Sunday, November 11, 2012

Yay, Mary!

Well, Here I am again.  Thank you, Mary.  I think I'm all subscribed again. I'll try better to post to the blog. My Sweet Adelines show was yesterday,  and we'll be taking a break very soon over the holidays, so I should have much more writing time.  Yay!

Connie

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

October Days, October Pages

It's that time again--a week before our monthly meeting.

And you know what that means!

Time to post your page reports here in the comments section.

Your guru thanks you.



Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Ideas as to Pages You Could Have on Your Website

Most sites have a number of pages. Here are just a few.


1. Home Page / Welcome page – is like the entryway to your house. It is an introduction to you. It should include things like author’s picture, available books, a welcome note, brief biography and links to all the other pages on the site.



2. Books Page – as an author you want people to find your books. This page should contain all the books you’ve written with either blurbs, excerpts or reviews. Or links to this information.

3. Bio Page – a page to tell people about yourself. Who you are, what you write, more about your personal interests and other information you want to share.

4. Links Page – this page gives visitors to your site links to other places on the Internet where they can find you. Also, it can include links to your friends and publisher. This is important because links to other sites that link back to you increases your rating on the Internet. (This also increase your SEO rating—see definition below.)

5. Other Pages – the possibility for other pages are endless. Here is where you make your site your own.

6. Picture page - share pictures.

7. Contact page – where you give fans your email address.

8. Excerpt pages – giving excerpts of your books or the ability to read the first chapter.

9. Video Page – to display video you’ve made. (A great way to connect with readers.)

10. Some sites even have chat areas.
 
Just a few to think about when developing your site.
 
Tina
 

Monday, September 3, 2012

September Balloons Are Flying High!



Use the comments below to report your page counts for the past month!

leave a comment with the number of your
     a.newly written pages (remember this can be anything writing related)
     b. total number of heavily edited pages
     c. any reviews you may have done over the past month


Sometimes when you're up in the air, it's hard to hear the cheers from below. So cheer a little louder, my dears! 

Monday, August 6, 2012

Time for August Pages!

It's time again to report pages!


leave a comment with the number of your

     a.newly written pages (remember this can be anything writing related)


     b. total number of heavily edited pages


     c. any reviews you may have done over the past month



hopefully your pages don't look like this!

Thursday, August 2, 2012


Check out the gorgeous Cindy Kirk (far right) receiving an achievement award for 25 books published with Harlequin! 

Sunday, July 8, 2012

We're Reporting Pages

Hellooooo Heartlandians!
Use the comments below to report your page counts for the past month!

leave a comment with the number of your
     a.newly written pages (remember this can be anything writing related)
     b. total number of heavily edited pages
     c. any reviews you may have done over the past month



And the guru thanks you!

Sunday, May 6, 2012

The Seven Winds

A HWG Balloon Race Challenge

Just as in some traditions there are seven winds, so the guru issues a challenge focused on seven. Complete this challenge and help your team sail farther than you can imagine this month. And--it's easy. What could be better than that?

1. This challenge lasts 7 days--until Saturday May 12th--midnight.

2. Use the comments below to submit your participation. No other submission will be accepted. (If you have any problems posting, let the guru know)

3. Comments on other submissions are welcome and appreciated. And you never know, they might even help your flight.

4. Here's what to do:
       *Go to page 7 of your current WIP
       
        **Go to line 7

       **In the comments section type the next 7 lines exactly as they are written. No editing, no nothin'. Complete sentences aren't necessary. This is a WIP after all.

        ***put your name and the title at the end of your comment
      
Check back often for other authors' triple 7's. How lucky is that! 

Support your Balloon Race Team!

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Wag Your Tail


Having animals in our house, underfoot, and pooping in our back yard can enrich our everyday life. All the experts say it’s true. But is it?
We have had two incredible dogs, mutts really. We made a trip to the pound to pick out both.

Peach, we got when she was barely six weeks old. A cute little thing that weighted less than a few pounds, she grew. A grey hound/lab mix, she weighted over thirty pounds once she became an adult and over fifty when she couldn’t run it off.

Callie, a border terrier, we picked up when she was about three. With small dog syndrome, she did not like the idea of staying in our back yard. Had a heck of a time with her until she ran away and got caught by the dog catcher. She decided she liked us better than the pound. Now, she’s a lap dog.
Did they enrich my families’ life? Oh, yes.

So when I decided to write the Executives’ Wives’ Club Series. I had to have a dog, one for Jen, the star of The Unwilling Widow. She doesn’t really have anyone. Her husband is dead, her family is supportive but she doesn’t feel as if she fits in and all of the other executive wives have kids. Jen needed someone too.

Enters George the wonder dog, and yes, he knows it. He is spoiled rotten and loves it that way. His world is Jen and being an adorable blonde lab, he expects everyone to love him like she does. Who couldn’t right?
Then to his horror enters a new man. Not his dad, but someone new. 

Blurb -- "The Unwilling Widow"

Jennifer Larson, having lost her husband, friends and the perfect life she’d had plan, now faces the biggest challenge of her life, moving into an unplanned future. While the rest of the Executive Wife Club is still wallowing in the past, Jen is tempted into the future by a sexy chiropractor, Hagan Chaney.

But does he really love her or is he only after her money?

Come visit me any time at www.tinagayle.net

Thanks for letting me share,


Tina Gayle








Wednesday, March 7, 2012

A Few Writing Tips


  1. Feel it – if you can’t feel auoused or excited by your writing. How can your reader?
  2. Rewrite – cut unneed prepositional phrase. “He caressed her shoulder with his hands.” (Is this really needed?)
  3. Senses – use taste and smell to add depth to your writing. “The smell of rose reminded him of ….”
  4. Quirks – have at least one character with an interesting quirk. “He popped a life-saver into his mouth. The sweet taste of cherry filled her taste buds when their mouths met.” Sprinkle these throughout the book to define your character.
  5. Setting – add it a little at a time like you would introduce a new character with faults and quirks.

Tina Gayle
www.tinagayle.net