Don't Let Technology Intimidate You

Thursday, January 16, 2025

 


I’ve always been one of those people who grumbled about keeping up with technology changes. Not to age myself, but when I tell my kids about the gadgets we used as kids and teenagers, such as VCRs, cassette decks, Walkmans (and no, Mom never had a Gameboy!) they are shocked. Heck, I even learned how to type in high school on a typewriter and that’s what I used to create my college applications, Wite-Out and all. E-mail was just becoming a thing when I headed off to college, and while working for the campus newspaper, I either had to pick up the phone and call sources or hike around campus and find them in person. 

As you know, technology has become so advanced that we now have phones that serve as mini computers in our hands and give us access to all information we may or may not want at any given time. AI can assist us in polishing our e-mails, writing, or creating artwork. As writers, our clips are found mostly online and not in a hard copy. Over the years, I’ve done my best to keep up with the changes in tech, from learning the various word-processing software, to programs that taught me how to design newspaper and magazine pages and creating my own website in the early 2000’s. Blogging platforms like Blogger and WordPress have helped me publish my own work and reach others. And while I don’t know a whole lot about search engine optimization, if you Google my name, my website, Finished Pages, is the first thing that comes up on the page. When my daughter was taking a criminal justice class in college a few years ago, she was surprised to look up a few cases and see my website, where I blog about true crime, come up as the first source for her to explore. 

When I created my podcast, "Missing in the Carolinas," I faced my greatest challenge of all. While I knew how to use the recording software on my computer, GarageBand, and purchase a microphone, how in the world would I get my stories out into the world? With a lot of research, trial and error, articles, and YouTube videos, I figured it out. I also tried to pay someone to create a podcast website for me, and when she failed to complete the work, purchased a template on my own and learned how to format it into a WordPress site. That website also comes up as the first search when you Google “Missing in the Carolinas.” It hasn’t been easy, but I feel like keeping up with technology has helped keep my work visible to others and help me grow my audience. 
I write this because I now face the next hurdle—incorporating video into my podcast. It’s something I’ve been meaning to do for a while but shied away from, mostly because I don’t want the responsibility of constantly having to be on camera. But I found a new recording software that will allow me to record video and audio simultaneously and has a built-in video editing feature so I should be able to create videos more easily for YouTube and social media. 

Don’t be scared to tackle new technology, especially if it is going to help you improve your craft, reach a broader audience, or at the very least, provide you with some funny stories of things that happened to you along the way! I already have some bloopers I’ll have to share on my YouTube channel at some point for laughs. 

Renee Roberson is an award-winning writer who also hosts/produces the true crime podcast, Missing in the Carolinas. She is currently seeking representation for her novel about, what else, a podcaster trying to solve a mystery!
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Interview with Marilyn Filewood, Runner-Up in the WOW! Summer ’24 Flash Fiction Contest

Tuesday, January 14, 2025
Marilyn’s Bio:

I came to writing late in life, partly motivated by increasing hearing loss which meant I could no longer have work or hobbies which involve a great deal of talking to other humans, as did my previous career as a lawyer.

A year after starting to write, I won, on my fourth attempt, the weekly Reedsy short story contest with "Come in Spinner" (contest 180), in 2023. Encouraged, stunned and fortified by the realisation that someone might enjoy my writing, I have completed a novel, which has taken two tortuous years. It is as yet unpublished, and I can only hope this is a temporary state. My grand ambition is historical fiction. 

I am privileged to live on the beautiful and warm east coast of New South Wales, Australia, with three generations, including grandchildren, in a rambling home with views of the forest and sea. It’s wonderful to see something of a renaissance (or birth?) of Australian books and film “overseas”, which is what Australians call every other country in the world, and I hope I can add to it.

----- Interview by Angela Mackintosh

WOW: Congratulations on winning runner up with your story, "Solitude"! Your story is so beautifully written, meditative, and atmospheric. I loved it. What inspired you to write this story?

Marilyn: My local library formed a writers' group a couple of months ago. For our first exercise, we were given a photo prompt, a derelict stone building being overcome by sandy desert, so I wrote “Solitude” in response.

WOW: I love how you included dialogue of the prisoner speaking to the gecko, which shed some light on why the soldier was in prison. What made you choose a gecko as the soldier's companion?

Marilyn: I was going to have him befriend a snake, but decided that was a step too far. I wanted to try to show the possibility of "redemption" by the use of kindness. We have small geckos here, they are so cute. Also, recently I went to Namibia, and was amazed at how much life there is in the desert.

WOW: What was your revision process like for this piece?

Marilyn: I try to read something through and think if anything seems "ugly" or doesn't make sense. I found I had a habit of not explaining enough background; I try to make sure it's clear what's happening - but not TOO clear.

WOW: I read you won first place in Reedsy's short story contest with your story, "Come in Spinner." Congratulations! Your bio says you entered four times. What do you like most about their contests? 

Marilyn: I love the fact that there is a lot of peer feedback in the Reedsy short story contest - but of course that's a two edged sword, if it's not very flattering. However, since starting to try to write, I've learnt to listen to negative feedback, something which is very hard to do. Generally, though, the feedback given with Reedsy is really kind and helpful.

WOW: You recently completed a novel, which took you two years. That is a huge feat! Please tell us a little about your book.

Marilyn: My book is a legal thriller. The protagonist, a children's rights lawyer, finds her life spirals out of control when some of her young clients go missing, and she tries to find them. After writing it I've realised it's very hard to give a summary of the plot without giving all away.

WOW: Summaries are hard to write, but yours sounds intriguing, and your experience as a lawyer will certainly add authenticity to your protagonist. You mentioned the process of writing your novel as "tortuous" - great description! What did you learn about yourself or your writing throughout the process?

Marilyn: At first, I was concerned I didn't have enough to constitute a plot, especially for a thriller. I did a Novel writing course, and the best thing I learnt was to throw everything you possibly can at your character, have things really go awry, and let them sort it out. It works! The best thing was, my character would get into trouble, and then in sorting things out, she inevitably got herself into more trouble. 

WOW: That’s a terrific tip! Besides that gem, what is your favorite piece of writing advice?

Marilyn: Let yourself write rubbish. Don't worry if you have no idea what to write, just start putting anything down. If you try to start with something which is perfectly formed, nothing will ever get written.

WOW: Great advice, Marilyn! Thank you for chatting with me today, and I wish you the continued writing success in 2025!

To learn more about WOW's Flash Fiction Contest, open now, visit this page:
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The Language of Love by Nancy Christie: Blog Tour and GIVEAWAY

Monday, January 13, 2025
The Language of Love by Nancy Christie
I'm excited to announce the blog tour for The Language of Love by Nancy Christie. This book is perfect for readers who enjoy stories about love and relationships—some sweet, some poignant, and some heartbreaking in their depiction of the fragility of love.

Today, we're sharing an interview with author and giving you a chance to win a copy of the novel.

Before we interview the author, here's a bit more about the book:

The Language of Love and Other Stories is about all types of love relationships: the ones that exist between parent and child as well as between generations, the bonds that grow between new lovers as well as those that exist between long-settled couples. The 20-story collection explores all the stages of love: the tenuous yet exciting beginning, the calmer, more mundane phases, the uncertain periods, and finally the ending—sometimes anticipated, other times devastatingly unexpected. It’s about whom one loves, how one loves, and what one does when the love is reciprocated, rejected or over.
 
PUBLISHER: Unsolicited Press
ASIN:  B0DG333HWN
ISBN-13  978-1-963115-28-4
Print Length: 208 pages

You can purchase a copy of the book on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Bookshop. Don't forget to add it to your GoodReads reading list.


About the Author, Nancy Christie

Nancy Christie is the award-winning author of two novels, Reinventing Rita and Finding Fran—the first two books in her Midlife Moxie Novel Series; four short story collections: The Language of Love and Other Stories, Mistletoe Magic and Other Holiday Tales, Traveling Left of Center and Other Stories and Peripheral Visions and Other Stories (all from Unsolicited Press); two books for writers: Rut-Busting Book for Authors and Rut-Busting Book for Writers, and the inspirational book, The Gifts of Change (Atria/Beyond Words). Forthcoming books include Moving Maggie, the third in her Midlife Moxie Novel Series that is scheduled for release in 2025.

Her short stories and essays have appeared in numerous print and online publications, with several earning contest placement. 

The host of the Living the Writing Life podcast and the founder of the annual “Midlife Moxie” Day and “Celebrate Short Fiction” Day, Nancy teaches writing workshops at conferences, libraries, and schools. She is a member of the American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA), the Florida Writers Association (FWA) and the Women’s Fiction Writers Association (WFWA).

Visit her website to follow her updates. You can also follow her on X, Facebook, and Instagram.

- Interview by Nicole Pyles

WOW: I'm so glad to have you with us again for another blog tour! Congrats on your short story collection. Tell us about what inspired this collection of stories.

Nancy: I had already completed a holiday collection, Mistletoe Magic and Other Holiday Tales, that was released in December 2023 by Unsolicited Press, and I liked the idea of having a collection tied to a specific season or holiday. And given that Valentine’s Day falls in February, which is not only my birth month but also kind of a dead month in terms of book events, I decided to treat myself to developing a new collection as a birthday present from me to me! That’s how The Language of Love and Other Stories came about.

WOW: What a wonderful gift! For some reason the song that comes to me is, "What the World Needs Now" and love is definitely it! What kind of love is depicted in this collection?

Nancy: While love is the overarching theme, I wanted to move beyond romantic love and explore all the other forms of love that exist. So there is the love between a parent and young child, between an adult son and his older mother, between couples who have been together for years as well as between two people who have reunited and may possibly be rekindling their romance.

The collection captures every stage of love, from the exhilarating beginnings to the quiet, routine phases, the uncertain times, and the heartbreaking endings—whether anticipated or shockingly sudden. It’s a journey through whom we love, how we love, and how we cope when love is returned, unrequited, or lost.

WOW: That's a wonderful combination of love found in this collection! What was your technique in compiling these stories? 

Nancy: I started by identifying the categories I wanted to explore, then looked in my ever-growing collection of published and unpublished work to see what might fit. Then I started writing additional stories to round out the collection.

One of the stories, “With Any Luck,” features a secondary character who is also in Moving Maggie, my next Midlife Moxie novel. And “Charley and the Cupid Caper” brings back the duo from Adams Investigative Service who first appeared in Mistletoe Magic in “Charley Catches the Christmas Spirit.”
And while “Henry, Hortense and the Halloween Party” is set in October, it is still a love story, featuring both human and otherworldly couples!

There were times when I wondered if I’d be able to develop enough stories in time to meet the deadline—I usually build a collection around already written stories—but I pulled it off!

WOW: You really did! Were these stories written at different times in your life? What was your process in getting them ready for publication?

Nancy: A few of the stories were written quite some time ago but never published. But most of them are relatively recent—written in the past decade or so. As for my process, the first thing I had to do was any minor updates on the older stories to make them fit the current timeframe. Then, I shared some of them with my writing group and a few beta readers to get their feedback. But on the whole, it was the same as any of my fiction: write, edit, revise, re-read, edit, revise—an ongoing process until I am pretty sure they are ready to go.

WOW: Sounds like a smooth process! Who is this collection of stories ideal for?

Nancy: Because the characters run the gamut in terms of ages and generations, the readership would be anyone from young adult to Boomers. The ideal reader for this collection would be someone who wants to explore heartfelt emotion, who seeks to gain an understanding of what love is or could be, and how love impacts both the giver and the recipient, who is perhaps struggling with a love relationship of their own and is looking for a new perspective.

Or someone who just enjoys love stories!

WOW: That should appeal to all of our readers! What do you hope people walk away with feeling after reading your stories?

Nancy: A sense that each love relationship has stages of ebb and flow, an understanding that not all love relationships end with “happily ever after” and yet, despite the heartache, are still worth experiencing, and that the memories of real love can sustain you, remaining even after the person you loved so dearly is gone.

WOW: What a beautiful message. What are you working on now that you can tell us about?

Nancy: I am getting ready to release my third Midlife Moxie novel, Moving Maggie, while in the early stages of writing my fourth, Transforming Tessa. And of course, scheduling book tours and book club visits and doing interviews such as this one and all the other tasks that go along with marketing yourself as an author!

I love meeting people, talking about my books as well as listening to their life experiences so I am definitely eager to get back out on the road in May! If anyone would like me to visit their book club or be part of an event (virtual or in real life), they can contact me through my website, www.nancychristie.com. I’m always up for a chat about writing!

WOW: I hope readers do reach out to you! Thank you for your time and I hope you enjoy your tour.
 
The Language of Love by Nancy Christie Blog Tour

---- Blog Tour Calendar

January 13 @ The Muffin
Join WOW as we celebrate the launch of Nancy Christie's blog tour of The Language of Love. Read an interview with the author and enter to win a copy of the book

January 14 @ Rosh's Reviews
Learn more about The Language of Love in today's review.

January 15 @ Frugal Freelancer
Join Sara's blog for a spotlight of The Language of Love.

January 20 @ The Book Mistress
Check out Nancy Christie's interview at Tracey's blog.

January 21 @ Words by Webb
Visit Jodi's blog for a review of The Language of Love by Nancy Christie.

January 22 @ Mari's Journaling Power Blog
Find today's spotlight of The Language of Love at Mari's Journaling Power Blog. 

January 23 @ What is That Book About 
Learn more about The Language of Love in today's spotlight at What is that Book About.

January 28 @ Life According to Jamie
Visit Life According to Jamie for their review of The Language of Love.

January 30 @ Beverly A Baird
Find out more about The Language of Love in today's review at Beverly A Baird.

February 1 @ A Wonderful World of Words
Read today's spotlight of The Language of Love at A Wonderful World of Words.

February 3 @ Lisa Haselton's Reviews and Interviews
Join Lisa for an interview with author Nancy Christie.

February 5 @ Just Katherine 
Check out today's review of The Language of Love at Just Katherine.

February 6 @ Deirdra Eden
Find the latest spotlight of The Language of Love at Deirdra Eden.

February 8 @ Boots Shoes and Fashion
Visit Boots Shoes and Fashion to read an interview with Nancy Christie, author of The Language of Love.

February 10 @ Just Katherine 
Read an excerpt from The Language of Love at Just Katherine.

February 12 @ Kaecey McCormick's blog
Join Kaecey to read an excerpt of The Language of Love.

February 13 @ Caitrin C. King's blog
Visit Caitrin's blog for a review of The Language of Love.

February 15 @ Jill Sheets' blog
Visit Jill's blog for an interview with author Nancy Christie about her book The Language of Love.

***** BOOK GIVEAWAY *****

Enter to win a print copy of The Language of Love and Other Stories by Nancy Christie! Fill out the Rafflecopter form below for a chance to win. The giveaway ends January 26th at 11:59 pm CT. We will randomly draw a winner the next day via Rafflecopter and follow up via email. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Reader Review Wrap Up and Giveaway for Elizabeth Maria Naranjo's Pralines and Creamed

Friday, January 10, 2025

Pralines and Creamed by Elizabeth Maria Naranjo
 
Today, I'm thrilled to share a reader review event for Elizabeth Maria Naranjo's second Sweet Dreams Mystery, Pralines and Creamed. That introduction fell flat - give me a moment. Elizabeth Maria Naranjo has been touring with me and WOW! Women on Writing for YEARS! Her books are always phenomenal and she herself is an absolute gem to work with. The word talented doesn't even come close to describing her. I am elated to share these reviews and I hope you'll be driven to read her books for yourself so you can be equally enameled with her storytelling ability. There, that's better! Carry on!
 

xoxox 
Crystal J. Casavant-Otto,
WOW! Women on Writing Book Blog Tour Manager
 
About Pralines and Creamed

It’s the spooky season in Pinewood, Arizona, and when Genevieve Winterland isn’t creating killer new recipes for Sweet Dreams Ice Cream Parlour, she’s helping BFF Brandon Summers prepare for the party of the year. Brandon’s parents own Hidden Treasures Bookstore, where famed horror writer Jack Kelley is launching his latest novel on Halloween night.

Brandon’s dad isn’t thrilled that the arrogant Kelley, who was once sweet on Mrs. Summers, has chosen their store for his big event. Still, there’s no denying the author draws a huge crowd. Which makes it hard to narrow down a suspect list when Kelley drops dead onstage—the victim of a shocking murder straight out of his own book.

Fresh off Pinewood’s last cold case, Genevieve is happy to let the police handle this one. But when frosty Detective Christie zeroes in on Brandon’s dad as her prime suspect, Genevieve decides to take matters into her own hands. Can she get the scoop and solve the mystery haunting her hometown?
 
ASIN: B0D97GM9CJ
ISBN: B0DHHB3HWT
Publication date: October 1, 2024
Print Length: 234 pages
Genre: Young Adult Cozy Mystery 

Pralines and Creamed: A Sweet Dreams Mystery (Sweet Dreams Mysteries Book 2) is available in print and as an ebook at Amazon. Add it to your Goodreads list.
 
About the author, Elizabeth Maria Naranjo:

Elizabeth Maria Naranjo

Elizabeth Maria Naranjo is the author of The Fourth Wall, The House on Linden Way, and What Was Never There. Her stories and essays have been widely published and nominated for the Pushcart Prize, Best American Essays, and Best of the Net, and her short story, “Windows,” was selected for Best Microfiction 2023. She lives in Tempe, Arizona, with her husband and two children.

Twitter/X: @emarianaranjo

Here is what WOW readers had to say about Pralines and Creamed by Elizabeth Maria Naranjo:

Katherine says: 

Murder by Milkshake, the first book in the series was really fun, so I was eagerly waiting for a second book. Pralines and Creamed is just as fast moving and detailed as Murder by Milkshake. It's also just as fun. I love the original names for the stores in Pinewood. 

Genevieve is welcoming and has a great sense of humour. I like her mother. Charlotte is very sweet and Butterscotch is a great dog. Genevieve and Brandon are good together. I was interested by the mystery at his bookstore, Hidden Treasures. 

The Halloween-themed costume party for the book launch was really well done, and I enjoyed the costumes as well as Genevieve and her mother's shopping trip. 

Pralines and Creamed is quirky, homey, and a perfect cozy mystery for Halloween or any time of year.


Linda says: 

A lovely young adult read. Elizabeth seems to be able to conjure up a scene in words so perfectly—from the ice cream parlour menu to the book signing atmosphere—I was salivating at the sweet dreams dessert descriptions! This story is a lovely mixture of sweet boy/girl romance, a mystery, some detective work—and a definite lesson in that things are not always as they seem. An easy reading story with enough gumption and twists to hold your attention throughout.


Kaecey says: 

I'm an occasional cozy mystery reader, not a diehard. While a good cozy is great, they're not always easy to find. Set in Pinewood, Arizona, the story has all the hallmarks of a great cozy mystery—an idyllic small town, lovable side characters, and a central gathering spot, Sweet Dreams Ice Cream Parlour. 

The plot kicks off when horror author Jack Kelley is murdered during a Halloween book launch at the local bookstore. What starts as an intriguing puzzle quickly becomes personal for amateur teen sleuth Genevieve Winterland, whose best friend’s father is the prime suspect. 

As the clues unfold, Genevieve navigates the line between small-town loyalties and the need to uncover the truth, all while whipping up recipes for Sweet Dreams. Along for the ride is Butterscotch, her trusty golden retriever who saved her in the first book, adding a heartwarming touch to this fun and twisty tale.

Genevieve is the heart of this series, and her character continues to shine in Pralines and Creamed. She’s spirited, resourceful, and refreshingly relatable. Her friendship with Brandon is full of humor and warmth, and the community of Pinewood is painted with vivid, endearing strokes. 

Writing realistic teens in a cozy mystery without their characters becoming too saccharine is no small feat, but Naranjo nails it. Genevieve and Brandon talk like teenagers, complete with timely slang and an irreverent sense of humor. They still fit the cozy vibe, but these teens feel more 'real' than the teen in many other cozy stories I've read. 

Their investigative methods reflect their age, too—they’re clever but not omniscient, and their mistakes and missteps make the mystery even more fun. The camaraderie between Genevieve and Brandon keeps the story light, even as they tackle some serious stakes.

Naranjo also weaves in subtle personal growth for her protagonist. Genevieve’s journey to reconcile her perfectionist tendencies with the messy realities of life adds depth to her character without overshadowing the fun of the mystery.

One of the things that makes Naranjo’s writing stand out is her attention to detail. It’s easy to imagine Pinewood’s charming downtown shops, the ice cream creations at Sweet Dreams, and even the awkward tension of a teenage amateur detective calling the shots. 

Naranjo has a knack for grounding the story with concrete details, whether it’s describing an action that mirrors a character’s mood or weaving small, humorous moments into the dialogue. This kept me turning the pages again and again. 

Even when the teens are bantering about forming a Scooby Doo-type gang or improvising when their lack of adult knowledge shows (calling a geeky friend to help with an online search, for instance), it feels authentic and relatable while still retaining that cozy feeling readers crave.

Of course, no review of this series would be complete without a mention of Sweet Dreams Ice Cream Parlour. The whimsical setting adds another layer of charm, and Genevieve’s creative recipes (hello, Buttercream Dream sundae!) are described in a way that you’ll wish they were real. 

It's easy to tell that Naranjo based this on life, with her daughter's first job working at an ice cream shop. I could imagine the scents and flavors, and I've never wanted a butterscotch malt more! 

Plus, Butterscotch, Genevieve's loyal golden retriever, adds warmth and heart, reminding us why cozies like this are so satisfying to read.

In fact, this book had me looking up the author's short stories and other books because I was excited by the writing. I can't wait to see what Naranjo can do in other genres! 

The book delivers exactly what you want in a cozy: an engaging mystery, a charming setting, and characters you’ll want to visit again and again.


Elizabeth says: 

I really enjoyed this mystery! It was a great read on a chilly winter day. The descriptions of the different foods had me craving an ice cream sundae, and the quick thinking and fun personality of Genevieve kept me interested throughout the entire book! It was a great sequel to the first, Murder by Milkshake, but if you didn’t read the first book you can still enjoy this one without missing any information. I really loved the way the mystery was solved, and of course Butterscotch helped save the day! If you’re looking for a feel good mystery, this is the book for you! I can’t wait to read more from Naranjo!


Renee says:

Pralines and Creamed is the follow-up to Elizabeth Maria Naranjo’s young adult novel, Murder by Milkshake, and part of the Sweet Dreams cozy mystery series. It’s Halloween in Pinewood, Arizona, and Genevieve Winterland and her best friend Brandon Summers are excited about participating in a book signing event at Hidden Treasures, the bookstore Brandon’s family owns. The Halloween-themed event (complete with fans dressed in costume) features a bestselling local horror writer, Jack Kelley, but before the signing commences, Genevieve and Brandon realize there’s tension among Brandon’s mother, Charlotte, who used to work for Jack, and Brandon’s father, who appears envious of the relationship. Tension quickly escalates into murder when Jack Kelley unexpectedly dies at the event, and Brandon’s father Richard becomes the prime suspect. Having practically grown up in the Summers household, Genevieve is determined to find the real killer and clear Richard Summers’ name. 

There’s no shortage of suspects, as Jack Kelley had racked up enemies in both his professional and personal lives, and his manner of death mimics the crime in his latest novel. There’s also another unexpected visitor in town, Genevieve’s mother, Lauren Starr, who left the family years earlier to pursue a career in the entertainment industry. Her desire to spend time with Genevieve throws a wrench in her daughter’s sleuthing plans. Why has she decided to make an extended visit at this point in time? As in Murder by Milkshake, Genevieve and Brandon team up to figure out the best way to narrow down the murder suspects, including once again enlisting the help of an ethical hacker classmate, much to the chagrin of the local police detective. And of course, none of this would be complete without the assistance of Butterscotch, the loveable Golden Retriever Genevieve adopted in Murder by Milkshake.

Genevieve is a likeable character, still completely devoted to her family business, the Sweet Dreams Ice Cream Parlour, but she is also realistically portrays the impulsive characteristics of a young adult woman. I quickly picked up on who the murderer might be, was diverted by a few other suspects, and had my hunch confirmed by the end. Let’s see if you can solve the puzzle as well! 

As with the first book, I found myself craving ice cream throughout (as well as coffee and pastries) even though I’m lactose intolerant. I also felt like the author sprinkled enough backstory into the beginning of the book that it can serve as a standalone. Readers don’t necessarily have to have read Murder by Milkshake first in order to enjoy Pralines and Creamed, but they’ll be missing out on another fun, fast-paced mystery featuring young adult characters if they don’t. 


Lily says:

I was so excited to return to Pinewood with Genevieve and friends, and Naranjo didn't disappoint. It might be getting chilly here, but this cozy mystery will have you intrigued and craving ice cream all at once. Pinewood just feels like the ideal small town, until you get a little closer and see the tension running along beneath the surface. This time it's a mystery right out of a book (literally), but that doesn't make it any less intriguing. I got so wrapped up in trying to solve the mystery alongside Genevieve and Brandon that I lost track of time more than once. I loved getting to know both of them a little better, and seeing them work together to try and clear Brandon's dad's name was heartwarming. I can't wait to see what new mystery will pop up in Pinewood next, and I must admit I'm a little disappointed I can't visit Pinewood or any of the shops irl! A final note - although this works fine as a stand-alone, I highly recommend reading book one too, as it's just as sweet and mysterious as this installment.


Jodi says:

Too often I LOVE book one in a series but book two...meh. Not so with the Sweet Dreams series. There's another crazy murder in town and this one is a little too close to home for Genevieve and the family she's created (not all family is about blood relations). Of course she's taking wild chances and is always one step ahead of the adults—an absolute must for a YA book. 

What I really appreciated about Pralines and Creamed is that the characters are evolving. Yes, we're solving a murder but we're also seeing how the murder affects everyone it touches. It adds some tension and even sadness to an otherwise fun romp. We're also learning more about the people in Genevieve's orbit as they become true three dimensional people with backstories. And just like in the murder investigation, as we learn more about the characters there are a few red herrings to keep readers off balance.


Jamie says:

I found this book so entertaining and fun to follow just like the first book. It’s a fun whodunnit mystery and I really like following Genevieve on her adventures and her love for her family’s ice cream shop.


Nichole says:

Just like the first book in the series I enjoyed reading this installment. I like how persistent Genevieve is when is comes to wanting to solve the case. In the second book a local horror author drops dead at his own book signing. Genevieve is determined to understand why and who may have done it. It was surprising to know who the real person was behind the murder. I still like when the book is set in the ice cream shop and whenever the puppy Butterscotch is talked about. It’s a fast paced cozy mystery that I love being back into. I would recommend this book to people who like or who just starting out reading cozy mysteries like myself.


Karen says:

Nancy Drew meets Mystery, Inc.!

Pralines and Creamed is the second book in author Elizabeth Maria Naranjo’s fun and cozy teen/young adult Sweet Dreams Mystery series featuring high school senior Genevieve Winterland, her best friend, Brandon Summers, and her canine sidekick, Butterscotch. When Brandon’s family-owned bookstore hosts a book signing on Halloween for well-known mystery/horror writer and serial womanizer Jack Kelley, there’s friction between his parents due to some unpleasant history with the man. But when he’s murdered in the signing line, Brandon’s father quickly becomes the police’s number one suspect. Genevieve is compelled to investigate and clear Mr. Summers’s name.

Genevieve has her hands full, splitting her time between her senior year classes and working at her family’s ice cream shop; however, she is determined to solve the murder at the bookstore. When her mother arrives for an unannounced week-long visit, she’s caught off guard and soon realizes she’s doing everything she can to avoid spending time with her. Up until now, her long-distance relationship with her mother has seemed to work for both of them: occasional calls and short visits two or three times a year kept them in touch with each other. But her mother’s sudden desire for more upsets the balance they’ve established, and Genevieve finds herself backing away. Genevieve does some soul-searching to process her reaction, and young readers may be able to relate to their relationship with a distant parent.
 
Genevieve and Brandon make a good team and are especially kind to his younger sister, Charlotte, even dressing up as Velma and Fred from her favorite cartoon show, Scooby-Doo. However, during this case, Genevieve often prefers to pursue her ideas alone, even misleading her friend about her plans to avoid being slowed down or having to wait for him to become available to join in. Consequently, she makes some mistakes and takes some obvious risks, meeting solo with potential suspects and people she already believes may be a murderer. In the end, the resolution makes sense, and there is an exciting confrontation where the author works, “And I would have gotten away with it too…” into the beaten villain’s dialogue.

I recommend PRALINES AND CREAMED to readers of teen and young adult cozy mysteries.

 
Congratulations to reviewer Lily!
 
We held a random drawing via Random.org and it picked Lily as our $25 Amazon Gift Card Winner. 
 
Readers: if you'd like to participate in events like this in the future and receive a free book in exchange for an honest review, please email us at blogtour[at]wow-womenonwriting[dot]com. We also hold a random gift card drawing at the end of each event!
 
 
Pralines and Creamed by Elizabeth Maria Naranjo Reader Review Event

***** BOOK GIVEAWAY *****

Enter to win a print copy of Pralines and Creamed by Elizabeth Maria Naranjo! Fill out the Rafflecopter form below for a chance to win. The giveaway ends January 23rd at 11:59 pm CT. We will randomly draw a winner the next day via Rafflecopter and follow up via email. Good luck!

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Interview with Rowan Dyer: Summer 2024 Flash Fiction Contest Runner-up

Tuesday, January 07, 2025

Rowan’s Bio: 

Born, raised and still living in the New Forest in Hampshire, UK, Rowan Dyer (68) has spent her life surrounded by horses, dogs and cats. Widowed in 2015, after nearly 40 years' marriage, she is now part-way through an Open University BA Course in English Literature and Creative Writing, which was the original inspiration to start writing short stories. She is also trying to find the staying-power to progress from short stories to completing one of the many prototype novels currently languishing in the drawer. 

This is the first piece accepted to past preliminary entry stages in any competition, which is a massive confidence boost and still not really believable! 

Note from Sue:  This is an amazing piece so only Rowan finds her status unbelievable!  If you haven't read "On the Pier?," take a moment to experience her story and then come back to find out a bit about how Rowan works.

-----------------interview with Sue Bradford Edwards-----------------
 
WOW: What was your inspiration for “On the Pier?” 

Rowan: The inspiration was one of the prompts given to us on the Creative Writing element of the course a year or so back. I am studying with the Open University, and it's been brilliant, just what I needed to keep my brain active rather than just sitting in front of the TV all day as I 'drifted' through retirement. 

I was talking to a friend on the phone, telling her the titles and trying to think which one to choose, and she suggested going at it from a completely different angle. How I came up with the seagulls I have no idea - possibly something as unrelated as a clip from 'Vera' or 'Escape to the Country' with seagulls on the railings! 

WOW: I'm so glad your friend suggested that you try something unique. You do such a good job of steering the reader to the wrong conclusion about who or what the narrator is. Can you share with us the steps that you took to accomplish this? 

Rowan: I'm afraid I'm going to thoroughly disappoint my tutor now, but I actually did not plan any of the story - I wrote, let it all come out, and it was finished. Very little editing, once I had the idea, so the training they had been giving us must have really stuck - though I have found that if you get 'in the zone' it's as if someone takes over and writes through you. 

I have got to the end of a couple and thought, 'Wow! Did I write that?' Or written an ending that comes to me a few seconds before I write it, and surprises me when I read it back. Our creative brain is incredible - just look at all the diverse books and stories published every year. 

WOW: There are so many amazing details in this story. But with flash you must pick and choose. How did you decide which details rated space in the story? 

Rowan: I didn't consciously include or leave out any details. As I said, this was one of those rare, lucky times when I could write and put the pen down and it was done, no editing required. I just thought of what one sees on the pier - old folks, parents with babies, young kids - and what the seagulls would be looking for. 

Thanks to the suggestion from my wonderful friend, who lived long enough to read the story but died before the competition, I went at it from a different viewpoint. It made me laugh as I wrote it, so hoped it would do so for others. It was just a matter of focusing on the main characters, their aim, target and method - and sticking to the word count for our original assignment! 

WOW:  We're sorry to hear that you lost such a wonderful friend and advisor. Your bio says that you are working on a BA in English Lit and Creative Writing. What have you learned in your studies that would benefit other writers? 

Rowan: What have I learned that would benefit other writers? I think either write something you want to write, then worry about word count afterwards (in which case you will have to be ruthless and cut out so much that you really think is wonderful) or work to a specific word count for a specific publication. 

Define the story in one sentence - one. Write it at the top of the page and stick to it. Don't waffle. 

WOW:  Don't waffle!  That's going to be a tricky bit of advice to follow every day! What are you working on now? Is there someplace else that our readers can find your work? 

Rowan: So far I haven't published any of my short stories - I have a project for a set of linked ones I would like to develop, and there is a novel that keeps pulling me back, but the course is currently on Literature so that's taking priority until the next holidays. 

WOW:  Good luck on your course work!  I think I speak for everyone when I say I hope to read more of your surprising work in the future.


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American Still Life by Jim Naremore: Blog Tour & Giveaway

Monday, January 06, 2025

American Still Life by Jim Naremore


Do you have any book related resolutions for 2025? Why not start with delving into the work of an author you've never read before? I might have just the author for you! We're launching a blog tour for American Still Life by Jim Naremore. Fans of Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn and Queen’s Gambit by Walter Tevis will find an intriguing read in this journey of loss and redemption. Join us as we celebrate the launch of his book with a giveaway and an interview with the author.
 
But before we get to that, here's more about his book:
 
We are all drowning, and we are all saviors.
 
Wresting with addiction, guilt, and self-loathing, gifted photojournalist Skade Felsdottir finds herself trapped in a web of her own creation when she is forced by circumstances to return to her hometown—the place that holds her crippling secrets. After screwing up her “big break,” a photo essay book about descansos—roadside memorials to people who have died tragically, Skade tries to salvage the project against a tight deadline. While simultaneously working and keeping her darkest demons at bay, Skade reconnects with an old boyfriend and befriends a unique but broken young woman named Kit. Their burgeoning friendship begins a process of healing for them both, until a devastating sequence of events plunges Skade into darkness, leaving her to decide between redemption and running away; between life and death. Set against a backdrop of the back roads of a forgotten America, American Still Life explores the crossroads of grief and artistic expression, of loneliness and atonement. A journey familiar.
 
Publisher: Regal House Publishing (December 17, 2024)
ISBN: 1646035054
ISBN: 978-1646035052
AISN:  B0CNTWJH98
Print length:  296 pages

Purchase your copy on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Bookshop.org. You'll also want to add it to your GoodReads reading list.

About the Author, Jim Naremore

With roots in the American deep south and the Midwest grounding his sense of place, Jim Naremore has published an array of short fiction and the award-winning novel The Arts of Legerdemain as Taught by Ghosts (Belle Lutte, 2016). He holds an MFA from the Solstice program at Lasell University in Boston and currently lives with his partner and cat in New York’s Hudson River Valley.

Instagram: @jim_naremore

--Interview by Jodi M. Webb

WOW: Welcome, Jim. We're all looking forward to the first blog tour for 2025 with your literary fiction American Still Life.

Jim: I’m so happy to be working with WOW on the launch of this novel. Thanks so much to the WOW team and to all your dedicated book-bloggers who really help push independent literature!

WOW: Yes, we love discovering indie books that might not have the promotional push of books with the Big Five. So tell us how you first learned about Descansos, and what made you want to include them in a book?

Jim: Just as Skade says in her book notes in American Still Life (ASL), I think I’ve been aware of
descansos as objects for as long as I’ve been riding in cars. I remember being fascinated by them when I saw them as a kid. They are one of the last real deeply-felt examples of pure folk art that most of us get to experience either as observers or as creators. That fascination was what led to the writing of ASL, and it kind of shows off my creative process. 

I’m always finding little ideas: lines of dialog, metaphors, images, plot ideas, character ideas, settings, etc. I jot all these down in notebooks. When I get ready to start a new book, essentially, I put a bunch of these little concepts in a bag, shake them up, and see what comes out. ASL started with the idea of someone doing a photo-essay on descansos. I guess I always thought that would be an interesting thing to do. Descansos are so uniquely visual, and they vary so much (I’ve seen some spectacular ones in the desert in southern California) that I think they lend themselves perfectly to that idea. 

Some of the other ideas that went into that bag included a plot idea about a group (not just one) of puppeteers and how they related to their puppets, the concepts of memorial tattoos, a character who was a very tall and awkward and traumatized young woman looking for a friend (“Kit is short for Kitten, my dad was an asshole” was probably the first line I actually wrote for the book), and Skade, who was in a short story I could never get quite right (I think I wanted it to be a short story and it wanted to be a novel… we’re still discussing it). Eventually, ASL grew out of all that. 

The novel I began to write was quite a bit different than the one that emerged, but that’s the writing process for a novel, I think. I think another answer to that question is that I am very, very interested in folklore and fairytales. I probably should have majored in folklore studies in college, but I didn’t think of it. As I said, descansos are unique performative pieces of folklore. Folklore and fairytales are parts of all my writing.
 
"Finishing a book is really hard. As such, we create ways to keep us from having to actually finish. And that research thing is one of those strategies… You just need to know enough to sound like you know what you’re talking about. No, that’s not lying or cheating. You’ve done enough research when you can effectively answer all the questions the book gives you."

WOW: Do you do research, or work with things you already know? When do you know when you’ve done enough research?

Jim: I do a fair amount of research. To me, it’s a big part of the fun of writing books, and the research can REALLY help in creating and advancing the plot! Of course, I usually start with things I’m already interested in and so I do know a little bit about the things I write about before I go in. For my first book, The Arts of Legerdemain as Taught by Ghosts (TAoLaTbG), I did a lot of research on stage magic and spiritualism, even though I already had a decent working knowledge of both, I suppose. 

For ASL, I dove into descansos, puppets and puppetry, and tattoos and tattooing. I learned a good amount and found some great books and resources. I also spent time in and around real descansos when I got the chance. They can be quite powerful to sit with. 

That question about when you’ve done enough research is a killer. In a vacuum, the answer is never, and that can be absolutely paralyzing. I’ve taught workshops on writing novels, and something we talk about are roadblocks. Finishing a book is really hard. As such, we create ways to keep us from having to actually finish (write “The End.” I won’t go into why that is now, it’s an essay in itself). And that research thing is one of those strategies… “I don’t know enough yet, I need to do more reading! It’s not perfect!” 

The best example of this is writing mysteries (I’m working on a mystery now, actually). If you’re doing a mystery, chances are (unless you have rare personal experience) you have no idea beyond what you’ve seen on TV or what you’ve read in books about how the police actually work or how a detective actually solves crimes. The desire to not look like an idiot by writing something that a reader could poke a hole in is really strong, so it’s really easy to get lost in never-ending research into police procedure and the wonkiness of being a private detective. But here’s the thing: the vast majority of your readers don’t really know much more than you do. Yes, the more you know, the better you can create, but you are not (should not) go into crazy amounts of procedural detail in your writing. You just need to know enough to sound like you know what you’re talking about. No, that’s not lying or cheating. You’ve done enough research when you can effectively answer all the questions the book gives you. There will ALWAYS be more to know, but you don’t have to know it for the purposes of story.

WOW: What appeals to you about the themes of what people leave behind and reinventing yourself?

Jim: It’s funny, with both TAoLaTbG (That’s a hell of a title. Not going to do a long one like that again, I don’t expect!) and ASL, and the stuff I’m working on now, I feel like I keep writing the same story over and over again. I’m just beginning to explore that. Obviously, there are psychological reasons for it in my life. My books are full of people I “know” or recognize. It’s a lot easier to write people you are familiar with at some level. So, I think these themes are part of the lives of a lot of people I was close to. Beyond that, I think I’m also trying to write about myself to a degree.

While I was shopping Legerdemain to agents, I got some real interest from one agent in particular who ultimately decided not to pick it up, but who did make a key suggestion: that I put more of me on the page. Steve Kozwa from Legerdemain is like me, but he’s not me. Skade Felsdottir is a LOT more me. Skade and her journey are really much more of my own. I was in active addiction for a very long time. I think the best definition of sobriety has very little to do with abstinence (really important, don’t get me wrong!), and more to do with establishing or re-establishing a relationship with your true self. 

This notion of reinventing yourself is really closer to the theme of finding your true self. Rather than creating something new, it’s more coming home to yourself. I think that’s the big umbrella theme I keep writing: Figuring out who you are and coming home to it from a thing you are not.

WOW: Have you ever reinvented yourself?

Jim: As above, yes, very much in a general context. I got sober. I started trying to get comfortable with myself and who I was and my own place in things. That’s a massive reinvention, even if its more letting go of a lot of things I was not or things that were not serving my essential self anymore. A very long hard road. Rather than “reinvention” I might say “rediscovery.”
 
 
"You don’t need to use much craft or technical skill in the first draft, you shouldn’t, because it slows you down and gets in the way. But the rewrites are where you actually get to be a 'writer,' where your skill and technique come to play."
 

WOW: Did you learn things from the first book that helped you write the second?

Jim: For sure. A big thing was that I could do it, and not just do it, but do a fairly okay job of it. That’s huge. In terms of practical process, I’m still learning. I have a way of organizing and creating the story that works for me, even though it’s tough to explain and very inefficient, probably. 

One thing I did come to understand, there are two very, very different stages in writing long fiction: the first draft and the rewrites. The first draft is all about creativity, it’s just organically getting the ideas and words out onto the page. Its very free and explosive and artistic. There are very few rules associated with it, and it requires a certain mindset or part of yourself to do it. 

The rewrites, on the other hand, are where the actual writing begins. You don’t need to use much craft or technical skill in the first draft, you shouldn’t, because it slows you down and gets in the way. But the rewrites are where you actually get to be a “writer,” where your skill and technique come to play. I really enjoy the rewrite part. The creative first draft is hard for me. But both are absolutely vital to the creating of a good novel.

WOW: One piece of advice for a budding novelist?

Jim: I’m going to cheat and give two masquerading as one. Get tied into narrative artforms. Read, read, read. Watch movies and TV shows. Listen to narrative music forms. Go to plays. Try to pay attention not just to the stories, but how they are being told. Look for the patterns in both the “what” and also the “how.” Then do one for yourself… AND FINISH IT. Don’t worry about how good it is. Finish it.  Don’t give up. If you give up and stop before you finish you are training yourself to not complete something. If you finish something, even if it’s not any good, you are training yourself to complete something. 

A third one: keep a notebook with you at all times. Write down any little thought or idea, no matter how disconnected or odd or unimportant it is, even if it’s just a word you discover that you like (I wrote down the word “skein” in my notebook. I love the way that word sounds, how it feels to say, ad the metaphorical meanings in it).
 
 
"Don’t worry about how good it is. Finish it. Don’t give up. If you give up and stop before you finish you are training yourself to not complete something."


WOW: What are you working on now?

Jim: Long answer: I’ve got three things I’m toying with and a fourth idea. I love mysteries and always swore I’d try one, so I’m playing with a mystery novel. I read a lot of Raymond Chandler and other American noir detective fiction growing up, and I think my voice lends well to that form, so I’ve got a start, but I also discovered that the novel I was writing was not working the way I wanted it to, so I sat it aside and thought about it for a while, got some distance from it, and now I think I’ve got a better start for it. 

Then I’ve got two novel ideas that are the lit-fc I normally write, one is based on a short story I wrote several years ago that I think would work nicely in a longer form about a broken-down carnival-circuit professional wrestler who finds himself stuck with a cat named Spike after the young woman who owned Spike took off with the wrestler’s money. The other idea is a much more complicated story of interwoven plotlines but its essentially a pair of parallel love stories, romances, laid over themes of family trauma. I recently discovered that those last two ideas were trying to get at the same story, actually—notions of self and self-esteem and why and how we love—so I needed to pick one and set the other aside. I sat the wrestler aside for now and began concentrating on the other story.

My first drafts are almost comically over-done and packed with too many ideas and this one is no different. I’ve got two love stories, both with enormous problems (one is unrequited the other involves a character who is engaged to another person) an autistic character, a character with a terribly disfiguring congenital condition, a character having strange premonitions of the future, a long sad fairytale, a camel, Camille Longday is in this one, too (she is in all my novels. Don’t know why), a lawyer named Porkchop, a haunted grocery store, a character with a terribly dysfunctional relationship to his extended family, a dying grandmother, and department store mannequins. I’m hoping it is both sad and funny. We shall see. 

I’m researching historical barn building, American stonewall construction, scarecrows, the history of carnival sideshows, and a few other things. It’s a lot. We will see what actually makes it into the story.

WOW: Thanks for giving us a peek inside a writer's mind. I think we can all identify that "I've got all these ideas but have no idea if they'll all fit together" feeling.
 
American Still Life by Jim Naremore Blog Tour

-- Blog Tour Calendar

January 6th @ The Muffin
Join us as we celebrate the launch of Jim Naremore's literary fiction American Still Life. Read an interview with the author and enter to win a copy of his book.

January 7th @ C.C. King
Author Jim Naremore stops by with a guest post about how you transform an idea into a full blown story.

January 9th @ Some Thoughts - Everything Creativity
Jim Naremore, author of American Still Life, share his thoughts on the MFA: what do those three letters get you?

January 10th @ What Is That Book About
The spotlight's on American Still Life by Jim Naremore. Could this be your weekend read?

January 12th @ Knotty Needle
Judy reviews American Still Life by Jim Naremore.

January 13th @ Tracey Lampley
Author Jim Naremore wants to talk about sex...and the challenge of writing a good sex scene.

January 14th @ A Storybook World
Want a cup of tea and a good read on this winter day? Check out the spotlight on Jim Naremore's American Still Life.

January 14th @ Tracey Lampley
Author Jim Naremore is back with Part 2 of the challenge of writing a good sex scene.

January 15th @ Choices
Jim Naremore stops by with the ABCs of a good writers' group.

January 16th @ Words by Webb
Thoughts on the novel American Still Life.

January 18th @ Boots, Shoes and Fashion
Meet writer Jim Naremore in today's interview.

January 21st @ Word Magic
Before you “kill your darlings”, what does that misunderstood axiom really mean? Author Jim Naremore shares his thoughts on darlings and their demise!

January 23rd @ Lisa Haselton Book Reviews and Interviews
Lisa has some intriguing questions for Jim Naremore in today's author interview.

January 24th @ A Wonderful World of Words
What's the first thing Jim Naremore tells students in his Novel Class? Stop by and find out! 

January 29th @ The Faerie Review
Discover author Jim Naremore with a review of his latest: American Still Life.

January 31st @ Nikki's Book and Movie Reviews
Looking for a new book for next month? Check out Nikki's review of American Still Life

February 4th @ Writer Advice
Stop by for some tips from Jim Naremore on ways to find and maintain (and recover!) your “voice” in writing.

February 7th @ Boys' Mom Reads!
American Still Life is reviewed by Karen of Boys' Mom reads!

***** BOOK GIVEAWAY *****

Enter to win a print copy of American Still Life by Jim Naremore! Fill out the Rafflecopter form below for a chance to win. The giveaway ends January 19th at 11:59 pm CT. We will randomly draw a winner the next day via Rafflecopter and follow up via email. Good luck!

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