Can Writing Be A 9 to 5 Job? Guest Post by Michelle Dim-St. Pierre

Welcome Michelle Dim-St. Pierre, author of Pinnacle Lust, with a guest post posing the question of whether writing can really fit into a tidy time constraint. If you're a writer, I'm sure you'll be nodding your head, yes, like I did at Michelle's answer!

  

Can Writing Be A 9 To 5 Job?

by Michelle Dim-St. Pierre

The 9 to 5 lifestyle: go to the office, do your work; leave the office, leave work behind. In some ways it has its advantages, something I thought I could bring with me when I decided to work for myself.

A while back I found myself able to live my dream of becoming a full time writer. Excited at the possibility of putting my heart and soul into my new position, I created a cozy writing space in my home. I had the best of intentions, and readied my days for long hours of writing and editing, pouring my heart and my inspiration into everything I wrote. Then the challenges began.

I could stare at the screen for hours, never getting more than a word or two out at a time. Yet the moment I would leave my workspace and do something just for me, that’s when true inspiration would find me. Very quickly I realized that as a full time writer, I would never have a 9 to 5 job ever again.

Writing doesn’t work that way. Writing is a process that extends beyond the time you spend behind a computer screen, fingers touching the keys. To become a writer means always thinking about how your words will come together. It means cultivating ideas from every thing I do, watching stories grow and come together in my mind.

I have learned several things in my time as a writer; things that have helped me become more efficient with my writing process.

Limit my writing time

While I need creative time to write each day, its equally important to have time for other things. Health, wellness, relationships – they all have an equal place in my life.

Block time for more purpose

I value the time I spend on each area of my life each day. When its writing time, I write. When I spend time with family, I’m ever present. I believe in blocking my time into chunks for more purpose and more focus.

Build ideas from what inspires you

What inspires me? Travel. Cooking. Being the best I can be. And as I discover myself through all of my activities, I find I become more inspirational as a writer, with more to give to what I do.

Find what has meaning in your life

Some of my happiest times involved places and events that allowed me to discover the best of me. They continue to inspire me today, giving me viewpoints and perspectives that make my writing more real and more vivid.

*Thank you to Wow! Women on Writing for providing this stop on Michelle Dim St. Pierre's blog tour! For more information and more tour stops, click here.

**Check out these stops for giveaways!!!

Monday, June 8 @ Empty Nest

Review and Giveaway

http://www.emptynest1.net/

Thursday, June 11 @ Romance Junkies 

guest Post and Giveaway

www.romancejunkies.com 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Michelle Dim-St. Pierre was born in Tel-Aviv, Israel, where she spent more than half of her life before relocating to the United States. She lived through four wars and served in the Israel Defense Forces for two years. Unlike her first year of service in an armored division in the Golan Heights, she spent her second year serving in the medical corps where she interacted directly with the injured soldiers of the Peace of Galilee war and their families. This interaction, along with the exposure to the hospital atmosphere, fascinated Michelle and further touched her heart.

After graduating from nursing school with a BS in Nursing in Tel-Aviv, she practiced internationally for 32 years in various positions in the surgical field and quickly advanced into health care administration. During her career she worked in the Operating Room, Recovery Room, and CCU--along with many other duties.

Writing was Michelle's outlet at first, but it soon became her passion. Recently she left nursing and became a full-time writer. Her international background, along with her military and nursing experience is always at the tip of her pen. Her first novel, Pinnacle Lust, starts the Pinnacle trilogy.

Michelle is a world traveler who enjoys cooking epicurean food and creating original recipes.

Find out more about Michelle by visiting her online:

Website and blog: http://www.michelledimstpierre.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MichelleDimStPierre

Twitter: https://twitter.com/pinnaclelust

ABOUT: Pinnacle Lust By Michelle Dim-St. Pierre

 

Review by Jodi Webb

 

Pinnacle Lust takes place during a time in history most of us are familiar with: the 1990s and Desert Storm. The twist is, instead of observing that moment in history through the eyes of citizen of the United States we see it through the eyes of an Israeli nurse. The Israeli culture gives the entire story a fresh feel as Sharon deals with love in an extremely conservative and religious community that is ruled by powerful men.

At first, Pinnacle Lust seems like a traditional story of forbidden love...a married doctor and an unmarried nurse. Author Michelle Dim-St.Pierre adds just a taste of love scenes; instead, much of the passion in the book comes from almost constant frustration of the lovers as they are forced apart by their personal situations and culture. But this book is more complicated than a love story, exploring Sharon's relationships--both personal and business--with many men in this male dominated world. How she handles each situation, sometimes giving in and sometimes fighting against their sexism will have you asking yourself how you would react in this culture.

Dim-St. Pierre does a good job of creating uncertainty for the reader, not unlike the uncertainty that Sharon felt about her own situation. Readers will find themselves seesawing back and forth between loving and hating each character. This novel reflects the ambivalence of the real world, where things are never black and white. Like Sharon, after a while you'll find yourself questioning everyone's motives: the wronged wife, the lovers, the friends, the employers. Why do they make the choices they do? I felt the strongest part of the book was not the love affair but the disintegration of the love affair. When the book stops being about passion and instead delves into fear, jealousy, revenge and even hate. You'll find you can't stop reading as you wonder what will happen to the lovers after the love ends. Will they go back to their old lives or will they be forever changed?

354 pages

Publisher: BookLogix (2015)

ISBN-10: 1610055713

ISBN-13: 978-1610055710

Pinnacle Lust is available in paperback, hardcover, and as an ebook onAmazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple iBookstore, and Kobo. 

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For more information about blog hostess, Audry Fryer,

please visit www.audryfryer.com 

Dandelion Wishes!

Today I'm so excited to share a few dandelion wishes with you 

and the new cover for Going Barefoot in Greener Grass! 

My children will tell you one of their favorite joys of summer is plucking a dandelion puff and sending those seeds scattering in the breeze! Here's my daughter offering up a puff for me to place a wish upon:

There's something about this so-called weed! I will admit, as a gardener, I have evicted a few dandelions from over-powering my flower beds. Otherwise, they are a lovely reminder of warmer days and wishful thinking!

As for wishes, I hope you'll love the new cover of Going Barefoot in Greener Grass. I chose a single dandelion seed full of wishes because it reminded me how the characters, Bethany and Olivia, wish for a life on the greener side of the fence.

*And if you're wishing for a bargain, consider your wish granted! 

ON SALE NOW for $2.99!!!

*click here for Kindle and here for Nook

So what's your dandelion wish?

Here's hoping all your wishes come true!

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For more information on Blog Hostess, Audry Fryer,

check out her website: www.audryfryer.com

As Luck Would Have It!

I found these two 4-Leaf Clovers in my garden!

Hi Friends! I'm so EXCITED to give you a quick update on my progress on my third novel, HOW LUCY GOT LUCKY. I am writing the ending, almost finished! I can't wait for you to read it. I hope you laugh, tear up a little and not want to stop turning pages!

Here I am "cooking up" plot twists at my favorite place to write. Can you believe it's in my kitchen??? For some reason, I feel most productive standing and typing away at my kitchen counter.

NEW LOOK! Going Barefoot in Greener Grass has a fresh new cover! 

And to celebrate, it's on SALE for $2.99! Woot! 

Click here for Kindle and here for Nook!!!

 Or check out my website: www.audryfryer.com  

Happy Spring!!!

Apple Blossoms on my Gala Tree!

My view as I write! #Inspirational

Even an Editor Needs an Editor, Guest Post by Ava Louise

Welcome Ava Louise, author of The Intergalatic Matchmaking Services series!

 

Today's guest post is a lesson I have learned the hard way, as well. The title says it all:

Even an Editor Needs an Editor   

by Ava Louise

For some time before writing my own books, I did proofreading and copyediting from home (and still do). When my friend challenged me to write my first book, to put those chaotic thoughts to paper, I accepted the challenge. Now, I won’t say it was hubris, but it was with a little excessive pride that I also thought I could edit my own work. The decision was driven by money, of course. Many first-time authors struggle to come up with the scratch to contract out work that needs doing by another person.

In today’s technologically advanced world, it is far too easy to click on that Upload button on Amazon, or any other platform for self-publishing. I had a couple of friends read “Maggie’s Story,” so I took their praise as meaning the book was ready to be set free upon the world. Well, you know what they say about hindsight, right?

I had learned an embarrassing lesson…writers can’t edit their own work! Sure, we can use the search tools in our programs to catch misspelled words; we can use the MS Word’s Find feature to catch our “trouble” words (those we habitually overuse or misuse); we can drill down on our vocabulary and catch weak verbs and adjectives.

What we are not good at is catching the stuff a developmental or line editor can point out for us. Is our hook sufficient? Is the ending rushed? Is there a hole in a subplot? Are the plot points where they need to be for pacing? Once we write the story our brain knows what should be there. It knows what we intended to be there. And when we try to edit our own work, we can’t escape what our brain is telling us.

After “Maggie’s Story” and “Shirley’s Story” were written, I then spent the money to have an editor look them over. Because they were already published, there were some things I was unwilling to do to the stories. I didn’t want to have to rewrite the stories, basically. I learned my lesson though, and for the third book, “Penny’s Story,” I sent it off to the editor before publishing. In effect, doing things the right way round!

The first two books were released as second editions after being edited by my editor, Marcy Kennedy. My personal description of them is cozy Sci-Fi/Romance. A new genre perhaps?

The addition of an editor at the beginning of the publishing process may have changed a few things:

• I now realize most books in the Sci-Fi/Romance genre have much steamier love scenes. But writing graphic sex scenes just isn’t my thing, so I’m not sure how much hotter I would have made things. I’ve developed many fans who say they like not having to skip through the sex scenes!
• An editor would have told me to introduce the Leading Man earlier in the story. I had no clue there was a bit of a “formula” to follow for the romance genre! Did you?
• And an editor would have caught the mistake I made in having Oreo, the dog in “Shirley’s Story,” using a tree. I admit…I totally didn’t know female dogs don’t use a tree! *grin* What can I say; I’m mostly a cat person.

I hope you enjoy the books in The Intergalactic Matchmaking Services series. While I may not follow formulas for my stories, I write from the heart and put a bit of myself into each book and my characters. Have you read any of the IMS books? If so, I would love to hear from you.

Thank you to Wow! Women on Writing for providing this stop on Ava Louise's blog tour! For more information and more tour stops, click here.

The Intergalactic Matchmaking Services series begins with Maggie’s Story, Ava Louise’s debut novel. In the series, you’ll meet characters that play a role in all of the books of the series, but this cozy Sci-Fi with romance is easily read as a series, or each book as a standalone. The characters are full-fledged and lovable!

“Maggie’s Story” -- Women Wanted: Must have a sense of adventure and be open to new experiences. Must also be willing to relocate. Please contact...Intergalactic Matchmaking Services.

Maggie Cline decides to investigate her romantic possibilities after she becomes a target when she identifies the shooter in a local murder.

Can she find a soul mate away from everything she knows and has worked hard for here on Earth? What about her loyal companion? Will she have to give up her cat, Mamzell, for a chance at love?

Genre: Science Fiction, Romance

Publisher: Amazon Digital Services (January 27, 2014)
ASIN: B00I44AGA8

“Shirley’s Story” -- Just as Shirley decides to try opening herself up to a chance at love, a stalker from her past returns. How does she move forward when her past comes knocking? What's going on with her young student, Hannah? Will her dog, Oreo, be okay with Shirley looking for love?

Genre: Science Fiction, Romance
Publisher: Amazon Digital Services (March 4, 2014)
ASIN: B00ISU9RE4

“Penny’s Story” -- Penny was supposed to be dead. At least that is what Claire has believed for ten years. Find out what happens when Claire's sister comes out of the Witness Protection Program. Penny is fighting a losing battle with cancer and needs Claire to raise Sunny, Penny's newborn daughter, once the cancer takes its final toll. Why is Penny's ex-boyfriend, Jason, telling his cronies that Penny has money and information about their illegal dealings? How does the cartel find out she has even left the Witness Protection Program? 

Genre: Women’s Fiction
Publisher: Amazon Digital Services (November 30, 2014)
ASIN: B00OV8QBXC

Will Marko have to watch as another woman he cares for dies a horrible death? Will he lose his job as Medical Officer on the starship for bending the rules? Can Pacer finally have the peaceful retirement he desires? How will Claire deal with her quiet life being turned upside down? Catch up with Maggie and Daxon, along with Shirley and Mathenzo.

All of the Intergalactic Matchmaking Services books are available as an e-book on  Amazon 

About the Author:

Ava Louise was born a U.S. Army brat overseas, in France. She is the proud mom of two wonderful young men. It's taken her a while to figure out what she wanted to be "when she grows up," but Ava has finally found her niche in the writing world. Since writing came to her later in life, she likes to think she is living proof that it's never too late to reach for a dream or to achieve it. Before writing her own stories, she usually reads from a wide array of genres. She loves Science-Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Mysteries, Thrillers, and Young Adult. 

Ava Louise can be found online at:

Email: AvaLouise@AvaLouise.net
Website: http://avalouise.net/ 
Blog: The Road to a Dream: AvaLouise.net.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ava.louise.35 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/@avalouiseauthor

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For more information about blog hostess, Audry Fryer,

please visit www.audryfryer.com