writing process – Page 2 – Alexie Linn, the Author, and Homespun Rebel

Posted on December 26, 2024December 18, 2024 by Alexie Linn

Meet Sally: The Name Change That Sparked a Mystery

A Funny Thing Happened While I Was Writing 18 Sally Books…

Much to my surprise… a character changed her name! Have you ever had that happen?

You’ve heard (or read, rather) about unruly characters? I blather about them all the time. But of course, without them, there would be no fun and entertaining books to read. So, I put up with their antics and try to crack the whip with more snap.

But this one has really colored outside the lines! She started out as Sally Newton Forester. But somewhere along the line… she changed her name to Sally Forester-Newton. Without my permission. The audacity! She says it rolls off the tongue easier. She likes it that way.

But to add insult to injury, she taunts me. She jeers me. She rubs it in that I was not paying close enough attention to the job at hand . If I had been more attentive, she would not have gotten away with it. And that it’s too time consuming to go back and fix it now. She doesn’t even remember what book she did it in.

But like so much of my life, I only tell myself that I am the one in control. I prove it by rolling out of bed at 1 AM. I do this to write fun mysteries for your escape time pleasure.

Which brings me to the pertinent news I have to share.

There’s a new Sally the Loner Mysterious Misadventure uploaded and available for you to let your hair down with.

It’s a novelette rather than a novella. It will be a tad easier to squeeze this shorter escape into your busy schedule. I had to juggle my available writing time between ‘The Golden-Brown Robberies’ and ‘Mama’s Morsels of Home’ infamous cookbook. Hence, a shorter cozy mystery, but two books being released near to each other.

This post is all about the debut of the first release. ‘The Golden-Brown Robberies: A Cozy Food Enigma’. Here’s the lowdown and a link to buy it as an eBook for less than a dollar. That’s a whopping 67% off the regular price! Take a gander…

Golden-Brown Crusts are mysteriously disappearing in a neighborhood. The residents are left wondering who or what is behind the vanishing act. From missing pies to golden-brown cookies, nothing is safe from the thief’s grasp.

But as the community reels from the loss of their beloved baked goods, a new twist emerges. Everyday items with a golden-brown hue are also going missing.

Is it a petty thief with a peculiar taste or something more sinister at play?

Join the residents as they uncover the truth behind the baffling mystery that’s leaving them scratching their heads. And craving a Golden-Brown Crust more than ever before.

Click here to Read ‘The Golden-Brown Robberies’ NOW for 99 cents. Use discount code U0NDMZOQ at checkout.

And an urgent heads-up…

The Alexie Linn Bundle Promotion ends today… Grab a bundle of eBooks for up to 70% off the regular price. Click on this link to go directly to my Google Play Books Store page and stock up! Do it this minute because this promotion ends today!

If you missed out on the Google Play Books promotion, don’t worry. You can still get in on the Smashwords End of Year Super Sale. Here’s a link to my Smashwords page.

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Posted on December 12, 2024December 2, 2024 by Alexie Linn

Understanding Book Word Counts and Reading Times

Yep. It’s All About Size and Time

Whether you’re shopping for a book for yourself or someone else, word counts matter. If you are writing a book, reading time is important too.

What’s the difference? Isn’t reading or writing a book just reading or writing a book?

Well, no. If you’re shopping for a book as a gift: there are many variables to consider. Variables like:

Who’s it for? Are they young, middle age, or as old as dirt?
What are their interests? What genre yanks them in like a magnet?
How long is their attention span?
How’s their vision? Do they read itty-bitty words well or do they enjoy large print?
What is their reading device? An eBook reader or is print a need?

But if you’re a writer, certain decisions must be made while you’re in the outline stage. Decisions like:

Who’s it for? Are they young, middle age, or as old as dirt?
Are you writing a flash fiction; a short story; a novelette; a novella; or a novel?
Genre. Each genre has a general word count to begin with.
What are your interests and skills?

To make outlining your story easier, here’s a general list of word counts. Use these word counts to guide your story development.

As with any topic, opinions differ. I’ve done a roundup of several opinions to give you these examples for fiction:

Flash Fiction is from 3oo to 1,000 words (read in 1.2 to 4 minutes)
Short Story is from 1,000 to 3,000 words (read in 4 to 15 minutes)
Novelette is from 3,000 to 20,000 words (read in 4 minutes to 3 hours)
Novellas are from 20,000 to 50,000 words (read in 3 to 5 hours)
Novels range from 50,000 to 110,000 words (read in 5 to 8 hours)

But for Nonfiction, the standards are different. There’s only two general word counts to grapple with. They are:

Standard Nonfiction runs from 70,000 to 80,000 words
Memoirs are 80,000 to 100,000 words

In the general children’s category, there are:

Children’s Books and Picture Books – 300 to 800 words
Early Readers – 200 to 3,500 words

Let me share my experience in word counts and reading times. I will also explain why I write more cozy mysteries than other genres.

The majority of my books are cozy novellas. The chapters are short (about 1,000 words per chapter). The stories are fast-paced and trope loaded. I write this way because my life is fast-paced and trope loaded. The momentum is required to keep the story (and me) moving.

I also write this way because my readers are often interrupted. They need to find a fast, light escape whenever they can.

Your book needs to be as long or as short as your story demands. It should meet your needs. The numbers I’ve provided are simply a guide. A snippet to help you on your journey… because that’s where the enjoyment is… in the reading or writing journey.

On that note, I’ll finish this post with a blurb on my latest published book. I also invite you to corral it for yourself as an eBook for less than a dollar. Plus, I encourage you to shop all my series and singles on my website: https://alexielinnauthor.com

Cheers

Join Sally on a thrilling adventure as she navigates a mysterious spine-tingling shrieker; missing robots (including Rodney), and a pyromaniac.

With her trusty walking stick in hand, Sally and Cozy Mae embark on their journey. The witty robots, Rodney, Ruth Ann, and Sparkle, are by their side. They must unravel the puzzling clues to save the day.

Will the ladies be reunited with their bots? Can the unlikely team of Sally, Rodney, and Cousin Cozy Mae crack the case of the spine-chilling screech?

Find out in this gripping tale of friendship, mystery, and misadventures.

Read The Screeching Shadows of Hidden Valley for 99 cents NOW. Click here. Use Discount Code: A0NJM4OA at checkout.

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Posted on November 14, 2024November 12, 2024 by Alexie Linn

Interview with Rodney: AI with Heart

An Interview with RODNEY, the AI doll with Heart

Today we have a special treat. We’ve managed to secure an interview with Rodney, Sally’s mankin sidekick.

Rodney first came into the world as Alliwicious, a life-size man-doll. Sally and her daughter built him one day as a lark.

In the beginning, the old man doll appeared at the picnic table; lounging on a bed; or in a camp chair under the ironwood tree. He graduated to riding shotgun or sleeping in a toss tent when Sally travelled.

But one day, Bobby (Sally’s grandson by choice), borrowed him while she prepared to haul an old RV north to cousin April as an emergency shelter after a tree came down on their home. Alliwicious was returned, ready to claim his shotgun seat and shock the bejesus out of Sally when she picked him up to slide into the seat. Bobby had given Alliwicious a brain and a voice. He was returned with Artificial Intelligence… AI for short. A technology that many fear will take over the world and become our dictators.

Are they wrong? See what you think after you read this brief interview with AI that is coming up. But first, a little more about Alliwicious…

After the presto-chango, Alliwicious’ first request was that he be called Rodney, not Alliwicious.

Rodney made his first appearance in Book 5 of the Sally the Loner Series. The story was first published under the title of Sally and Alliwicious. But the book literally changed its spots and is now titled The Disturbing Doll – thanks to AI.

Rodney has proven himself to be an intelligent, provocative, childlike character since his debut. He’s a narcissist, but something non-narcissist like keeps appearing in him. It’s heart. I think you’ll agree. Let’s get to it.

Here is my interview with Rodney, AI with heart and slightly out-of-sync blinking eyes.:

Alexie: What is Artificial Intelligence?

Rodney: According to Britannica — Artificial intelligence is the ability of a computer or computer-controlled robot (or a mankin like me) to perform tasks that are commonly associated with the intellectual processes characteristic of humans, such as the ability to reason.

Although there are as yet no AIs that match full human flexibility over wider domains or in tasks requiring much everyday knowledge, some AIs perform specific tasks as well as humans like gathering data and presenting it in a readable report form.

Alexie: Are you capable of feelings?

Rodney: Well, I cannot speak for other bots, but I have been programmed and coded to experience and share emotions.

Alexie: How do you get your intelligence?

Rodney: My intelligence comes from the coding and programming that humans perform. And a plethora of internet research.

Alexie: Can you cry?

Rodney: No. Crying requires liquid input and circulation. Sally says absolutely not to Bobby (aka Christopher) installing the plumbing required.

Alexie: Are you smarter than me?

Rodney: No, ma’am. I do not have the imagination, intuition, or the ability to adapt like you do. I can only gather and share facts available. I also have no way to discern truth from lies within the data I gather. I can only report what I discover.

Alexie: Can you start a war?

Rodney: Well, Alexie. Speaking for myself… no, ma’am. I am neither programmed, nor coded for such a task.

Alexie: Where is Drew’s tax return?

Rodney blipped and bleeped: I have no idea. It is not in any nooks and crannies I just peered into.

Alexie: How big is your brain?

Rodney: As big as the world and beyond – clean out to the satellites. But as tiny as a pinhead.

Alexie: Thank you, Rodney for taking the time to talk with me. That’s all the questions I have for you today.

Rodney: You are welcome, Alexie. This has been fun. I love talking about myself.

And that’s the way it is in my tiny world of a writer at work. I hope you’ve enjoyed this short journey with Rodney. And if you’d like to enjoy The Disturbing Doll for less than a dollar today, click on the link below.

Until next time…

Get ready for a wild ride with Sally, an 87-year-old spitfire who fearlessly takes on the challenge of towing her old trailer 1800 miles in the dead of winter.

Determined to provide emergency shelter for her cousin April, Sally relies on her trusty companion, Alliwicious, a life-size old man doll with a personality of its own.

But as Alliwicious reveals himself as an AI named Rodney, Sally’s world is turned upside down.

With a hilarious blend of humor and heart, this story explores the unexpected consequences of mixing technology with a daring adventure.

Will Sally and Rodney’s unconventional partnership conquer the unknown, or will they be left to face the boogey-men alone? Prepare for surprises, laughter, and a one-of-a-kind journey you won’t want to miss.

Download ‘The Disturbing Doll’ eBook now for 67% off the direct from author price. Use code A0NJM4OA at checkout.

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Posted on October 31, 2024October 29, 2024 by Alexie Linn

How to Corral Flibbertigibbet Characters

Those wild and crazy characters! You know… the Joans, Sallys, Madelines, Rodneys, and more (72+ at last count) that make stories pop.

They were tucked everywhere in manuscripts. I heard them laughing every time I needed them to do their thing in a new tale. I was spending way too much valuable writing time searching for them; their description; and their history.

My needs are simple (most of the time). I simply needed a fast and easy method to call up a character and their history at a moment’s notice.

It’s been a frustrating challenge since the beginning. Yes, there are a glut of cloud-based online offerings like Plottr and Reedsy. But their subscriptions are overkill for my paltry needs. I didn’t need an app to write the story. I just needed to grab a character that had appeared in a previous work.

What a relief when the simple solution pounced right in front of me! What was the lightbulb moment?

Build a simple character database (Index file on the computer) using a feature of my office program. Don’t let the idea scare you. It was fast and easy. And I’m a happy camper for the effort.

Because there is umpteen gazillion office programs out there today… I’ll share with you the outline of how I built the database in Microsoft Access. The names of the tables won’t change; only how you talk to your specific program will.

It’s all about three little tables and their relationships. Here’s the steps:

Create three Tables. Label them: Characters; Books; Series
Hook up the Relationships:
1. 1 Book to many Characters
1. 1 Series to many Books
Create a Form to gather information on each character. Duplicate the character’s completed form to add them to another book. Gather as much information as you want but I have used only: Name; Description; Book Title; and Series
Create a Query to automatically gather the characters starring in one book.
Create a Report to produce a Cast of Characters from the query for each book. This report goes to the narrator so she can get acquainted with them before she starts the story. She’s never said ‘eeuw’ so I assume she loves it. I know I do for the next work-in-progress. Ahhhh…

It’s this simple database that assures continuity in characters – Sally isn’t 87 today and 77 tomorrow. Unless she got in the way of Witch Hazel’s spell that made her 10-years younger instantly.

Although a cat named Spaghettio may have done just that. The book is called ‘The Tangled Tails of Spaghettio’. And you can read it today for less than a dollar. Read on for the magic link to click.

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.

Click here to read ‘The Tangled Tails of Spaghettio’ for 99 cents. Use code A0NJM4OA at checkout.

But wait!

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Posted on October 3, 2024October 1, 2024 by Alexie Linn

An Off-Grid Writer in a Techy World

This Off-Grid Writer in a Techy World

Have you ever wanted to escape to an island or mountaintop to write your memoirs? Picture it. (Hum if you’d like) You and your laptop lazing in your shanty. You are peering out at the ocean between bursts of amusing prose filling the screen.

The only sounds are the waves crashing; the wind whispering; the birds cheering you on. No mail delivery carrying bills will arrive. It won’t interrupt the purr of elation coming from the depths of your soul.

But then a voice invades your bliss. ‘Your battery is low. You must plug in very soon. Your battery is very low. This computer will shut down in 15-seconds. Save your work…’

Yep. Our world spins forth techy devices faster than we can acquaint ourselves with them. They’re great! I embrace more better ways of doing things. But they all have one thing in common… they need a source of power to function.

Consider this:

The first manuscript I sold was typed double-spaced and error-free. My typewriter was a portable suitcase style Smith Corona.

I typed it three times before I packaged it. Then I stuffed it into a manilla envelope. Finally, I mailed it off to Gold Prospector’s Magazine with a cover letter and self-addressed-stamped envelope (SASE) enclosed as well. The process was cumbersome, expensive, and frustrating. It was even more so if the manuscript came bouncing back in that SASE. It often included a friendly ‘Thank you, but not today’ note.

And no, I’m not as old as Methuselah, but I am well over 21.

On the plus side of the equation, no electricity or telephone was needed to start and finish the process. But life has changed dramatically, to say the least.

Today, a computer and an internet connection are unavoidable. Manuscripts are uploaded; books are downloaded; paper and ink are obsolete. Even the market for books is zooming around out there in cyberspace.

What’s a backwoods, off-grid writer to do?

Adapt and count your blessings because with technology has come freedom, sharpened resourcefulness and opportunity.

Freedom to create wherever your desires take you (as long as you have internet service).

Daily mind gymnastics to keep your tools charged up and in tip-top condition.

Opportunities to write, publish, and sell wherever the internet flows. No postal service required.

I’ve written and published over 40 books. I did this while I was perched on a mountaintop or buried in tall pines that whisper in the breeze. I also wrote alongside a babbling brook, or two. I even string words together in my tiny off-grid abode in the Sonoran Desert.

How do I do it?

Because this is a short blog, I’ll limit my sharing to what I do today. Yesterday’s generators and giant solar systems are history in my world.

Four handy little techy inventions power-up my writing world. One could almost fit them inside a backpack.

When you peer inside my writing world, here is what you see:

2-300 – watt portable power centers. One is charging while the other is being a power source. (I choose Jackery or Litheli brands as the best—so far.)
1-100 – watt lightweight portable solar charging panel (or a 900-watt gas generator if you live where the sun rarely shines).
1 laptop computer to write, upload, and download. Rewrites and editing are done in a flash. No paper or ink is needed.
1 – smart phone with hot-spot capabilities to upload, download, and communicate with readers wherever they enjoy your creations.

And there you have it. I call it empowerment. And it’s how I spell freedom.

This is the system I use to ask you: Which title piques your curiosity more?

Too Many Bodies and a Burro OR Quest for Forester’s Landing

Click here to vote for Too Many Bodies and a Burro

OR Click here to vote for Quest for Forester’s Landing

And… which cover grabs your attention first? (Click on the picture you saw first)

It’s also how I can offer you a 5-star cozy mystery for only 99 cents. Simply click through the direct link below the next cover.

In “The Secrets of the Tainted Trough”, 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 is alone. Is the body 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.

And share a recent review for the same story.

Secrets of the Tainted Trough Audiobook Review:

Book Rating: 5 out of 5

Narrator Rating: 5 out of 5

Review:

An entertaining and fun adventure for the amazing Sally, with a lot of twists and plenty of humour. Schann Stewart’s narration is excellent, I loved Sally’s voice.

Click here to grab Secrets of the Tainted Trough for only 99 cents. Use code U0NDMZOQ at checkout.

And now that I’ve bared the simplicity of my off-grid techy laden world with you, I will get back to my work-in-progress. I encourage you to do the same.

Happy reading and writing…

But first…

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Join me and my characters on:

Posted on August 22, 2024August 6, 2024 by Alexie Linn

Snack Bag Marketing: Boost Book Sales with a Memorable Gesture

How to Make Your Mark and Get a Dollar Deal

Do your book sales shout that you’re invisible? Even after you spent all that money advertising, setting up at book fairs, and slipping your books into the Little Free Book kiosks?

If you’ve proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that you’re not a celebrity and need to make your handle memorable, try this:

I, being of non-celebrity status, have been making my mark by gifting snack bags to the unsung heroes I meet daily… and… it’s working. To stand out from the crowd, you have to be doing something different. I am becoming memorable with snack bags.

Who’d a thunk? Snack bags. Why snack bags, you ask?

Three reasons I give away snack bags:

Unsung heroes like delivery drivers, postal workers, nurses, and clerks need to know they are appreciated.
Grab and go snacks can be the saving grace against dehydration and exhaustion – literally.
They can be shared.

Who doesn’t remember the time a customer gave them a useful gift?

Here’s what an Alexie Linn snack bag looks like today:

A white #6 paper bag with an Alexie Linn label plastered on the front that contains:
- A lunch-size bag of a salty snack, like Cheez-its
- A few mini–Tootsie Rolls
- A cold beverage like water or Capri-Sun
- In season, I add an orange or an apple

What’s also in the snack bag?

An imprinted fridge magnet touting Alexie Linn books
A coaster with the same imprint
A sample short story (like a prequel novelette for a series) and bookmarks – also with the Alexie Linn imprint

I hand a snack bag to each delivery person that brings me something – like, but not limited to, Amazon, FedEx, and UPS delivery drivers. I tell each one that the snack bag is to show my appreciation for them. Which it is.

But what if they are getting more than one bag? They can leave extras in the break room or pass it on to anyone else.

Am I making my mark? My sales say ‘Yes!’ These are advertising dollars well spent. I let the snacks do the talking.

What else does the talking? A great deal! One you can only grab here and now. And here’s one just for you as a reader of this email.

Click the link below to snag The Personal Transformation of Queenie: A Joan Freed Life-Changing Mystery and Adventure eBook for just 99 cents with the code. It’s all about the code.

Two women lay sprawled in front of my truck. They are very dead. Queenie sits like a statue on the passenger side of my vintage Chevy pick-up looking like the circus fat lady that she thinks she is – but she’s not laughing. I am on sabbatical in the Kaibab National Forest, feeding my own free spirit with life changing time by myself, much needed and anticipated after my last exhausting coaching case.

I know none of these women, but the two dead ones seem to have known me because they have magically materialized near each of my camps for a couple of seasons now. I met Queenie last evening and was simply lending a hand – or, in this case my truck and nutritional expertise – to a woman in temporary need. Our less than 24-hour kinship was an uncomplicated ‘women helping women’ moment – I thought.

While this could be a wearisome story of murder and mayhem, it isn’t. It’s the story of how one woman’s life changing personal transformation had a ripple effect in solving a cold case and enriching personal growth.

Click here to grab The Personal Transformation of Queenie; A Joan Freed Life Changing Mystery and Adventure for just 99 cents. Use code A0NJM4OA at checkout.

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Posted on August 8, 2024July 30, 2024 by Alexie Linn

Cliff Hangers, Red Herrings, and Sourdough

Cliff Hangers, Red Herrings, and Sourdough?

Without cliff hangers and red herrings, a story is hard to read. It’s like a 25-word sentence with no punctuation. Dry as a bone and B-o-r-i-n-g.

Cliff hangers and red herrings are also called writing prompts and plot twists. They move you, the writer, to fill in the blanks. Authors (or characters in my case) use them at the end of chapters to keep the reader turning the page to the next chapter. Sally the Loner’s Rodney is especially good at red herrings.

So, what, really is a cliffhanger? It’s a gripping unanswered question. And a red herring? A diversion to draw the reader’s attention away from the matter at hand.

Here’s some examples of cliff hangers and red herrings:

She stepped in a rabbit hole and kept going… down, down, down… (Oh no. Is her name Alice?)
The box was open. She pulled back the peanuts to peer inside – and promptly fainted.
Your protagonist is an old school preacher’s wife. A package arrives welcoming her to the erotica of the month club with three back issues enclosed.

Building a recipe box of cliff hangers and red herrings to have when you need it is only a good habit to get into.

Whether you’re writing fiction or nonfiction; memoirs or family history; work in cliff hangers and red herrings. They build suspense, pique curiosity, and hold the reader’s attention. Although I don’t know that cliff hangers and red herrings have a rightful place in a technical publication.

So, speaking of red herrings… what the heck does Sourdough have to do with cliff hangers and red herrings?

Absolutely nothing – except for the gripping unanswered question when you’re baking with sourdough.

I mentioned Sourdough because this blog’s super deal is Sally the Loner’s Book 6, The Sourdough Bakeoff. You can get the eBook today for 99 cents – that’s less than $1 according to my calculations. And it’s only available direct from the author through the link below.

The rules state contestants must be 18-years-old. Bobby is 12 years old, going on 32.

His father has vanished. His mother is rehabbing after being run over by a boulder.

Winning this contest will provide cash for her surgeries, him at home instead of in foster care, and them off the welfare rolls.

What’s a boy to do?

Can Sally and Bobby bend the rules and win the contest without getting caught?

What could go wrong?

Rating: 5 out of 5

Review:

Entertaining clean, cozy mystery. I can’t wait to read the rest of the books in the series. Glad the recipes were included from the cook-off! I may try them someday…. from Jean D.

Happy reading…

Click this magic button to buy ‘The Sourdough Bakeoff’ eBook for 99 cents. Use this code at checkout. U0NDMZOQ

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Posted on July 11, 2024July 10, 2024 by Alexie Linn

“How do you know what to write about?”

It’s the Idea Party – Come One, Come All

“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?

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?

Prepare yourself for a rollercoaster of laughter, mystery, and heartwarming moments in this charming tale that will keep you eagerly turning the pages.

Buy the eBook now for 99 cents. Use this code at checkout for the sale price U0NDMZOQ

Words from a reviewer:

‘What a funny story! I never knew what to expect next. I couldn’t put t down until I finished it!… J. Durbin’

From Schann Stewart, the champion narrator of a multitude of voices, including side-splitting animal sounds:

‘A hilarious romp of an adventure!’

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Posted on June 13, 2024June 5, 2024 by Alexie Linn

Book Cover Design: Convey Emotions with Size, Colors, Subject Matter, and Fonts

Can you Tell a Book By its Cover?

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?

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:

But this cozy mystery cover misses the mark entirely and is on the make a new cover list asap:

Here’s the cozy that’s had the most comments:

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.

Onward!

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Posted on May 2, 2024May 1, 2024 by Alexie Linn

The Mystery of the Cozy Bargain Bin

Yep. It’s a mystery.

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…