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DECEMBER HOLIDAYS And Love – How They Are The Same?

DECEMBER HOLIDAYS And Love - How They Are The Same?, Christmas 2018, The Writing Life, Carolyn Bowen Author

Photo Credit: Pixabay

Quote of the Day: Remember This December, that love weighs more than gold! Josephine Dodge Daskam Bacon, American Writer

The holiday season is here and I’m counting down the days to Christmas. Everywhere I look, there’s a reminder of the coming of winter bliss.

This is the perfect time to spread good cheer and begin making plans for the New Year. What are your holiday plans?

The Writing Life, Carolyn M. Bowen, December Holidays
Photo credit: Pixabay

Family gatherings come to mind and sitting beside the fireplace in the still of the night with a great book and cup of cocoa are in my forethoughts. I hope you’ll make time for yourself this season to unwind and capture the precious moments that’ll never be again.

You’ve probably noticed from my blogging that I’m doing a lot of reading during this month. As I mentioned in earlier blogs, I read to learn more about the craft of writing, and marketing. I have a rotation going and share my reviews here and Goodreads primarily.

Author Updates

My next mystery novel is going through the final stages for publishing. If you’d like to be an advance reader, join my launch (street) team here. I look forward to your reviews.

As you go through the paces of preparing for and participating in the fascinating adventure of the Christmas holidays, I hope you’ll share love and kindness to all! Happy Holidays – Carolyn Bowen

December Holidays, Carolyn Bowen Author, The Writing Life
Photo Credit: Pixabay

I share on social media daily. Hope to see you there, too!  Carolyn Bowen

Social Media Hangouts!

These are a few of my favorite social media hangouts! Drop by and say hello!

Goodreads

Twitter

Love picture ideas? Me, too.  Pinners Follow Here!

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James Thayer’s: The Complete Guide to Writing a Novel

Book Review: The Complete Guide to Writing a Novel by James Thayer, The Writing Life, Carolyn M. Bowen
Photo Credit: Pixabay

The Complete Guide to Writing a Novel

by James Thayer

Quote of the Day: If you don’t have the time to read, you don’t have the time or the tools to write. Stephen King

The Essential Guide to Writing a Novel: A Complete and Concise Manual for Fiction WritersThe Essential Guide to Writing a Novel: A Complete and Concise Manual for Fiction Writers by James Stewart Thayer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

James Thayer doesn’t mince words when describing the personal habits and characteristics of writers who want to succeed. Focus and concentration, persistence in staying the course, a willingness to learn, and perhaps some luck are helpful.

The Essential Guide shows you the proven techniques of writers such as John Grisham, Tom Wolf, Jeffery Deaver, and Patricia Cornwell to name a few. These insights provide clues for creating a successful novel.

My quick take is to do what has been shown to work time and time again and you’ll be successful. However, there’s room for outliers, the incredibly talented writers whose genius places them on a literary throne of their own. Thayer talks about the rules of writing and the breaking of the rules by some authors and what that means.

Creating a timeline for your manuscript
Thayer provided proven steps for creating a timeline for completing your manuscript. He was forthcoming with examples from well-known authors. I especially liked Stephen King’s formula for having a first draft ready within a season.

I highlighted throughout the book and will place a paperback order to add to my bookshelves to keep handy. I just touched on a few of the techniques discussed. Read – then reread it to get the most out of this writer’s guide.

View all my reviews

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I share on social media daily. Hope to see you there, too! Carolyn Bowen

Social Media Hangouts!

These are a few of my favorite social media hangouts! Drop by and say hello!

Goodreads

Twitter

Love picture ideas? Me, too.  Pinners Follow Here!

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It’s beginning to feel like Christmas!

Quote of the Day: Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful. Norman Vincent Peale

I can’t believe it! I’m in the Christmas spirit right after the Thanksgiving holiday. Go Figure! This is early for me. The first of December is when I normally get in gear for the holiday celebrations. What about you? What sights, sounds, and aromas draw you into the holiday season?

It's beginning to look like Christmas, Carolyn M. Bowen Author
Photo by Eftodii Aurelia on Pexels.com

Here’s a new recording made by singer-songwriter and business leader Diane Michel for Christmas this year! In her own words: “My thanks to my long-time friend Chip Martin for producing this and bringing it all together! And special thanks to Shay Watson for asking me to write it with him for the Hallmark Channel a few years ago. We got a good one that day. It felt really good to sing again today….been a long time. Merry Christmas everybody!”

From my home to yours – Happy Holidays! Carolyn Bowen

I hope you’ll follow my blog and connect on social media where I post daily. Here are a few of my favorites places. Drop by and say hello!

Goodreads

Twitter

Love picture ideas? Me, too.  Pinners Follow Here!

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Happy Thanksgiving 2018

Quote of the Day: “Thanksgiving Day comes, by statute, once a year; to the honest man it comes as frequently as the heart of gratitude will allow.” Edward Sandford Martin

Happy Thanksgiving 2018, The Writing Life, Carolyn M. Bowen, blogging

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving Day in the USA is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November. A United States Congressional declaration officially designated the date in 1941. Throughout November we also celebrate Native American Heritage Month. The mutual trust and collaboration of Native Americans and the New World English colonists played a significant role in U.S. history. Today we reflect and share our bounty with family and friends in the spirit of the first Thanksgiving.

Background

The history of the celebration dates back to November 1621 when the Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Indians shared their first harvest festival at Plymouth Plantation in Massachusetts. The autumn harvest celebration lasted three days and is considered the “first Thanksgiving.” According to attendee Edward Winslow, there were 90 Native Americans and 53 Pilgrims participating in the celebration. Wikipedia

Happy Thanksgiving

The Attitude of Thankfulness and Gratitude Benefits

  • Family Time – Together as an extended family
  • Strengthens family bonds
  • Improves our self-esteem
  • Reduces depression
  • Increases our energy
  • Helps develop a stronger immune system
  • Decreases blood pressure
  • Increases sleep quality
  • Reduces negative stress

From my home to yours – Happy Thanksgiving! Carolyn Bowen

I hope you’ll follow my blog and connect on social media where I post daily. Here are a few of my favorites places. Drop by and say hello!

Goodreads

Twitter

Love picture ideas? Me, too.  Pinners Follow Here!

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Simple Guidance For You During The Holidays

Quote of the Day: Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love.” Hamilton Wright Mabie

Simple Guidance For You During The Holidays, The Writing Life

The holiday season is here along with the jubilance associated with this spirited time of the year. However, whether you’re a big holiday fan or one who’d rather be somewhere else, you’ll probably feel stress – some good and other bad.

Let’s focus on the possibilities of good times this season. What does that look like to you? A Christmas tree decorated with colorful lights and music playing softly in the background with your family, friends, and pets gathered around? This ideal family holiday season idea (mine) or your traditional or nontraditional family gathering is enjoyed by many. The sharing of holiday food and drinks adds to the pleasure of the season.

Simple Guidance For You During The Holidays, The Writing Life, Carolyn M. Bowen Author
Photo Credit: Pixabay

Some suggestions for the holidays

  • Maintain your healthy lifestyle – exercise and stay hydrated – drink plenty of water with lemon or herbal teas.
  • Make shopping for gifts fun – plan your shopping trips with an interval for resting and relaxing. You can order online early for items on your list available from retailers you trust.
  • Make time for friends and family – Meet friends for coffee and/or lunch. Cook or bake recipes together with family members.
  • Take a nature break – breathe the fresh air and become invigorated.
  • Give to those less fortunate through charities helping others through the holiday season.
  • Feeling stressed or overwhelmed? Talk to someone!

What are your holiday plans? Share your ideas with me on Pinterest –Happy Holidays  2018.

Follow my blog for my latest writing news and new releases. A new mystery/thriller coming soon! Thank you, Carolyn Bowen

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Social Marketing Today

Quote of the Day: Everyone lives by selling something. Robert Louis Stevenson

Social Marketing Today, Carolyn M Bowen Author
Photo Credit: Pixabay

The art of marketing is solidified when you have identified your target market, folks who are interested in your products and services and provide a means to communicate. Today, social media plays an important role in connecting with like-minded people – talking and listening. But, how do you choose which platforms to use for finding your audience and potential customers?

When you are able to see the overall picture and plan your business future, you’ve just become an author, the business end of being a writer.

Answering the Question

For me, as much as I enjoy creating and sharing photos/videos when posting about my books, I’ve got to be aware of the conversion rate. As an author, you need to know how and where to get your books in the hands of interested readers. I asked the question, where are my potential readers hanging out and what site delivers the best return on my investment?

Having lots of followers on social media isn’t the point. Having people interested in what you say and your offerings are important and play a key role in building relationships.

Many new small businesses rush to share on most or all of the social media platforms. Take your time. Begin with two or three of the major ones and expand from there, if desired.

I would suggest sites, in the least, where everyone who follows can see your posts without advertising. I’m not saying don’t advertise, you can pick a post that’s performing well within your community, tweak it and monitor the results.

My favorite social sites for some time have been Google+, Twitter, and Pinterest.

As mentioned in an earlier post, Google+ is phasing out this platform as currently operated. I’m sad. Second, Twitter has always been a great site for me although the news feed moves quickly. Your post most often has a shelf life of 30 minutes max. The good news is your posts are shown to everyone and advertising is affordable if desired. And, third, Pinterest is a fun place to show-off both personally and professionally. It is a behind the scenes kind of thing that allows followers to get to know the real you.

If you enjoy photos and following the trends for just about anything life has to offer, you’ll love this site. Me, I especially love the cute kitties, travel, fashion, and meeting book lovers!

I’m trying out a new site, MeWe.com, the next-gen social network. I like the idea of a site engineered with privacy in mind and the ability to connect with like-minded folks. I’m learning the ropes and will share more about my experiences in a later post.

Do you have favorite social media sites? I’d love to hear from you about what works for your business. Note: I’m on other social sites for various reasons – business and personal.

The Writing Life, Carolyn M. Bowen
Photo Credit: Pixabay

Latest Writing News

There’s a new mystery/thriller release coming up in my near future. If you’d like to become a part of my advance launch team and receive a free copy, sign-up below. Thank you!

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Write and Grow Rich: Book Review

Quote of the Day: “You don’t start out writing good stuff. You start out writing crap and thinking it’s good stuff, and then gradually you get better at it.  That’s why I say one of the most valuable traits is persistence.” Octavia E. Butler

Write and Grow Rich: Book Review, The Writing Life

There are several things necessary for me to grow as an author/publisher. There are some easy, others difficult and timely to implement across my author network. First, the easy one – learn from reading books by others in the genre I write and publish. Second, study the craft of writing to become a better author. Third, learn how to build a business (tech stuff included) and marketing as a successful author. And, fourth, connect with other authors/publishers for mutual encouragement and knowledge.

Today I’m sharing my review of Write and Grow Rich. Reading this book was a learning experience for me and I’m grateful for the honesty reflected by this group of authors. Thank You!

Write and Grow Rich: Secrets of Successful Authors and PublishersWrite and Grow Rich: Secrets of Successful Authors and Publishers by Alinka Rutkowska
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a must-read for how-to become a successful author and/or publisher. The book answers questions that maybe you didn’t know to ask yet in your authors’ journey. If you’re seeking personal and professional growth, this bestseller will lift you up mentally while delivering education that’ll make a difference in your future.

Each of the authors candidly answered the same questions with a variety of descriptive details of their failures and successes plus the tools they used for creating and marketing their products. It’s interesting how the members of the group turned negative events and downfalls into positive learning experiences with a successful outcome.

I made notes while reading and noticed trends for becoming successful and how it was defined individually for the author. You can bet that I’ll follow-up with the resources offered by this group of experts.

View all my reviews

I share on social media daily. Hope to see you there, too! Carolyn Bowen

Social Media Hangouts!

These are a few of my favorite social media hangouts! Drop by and say hello!

Goodreads

Twitter

Love picture ideas? Me, too.  Pinners Follow Here!

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Lee Child – Past Tense Book Review

Quote of the Day: “The past is never dead. It’s not even past.” ― William Faulkner

Lee Child - Past Tense Book Review, The Writing Life

Looking Back – A Game Changer!

Past Tense (Jack Reacher, #23)Past Tense by Lee Child
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Lee Child goes the distance with Past Tense; all the way back just asking – begging for trouble. Jack Reacher’s usual mode of transportation, hitchhiking, across America from Maine to California, brought him to a fork in the road deep in the New England woods. A place he’d never been before but the town where his father was born. Curious, he takes the detour.

Not far away as the crow flies, a young Canadian couple on their way to New York to sell a treasure has car trouble. They’re stranded and taken by the tow truck driver to a motel for the night until their car could be fixed in the morning. A friendly place at first glance, perhaps a little too friendly thought the couple.

By morning, Reacher is in the city clerk’s office looking for answers about his family’s home. He knew his father had lived there in the past, left and never returned. The city clerk’s office informed him no one by the name Reacher had ever lived there. He wondered if he was wrong about the location or if his father never lived there. Haunted by memories from the past, he had to investigate.

From day one, Reacher gets into some tight places because of his code of honor. Not that he was looking for trouble, but someone needed to take a stand. He was there, so it was left up to him. Detective Amos, a former MP, encourages him to leave town before something worse happened.

Reacher wasn’t finished exploring his father’s life and intended to stay. And, things did get worse as the Detective promised. Hidden out of sight, in a motel where the sign had been removed the young Canadians found themselves pinned into a bizarre experiment unable to leave. They wondered if and how they’d ever escape their tormentors.

Their stories converge as Reacher uncovers secrets about his family. Looking into the past can be deadly, but living in the present in Laconia was pure hell. The Reverend Patrick G would attest to this fact.

View all my reviews

I share on social media daily. Hope to see you there, too! Carolyn Bowen

Social Media Hangouts!

These are a few of my favorite social media hangouts! Drop by and say hello!

Goodreads

Twitter

Love picture ideas? Me, too.  Pinners Follow Here!

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The Bowers House Literary Center

Quote of the Day: “Traveling – it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.” – Ibn Battuta

The Bowers House, Canon GA, The Writing Life

Fall is finally in the air and the autumn leaves are going through a kaleidoscope of colors in the North Georgia Mountains. Over the weekend we took in the sights and sounds of Canon, GA., the homestead of family and friends. We walked in the steps of many before us as we explored the remains of the historic town and were made privy to some of the best-kept secrets from the past.

One of the outstanding sites continuing to operate was The Bowers House, a literary center for writers. This caught my attention and I wanted to more about the activities and offerings available. A call to Ellen Bowers Davenport, Manager and Treasurer at The Bowers House provided some fascinating details about the literary retreat and family history that lead to the opening of the residence for creatives.

The Bowers House, Canon GA, The Writing Life

The Bowers House

The Bowers House Writers Retreat and Literary Center is a grand historic home in a small northeast Georgia town. According to the spokesperson Ellen Bowers Davenport, “the residence offers a quiet environment away from the everyday things in life.”

The residence was constructed in 1921 as a hotel when the railroad was active and cotton mills churned making Canon GA a leading producer of quality products for manufacturing. Located within walking distance of the mills, many cotton traders were regular guests at the hotel. With the invention of the motor car followed by the Depression, the hotel’s fate was sealed.

The Bowers House, Canon GA, The Writing Life

Later in 1997, the hotel was restored with five private rooms and a house to accommodate up to twelve overnight guests. Today the residence is active with writers taking advantage of the solitude to focus on creating their best works.

There are several opportunities to use the property exclusively, and several workshops or readings occur monthly at the facility. The Bowers House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and is also the perfect venue for a writing workshop with its strong Writing Guild association and proximity to the University of Georgia and Clemson.

The magnificent family residence is now owned by writer Laura Bowers Foreman who transformed the residence into a writers retreat in 2006. The old gardens surrounding the residence have plantings from around the world dating back from its beginning. Master Gardeners would have a field day on the historic site sorting through and identifying the plants and shrubs that have lived through the passages of time.

The Bowers House, Canon GA, The Writing Life

Looking for a writer’s paradise away from the noisy world where you can enjoy a southern veranda in your rocking chair, call Ellen Bowers Davenport to schedule your stay. The Bowers House literary retreat is the perfect location to schedule your next writer’s events. The Bowers House can be reached during business hours at 706-498-6970. The Bowers House is located at 100 Depot Street, Canon, GA.

The Bower's House, Canon GA, The Writing LifeSpecial thanks

Thomas C. and Maurya Jones

Ellen Bowers Davenport, Manager and Treasurer, The Bowers House

I’ll be writing and sharing on social media. Hope to see you there, too! Carolyn Bowen

Social Media Hangouts!

These are a couple of my favorite social media hangouts! Drop by and say hello!

Goodreads

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Love picture ideas? Me, too.  Pinners Follow Here!

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Google Plus Shutting Down

Quote of the Day: The only thing a person can ever really do is keep moving forward. Take that big leap forward without hesitation, without once looking back. Simply forget the past and forge toward the future. Alyson Noel

Google Plus Shutting Down, Carolyn Bowen Author

One of my favorite and most enriching social media sites is shutting down following a security breach. The consumer version of Google Plus will no longer be available as its being phased out over a six month period.

I’ve developed relationships with some cool folks on this social platform. I’ll post alternative sites like Twitter and Facebook for us to connect and of course, my website and am hopeful many will follow. However, right now all I can do is cry!

I’ve enjoyed looking at pictures from around the world and connecting with the photographers (friends) who allowed us a peek into their lives and country.

I’ll be reading a book or watching a movie or TV series and have friends on Google+ post the exact spots where the action took place along with comments. These may be little things too many, but they’re a breath of fresh air for those interested in the variety of topics posted on Google+.

So, I’ll get busy and do my best to stay connected. If you’re following me on Google+, please hit the follow button, I want our relationship to continue.  While I’m at it, a special thank you for sharing my post on other social sites. I noticed. And, it’s most appreciated. Hope to see you soon! Carolyn Bowen

I’ll be writing and sharing on social media. Hope to see you there, too! Carolyn Bowen

Social Media Hangouts!

These are a few of my social media hangouts! Drop by and say hello!

Goodreads

Twitter

Facebook

Love picture ideas? Me, too.  Pinners Follow Here!

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