Alexie Linn

Posted on March 7, 2024March 6, 2024 by Alexie Linn

4 Literary Launchpads: 3-2-1… Fire!

Literary Launchpads: 3-2-1… Fire!

You’ve come so very far. You’ve chosen indie as your publication platform rather than traditional printing houses. Your manuscript is cooling for its final edits before the launch. But how and where will you launch from?

FYI: The bedroom closet is not a launchpad. Neither is the desk drawer or your granddad’s old, beat-up briefcase.

There are, once again, so many cyberspace options to display and sell your baby on that it boggles the mind. Slog through them if you like, but here are the four venues I use and why:

Launch from Amazon (of course!) – For worldwide distribution of eBooks, print, and audiobooks through Amazon. I write, upload a print-ready package, and promote. Once I push ‘publish’, they do all the printing, shipping, and bookkeeping. I get royalties and a 1099 tax statement at the end of the year.
Launch from Draft to Digital – The one-stop warehouse of eBooks, Print, and Audiobooks for Barnes and Noble, Libraries, and your other favorite retailer like Walmart. They do the distributing and bookkeeping. I get royalties and a 1099 tax statement at year end.
Launch from Google Play – Another worldwide distributor of eBooks. It’s a learning curve that I’m just getting into. Stay tuned on this one.
Launch from Lemon Squeezy – The ‘Buy Direct from the Author’ payment processing platform for eBooks… through my website. They also offer a storefront… so, more uploading of covers and ready-to-read files to make it work. But for $2.50 whoosh into my pocket for a $3 book instead of $1.40 or 38 cents, I’ll do it!

Phew! I’m pooped just sharing all these publishing venues and platforms with you. But I’ll take a breath and grab some coffee to inspire the spilling of pertinent details for each platform.

Please email me here if I’m pouring too fast. It happens.

Here is the computer literate fast-track instructions for lift-off from these platforms:

Publish on Amazon

Set-up a kdp bookshelf account.
Click on the ‘Create’ button and start at the top…
To publish an eBook, you will need:
1. A fully edited, read to enthrall a reader, manuscript including:
  1. Title page
  1. Copyright page
  1. Dedication
  1. Table of Contents
  1. The story
  1. The end matter:
    1. About the author
    1. Where to find more of your books
    1. Review Call-to-Action
1. The description
1. A cover (I use Canva, but there are gazillions more)
1. Shelf categories – fiction, mystery, drama, etc.
1. Search terms for search engines and algorithms
1. Faith and courage
To publish a print book, you will need all the above with these exceptions:
1. A fully edited, ready to enthrall a reader, manuscript as above in a ready-to-print format. For a 6”x 9” book, reset the margins to 5 ½” x 8 ½” output. Scroll through to delete blank pages. Margin changes can bring surprises – like blank pages…
1. Back cover blurb
1. Patience

Amazon makes it easy to add your print book at the same time. Besides being worldwide, kdp makes large print books possible. Watch for an upcoming blogpost for print book formatting hints and tips.

Publishing your works in audiobook form is the subject for a separate blogpost to keep this post a digestible size.

Publishing on Draft to Digital (D2D or Books2Read)

Follow the same procedure beginning with create an account.

You will need the same uploading packet as with Amazon. But D2D book upload forms seem faster and simpler to me.

It’s also fast and easy to add a print book after the eBook details, however, large print is not offered.

Publish on Google Play

The same procedure and packet. But so far, Google Play is keeping me at arm’s length. It’s an ongoing learning curve. I’ll share when I figure it out.

Publish and Sell Direct from Your Website and Story Origin with Lemon Squeezy

Lemon Squeezy is a new (to me) way for me to sell my eBooks directly to you. No middleman. The opportunity makes it possible for elbow-rubbing discounts that you can’t get anywhere else.

When I get the hang of it, you’ll see discount codes appearing here and there… hither and yon, so to speak. They might be through a promotional banner from Story Origin that I’ve added to a blog… or a single link in a blog… or even right on a book page of my website. The deal could be blatant or more of a treasure hunt. Only time will tell. It’s the learning curves…

But you can get right to it with Lemon Squeezy for your own website by:

Create an account
Set-up your account for getting paid, etc. (They pay the sales tax, and more)
Upload your eBooks (Cover, Complete Content packet as above) into your own storefront on their site (required)
Share the link for each book to get the code for checkout from your website and ads you place.

What I really, really like about Lemon Squeezy rather than sites like Shopify (can I say that?) is the pricing structure. You pay a minimal fee for each sale. That’s it. No monthly subscription charges hitting my account.

I like it.

And that’s all I have to say about launching books for success. For today.

Book launch day is an event. I start with Amazon; then D2D; Google Play can wait; ending with alexielinnauthor.com and Lemon Squeezy. Story Origin for reviews and promotion is another event on its own.

Except this one more thing…

Here’s a freebie to introduce you to the Joan Freed Life-Changing Mystery/Adventure Series. Click on the cover for the download button to grab it while you can.

Cheers!

P.S. Results of the call for votes on the last blog post was a landslide ‘Mix it up!’ Thanks for participating. You got it!

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Join me and the characters on:

Posted on February 22, 2024 by Alexie Linn

It’s a Cozy Mashup

Family friendly… For young and old… Something for everybody… Including a single question poll. I need your input.

What would you do if you were visiting a cemetery and found a grave marker with your missing father’s name on it… from about a hundred years ago?

Mary Linn and Valinda are off and running again in their pursuit of helping others gain closure for their loved ones. But this time, the closure is for both Mary Linn and Valinda when the marker is discovered but the remains have been stolen. And the two girls witness it from their tent!

Because Valinda goes missing, the questions multiply and the tension heats up.

How will Mary Linn, Lonnie, and Valinda make it through the fire alive this time? Will Mary Linn find her father and get the answers she’s been seeking forever? Will Mary Linn and Lonnie finally succumb to…?

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But that’s not all…

And here’s the single question poll:

Until next time…

Cheers!

Join us on:

Posted on February 22, 2024February 15, 2024 by Alexie Linn

It’s a Cozy Mashup

Family friendly… For young and old… Something for everybody… Including a single question poll. I need your input.

What would you do if you were visiting a cemetery and found a grave marker with your missing father’s name on it… from about a hundred years ago?

Because Valinda goes missing, the questions multiply and the tension heats up.

You might also like…

But that’s not all…

And here’s the single question poll:

Until next time…

Cheers!

Join us on:

Posted on February 8, 2024January 27, 2024 by Alexie Linn

Giveaway and Review and More…

February 8, 2024

It’s a Giveaway and Review and More Extravaganza!

Imagine waking up from a nap to see a donkey and a horse peering through the screen door, both desperately thirsty. Would you give them a drink? And then what?

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.

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But wait! There’s more…

Follow and Review Alexie Linn on:

Posted on January 26, 2024January 15, 2024 by Alexie Linn

Attention Readers! Try Reviewing and Get Complimentary Books from Authors!

What if the author of the book you just read and yourself met at a crossroads. You have 1-minute to say what you think of the story you just read.

What would you say to the author about the story?

Would you say:

5-Stars! A great story that flowed like a babbling brook dotted with rapids! Rich, lively characters. You pulled me right into the middle of every turn and twist in the stream. I recommend it for a fun and interesting journey to escape into.

Or (heaven forbid) would you say:

1-Star. The misspells threw barricades at every turn. The plot was muddled. The characters snoozed more than they moved. I recommend it for a writing class editing and proofreading project.

So, what reader doesn’t have an important opinion of the story they just read? And isn’t the review the crossroads where the reader and the writer come together?

This post is two-fold. Two-fold because what author isn’t also a reader?

But for clarification, I’ll separate the reader and writer specific sections.

As a reader you will learn:

How important your opinion is
What a book review is and how to write it quick and easy
A place to download gratis copies of books to read and review

As an author you will learn:

How important reviews are
How to get your books reviewed
A place to sign-up to get your book reviews posted on major sites like Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Bookbub and Goodreads.

Let’s get started.

But first, You as a Reader

Your opinion

Your opinion of a book is a powerful tool for both readers and authors. Prospective readers want to know your thoughts before they buy it for themselves or as a gift for another.

They want to know if the characters are lively and memorable; if the story flows; and if you enjoyed the journey.

How many stars do you give it? Would you recommend the book?

Future readers and the writers both learn from your evaluation.

And here’s the great news! Your evaluation does not have to be as monstrous as a book manuscript. Simply say with a few well-chosen words what you liked (or didn’t like) about the book.

Think succinct empathy.

What a book review is and how to write it fast and easy

According to Bing, a book review is a critical evaluation of a literary work that provides a reader’s perspective on its strengths and weaknesses. It goes beyond summarizing the plot, diving into aspects like character development, writing style, and thematic elements ¹

In my opinion… the above definition means:

If the characters are lively and memorable; if the story flows; and if you enjoyed the journey.

How many stars do you give it? Would you recommend the book?

You could add if you recommend it to a specific group of readers.

Search engines scrape up about 168 million ways to write a book review. All the same, but completely different. It’s all relative.

I, as a prospective reader and an author, want to know if the characters are lively and memorable; if the story flows; and if you enjoyed the journey.

And even more important, how many stars do you give it? Would you recommend the book?

If you approach writing a review by simply addressing the above concerns, I believe you’ve earned the giveaway aspect of the agreement. At least for me and my offerings. And I thank you for your input.

Where to sign-up to snag gratis Review Copies of books

Of the 21 million listings on Bing, I chose one to get you started. It’s the one I use for my own works after sifting through about 20 million of the listings.

My goto affiliate is Story Origin. The platform is easy to navigate. You can choose categories and tags to narrow down, peruse and select from. The instant download to your e-reader device is fast and easy. I like it.

As a matter of fact, I recently uploaded a free novelette that is a prequel to the Sally the Loner Series. Here’s where you can instantly download ‘Come for Coffee with Sally’ and get the skinny on how the series came to be.

If you like old people who speak their mind and cozy mysterious misadventures, you’ll get a kick out of Sally’s (87-years-old) antics.

Or, if you prefer a different genre, Check out Story Origin here.

From this Writer’s Perspective

What a review does

Reviews make all the difference in a book’s success. No reviews screams failure to get noticed. Talk about feeling invisible…

But how to make it quick and easy to, at least, get stars clicked is an overwhelming ongoing challenge.

This writer gets lots of 5-star feedback. People relate to and enjoy my writings. Especially the characters that insist on writing the stories without me to referee. But the reviews are verbal or by email. Verbal reviews provide the oomph to keep me turning out fun, interesting, and provocative reading materials. Thank you. Thank you. Read these reviews on my alexielinnauthor.com website.

But verbal reviews do not guide worldwide prospective readers at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Bookbub, Goodreads, etc.

It’s the reviews that direct this writer to keep going or to sharpen weak prose and characters… to make the read more fun, flowing and attention grabbing. And I’m willing to give away my book to get a reviewer’s honest, well addressed opinion. And to have it posted where interested readers can see it. It’s that simple.

How to find reviewers

As a reader, I’m as bad at going back to the distributor to leave a review as the next guy. After I’ve paid for a book, I read it, form my opinion, and move on. I don’t ignore the request for a review… I just don’t seem to get it done. How to get over this hump of procrastination?

Go to where the people who review books in exchange for a gratis copy are. That’s what they’ve signed up for. Downloading an eBook, reading it, and posting a review to specific sites.

A place to find reviewers

One place to post your books for reviewers to find and review is Story Origin. It works. Not always overnight, but it works. You’ll see action on your book faster than molasses running uphill in January and you’ll get reviews. Here’s the guide to how it works.

The site is easy to navigate and relatively easy to follow-thru with posting and getting your works out into the world. Evan, the site operator, has both written and videoed tutorials to help you get the job done. And he responds fast to help emails. Thank you, Evan. Click here for a no-nonsense guide to email marketing.

Crowd promotion is what I see, affiliate with, and now participate in. I’m forced out of my recluse writing frame of mind to spend time and energy spreading the word on my own works as well as other’s.

Go here. Sign-up to open the flood gates. And start seeing activity on your books. It’s time and money well spent.

The Bottom Line

In summary, reviewing books is an honorable side hustle that benefits both readers and authors. Be entertained while you crack your whip with love and empathy.

Happy Trails and Tales

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Posted on January 19, 2024January 15, 2024 by Alexie Linn

8 Things Posting a Book Review Says About You… And Does for You

This is so important that I’ll say it again….8 Things Posting a Book Review Says About You… And Does for You

When you were in school, did you have a clue that you were prepping to shape the world? “What world is that?” you ask. “It’s just a boring old required book report.” I know. I lived it, too.

But with every book you read, (fiction or nonfiction) you gain knowledge; learn new ways of thinking or doing things; and have a hand in shaping our future.

In adult life, the book report becomes a book review. And it’s written and posted on books that you choose to read. Posting a book review says more about you than can be written in a paragraph. And does more for you than you can imagine.

Here’s what I’ve discovered and am sharing with you.

8 things posting a book review says about you

You care about readers. Whether it be your mother, your neighbor or your child, you want them to know if a story is quality or needs work. Thank you. You are a gem.
You care about authors. We aim to give you, the reader, a fun, provocative, and interesting experience. Only you can tell us if we’re succeeding. And reviews are the simplest, most direct method of helping us to get it right. Your efforts shape and influence our next offering to you.
You want to be heard. Book reviews are one platform that I guarantee you are being heard by the multitudes.
You’re worth hearing. When you take the seconds to minutes required to post a review, your thoughts offer value.
You want to learn. Your quest for knowledge is insatiable. It’s what keeps you moving and shaking in the world.
You don’t waste your time. While others are practicing potato heads, you are an escape artist with class.
You love diversity. Every story is a new adventure. And you choose the destination.
You’re prepping for a possible side hustle. There are opportunities to get free books, make pin money, and even big bucks in the business of reviewing books. Good for you!

Now turning to what’s in it for you…

7 things posting a book review does for you

Gets you free books to read
Informs prospective readers
Encourages writers
Educates authors
Gives you a platform to be heard from
Keeps your mind sharp
Adds skills that can be turned into a side hustle

And speaking of free books to read and review… Click here to get a free eBook novelette that’s only available through this link. It’s a cozy mystery. It’s called ‘Body Lost and Found’. And is the prequel to the Mary Linn, Gravestone Hunter Series. Mary Linn is a teenager with teenager challenges to overcome as well as…

And speaking of reviewing books…

I’ve joined and affiliate with Story Origin. Evan does a very fine job of connecting authors with reviewers all in a one-stop shop.

He answers questions almost faster than a raccoon can race over a roof with a steak in his mouth. Well, not quite that fast. But an overnight email, anyway.

I haven’t found a simpler or better way for writers and reviewers to unite. Thank you, Evan. Click here to learn about Story Origin. Join to get a never-ending supply of genre oriented free review copies of books to read.

Now it’s time to bid you adieu. And let you get on with your honorable passion… Reading and reviewing for the multitudes.

Happy Trails and Tales.

Alexie

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But wait! There’s MORE! Including giveaways!…

Posted on January 12, 2024January 4, 2024 by Alexie Linn

How to Write and Publish Your Book in a Month – or Less

Did I fall and bump my head? Doesn’t it take months and years to finally sniff the ink and feel the pages of your baby?

It can. But it doesn’t have to. You hold the keys to that brand new car. That means you’re the boss. Do you want to park it in the garage and sit in it occasionally? Or take it out for a spin and let the world ooh and ahh at it?

It’s your choice.

I choose to share my fiction and nonfiction babies with the world. And I choose to share with you how I do it. If you need proof… give my method a shot and see for yourself. Ready? Set? GO!

Much of the project to publish a book a month is done…

Granted, much of the general work has been done in my head before I sit down to write. But like the fuel used to buzz around town in the car, that time doesn’t count. The general work that doesn’t use fuel or punch the timeclock is:

The what if that the story is about
The setting – the where this story takes place
The very rough outline of how it will unfold and play out
The characters that raise their hand and have a story to tell
The genre
How many words it will take to tell the story

I’ll use Sally the Loner Meets the Sourdough Kid as an example.

What if the paperwork got mixed up at the hospital-to-rehab center loading dock? And you landed at the Alzheimer’s Care Center instead of rehab…with no cellphone?
In metro Phoenix, Arizona and the middle of nowhere desert
What will Sally do? Who will listen? Who are her antagonists? Who will help? How will Sally escape both the center and the city?
Characters will include caregivers, antagonists, and sidekicks.
It’s a cozy mystery and adventure – or misadventure
And need 30,000 or more words for a fast read, feel good novella

Set up the files to publish a book a month

Given the above parameters, I sit down at the computer. I begin with setting up a ‘Sally the Loner Meets the Sourdough Kid’ folder. Within the folder I ready these files:

Manuscript
Cast of Characters
Description

I’ll set-up additional publication files when the manuscript is finalized.

Any characters who made appearances previously are copied and dropped into the Cast of Characters file for continuity. This is where a Master File of Characters comes in handy. And here is the program I use to create and maintain my Master File of Characters. I’m so pleased with the Plottr app that I have affiliated with the company to make it easier for you to ferret out. Click on this Plottr link to see for yourself and to buy me a cup of coffee if you decide it will work great for you, too.

But back to the Cast of Characters for this book.

One is Joan Freed, the rebel life coach niece of Sally. Another is Jenny Crawford, Joan’s sidekick friend with her trusty six-gun. And Jenny’s polka dot rescue Chihuahua, Patches, and so on…

Write the Description

I begin with writing the description. It will change, I guarantee, but the description steers through the conglomeration of events to stay roughly on track.

It’s time to dive into the manuscript.

Next comes the story…

First the front matter, leaving the dedication blank until the book is complete. Also inserting pagination and headers because I’ve been known to forget that detail. It’s embarrassing.

If I write 2,000 words a day – 1-2 chapters – the draft will be ready to cool for the first edit in two weeks. I use the minimum 3-day cool down time to create a cover and prepare promotional materials.

Now the Edits…

After the first edit, I get right to the grammar and readability edit with Hemingway. There are several other options for grammar and readability like Grammarly and ProWriter. But I find Hemingway to be the simplest and most streamlined for me.

I copy and paste the manuscript one chapter at a time into Hemingway; make any changes to the manuscript itself, not the chapter being scrutinized in Hemingway; and proceed with the next chapter. I’m not reading the story. I’m looking for hard-to-read sentences and overuse of adverbs or passive words.

An important note about editor apps!

Your editor app may not alert you to missing quotes. And definitely will not flag muddied speakers names. Be sure to clarify who is speaking! Dialogue without identifying who is speaking is confusing.

I once pulled down a book to rewrite and republish as a new and different book because of a 3-star review that was caused by missing quotes and unclear speakers. The reviewer liked the story but found it difficult to read.

The third and final edit – the one that I approach from a fresh reader’s eyes – comes after another cooling off period.

When all the Edits are complete…

Rewrite the description
Fill in the dedication
Add the backmatter
Format the print file
Upload the eBook and print files to Amazon and D2D

Finished! You’ve proven you can publish a book a month.

Voila! Finished within a month! Rinse and repeat for the magical experience of achievement.

But just one more thing…

Yes, there is still work to be done. Work like creating the narrator version and so on. But that’s fodder for another post. I declare this one done!

As always, email me here with your questions and pleasant thoughts.

In the meantime, get going on your baby! Daylight’s burnin’!

Happy Trails and Tales….

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Posted on January 5, 2024January 4, 2024 by Alexie Linn

Attention Parents of Youngsters – Is Choosing Books for Your Teeny Bopper a Frightful Experience?

I say teeny bopper because the powers-that-be can’t decide the age group of young adults. Some say a young adult is 18-25 years old. Others identify a young adult as 12-18 years old. I choose the term teeny bopper to cut down on confusion.

For this post a teeny bopper is from 12-18 years old. Give or take a year or two because not all youngsters fit an age mold.

In case you haven’t noticed, by the time your child reaches the ripe old age of 12-years-old, they’re flexing their wings to test their flight path.

What can you do to encourage successful test flights?

Please understand that I am not a child psychologist. I am simply the proud and relieved mother of three honorable full-grown daughters. And I was once a teeny bopper. I confess that what I am about to share with you has not been tested on young sons. You have to be the judge of that.

But back to the matter at hand; choosing reading material for teeny boppers.

What I came to tell you about is a series of books that follow a teen girl in her journey of dealing with events youngsters are faced with daily. Events like her mother with cancer. Bullies. A vanishing father. And a friend of another color to name just a few.

The protagonist’s name is Mary Linn Hassenpfeffer (the p is silent). She’s about 15-years-old. And she’s doing the best she can to grow up in her own chaotic world of changing schools often, caring for her mom while her dad is on the road, and learning about life. She’s conquering the thorns in her side without turning to props like drugs or alcohol.

But she’s not perfect. She has a goto hobby that helps her cope and raises many eyebrows.

Her hobby throws her into mysteries to solve and snap judgements she has to make to survive.

Her life is an adventure to spark your – and your child’s — imagination.

The takeaways include:

Confirmation that daily challenges happen to everyone
Confidence in your ability to make good decisions in your own shoes
Flash tests happen. Do your best to write the test and move on.
Having a helping others hobby is good
Embrace friendships that appear by accident
It’s good to think and act independently of the crowd

Could Mary Linn’s teen stories be a help in guiding the path of your own youngsters – excuse me – teeny boppers?

Learn more about the Mary Linn series of books. Incidentally, this cozy prequel novelette to the series is free. And only available through this link. It’s not in any bookstore.

Check it out. It might be exactly what you’ve been looking for…

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Posted on December 29, 2023December 9, 2023 by Alexie Linn

7 Lessons I Learned from Writing Books

If I knew then what I know now about writing for readers, would I have taken the leap?

How do you answer the question, “What don’t you know?”

With those two questions out of the way, let’s get right to today’s lesson…

Lesson #1 — I’m Not the One in Control.

When I took the plunge the picture in my head was akin to being the puppeteer. Me maneuvering and manipulating all the little puppets around the stage to create an entertaining show. The reality is all the little puppets doing their own thing while I wrestle with each one to do it my way. They win. My job and mission is to corral them into a coherent and cohesive story.

Lesson learned? Myself is all I have control over… most of the time.

Lesson #2 — Everything takes Time.

I can outline the story, build the sets, cast the characters, and even write the first draft for a cozy mystery in about two weeks. Then the real work begins…

The cool downs prior to each of three painstaking edits, the prepping and posting to my website and the distributors.

Next up is promoting. That never ends. Each new book is like raising a child. They leave, but they’re never gone. And they all require time.

Lesson learned? Time ticks off, no matter what. Do your best to use it productively.

Lesson #3 — File for Retrieval

Do I remember my mindset when I started writing ‘Unexpected Blessings’ nine years ago? Did I file it under Grief Recovery? Or is it in the Joan Freed file? After searching for about an hour, I found it. I’d changed the name on the file the last time I put it away.

Lesson Learned? File in the protagonist’s folder and never, ever change the name on the file.

Lesson #4 — Plus One Rules!

My house runs well on ‘plus-1’ for supplies. When I buy a can of soup, I buy 2. When I slip a quart of engine oil into my cart, I slide in two. And when I need water wipes, I grab an extra for a backup. While I don’t buy two computers when one fails, I learned the hard way to keep a thumb drive in the slot and update it daily for a copy… just in case.

Lesson learned? Keep one backup copy of every manuscript separate from the computer.

Lesson #5 — Blessings come in all sounds, sizes, and shapes

Interruptions usually translate as frustrations. But I have found that whether it be a phone call or a knock on the door, it’s more often a blessing in disguise.

For instance, the phone call from my long-lost daughter to say she’s coming home. Or the gift of Alaska smoked salmon that is being delivered from my friend in the far north. Or a call from an avid reader looking for the eta on my work in progress.

Lesson learned? Count the interruptions as blessings. They really are priceless.

Lesson #6 — Writer’s block has many names

Brain freeze. Senior moments. Writer’s block. In my case, they are all a temporary frame of mind that comes from stress. Worry of what the next word or paragraph will be that is sure to hook a reader to keep reading. Maybe all the characters are out for recess. They don’t ask me. They just do it and leave me in the lurch. But if I slow down and wait for the characters to return, we’ll be on a roll again.

Lesson learned? Take a breath. Do something else for a minute while the hooligans I call characters gad about. Like the three little kittens who’ve lost their mittens, they’ll come home with wild stories to tell.

Lesson #7 — Some say I’m crazy. I’m okay with that.

I see or feel the eye roll. It happens when I’m getting ready to tuck myself into bed at sundown. And it comes from those who are not morning people.

Not long ago I had a text waiting for me when I rolled out and booted the computer at 2 AM. I answered it. And got a reply! But the texter was just on his way to bed. Did he feel my eyes roll?

Lesson learned? We each march to our own drummer. How boring life would be if we didn’t.

And there you have it. 7 lessons I’ve learned that are directly related to the business of writing.

What lessons have you learned? Email me here to share.

But to answer the question of if I knew then what I know now, would I have pursued this career in writing fun, provocative, and interesting books?

Yes! It’s my way of giving back and encouraging you.

Cheers!

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Featured Cozies….

Posted on December 15, 2023December 12, 2023 by Alexie Linn

Last Minute Gifts to Fulfill Your List

Last Minute Gifts for Everyone on Your List

Did it happen again? Here you are… the clock is ticking… you need gifts that will entertain, encourage, and teach… in an hour? Yikes!

Take a breath. It will be fine. Your people will know that you searched and searched and then nailed it just for them. They’ll never know that you simplified and saved your sanity (shhh — if you don’t tell them).

Sit back. Relax. And let your fingers do the shopping with these fast and easy grabs.

Gander through… Click it… Voila! Phew!

For the little ones 4-6 years old:

The Scarecrow Series is available in eBook, Print, and Audible

Got teens? Here you are… Available in eBook, Print, and Audible

Siblings? Check these out:

Joan Freed Life-Changing Mystery and Adventure Series is available in eBook, Print, and Audible

Parents and grands and neighbors and the postman? These will tickle them:

To coin a phrase…

The cost for your sanity? Priceless!

Read to the end for your gift… the freebies…

Have a great one… whatever it is you’re celebrating.

Happy Trails and Tales from Alexie Linn, Aaralyn Rae and friends

But wait! You might also like…

A teenager who enjoys graveyards? What’s up with that?

A quirky teenager’s mysterious adventures.

Alexie Linn is intrigued by Mary Linn’s hobby. What moves a teenager to scout graveyards for other’s lost ancestors? Is she a ghoul? A vampire? A witch in a secret coven? What is she really in search of? Blood? Ghosts? Magic? Or is it her own bloodline? Her father’s secret past that Joan has mentioned? Or is graveyard hunting simply Mary Linn’s way of escaping from the trials and tribulations of being a teenager? So many options…