Blog Party - Day Three

Welcome to day three of the blog party! Today, I'm happy to be doing a blog spotlight of Indie Author Anonymous!

If you missed day one, go take a look and show the author, Ms. Tia Silverthorne Bach, some love! If you missed day two, go show Ms. Sandi Tuttle some love!

Now, on to day three! The prize: Two people have a chance to win a printed, signed copy of The Indie Author's Guide to: Building a Great Book (5 stars on Amazon). Every indie needs a copy of this book!

The feature: Indie Author Anonymous is one of those blogs that does free book reviews. But it's also so much more! Not only does the lady there write eloquent reviews, she also loves indie authors! That makes her one of my heroes!

From her What Is This Blog? page:

"This blog is dedicated to Indie or Self Published writers.
I am an AVID reader and I never knew there were so many awesome authors out there getting almost NO recognition!
I am here for YOU! I know there are many many awesome writers and I KNOW there are MANY readers who want to read your masterpieces!
Having a link to send out that has no affiliation to YOU is indispensable. Promoting yourself gets old. With a promotion on this blog YOU can link to it for YEARS to come.
Seeing how this can work to your benefit?
Awesome! Just click the “My Services” link to get your book on this blog ASAP!"

She also offers services that will feature your indie book or you, the author, on her blog for a small fee (we all have to make money somehow).

You have many ways in which you can connect with this lovely lady:
Twitter: @IndieAuthorAnon
Facebook
or on her blog: Indie Author Anonymous

Give her some love and let her know how much you appreciate all she does for Indies! Now, enter the contest below to WIN!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

On to the great blog list for today!

I found this one by venturing into the .com world and searching for some of the best blogs for writers.

Wordplay: Helping Writers Become Authors
On Twitter: @KMWieland

Here's one you should all already know about. You don't? FOR SHAME! Check her out for great writing tips:

The Creative Penn
On Twitter: @thecreativepenn

How about another reviewer to add to our great list?

Heather's Book Chatter
On Twitter: @WoodTop255

And for today's author:

A.M. Hargrove
On Twitter: @Amhargrove1

Well, that's all for today, folks! Come on back tomorrow and help me welcome another great author! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Blog Party - Day Two

Welcome to day two of the blog party! Today, I welcome Sandi Tuttle from the blog An Average Woman in a Superwoman World.

If you missed day one, pop on back and take a peek. It was a great interview with Ms. Tia Silverthorne Bach, author of the book Depression Cookies. Today, we add to the giveaway some really cool prizes! A couple of coffee mugs! See the photos after the post to get an idea of what you'll be winning!

Without futher ado, may I present Ms. Sandi Tuttle, coffee lover, blogger, radio show host, and designer of fine wraps for women. Ms. Tuttle is also writing a book on finding the perfect dress. Read on to find out more...

Jo: Today, I’d like to welcome Ms. Sandi Tuttle from the Average Woman in a Superwoman World blog and radio show. We’re gonna do a giveaway in honor of Ms. Tuttle but that’ll come at the end of the post. Let’s get started!

Hi, Sandi! Nice to have you! I’m gonna lead in with questions about you, then we’ll get going on your blog, clothing, radio show, and works you may have in progress. Tell us a little about your family. Where did you meet your husband?

Sandi: It’s great to talk with you, Jo! You're one of my fav people! OK, I met my husband in Orientation when we both started a new job on the same day. I had the shortest hair of the women, and he had the longest hair of the guys. I thought he was cute. We found out we were working on the same project, for the same boss. We even had cubicles next to each other. Kind of like Karma was giving me a hand… We found out we had daughters the same age, liked the same music, and ended up liking each other a lot!

Jo: I'd say you did! You married him! Ha! What were some of the difficulties of blending your existing families together?

Sandi: Wow. OK, I'm a Catholic. I was raised a Presbyterian. He's Jewish, but converted when his daughters were born. He was raised Protestant also. We had to make sure that I didn’t do too many ‘Catholic’ things, since this upset his ex. Kind of tough when your kid is in Catholic school, but we managed. We also had to make sure that we kept up with his twins’ religious instruction. So the whole religion thing was touchy.

My ex lives in Connecticut. My family lived in Illinois. Rich’s family lived in Massachusetts. So, whenever his ex and her family had events, we were expected to give up visitation. Driving my daughter to Connecticut for visitation was a problem if it was a weekend when we had the twins. Juggling school events, etc., sometimes got challenging.

The biggest issues surrounded what I guess would be called ‘life values.' On the one side, we were considered far too strict. On the other, far too liberal. We tried to manage this by saying that the girls had to listen to their other parents when they were with them. They had to listen to us when they were with us. When they were 18, they could decide for themselves what they thought was the right way to go forward. It worked a fair amount of the time.

Jo: Your recent radio show about life happening really spawned a response with some of our mutual friends. Where did you get your outlook on life?

Sandi: Not an easy question. I used to be an angry, confused person. Everybody thinks they had a rotten childhood, so I’m not going to bother outlining mine. I just got tired of myself. Got tired of being angry. Realized that if I changed how I looked at things, dealt with things, the whole situation improved. It’s like that song by Sister Hazel: “If you want to be somebody else, if you’re tired of losing battles with yourself, if you want to be somebody else, change your mind…” I wanted to like ME. So I had to learn how to do that. Then, I had to learn how to live and not drive myself crazy. The more I read, learn and share with other people, the more I realize that life really is chaos, with occasional moments of clarity. And the only way you enjoy the ride is to just get off your own back and deal with what you CAN control. You.

Jo: Never were truer words spoken! Why do people call you homebadger?

Sandi: Ha. Evil woman. OK. I can have a temper. I don’t like that side of my personality, but it’s there. One thing that really irks me is when people give my family a hard time. When the girls were younger, they knew that if they came home and complained that there was something ‘done to them’, I would ask them what happened, and then ask them if they wanted me to get involved, or if they wanted to handle it. If they left it to me, I tended to approach things with a ‘scorched earth – take no prisoners’ attitude. Since I worked from home, they started calling me their Home Badger… The name stuck, even if I stopped going nuclear. Now we laugh about it; but they still know if the chips are down, I'll be there. Of course, if I find out they lied to me, they get the full Badger treatment.  All’s fair…

Jo: I'd hate to be on the receiving end of one of those rants! On a happier note, did you know that when you’re Googled, you dominate the first three pages of results? How did you manage to do that?

Sandi: No. I've never Googled myself until you mentioned it. I have no idea how I did that. If I did, I'd schedule a webinar and train other people. Just dumb luck, I’m afraid.

Jo: Okay, I’ll quit digging into your personal life now. It's really neat that you make wraps for women and sell them on your website via Etsy. Tell me, how did you decide on a logo for your brand and do you have it on all the labels?

Sandi: I used to have a logo of a ‘home badger’. Actually, it was a logo I came up with for doing artwork from old album covers, and it was a visual play on my initials and my husband’s initials. So, it started out as a rat. I figured I already had it, and how many people know the difference between a rat and a badger anyway?  When I got my new website, I decided I needed something to brand “Average Woman,” so I asked my good friend Julie Basello-Holt to help. She owns Creative Genius Gallery in Medford, NJ, and knows all about marketing and branding and art and stuff. I asked her to take a crack at it, sent her some things I was trying (and failing) to do, and she came up with my logo. I had my wonderful mentor, Janet Powers, take a look, and the new logo was a ‘go.' I do have labels with the new logo, and am in the process of sewing them into the products I have on hand.

Jo: You have some of the most interesting guests on your radio show. Where do you meet these people that are so full of character and how do you get them on your show?

Sandi: Thank you! I'm so incredibly lucky! I've just kind of lucked-onto so many of them. One of my favorites, Nikki Johnson-Huston, was introduced to me via email from a friend in the eWomens Network. Another super lady, Kim Harvey, was mentioned in a blog entry by Jackie Bledsoe, and I was intrigued enough to follow up. One woman I met when she came to the store I work at, Fashions by Penina in Marlton, NJ, to pick up a bunch of clothes to put in her consignment shop. Turns out, for the past 18 years, they have funded a 24/7 help line from the proceeds of this consignment shop. I just stay open to the excitement of what other people do, and I have learned not to be afraid to ask. Some people don’t get back to me, but that just means that I have time for the next fun person who comes along.

Jo: It's awesome how you can let it roll off you like that. What do you hope to accomplish with your blog?

Sandi: I would like to say I could find a way to accomplish World Peace. But, if that's a little ambitious, I would like to think that I give other people out there a way to feel good about who they are and what they see in the world. I'd like to show people how to find the fun and whimsy in even the grimmest of days, and hang onto it like a flashlight to get them through the dark times. I hope to show people they can do marvelous things, just like the people I find in my own backyard. They just have to believe it and start putting one foot in front of the other.

Jo: That's an amazing goal. Now for a topic I’m super excited about! Tell us about your upcoming book.

Sandi: As I said, I work in a dress shop. It's actually a specialty dress shop. Mother of the bride, etc. type clothes. We have some really cool casual wear, but we're primarily a specialty dress shop. Shopping stopped being fun for most women I know a long time ago. Between the whole atmosphere at the mall, never being able to find a salesperson in the big stores, and the ravages of time on our bodies, most women I meet hate shopping almost as much as getting root canal. That’s a shame when you're shopping for one of the most exciting days in your life.

So many times, I have heard women say, “I never knew that… why didn’t I know that…” when I explain some of the hints and tips for finding a perfect dress. So, one day I decided to tell them. It’s kind of that simple. I work with amazing people who have a wealth of experience to draw on, and I have a few stories that can make even the worst situation funny, if you're willing to see the humor.

So, I'm thinking of calling it Cinderella’s Closet: Tips to Finding the Perfect Dress. It won’t be quite as long as War and Peace, but sometimes being in the middle of a bridal party fight over dresses can seem as bloody. It’s my job to diffuse the situation, and help each woman look in the mirror and have that, “Ah Hah” moment when she feels beautiful. That’s what it’s all about.

Jo: Do you plan to self-publish or seek a traditional publisher?

Sandi: I don’t know. I have all the wonderful tips from the ABC participants bookmarked, but I haven’t had the time to really get down and dirty and absorb the pros and cons. I can be bought, but since I don’t think some big publisher is going to just trip over me, I'm more than happy to explore self-publishing.

Jo: If you do, let me know! Well, that’s all the time we have for today. Thank you so much, Sandi, for agreeing to talk with me. I’ll be keeping an eye on you!

Sandi: It’s been my pleasure, Jo. As you always say: “Keep Writing”!

As a recap, you may find and connect with Sandi the following ways:
An Average Woman in a Superwoman World blog
An Average Woman in a Superwoman World radio show
On Twitter: @AverageWomanSJ
On Facebook: AverageWomanSJ
Home Badger Creations

Now, enter to win these great mugs! Sandi and I both love coffee, so we decided to do these instead of the usual, hum-drum stuff. I hope you enjoy!

Sandi's mug will feature this image:

And the link to view mine is here: WSTW mug.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

On to today's great blogs to follow and read!

The first two are book reviewers. You all know how much I love them!

Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer
On Facebook: Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer
On Twitter: @kimbacaffeinate

One More Chapter Reviews
On Facebook: One More Chapter Reviews

And today's author is:

Danielle Bannister
On Twitter: @getpulled

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Blog Party - Day One

WELCOME TO THE PARTY!! 

Man, do I have some great stuff going on this week. Lots of giveaways, courtesy of my guests, and tons of great blogs and authors for you all to check out and follow.

If you missed it, check out Friday's post for a list of guests and prizes and to get an idea of how this contest will go. My guest today, Tia, has graciously offered up a printed, signed copy of Depression Cookies! I have to tell you, this is a book I've been dying to sink my teeth into. Entry form is after the interview!

Please help me welcome our first author: Ms. Tia Silverthorne Bach!

Jo: A big HELLO to you, Tia! Thanks for taking the time out of your day to visit with us and talk a little bit about you and your book Depression Cookies.

I’m that rare interviewer that enjoys digging into things about you, personally, before I get to the meat and potatoes of what you’ve written. So, let’s get going.

Jo: I found a neat interview with you and your mom via The Balancing Act on YouTube here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1Rk5alF020 Tell me how you got noticed by them and how you felt on stage.

Tia: I came home one day to a phone message from Lifetime TV, and I was dubious at first. The coordinator noticed our press release for Depression Cookies and loved the concept, especially as a mom of daughters. She invited us on, and it was a wonderful experience. Although I have to be honest, I felt like puking when I walked onto the set. Luckily, we had the questions beforehand and only did two takes. I honestly didn’t know how I’d handle live TV.

Jo: Tell us a little about your WIP concerning the young girl and the accident. I’m intrigued because I’m releasing Lily later this month and it’s along those same lines. I’ve said this before, but I think you’re my long-lost twin! Our thinking is very parallel.

Tia: In addition to writing the follow up to Depression Cookies with Mom, I am writing my first young adult novel. It’s about a young girl who loses her brother in a horrible accident, one she barely survives herself. She’s left questioning how it has changed her, and those who care about her. There’s a paranormal twist as well, because I wanted to explore how obsessed this generation of teenagers is with vampires, werewolves, and other creatures.

Jo: You’ve moved a lot (three daughters born in three different states). How has that impacted your writing?

Tia: Loss is an inevitable part of moving, and I think we can all relate to loss. The flip side is that I’ve met many different kinds of people, potential characters, in my moving adventures. Every single one had their own story. Plus, with every move, I was an actor in a new movie. I had to learn how to fit into that new culture. By wearing so many different hats, I learned how to create. All of this led to a love of stories.

Jo: I know my mom is my rock and, without her, I wouldn’t be where I am today. Tell me about your relationship with your mom. Was it strengthened at all with the writing of the book?

Tia: People ask me all the time how I survived writing a book with my mom. It was never a hardship for us. We’ve always had a very open and honest relationship, so writing about a mother and daughter came very naturally. No feelings or topics were off limits, because we trust each other. She is amazing, and I am blessed. (Although, I did skim some chapters where her “mom” character was getting amorous with my character’s dad.)

Jo: I know you’re on Twitter and FaceBook; do you feel it’s helped you or hindered you?

Tia: Social media is a wonderful tool for writers. But it’s also an alluring distraction. I liken it to my sugar addiction. I crave sugar and its quick fix, but I know too much of it is bad for me and my waistline. Same for social media. I have to keep it in balance. If it takes away from writing time, then it’s counterproductive.

Synopsis:
Two distinct voices, two stories interwoven within the walls of family and love.

Depression Cookies is a coming of age story woven around the heart of family triumph. It is told from two distinct vantage points, middle-aged mother, Abby, and her teenage daughter, Krista.

Abby is buckling under the weight of a husband who is climbing the corporate ladder, three daughters each with their own unique needs, a mother who is going off the deep end and family health issues. As she is meeting everyone else's needs, her own keep surfacing. She feels she is losing parts of herself daily and doesn't know how to handle the stress and conflict. All she truly wants is a little magic in her life.

Krista is thirteen, battling acne and low self-esteem, when her father waltzes in and announces the family is moving again. Instead of letting fear and anxiety rule her life, she is determined to survive the trenches of teenage cruelty and family issues without completely losing herself in the process.

What neither expects to find is the true essence of magic in the strength, friendship, power and energy of the female spirit.

Jo: Now, on to questions about Depression Cookies! You’ve won some great awards. Tell me about how you got them.

Tia: I searched for contests on the Internet that accepted self-published entries and then entered the ones where our book was a fit. We ended up receiving a Silver award in Realistic Fiction in the 2011 Readers Favorite Book Awards (and a Finalist in Chick Lit) as well as a Finalist in the 2011 Next Generation Indie Book Awards (Chick Lit). Mom and I are heading to Miami in November to officially accept the Readers Favorite award. Both award programs were well run, and I would highly recommend them to self-published authors.

Jo: I read your recounting of how your initial publishing house’s owner died six months from your publication date, how did that impact you mentally?

Tia: At first, we were stunned and unsure which direction to take. There were moments of self-doubt, and we wondered if we should just go to Kinkos and print some copies for friends and family. We didn’t know much then about other publishing options. I wish we had. But, we also knew he had believed in us and our book. Thankfully, he also gave us professional editing and lots of advice on cover and format. We decided to publish it ourselves. Now, I would do the same, but with a different company and strategy. But I do not regret all the lessons we learned along the way.

Jo: Why write a book like Depression Cookies? What was the driving force behind it?

Tia: We knew we had a story to tell. Since my family did move a lot, sometimes all we had was each other. I am the oldest of three girls, and I don’t know what I would do without the women in my life. But, women can also be their own worst enemy. Women are at the core of some of my best moments, and some of my worst. We hoped a book with two distinct, but interconnected, female perspectives would open up a dialogue between women about the choices we have and the ones we make.

Jo: You manage to keep up with two blogs: Depression Cookies and Mom in Love with Fiction How do you find the time?

Tia: I don’t sleep. No, really, I juggle like we all do. I wish I had a magic answer to share. Sometimes, I rob Peter to pay Paul. Other times, I am blessed with a calm, get-it-done kind of day.

Jo: I know I hate doing this because it seems pretentious of me to assume I have mad skillz like those of some authors, but what novel would you compare to Depression Cookies?

Tia: Let me preface this by saying that I am a Judy Blume fan. She was a huge influence over my teenage years. Depression Cookies is Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret with the mom’s perspective thrown in. My dream… Judy Blume will read it and agree.

Jo: Do you have any trinkets or words of wisdom to leave us with today?

Tia: Don’t be afraid to share pieces of yourself in whatever you do. We all have unique talents and experiences. Own who you are, and don’t try to be a copy of someone else. I learned this from creating different versions of myself through the years. Now, at 40, I’m finally finding me. Not everyone is going to like what I find, but that’s okay. Those that do will be my reward.

Thank you so much, Jo, for hosting me on your blog today. It’s become one of my favorite places to go for insight. Plus, I agree, we do seem to be separated at birth.

Jo: Thanks for giving me your time, Tia! As a recap, here are the links to follow Tia:

Depression Cookies blog
Mom in Love with Fiction
Follow @Tia_Bach_Author
Depression Cookies on Facebook
Buy Depression Cookies for Kindle ($3.03)
Buy the paperback ($23.99)

Enter below and good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


As you all know, I include a couple of great blogs other than my feature. After all, this is a party! Here are today's great blogs:

If you're looking for a reviewer who knows how to review a book, give these blogs a visit:

Tana Rae Reads
On Twitter: @TanaRaeReads

Shut Up and Read

The Educated Book Review
On Twitter: @educatedbookrev

Looking for a new author to read? Check out this one:

Megan Curd
On Twitter:  @MeganCurd

Well, I don't want to inundate you with a billion blogs and authors, so that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Blog Party Overview and Prize List

The week you've all been waiting for is finally here!! The October Indie Blog Party!

Here's a list of the FAB prizes I have in store for you all:

• Day One: You'll enjoy the chance at a printed, signed copy of Depression Cookies by Tia Silverthorne Bach.
• Day Two: Enter to win coffee mugs! One winner will get an a coffee mug with "If I have wings, why can't I fly?" artwork, and one will get a Women Save the World (WSTW) coffee mug, featuring the Mystic title and all the names from the novels (Bronya, Lily, Shelia, Melody, Coralie, and Markaza). Images of the mugs will be shown on Tuesday.
• Day Three: Two people will win printed, signed copies of The Indie Author's Guide to: Building a Great Book written by me.
• Day Four: Two people will win digital copies of Sex, Death, and Mind Control by Robert Chazz Chute.
• Day Five: A huge pile of prizes! A $10 Amazon gift card, a printed, signed copy of Yassa, and a digital copy of each of the following: The Abigale Chronicles Bundle Pack (books 1-3), Mystic ~ Bronya, Mystic ~ Lily, and The Indie Author's Guide to: Building a Great Book. It's a $32 value.

Here's how it will work:

Each day, a prize will be added to the rafflecopter widget with new ways to enter. You'll want to check every day to enter again.

There will be eight winners total, your chance to win something is very good. In total, we're giving away over $100 worth of prizes. You can win more than once!

I will start the entries on Monday, October 15, and run the contest through Friday, October 26. A special Saturday post on October 27 will announce the winners.

Remember to share with your friends (no one likes a prize hog) and come back to see if you won!

Winners will also be notified by e-mail. Good luck to you all!

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Facts - Stranger than Fiction

Happy Thursday!!!! Wow, what a week! I've been busy gearing up for my blog party next week and have some amazing prizes for you guys to win! Be sure and come back every day to see what's new!

Today I'm going to spend some time doing a quick, "Did you know?" post for anyone who may not be familiar with the great man known as Genghis Khan. This is in honor of the book Yassa being on sale for the month of October both in Kindle (just $2.99) and paperback (just $7.99) formats. The paperback has had a beautiful re-work and the interior is to die for (screenshots after the post). I hope you all enjoy this post and that you learn a little, too.

The following are all facts that I based Yassa on. Yassa is a work of fiction steeped in factual history.

Did you know:

• Genghis Khan began life as a boy named Temujin.
• His father was poisoned when Temujin was just nine years old; forcing the child to step up and lead his people.
• In Mongolia, it was common for a young boy to live with his betrothed's family to learn the ways of their people for up to four years before the marriage.
• Temujin spent four years of his life in slavery, and his escape got him noticed by powerful men.
• Blonde girls were an anomaly but highly sought-after prizes (I could find nothing that said Borte was one of these but I read it happened and went with it).
• The Merkits stole Temujin's wife, Borte, just two weeks after they were married and his retribution made him a household name.
• Jamuka was Temujin's anda (brother in life) but no one knows why they had a falling-out (most assume it was over power).
• No one is sure if Temujin's first son, Jochi, was of his loin because of the timing of the child's birth (~ 9 mos after Borte was taken).
• In the span of just twenty-five years, Genghis Khan took over much of Mongolia; uniting the tribes under one banner.
• Genghis held the idea of loyalty above all else and wrote Yassa law based on it.
• He developed a new writing style and demanded it be used across all of Mongolia so writings could be understood by all.
• The cultivation of the Silk Road, made famous by Marco Polo, was done under the guidance of Genghis.
• He truly believed he spoke to God and was tolerant of all religious followings.

Genghis Khan was one of the great men from history. He did things others had only dreamed of.

If you want to learn more about Genghis, in a fun way, you can find out a lot of fact by reading my historical fiction novel. I stuck as closely as possible to the actual timeline of events and used many of the facts you see above to mold my character and get inside his head.

Now for a shot of the new interior of Yassa.

Smaller type, smaller format, better design, and less expensive for you, the reader. Go grab a copy and get your learning on!

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Restricted Fonts

It's hump day, good people of the blogosphere! That means just two more days until the weekend arrives if you can make it over the hump. Can I get a, "YAY!"? Come on, you know you want to!

Today, I'm going to bombard you all with information to help get you through today if you happen to be formatting a book, e-book, or designing a cover. This post is all about restricted fonts.

Anyone know what a restricted font is? Do you know how to check if the font is restricted before you use it? I have your answers! Read on...

A restricted font is one that cannot be embedded in a file. It's restricted to use on your personal machine.

But how do you know a font is restricted before you use it? Follow these step-by-step instructions for discovering if a font can be embedded before you use it in your file:

1. Open MS Word (I use 2007 so these instructions are for that version)
2. Click on the Acrobat tab at the top
3. Click on Preferences
4. Click on Advanced Settings
5. Select the folder icon for Fonts
6. Look under the section titled Embedding and find the font list
7. Scroll through and note the tiny icons on the left side of your fonts

• TT means it's a true type font.
• O means it's an apple (mac) font.
• If there's a lock icon there, that's a restricted font. You cannot embed those fonts. Make a list of them and avoid them like the plague when preparing a book or e-book.

Now, if you flatten your Photoshop file to a jpeg before you upload it, it will keep your font (even if restricted), but you can't use it to design the interior because it WILL NOT embed.

I hope this post helps you all to find and avoid those fonts that will give you hours of headaches if you use them.

On a happier note, I just released a smaller, less expensive version of Yassa in print! It's 11pt type and this book is only 5.5x8.5 (standard size). It's $10 less than the large print version and is just $7.99. You can find it here. Remember, the Yassa ebook is also on sale for the month of October for just $2.99, everywhere e-books are sold. For an easy link, click here.

Have you ever been pinged by the dreaded restricted font warning message?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Ten Timeline Tips for Tuesday

Good Tuesday, people of the blogosphere! Today I'd like to talk a little bit about those pesky problems we all run into from time to time called inconsistency. I'm gonna give you a handy dandy way to eradicate that problem by giving you ten tips to creating a timeline in MS Word that will help your story (or series) stay the course.

1. When you decide on a year your story will take place in, write it down.
2. Make a quick list of your characters' ages and put their birthdays on your timeline.
3. Use sequential time (don't put 1988 down, follow it by 1992, then jump back to 1964).
4. Be specific - use a calendar and reference months and days.
5. Don't move or change dates while writing (you can add, but that's a different animal).
6. Use a type size that's easy to read (I recommend 12pt or larger).
7. Italics and bold are your friends.
8. Bullets can be used to call out a list of events that occur on the same day.
9. It's okay to have a year where all that happens is a birthday.
10. Color code your characters' names.

Now, for a more in-depth look at each of those tips and why they're important.

#1. You want to have an idea of what the speech was like in the era you're writing about. You also need to know what the world was like. If you're writing a novel set in the 1960's, you won't have someone chatting on a cell phone.

#2. You need to know your character from birth to death even if you don't kill them off during the story. Life events have a way of shaping us into who we are. Know them all.

#3. You don't want to hunt through ten pages of time to know when a character fell down and scraped her knee. If you want to make it when she was nine, you'll be able to look up the year by following the timeline.

#4. Just do it. Your story will be more believable if you do and will help you find pertinent information later with ease, keeping you in the flow of writing. If you have to stop and figure out what Saturday in May little Alice had her twelfth birthday party, you're going to break your concentration.

#5. I don't know how Scrivner works, but if you're hashing out a manuscript in word, changing the date something happened is a PITA. You may have referenced it elsewhere and forget. Make decisions!

#6. This is so you don't suffer eye strain when looking back and forth or searching for something.

#7. Italics and bold can help you call out emotional or life-changing events; eliminating the need for searching through your entire timeline to find out when the character's friend called him ugly.

#8. If you have a particularly stressful day lined up for your character in the past, bullets will help you reference the list quickly and call it out on your timeline for easy spotting.

#9. Even if it's just a 9th birthday party, put it down. You may decide later to have someone drown in the pool and it will prevent you having to look up what day of the week it was on. See #4.

#10. If Margot and Alice both had an event on the same day, color coding will help you see what happened when and to whom as soon as you find the date. Easy peasy.

I hope this list helps you prepare to write using a timeline. For a series or a work with specific dates already set in stone (like the birthing of children in a Historical Fiction novel), it's a must-have tool.

I used one religiously when writing Yassa so I could keep the dates of Genghis Khan's son's birthdays in order. Is it just me or was that a lot of s use?

Do you keep a timeline? Have you ever thought about it?

Well, that's all for today, folks! If you haven't picked up a copy of Yassa yet, it's on sale everywhere for the month of October at just $2.99. Go get one! You can find the links here. Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo