Happy November!!
Today I'm handing over the blog to fellow blogger and friend, C. Lee McKenzie, who is talking about her amazing new release Shattered. I can't wait to read it!
This story surprised me. That is, I didn't have any idea that I would write a book about paraplegia--something I knew very little about--until Libby's story began unfolding in my head. I'd started jotting down ideas when our library announced they were featuring a local author as their next speaker, and this speaker was also a businesswoman, a sportswoman, and... a paraplegic.
I'm not one to get goosebumps when it seems fate has come into play, but I never ignore events that conspire to nudge me into a direction. I attended the event. I read the book this author had written, and I started more serious research into paraplegia. I knew I wanted to write the story that had been hovering at the edges of my mind for a while.
Stars aligned when I found out one of my yoga instructors worked at a clinic for spinal cord injuries. She introduced me to a doctor on staff there and the doctor gave me an hour of her time. I came away with pages of notes, details I could use while trying to write a realistic account of my protagonist's experience.
That next month stars aligned even more. Someone I only knew as a fellow yogi, turned out to be a clinical specialist in spinal cord injuries. She was more than generous with her time and information. She even read an early draft and gave me feedback on the medical details as well as personal experiences from her patients. If I wasn't meant to write this book, nobody was.
Writing this story has taught me so much and I'm grateful for the new awareness I have about people who experience devastating life changes, adapt, and thrive.
So now Shattered's written. It's out to the world. I'll soon learn if these two years from idea to manuscript have been well spent and if I've managed to create a story that is accurate in its details and realistic in its delivery while enjoyable to read.
Available at Amazon . B&N . Kobo . Smashwords
I'm a native Californian who grew up in a lot of different places; then landed in the Santa Cruz Mountains. I write most of the time, hike and practice yoga a lot, and then travel whenever I can.
In my young adult books, I take on modern issues that today's teens face in their daily lives. My Evernight Teen Publication, Double Negative was voted as one of the best top ten Young Adult books, 2019. My other books, The Princess of Las Pulgas, Sliding on the Edge, Sudden Secrets and Not Guilty are out to four and five-star reviews.
Thanks so much C. Lee for telling us more about Shattered. It's incredible where the universe leads us sometimes, sounds like you were definitely meant to write this story!
Now for this month's IWSG post!
"Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!
Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer - aim for a dozen new people each time - and return comments. This group is all about connecting! "--from the IWSG website.
This month's optional question: What's harder to do, coming up with your book title or writing the blurb?
For me, these were equally difficult!
I had such a hard time coming up with both my book title and writing the blurb!
When I first started writing the book, I had about ten different titles that I sort of liked. I picked my favorite and thought that was that. Then one morning my husband and I were talking about it over breakfast and one thing led to another and he said, "What about, One Year on Broadway? It's short and simple and gets people's attention."
My mouth hung wide open for a second, both thrilled that it finally had the right title and a tiny bit disappointed that I hadn't come up with it. "That's perfect!" I said.
Similarly, I wrote the blurb but I wasn't completely happy with it. It wasn't quite right. But I didn't know how to make it better. So I let it simmer in my brain while I worked on other parts of the book. Every now and then I would look at it but nothing came to me. I changed a couple words here and there. It still wasn't perfect. Finally, the right combination of words popped into my head and it was done.
The whole process of writing a book, creating a title, and a writing a blurb all required time and a little sprinkle of magic when fate or something otherworldly took over my brain and fingers and words just poured out onto the computer screen. I don't know where some of the ideas came from they just appeared in my head seemingly from nowhere.
Hope you all have a wonderful week filled with a little sprinkle of magic!
And good luck if you're doing NaNo this year!!
Love Always,
Kathy McKendry
