Category Archives: Writing

Aug20

My Year of Writing: Starts with Back to School Blog Tour Planning

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Tiffany Turner starting her year of writing. Let's see what can become of it. ;-)

Tiffany Turner starting her year of writing. Let’s see what can become of it. 😉

Well, it’s been a while since I’ve posted. It’s mostly because I’m trying to get back into a routine after going through a summer of physical therapy. There has been good news. I’m out of the critical range. My heart has finally started to pump stronger. I’m not out of the woods yet. It still isn’t normal, and my doctor has me on a regiment of heart medicines and I’m doing regular physical cardiotherapy. Otherwords, taking care of myself is a job onto itself now.

I’ve also taken off the next year from teaching to work on my health and spend a year writing. I’m going to live the dream of being a full time writer and try to get my health back in order as much as possible. My first week of writing has been filled with participating in a live Writer’s Digest webinar on Middle Grade novels with an agent, writing romance and more of The Lost Secret of Time, and planning the 2015 Back to School Blog Tour.

Join in on the Back to School Blog Tour Sept. 7-11, 2015

Join in on the Back to School Blog Tour Sept. 7-11, 2015

It feels good living the writer’s life. It is a dream that I’m finally able to live, thankfully. I’m glad that God gave me this second chance, and I’m going to try to make the best of it. I want you to join along in this new adventure. Plus, join me in the Back to School Blog Tour Sept. 7-11. I’m still taking sign-ups for participating authors. Email me at: tiff (at) tiffmeister(.)net. I’d love to hear from you. I’ve got space up to 10 participating authors. Hope you can join me.

Most of all, here’s a salute to all those teachers out there starting the 2015-2016 School Year. I can’t be in the trenches with you, but at least, I can help support you all. I’ll be writing down a lot of my lessons I’ve developed over my 18 years of teaching, and will be posting them to TeachersPayTeachers.com. Plus, I’ve developed a unit to teach my novel THE LOST SECRET OF FAIRIES over the last two years in my classroom. I’ll be posting information on that when it becomes available. I know with Common Core it will be important to have curriculum to teach novel studies. I’ve done that in my classroom annually for 18 years. I’m happy to share my knowledge in future posts and with lesson plans on TeachersPayTeachers. Until then, take care, and have a great start to the school year.

HAPPY BACK TO SCHOOL!-Tiffany Turner (Mrs. Turner)

May26

Update: The Lost Secret of Time is Coming!

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Tiffany Turner in the hospital ICU Dec. 2014

Tiffany Turner in the hospital ICU Dec. 2014

Greetings Crystal Keeper Fans! I’ve been rejuvenating my efforts to get back into the swing of writing. As always, life has thrown some curves at me. And they were some pretty big curves. There were a lot of changes in education, namely the Common Core, that has made it difficult for me to keep up with all my writing and still give all my efforts in teaching. Transitions are really hard in education, and this has been the worst and most difficult that I’ve seen in my career.

Then, I got blindsided by illness in December 2014. I got pneumonia and ended up in the hospital. While there, I went into Code Blue and cardiac arrest. Basically, I almost died, and the doctors were trying everything to help me pull through. I also had the complication of septic shock and the discovery of a heart blood clot. So, it was discovered that I have cardiomyopathy, a heart failure condition where my heart isn’t pumping enough blood to the rest of my body.

My monitors in the hospital.

My monitors in the hospital.

This has made it difficult for me to do much else but get better. I’ve been on medical leave from teaching, and I’m taking a year of absence to get my health back. The bonus of all the health issues is that as I start to feel better, I can start writing again.

So, over the next year, I’ll be working on The LOST SECRET OF TIME and finishing the Crystal Keeper Chronicles. I’ve always intended on doing so. But sometimes life just throws you a curve ball, and you have to adapt, pick yourself up, brush yourself off, and keep going.

Resting in my hospital bed Dec. 2014.

Resting in my hospital bed Dec. 2014.

All the encouragement is always helpful and appreciated. I’ve got a start on THE LOST SECRET OF TIME, and signed up for Camp NANO in April to make progress on the book. Things are underway, and I’ll be sure to give you updates as I move through the process. As for now, I’ll be continuing with featuring more Indie Authors once a month, and will try to get back into doing Indie writing posts to help out other authors.

So, hug your parents, kids, and pets. Positive thoughts can do so much. You just never know what path will lay before you. And with writing, everyone is on a different writing journey. I’m glad to be sharing mine with you.

Take care!-Tiffany Turner (Mrs. Turner)

Update: April 20, 2019

Since I wrote this post, I have spent a few years getting back my strength, getting into a writing routine, and returning to teaching with limited hours. I’m currently working for a private education tutoring company and going back into schools teaching after school workshops in Science, Math and Reading. Life it is a bit different now, but I am proud to announce I finished and published the last book in the Crystal Keeper’s Chronicles, The Lost Secret of Time. I’ve also been speaking on different Self-Publishing panels at local cons, working diligently on my romance pen name, Marilyn Vix, and continue to keep healing as I feel I’ve been given this second chance.

It just shows that no matter what happens, don’t give up. You can’t just throw in the towel, but think hey, what can I do with what I have now? Focusing on my writing and the support of my family and friends have made it possible to keep going, and of course, keep writing. If I’ve learned anything from all this, it’s to not let what life throws at you stop you. Keep moving towards your goals, and you can do anything.

Apr1

Spring Break “The Lost Secret of Fairies” Giveaway on Amazon

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Print book giveaway for the first Crystal Keeper Chronicle book on Amazon April 1-7.

Print book giveaway for the first Crystal Keeper Chronicle book on Amazon April 1-7.

It’s time for Spring Break for many of us. And I thought it would be great to have something fun to celebrate vacation, a giveaway. Nothing better than reading over a break. Plus, Amazon is my co-sponsor. So, to get in on the fun, go to this link and enter. Up to five copies will be given away. There is a winner after a certain number of entries. Only I know the secret number. It will continue until all copies are given away or until April 7. I love giving away reading opportunities. Please share what you think of the book if you’re a winner. I always love reading reviews and keep all feedback in mind when writing.

Link to Win Your COPY of The Lost Secret of Fairies

AND THE OTHER GOOD NEWS:

I’ve started writing the next installment in the Crystal Keeper Chronicles series. It’s called: “The Lost Secret of Time”. I’ll be partnering with the fabulous writing motivational website, Camp NaNo. The “NaNo” stands for National Write A Novel Month which started out in November. It has been such a popular event, the non-profit company has started Camp NaNo to motivate writing at different times of the year. I’ll be participating in the April Camp. I’ve set a word goal of 10,000 words. The next camp is in July in which I can set a word goal to finish the book. Come join me and start your writing dream.

Link to Camp NANO: http://campnanowrimo.org/

Feb5

The Panic Over Common Core

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Topic: Common Core is your way into the American textbook black hole.

Topic: Common Core is your way into the American textbook black hole.

There is one main thing going on in education right now. It’s called Common Core Standards. As a writer, you need to know all about it. Why? There is nothing out there to teach it. There is a country full of panicked teachers desperately trying to find curriculum to teach. The only piloted programs out there are Engage NY and The State of Georgia. Second, this will be national. I repeat. This is national standards in the United States now. Every state needs material. Multiply this with an average 700 teachers in a district by how many districts in a state, and you may get my drift. Lots of teachers are needing something to teach students, and there is a curriculum black hole.

If you want to really see the nitty and gritty, here are the Common Core Standards in all of their glory. This is what teachers use to help direct their teaching. It is what students are expected to know and learn at each grade level. And this is going to be for the entire US starting the next school year in 2014-1015. If you really want to see what the fun is about, here is the company that will test it all: Smarter Balance. Try taking the practice/field test. It will give you an idea of what children will be expected to be able to do in the next year. Then, you may understand the panic.

That is where your novel comes in. Teachers need your help. Writers, rise to the cause, because I sure have. Not only am I teaching fourth graders, I’m writing a lot of the material myself. Again, there is nothing out there. What you need are the buzz words that teachers are looking for.

There is a lot of talk about Close Reading (really short passages of nonfiction reading). Then, there is Contextual Questions that are basically questions that the text has to be used to find the answer. Lastly, something known as thematic teaching is back. Throw in something called Project Based Learning, and that is what teachers are using to help teach the Common Core. How do you get your book to work for all of this? Magic word is: start with discussion questions.

Authors, this is where you come in. Start writing posts that can be used in Close Reading. It’s a great technology tie in, and it’s a short passage that kids can learn the author’s perspective. Write something that gives informational background about your book. Teachers can use your own experience to get students to discuss ideas in your book or experience. If you got an angle to your book, write about it. I’ve been writing blog posts about “How Do Writers Get Ideas?” and “Using Legends and Fairy Tales In Books”

Next, you can post the beginning of a novel study on your website. This would include items such as Spelling Test Words, Tests for Chapter Segments or the whole book, and Novel Study Activities. If you’ve got any nonfiction subjects or themes, write discussion questions regarding them. I’ve got pollution, rocks and minerals, and bullying as discussion topics for my first book, The Lost Secret of Fairies. I’m working on a unit, and teaching my book as a novel study right now. I’ll be sharing some items for teacher use on my website.

Plus, I’m going to support a push for ebook sales with my ebook editions. I’m going to put my first ebook on free promotion during Smashwords.com’s “Read An Ebook” week in March. Lots of teachers are looking for novel study group questions and technology material for Common Core. Ebooks are a great way to start. A limited free book promotion will be right for any teacher’s budget.

Supporting teachers in their time of need will only pay back in a big way. The rush might die down in a few years once curriculum is published. But the rumors are, there will not be textbooks. It will be short passages and novel based. So, get in on the ground floor now while you can. It’s an opportunity to have your novel or picture book become curriculum for some very grateful teachers.

**This post is part of the monthly
“Indie Life” posts linked on the Indelibles Blog.

The Lost Secret of Dragonfire is available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

The Lost Secret of Dragonfire is available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

***Tiffany Turner has released her third book, The Lost Secret of Dragonfire, in her Crystal Keeper series. She has been teaching in California for 17years. She currently is teaching fourth graders to love the writing process. She is also working on other writing projects in her No Limits Writing practices. She actively plays the Gaelic Harp at Renaissance festivals throughout Northern California.

Jan30

Using Legends and Fairy Tales in Books

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Over the years, I’ve done a lot of research on fairies and elves. I’ve learned so much that I wanted to share some of the facts that I’ve found. Some of the research I was able to include in my books. Other facts are just fun to know. Together, it sometimes is good to see where a story starts. After all, every legend needs to start with someone telling the story.

The Top Interesting Facts I’ve Learned About Elves and Fairies:

1) Elves came from the fairy legends and evolved mostly from the changing of court society about 1,000 years ago. The courtiers wanted to hear tales and legends, but they wanted stories to reflect the life of court. Bards started to embellish their songs and tales to reflect this change in society. Thus, elves were born out of necessity to create fairies that reflected the human’s lives that listened to the stories.

Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany. The Disney Castle design was based on this castle.

Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany. The Disney Castle design was based on this castle.

2) Dragons most likely came from people finding dinosaur bones. To explain what a Pterodactyl might have been, a dragon tale was born. Similar discoveries of early human tools had tales made up about them. Often they were considered tools of the Fey Folk that had come before. Tales told of the mysterious people leaving to different lands. Again, many times stories were used to explain what science explains today.

3) Traveling will gain you lots of information. I discovered the Menehune in Hawaii while on vacation. They are the little dwarf-like fairies that come from Hawaiian legend. They love to mend things, and some people will leave gifts to gain help from them. I bought a book on Hawaiian legends, and it was helpful when my main character Wanda, travels to Hawaii in The Lost Secret of Dragonfire.

Untersberg Sign at the top of the peak in the German Alps.

Untersberg Sign at the top of the peak in the German Alps.

4) I learned to take lots of pictures. You never know where an elf may live. The classic is the Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany, pictured at the top, in which the Disneyland Castle is based. I also take pictures of plaques of local legends. I discovered legends of dwarves that live within Untersberg, one of the peaks in the German Alps. My imagination soared with these legends as a stepping ground.

5) Leprechauns are one of the most famous fairies or fey in Irish myths. The legends tell of Leprechauns being solitary shoemakers. According to Sir Walter Scott’s book “Fairy and Folk Tales of the Irish Peasantry”, they are also confused or combined with two other fairies, The Cluricaun and the Red Man. The Cluricaun tends to hide in the cellar while the Red Man enjoys doing practical jokes. Sometimes they are considered the happy brothers of the Leprechaun.

The Leprechaun is one of the most famous type of fairies.

The Leprechaun is one of the most famous type of fairies.

The Leprechaun legend continues with tales of becoming rich if one can find the Leprechauns gold from selling his shoe wares. Later in legends, the rainbow became a marker for the hiding spot of the Leprechauns acquired treasure.

So, I’ve gathered and learned a lot about the Fey. Elves, fairies, and dwarves have proved to be a very interesting subject. Like most writers, I learn a lot about my subject, but can’t always include all of the details in my books. That’s why books are so exciting. I enjoy the research as much as writing the book.
References:

“Fairy and Folk Tales of the Irish Peasantry” by Walter Scott. Original published date 1888.

“Encyclopedia Mythologica: Fairies and Magical Creatures” by Matthew Reinhart and Robert Sabuda.

**This post can be used for teachers meeting Common Core Standards for Fourth Grade.

CCS ELA Reading Subject: Within range for literature focusing on myth, legends and fairy tales in a nonfiction format.

CCS ELA Writing 4.1: Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using
effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.

CCS ELA Writing 4.5 : 5. With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen
writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing.

CCS ELA Speaking and Listening Skills: 4.3 : 3. Identify the reasons and evidence a speaker or media source provides to
support particular points.

The Lost Secret of Dragonfire is available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

The Lost Secret of Dragonfire is available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

***Tiffany Turner has released her third book, The Lost Secret of Dragonfire, in her Crystal Keeper series. She continues to teach fourth graders in California while writing fantasy adventure middle grade novels. This is her 17th year of teaching. She is working on other writing projects in her No Limits Writing practices. She actively plays the Gaelic Harp at Renaissance festivals throughout Northern California.

**Follow to connect with more Common Core related blog posts over the next few months. Available for use in the classroom courtesy of Tiffany Turner.

Jan28

How Do Writers Get Their Ideas?

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How do writers get their ideas? This is a huge, diverse question . To start, you have to often ask writers. Most often, they come to me in a blinding flash; with a flurry sometimes I hardly have time to write them down. One time I was carrying the groceries, and dropped them in the doorway as I ran, grabbing a piece of paper to write down my ideas. Another time I woke up from a dream; finishing it as I was waking up. I didn’t want it to stop. I got up, grabbed my laptop, and by the time my first cup of coffee for the morning was done, I’d written the first scene of a new story.

The orchard behind Tiffany Turner’s house growing up in the Santa Clara Valley.

The best way to get ideas is from your own experience. With my first book, The Lost Secret of Fairies, I drew my ideas from experiences as a kid. The big inspiration for the book was playing in the orchard behind my house growing up. Often, we put a ladder against the fence, climbed over, and ran about through the outer edge of the four acre orchard. At the time, it was known as the Santa Clara Valley. Orchards criss-crossed over the entire area that now have some of the top computer and Internet companies.

As a kid, there was nothing better than climbing up a tree and eating cherries just as they were ripening. We’d come up with exploring adventures that would take us through the orchard, into the creek, and travel beyond the freeway to see what lay beyond. Often, it was the next neighborhood or over-crossing for the freeway. But it was exploring beyond your own backyard, the best kind of kid adventure.

The "Boo" in his favorite sleeping position. He was the inspiration for the cat sorcerer, Brewford.

The “Boo” in his favorite sleeping position. He was the inspiration for the cat sorcerer, Brewford.

The other partner in my adventures was my cat. Often, I would sit in the orchard, and he would wander out to find me. I’d make a reading nest by mashing down the mustard plants, hiding among yellow flowers. One day, Booford, came out to see me. His tail bounced high above the tops of the mustard flowers as I heard his meows. I would yell back, shouting, “Boo, I’m over here.” Using my voice as radar, he entered my reading bowery covered in mustard petals meowing so loud as if to say, “Why didn’t you make that much easier? You know I’m not that tall.”

My family say I captured his attitude and personality in the Crystal Keeper series. Booford is my real cat that inspired Brewford, the cat sorcerer. I simply just asked myself the question, “What if Booford could talk?” So, from then on, he did, in my books. My family say I captured his personality. His half eyed stares had the wisdom of Garfield. He was an incredible cat, and he still lives today in my books.

When you put it all together, writers are inspired by the world around them. Whether you use your own experiences, dreams, or it comes to you in a flash, ideas come from everywhere. There is a saying, “Be careful, you might end up in my next novel.” This is not only true, but the more you write, the more the real world around you ends up in your books. If you know a writer, you might be the inspiration and don’t know it. If you are a writer, you already have an idea of what I’m talking about. So get out there, and experience life and the world. It’s the best way to write.

**This is the first of a series of blog posts that help support a novel study unit for The Lost Secret of Fairies, the first book in the Crystal Keeper Series.
Common Core Standards-4th Grade
Reading Level: 4.6 AR Level

ELA CCS Speaking/Listening 4.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 4 topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly. (Discussion Question: How Do Authors Get Their Ideas?)

ELA CCS Reading/Literature 4.7 Make connections between the text of a story or drama and a visual or oral presentation of the text, identifying where each version reflects specific descriptions and directions in the text.

ELA CCS Writing 3.b: Use dialogue and description to develop experiences and events or show the responses of characters to situations.

The Lost Secret of Dragonfire is available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

The Lost Secret of Dragonfire is available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

***Tiffany Turner has released her third book, The Lost Secret of Dragonfire, in her Crystal Keeper series. She continues to teach fourth graders in California while writing fantasy adventure middle grade novels. This is her 17th year of teaching. She is working on other writing projects in her No Limits Writing practices. She actively plays the Gaelic Harp at Renaissance festivals throughout Northern California.

**Follow to connect with more Common Core related blog posts over the next few months. Available for use in the classroom courtesy of Tiffany Turner.

Jan15

2104: A Brave New World Dawning For Self-Publishing

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A brave new world is appearing in 2014 for self-published authors.

A brave new world is appearing in 2014 for self-published authors.

I’ve always liked being a rebel. I’m a bit of a control freak. Being a teacher suits me as well as self-publishing, because I’m in control. I’ve been self-publishing since 2007 with my release of “The Lost Secret of Fairies”. I’ve sat at the back table of writing conferences working on craft, and networking ideas with other authors. Most of the time, I hear lectures of the old traditional process of the publishing industry. The old school of making a book is preached again and again.

The thing that kept me going is the fact I don’t give up, and a fabulous community of self-published authors on at the Writer’s Cafe message board at Kboards.com. I run to my self-publishing brethren that punches each others arms, post writing threads to beat out 1K a day, and marketing tips and algorithm discussions about the Big A (Amazon).

But something is happening this year. The winds of change are starting to surface. I think the world of publishing is starting to take notice of the little bohemian group of writers that are making self-publishing work.

Thankfully, I’ve been taking notes, and trying out some of the ideas. Back when the free book backdoor idea surfaced, I gave it a try. I had over 9,000 downloads in a month. From 10 downloads a month, this was a big difference. So, some things have worked. This last year, I tried marketing locally to bookstores and started writing in a new genre. Write more, write more, start a new pen name and build the love of your readers. OK, pushed the button on that. Now what?

I would suggest starting with a book called Write. Publish. Repeat by Sean Platt and John B. Truant. The ideas I recognize from discussions on Kboards.com and at the back tables of conferences. It was developed from Sean’s and John’s Podcast show on self-publishing. The information is amazingly fresh and forward. Ideas like keep writing, funnel your readers, and be in it for the long term give me hope. I made a right choice over 5 years ago. The more I write, the more I’ll make over the long term.

But wait, there’s more. Today, the overlord and general hero of the community bohemia of The Writer’s Cafe on Kboards.com published a blog post about what he’d do if he was the CEO of HarperCollins. His name is Hugh Howey. Hugh has impressed me before. I’ve written about him in other blog posts on self-publishing, because he champions self-publishing. There’s been a year of screaming from the mount that this way of publishing works. But this time, it’s coming from someone that has proven it.

Hugh wrote Wool as a serial that took off. Of course, it is a good book. Add a traditional publishing deal, movie in the making with an European book tour and you get an idea of what I’m talking about. He’s making self-publishing work for him, and this is just in the last year.

Thankfully, he’s still coming back and visiting on the board. He’s a bit of a celebrity regular now, but he is still modest. No really. Plus, a couple of things have stuck with me for what’s he’s mentioned in posts on the board. The fabulous thing is that he’s still giving advice and even started a project in which a lot of regulars on the board are creating an anthology for charity. But the good ideas haven’t stopped there.

Hugh created a list of ideas that might shake the foundations of publishing. If you’d like to see his original post, here is the link to: Don’t Anyone Put Me In Charge. I’ve listed some of the highlights that I think are going to blow the traditional publishing community out of the water.

He starts with several suggestions to help give a foundation of artist community to authors. “1. The first thing I would do would be the most important, and that would be to form a community among my stable of HarperCollins authors.” So true. I agree, I have watched the magic of creativity form on the Writer’s Cafe board for several years now. I’ve been affected and benefited by the artistic community it creates. Plus, show monthly sales and pay royalties monthly is suggested. Most self-publishers love this freedom. I know how many books I sell and take home 35% or 70% depending on the price point of my book through Amazon. Not to mention being addicted to checking sales daily. There is nothing like seeing your book selling in Japan.

“Like the editors. We’re going to save the editors (and hire more) and get rid of the sales reps.” Really, I agree with Hugh here. Get rid of the huge overhead so publishing houses can keep up with the speed of change that the 21st century can allow for innovative ideas. The brave new world of self-publishing will create a bigger bookstore on-line not to distributors for books. Yes, in 10 years, books will mostly be in the hands of the older generation. I see the eagerness of young people ready for ebooks. It will happen.

Hugh suggests moving the publishing house to Houston out of New York. “Business will be conducted much as it already is: by email.” Really, who wants to live in New York right now? Florida? California? No snow? Houston? Lower costs will help everyone.

These are just a few ideas I gleaned in the dawn of this new age of publishing. I am excited to be on the ground floor to witness the innovation at hand. Hopefully, with effort, hard work, and a little luck, I might be able to eventually retire. But until then, I’m ok with waiting 10 years and writing those good books to earn royalities after decades of service teaching children. After all, the biggest thing I’ve learned as a self-published author is to be patient and keep writing. There is hope in the distance, and it’s called the digital age with self-publishing the key to a writer’s success.

Jan8

Listening To The Inner Muse

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Give your muse time to speak.

Give your muse time to speak.

There is a fact that happens after each New Year’s Eve. The questions start. What will I expect from the New Year? Will I write the best seller? Why isn’t my books selling better? Can I write a new genre? Will I get a good review?

Well, sometimes, you don’t know. You’ve got to step away, and just let it happen. But you just can’t write that good book. Your inner muse has to synthesize it for you. The only way that can happen is time. Give it all time. Walk away, and do something else, and the inner muse will speak.

I’ve been kicking the idea around for a NA Romance. I had several ideas in mind, and they weren’t connecting. I worked on another project for awhile, trusting the inner muse would connect the dots somehow.

Then one morning, I woke from a terrifying dream involving one of my past friends from those good ole’ college days. I woke with the thought, “She didn’t die that way.” Struggling with the horrors I’d been dreaming, I thought, “But what if she did?”

The rest of the day, I went to the mall, mailed a review copy of my book, and tried to get to Office Depot for some ink cartridges. Literally, the images kept replaying through my mind. As I’m walking from one store to another, the dots connected. My real life experiences were drawn up into some powerful ideas until it all spit out as a plot, all while walking from Target to my car. Literally, I had to concentrate to drive, but I didn’t want the muse to stop.

I finished the last errand, headed the car home, and drove directly to my laptop. Getting much written as I could, I started that NA Romance novel. The dots are connecting, and I can see it better. Somehow I trusted the inner muse to start it for me when she was ready. Trust is the biggest first step. It will happen when it’s ready.

Of course, this sucks when you got deadlines. But this is why I have different projects. Switching from one to another seems to unleash some subconscious explosion that will solve the problem when you least expect it. Sometimes that stop to take a moment, or do errands, can make all the difference.

Topic: Listen To Your Inner Muse

Topic: Listen To Your Inner Muse

**This post is part of the monthly
“Indie Life” posts linked on the Indelibles Blog.

The Lost Secret of Dragonfire is available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

The Lost Secret of Dragonfire is available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

***Tiffany Turner has released her third book, The Lost Secret of Dragonfire, in her Crystal Keeper series. She continues to teach fourth graders in California while writing fantasy adventure middle grade novels. She is working on other writing projects in her No Limits Writing practices. She actively plays the Gaelic Harp at Renaissance festivals throughout Northern California.

Dec11

A Look At 2013: Embracing “Why Not?”

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Topic: Ask Yourself "Why Not?"

Topic: Ask Yourself “Why Not?”

Why not? I found myself thinking and saying this to a lot of choices, ideas, and areas of life in 2013. It’s been the drive for my writing this year, and has propelled me into areas I didn’t think possible. So, I’ll start here. The place I didn’t think I would be. Three children’s books published as an Indie Self Published writer. Other romance book projects underway. And several book signings, one book award, and one book blog tour organized. It’s been a hell of a year.
Tiffany Turner at the 2013 Almaden Lake Art and Wine Festival

Tiffany Turner at the 2013 Almaden Lake Art and Wine Festival

I started the journey into 2013 reflecting on my visit to Hobbiton. Little did I know it would take me to “No Limit” writing and tips on how to promote your self published book. I received an honorary mention in the Children’s Category at the 2013 San Francisco Book Festival for The Lost Secret of Dragonfire, my third book released in the Crystal Keeper Chronicles. I managed to get a book signing at a local book store, Art and Wine festival, and reading night for a local school. I’ve definitely taken the local approach in promotion.

Tiffany Turner(middle center) excepting the Honorable Mention Award for Children's Books at the San Francisco Book Festival 2013 for The Lost Secret of Dragonfire.

Tiffany Turner(middle center) excepting the Honorable Mention Award for Children’s Books at the San Francisco Book Festival 2013 for The Lost Secret of Dragonfire.

Plus, I’ve been working on some other genre projects such in NA Romance and a Time Travel Romance novel which my editor answered, “You go girl.” Why was it possible. Because everytime I started to doubt myself I answered, “Why not?”. Really. It works. Whenever you start to hear that little voice of distain or doubt, answer yourself, “Why not?”. I guarantee there will be some pull to resist. But keep saying it, why not? Why shouldn’t you write romance? Why shouldn’t you do an Art and Wine festival? Why shouldn’t you write novelettes?

“I can” doesn’t work for the every present pessimist inside me. “Why not?” turns all my doubts to jelly. I don’t know if it’s a Gen X thing, but something is always trying to find a reason to disable my motivation. I’m constantly finding holes in my balloon of life. The glass is always half filled.

“Why not?” opens the paths inside to the new freedom of “I can”. It changes the negative pathways with a shift to “What is stopping you?”. In the end, you are the biggest block. Don’t wait. Give it a try now. If you’ve wanted to write that novel before you retire, start now. You might have a few under your belt and maybe you can retire early. It’s a great way to end the year. Or start a new one. You won’t be disappointed if you have no disappointment to draw from.

To all of my readers and fans, a very Happy Holiday season and best wishes in 2014! Have a great New Year!

**This post is part of the monthly
“Indie Life” posts linked on the Indelibles Blog.

The Lost Secret of Dragonfire is available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

The Lost Secret of Dragonfire is available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

***Tiffany Turner has released her third book, The Lost Secret of Dragonfire, in her Crystal Keeper series. She continues to teach fourth graders in California while writing fantasy adventure middle grade novels. She is working on other writing projects in her No Limits Writing practices. She actively plays the Gaelic Harp at Renaissance festivals throughout Northern California.

Sep11

How To Run A Blog Tour: My Lessons

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Topic: Running Your Own Blog Tour

Topic: Running Your Own Blog Tour

So, welcome all that participated or dropped by to visit my first blog tour hosted by the Indie Children’s Authors Connection. This post will be a little behind the scenes, as I share all the lessons learned and huge amount of friends that were made.

First, why should you run a blog tour? Well, it is a way to connect a whole lot of bloggers that are networking to share a certain content during a set block of time. I would recommend to try to join as a participant before you host a blog tour. It is a great way to learn the ropes.

Second, link up with a blog tour that fits with what you want to promote. I spent a good portion of the summer wanting to promote my fantasy adventure books for children. I joined a blog tour that sponsored fantasy as the theme. There were a range of different books, and it was a good way to get started. Add the fact my blog got featured for a day on Kboards.com, and it all conjoined into a lot of promotion for my books. Plus, I even sold a few books that week.

Third, I took what I learned, specializing in your genre and trying to bring that audience to your blog. I looked around for a Back to School related tour. I didn’t find one. So, I figured, if you build a blog tour, they will come and discover Indie Children’s Authors.

Realizing that I had an opportunity to support the mission of my blog, getting the word out about Indie Children’s Authors, I asked on my writing board, Kboards.com, if anyone would be interested. I got a HUGE response. You can read the almost 2 months of planning that went on with this thread here.

Back to School Blog Tour 2013 Sept. 2-6

Back to School Blog Tour 2013
Sept. 2-6

So, I whipped up a blog tour logo from some free clipart, and started organizing. I made up a list, sent out questions to authors, and gave deadlines. I made up a landing page through the page option on WordPress. I had some people come and go due to schedules, but we ended up with a fabulous list of participating authors. Here is the final list of authors:
1) Victoria Jeffrey
Blog Link: http://www.epistlepublishing.com
Featured Books: The Green Door, The Pumpkin Princess and The Winter Wolves

2)H.Y. Hanna
Blog Link: http://www.bighoneydogmysteries.com/
Featured EBook: Big Honey Dog Mysteries: Curse of the Scarab

3) Sibel Hodge:
Website: http://www.sibelhodge.com/
Featured Book: It’s A Catastrophe

4) Vivienne Mathews
Blog: http://viviennemathews.blogspot.com/
Featured Book: The Sons of Masguard and the Mosque Hill Fortune, Part Two (Volume Two)

4) W.N.Rae
Book: The Night Clock
Website: http://otherrealmspost.tumblr.com/

5) Becca Price
Website: http://www.wyrmtalespress.com/
Featured Book: Dragon and Dreams Bedtime Stories

6) Scott Pixello
Facebook Page link: https://www.facebook.com/scott.pixello
Featured Book: Rainbow

I’d like to thank everyone for making the first Back to School Blog Tour a success.

So, what did I learn? I think I’m going to go for invitation to participate next time, limit to five authors for manageability, and cut the book giveaway bundle. We ended up not have any entries, but leave the authors to do their own giveaways if they wish.

I’m staying with the featured author interviews, and will work as that being the host site feature. I did have study questions and Back to School memories as a popular blog topic for participants.

So, I learned a lot, and I’m glad to share the wealth. If you are interested in hosting your own blog tour; keep it simple. Simple is good and easier to manage. Add onto it as you do another blog tour in the future. To conclude, enjoy yourself. I was happy to host a place for new Indie authors to be discovered. I’m hoping I’ve created a niche, and now, hopefully, an annual event.

**This post is part of the monthly
“Indie Life” posts linked on the Indelibles Blog.

The Lost Secret of Dragonfire is available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

The Lost Secret of Dragonfire is available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

***Tiffany Turner has just released her third book, The Lost Secret of Dragonfire, in her Crystal Keeper series. She continues to teach fourth graders in California while writing fantasy adventure middle grade novels. She is working on other writing projects in her No Limits Writing practices. She actively plays the Gaelic Harp at Renaissance festivals throughout Northern California.