Category: Uncategorized

by Chrystle Fiedler, @ChrystleFiedler

It’s fun to take a break from writing and visit Elizabeth on her blog! Thanks Elizabeth! I thought it would be fun to write about natural remedies since my new book Death Drops: A Natural Remedies Mystery features a holistic doctor who dispenses natural cures. I also thought that readers might be interested in natural ways to boost energy when it comes to writing.

I don’t know about you ut the best time for me to be productive and hopefully brilliant! is in the morning from 9 to noon. But once I have lunch, I feel less energetic. However, if I’m under a deadline I need to power through less productive times and write throughout the day. That’s when I turn to my favorite natural remedy – coffee! I buy mine from 7-11 because home brewed just isn’t strong enough.

I interviewed a doctor at Harvard Medical School years ago for an article and he told me that coffee at 7-11 and Dunkin’ Donuts is 8 times as strong has home brewed! Not only does coffee give me a much needed pick-me-up, I’ve found it also boosts my mood (recent research shows that coffee can help with mild depression) and helps me see things more clearly. In addition, these natural cures can make you more alert and focused, with writing or whatever you need to do!

1. Sip small amounts of chilled water every 30 minutes. Studies show that when you consume small amounts of chilled water every 20-30 minutes during the day, it sends a clear and immediate signal to your brain to increase alertness and energy.

2. Smell peppermint. According to a study in the North American Journal of Psychology drivers had more energy when exposed to this scent. Peppermint increases alertness and decreases fatigue. Chew a nice strong peppermint gum or peppermint mints while you write or drive to decrease fatigue and increase alertness.

3. Use acupressure on your outer ears. Applying pressure to acupressure points all along the outer ear helps to clear the head, gets rid of dull pain above the neck and charges up your entire energy system. Just take your thumb and first finger and go up and down the entire outer ear two or three times and give it a good brisk rubbing.

4. Drink green tea. Green tea has some energizing caffeine, but it also contains theanine, an amino acid that has a stress-reducing effect on your brain. It calms you while giving you mental clarity, leaving your mind clear and sharp and alert.

5. Inhale Eucalyptus or spearmint essential oil. The nose is the only part of your brain that extends to the outer environment is your sense of smell so it’s very charged. Volatile oils such as eucalyptus or spearmint stimulate a part of your brain that triggers alertness. For a natural pick-me-up place a few drops of eucalyptus or spearmint essential oil on a tissue and inhale deeply.

6. Eat Dark Chocolate. Although it’s weaker than caffeine, the chemical theobromine in chocolate is a mild stimulant. Chocolate also contains phenylethylamine, (PEA) which is a feel good mood elevator. Choose a high quality, imported dark chocolate with 70% or more cocoa content. It has less sugar and its rich flavor will satisfy you with less. Aim for 1 ounce of dark chocolate a few times a week.

What is your writing routine?

About Death Drops: A Natural Remedies Mystery:

Dr. Willow McQuade, N.D., a twenty-eight-year-old naturopathic doctor specializing in natural remedies, has decided to take sabbatical and visit her Aunt Claire, the owner of Nature’s Way Market and Cafe in idyllic Greenport, Long Island. But the idea of rest and relaxation is quickly forgotten when Willow arrives from a morning meditative walk to discover her Aunt Claire dead in the store, a strange almond-like smell emanating from her mouth and a bottle of flower essences by her side.

Despite her Zen nature and penchant for yoga, Aunt Claire had a knack for getting into confrontations with folks. An activist, she held weekly meetings for different causes every week in the store. The police want to believe the death is accidental—but Willow thinks she may have been poisoned.

Things get worse when Aunt Claire’s valuable recipe for a new natural age-defying formula, Fresh Face, is stolen during a store break-in, and an attempt is made on Willow’s life. Desperate for a way out of the mess, she turns to a handsome young cop Jackson Spade. Together the two set about solving the case the natural way—through a combination of hard work, common sense, and a dose of luck.

Praise for Death Drops: A Natural Remedies Mystery:

“With a terrific premise and an interesting topic, Fiedler’s debut shows promise.” – Library Journal

“An engaging investigative thriller…an enjoyable whodunit.” The Mystery Gazette

Death Drops: A Natural Remedies Mystery is available for pre-order now and on sale February 21st . To order please visit www.chrystlefiedler.com.

Chrystle Fiedler is the author of DEATH DROPS: A NATURAL REMEDIES MYSTERY (Gallery Books/Simon and Schuster) which will be published on February 21st 2012. I’m also the author of the non-fiction title THE COMPLETE IDIOT’S GUIDE TO NATURAL REMEDIES (Alpha, 2009), co-author of BEAT SUGAR ADDICTION NOW! (Fairwinds Press, 2010), currently in its fourth printing, the BEAT SUGAR ADDICTION NOW! COOKBOOK (Fairwinds Press, 2012) and THE COUNTRY ALMANAC OF HOME REMEDIES (Fairwinds, 2011). Chrystle’s magazine articles featuring natural remedies have appeared in many national publications including Better Homes and Gardens, Natural Health, Vegetarian Times and Remedy.

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone!  Today I’m over at the Southern Writer’s Magazine blog with a post on torturing our characters…for their own good. 

Hope you’ll be able to pop by.   Have a great Valentine’s Day!

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

Hope you’ll join me today over at A Good Blog is Hard to Find.

I’m on the rotation for this blog of Southern-US writers and my topic today is keeping in touch with our readers (or future readers)—why it’s important and basic ways to open up the lines of communication.

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

Below are the writing-related links I tweeted last week.

The free Writer’s Knowledge Base search engine, designed by software engineer and writer Mike Fleming, makes all these links (now over 12,000) searchable. The WKB recently celebrated its one-year anniversary.

Sign up for the free monthly WKB newsletter for the web’s best links and interviews:http://bit.ly/gx7hg1

Midpoint, & Second, Third Plot Points: http://bit.ly/xc2rUE @rebeccaberto

New Facebook data: Be topical, ask questions, and tell jokes to win audience: http://bit.ly/wbWvJz @niemanlab

The problem with using dialogue to dump backstory: http://bit.ly/zq7T5e @theresastevens

A post with some guidance on copywriting rates: http://bit.ly/xSiUA0 @MichelleRafter

The importance of opening up a vein when we write: http://bit.ly/y1bIpJ @sarahahoyt

5 Attitudes Toward Publishing You Should Avoid: http://bit.ly/A8dBhd @JaneFriedman

The best writing advice you’ll never get: http://bit.ly/yoB6GL @ejcop for @junglereds

Ebooks–are we still in the Stone Age? http://bit.ly/zc9QUR @jfbookman

When you want to stray from your current manuscript: http://bit.ly/zltXjj @Mommy_Authors

Art History Through Sci Fi-Colored Glasses: http://bit.ly/A51asf @IreneGallo

The importance of building readership and maintaining the relationship: http://bit.ly/y8PLqL @KristineRusch

Freelance Writing 101: Overcoming Where-do-I-begin-itis: http://bit.ly/AfyVr7 @krissybrady

Before and After: Reveal Character: http://bit.ly/xaOPxH

Why a Book Editor Becomes a Literary Agent: http://bit.ly/zInl2K @oliviasnaije

A checklist for novelists: http://bit.ly/z2VnHc

What Do You Love About Your Characters? http://bit.ly/Ao61Ow @mooderino

A checklist for self-publishing: http://bit.ly/xFYfba @goblinwriter

One Author’s First Month in KDP Select: http://bit.ly/xFWiVk @victoriastrauss

When promoting, remember not to trivialize your story: http://bit.ly/zgWYfe @behlerpublish

Some agencies wanting a 15% commission on self-pubbed books? http://bit.ly/z9QmY9 @theresastevens

Outlining your novel: a method: http://bit.ly/xVtvQH

A scene checklist: http://bit.ly/wCdSwS @janice_hardy

The DNA of a Book’s Beginning: http://bit.ly/Au2HnR @BretBallou

Desensitizing your inner censor: http://bit.ly/zSq1Kl @eMergentPublish

Top 5 Tips Writers Can Learn From Reality TV: http://bit.ly/Ak44Sm

4 ways your protagonist can learn the truth: http://bit.ly/wbw0Sq @jammer0501

Learning the Writing Craft–of Magicians, Wizards, and Apprenticeships: http://bit.ly/AdVxqW @gary_author for @jhansenwrites

Gaining Something From Fairy Tales and Mythology: http://bit.ly/AokIp3 @greyhausagency

25 Reasons Why Google Hates Your Blog: http://bit.ly/zELRrn @problogger

Self-Editing: Back to Basics, Part 2: http://bit.ly/xYEtz9 @authorandeditor for @DavidGaughran

Character Development: Fear: http://bit.ly/za3aHm @ava_jae

Seth Godin’s thoughts on beating writer’s block: http://bit.ly/wZiRJL

An agent with a reminder about keeping it professional on social media: http://bit.ly/yGeYEx @literaticat

Making time to write: http://bit.ly/AgkAUj

3 Steps to Freedom–Grab Hold of Your Brilliant Future: http://bit.ly/zsAlTs @KristenLambTX

Tips to Make Selling Your Fiction a Reality: http://bit.ly/zG8BN9 @robeagar

100 Words for Facial Expressions: http://bit.ly/wkDGqX @writing_tips

Novel Plotting Worksheets: http://bit.ly/zQVPuf @AnnieNeugebauer

How To Sell 130,000 Books Without A Publisher: http://bit.ly/xxwE8F @thecreativepenn

Wanting to have your book published? A beginner’s guide: http://bit.ly/yIAlzW @janefriedman

Heightening the Tension and Emotion in Your Scenes: http://bit.ly/zGPrxF @janice_hardy

How 1 writer tripled her daily word count with Google+: http://bit.ly/AmgLVv @phoebenorth

How to Get Out of Your Own Way: The Secret to Becoming a Successful Writer: http://bit.ly/yRYTE3 @annerallen

7 Tools for Tracking Ebook Sales: http://bit.ly/xmmY03 @PYOEbooks

The empty world – is your novel eerily deserted? http://bit.ly/zTdp7e @dirtywhitecandy

Watermarking ebooks instead of using DRM: http://bit.ly/AEZDUx @matteoberlucchi

Create An Inner Dialogue Within your Hero, and Your Villain: http://bit.ly/xgaQbf @storyfix

10 Types of Wordplay: http://bit.ly/yfraBt @writing_tips

Why 1 writer hates grammar Nazis…but is one: http://bit.ly/xGX2Od @KMWeiland

Tips for instant networking: http://bit.ly/z5tnyD @MrBuzzFactor

YA writers–know today’s schools: http://bit.ly/zInByQ @StevenPiziks

Tips for dealing with Sock-Puppet Cyber Bullies: http://bit.ly/z4Igjs

Gender Issues In Publishing. Using Initials As A Female Thriller Writer: http://bit.ly/xEuJey @thecreativepenn

When Your Critique Partner’s Career is on the Move and Yours is Standing Still: http://bit.ly/AkUkdw @AdriennGiordano

All about pen names: http://bit.ly/A0rIhi @deanwesleysmith

All the links I shared on Twitter last week: htp://bit.ly/xbDL7L

Your Book Tour: Seize the Opportunity to be Memorable: http://bit.ly/y079W0 @RCchrps

About book tagging: http://bit.ly/wlv4Yk @judy_croome for @JFBookman

How to start building your platform: http://bit.ly/xEChjX @chrisbrogan

Writing a 1-2 punch at the end of your story (using a middle grade book as an example): http://bit.ly/xBWJbb @laurapauling

Handling changes in the publishing ind: http://bit.ly/xjg86m @ericavetsch

4 Ways to Find the Right Freelance Editor: http://bit.ly/AjjrTx @cslakin for @janefriedman

Crafting Your 90-Second Pitch: http://bit.ly/wnHLPK @marcykennedy

Think Backward to Write Meaningful Metaphors: http://bit.ly/wJCagX @serbaughman

A look at agents’ quick impressions on queries: http://bit.ly/xUNBvt @sierragodfrey

‘Social’ media: What isn’t in a name: http://bit.ly/wxpBAQ @PorterAnderson

Use strong nouns: http://bit.ly/yNY3lB @janice_hardy

Imagining Multiple Platforms: http://bit.ly/xWMnkO @Kid_Lit

Reverse Outlining: http://bit.ly/xvPWUQ @KMWeiland for @angelaackerman

Time for publishers to get (even more) social (a look at Google+): http://bit.ly/ywJr9t @thefuturebook

Using projection/anticipation to improve your manuscript: http://bit.ly/yVdPvg @juliettewade

Writing is More than the Writing: http://bit.ly/z2faOC @KristenLambTX

10 habits for a positive workshop experience: http://bit.ly/wTvXeD @CAMorganti

Links to help create a book trailer: http://bit.ly/ynyUwN

Truth is stranger than fiction–http://bit.ly/xvDrUV

Working with images for more emotion: http://bit.ly/AgJoT9

The Two Most Important Things About Writing a Book: http://bit.ly/Af42av @bookemdona

Exercising for writers: http://bit.ly/yhosps

Infringement, Fair Use and Derivative Works: http://bit.ly/AyMNtV @diymfa

How To Develop a Subplot: http://bit.ly/Ak7tuW @ClaireAshgrove for @roniloren

Tips for author photos: http://bit.ly/Ato5lb

Scene execution http://wp.me/p1WPf3-ag @rebeccaberto

Scriptwriting: The Power of the First and Last Image: http://bit.ly/zvLJZH @jacobkrueger

7 things 1 writer has learned from Stephen King: http://bit.ly/wivL7y @victoriamixon

What Can We Learn from JA Konrath’s $140,000 E-Publishing Sales Month? http://bit.ly/ABGe1l @goblinwriter

The art of being an introvert creative (forced to cope with social media): http://bit.ly/ACPmyd @justinemusk

Why Every Entrepreneur Should Self-Publish a Book: http://tcrn.ch/AeTOIU @jaltucher for @techcrunch

Pros & cons of social media for writers: http://bit.ly/xuZus4 & http://bit.ly/yzJI0f @JulieBMack

Go to a Workshop? No Thanks: http://bit.ly/xtAzId @geardrops

No Website: The Biggest Mistake Most Writers Make: http://bit.ly/yWAMrL @seanplatt

Author anxiety: http://bit.ly/y6aCWO @Ravenrequiem13

What to Do When Your Writing’s Worst Enemy Is You: http://bit.ly/yCDrcw @krissybrady

Effective openings for your book: http://bit.ly/zumf1Q

Superhero stories: Creative Ways to Use Supersenses: http://bit.ly/ygyuoB

A Quiz About Misplaced Modifiers: http://bit.ly/waxFaK @writing_tips

Setting: It’s in the Details: http://bit.ly/wgyO8r @yaHighway

Author blogging 101–platforms: http://bit.ly/xjgGzZ @JFbookman

10 Tips to Avoid Clichés in Writing: http://bit.ly/wHBYzu

Narrative Tense—Right Now or Way Back Then: http://bit.ly/A5Uqlw @noveleditor

3 Numbers That Matter to Your Platform: http://bit.ly/xrd0uU @JaneFriedman

Drawing on Literary Traditions: “The Hunger Games” and “The Maze Runner” as Case Studies: http://bit.ly/z8dt2h

Pitching Is A Job Interview: http://bit.ly/xOAQ4k @greyhausagency

Will Only Those Who Shout the Loudest Be Heard? http://bit.ly/yrzmYH @JodyHedlund

DRM, “social DRM,” and the madness of publishers: http://bit.ly/zctopB @doctorow

Never Enough Conflict: http://bit.ly/wNHz7t @mistymassey

Advantages of a small press: http://bit.ly/ykaGIc @aliciarasley for @HP4Writers

5 techniques for writing poetry: http://bit.ly/z93hoJ @writersdigest

Changes in the crime fiction genre: http://bit.ly/yR0aKZ @mkinberg

More changes in the crime fiction genre over the years: http://bit.ly/z62UYW @mkinberg

Writing and a busy life? 4 tips for making it work: http://bit.ly/zBJ66P @WomenWriters

Keys to a Reasonable Blog Schedule: http://bit.ly/xLsU3Z @EdieMelson

Ways to View Your Manuscript with Fresh Eyes http://bit.ly/yGkSu4 @CherylRWrites

Facebook danger, smutty & genre e-reading, library ebook lending update, ind. news & views from @Porter_Anderson: http://bit.ly/AqoK4O

Writing on the Ether’s @Porter_Anderson features @AndrewRichard @RebeccaBricker @philipdsjones @ScottDAnthony http://bit.ly/AqoK4O

The Pacing Triad: http://bit.ly/zvkQT2

Facing (and Writing) the 2nd Novel: http://bit.ly/As5kaa @BTMargins

Prepare 5 articles when you submit 1: http://bit.ly/wU5oXn @GLeeBurgett

10 Tips for Submitting Short Stories: http://bit.ly/yTzLdi @writersdigest

Tips for a Successful Public Presentation: http://bit.ly/yjFH6d @WriteAngleBlog

Visible Plot Goal Gets a Twist: http://bit.ly/A5prhW @LiveWriteThrive

Chinese Element Personality Types for Writing: http://bit.ly/y1iCf5 @FaeRowen

An explanation of speculative fiction: http://bit.ly/y3faKc @theskypirate

Don’t pick typefaces and sizes strictly “by the numbers”: http://bit.ly/z0b1PZ @jfbookman

Differentiating Your Blog and Your Writing: http://bit.ly/y87DA9 @julien for @NinaAmir

50 Musical Terms Used in Nonmusical Senses: http://bit.ly/x419hC @writing_tips

The Fictional Family: No character is an island: http://bit.ly/yuspaQ

Preparing for a writers conference–the pitch: http://bit.ly/xALoJt @Bob_Mayer

Tortured Language – Discerning Ebook Rights in Ancient Publishing Contracts: http://bit.ly/yZEvQc @PassiveVoiceBlg

Forensic Evidence of Motive, Means, and Opportunity: http://bit.ly/w9mWDf @AuthorTomAdair

Research vs. Observation: http://bit.ly/wSGXGf @DonMaass

7 Book Marketing Tips for Writers: http://bit.ly/zFO0bZ

Don’t hit your reader with repeated strong emotion in your book: http://bit.ly/xRkWWC @Kid_Lit

Top 10 Self-Editing Tips: http://bit.ly/zOjKzT @janice_hardy

The Secret to Writing a Standout Picture Book: http://bit.ly/zkQiRo @writersdigest

Author’s Guild Argues That Amazon’s Dominance Comes From Antitrust Laws: http://bit.ly/AcE3Yk @ebooknewser

Don’t Even Think About Using First-Person Unless…: http://bit.ly/Aqz5Cx @KMWeiland

Who, Whom, and How to Misuse a Pronoun: http://bit.ly/y5Rc5m @write_practice

An agent critiques a query: http://bit.ly/wUxKXM @bookendsjessica

Authors need intent, reminds an agent: http://bit.ly/zACAhj @greyhausagency

How Choreography Helps a Scene: http://bit.ly/ylBkuH @RavenRequiem13

Why Some Book Buyers Are Increasingly Resistant To E-Readers: http://bit.ly/yVaA6Y @laurahazardowen

3 Ways Authors Can Use Pinterest Guilt Free: http://bit.ly/zF2UE2 @AuthorMedia

Worldbuilding–cities: http://bit.ly/zh1Se1 @JulietteWade

3 ways 1 writer judges contest entries: http://bit.ly/xP2utq @LadyGlamis

The fallacy of creative success: http://bit.ly/woAT5S @tannerc

Dig Up and Rebuild Writing Platforms: http://bit.ly/wTJKdT

Using Social Media Effectively: http://bit.ly/xhNibP @AnnetteLyon for @pegeditors

What’s Good Controversy? http://bit.ly/xMSeY2 @Beth_Barany

Licensing vs. Work for Hire: http://bit.ly/wmYnao @DiYMFA

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

Sometimes I like to drive to uptown Charlotte to have lunch with my sister, who works up there. We usually go to the same few restaurants, so I was excited to see an article in the entertainment section of the newspaper that was all about lunch options in the city.

I was less excited when I saw that there was no mention of what the parking was like at these restaurants. Even when I pulled up the restaurants’ websites, I frequently couldn’t find mention of what the parking was like.

This is an area where parking can either be expensive or nonexistent. Some restaurants have their own lots. Some pay their diners’ parking fee. But you want to know what you’re getting into before you go over there. The restaurants and the newspaper weren’t thinking like diners.

It’s just as important for us to think like our readers. What questions could they have when they read our book?

Who are these people again? If you’ve got characters who have been offstage for a while, consider giving them an unobtrusive tag.

Who are these people again, part 2. If you’ve got characters with similar names (that either start with the same letter or sound alike—Sally and Molly for instance), consider changing them up for the sake of clarity.

What’s happening here? Can readers follow your plot? Are there so many twists and turns that a reader might have to keep going back in your book to reread sections? If so, consider writing in some short explanation or reminders as to what’s going on.

Why is this character suddenly acting like this? If you’ve got a character who previously seemed shy/easygoing/friendly/reserved and they suddenly start acting completely different to help the plot along, there needs to be a good explanation for the change (introduction of some backstory or a scene that shows the change).

This wouldn’t happen in real life. We usually count on readers to suspend their disbelief sometimes. But repeatedly asking them to suspend it, or asking them to suspend it on something really big isn’t going to work.

Why is this character being so stupid? It’s frustrating when a character we like and respect does something dumb just to further the plot. Either think up sound reasons why the character would behave this way (they’ve been tricked, they think they’re safe doing what they’re doing, they believe they’re meeting their friend in the creepy alleyway), or else figure out another way to get the plot where you want it to go.

Everything was so complicated—and it wrapped up a little too neatly. Either brainstorm alternate endings for your book…coming up with a list of as many as you can imagine (from the clever to the absurd) or consider leaving room for a sequel to the book.

What ended up happening to that subplot storyline? Did it fall through the cracks? Double-check for loose ends. Did you introduce anything that needs to be wrapped up?

I know what’s going to happen next. This might be a good time to consider a plot twist…something unexpected to make the plot more complex or to add depth to a character.

This book is too intense/too goofy/too…. If the book seems too intense, can you write in some lighter moments? If the book is too campy, can you write in something that’s more serious or thoughtful or sweet?

Nothing is happening in this book. I’m getting bored. Do you have too much exposition? Too many scenes without conflict of some kind? (Conflict can even be represented by two characters who rub each other the wrong way…it doesn’t have to be something huge.) Too much description of setting? Did you lose your way in the middle of the book? Were you trying to bump up your word count and added too much flab (consider taking it out and writing in a solid subplot that can tie into the main plot.)

As a reader, what bugs you most? As a writer, do you try to read your manuscript as one of your readers would?