Do you like to be introduced to a book series before you dive in?
Here’s your chance to meet Joan Freed, the rebel life coach, and learn how she and Alexie Linn became a team. The 100% off price of $2.99 is my way of saying thank you for participating in the game of life with me.
It’s a short, fast read… a novelette – as opposed to the usual novella. And you can grab it here today for nothing; nada; zilch; no cost.
Here’s the details and the link to buy it now:
“Meet Joan Freed, a charismatic 60-something rebel life coach with a treasure trove of secrets, mysteries, and adventure tales. Join Alexie Linn on a captivating journey as she uncovers the essence of Joan’s irresistible allure, folksy wisdom, and remarkable charm. Get ready to be enchanted by the origins and ongoing adventures of the Joan Freed Rebel Life Coach Series, where connection and adoration await.”
“How do you know what to write about?” Is the prevailing question.
And the prevailing answer to that question is, “I don’t.”
I don’t know what will pique the curiosity of the multitudes. Myself is the only person I know that well. Therefore, I write about what rouses my own desire to snoop or participate.
Here’s how it goes… generally:
When I’m nearing the end of a story – say 2/3 or ¾ of the way through – the little voice in my head starts to niggle with this question. “What’s the next book about?”
As I get closer to the wrap-up, the niggle becomes a nag and then a panic if the seed of an idea hasn’t sprouted before I’m into the current work-in-progress epilogue.
I can’t speak for other authors. I can only share with you how the next book becomes a reality for me.
Here’s what happens:
I start with a question. A ‘What if’ question. In the case of ‘The Tangled Tails of Spaghettio’, the ‘What if’ question was, “What if Sally gets attacked by something every time she steps away from the house?”
Where does the ‘What if’ question come from?” I never know. It’s literally a surprise when I hear or read something and the lightbulb explodes.
Again, using ‘The Tangled Tails of Spaghettio’, it was a statement from my frustrated friend. She simply said to me, ‘I get pelted with ice crystals every time I step away from the house!’
TaDa! A cozy mysterious misadventure novella is a work in progress.
The antagonistic ice turned into a crazy cat because the multitudes like to read about cats. And how does a cat get crazy except by catching a smidge of a spell cast by a 194-year-old practicing witch?
Are you catching my drift?
In summary, to decide what to write about:
Put your ears on to the statements, chirps, and squawks around you.
Turn an emotion-filled statement into a ‘What if’ question.
Invite a passel of lively characters to the plotting party.
Write the story that you can’t wait to read or listen to.
Is your curiosity piqued about ‘The Tangled Tails of Spaghettio’?
Here it is – along with a link and a code to buy the eBook now for 99 cents.
Prepare for a thrilling ride as Sally finds herself in a tangled web of feline intrigue!
Outside the door of her quaint little igloo in the desert, she encounters the most unexpected visitor – an orange tabby cat like no other.
Meet Spaghettio, the mischievous cat with an agenda that keeps Sally on her toes. As the cat’s relentless pursuit chases her back into the safety of her home, Sally’s world transforms into a captivating mystery.
With a name as delightful as his appearance, Spaghettio becomes Sally’s reluctant captor, asserting dominance over her every move. But why? Where did this enigmatic feline come from, and why is it determined to keep Sally confined?
Amidst the chaos of Rodney’s hilarious mishaps with his bionic arm and wheelchair, Sally finds herself entangled in a web of bizarre circumstances. With both mankin and cat unleashing havoc, our courageous 87-year-old protagonist must rise to the challenge.
Can she uncover the truth behind this demented cat and unravel the insanity gripping her world? Will she be able to save Rodney from the clutches of his malfunctioning arm?
Hold on tight as you dive into this uproarious adventure filled with unexpected twists and turns. Join Sally as she untangles the mysterious cat’s origins and confronts the mysteries that lurk beyond her very own doorstep.
Prepare yourself for a rollercoaster of laughter, mystery, and heartwarming moments in this charming tale that will keep you eagerly turning the pages.
This is a Special Edition for a Special Edition of a Sally the Loner Series.
It’s special because it’s not a run-of-the-mill cozy mystery. It’s still cozy. Sally and Rodney are the main characters. But you are the antagonist on your own story not yet written.
What the heck does that mean?
It means that Book 13 of the series is the Procrastinator’s Perpetual Planning Calendar. You complete the story while you fill in the blanks and grab a chuckle – or two.
182 1/2 days of laughter, inspiration, and daily wisdom from Grandma and other wise souls.
Dive into Sally’s delightful anecdotes and practical to-do lists.
Kickstart your day with purpose and humor. Perfect for singles, shut-ins, homemakers, roommates, or anyone seeking a daily dose of motivation and a good laugh.
Let this book be your morning companion to spark action and joy in your life every day.
Yes, you can. The important stuff, anyway. You can tell it things like:
You have my attention!
You look intriguing…
What are you about?
I want to snuggle up with you in front of a cozy fire – or in front of a cooling AC as the case may be.
If you can’t tell a book those things by its cover, the cover has missed the mark.
The cover to your book is the full-page ad you’ve signed up for. Why not make it pay?
Here’s how:
Whether you’re farming the job out or doing it yourself, you will need to have a picture in your head to convey to the artist. Here’s what the artist needs to know:
Size
Colors
Subject Matter
Font
Size
Canva (my goto) digital book covers are 1410 pixels by 2250 pixels. This works perfect for 6” x 9” books.
Colors
Pick your colors by the genre and the attitude of your book. What emotion do you want to fire up? For example: pink and purple for cozy mysteries; black and red for horror stories; green, blue, and brown for dramas. Nothing is set in stone… but do you get the picture?
Click for details
Subject matter
The image should hint at what’s inside. Lightly. Here’s a typical size nonfiction cover that’s been clicked time and time again:
Click for details
But this cozy mystery cover misses the mark entirely and is on the make a new cover list asap:
Click for details
Here’s the cozy that’s had the most comments:
Click for details
And this is cozy mystery cover that breaks all the color rules but is a close second for grabbing attention:
Who can tell what will be the next cover magnet? Except that the subject of the cover should hint at what a reader can expect to be enthralled with on the inside.
Font
Choose your font for clear readability and emotion. Bloody drips hint at gore… but can the title and author be read?
The Perfect Cover
The perfect cover snags attention in a lineup of teeny tiny pictures. It reaches out and grabs a reader’s emotions to dig deeper.
Whether you choose a cover creator service or conjure it yourself with an AI cover image creator like Night Café Studio and Canva, you still have to tell them what you want produced.
Be ready to communicate the size, colors, subject matter, and font of the project.
The scuttlebutt that several news sources agree on is that 99 Cent Only stores are closing up shop. But you can still find dollar deals if you pay attention.
Here’s one cozy mystery popping up to give your giggle bone and page turner finger a workout today…
Meet Katlyn, Mazy, and Helen. Sally bumped into them at the annual senior’s Ice Cream Social. The three ladies were uncommonly interested in Sally’s chosen lifestyle… that of a loner. She’s her own boss in all things. Period. And proud of it.
Pleased with herself at being independent at 87-years-old, she still can’t believe how these ladies sucked her right into the fold. Then made her the one credible witness to their widowhood. But were they wrong in their actions? Were their manipulations a figure of Sally’s imagination?
This story gives new meaning to ‘Choose your friends wisely…’
Got Your Ears On? Here’s how to 1)Save Money! 2)Learn! 3)Be Entertained! All with your ears!
How often does your jet-speed commute turn into a ‘hurry-up-and-wait’ parking lot? Or an appointment flip-flop into cooling your jets in a waiting room? Then there’s the inevitable rehearsal that went overtime and yada, yada, yada.
What do you do to survive none the worse for wear?
Here’s a simple solution.
Read a book with your ears!
Schann Stewart, Alexie Linn, and Audible have partnered to bring you a brand-new audiobook that’s yours for the asking.
Have you met the players?
Schann Stewart is a voice magician. She sings. She plays all the parts in a story, including the horse and donkey. She entertains.
You’re already getting to know Alexie Linn, the author, quite well.
Sally, an energetic 87-year-old woman, faces this exact dilemma. Intrigued by the animals, she decides to investigate why they keep returning to her property. What she discovers shocks her to the core – their water trough is contaminated with a body. But whose body is it? And how did it end up in the water trough?
With no one else around but a goat, chickens and a pup, Sally wonders if the body could be their missing caregiver. As the mystery deepens, she must grapple with the fate of both the animals and the unknown person in the trough.
Join Sally on her thrilling and perplexing journey as she unravels the truth behind this mysterious misadventure.
Prepare to be captivated by the twists and turns in “The Secrets of the Tainted Trough”, a tale filled with suspense, intrigue, and unexpected revelations.
I had a Cozy Bargain Bin all set up to share with you. But, like the entire month of April, it has vanished. I can only hope it’s gathering more and more Cozy Bargains for you on its adventure.
So, while the search for that elusive bin continues, I have two works-in-progress to tell you about:
The Procrastinator’s Planning Calendar. It won’t overwhelm you with chores and includes a daily tidbit to ponder procrastination with. I am procrastinating on designing the cover and finishing it. Any cover ideas you’d like to share?
The Planet Ziggy Expedition: Will the Mystery of the Phoenix Lights be Solved? Gordy Gordon is a shapeshifting alien who lands on Sally’s igloo roof. He has a plan to get help finding the lost love of his life and retrain two of Sally’s marauders for a life outside of crime. Or does he have a different agenda?
While I scratch my head over these next two books of the Sally the Loner series, here’s some cozies and mysteries you might like to get lost in…
There’s a new way to buy Sally the Loner eBooks in town that could knock your socks off. It will save you, at the very least, a buck a book! It’s fast. It’s easy. And you’ll love it!
It’s spring, but it’s still cold on the floor. Put your socks back on and I’ll tell you how to save a buck a book, or more.
Alexie Linn has partnered with Lemon Squeezy. Lemon Squeezy is a super quick, mobile friendly, all-in-one checkout platform. It lists a multitude of benefits, but fraud-prevention, multi-currency, fast, and mobile friendly snagged my attention right off.
I tried it. Yep, I bought my own eBooks to check it out… and it works! Just like they say. It’s Super Quick and Mobile Friendly.
Today, all 13 of the Sally the Loner series are uploaded and ready for you to buy. You can download them in Epub, Mobi, or Pdf – right on the site! A receipt flies right to your email account. It’s awesome. And here’s how to turn the key to the savings library:
Go to alexielinnauthor.com. Click through to the book you want. Click the ‘Buy direct from the author’ link. Voila! Done!
And now onto the Spring into the Cozies…
More NEWS!
Book 12 is published and available for your reading pleasure.
Get ready to embark on a whimsical and mysterious journey with Sally, a woman who has always been pet-free, as she grapples with the unexpected appearance of a black and white billy goat in her dooryard.
This goat has no intention of leaving and becomes a constant and quirky presence in Sally’s life, pushing her beyond her comfort zone and into world of goat-related antics and misadventures.
Join Sally as she navigates the challenges of this unexpected visitor and discovers the surprising connections that can be formed when we open ourselves up to the unexpected. In this captivating twelfth installment of the series, prepare to be charmed by the humorous and heartwarming tale of Sally and the goat that defies all expectations.
It’s not the infamous writer’s block. Neither is it brain-burnout or a blank page staring back at me. It’s simply a control issue.
When the conversation doesn’t come bubbling out or the scene is flat and boring, I blame the characters. But the real problem is me. I’m trying to control the characters instead of letting them play it out while I tend to the mechanics of it all.
The mechanics that make the book a readable page-turner. Mechanics like:
Are their actions logical?
Is their information sharing accurate?
How’s their grammar? Is it concise and acceptable?
Is it clear who’s talking?
Are they rambling on and need to put a sock in it?
Here’s an example of me trying to control the characters. It happened to me just last week.
My current work-in-progress – ‘The Goat that Wasn’t – A Baa-d Mystery’ – was becoming dry-as-dust. Oh, there was lots of mystery. There has to be anytime a strange goat comes bombing into your house and takes over… But halfway through the story there still were no bad guys!
No antagonists jumped in to stir the pot and raise more havoc than a presumptuous goat. No bodies appeared. Sally hadn’t whomped anyone with her walking stick. Nobody was holding anybody hostage. It was a story of all good guys!
Huh?
I’d plucked the characters from my own well-cultivated garden and added a few weeds with beautiful flowers. Why aren’t they performing well and thriving? They seemed to be all greens and no fruit.
I feared book 12 in the Sally the Loner series with an attention-grabbing title and 2 covers to choose from were going to fizzle and die before ever leaping out of the computer and into the world of readers.
After three days of worrying it, I practiced my own preachings.
‘Get out of the way and let the characters write the story. It’s their tale to tell.’
I did. They did. And coming soon is ‘The Goat that Wasn’t – A Baa-d Mystery’. Watch for it. But first…
I need your help… Sally and the gang are keeping mum.
With two covers vying for first place, I’m boggled. Which one grabs your curiosity first? Please cast your vote for Cover 1 or Cover 2. Thank you, thank you.
Click the pic to vote for COVER 1
Click the pic to vote for COVER 2
On that note; Take this lesson to heart in your own writing endeavors to let the characters do the storytelling. You’re just there for the mechanics. And the covers. And the description. And the…
But while you’re waiting for the debut of ‘The Goat that Wasn’t – a Baa-d Mystery’, you might also like to get acquainted with these characters…
Deadly Cozy – Just for you and yours… Muahahahaha…
The first time Sally stepped away from the house only to be chased back into the house by a crazed orange tabby cat was memorable. Memorable because, to hear her tell it, Sally has no pets.
She called the cat Spaghettio owing to its resemblance to a plate full of the popular canned pasta rings covered in that orangey-red sauce. For levity she labeled the cat a guy trying to dominate her activities.
But where did he come from? Why is he so determined to keep her a prisoner in her own house?
Between her mankin, Rodney’s, calamitous misadventures with his new bionic arm and the wheelchair and the berserk visiting cat, Sally’s got her hands full. Can she solve the insane cat mystery and save Rodney from his new arm?
Alexie Linn, the Author, and Homespun Rebel 