Tag: Texas authors

How to Make the MOST of your Writing Weekends: WORDfest 2019

Be a Better Writer for K.M. Saint James teaching tips

WORDFEST.org Saturday, March 23, 2019 — a day spent with writers, bloggers, authors, playwrights, educational specialists — in essence, a day to grow and learn as a writer. Like most conferences, there were seminars designed to encourage growth of basic skills to the next level, those for writers who’ve been around the proverbial publishing block, ones to maximizing online presence and even specialty sessions for groups wanting to grow their membership. Visual demographics leaned heavily toward the female gender, but there was a great blend of young and old. “Writing isn’t for the faint of heart. Writing is for the tenacious . For those who can stand the solitude. For those who are willing to […]

Bluebonnet Ballerina by Carol Kilgore — book review

Book Review by K.M. Saint James

Bluebonnet Ballerina is not your average cops and robbers’ type of suspense. Readers can expect characters, both live and the ‘gently deceased’, to appear on the pages of Bluebonnet Ballerina. The cast includes ex-CIA, cops – active to reassigned, a best friend complete with her guiding spirit, a couple of love interests, and even a few decades-old ghosts thrown into the mix. The hard hitting world of human trafficking, guns for hire, and genuine bad guys are counterbalanced by a healthy – and much appreciated – dose of the ‘woo-woo’ factor. Bluebonnet Ballerina is filled with: a plot that MAKES sense – always a pleasant surprise in a suspense novel; characters that are intelligent; and […]

I’m finished . . . I’m finished . . . doing that happy dance!

This weekend, I typed The End on my 92,000 romantic suspense. This baby has been awhile in birthing — frankly, if I’d carried kids as long as it took me to finish this book, there would have only been one bouncing baby in my house. That said, this manuscript has seen me through a tough loss: my father’s year-long illness and passing, which seriously made me question whether I could ever finish this book. Then came my evolving literary skills: the dawn of my true Texas voice and the huge learning curve for any serious suspense plotter — as in I bit off more intrigue than I knew how to write at the time. Months […]

First page

NTRWA is hosting a conference in a few months. As one of the early entrants, I’ve been given the opportunity to submit my first page — for review — to the great Maggie Lawson. She’ll analyze — probably to pieces — the writing, then offer suggestions for making it better. Okay, I’m a little nervous to have Maggie Lawson read anything I’ve penned to paper. I’m posting it. Tell me what you think. What works . . . what doesn’t. This is actually the prologue tugged and tucked into one type-written page, so I may have deleted so much, it doesn’t make sense. Let me know, please, before I’m read in front of a room […]

Sunday Muses . . .

On board with TWITTER. I needed to join in order to keep up with the kiddo at Texas A & M. Not specifically her, but the campus as a whole. After the Virginia Tech incident, A & M launched their Code Maroon alert program. Students, staff, employees and parents, who had emails on file, were notified of any emergency situation through text and email messages. This year A & M changed to TWITTER. Students still gets the emergency text, but parents must follow TWITTER. So as I’m on TWITTER, if you want to follow me, just search my name, and then send a TWITTER alert to me. If you’re already Tweeting, then watch for LoneStarMeander […]

Rosemary Clements-Moore

Here’s to Absolutely Thrilling News! Last week, Rosemary Clements-Moore won the most prestigious award, a RITA, given by romance writers from around the world. Romanace Writers of America (RWA to those who belong) selected HELL WEEK as a top finalist for the Young Adult category. This contest is judged by fellow romance writers and authors, a tough group to impress. Rosemary carried home the gold statue in honor of the accolades for her book, HELL WEEK. This is Rosemary’s 2nd book in the series. Truly top honors for a great author. Icing on the cake is that Rosemary’s 3rd book, when released, wasn’t even shelved by the big B & N. Yep, that’s right. They, […]

Friends . . .

Many of you are working fast and furious for the upcoming RWA convention — to all of you, I say ‘Hats off and may this be a wonderfully successful conference.’ To my lovely critique partner, L.A. Mitchell, who is up for her second Golden Heart, may this year be truly golden and you walk away with the trophy (and more importantly, a publishing contract). To critique partners Sherry A. Davis, (RWA National PRO Liaison and author of romantic comedy), Here Comes The Bribe, and Mary Karlik, fantasy and YA writer, may the publishing doors swing wide open for you at this conference. Fellow critique partner, Delores, and I will be sitting this one out. However, […]

MY CPs new book

I posted about HERE COMES THE BRIBE, a great romatic comedy release by The Wild Rose Press from my CP, Sherry A. Davis. The cover art is fabulous: And the book blurb certainly gets it done: A single administrative assistant accepts her temporary boss’s offer to masquerade as his fiancée to keep his matchmaking grandmother out of his personal life and out of the way while he negotiates a high-profile merger for his family-owned company. In exchange, she’ll get the down payment for the loan she needs to keep her ex from selling her condo out from under her. But neither of them counted on the lines blurring between real and pretend–or for the temporary […]

10 . . 9 . . 8 . . 7, can you say LAUNCH?

Here I am in cyberspace!!! Again!!! My website, SLFERGUSON is launched. The building, and rebuilding of the pages, the tweaking until the site and I both screamed, the hunt for the perfect graphics, and the exploration of embedding music and links was certainly worth the effort. Special thanks to my fabulous hubby who learned all things great and wonderful on how to ACTUALLY publish the website. As I’m working on a seminar about self-promotion, the building of the website was great experience. Would I say it was easy? Uh, definitely not. But can the skill be learned? Absolutely so. I love when you pop by my back porch for a visit, but do pop by […]

What’s this? Another Harm’s Way review? Wahoo!

Scrolling through the Wild Rose Press marketing information I found a brand-new review for HARM’S WAY. Okay, any review is great, but the book has been out for a year and it’s still drawing attention so in MHO that’s pretty over the top great. Thanks Tammy at Fallen Angel for reading HARM’S WAY and finding it worth your time to review. Read the whole 4 ANGEL review — it only take a few minutes, — just click here: HARM’S WAY FALLEN ANGEL REVIEW.