#WriterWednesday with Ruth J. Hartman

I’d like to welcome my friend, the fabulous Ruth J. Hartman, to the blog for #WriterWednesday!

Favorite thing to do when you have free time: Read, walk, watch a movie with Garry.

The thing you’ll always move to the bottom of your to do list: Mopping the floors or dusting!

Things you need when you’re in your writing cave: Cats (if they’re sleeping!), chocolate, and other assorted snacks- to be determined on that writing day.

Things that distract you from writing: My cat, Molly, leaping over my computer to get my attention. And music. And people talking near me.

Hardest thing about being a writer: Writing the synopsis and that first line of the book!

Easiest thing about being a writer: When a reader says they loved your book!

Things you will run to the store for at midnight: Chocolate

Things you never put on your shopping list: Beets!

The coolest thing you’ve bought online: An old-fashioned-looking lamp that went perfectly in our guest room, since our farmhouse is over 150 years old.

The thing you wished you’d never bought: The wrong size underwear!

Something you’re really good at: I’m a Cat Whisperer.

Something you’re really bad at: Doing more than one thing - anything - at a time.

The funniest thing that happened to you on vacation: My dad and I went on a trip to the Holy Land when I was 17. I got three marriage proposals in Egypt, and one involved 52 camels.

The most embarrassing thing that happened to you on a vacation: When on a school field trip to Washington D.C. I tripped on the sidewalk and ended up doing a somersault right in front of the most popular boy in our school.

The most exciting thing about your writing life: Getting to spend time with my writer friends in person!

The one thing you wish you could do over in your writing life: I wish I’d started way before I did, which was at age 45.

Best piece of advice you received from another writer: Surround yourself with writer friends who will be there for you throughout your whole writing journey.

Something you would tell a younger you about your writing: Don’t compare yourself to other writers. Everyone has a different writing voice. Use yours!

Recommendations for curing writer’s block: Take a walk, get a snack, text a friend.

Things you do to avoid writing: Laundry, dishes, and the most dreaded job – dusting!

About Ruth:

Ruth J. Hartman loves a good mystery. That’s probably why she happily gave up a life of cleaning other people’s teeth to write books. With several cozy mysteries under her belt, her main problem is keeping the characters straight – sometimes they have a tendency to hop on over to a different series, just for laughs.

Over forty books later, consisting of romances, a children’s book, women’s fiction, and now cozy mysteries, Ruth still enjoys the thrill of taking the thoughts and images of her characters from her imagination to her computer screen.

She lives in rural Indiana with her husband, Garry, and their family of spoiled cats. Because of Ruth’s love for felines, every one of her books has at least one cat in it. Her cats, who’ve deemed themselves her editors, act like they’re supervising her writing, even though they’re often loafing off or napping.

Let’s Be Social:

Website: http://www.ruthjhartman.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ruth.j.hartman

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/ruth-j-hartman

Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/ruthjhartman

Meet the Fuzzy Sidekicks...

Our two crazy Jack Russell terriers (Disney and Riley) are part of our family, so it’s natural that my characters would share their stories with their fuzzy friends. Here are the furry and fluffy sidekicks in my series.

Margaret Thatcher Reynolds is Delanie Fitzgerald’s partner’s English bulldog. She has two speeds, slow/steady and napping. She’s a log with legs, but she’s a great companion. She loves treats, snacks, and rides in Duncan’s yellow Camaro. She’s also helped save the day in several of the Delanie Fitzgerald Mysteries.

Bijou is a feisty Jack Russell Terrier who lives and works at the Fern Valley Camping Resort in the Jules Keene Glamping Mysteries. She’s the official greeter, and she loves long walks, treats, and riding in Jules’s Jeep Wrangler. Bijou is modeled on my JRT Disney.

Chloe is the white French bulldog in the Mermaid Bay Christmas Shoppe Mysteries. The butterball of a dog works at the shop and loves hanging out at the beach in her free time. Her arch-frenemy is Neville the Devil Cat.

Neville the Devil Cat was a Mermaid Bay stray who made himself at home at the Christmas Shoppe. He spends his time napping, checking out the new Christmas ornaments, and annoying Chloe. He’s a tuxedo cat who takes his job as the store’s mouser seriously.

Elvis is a Chihuahua mix in my new Pearly Girls series (March 2025). He is a fixture in the office, and he takes his jobs as ambassador and official greeter seriously. He loves long walks in the mountains and car rides. He may be tiny, but he has all the charisma of his namesake.

#ThisorThatThursday Interview with Candy Wolff

I’d like to welcome Candy Wolff to the blog for #ThisorThatThursday!

Things you never want to run out of: My faith, hope, love and toilet paper.

Things you wish you’d never bought: The uncomfortable shoes and the clothes that looked amazing on the hanger.

Hardest thing about being a writer: Hoping my book will resonate with the readers

Easiest thing about being a writer: It’s my story, it true and will never change

Things you need for your writing sessions: Time and finding a quiet space.

Things that hamper your writing: Mental blocks and finding the right spot to start telling my story.

A few of your favorite things: My boys Zach, Eli and Noah and spending time with God and good friends

Things you need to throw out: junk mail and the clutter in my life like unneeded purchases.

Favorite foods: Pizza and a good salad

Things that make you want to gag: sushi

Something you’re really good at: connecting with people

Something you’re really bad at: saying no and over committing myself

Things you’d walk a mile for: walking on a beach at sunrise or sunset.

Things that make you want to run screaming from the room: cleaning my house.

Favorite places you’ve been: Mexico

Places you never want to go to again: Cabo police station

Best thing you’ve ever done: believe in myself to write my book

Biggest mistake: To many to count!

Besides writing, what’s the most creative thing you’ve done: Taking my book and evolving it into a speaking business.

A project that didn’t quite turn out the way you planned it: Planning my 50th birthday trip to Cabo and having my husband die, I could have never planned for that.

About Candy:

INSPIRATIONAL KEYNOTE SPEAKER/ AUTHOR

Candy Wolff, a devoted wife and mother of three grown boys, is not only a hardworking woman but also an inspirational speaker. Her journey took an unexpected turn during a much-needed vacation to Mexico with her husband. Seeking reconnection after navigating health concerns, financial difficulties, and depression, Candy discovered more than she had bargained for. In her compelling story, Candy shares a poignant narrative of tragedy and, with the grace of God, a triumphant journey from being lost to found in the heart of Mexico. Her experiences serve as a testament to resilience, faith, and the transformative power of hope.

Let’s Be Social:

Website:  candywolff.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/candywolf3/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/candy.wolff.5

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/candywolff/

Some Strategic Planning Tips That Can Help Your Writing

I recently completed a Strategic Training course for the day gig. A lot of the concepts, designed for planning and prioritizing IT work also translate to the writing world. Here’s what I learned.

You need to know who your customers are: Writers need to know who their readers are, and it’s not everyone who likes books. Authors need to look at their followers, their web and social media metrics, and their reviews to see if they can categorize who is buying and reading your book. Sometimes, it’s hard. If you don’t have data to look at, look at other authors who write books that are similar to yours. Look at their reviews and see which book bloggers and bookstagrammers are reading their work.

This helps you target your advertising and marketing to the groups who would be likely to be interested in your work. For example, from my metrics and demographics data, I can see that my readers are usually females between 20 and 60 who like animals, cozy mysteries, and humorous mysteries. I can create events, give-aways, and other promotions that would appeal to folks who have similar interests.

Wave your own flag: Sometimes, authors have trouble with promoting themselves because it feels like bragging, or they don’t feel comfortable being in the spotlight. Marketing, promotions, and building your author platform often force writers to step out of their comfort zones. It’s important to celebrate your wins and news. Try to keep your posts balanced. Your news/marketing items on social media should be 10 to 20% of your overall posts. And don’t forget to celebrate the successes of others!

Spend the time you have to on necessary tasks, but no more: This one is important for your time management. There are thousands of tasky things we have to do that don’t relate to your writing. The rule is to spend the time you have to on these things, but keep it limited. Remember that your job is to write your next book and to promote your work.

Plan for crisis situations to minimize risks: Always have a backup plan for emergencies. Make sure that you can get to your contact lists if your phone or email go down. Make sure that you backup your files. Your writing is precious, and there is nothing that will make a writer cry faster than to lose something you’ve been working on. Make sure that you keep your computer and phones updated regularly. These patches and updates contain security fixes. If you don’t apply them, your device is vulnerable.

Scan the environment and know your competition: Authors need to know what is going on in the industry and their genre. Read everything you can get your hands on. Peruse online or physical bookstores and see what is on the shelves and how books are categorized. Join writing groups for knowledge shares and training.

Apply lessons learned: Some critiques, rejections, and bad reviews don’t feel good. After you calm down, take the time to understand what the person was telling you. If there is something valuable in the feedback, take it as a lesson learned and find ways to incorporate it. Continuous improvement is a key part of your growth.

I know these concepts are for technology projects, but the concepts apply to writers and the work we do.

#ThisorThatThursday Interview with Patrick Greenwood, the Cycle Writer

I’d like to welcome Patrick Greenwood, the Cycle Writer, to the blog for #ThisorThatThursday.

Hardest thing about being a writer: The hardest thing about being a writer is overcoming impostor syndrome and questioning your abilities. We all have self-doubt, however everyday you step ahead and overcome, you become a happier and stronger person.

Easiest thing about being a writer: Reading your own stuff! I love reading my own novels! I even tear up after finishing them!

Things you need for your writing sessions: Coffee, espresso, green tea, Japanese flute music, and a view of the sunlight outside.

Things that hamper your writing: Stress. I stress over writing blogs for a technology clients. I write for several clients globally and writing ghostwriting is a exciting, yet very challenging.

Favorite foods: Mexican, Vietnamese, Italian, and Japanese food!

Things that make you want to gag: Spinach! My kryptonite!

Last best thing you ate: Southwest style breakfast in Scottsdale, Arizona complete with green chili sauce!

Last thing you regret eating: A hotdog at a movie theater!

Things you never put in your books: I will never place a story or plot with violence against children.

Things to say to an author: Love what you do everyday. Being a writer is more than just a financial means. Being an author is more about having the power to create something that came directly from you. How could that not be special?

Favorite books (or genre): Military, Romance, and spy thrillers. The Hunt for the Red October, Message from Nam, and Jason Bourne stories.

Books you wouldn’t buy: Books about religion.

Best thing you’ve ever done: Become a father.

Biggest mistake: Choosing to travel for work instead of being at home.

The funniest thing to happen to you: I began to sing U2 songs aloud while on a plane ride from Charlotte, North California to Orange County, California.

The most embarrassing thing to happen to you: I didn’t know I was singing U2 songs while wearing headphones on the plane 😊 OH MY.

The coolest person you’ve ever met: Josh Brolin (Actor). Absolutely, the nicest person in real life.

The celebrity who didn’t look like he/she did in pictures/video: Simon LeBon – Lead singer for Duran Duran – OMG He stood next to meet for a hour. No clue it was him until he left to catch his plane.

Some real-life story that made it to one of your books: My trips to Vietnam in “Forever Our Sunrise in Saigon.” A great portion of the book was true stories of my trips to Vietnam in 2012 including cycling around Saigon (HCMC), investing in a water company to help create clean water for children, and finding the nuns who helped saved many orphans at the end of the Vietnam War.

Something in your story that readers think is about you, but it’s not: Oh boy, yes. In the novel, Forever Our Sunrise in Saigon, the love story between Jack and Linh was 100% fiction. However, many people that have read the novel have asked, “come on, is the whole thing between them true?”

About Patrick:

After military service, embarked on a 25-year career in the information technology field, working in various roles in sales, engineering, support, and design. His inspiration for writing came from his business travels to places like Vietnam, China, Japan, Taiwan, and Portugal.   A true believer in listening to one’s passion, Patrick began writing in early 2020 based on several trips he made while cycling in various countries.  

In his debut award-winning novel, Forever Our Sunrise in Saigon (2022 Amazon.com), Patrick draws upon several non-fictional events in Vietnam, including the war with the US, the last days of Saigon falling, and the chaos at the US embassy.   Patrick’s follow-up novel, The Shores of Okinawa (Quill Hawk Publishing), due out in May 2024, continues the Jack Kendall series with even more intrigue and suspense!  

When Patrick isn’t writing his next novel, ghostwriting for cybersecurity companies, or writing blogs, he hosts the award-winning podcast, “Writers on Writers over a triple espresso.” The podcast broadcasts live on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 10:00 am PST.

Let’s Be Social:

Website: www.cyclewriterllc.com 

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-greenwood-4876a01b8/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CyclewriterPG/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/patrick_greenwood_author/

Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChUQwPH4YvZMRJsDuZSw8Ag

Book: https://shoresofokinawanovel.net/

#WriterWednesday Interview with Lisa Bol

I’d like to welcome actor, director, and producer, Lisa Bol, to the blog for this week’s #WriterWednesday interview.

Things you never want to run out of: Barry’s decaf tea, honey, almond milk, Pim’s orange cookies, and cozy blankets.

Things you wish you’d never bought: Some organizational storage from Ikea that I still haven’t installed in my daughter’s room.

Hardest thing about being a writer: Scheduling time consistently with my partner.

Easiest thing about being a writer: Ideas and inspiration can come at any time and any place.

A few of your favorite things: The Muppets, perfect spring days in Park Slope, my grandmother’s wedding rings, my husband and my daughter.

Things you need to throw out: Old tech products and chargers and probably half of the condiments in my fridge.

Something you’re really good at: Connecting with people and learning their stories.

Something you’re really bad at: Pull-ups/push-ups or anything that requires upper body strength.

Favorite music or song: Pretty much all Pop, R&B, and Hip-hop from 2000 - 2006.

Music that drives you crazy: Metalcore/deathcore - screaming metal.

Favorite smell: My grandmother’s apple pie baking in the oven.

Something that makes you hold your nose: Entering a subway station anytime between July - August.

Last best thing you ate: General D’s Cauliflower from Planta Queen (think general Tso’s but with breaded cauliflower and grilled pineapple).

Last thing you regret eating: Too many Jelly Belly’s before bed….

Things you’d walk a mile for: The ham and cheese croissant from Yardsale Bakery in Greenwood Heights, Brooklyn. Also, a california cheeseburger, box of fries, and pineapple shake from Gordy’s Hi Hat in Cloquet, MN.

Things that make you want to run screaming from the room: Scary movies, spicy foods, and Timeshare sales pitches.

Favorite places you’ve been: London, Taipei, Muir Woods, and Prague.

Places you never want to go to again: I didn’t have a great experience in Brussels, so I’d pass on that. But I love traveling so much that I’d give basically anywhere I’ve already been a second chance.

People you’d like to invite to dinner: Tina Fey, Amy Pohler, and Maya Rudolph.

People you’d cancel dinner on: Anyone that was sick - with a 4 year old, we’ve been through the ringer health wise, so that would be a deal breaker.

Favorite things to do: Plan trips (and then obviously go on them - I love the researching of it all), go to flea markets and treasure hunt (Elephant’s Trunk!), go for walks with my husband in our neighborhood and discover new bakeries with him.

Things you’d run through a fire or eat bugs to get out of doing: Moving - the whole experience of it - the decluttering, packing hauling, final cleaning all of it.

About Lisa:

Born and raised in Minnesota, Lisa Bol is an actress, director, and producer, based out of NYC that loves: traveling, crocheting, bourboning, making people laugh, and The Muppets. She received her BA in Theatre Arts from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, her MFA in Acting from Ohio University, and was a member of the Actors Theatre of Louisville’s Professional Training Company in 2015-2016. Shortly after moving to NYC, she co-founded Tantrum East Productions and is now the Artistic Director.

Let’s Be Social:

Website:

https://murderwespoke.com/

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/murder-we-spoke/id1730737866

 Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556196394490

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/murderwespokepodcast/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@murderwespokepodcast

What Have You Been Reading Lately?

What are you reading and what’s up next for you? I’m reading Tara Lush’s A Bean to Die for, and I’m sad that this is the last in this series. I loved her new mystery, Gator Queen. Who knew alligator wrangling could be so much fun.

I also recently finished Diane Kelly’s Four-Alarm Homicide and Olivia Blacke’s Rhythm and Clues. Both cozy series are well worth the read.

There are so many books and so little time. I just love Ellen Byron/Maria DiRico and all of her series, Linda Reilly, Mindy Quigley, Tara Lush, Olivia Blacke, Diane Kelly, and Kallie E. Benjamin (V. M. Burns). You cannot go wrong with any of their books.

I really, really enjoyed Daphne Silver’s debut mystery, Crime and Parchment, and she recently won the Agatha Awar for Best First Novel at Malice Domestic. Congratulations! What a fun start to a new series set on the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland. Lots of quirky characters and a twisty plot.

Lee Goldberg’s traditional mysteries are always a hit. If you like police procedurals and twisty mysteries, you need to read Goldberg's Eve Ronin series. Hollywood, heists, reality TV, murder, and mayhem...

T. G. Herren/Greg Herren and Jennie Marts are new-to-me authors. I enjoyed both of these cozies, and I look forward to reading more of their books.

What have you been reading lately?

#ThisorThatThursday Interview with Erica Wynters

I’d like to welcome author Erica Wynters back to the blog for #ThisorThatThursday!

Favorite thing to do when you have free time: Read, nap, or if I have a lot of free time, do something fun with my family.

The thing you’ll always move to the bottom of your to do list: Meal planning

Things you need when you’re in your writing cave: A cozy blanket and an iced tea.

Things that distract you from writing: My phone! I do much better if it’s far away from me when I write.

Hardest thing about being a writer: The marketing

Easiest thing about being a writer: Coming up with book ideas. I have more ideas than I have time to write them all.

Something you wanted to be when you were a kid: An orca trainer at Sea World.

Something you do that you never dreamed you’d do: Being a writer! It surprised me, and I am so grateful for that.

Last best thing you ate: Crispy fish tacos at a local restaurant called Joyride Tacos.

Last thing you regret eating: An entire bag of kettle corn!

Favorite places you’ve been: Kaanapali Beach on Maui, Chicago, and Oak Creek Canyon in between Sedona and Flagstaff, Arizona.

Places you never want to go to again: The Midwest in the winter. I’ll stick to visiting in the summer when the weather is nice and warm!

Most daring thing you’ve ever done: Bungee jumping

Something you chickened out from doing: Cliff jumping in Maui. To be fair, it was more not wanting to climb up sharp lava rocks covered in little crabs to get to the top than the actual jump.

The nicest thing a reader said to you: I read your books when I’m stressed and I need a break from real life. I also love it when people tell me they’re waiting for my next book.

The craziest thing a reader said to you: I left a comment of support on another author’s Instagram post a couple of years ago when she was being harassed online just saying that I was sorry it was happening to her. The person harassing her must have been reading the comments, because she went to Goodreads and left one star reviews on every book I had out at the time.

Best piece of advice you received from another writer: Find a community of other authors. It’s really hard to do this journey alone.

Something you would tell a younger you about your writing: You’re going to get much better at writing the more you do it. You’re not going to believe this, but you’re going to have a cozy mystery series published by one of your favorite authors!

Recommendations for curing writer’s block: There’s a saying by writer Louis L’Amor, “Start writing no matter what, water does not flow until the water is turned on.”

Things you do to avoid writing: Almost anything. Social media, reading (which isn’t a bad distraction), watching a show, even cleaning if I’m desperate.

About Erica:

Erica Wynters may have lived most of her life in the frigid Midwest, but now she spends her time in the warmth and sunshine of Arizona. She loves hiking, hunting down waterfalls in the desert, reading (of course), and napping. Can napping be considered a hobby? When not weaving tales of mystery with plenty of quirky characters, laughs, and a dash of romance, Erica works as a Marriage and Family Therapist helping others find their Happily Ever Afters.

Let’s Be Social:

www.ericawynters.com

www.instagram.com/ericawyntersbooks

www.facebook.com/ericawynters