alongside the locals, our boards attached to our motorcycles as we follow them through the hustle and bustle of the crazy traffic. I shit you not, it almost appears like there are no road rules over here. It’s like dodge ball with motorcycles. It’s been a hell of a lot of fun taking the bikes to the streets, weaving through the ridiculous traffic, honking our horns—quite the adrenaline ride.
Once we make it out of the shit storm of traffic and get on the quieter roads around the island, we’re able to put the pedal to the metal and enjoy the scenery.
Fan-fucking-tastic!
Just don’t fucking crash has been our motto because the hospital service isn’t that great over here. You don’t want to wind up in it.
Since Faith would’ve loved to see some of the places we’ve been to and photograph them, Jase brought his camera and saved some of these memories for her. I can’t help thinking he has an interest in my sister. But Jase is a great guy, so I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it.
The locals have showed us the clubs and bars to check out. We know they receive commission for pointing us in the direction of certain places, but these guys don’t have the same opportunities we have been given in life, so why not help a guy out?
The food has been awesome. Keanu only got the shits for a few days—we did warn him about the water. We could smell him from across the hallway, making me glad I wasn’t sharing a room with Keanu. Levi got the short straw for those few days.
We’ve sat on the beach at night while Keanu, Levi, and Jase sang and strummed their guitars, entertaining a small crowd that gathered each evening while the sun sets. It’s a pretty awesome way to watch the sun go down if you ask me. This has been such a great trip.
After four years of college, we all just graduated and decided to take this trip as a gift to ourselves for summer break. We’ve all got stuff we have applied for or are in the process of locking down when we get home except for Jase, who is the youngest in the group and our friend Harley’s younger brother. He wanted to come along, so this is his vacation before he starts college.
We weren’t stupid; we all knew life was getting more serious and we were entering the next phase. We have our futures ahead of ourselves, yet who knew when we would be able to all get together and do this again? My only regret is Harley couldn’t make the trip.
He is moving ahead with his dream of owning a business—his college years were more about a backup plan. The guy is so smart. He plans way ahead. Out of all of us, he’s got his shit together the most. He landed himself a job that he couldn’t pass up. The boy is thinking big and has always been like that. He sees his future of owning a security business empire like a blueprint in his mind. I know he will make it happen, as well. He’s just that kind of guy.
Fuck, I love all these guys. My friends mean the world to me, and I would do anything for them.
Any-fucking-thing they asked of me.
The guys are all completely different. Well, maybe with the exception of Keanu and Levi. Those two are hilarious without trying and have this bond which glues them together. They have such a bromance going on that they will be friends for life. Nothing will get between them. They are brothers from another mother, through and through. Although, we all get along incredibly well.
Keanu and Levi have been spreading themselves among the ladies, while Retro seems happy enough just surfing, eating, and drinking. He’s got a lady on his mind back home, so he’s just letting his free spirit enjoy the waves and soak up the atmosphere.
I’ve been keeping a subtle eye on Jase; he’s been throwing back a few beers. The chicks love his blonde hair and mismatched blue and brown eyes. At eighteen, he isn’t technically underage here, only back home; as a result, he’s enjoying it while it lasts. I promised Harley, his brother, I would have his back and not let him get too out of control, and so far, he’s only thrown up like the exorcist one night. I think that helped cure him of hitting it too hard for a few more days. The waves are more important than getting totally wasted and not being able to surf anyways.
We enter the Coconut Club and make our way to a high-top table with the stools. This place is starting to fill up. The DJ is playing loud techno, and the club is pumping with bodies on the dance floor moving in sync.
Retro offers to buy the first round and takes off to the bar before it gets too busy and you wind up waiting to be served for ages.
Levi and Keanu are already scouting the club for hot chicks, talking in each other’s ear, being each other’s wingman. The next second, they are both shouting, “Challenge. Accepted!” and bumping fists. I roll my eyes. They do this every night once they have locked down their female prey. The girls are here to party, looking for a good time, and these two aim to please.
The tourists are all in party mode on the island. Inhibitions are left at the door. After what I have seen, I don’t think I will be letting my future daughter ever come on a vacation for summer break until she is at least thirty.
Hell. No.
Jase has already been spotted by a group of girls who are all giggling and pointing at him. I can’t help feeling proud of him. He was somewhat of a geek at school and I suppose Harley and my boys rubbed off on him. Now he’s buff and enjoying the female attention. His blonde hair and striking mismatched eyes make him stand out from the crowd.
We are all a pretty good looking bunch. We look after ourselves, and we hit up a fair bit of extreme sports. It keeps us fit. We aren’t the indoorsy type. We study hard, but we play hard, too.
One day, all this carefree stuff will have to be locked down, but at the moment, we are young and single and generally don’t do anything by halves.
It’s all or nothing.

Author Bio

Emma James lives in Queensland, Australia with her smexi husband, three children and a big black Labrador. Life is busy and most entertaining in the James household. She often bounces ideas off her family and gets very creative responses. She loves to read as much as write. Daytime for writing, night time for reading.

Emma hopes to surprise you with her debut book, A Little Faith.

Author Links
Giveaway