AL's Musings- Things the Muse likes
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Guest Blog by Author Shirley McLain-
So You Want To Write Fiction
Do you know what it takes to write fiction? Writing it down is the magic that sets everything into motion. WRITE, WRITE, and WRITE, is the mantra I have gathered from reading various "How To" books.
It has been recommended you set a particular time daily to write. "Force yourself to stick to a schedule." is a quote out of Writing Fiction by Gotham Writer's Workshop. I personally write when I want to. I do write something every day, but it may not be on my novel. I don't want to take the pleasure out of my writing, because I have it scheduled to write every day at ten in the morning, or seven in the evening.
Writing is a job and should be treated as a job, but my particular job, will have flexible scheduling. The rationale behind the schedule is to develop discipline.
I am a "free spirit writer," at this point in time, but at some point I will have to become a disciplined editor. One who will go through the writing with a fine tooth comb and make necessary changes. Right now my mind is screaming, no ! no! I can't do that, everything I write is wonderful and important to the story. Considering I am the "free spirit writer" now I am going to play "Scarlet O'Hara," and deal with that another day.
Enjoy the Video, it has a lot to say.
http://youtu.be/mpKAA2VxWY8
Title: Dobyns Chronicles
Author Name: Shirley McLain
Author Bio:
I was born in the bay area of California but my family moved my sister and I back to Oklahoma, where they were both from. I’ve lived many different places but I always come back home.
I started the sixth grade in the Oklahoma school system and graduated in 1967. I started to college for a nursing degree but decided that “my man” was much more important. I became an RN with an Associate degree in 1971. Then many years later I went back to school with my sister who was also an RN and we obtained our Bachelor’s degree in nursing.
I am married to a man who spoils me rotten, and I love it. I have two grown children, six grandchildren and twin Great-grandsons. My family has grown by leaps and bounds. My husband and I now have a fur family at home. We have five dogs and three cats and they are all spoiled rotten. It’s like living in a house full of three year olds. When one is not into something another one is.
Author Links -
Twitter: @shirleymclain93
Book Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Xlibris
Release Date: May 2014
Buy Link(s):
Book Description:
Dobyns Chronicles is about a young boy whose father was a cowboy and whose mother was Cherokee Indian. His parents worked very hard on their ranch to raise their children and survive, but tragedy ends Charlie’s way of life. He finds that it is up to him to raise his siblings, David and Viola. His passion for dignity and life is what helps him to survive.
This book allows you to follow his life and live the adventures, ups and downs that shaped him into the man that he became and that of his family for generations. It’s a book of twists and turns, and a rollercoaster of emotions that will make it hard for you to put the book down.
Excerpt:
Ma was Cherokee Indian. She had some different ways about her, but she was a Christian. I think Pa said she was Church of Christ, so I think that made us Church of Christ also.
Ma was strict on us boys. I can't tell you the number of times she warmed our backside with Pa's belt or washed our mouths out with soap for saying a curse word. Pa could get away with it, but my brother and me sure couldn't.
Since Viola was too small to be of help to Ma. Until Viola was old enough, David and me helped with house chores. We also helped Pa out in the field. Most of the time, I was the one in the field and David took care of the chores around the house. He may have been small, but he sure was strong. I guess we were all strong, from cutting wood, pulling water from the well and general hard work.
It seemed like Ma was always making clothes, and cooking even though I knew she did other chores. She taught Viola how to make butter at an early age. Ma let her move the dasher up and down in the churn for as long as she could. I think Ma was helping Viola develop muscles like us boys. Sometimes Ma would have Viola go out to the woodshed and pick up small pieces of wood for kindling. That sturdy old wood cook stove used lots of wood. That stove would use a couple ricks of wood a year.
In the summertime, Ma got up early and got the rest of us up, and built a fire outside to cook, so we wouldn't have such a hot house. She’d usually cook enough at one time to keep us fed all-day I can still taste those biscuits made in the Dutch oven. We always had fresh honey or molasses to eat with our biscuits. Times were good then. It’s strange what kids think they know, but really don't.
The summer I turned six, was a dry and hot one with plenty of lightning storms, but no rain. We had a large crop of corn standing in the field ready to harvest for livestock feed. I’d ate my fill of fresh corn, so now the stalks and ears were continuing to dry. Pa took some of the ears and had it ground for ma, so she could make her crackling corn bread and mush during the winter. We loved that sweet corn meal mush for breakfast. Sometimes she would put it in a bread pan and let it get cold, slice it and then pan fry it for lunch. I remember the temperature being so hot outside; I could feel my skin burn through my shirt.
FOLLOW THE REST OF HER TOUR AT THESE OTHER STOPS
Schedule
December 14 - January 30
January 19 - Author 2 Author Marketing at BookIt BK
January 23 - 5 Things I Know For Sure at CAT Mag
Dobyns Chronicles, Shirley McLain, Historical Fiction, Historical Fiction Writers, Historical Fiction Authors, virtual book tour café, Xlibris Publishing,
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