Tag: insecure writers support group

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#IWSG Looking Back, Looking Forward #NewRelease

Jennifer Lane

Happy December to all Writers! Join us for the Insecure Writers Support Group, developed by Alex Cavanaugh and maintained by lovely writers everywhere.


Visit today’s co-hosts:


Co-Hosts: Julie Flanders,Shannon Lawrence, Fundy Blue, Heather Gardner!

IWSG Question: As you look back on 2017, with all its successes and failures, if you could backtrack, what would you do differently?

After just getting weighed at the doctor’s *gulps*, I would have set up the standing desk I bought. Amazon delivered it months ago and it sits still neatly packed in its box while I sit my life away as a therapist and author. One hour of exercise doesn’t counteract fifteen of sitting. Sitting is the new smoking, they say, *coughs*

How’s your writing?

I’m in the exciting phase of writing: preparing for publication! My editor is polishing and my book designer is creating a cover for the launch of TWIN SACRIFICE. Inspired by a dream, I started this novel in 2009 and kept diverting to other projects before finishing it in 2017. It’s my first psychological thriller and I’m psyched for reader feedback.

Twin Sacrifice is up on Goodreads and I’ll post signups soon for the cover reveal on 1/10/18 and the release tour on 2/28/18.

Happy holidays!

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#IWSG Reading Pet Peeves

Jennifer Lane


Crap, where did June and July go? It’s time for the August edition of Insecure Writers Support Group where we share our fears and successes.

Thanks to Alex Cavanaugh and this month’s co-hosts!
Co-Hosts:


IWSG Question: What are your pet peeves when reading / writing / editing?


After working with professional editors for seven novels, I’ve become a stickler for grammar and spelling. One word I see consistently misspelled (even in traditionally published novels) is BLOND.

My editor taught me that the only time to use the spelling BLONDE is describing a female as a noun. 

The sassy blonde approached me.

When using blond as an adjective (or as a noun for a blond man), THERE IS NO E!!!

The sassy, blond woman approached me.

I fell for the blond dude in a heartbeat.

Holy Leo DeCaprio, he’s hot! I fell for that blond in a heartbeat.


Speaking of pet peeves, do you ever read an early work of yours and cringe? Adverb abuse was rampant in my debut novel, romantic suspense With Good Behavior. So I edited the hell out of it and we re-launch it on 8/14/17.

If you have a moment to share my re-release the week of 8/14, signups are HERE. Thanks!
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#IWSG Where the Book Has No Name

Jennifer Lane

Happy June to all writers! Join us for our monthly support group at Alex J Cavanaugh’s BLOG.


I’m about halfway through my romantic suspense WIP, Twin Sacrifice. It’s a crime drama involving twin brothers. My sister says she doesn’t like the title. What’s your honest reaction to “Twin Sacrifice”?

This past weekend was so fun. Attending a U2 concert has been on my bucket list since The Joshua Tree released when I was a teenager, and I finally got to go!!! I saw U2 at Soldier Field with my editor Jessica, and wrote with my critique partner Bev the next day, all in the great city of Chicago. Check out my Facebook video of the spellbinding introduction to Where the Streets Have No Name HERE.

Question of the month: Did you ever say “I quit”? If so, what happened to make you come back to writing?


I started this writing thing in 2007, and I haven’t stopped yet. Writing has been the outlet I never knew I needed, and I’ve met such lovely (and crazy) people. But after I publish my WIP, I might take a break since I don’t have an idea for a new book brewing.

Check out this month’s kickbutt co-Hosts:

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#IWSG Weird, Cool #Writing Research

Jennifer Lane


Happy May to all writers!


Pop over to Alex Cavanaugh’s blog to join us for the Insecure Writers Support Group.

Today’s co-hosts: Nancy Gideon, Tamara Narayan, Liesbet @ Roaming About, Michelle Wallace, and Feather Stone!

How’s your writing? I’m about 40% done with my romantic suspense WIP, Twin Sacrifice. Thank you to my awesome critique partner, Nicki Elson, for her tremendous help.

I love this month’s IWSG question:

What’s the weirdest/coolest thing you’ve researched for a story?

So many weird/cool topics to choose from! I know quite a few writers like me hope our internet search histories don’t alert the authorities to possible subversive behavior. Here are my highlights:

* Building bomb triggers

* Layout of rooms in the White House

* Effects of Rohypnol (Roofies) on the body

* How to get a gun through airport security

And my most fun research? Taking a Chicago architectural cruise.

I look forward to hearing what funky stuff you’ve researched!

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#IWSG Is Your Writing a Dream?

Jennifer Lane

Happy April to all writers!


Head on over to Alex Cavanaugh’s blog to join us for the Insecure Writers Support Group.

After the publication of my 7th novel in October of 2016, I took a writing break to focus on my day job and other fun activities. But in March I jumped back into writing a romantic suspense I started in 2009: Twin Sacrifice.

Has a dream ever inspired your writing? As I mourned the end of my favorite TV show, Prison Break, in 2009, I had a dream about an alternate ending to the show. That dream inspired the plot of Twin Sacrifice.

Now I’m no longer in mourning, since Prison Break returns for a 5th season on April 4, yahooooo!

Wentworth Miller *swoons*


April IWSG Day Question: Have you taken advantage of the annual A to Z Challenge in terms of marketing, networking, publicity for your book? What were the results?


I did A to Z once (maybe 2012?) and it was fun but exhausting. Blogging was a more active world back then, and I post less frequently now. But it’s still great to bond with writers in both A to Z and IWSG!

IWSG Co-Hosts:

I’ll leave you with a marketing idea. The folks at USB Memory Direct sent me some cool flash drives with my book cover and website on them. I plan to load my ebooks and use them as giveaways. Check them out HERE. They even have a fun book-shaped flash drive.

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#IWSG Dusting Off Old Manuscripts

Jennifer Lane


Happy March Insecure Writers Support Group!


Hop over to Alex Cavanaugh’s blog to join us.

Co-Hosts:


I’m late to post this month because work has been so busy and my friends are going through some big changes. One friend’s husband just died, and another good friend (my swimming buddy) is moving to Nashville. *sad face* But it’s good to hang with my writer pals in the support group!

March IWSG Day Question: Have you ever pulled out a really old story and reworked it? Did it work out?


Well, I’m actually doing that right now so the outcome is yet to be seen. I started a romantic suspense novel titled Twin Sacrifice back in 2009, and I’m dusting it off to rework it. I haven’t had much time to write lately but I hope to get cranking soon.

Write on, friends!

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#IWSG Writing Rules

Jennifer Lane


Happy New Year! Time for January’s Insecure Writer’s Support Group.


Join us! Sign up at creator Alex Cavanaugh’s website.

How’s your writing? I decided to re-edit my debut novel, With Good Behavior. It’s taking me a long time because it’s so bad! Adverb abuse abounds.

JANUARY 4TH QUESTION: What writing rule do you wish you’d never heard?


Since I got into this writing thing as a lark, I haven’t been big on rules.

One rule I wish I followed more was to limit adverbs. *see above*

But one rule I wish I’d never heard?


My day job as a psychologist doesn’t leave me the time or energy to write every day, and all this “rule” does is to jack up guilt. 

I agree that writing is a muscle–the more we write, the better we get. But we each need to find our own writing schedule.

I mostly write on weekends, and that works for me. 
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WHEN IT HOLDS YOU by @NickiElson3D #Romance #Review #IWSG

Jennifer Lane

Happy Insecure Writers Support Group, hosted by Alex Cavanaugh! Join us HERE.


November’s Question: What’s your favorite aspect of being a writer?

For me, it’s the warm, supportive author community. I’m blessed writing has brought me closer to quality people like my critique partner, Nicki Elson. Which leads me to…

Today I celebrate fellow IWSG author Nicki Elson’s new release: WHEN IT HOLDS YOU!

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WHEN IT HOLDS YOU has been selected as a TOP PICK at The Romance Reviews!

“Nicki Elson has become my MUST read new contemporary romance author! The sex is hot, but the emphasis is on emotions in this book. They really are made for each other.”
~The Romance Reviews
~.~.~

WHEN IT HOLDS YOU


Virtual. That’s where she was supposed to stay—only in my online gaming life. I never intended to meet up with her in person. And I certainly hadn’t counted on her being who she is.

Cliff Walsh has dozens of hot, smart, and willing paramours in his video games. Who needs to look further? The twenty-eight year old attorney is done getting his heart smashed by real-life women who fit his perfect-mate checklist. From now on, he vows to keep his romances digital-only…until a certain redheaded gamer twists all his preconceptions and touches a place in his heart he didn’t know existed.

I always thought I knew what love would look like, but sometimes you don’t recognize it until the moment when it holds you. ~Cliff

WHEN IT HOLDS YOU is a stand-alone novel in The It Series family.

Other titles in the series:
WHEN IT HOOKS YOU, a Top Pick at The Romance Reviews
WHEN IT HITS YOU, coming January 2017

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Here’s my 5 star review:

When It Holds YouWhen It Holds You by Nicki Elson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Cliff Can Hold Me Anytime

Attorney Cliff Walsh is cute, funny, and smart. He’s also tired of women yanking his chain. Chain-Yankers such as tantalizing Trish (the heroine of When It Hooks You) lure him in but end up with other men. Cliff has no choice but to turn to the voluptuous virtual women found in video games.

One such woman, PlanetClaire, intrigues him. In the computer world, she has fiery red hair and alluring curves. Cliff and Claire partner together on screen to battle villains and solve riddles.

The riddles in this story are quite fun! For example, a serpent hisses, “All you have to do is correctly answer a riddle. For only the clever are allowed inssside” then proceeds:

It’s what you want above all things.
Some fulfill it with vows and rings.
For some it’s not an easy fit.
Some are content to sleep with it.

Hmm, what could “it” be? They say working together to achieve a common goal can forge a tight bond, and Cliff and Claire have a virtual blast together. They decide to take their chemistry offline and meet at a gaming convention. When Claire reveals her identity, MY JAW DROPPED!

Claire has some major self-esteem issues that stand in the way. But Cliff has many talents, including snuggling.

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Too bad he can’t make it all better for Claire. I love that this book is from a male perspective. Cliff won my heart and I wanted to hug him when his romance woes continue.

Karen said, “I’ve seriously had to stop myself from offering you concealer stick to hide those dark shadows under your eyes. What did she do to you?”

“Nothing that hasn’t been done before.” He tapped the edge of the file he held onto his desk, eager for the conversation to end.

Aww. I’ll snuggle with you, Cliff. The characters feel real and the resolution of the story well-paced. And the humor of the series continues with comments like “That shit’s mine now” when Claire describes Cliff to Trish.

The It Series is fantastic! I encourage you to check out all three books: When it Hits You (coming in 2017), When it Hooks You, and When it Holds You (October, 2016).

View all my reviews

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Nicki Elson writes spicy fiction with a sweet and dreamy center. She does other stuff, too…like obsess over Survivor and The Bachelor (and she’s not ashamed to admit it).

Writing fiction wasn’t something Nicki set out to do; it just sort of happened when she realized writing reports was by far her favorite part of her investment consulting position. She traded stock allocation and diversification for story arcs and dialogue and now weaves creative writing into her life with her family in the Chicago suburbs.



~.~.~

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#IWSG The Countdown to Publication: When is Your Story Ready?

Jennifer Lane

Welcome to October’s Insecure Writer’s Support Group, hosted by Alex Cavanaugh. Join us HERE. 


This month’s question:

When do you know your story is ready?

My answer is simple: WHEN MY EDITOR FINISHES! 

I’ve worked with the same bomdiggity editor–Jessica Royer Ocken–for all seven of my novels, and I absolutely trust her ability to polish the manuscript. Then my amazing book designer, Coreen Montagna, swoops in to make it pretty. 

I’m lucky I met Jessica and Coreen, along with my astute critique partner, Nicki Elson, through my publisher. Now that I self-publish, I feel so grateful for the team that readies my story for publication.

I manage to publish one book a year, and 2016’s book launch (Spiked) happened October 1st. Once your story is ready to be published, how do you market your novel? I’ll share a couple of strategies I’ve tried.

Facebook Party. My zesty marketing assistant Mitsy Princell convinced me to host an all-day Facebook release party with over twenty author takeovers. Twelve hours later, with eyes glazed over and butt-cheek imprints on my sofa, I emerged scathed from the experience. But I so appreciate all the support from my fellow insecure writers! And the readers are way awesome, too.

Blogs and Goodreads. I hired a company (Raven Publicity) to run a cover reveal and ARC distribution to bloggers. Seems like book blogs are not as involved as in the past, but Create Space shares some tips for working with book bloggers. I’m gifting review copies at Goodreads’ New Adult Book Club and hosting two Goodreads giveaways. 

Ads. Last year I landed a Book Bub ad that was successful, but this year’s Riffle ad didn’t seem to help sales.

Giveaways. I’m also hosting a $25 Amazon gift card giveaway (feel free to enter HERE.)

What marketing strategies work best for you?

Happy writing!


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#IWSG Finding Time to Write in a Busy Day

Jennifer Lane

Welcome to September’s Insecure Writer’s Support Group. Join us at Alex Cavanaugh’s BLOG.

This month’s question…

How do you find time to write in your busy day?

My answer?

I don’t. I don’t write on the weekdays because my psychologist job takes too much out of me. Today I trained a new employee followed by seven straight psychotherapy clients, and combined with a workout, I barely have the energy to write a blog post, much less a book chapter!

But the weekends are another matter. I try to write a 4,000-word chapter each weekend. Therefore it takes me about 8 months to complete a novel. Some weekends I devote to other fun and enriching activities like travel.

Since I finished my latest novel SPIKED (Blocked #3) in late July, I’ve been chilling on the weekends. It’s been low-key but also a tad boring. I’m jonesing to start writing a new project soon.

If you’d like to share a release post for Spiked on 10-1-16, please email me at jenniferlanebooks at gmail and I’ll send you the html. 

Happy writing! May we all eke out more time for our craft.