Ultimate Goals

Having goals is a good thing. They can help you focus your work. As a writer, I can’t say I have any lofty ultimate goals. I simply want to honor my Creator by using the ability He has given me to entertain people while continuing to get better at my craft and doing it in such a way that I can continue to write and write and write. (Yes, that’s where the business part comes in as I have to be able to afford to have the time to write.)

You’ll find in the video that Zoe’s goals are very similar to mine.

As you might have noticed, this video was pre-recorded. That is something we are thinking of doing in the fall when we start up our videos again (and there may be other changes, too). We are taking a break from them for the summer as schedules are busy, so this is the last video until probably September. We haven’t set our restart date. Of course, if you’re a blog subscriber, you’ll get a notification when that first videos posts here.

Books and links mentioned in the show:

Leenie’s Links

Actually, this week, I only have a reminder to check the blog menu for the items mentioned in my news this week:

Her Secret Beau (Current Sweet Tuesdays Story) 

Persuading Miss Mary (Current Thursday’s Three Hundred Story) 

Music Mondays (where you’ll find my weekly writing news updates) 

Zoe’s Links

I Promise To …

Promises Kept 

Promises

Darcy’s Wife Search

Lady Catherine Impedes

Caroline’s Censure

The Darcy Marriage Series, Books 1-3

Coming Together Series Compilation

Shop for signed print copies

Thanks for joining us! Have a great weekend! 

*Longbourn Literary Society (LLS) is a Facebook group founded by three friends, who share a love of writing and Jane Austen for the purpose of promoting those loves and our work.  

~*~*~

You can find Rose and Zoe’s websites at these links:

ROSE FAIRBANKS          ZOE BURTON


Pinterest, Sweet Pinterest

I don’t know about you, but Pinterest can be a dangerous place to go at times. Why? Because it pulls me in and leads me down fabulously inspiring trails for hours at a time!

I love pictures, and Pinterest delivers on those in spades. Add to that the information that can be found connected to some of those pictures and it’s a recipe for procrastination for me. 🙂

However, while addictive, Pinterest is also an incredibly powerful tool in my author toolbox. And that is what Rose, Zoe, and I are discussing this week in our LLS Society Papers* broadcast — Pinterest and how we use it as writers for inspiration and research.

The live broadcast begins at 3 PM Eastern, but you can always watch the replay.

AND… something went a bit wrong, so here is part two of our live.

Books and links mentioned in the show:

Rose’s Links

The Maid of Inverness 

Mr. Darcy’s Bluestocking Bride 

Rose’s Books Pinterest Board 

Find Rose on Pinterest

Leenie’s Links

Leenie B Books Board

Nature’s Fury and Delights Board 

Zoe’s Links

Find Zoe on Pinterest

I Promise To … 

Promises Kept 

Promises 

Darcy’s Wife Search 

Lady Catherine Impedes 

Caroline’s Censure 

The Darcy Marriage Series, Books 1-3 

Coming Together Series Compilation

Shop for signed print copies

Have a great weekend! Thanks for joining us!

*Longbourn Literary Society (LLS) is a Facebook group founded by three friends, who share a love of writing and Jane Austen for the purpose of promoting those loves and our work.  

~*~*~

You can find Rose and Zoe’s websites at these links:

ROSE FAIRBANKS          ZOE BURTON


The Audio/Visual Connection to Writing

In this quote, Voltaire linked writing and painting.

I tend to not only think of writing as painting word pictures but also as something possessing musical qualities. I listen to the rhythm and tone of what I write as much as I do the images I paint. I want my words to flow smoothly where they should and have a staccato rhythm where it is needed.

Both visual and audio arts can stir the emotions and resonate deeply with the person experiencing the art. I hope that my writing can do that — if not now, then, maybe one day as I continue to improve.

But how do the visual and audio arts inspire my writing? If you follow my Music Monday posts or my Wordless Wednesday ones, you probably have a good idea that both music and art spark my creativity.

Tomorrow, in our LLS Society Papers video, Rose Fairbanks and I will be discussing this very topic and likely sharing a few examples of the link between the inspiration and final product.

The live stream will begin at 3 PM Eastern, but the video of the discussion can be viewed after that as well.

Books and links mentioned in the show:

Rose’s Links

Once Upon a December 

Mr. Darcy’s Miracle at Longbourn 

How Darcy Saved Christmas 

The Maid of Inverness 

Mr. Darcy’s Bluestocking Bride 

A Sense of Obligation 

Leenie’s Links

My news-related links:

A Scandal in Springtime 

Mailing List Sign Up Form 

Darcy and… 

Books Currently in KU

And my discussion-related links: 

Finally Mrs. Darcy 

Music Monday: Five Long Years (Colin James) 

Music Mondays 

Wordless Wednesday

Fogo Island Sunset 

And Then Love 

Pinterest Book Boards 

Mary: To Protect Her Heart 

Have a great weekend! Thanks for joining us!

*Longbourn Literary Society (LLS) is a Facebook group founded by three friends, who share a love of writing and Jane Austen for the purpose of promoting those loves and our work.  

~*~*~

You can find Rose and Zoe’s websites at these links:

ROSE FAIRBANKS          ZOE BURTON


Strange Writing Locations

When author life collides with the need to feed the family.

Sometimes the work just has to get done, and the location is of secondary importance. 🙂

I know when I was teaching I marked paper when at a concert, after a seminar in my hotel room to the wee hours of the morning, in the car when waiting to pick someone up, and during a business meeting at church. That habit of doing work whenever has transferred over to my writing life.

Feet up and comfy on the couch

In fact, I began writing seriously while I was still teaching in a traditional classroom, which meant squeezing writing in between the planning and marking.

So, where have Zoe and I written other than at our desks? Find out in this week’s episode of the *LLS Society Papers.

The live stream will begin at 3 PM Eastern (4 PM Atlantic).

Leenie’s Links

A Scandal in Springtime http://bit.ly/ASIS_Tab

Mailing List Sign Up Form http://bit.ly/LBBookNews

A Dash of Darcy and Companions Cottage Collection 2 Box Set http://bit.ly/CottageBoxSet2

Books Currently in KU http://bit.ly/KUreads

Apple Blossoms http://bit.ly/SweetTuesdays

Thursday’s Three Hundred http://bit.ly/Thurs300

Zoe’s Links

Austen Authors post: https://austenauthors.net/boating-and-fishing-in-the-regency/

Have a great weekend! Thanks for joining us!

*Longbourn Literary Society (LLS) is a Facebook group founded by three friends, who share a love of writing and Jane Austen for the purpose of promoting those loves and our work.  

~*~*~

You can find Rose and Zoe’s websites at these links:

ROSE FAIRBANKS          ZOE BURTON


A Book’s First Impression

Do you judge a book by its cover? If you do, you’re likely not alone. 

A partial screenshot of one of my design folders on canva.com. I use Canva for many things, including cover design.

First impressions are important, and normally, when scrolling or strolling through a bookstore, the first thing that is going to draw your attention to a book is the cover. That means a cover is a pretty important part of a book.

In this week’s episode of LLS Society Papers* Rose, Zoe, and I are discussing what goes into covering our books. Please note that this is not a how-to. This is just a conversation about our preferences and practices when getting a book’s cover ready to make that all important first impression.

The live stream will begin at 3 PM Eastern (4 PM Atlantic).

Rose’s Links

The Gentleman’s Impertinent Daughter 

A Sense of Obligation 

Mr. Darcy’s Bluestocking Bride

The Loving Elizabeth Series 

Leenie’s Links

Tom: To Secure His Legacy

Enticing Miss Darcy 

His Darling Friend 

MASSIVE book sale ends Monday, May 27, 2019 

Canva

Zoe’s Links

To Save Elizabeth

Mr. Darcy’s Love

The Essence of Love

Darcy’s Secret Marriage

Darcy’s Secret Marriage Large Print Version

Mr. Darcy, My Hero

Have a great weekend! Thanks for joining us!

*Longbourn Literary Society (LLS) is a Facebook group founded by three friends, who share a love of writing and Jane Austen for the purpose of promoting those loves and our work.  

~*~*~

You can find Rose and Zoe’s websites at these links:

ROSE FAIRBANKS          ZOE BURTON