Thursday, December 31, 2015

My Goals for 2016

by Marsha Ward @MarshaWard

Here we are at the last day of the year 2015, and tomorrow will be a brand new year, 2016. I don't make New Year's Resolutions. I gave that up years ago, knowing they would last for at best, two weeks, and at worst, two days.

However, I do set Goals. I've done this for several years now, accomplishing more of what I set out to do than ever before.

I've talked about Goals and Goal Setting before. In 2012 on another blog, I suggested that our goals be obtainable, that is, that we have control over the outcomes, and in 2013, I wrote about three categories into which I had broken down my writing business-related goals for the past year. I noted that writing down the goals in an achievable fashion made them so much easier to accomplish, and that I had completed many of them and had a productive year.

I continued making goal lists in 2014 and 2015, expanding the categories and seeing a lot of forward progress and accomplishments.

For 2016, I have further refined my categories, and have a very ambitious writing and publishing program outlined for myself [Lots of prayers needed for keeping my nose to the grindstone!].

Here are the categories I've defined for 2016 and roughly what they include:

WRITE (works in progress and proposed projects)
WORK WITH OTHERS (cover designers, mostly, but also possibly audio book narrators)
PREPARE/FORMAT (mostly book bundles or new print editions, with some solo releases of previously bundled stories)
MAKE COVER FOR (upcoming releases)
PUBLISH (proposed schedule)
MARKET (expand frequency of mailings to Reader List, updating product interiors, re-doing keywords/categories)
PROMOTE (advertising and co-op sales)
INTERNET PRESENCE (blogging commitments and website upkeep)
EVENTS (what I plan to attend or where I'll present)
SERVICE (how I will give back this year)

I also outlined several business questions I have to address during the coming year.

Now, these goals still have nothing to do with my life outside of writing: my family, church commitments, educational pursuits, friends, and social events. Someday I probably will work them onto the list, but for now, my written goals still focus on the business side of my life.

What process or method do you use to set yearly goals? Does it work to help you achieve them? If not, what changes will you make for 2016?

Saturday, December 26, 2015

Sample Saturday: Cottonwood Cowboys

Welcome to Sample Saturday! This snippet is from Cottonwood Cowboys, an Arizona story, in which Slim and Curly's plan for the school house dance get sidetracked by a rotted cottonwood tree..
~~~

The week ran along fine until Thursday night.

Then the big cottonwood came crashing down on the corral.


It about ruined my weekend.


I guess I didn’t mind so much that I was stuck on the two-man saw with Curly, but Saturday afternoon working toward evening was a poor time to pull tree clearing duty, especially this Saturday, with the dance all laid out at the school house, and a new schoolmarm to gaze at.


I reckon it wasn’t Curly’s fault; there wasn’t a finer hand than Curly, except maybe for me, on the whole Four Rivers, Arizona, spread. It was just that I was itching to get to that dance, having caught a beforehand sign of that schoolmarm when last I was in town.


The trouble was, Curly was just as anxious to get duded up and out to the school house as I was, and I didn’t want him to get an edge on me.


I guess it weren’t Amos Ramsey’s fault neither. But I sure cussed him some under my breath while I worked that saw back and forth as fast as I could stand. Old Amos owned the Four Rivers Ranch, and I thought sure he was going to leave that old, rotten tree for another day or two, seeing as how it had been laying there since the storm brought it down on Thursday night, and he hadn’t seen fit to give orders to clear it away.


Old Amos changed his mind along about Saturday noon, and decided he surely could use some firewood from that stringy tree, and while Curly and me were at it, we might as well clear the whole mess from the corral. And after that, if we didn’t mind, we could fix the section of fence that got mashed with the tree atop it.


“Tarnation,” I said, along with a few other little things, once Old Amos was safely out of earshot. “I reckon I hired on to do just about anything, as long as it could be done from the back of a horse.”


Curly growled something in reply, and yanked on the handle of the saw.

~~~

Thank you for visiting my blog.

Cottonwood Cowboys (An Arizona Short Story) is available at the following online retailers: 
Smashwords all formats | Kindle | nook | Kobo | iTunes Bookstore

My latest novel, The Zion Trail, will be published in 2016 as an ebook, and if there is sufficient demand, in print. To keep up-to-date on when The Zion Trail will be published, along with other new releases, and to learn of special offers and sales, click here to join my Readers email list. In your inbox, you will also receive instructions on how to download a free ebook of my last novel, Gone for a Soldier.
  

Saturday, December 19, 2015

Sample Saturday: The Usual Game

Welcome to Sample Saturday. This snippet is from my short story, The Usual Game, set in the early days of the State of Arizona.
~~~

The Ford sputtered and died.

Verl allowed the car to slip backward down the side of the steep mountain road to the almost-flat place where the switchback zigzagged in the other direction, then turned off the lights and set the brake. Night surrounded him with insect chirps and the crisp, tangy odor of creosote as he stepped off the running board of the 1926 Model T.


I shoulda put in gas at Clarkdale, he thought, and wondered if the gas can was as dry as the tank.


The young man let his eyes adjust to starlight for a moment, breathing deeply, hoping to cut the concrete dust that filled his lungs with the night air. Even if his was a dirty job, it was honest labor, like he'd promised Betty. Construction work was good for the economy of the young state of Arizona, and pretty well paying for him.


He felt the wad of bills in his pocket. Maybe his earnings weren't like before, but soon there would be enough money for him to drive down to Phoenix to visit Betty and Ma. He could wire his wages to them, but he longed for some home cooking, and for the sight of Betty's laughing face when he came in the door.


Verl felt along the running board for the gas can. He untied it, then gave it a shake. Should be a good two gallons in there. Plenty to get him up the hill to his lodgings in Jerome.


He got the funnel out of the toolbox, uncapped the tank, and slid the funnel into the hole. Pungent fumes rose from the opened can as he lifted it, carefully adding the liquid to the tank. Then he was finished, and a tuneless whistle flowed through his pursed lips as he put away the gas can and funnel.


"Let's go on home," he said, patting the car.


Verl fired up the engine with the electric starter and eased off the brake to make another run up the steep road. The car settled into the proper gear and putted into the long ascent.


The engine died again.

~~~

Thank you for visiting my blog.

The Usual Game (An Arizona Short Story) is available at the following online retailers: Smashwords all formats | Kindle | nook | Kobo | iTunes Bookstore

My latest novel, The Zion Trail, will be published in 2016 as an ebook, and if there is sufficient demand, in print. To keep up-to-date on when The Zion Trail will be published, along with other new releases, and to learn of special offers and sales, click here to join my Readers email list. In your inbox, you will also receive instructions on how to download a free ebook of my last novel, Gone for a Soldier. 

Saturday, December 12, 2015

Sample Saturday Mended by Moonlight

Welcome to Sample Saturday. This snippet is from my new Work-in-Progress (WIP), Mended by Moonlight.
~~~

Dr. Alexander Marshall opened the door to his small office, thrust his fingers through the front of his straight black hair, and stopped abruptly. A woman dressed in black clothing from tip to toe sat in the chair facing his untidy desk. She turned her head at the sound of his entrance. The skin of her face was pale as the pallor of death, but her features were fashioned with exquisite symmetry. Pale blonde hair peeked out from under her black bonnet, and he drew in his breath, startled by the unexpected sight of such beauty in these dismal circumstances.

She was a young woman, scarcely old enough to put up her hair, although he could see signs of wartime privation in the hollows of her cheeks. He noted the lack of a companion, and wondered who she could be, come here so boldly, so alone.

He let go of the doorknob and allowed the door to swing shut behind him, enclosing the two of them together—alone—in his crowded office.

The woman had shifted the paperwork that had previously occupied the chair to the floor. He felt the annoyance, no, the embarrassment of having put her to undue labor because of his untidiness.

Suddenly aware that a bloody apron still covered his clothing, he removed it with haste, balled it up, and flung it into a corner. Then he dipped a hand into the pocket of his trousers and took out the unread note he'd received that morning from Dr. Clark, the hospital director.

The only response from his guest came from her large blue eyes, which followed his every move. Otherwise, her rigid posture and tightly-clasped hands indicated uncertainty—or fear.

"Miss . . ." he began, then realized she wore the attire of a widow. He glanced at the note. Please attend to Mrs. Allen before noon. She suffers headaches. "Mrs. Allen, I am Doctor Marshall." He dropped into the chair behind his desk and laid the note on the surface before him.

"I am Mrs. Benjamin Owen," the widow said, her voice firmer than he supposed it would be.

"I beg your pardon," he answered, looking at the note again.

"My mother, Mrs. Theodore Allen, arranged for this visit. I am Mrs. Owen." Again, her voice conveyed her statement with firmness.

He inclined his head. "Mrs. Owen. How may I be of service?"

~~~

Thank you for visiting my blog.

My latest novel, The Zion Trail, will be published in 2016 as an ebook, and if there is sufficient demand, in print. To keep up-to-date on when The Zion Trail will be published, along with other new releases, and to learn of special offers and sales, click here to join my Readers email list. In your inbox, you will also receive instructions on how to download a free ebook of my last novel, Gone for a Soldier.

Friday, December 11, 2015

Fresh Book Friday - Soda Springs

Today it's my pleasure to present a brand new novel for Fresh Book Friday, in conjunction with author Carolyn Steele's Blog Tour. Note: the purchase link marked Kindle goes to Amazon.com. Nook is at Barnes & Noble.com.

Title: Soda Springs
Author: Carolyn Steele
Genre: Historical Romance (Frontier)
Publisher: Cedar Fort, Inc.
Date of Publication: December 2015


Synopsis:
When Tessa Darrow discovers her father burning his Civil War uniform, she has no idea how his secret will devastate their family and drive them from their home in North Carolina. The family journeys along the Oregon Trail until tragedy strikes, leaving Tessa and her father to build a new life in Soda Springs, Idaho. But life in the West doesn’t mean forsaking the gentility of her Southern upbringing, not with the likes of William Bates and Peter Sundstrom competing for Tessa’s affections . . . This sweeping story illuminates an oft-forgotten era in LDS Church history. Filled with drama, humor, and enduring love, it's a thrilling read for history buffs and romantics alike.

Excerpt:
“Father, what are you doing?” Tessa whispered as loudly as she dared, fearful of waking the rest of her family. “Stop!”

Go back inside,” he hissed at her.

She gasped in horror. “Your uniform!” Flames consumed the gray woolen coat and trousers. “Why?”


My Review:
Full of twists and turns, Soda Springs takes the reader for a wild ride across the American continent from North Carolina in the last days of the Civil War to Soda Springs, Idaho, where Tessa Barrow and her father find themselves stranded due to tragedy and disease. The characters grow in unexpected directions in this second historical romance novel by Carolyn Steele, which leads to an ending I didn't see coming. Good job, Ms. Steele!

Purchase Links:
Kindle | Nook | Deseret Book | Books and Things

Author Bio:
Born and raised in Utah, Carolyn Steele was introduced to western novels at a very young age by her grandfather, the son of a gold miner. She has been writing technical and marketing communications for most of her adult life. Her nonfiction articles have appeared in numerous national magazines. She earned her undergraduate degree in Communications from the University of Utah.

Married and living in Salt Lake City, Utah, Carolyn loves researching obscure history then weaving it into stories. She also enjoys family dinners with her children and grandchildren, photography, travel, golf, reading, and all forms of needlework.

Find Carolyn:
Website | Facebook Author Page | Twitter | Pinterest

I hope you'll give Soda Springs a try.

Saturday, December 05, 2015

Sample Saturday The Zion Trail #5

Welcome to Sample Saturday. This scene is an excerpt from my forthcoming novel, The Zion Trail, which will be available in ebook format early next year. Lije expresses his concerns to his father following John's altercation with neighbor boys. Caution: Mormon beliefs are briefly discussed in this excerpt.
~~~


By suppertime, John looked like a new man—well, boy at least—with his damp hair combed into submission and the egg residue absent from his person.

Ma said she would sit with us at the table that night. She told John he was to take the tray into Pa’s room to explain his altercation and help Pa eat, if he needed any assistance.

Before we sat down to supper, I looked in on Pa. He looked better with the color fading from the bruise on his face. He was able to open his eye now. I could tell he chafed at Ma’s insistence that he stay in bed, as he wasn’t a man to be idle.

“Elijah,” he greeted me.

I sat beside his bed and gave him a report on the farm work. When I had finished, he stared into my eyes for a long moment, then nodded.

“You are doing well, son, but what is troubling you?”

I don’t know why I was surprised that he had read me so easily. I took a moment to formulate an answer.

“Reverend Silcoe has added to our woes,” I said. “He preached against us on Sunday, according to John.” I paused. “I should let him tell the tale. He’ll be here shortly with your supper.”

“All right. I’ll hear him out. You are fretting, Lije.”

“I didn’t expect folks to beat you and pick on John merely because we chose to join a different church. Ma said the same.” I looked down. My fists were clenched so tightly that my knuckles appeared as snow-capped mountains. I eased my hands open and gripped my knees instead.

Pa reached out his hand, and I took it gingerly. “That book the elders left. The Book of Mormon. At the beginning, the prophet Lehi was laughed to scorn because of his belief in God’s word. His sons were in danger of their lives when they returned to gather records. Can we expect better treatment?”

I shifted in the chair, remembering my promise to President Peters to read that book. “I guess not.”

Pa nodded. “So it was anciently. So it is today. People sometimes fear truth, especially when it calls for change.” He squeezed my hand. “Go to supper, Lije, and give no more worry to the matter.”

I left him then and went to eat, trying to let his counsel sooth my own fears.
~~~


Thank you for visiting. The Zion Trail will be published in 2016 as an ebook, and if there is sufficient demand, in print. To keep up-to-date on when The Zion Trail will be published, along with other new releases, and to learn of special offers and sales, click here to join my Readers email list. In your inbox, you will also receive instructions on how to download a free ebook of my last novel, Gone for a Soldier.
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