Tag: K.M. Creamer

The secret to writing (the draft of) your book in 30 days–

by Karen, posted in books, NaNoWriMo, writing

National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) starts November 1, as it does every year.

This will be my TENTH NaNoWriMo!

Three of the books I wrote during National Novel Writing Month are published!
Three of the books I wrote during National Novel Writing Month are published!

In a nutshell, NaNoWriMo is when you commit to writing 50,000 words in 30 days, the minimum words needed to be considered a novel (according to the Powers That Be in NaNoLand).

Every year that I participate, I finish with at least 50K words.

Believe me, this is something that you can do, too.

Have you been telling yourself, “I have no time! There’s no way I can do this!”? Clearly, if you have not yet written your book, then this method is not working for you. What would happen if you start asking yourself, “How can I make this work?”

Here is my Super Secret Formula for how to do it:

1. Decide to write your book (draft) in 30 days this November.

2. Do it!

Keep this quote in mind: What you seek is seeking you. ~Rumi

Want help? Check out my online course (at the special price of $47 until 11.1.19–usually $97!) for how to do this: Write the First Draft of Your Book in 30 Days!

My novel is the pick for this month’s GET ARTSY BOOK CLUB!

by Karen, posted in author, books, Brave books

I am excited to announce that my novel One Brave Thing has been chosen as the next book for the ‘Get Artsy Book Club’! 

I have been a member of this book club as a reader for a few months now. I was drawn to the ‘Get Artsy Book Club’ because, well, I love books! More than that, the name of Allyson’s business, Determined to Shine, also resonated with me. I have been telling myself to ‘shine’ a lot recently, so the word caught my eye right away. I took it as a sign that this was something that would benefit me, and I am so glad that I did! I love the books we have read so far.

Reading the books and doing the projects as part of the ‘Get Artsy Book Club‘ have helped me gain new insight and inspiration in my own life.

I also have discovered a new art form – artist trading cards – and they are so much fun to make! Allyson gives clear, step by step video directions that make it easy to create these unique and fun art forms.

So again, I am very excited that my book, One Brave Thing, was chosen as the next book for the ‘Get Artsy Book Club‘ to read! If you have already read (or want to read!) my novel and would like to participate in this unique book club this month, click here to sign up. You can sign up for one month for $15, or multiple months for a discounted price. NOTE: This is Allyson’s book club and all the information about the club and pricing is on her website.

Included in the book club are questions for reflection based on the book, art projects (easy! you can do them!), and a live book chat together online.

So I hope you’ll sign up for the club this month and join me in reading the book, making some art and some new friends, and discussing the themes of One Brave Thing together!

Need to get the book? Click on the title to order your copy of One Brave Thing!

Thank you! Please share this post with anyone you think would be interested! I look forward to discussing the book and creating with you!

 

Coming full circle (and announcing a free class!)

by Karen, posted in books, Brave books, Life's too short to read bad books, Midlife Crisis, relationships, Turning 50, writing

When I was in elementary school, I was in a new school every year.

Every. Single. Year.

No, my parents weren’t in the military. My father was disabled, and when money got tight, we got moving.

Kindergarten: The Hancock in Medford. First grade and half of second: The Emerson in Malden. Last half of second grade and third: The Parker in Billerica. Fourth: The Hajjar in Billerica. Fifth: The Davenport in Medford.

Maybe you noticed that Billerica is up there twice in a row. We actually didn’t move that year, but as luck would have it, the town built a new elementary school to accommodate its growing population and (you guess it) I was zoned to move to the new school.

Oh, happy day.

Moving can be hard for anyone at any age, and I was no exception. Every time I made a friend, we moved, and I had to begin all over again. As I got older, it seemed as if everyone was already paired up with a best friend, and had been forever. I always felt like the odd girl out. Like I didn’t belong.

And then something wonderful happened. I discovered my BFF’s in books!

Nancy Drew and Pippi Longstocking were among the first and are still my friends today.

Of course, Judy Blume’s books were part of my life back then, and the one that immediately comes to my mind when I think of that time is this one: Are You There God? It’s me, Margaret.

I have been thinking a lot lately about how reading books can help us find meaning and insight into our lives. Even in fiction–maybe especially in fiction–it’s the story we connect with, and how it resonates for us in our real lives, and through which we can find comfort and clarity.

The phrase, “Go back to go forward” popped into my head not too long ago, and it kept popping in, over and over, so I thought, hey, I have to do something with this.

About the same time, Margaret was also intruding on my thoughts. 

Pretty much everyone I know that is past puberty has read the Margaret book. Maybe because I have been re-reading other books lately that impacted me, it occurred to me that it might be very interesting to re-read this particular book now. Maybe that’s why it was so persistently intruding in my thoughts. It wanted me to read it again!

And then I had another thought: maybe other women would also enjoy this.
And my free mini-course idea was born!

You can join the Facebook group now to get notified when the free course is available. As of now, I expect it to be ready on the Tuesday before Labor Day (August 29, 2017). Once it’s live, this link should work to sign up for my free mini-course, GO BACK TO GO FORWARD! 

Feel free to share this with anyone else who has read this book and might enjoy coming with me on my learning curve to take this free course!

What if Tiffany Stayed with Ezekiel?

by Karen, posted in health, no fear

I was listening to the news today, which I generally go out of my way to avoid, when I heard about an NFL player being suspended for alleged violence against his now-former girlfriend.

Good, I thought. Stop enabling domestic violence perpetrators to perpetuate violence against women by hitting them where it hurts: in their wallets.

It’s a start.

Part of the problem with keeping women safe is this: it so often deteriorates into a ‘he said, she said’ situation that casts the events in a gray area for the purposes of pressing charges.

I read the New York’s Post account of what she had to say, as well as what he had to say. Read it here: Ezekiel Elliott justified choking ex as ‘tough love’: accuser

You can also read about the NFL’s decision for suspension here: The NFL Has Suspended Ezekiel Elliott For Six Games On Domestic Violence Charges

Bottom line: I’m so glad that Tiffany didn’t stay with Ezekiel.

The outcome might have been so much worse.

I write about partner violence in my new book.

Find it here: What if Bebe Stays with Steven? 

 

The BRAVE Interview #12 July 2017: Amanda Moore

by Karen, posted in Interviews, The BRAVE Interviews

Please enjoy this month’s interview with Amanda Moore!

I am Amanda Moore and I live in Southern Maine. I am raising three children, ranging from second grade to college. I was raised to be brave and encouraged by my grandfather early on to think creatively.

My recent “Brave Thing” is part of my continued focus to balance life and participate again in the creative parts. Writing , drawing, painting, along with reading, cooking, and gardening!

Three years ago, I began by using technology to connect with my talented group of friends. Day Dreamers Book Group opened up to me what others are creating: artists, musicians, writers, deep thinkers!

The focus of my current project is a gift to my friend that recently passed away. With the creative input of a friend of his, I hope we can write his story. Karen is a great inspiration to me and everyone who knows her.

Be Brave.

Here is the link to join Day Dreamers Book Group on FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/318995978286930/

Thank you for sharing your story with us, Amanda!

Read the other BRAVE interviews here: https://kwrites.com/?s=The+BRAVE+Interview

If you would like to be interviewed for this series about something brave you have done in your life, email me at kmcwrites@gmail.com!

Where did it go?

by Karen, posted in author, books, writing

UPDATE! The paperback edition is once again available at amazon.com! Thank you for your patience!

So, due to an editing glitch, the paperback version of my new novel, What if Bebe Stays with Steven? is temporarily unavailable in paperback on Amazon.com. It is available on Kindle right now. Within the next 24 hours or so it should be available on Amazon.com in paperback again.

This is one of those exercises in patience and letting go of what I cannot control.

You can purchase the paperback locally at the following locations:

  1. The Wells IGA
  2. Elemental Energies with Chris Ann and Jeff
  3. FOUND in Kennebunk
  4. Zen and Company in Kennebunk
  5. The Shops at Cape Neddick in (you guessed it) Cape Neddick

You can also find me doing book sales and signings most weekends.

Good things come to those who wait.

🙂

 

80’s-ish Playlist-Music to Write By

by Karen, posted in author, books, Brave books, Music

I played a lot of 80’s music as I was writing my new novel, and these are all songs that I loved then, and still love now. I thought I’d share them with you all as part of my book party celebrating the launch of my new novel, What if Bebe Stays with Steven?

Playlist:

Danger Motels

Girl Can’t Help It Journey

Cherish Madonna

Alive and Kicking Simple Minds

What I Like About You Romantics

I’ll Be Alright Without You Journey

The Way You Make Me Feel Michael Jackson

I Melt With You Modern English

You Give Love a Bad Name Bon Jovi

Gypsy Feetwood Mac

Love is a Battlefield Pat Benatar

Take Me Home Tonight Eddie Money

Everybody Wants to Rule the World Tears for Fears

Sweetest Taboo Sade

Dancing with Myself Billy Idol

Hungry Eyes Eric Carmen

Safety Dance Men Without Hats

I Can’t Go For That (No Can Do) Hall & Oates

Living on a Prayer Bon Jovi

Mickey Toni Basil

Our Lips Are Sealed The Go-Go’s

Beat It Michael Jackson

 

ENJOY!!!

Spotlight on: The Shops at Cape Neddick

by Karen, posted in author, books, local fun, shopping

Have you been to The Shops at Cape Neddick recently? If it’s been awhile, you’re in for a treat. It’s expanded and still expanding, so give yourself enough time to look around and take it all in.

When you walk in, you will feel the lovely energy of this shop right away. It feels like you are being wrapped big, warm hug. Everywhere you look you’ll see something beautiful, fun, and unique. There are several different shops under this one roof, so there truly is something for everyone.

Today, I want to tell you about (you guessed it) the book section! Currently called Book Ends, there is a special section to highlight local authors. I am proud to tell you that I am represented here!

capeneddick8

Every time I come here, I find just exactly the thing I want. Today, I found this ‘Be Brave’ bracelet, the perfect compliment to my first novel, One Brave Thing, which is available at The Shops.capeneddick1

On Friday, March 17th, I will be at The Shops at Cape Neddick, signing my book from 5:00pm-7pm. I will also be giving one card oracle readings as a bonus gift to anyone who purchases my book. When you come, ask me about my second novel, What if Bebe Stays with Steven? So save the date and tell your friends!

The Shops at Cape Neddick is at 1300 Route 1, Cape Neddick, ME 03902. For more information, call 207-363-2500, or check out the Facebook page here.

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Doing the thing

by Karen, posted in author, books, Brave books, NaNoWriMo, writing
I have been working feverishly, madly, to design the cover of my new novel. My publication date is 3/21 (as in: 3-2-1 liftoff! 🙂 ) and I am determined to make it.
frontcoverbolder-2-7-17I originally planned to use my own photos for the cover, but then I started looking around on Canva, you know, just for fun, and one image caught my eye. What drew me about her is that she looks like she’s trying to go forward, but is letting herself be pulled back.
Like Bebe. In the new book, What if Bebe Stays with Steven?, Bebe is thinking, should I stay or should I go? I also like the little bit of backpack showing, since she is a student. This one image captured all that for me.

Here’s the most important part of this story. Right after I saved and downloaded the image, one of my favorite quotes by Eleanor Roosevelt popped up on the computer screen!

“You must do the thing you think you cannot do.”

I took this as a sign that this was exactly the right image for my cover. Of course, that was at midnight last week, and the next day, after I smacked my head into the corner of the huge mirror over my couch and hematoma’d my head, I started second-guessing it all.

 But I am going forward anyway. Like Nikki Groom said in her recent podcast (with Jodi Flynn on Women Taking the Lead), “Just start.”

The power of one

by Karen, posted in (it's all about the) food, author, book reviews, books, family, friends, Holidays, local fun, writing

I have been giving a lot of talks at local libraries. For my most recent one, I personally invited and Facebook invited a lot of people.

yorklibraryphoto2

A lot.

Plus, it was a full moon in Gemini (my sign)! At 7:05pm! And my talk started at 7:00PM!

I know this is a busy time of year for us all, but I was expecting at least 10 people or so.

When it 6:59pm and still no one had come, I began to consider that maybe I had saturated my geographic location.

If no one came (as I have heard sometimes happens, but thankfully had never happened to me), my Plan B was to have my husband make a video of me reading so I could post it on my YouTube Channel (still evolving–don’t judge it). At least this would be time well spent, right?

What I learned: Don’t accept a time slot that starts when the library is CLOSED. Duh. I’m not sure why they even did that… oh, wait. Yes, I do. I took the slot because I was hoping to sell a lot of books before Christmas, and this was the only December slot they had. They had one slot available in January, but I thought people might not come out in the cold when they weren’t possibly out already, shopping for the holidays (books make great gifts!). Note: the temperature was in the 20’s last night.

And then, at 7:05pm, one person came into the room.

My audience had arrived. She probably didn’t really feel like going out, but she wanted to support a fellow writer/author, and guess what?

SHE DID.

Thank you again, Katherine. ❤

For some reason, this song was in my head on my way home from the event, so I am including it here for your listening pleasure: