The Emotional Wound Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Psychological Trauma.

Today I am happy to be part of Writers Persevere!, an event that authors Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi are running for the next few days to celebrate their release of their newest book, The Emotional Wound Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Psychological Trauma. This book looks at the difficult experiences embedded in our character’s backstory which will shape their motivation and behavior afterward. 

Because Angela and Becca have spent the last year exploring painful human struggles, they wanted to highlight a very important aspect of overcoming difficult circumstances: it can make us stronger. I promised to let Angela hijack my blog today, so please read on!

***

Hi everyone! When you set out to find examples of inner strength, you don’t have to go very far. Right here in the writing community, we see it every day. Writers more than anyone understand the swirl of emotions as we work toward publication. We dream of making it and seeing our books in the hands of readers…yet doubt and frustration can be a constant companion. For us, there is a lot to learn, much to steel our nerves for, and unfortunately, a host of real-world problems that can try to derail us. And, even as we slowly move forward and grow, we can sometimes feel like impostors. This is a tough road.

But the fact that writers face this battle, day after day, and KEEP GOING…this should be celebrated! We need to be reminded that we are much stronger than we sometimes believe. We dream, create, and force ourselves to keep striving. Through the ups and downs, we persevere!

Have you encountered something on the writing road that made you question yourself? Have you faced an obstacle that required a force of will to get past?

If so, we want to hear about it! Join Becca and me at Writers Helping Writers from October 25-27^th, where we are celebrating writers and their stories of perseverance. Stop in, and tell us about a challenge or struggle your faced, or if you like, join this event by writing a post on your own blog and share it using the hashtag #writerspersevere.  Let’s fill social media with your strength and let other writers know that it’s okay to question and have doubts but we shouldn’t let that stop us. 

GIVEAWAY ALERT! 

We also have a prize vault filled with items that can give your writing career a boost, so stop by Writers Helping Writers. I would love for one of you to win something that will help you get closer to your goal!

If you struggle, remember to reach out to others. We are in this together, and by supporting one another, we cross the finish line together (and then keep going!). 

Happy writing!

Angela & Becca

Thanks for stopping by!
Sherry Gammon

Urban or Rural Thesaurus...or both!

As we write, we can become consumed by the plot, by the story events that sizzle with conflict, tension, and intrigue. But what often holds readers in thrall are our characters and how they grow and change.

Who they evolve into, what fears they push past, how they take on pain to reach fulfillment regardless of the challenges—all of these steps in the character's journey, combined with the plot, can create a fascinating trek through the pages of a novel. And yet there's another element that's needed to meld the story and character arc together: the setting.

Choosing the right one for each scene is critical to give deeper meaning to the character's inner and outer journeys. The right setting can symbolize our protagonists' goals, remind them of their past, steer their choices through emotional triggers, and lend them the strength to soldier on, no matter what opposition stands in their way. But what if "the right setting choice" is one we haven't experienced ourselves first hand? How do we describe it?

Well, there's some good news on that front. Two new books have released this week that may change the description game for writers. The Urban Setting Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to City Spaces and The Rural Setting Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Personal and Natural Spaces look at the sights, smells, tastes, textures, and sounds that a character might experience within 225 different contemporary settings. And this is only the start of what these books offer writers. In fact, swing by and check out this hidden entry, HOUSE PARTY, a location from the Rural Setting Thesaurus volume.
 

And there's one more thing you might want to know more about....

Becca and Angela, authors of The Emotion Thesaurus, are celebrating their double release with a fun event going on from June 13-20th called ROCK THE VAULT. At the heart of Writers Helping Writers is a tremendous vault, and these two ladies have been hoarding prizes of epic writerly proportions.

A safe full of prizes, ripe for the taking...if the writing community can work together to unlock it, of course.

Ready to do your part? Stop by Writers Helping Writers to find out more!

Thanks for stopping by!

Sherry Gammon

Guilt Trip by Juli Caldwell Enter to WIN a copy!!!

Avery Elliott is so busy hiding from her past that she doesn't realize she’s been stuck in a rut for the last decade or so. Despite a job she loves, a hilarious great-grandma she adores, a reliable Friday night date, and two of the best friends a girl could ask for, she’s not happy.

So why can’t she move forward with her life? 

After Mr. Friday Night humiliates her and bails, Avery spins it into an opportunity. She joins her friends on a singles cruise, hoping to reset her stagnant life.  Instead, her great escape becomes a floating prison, locking her in with everything she needed to get away from. 

And then someone she never thought she’d see again appears on board, a blast from the past who’s haunted her for far too long. Avery has to decide if she should leave the past where it belongs, or fight for a happiness she never thought she deserved.

Guilt Trip is now available on Amazon. Check it out!  In honor of its release and Valentines/Singles Awareness Day, Juli Caldwell is having a Worst Date Ever contest. Visit her facebook and share your awful story--BOOM. You're entered. Give Guilt Trip a shout out or a retweet on Twitter--another entry. Make sure you hashtag it #guilttrip and let her know @ImJuliCaldwell so she can find your entries! Winner gets signed paperback or ebook, whichever they prefer! Winner announced Sunday Night.

Thanks for stopping by!
Sherry Gammon

Do You Judge a Book by its Cover?

Over the years my novel Unlovable has changed. Not the story, (with the exception of fixing a few typos!), but the cover has!
This cover is my original cover. It is a photo of Central Park that I added a few effects to and called it good...Oh how naive I was! I sold a few hundred copies, but I knew that I needed to update the cover or all my hard work would be for not.

My next cover changed everything. I contacted a digital artist out of
England named Paul Beeley. I'd seen his work and was impressed. I told him what I was looking for, and together we created this cover. That changed everything! My book was picked up by several big book bloggers, received wonderful reviews, and caught the eye of Films By Serendipity who is currently making Unlovable into a movie! So it seems people may judge a book by its cover, at least at first. If the inside doesn't hold up, then the world's most incredible cover won't help at all.






However, according to the powers that be,(the big five publishers) changing book covers helps to draw in new readers. One cover may connect with someone, whereas another may not. When I recently updated the cover to Unbelievable from this:

   to this:     

Since so many people were now copying my cover I decided to freshen up Unlovable to this: (Yes, I now design covers!)

It is pretty much the same except for a color change and I added some details, like Maggie's trailer in the background. I toyed with the idea of changing the cover completely, but I loved the girl on the cover and felt she represented Maggie so well..until now.

  OR

I LOVE these covers and am seriously debating whether or not to completely change Unlovable's cover. I love the girl on the swing and feel people connect it with Unlovable, but I wonder if a new look altogether might be better.

PLEASE comment below. Should I change the cover, or stick with the blue girl on the swing? And of the two new suggested covers, which do you prefer? 

I'd like to thank all of you who took a chance on an unknown indie author and read (and reviewed!) my book! I will forever be grateful. <3
Thanks for stopping by!

Sherry Gammon

An interview of me!

Here is an interview of my hosted by Rachel T Stiber 
Twenty Questions for Authors

       Thank you for taking the time to participate in this interview. Below, you will find twenty questions; some are serious while others are playful. Answer as many as you like.

1.       Talk about your latest work. Is it a novel? Short story?  Nonfiction? Give a brief synopsis, sharing as much (or as little) as you like. My latest is the Audiobook of Not So Easy. Of all the books I’ve written, it is my favorite story

 Not So Easy (YA Fantasy) 

Senior Max Sanchez has it all. 
He’s the star pitcher for Port Fare High’s baseball team. He’s dating the 
head cheerleader, Emma McKay, and he has a great group of friends. 

Junior JD Miller’s life is Not So Easy. 
Unlike Max, JD struggles with making friends. He’s a social misfit, and 
he’s being bullied at every turn. He’s also barely surviving.

 
A tragic accident changes everything, merging their lives together, 
and Max soon learns that life is not so easy for everyone. Max works to the point of exhaustion trying to help JD survive the chaos that is his life, and his eyes are opened to a world he had no idea even existed. 
Not so Easy is a story about hope, surviving, and never giving up.

2.       Where did you get your inspiration to write you latest work? Or, where do you find inspiration for writing? All over! The world, the news, friends. Also music. It really helps me to play the “song” I feel represents the book I’m working on. I post a playlist for my books on my web page to help the reader get into the story more.

3.       Describe your writing process. Blood, sweat, and tears. Along with lamenting, rethinking, and some head banging…then I begin writing the story.

4.       How important are names to you in your book(s)? Do you choose names based on liking the way it sounds or the meaning? Do you have any name choosing resources you recommend? Names! I hate trying to come up with names. For the “bad guys” I tend to pick mean people that I know. For the good guys I search and search and search the internet name sites and my Facebook friends until a name rings true.

5.       Is there a certain type of scene that is harder for you to write than others? Not really. Once I’m in the grove all is well.

6.       What is your least favorite part of the writing/publishing process? The first draft. After that it is gravy!

7.       Have you read your work since it has been published? Sometimes.

8.       What is your best marketing tip? Search out bloggers and get reviews for your books.

9.       What are you working on currently? What is your next project? I am in the middle of 2 projects right now. The first is a short story. It is a mystery/comedy. The main character, Aleixa, is a writing who wakes one morning to find the man she’s been dating dead in her living room. The second is a full-length novel about 2 high schoolers struggling to survive not only high school, but their families.

10.    What writing advice do you have for other aspiring authors? Write write write and read read read books in your genre!

11.    If you could cast your characters in a Hollywood adaptation of your book, who would play your characters? Unlovable is being made into a movie actually by Films by Serendipity. If I were casting it I would pick Lily Collins for Maggie and Liam Hemsworth for Seth!

12.    Do your characters’ personalities reflect your personality or the personalities of people you know? Mostly people I know. I do try and give the characters one of my traits so I can relate to them better.

13.    What is one place you want to visit that you have not visited yet? Greece, and Italy (Tuscany).

14.    What were you like as a child? What was your favorite toy? As a child I was strong and fearless. And I LOVED dolls!

15.    If you had a superpower, what would it be? To fly!

16.    If you were a superhero, what would your name be? What would you wear? My name? No idea, but I can tell you I would NOT wear a skimpy super hero outfit that you see the heros in the movies wear. It’s FREEZING cold the higher you go! I want a nice worm coat… and goggles.

17.    What literary character is most like you? Cinderella…except both my parents are alive and I have no sisters…Hmmmm…Guess I need a new character.

18.    If you were an animal in a zoo, what would you be and why? Monkey. The look like they are having so much fun. I’d be a smart one and figure out how to escape, that’s for sure.

19.    What is one thing you would like to accomplish before you pass away? I’d like to write and uplifting book on motherhood to help encourage mothers and woman everywhere. There is so much negativity out there and I’d like to encourage them to avoid the naysayers.

20.    What do you want your tombstone to say? She came; she tried; she left…and she was a pretty good mom! (I had my 16-year-old son proofread this and he said to change the 'pretty good mom' to awesome mom  ;'}

Thank you for letting me be a part of your author interviews!!

Find me:

Web site | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Amazon | iBooks | B & N | Kobo | Scribd