Mom's Book Advice

Sunday was Mother's Day and Tuesday would have been my mother's 80th birthday. Needless to say, she's been on my mind a lot this week. So, while I was trying to get ahead in my word count and blog posts for the summer, I was also thinking of my mom.

My mom was very opinionated-- like many mom's are-- her daughter included. And she LOVED books. She easily read one a day. Pair a book lover mom and a writer daughter and you get...lots of advice. And I giggle a little as I say to her spirit, "Fine, fine, Mom. You had to go and die to make it happen, but I'm listening."

So, here it is...from my memory...some writing advice from my mother...

1. Just tell me the story. Stop trying to impress me with how many damn words you know.
2. Get your book on Oprah. It will sell better. 
3. I liked the first draft better. It had more heart. You call it polish. I call  it boring. 
4. Your blog should be more personal. Only writers care about writer stuff.
5. Stop picking on the mother-in-law. Bad guys are rarely all bad and good guys are rarely all good. 

6. Win the RITA. 
7. Sign with a fresh-in-the-game-agent. No one respects a new writer like a new agent. 
8. Meh. The plot is okay, but okay isn't really good enough. 
9. One negative thing about self-published books is that there is no one to force a writer to kill the boring parts. 
10. Call Wal Mart. Tell them to stock your book.
11. If a story lacks direction in chapter one, I'm done. Life's too short to waste it on a shitty book. 
12. Fill your trunk with books. We'll go on a state to state book tour. 

I'm sure there are more. One thing about my mom-- there are few situations in my life that don't remind me of something she said. She rarely kept a thought to herself.
She always told me I'd miss that about her when she was gone.
And she was right.

 
Thanks to our hosts Lexa, L .G, and Tonja Drecker for this weekly good things check in! 
1. We went to New York to pack Caleb up and bring him home. His first year of law school is done!
2. Conner, boy #4, got me bedding plants for Mother's Day. I got them in the dirt before I killed them by forgetting to water them!  
3. Tara Tyler  and I got our space at the WV Book Festival. I was a little worried because I'd missed the application deadline. 

Full disclosure...I've already bought both of these books.

I'm summer reading ready!!

Where Words Fail, Music Speaks is a collection of short stories and poetry by writers from all walks of life. 
Each story is based on the titles of 90s Britpop songs, including Come Back To What You Know, Bittersweet Symphony, Animal Nitrate, Disco 2000, and more.
Our list of authors is: Ker Dukey, Kyra Lennon, Clare Dugmore, Annalisa Crawford, Wesley Copeland, Robb Turburville, D H Sidebottom, Audrina Lane, M.B. Feeney, Karen Frances, S.J Warner, Scout Dawson, Kimberly Morgan, Maddie Wade, Rebeccalou Heronpontin, Andrea Coventry
All proceeds from the sales of this anthology will go to Clusterbusters.

Aphrodite's Closet

Agatha Trout didn’t even know she had a Great Aunt Petunia, so imagine her surprise when she finds Petunia left her a corner shop in her will. But it’s not just any old corner shop—it’s a corner shop that needs something unique, something the town of Frambleberry has never seen before. Influenced by her confident best friend, Coco, Agatha is soon convinced that there’s only one way to go: an adults-only sex shop.

While some of the townspeople are clutching their pearls in horror, others are open to the new experiences this shop offers. But not everyone in Frambleberry is convinced. Will the women soldier on in the face of violent threats or will their fears get the best of them—and their new venture—before it even gets off the ground? 

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2qJYIyB

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2pYZK7a

About the author

Born in England and raised in Portugal, Suzy lives with her childhood sweetheart Michael, two crazy dogs and a cat.
Shortly after completing her studies, Suzy worked as a trainee journalist for a local newspaper. Her love of writing developed and a few years later she took the job of assistant editor for the region's largest English language publisher before becoming editor of a monthly lifestyle magazine. Early in 2010 however, Suzy became a full time author. She has since written several books: Raven, December Moon, The Lost Soul (The Raven Saga), Daisy Madigan's Paradise, The Ghost of Josiah Grimshaw, The Temporal Stone, Looking for Lucy Jo, We Stand Against Evil (The Morgan Sisters),Forever Fredless,  And Then There Was You, Stormy Summer and her latest, Aphrodite’s Closet.

In 2015 she launched her popular 40+ lifestyle blog which continues to go from strength to strength, while just over a year later, she trained to become a yoga instructor. Suzy continues to write, blog and teach yoga in one of Portugal’s loveliest settings - the Algarve.

Lifestyle Blog: www.suzyturner.com 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/suzyturner

Facebook: www.facebook.com/suzyturnerbooks

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/suzy_turner

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/suzyturnerbooks

Book Blog: http://www.fictiondreams.com