Carolyn Greeley is the award-winning author of Emerald Obsession and Treasure Bound (The Treasure Quest Series). Equal parts city slicker and beach bum, she concocts adventure-mysteries, combining contemporary action and historic exploits in an engaging escape. She lives in St. Augustine, Florida where she indulges in her love of food, beaches, walking, and photography. For more writing and updates, join her newsletter at carolyngreeley.com.
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When the holidays roll around each year, I try to pause for a few minutes and recall the events of the past months. To contemplate the good and the bad, the twists and the turns, and to revel in making it through another three sixty-five.
This year is no different. Though perhaps I’m starting a little earlier, trying a little harder to be mindful of what’s happened, how precious life is, how important it remains—every day—to be grateful for all the positive people and things in my life.
As continues to be the case year after year, 2019 presented more than its share of challenges. Even so, I’d rather focus on the good and carry the positives with me into next year and the one after.
To that end, I decided to keep this post short and share a few of the simple things I’m ridiculously grateful for:
sweet, gorgeous, and goofy smiles from my husband, and the mornings he makes me coffee while putting away the dishes
Cuzzie’s warm-fuzzy socks
watching seagulls fly over Route 1, far from the beach
the scent of woodsmoke from our neighbors’ chimneys and fire pits mingling with the apple-crisp fall air
random texts and goofy friends
family surprises, pitch-ins, celebrations, and remembrances
so many wonderful books
making guláš from scratch that tastes almost as good as my mother-in-law’s—according to the hub!!
writer friends laughing and supporting as much as critiquing and helping make my work better
Harry Honda starting right up on a cold morning after I’d left the overhead light burning the night before (even though I’d reminded myself to turn it off)
racing down a dark street on a friend’s speedy electric scooter, trying not to wobble or fall off while the gang cheered me on
living in a town with its own fort!
random customers dealing with issues who still strive to be polite while working to resolve the problems
the openness of the sky, where so much is visible: sunlight, clouds, rainstorms, birds
dear family and friends, old and new, near and far, who add so much love, laughter, and chaos—I mean excitement 🙂 —to our lives
And you know I’d be remiss if I didn’t add something book-wise. I’m so thankful for the opportunity to write and publish the stories I love with the support of family and friends and readers. Sharing my stories is a dream come true. And I so appreciate having readers who enjoy them and ask for more.
Treasure Bound, Book 2 of The Treasure Quest Series
I hope this post gave you a chance to think about your own year gone by. And perhaps you’ll take a moment now to share a warm thought or kind word or smile with someone just because. Thanks for reading…always. #grateful 🙂
I have exciting news, readers: my second novel, now OFFICIALLY named Treasure Bound, will be published this month! Woo hoo! The road to publishing this book, the sequel to Emerald Obsession, was long and jarring, so I’m all the happier for its coming release.
The preparation these past months has been tedious. As an indie author, tackling the essentials of pre-publication—like editing, conferring with the Library of Congress, obtaining ISBNs, designing the cover—is crucial and a tad nerve-wracking (and ultimately very worth it).
A fun exception to the nervy parts is that while
tackling those tasks, I encountered a number of curious folks who asked why I
decided to self-publish. Well, that question got me to thinking. 😉 Considering
I blog about the writing life, I realized I had a great topic to share with my audience.
EO ebook and print books
If
you’re trying to make the indie-vs-traditional decision for your book, spend some time discovering
what your goal is and who you want to reach. Why do you want to send
your story into the world? Many factors will weigh in on your final decision, as
they did for me. But figuring this out, or at least giving thought to your goal
will offer you a good starting point.
My original decision to self-publish came about eight or so years ago, prior to the release of Emerald Obsession, and I haven’t once regretted that choice or changed my mind. Before I scoop you on why I chose indie publishing, I’d like to share something that not many of you know. When I wrote my first (still-unpublished) novel, Blind Notice, I decided to try the traditional route. Self-publishing, while not in its infancy back then, was still fledgling, full of tricky bits, and daunting.
Let me add a couple of quick points here for consideration: first, for anyone with a connection in the industry, absolutely ask for their input and advice. So many good things can come from a mentor, or someone able to direct you to the right source for help. The experience and wisdom of those who’ve traveled a similar path is invaluable.
Second, totally my gut feeling, but I truly believe any writer looking to put her-
or himself out there should try the traditional path, at least for a short
time, to experience that process regardless of the outcome.
Back to my “traditional” journey: I researched and found
receptive agents in my genre, wrote and rewrote and polished my query letters,
kept an Excel file of my efforts, and then received a number of polite rejections.
That taught me a ton about persistence and belief in myself. But the whole
process felt like it took an eternity to receive constructive feedback.
You know by now I’m someone who likes to learn and
experience things. So you understand why I wanted to pursue traditional
publishing, even knowing I was competing with scores of other mystery writers,
vying for the attention of a small group of agents, and then publishers. And,
ultimately, I failed.
But through all of that, I continued to work on my
craft. During this time, I began writing EO.
I was dealing with the death of my cousin, who had been my biggest champion
(and not dealing well, I have to add), and I felt the driving need not to waste
precious time waiting on other people. I grew frustrated with the length of
time it would take to make any publishing progress, and I became determined to
keep the fate of my work in my hands.
And that’s when I began to seriously research self-publishing options.
So, what made me commit? The short answer was (and
still is, despite how long TB has
taken) the speed and the control of the process. For me, those two items are
intertwined, so I don’t rush either one. And now, for authors looking to earn a
living writing (eventually, please, God and fingers and toes crossed!), there
are broader opportunities available with self-publishing.
Even so, a ton of work and time goes into producing a quality book—and considering my desirousness of becoming a world’s best-selling author 😉 —I really, really do my best to make sure the work is done, and is done with the highest quality possible. Of course, by that I mean I pay the pros to edit my manuscripts and to design my book covers.
To
be treated as a professional author, my book must meet or exceed the
professional standards of any other. The writing must be the best I can make
it, the book must have an experienced editor review it, and the cover must be
the most compelling sales tool my designer and I can create.
There are a lot of “musts” in that paragraph. But those
are the requirements of the professional world, so they’re my requirements.
With constant change in the industry, traditional
publishers are mandating their newbie authors handle the bulk of their own
marketing. This is the other reason I chose the indie route. I’m not a huge fan
of plugging the books myself, but I believe in my stories, and so I will. But with
having to manage the marketing in both cases, I’d rather retain the creative control and ownership of my timeline
that comes with self-publishing.
So the best thing for me is to continue to write at my
own pace, produce the books I want to read, publish them myself as expertly as
I can, and keep on writing.
And that’s the trick, my friends. For those who want to
write, keep on doing so. Writing more will make you a better writer. So will
reading more. Sharing your words with critique partners will also make you better.
And becoming better will make you want to share your gift. I say, go for it!
One last thought: whichever path you choose, and for
whatever reasons, don’t forget you may need to reassess at some point. Or
consider new options. Try to stay true
to the path that makes sense for you and your goals. If an agent or
traditional publisher knocked on my door, would I answer? Sure, I’d let them in
and see what we could work out; after all, there’s that whole “world’s
best-selling author” thang for me to consider. Haha. 😉
Old-school printing press
New-school printing
Which choice will you make? Tell me in the comment section below, or directly at carolyn@carolyngreeley.com. Would love to hear from you. 😉 Happy writing and reading, all.
PS—Stay
tuned for Treasure Bound release
details and cover reveal! Coming soon!
Wow, it’s been an incredibly long time since I last
blogged. Do you guys even remember who I am? I hope so. I haven’t (really) gone
anywhere. And I certainly didn’t mean to go MIA without explanation. That,
however, is exactly what happened.
I’ve worked in a number of different types of jobs and environments in my life. Regardless of the setting, though, one big thing is required of all:
You have to show up and do the work.
But I can honestly say that as much as I love to write, showing up every day, doing the work, is so much harder because it’s a creative endeavor.
Not hard as in “sit down and let my fingers do the
talking,” but hard as in composing, producing, saying something meaningful. I’m
a writer, yeah? But I’m only as good as
the words I use to communicate and the things I wish to say. Readers are
overloaded with choice, so the struggle to say something relevant—say it creatively,
purposefully—is real. And daunting to
tackle on a daily, weekly, monthly basis.
So, yeah, sometimes instead of penning nonsense, I don’t write at all. Or more specifically,
I don’t share my words with the public. There are tons of authors who can argue
the benefit of writing daily; that routine just isn’t me, isn’t what I can or
want to make the time to do. I’ll say this, though, which I’ve potentially said
before and likely will again: writing well
takes practice, and I know I become better the more I discipline myself. My
skills don’t necessarily regress when I’m not corralling words, but in
neglecting the words, I know my craft is idling instead of improving.
Back to that “not writing for public consumption”
thing. That’s been the case these past few months of no blog posts. No apology, simply flat-out truth: I
haven’t blogged lately because I’ve been working hard to finish the self-edits
for my second novel. And in my non-author-y life, I’ve dealt with a number
of bad things, a few tough-but-good things, and one very wonderful thing in the
past half year. As ever, lots to juggle.
How about we gloss over those other bits for now
(heh-heh-heh, writer’s prerogative) and focus on the first part: my fifteen zillion rounds of personal edits
for Book 2, Treasure Bound, are DONE!
Can I get a woo hooo?
More notes
Yes, it’s true: after all those additional years of writing, rewriting, and editing, and then hitting up a few trusted beta readers, I finally packed up my manuscript and shipped it to my editor (you know, via email). Now, I’m chomping my fingernails, researching new cover designers (can’t afford the increased price for the guys who did such a great job on my first book), and re-familiarizing myself with the necessaries for publication, things like formatting styles, ISBNs, LCCNs, BISACs, and the rest of those fun requirements. (For some fab info on the topic of self-publishing, check out Jane Friedman’s detailed blog by clicking here.) Good thing memory serves, as do the notes I took copiously the first time out. Whee.
While I await the feedback from my editor, I’m doing my best to get back to writing my blog and brainstorming BOOK 3!!! Because, yes, Virginia, there is a Book 3 lurking somewhere in my brain’s nether regions. Though I added another six thousand words to Treasure Bound since my August post (yippie!), I still have more story to tell. And I hope people enjoy Book 2 enough to stick around for the rest of the ride.
And now, readers and friends, what’ve you got to say for yourselves? Are you still out there? 😉 That’d be great, for sure. I hope you’ll let me know what you’ve been up to these past months, either in the comments section below or by email. You know it: carolyn@carolyngreeley.com. Hope to hear from you soon.
PS—The plan is to publish Treasure Bound later this year, so stay tuned. Woo hoo!
Around the holidays, my writing muse seems to crowd too often into the far corner of my living room, the one where auctioned-off nails and tubs of dusty sporting equipment rub handles with dented cardboard boxes of old papers and—you guessed it—Christmas decorations. The muse hovers behind the tottering stacks, scrunched between the windows I haven’t washed the insides of in three years (they’re inaccessible, that’s my excuse) and the not-rickety pinewood shelving my hub built those same years ago. I think she enjoys that corner because she knows I’m unable to easily reach way in the back, and that pulling her out would require more time and effort to dismantle the obstacles than I have on any given of-the-season day.
So, as I hoarded minutes here and there between work, housecleaning, meetings, and the usual day-to-day dribbles of life, I let my brain free-float for ideas on how to quell some of the madness that coexists with this time of year. The madness that drives my muse into that corner. Handily enough, letting my brain wander often teases the muse out of her hiding spot. Lucky for me, this time she helped me come up with five goodies, suggestions I was happy to jot down and share with you to help restore your seasonal sanity somewhat, I hope.
1—Always a favorite of mine: create a master holiday to-do list. My readers and friends know I’m a huge fan of lists. I have been as long as I can remember, and now that I juggle different jobs, a husband, and a household, among other things, I find lists indispensable. During this season, a list helps me focus on the things most important, as well as helps me anticipate the fun as our big holiday celebration, Christmas, draws near.
2—Window shop before your gift-giving holiday gets too close. Since Hanukkah is already nearing completion, this tip might not work for this year,but keep it in mind for next. I don’t like feeling rushed to buy presents—actually, we don’t even buy that many anymore—but I do enjoy browsing and getting ideas before purchasing anything. This is a big change from my old habit of doing all my Christmas shopping on Christmas Eve! But I find browsing—even for a few minutes here and there—helps bring the holiday and Christmas spirit a bit nearer. I don’t have to buy something to feel the joy of giving grow.
3—Have a think on your favorite and not-so-favorite holiday traditions and try to cut back on those which no longer excite you or bring joy to your family and friends and whoever you share your time with. I long ago gave up writing buckets of Christmas cards (sorry, everyone!) because time would run far away from me. Now, though, I try to focus on sending fewer, longer holiday catch-up emails with friends and family I no longer see frequently. This helps me feel connected, despite usually not being able to celebrate with our family and friends stretched around the globe. Skype also works great, especially with our families in New York and The Czech Republic.
4—Remind yourself to keep things simple. Do you find yourself attending a number of celebrations during this season? Or hosting one? We often do, and to keep things simple, we bring or make one or two usual dishes we know are crowd pleasers, like my hub’s famous spread/appetizer, chlebicky(pronounced kla-beech-key), and my giant pot o’chili. Rather than drive ourselves bonkers with time-consuming or costly preparations, this helps keep us and our friends stuffed and happy. A decent bottle of red wine helps, too. 😉
5—And finally, don’t forget to sneak off for a few minutes to enjoy your favorite pre-holiday ritual. Maybe you like to drive the neighborhood with your other half to take in the lighting spectaculars. Or zone out in the bath with a pine-scented candle, a glass of that red wine, and some Christmas music tinkling over the pop of bubbles. Or, my fave, curl into your reading nook with a Baileys and your latest mystery, wrapped head to toe in a fluffy, toasty blanket. Yes, I live in Florida, but it still hits the 30s here. Hee hee hee.
So, readers, fans, friends, and family, I love this time of year, but with all the secular busyness, I sometimes have to remind myself that Christmas commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, and that—for me, at least—is a reminder to focus on giving, loving, and trying to be a better human.
There you have it. A few perhaps-not-so-secret tips for bringing a bit of calm to you this season. I hope they work for you. And bring you peace and happiness in some form. As for me, I’m going to grab my current book shortly, The Rope, by Nevada Barr, and have a quiet read. 🙂 “Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night….”
Happy October, dear friends and readers! I’m so excited for this month, because I love Hallowe’en and spooky things. If you don’t believe me, zip over to my About page and check out the lead photo. See what I mean? Haha. Love it!
And since this is the month of creepy good things, I decided to share some of my favorite scary stories, both written and on film. Time for a little levity in my blog, right?
Hanging Skulls
While writing this post, I stopped for a moment to try to figure out why my Hallowe’en fascination has persisted over the years. I always loved dressing up and spooking for candy as a kid, and I still love the holiday today. And you know what? I didn’t come up with a good answer. Regardless, I love Hallowe’en and scary stories very much.
The one thought I had, though, was this: I’m no psychologist, but I gather there’s something to be said for enjoying a good scare while knowing you’re safe and that what you read or watched was fiction. Unless, of course, you’re into non-fiction!!! BOO!
And thinking about it, not everybody enjoys a good scare the way others do. My hub included; he does not like scary movies. And while I sure do enjoy many, I fully admit there are certain tales I don’t like and won’t read or watch. For example, I don’t watch torture movies (I’ve seen a couple, and not cool IMHO). I’m also not a fan of sad-scaries. And, ghoulish movies and stories that could possibly happen do sort of freak me out. 😉
But that said, there are scores of other well-crafted spooky stories I enjoy. Most of them of the suspenseful-thriller-moody-tension variety.
Mysterious Fog
And so, I look forward to October every year, and this time’s no different. And just to set the tone, as I write, the sky has darkened to soot, flashes of lightning streak beyond the towering pines, thunder rolls almost as loudly as the drowning rain. I have the big house to myself. The doors are locked. So … here we go. In no particular order, here are some of my favorite scary stories! Happy Creeps!
Books:
Rebecca, Daphne du Maurier
The Tell-Tale Heart, Edgar Allan Poe
The Turn of the Screw, Henry James
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Robert Louis Stevenson
The Picture of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde
Ghost Story, Peter Straub* caveat, currently reading
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Washington Irving
Heart-Shaped Box, Joe Hill
The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer: My Life at Rose Red, Joyce Reardon
Dracula, Bram Stoker
To read: The Haunting of Hill House, Shirley Jackson
Movies:
The Uninvited, 1944
Psycho, 1960
Scream, 1996
Halloween, 1978
Poltergeist, 1982
Invasion of the Body Snatchers, 1956
The Shining, 1980
Silence of the Lambs, 1991
Nightmare on Elm Street, 1984
The Thing from Another World, 1951
Jaws, 1975
Rosemary’s Baby, 1968
Alien, 1979
The Birds, 1963
Ghost Story, 1981 *quite different than the book
The Changeling, 1980
The Fog, 1980
Them, 1954
Carrie, 1976
The Blob, 1958
The Amityville Horror, 1979
To see: Get Out; A Quiet Place
So, reader friends, what do you think? Which is your favorite scary story, and did it make my list? Which ones are you going to read or watch next? Mwuaaah-ah-ah-ahhhh! Hahaha. Let me know in the comments section. And try not to be too scared! BOO!!
PS–If any of you want to hear something truly scary, yesterday at one of the local stores, I walked past a humongous display of Christmas trees!!! True horror!!
PPS–Also, looking over the lists, you might notice I tend toward older stories. Reading-wise, I typically stick to the mystery genre in which I write, and movie-wise, I guess I just don’t get out that much. 😉 At least, not with the hub for a scary movie! Haha. Happy Hallowe’en!
Sometimes, I need to hit the refresh button. Both in life and in writing. How about you? These past few months, I’ve been pinballing fast once again. (Not that I’ve ever really stopped, I suppose.) 😉 But, rolling with that “work in progress” thing I’ve got going, I do my best to keep up.
But then you realize, it’s time to pause and flick that switch.
Pause
Refresh
On the happy side of the zigzagging, I have some good news: I haven’t been idle writing-wise on my book. If you guys recall, it was a year ago June that I had my first cow, (click here in case you missed that blog), when I realized about half of my sequel novel to Emerald Obsession remained written only in my notebooks and my brain and not on the computer as it should’ve been. Oy, I tell ya! Then in February, I described my mini cow, which you can find by clicking here.
But on the plus side is that for these past few months, I’ve been writing away—yes, writing on the computer and adding to—the sequel, still lovingly referred to as Treasure Bound. And guess what?
I’ve added 19,000 words to the story! Woooo hooo! Which means I’ve finally gotten much of the secondary plot line from my head into the Word doc. YAY!! I’m so pleased!
But, okay, this isn’t the time for me to rest on my laurels, per se. This is simply my reset period. I still have tons of work to do. But………….I’m happy to feel I made the kind of progress I needed to at this stage.
My next step, and part of the refresh and reset—which I’m currently in the midst of, hence having time to focus on this blog—has me putting aside the edits for a couple of weeks to clear out my brain. (Not of everything, I hope, but of just enough to give me a breather from focusing all my writerly attention on TB.)
Creative Brain
After these weeks are up, I’ll print out the current TB, and then I’ll reread EO and TB as quickly as I can in succession, looking for any holes and inconsistencies, checking flow, and overall reviewing everything. After that, if things go smoothly (please, please, please, and fingers crossed!), then it’s on to the next stage of professional editing. Whee!!!
But once again………let’s not put the cart before the donkey. (BTW, I love donkeys, check out this Instagram feed if you do, too.) I still have a few points rattling around my brain that might need to become minor scenes or added info bits. I’m definitely prepared for the possibility of more tweakage. That’s one reason I need this reset; to detach my brain from the project so I’m able to sharpen my focus when I return to reviewing the story.
Also, since this is Book 2, with Book 3 still to come, I have to look forward to the next story and build into TB any relevant details and teasers. Whee again, but not in the good way; this is more like: “Whee, what the hell was I thinking when I decided to write a series??!!”
All I can say, though, is I’m committed now. Or wait, is that supposed to read: “I should be committed now”? Probably. The men in the white jackets are waiting behind me to carry me away. Here we go again.
Doc Stormtroopers
Just kidding already. What I really mean is I’m committed to telling you good stories, ones I hope entertain, excite, and engage you. If that takes more time and research than I’d originally planned so be it, as long as the outcome satisfies me and you. Thanks for your patience on that score.
Well, dear readers and friends, that’s about all she wrote for the time being. I’m not heading back to edits just now—whew, what a relief to say that’s done for the moment!—but it is time for a little walk to free the brain for some Book 3 brainstorming. Hmm … I’m finally excited to get started again. Yippee!
Before I go, tell me in the comments section below how you reset. Writing-wise, this was something I couldn’t do until the timing jived with completing a certain portion of my writing, but personally speaking, we all need periodic resets, too. Last week, I took my first, solo Me Day in years. It was fabulous and so necessary. Perhaps I’ll blog on that soon, too. In the meantime, I’d love to hear what you do to reset, so please fire away. Thanks again for reading and joining the convo.
Many authors get a charge out of doing the research that goes hand-in-hand with writing. I know I do. Except, perhaps, when the research takes me too long away from fingers-to-the-keyboard. That happens sometimes. 😉
But, research for story ideas and accuracy is often really fun, especially when the fact-finding involves travel. One of my favorite things about writing is using first-hand travel experiences and details to create an as-true-as-possible sense of being somewhere with me. I want my readers to feel present in my stories.
I’m also a HUGE fan of photography, particularly nature, landscape, and architecture. When you check out my Instagram images, you’ll see scads of things that catch my eye and inspire me and my stories. Funny, as much as I love words, I’m such a visual person. And, I hope readers see my stories the way I do … or, perhaps better yet, the way they want to, but through my lens, if that makes any sense. 🙂
Anyhoo, as I was saying…. I love photography, and since I take zillions of photos—predominantly with my cell, as it’s so portable and the camera’s resolution is so good—I have fabulous images to choose from when I need either ideas or a reference to clarify my description of a setting. BTW, I’m sure you realize that sometimes the images come first, sometimes the ideas do. Both work.
For this month’s post, I’m sharing images from my summer trip to the Czech Republic with my husband. I had a fabulous time visiting family and, among other excursions, exploring the Punkva Caves and the Macocha Abyss of the Moravian Karst. They were simply extraordinary to see. I’ve never before experienced such a unique semi-subterranean environment.
Two high points: the boat ride through the cavern, and the insane view of the abyss from the bottom of the gorge. Imagine you creep through cool, dank darkness, hearing ethereal music swell around you as you walk, and then you emerge from the winding depths of a cavern into sunlight that glows the treetops lime-green against a cobalt sky over 450 feet above your head. Stunning.
One reason I was excited to visit the caves is that part of my second novel, Treasure Bound, is set in a cave. I’m not sure how or when I began to like those underground spaces, but for most of my life, I’ve loved reading and learning about them, and exploring them when the opportunity arose. Now I’m having fun writing about caves, too. Cycle complete, maybe? 🙂
Ha—segue! I just remembered a science project I’d done in grammar-school on cavern formations. I devised a trick for remembering the difference between how stalactites and stalagmites are formed. The word “stalactite” has a “c,” just like the word ceiling, so I learned that stalactites are the formations that grow downward from the “c”eiling of a cave. Conversely, stalagmites are built up from the floor.
Uh-oh, I let my geeky cave secret out of the bag! Hee hee hee.
Needless to say, I’ve enjoyed the fun factor of caves for a looong time. And having the chance to explore some in another country totally blew me away.
I can’t pretend I’m any sort of expert on the caves we saw in CZ, so I’m including a link here to one website that has some cool information, if you’re interested.
What I will do, though, is share my favorite cave and abyss photos. Then, whenever the hell I publish TB, you’ll read for yourselves how I used this insider info to make my cave scenes more authentic (I hope), since I haven’t yet visited the actual caves I wrote about in the story. I don’t want to spill too many beans about TB, but yes, there are caves in the Caribbean!!!
For now, though, I’ll let the pictures tell the story.
The Punkva Caves and Macocha Abyss, CZ
The Punkva Caves and Macocha Abyss, CZ
Thanks for chilling with me. I hope you get a kick out of the photos. Let me know in the comment section which are your faves. Looking forward to hearing from you! I <3 my readers. Sharing = caring
