C. Lee McKenzie

Young Adult and Middle Grade Author

Insecure Writers’ Support Group & WeWrite4U_Lit

By

ALEX CAVANAUGH

Last week Southpaw posted a very informative piece about what you should have on your website and how it should be organized if you want people to follow and interact with you. 

It reminded me that I should neaten things up a bit on this blog. It also reminded me that I’d posted about my concern that The Write Game lacked a certain. . .je ne sais quoi. . .panache?

“Insecure Much?” 

“Oh, no. Only since I started writing.”

It turns out that I’d put that post up in 2008, and I’ve been thrashing about insecurely since then. After reading Southpaw’s post I decided it was time to do something, so I cleaned and reorganized a bit. Did you notice? 

Here’s that original post of mine. 


My Glob

My blog is a glob. I am not cut out to be a blogette. Every time I start to write here, I think, “Who cares that I have writer’s cramp this morning?” I need blogspiration, so where do I find that in the blogosphere? What makes some bloggers blog masters and others blog flops? It must have to do with blogattitude. So I’m sending my glob out for a blogadjustment, and when I’ve been unglobbed, I know The Write Game will sparkle with true blogginess.

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WeWrite4U_Lit has a logo. Thanks to Yvonne Ventresca. Please join and support Literacy this month. All it takes is Tweeting and ReTweeting.

Here’s The Way to Say, “I’m In.”

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My quote for the day: “There is no such thing as perfect security, only varying levels of insecurity.”

Salman Rushdie

Insecure Writer Support Group

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The NINJA ALEX’s Brainchild
I remember when I was waiting to hear back from a publisher about the first book I’d written.  Like all writers who have researched, written, and re-written their manuscripts,  I really wanted to have it published. That would mean I’d succeeded in doing something and doing it well enough that someone besides my husband, my kids, and the family dog would let me read to them. 
When I finally heard back, and they wanted a full, I did my little dance and sent that book off into the big world. Then I waited. And if you’re a writer, you understand waiting. The house sparkled from all my energy and angst. The dog smelled perfumy from too many baths. Dinners at our house during that time are still legend and longed for. 
Then I had a call. Back in those days, editors sometimes called. Mine did. She offered me a contract. I, of course, told her I had to think about it. Naawt! 
The book came out the next year. I went to New York to meet the real published peeps and the want-to-be-published peeps, and  I wallowed in my publishedness. The reality of what being published meant hadn’t hit me yet. It soon did.
I discovered that not everyone thought my book was as fabulous as my dog had. I discovered not many people even knew I’d written a book. I discovered I had to do something called “blogging” and create a Facebook account, then there were 140 character challenges on Twitter to master. And that’s when Insecurity arrived at my door with its luggage. It took over the guest room and is quite comfy there. However, if I feed it, do its laundry and tuck it in at night, we co-exist, especially since I found that I was not the only writer who had one of these guests.
So that’s my story. I’m an insecure writer. I’ve accepted that, and I’ve moved on to go through several different publishing experiences. It has been a odd route, but interesting. 
If you haven’t joined IWSG, then here’s your chance. Find the bottom of the Linky (that will take a while), and sign up. 

Insecure Writers Support Group First Wednesday and Colin Frake’s Enhanced iBook

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Thanks ALEX
Last month I posted about considering Insecurity in a Positive Light-beautiful even. I took this idea from Therese J. Borchard, the author of Beyond Blue: Surviving Depression; Anxiety and Making the Most of Bad Genes, and The Pocket Therapist: An Emotional Survival Kit.
Since her techniques for managing this thing call Insecurity are so amazing, I thought I’d continue with more of her suggestions each month until I came to end. 
Here’s #2
“Know it’s invisible.
You figure everyone can see that you’re insecure. And that actually makes you feel more insecure. But here’s the wonderful truth. No one can see your insecurity. They are too worried about their own insecurity to notice your insecurity. Even when I think the world can see me shake – when I get really nervous or uncertain – few people can. Either that or they are lying to me when I call them on it. Do your friends look insecure when they are in a group of coworkers or with dysfunctional families? Nope? No one can see your insides but you.”
So can I cope with my Insecurities? 
Bet you can, too.
What do you think of Borchard’s ideas about Insecurity? Had you ever considered them 
 1) Beautiful? 
 2) Invisible?

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Samantha Geary Readstreak is hosting Two Steps From Hell’s first book launch for Colin Frake - On Fire Mountain, an enhanced iBook with original orchestral soundtrack and 40 hand drawn illustrations!  

Stop by Sam’s place and see what’s going on.

IWSG Wednesday and UncommonYA Gives Sliding on the Edge a Shout Out

By

ALEX CAVANAUGH
Visit more of the GROUP
Co-Host for Today
L.G. KELTNER
MELANIE SCHULZ
TRACY JO
Therese J. Borchard offers help to getting you over that Insecurity Hump. She’s the author of Beyond Blue: Surviving Depression & Anxiety and Making the Most of Bad Genes, and The Pocket Therapist: An Emotional Survival Kit, so I think I can point to her as an expert on these matters. Here’s one of her steps that I found particularly appealing and wanted to share with you on this Wednesday.
Consider it beautiful.
If you believe what Saint Augustine did, that the origin of “sin” is pride, then it’s easy to consider the opposite, humility, as a supreme virtue. And follow that logic to insecurity=vulnerability of spirit=humility. Borchard points out, “With insecurity, we admit that it’s not all about us, and that philosophy in this world of self-centeredness is quite lovely.”
Now that I’m thinking of insecurity as something positive I can move right along with my day. I’m co-hosting IWSG today and since this is my first co-host gig, I was a bit insecure about it. Now I think I see a halo just over my head.
The group called UNCOMMONYA is giving my first young adult novel a bit of a boost with what they call THE BLAST. So today is full of possibilities for all kinds of insecure moments. That’s why I was particularly happy when I found Borchard’s information.
Even my characters are INSECURE and, therefore, BEAUTIFUL!
“Though one may conquer a thousand times a thousand men in battle, yet he indeed is the noblest victor who conquers himself.”
How does this philosophy and the logic I’ve proposed sit with you? How do you deal with insecurity?

How To Write Books, Market Them and Not Go Mad

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TICK TOCK

For me sanity is all about scheduling and coffee/wine (depending on the time of day). Those are the only things holding this writer together. I’m not offering these solutions for everyone, just saying that so far these are working for me.

My Schedule for today:

04AM Drink Coffee and Write new book (just kidding about the book)
05AM Visit my Blogger Friends (not kidding) fb and Twitter
06AM Do Line Edits (serious business)
07AM Find more coffee. (absolutely necessary)
08AM See husband, get his plan for the day, eat something.
09AM Work on book (not kidding)
10AM Hike up some trail.
11AM Set plan for week.
12 PM Meet husband at designated place for lunch-this time of year that would be our deck.
01PM  Write
02PM Organize publicity for Library, posters and website, talk to sons on phone, make plans with friends for tomorrow.
03PM Check garden. Pick lettuce for dinner. Go to meeting for library.
04:30PM fb and more Twitter. 🙁
05PM Think about dinner. Consider wine, then write instead.
06PM Pour wine. Find husband and hand him marinated chicken for bar-b-que.
07PM Pour more wine. Toss the salad and feel smug. (planted it, grew it, harvested it).
08PM 30 minutes of a Netflix something, decafe and maybe something like a salted caramel treat.
09PM Kindle in bed, read someone else’s writing. Make notes for review.
10PM Face in pillow.

NOW FOR WEDNESDAY.

If you’ve followed me for a while,  you know I don’t usually blog on Wednesdays, except for the first Wednesday of each month. And this week is special in a couple of ways. I’m going to co-host the IWSG (Insecure Writers Group) while ALEX takes a well-deserved break. Oh, you might know it as I Was Searching for Gary. Please placate him and tell him you know the real meaning of IWSG. It makes him happy.

And, the UncommonYA group, which has some amazing authors, is going to BLAST me. That means, it’s going to feature Sliding on the Edge. That poor book needs a boosts if ever a book did, so, of course, I’ll blog on Wednesday with some glee.

The Write Club is underway.  Read. Vote. Enjoy!

SEE YOU WEDNESDAY!
What’s your schedule? Do have one? How’s that working. Do you IWSG much?  Hugs to my followers. UR Amazing and I appreciate y’all. (Is that the right spelling? People from the South, weigh in please)

IWSG

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I’m late! 
I overslept. 
I forgot to be INSECURE TODAY.

Thanks ALEX

Actually, I’m not Insecure today. I’ve decided that for the month of May I’m going to refuse to allow my nail biting,  stomach-churing, headache-producing self-doubts to creep in. 

Nope not once.

“How does she do it?” You ask, wringing your hands and leaning in for my bit of wise advice.

Here’s my answer-actually three answers. . .and all pictorial. 

One Sniff and Poof Go the Insecurities
Insecure? What’s that?

Yumm. Can’t be Insecure and eat blackberries at the same time.

The Last A to Z Winner and I’m Celebrating

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We did it! 

A to Z in 26 days.

It’s hard not to pop the champagne cork, but it’s only 5AM here at the moment, so I think I’ll wait a bit. But I won’t wait to announce the last winner of the Mystery Blogger contest and give you the answers to the last three bloggers featured on my A to Z.

X= L. Diane Wolfe
Y= e.a.s. deemers
Z= Julie Flanders

On the last round lots of people guessed the Mystery Bloggers, but Samantha Readstreak added that touch of glibness (we won’t mention the bribes of wine and catnip) that shot her score up. So, Sam, email me and I’ll send you that signed copy of Princess of Las Pulgas.

Thanks VIKLIT
  Medeia Sharif has a new book out.

I’ll be posting more books that are coming this May and June from

Tyrean Martinson
Melissa Maygrove
River Fairchild
Pam Torres

I’m beginning to feel like a slug surrounded by all of this productivity! 

If you’ve got a book coming, let me know. This summer I’m dedicating a lot of space to people with book launches and giveaways or awards to show off.

A To Z Blog Challenge: The Letter Z

By

The Write Game’s Theme 
AtoZ Blog Challenge
2014
Stuff I Learned or Laughed at from Bloggers in the 2013 A to Z Challenge .
All you gots to do is identify the Mystery Blogger each day. I’ll give you hints when I can. I’ll post the answers and the winner each Monday.
The last winner will receive a signed copy of The Princess of Las Pulgas 

(If you already have one this, I’ll figure something else out!)BY

1) identifying the most bloggers correctly=2 points.  
2) leaving witty comments=1 point or more depending on glibness
3) adding to the information and making it more valuable=2 points 
TIES WILL BE BROKEN BY MY CAT. SHE’S FAIR AND IMPARTIAL.UNLESS CATNIP IS INVOLVED, THEN SHE GOES WITH THE BEST SUPPLIER.

Earl53


Mystery Blogger Z’s 2013 theme: “My theme for the challenge this year is Alaska, the setting of my novel. . . .”

Z is for Zarnowksy

A Russian, Zarnowsky has a dubious claim to fame, as he is known for unwittingly selling half of the richest gold claim on the richest gold creek in the Alaskan Far North for a sack of flour and a side of bacon.
Zarnowsky believed he was too late to strike it rich with his claim, which was along a small stream known as “Bonanza’s Pup.” That small stream would eventually become known as Eldorado Creek, which was the most valuable placer discovery in history.
Alex McDonald, who bought Zarnowsky’s claim for that bacon and flour in 1896, later became known as the “The King of the Klondike,” and made a fortune during the Klondike Gold Rush of 1897-1898.
Who is it? HINT: I already gave you one. Take a look at the theme.
SIGN UP or VISIT the others who are on this AtoZ Challenge and check out the HOSTS:
Arlee Bird @ Tossing it Out
Tina @ Life is Good
Damyanti @ Amlokiblogs
Jeremy @ Being Retro
Nicole Ayers - The Madlab Post
M. J. Joachim’s Writing Tips
Pam @ An Unconventional Librarian

A to Z Blog Challenge: The Letter X + A Special Hop I Almost Forgot

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The Write Game’s Theme 
AtoZ Blog Challenge
2014
Stuff I Learned or Laughed at from Bloggers in the 
2013 A to Z Challenge 


WINNER WEEK FOUR
TA DA

 THE CAPTAIN WINS THIS ROUND. ALEX GUESSED EVERY ONE OF THE MYSTERY BLOGGERS THIS WEEK, AND, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ONE DAY, DID IT FIRST. NINJAS ARE NOT ONLY STEALTHY, THEY NEVER  SLEEP.

email me and the ebook of The Princess of Las Pulgas  is yours.
http://www.cleemckenziebooks.com/contact.html
Week Four Answers: 
S: Golden Eagle
T: Misha Gericke
U: PK Hrezo
U: Mooderino 

All you gots to do is identify the Mystery Blogger each day. I’ll give you hints when I can. I’ll post the answers and the winner each Monday.

Week 4) a signed copy of The Princess of Las Pulgas 

(If you already have one of the prizes, I’ll figure something else out!) 

BY

1) identifying the most bloggers correctly=2 points.  
2) leaving witty comments=1 point or more depending on glibness
3) adding to the information and making it more valuable=2 points 

TIES WILL BE BROKEN BY MY CAT. SHE’S FAIR AND IMPARTIAL.UNLESS CATNIP IS INVOLVED, THEN SHE GOES WITH THE BEST SUPPLIER.

I loved this motivating post last year. Hope you love it in this deja vu 2014.



Mystery Blogger X’s 2013 theme: “Promo and other tips for writers”


X is for Xtra Mile

(Yes, extra begins with an E - just go with me on this one!)

What is the xtra mile?

It’s doing more than what’s required.

It’s going out of your way.

It’s taking the initiative.

It’s stepping past the masses.

It’s being your best toward others.

It’s doing what others are not willing to do to succeed!

Are you going the xtra mile to fulfill your writing dreams? 

Hint: This blogger is always full of spunk.

Who is it?

SIGN UP or VISIT the others who are on this AtoZ Challenge and check out the HOSTS:

Arlee Bird @ Tossing it Out
Tina @ Life is Good

Damyanti @ Amlokiblogs

Jeremy @ Being Retro

Nicole Ayers - The Madlab Post

M. J. Joachim’s Writing Tips
Pam @ An Unconventional Librarian
Pardon My Process


My Writing Process. 

Look out! It’s another HOP.

I was tagged by BETH FEHLBAUM for this post, so here ’tis. 
1) What am I working on? 
I can’t believe it, but I’ve just wrapped up a sequel to my middle grade book, Alligators Overhead. And I was sure I didn’t have a sequel in me. I’m calling this second book The Great Time Lock Disaster. 
I just wrote The End to two young adult stories and am starting to think how I’ll get them out into the world. Double Negative and Secrets have been in the works for a couple of years, so I’m glad to see them done.
So I guess the answer to this question is almost nothing right now, but I’m kind of glad. I need a short break after managing three projects at the same time. 
2) How does my work differ from others of its genre? 
While my protagonists are the usual age (sixteen or seventeen) I always love to include an older character who acts as someone for my teen to oppose or bounce off of. 

  • In Sliding on the Edge, the grandmother takes this role and I let the reader see that while teens struggle to find their own path, so do adults. Adults have made mistake. They’ve often lost their direction and need help, too. 
  • With The Princess of Las Pulgas, Carlie’s mom has as many problems adjusting to her new lifestyle as Carlie does. I wanted readers to see the two women searching for ways to heal and start a new life. Each do things differently, but both have a difficult time of it. 
  • Double Negative has a teenaged boy who is headed for disaster unless he grabs the lifeline a retired school teacher tosses him. But as this teacher tries to save Hutch, she slowly loses her battle with Alzheimers. The question becomes who will need more help? 
  • Secrets is a story about a young girl who is supposed to keep her baby sister safe and doesn’t. When the child dies, Cleo can’t forgive herself. The older character in this story is Beleza, a high fashion model from the sixties whose secret has driven her into seclusion. When these two come together, they change each others lives dramatically.


3) Why do I write what I do? 

I write contemporary, realistic YA because I used to look for characters in books that I could relate to, someone who floundered around, trying to sort out who they were and where they were going. I went to adult books because when I was a teen there were few books with teen characters as protagonists. Those that did have teens as lead roles, were outdated, and those kids didn’t deal with the same issues I was dealing with. As for writing middle grade, I love to write fantasy adventure stories for that age. And these give me a break from my young adult topics of suicide, loss and abuse. I treat my middle grade stories as my sorbet.

4) How does my writing process work? 

I get ideas from music, or a news article or a conversation. I often tuck these at the back of my head until I hear a character. They pretty much come full born, kind of like Venus from the froth. I see them, their voice is clear and they can be downright bossy unless I start writing their story. The most I do as far as planning is concerned is to write a sentence summary—never more than two sentences. That summary I put in the header, so it appears on each page. I tweak it as I go or I tweak the story so it stays true to that summary. Then I write as long as the words come. When they stop, I take a break or print out and go outside to read what I’ve put down. I don’t always do that right away. I often let the day’s work alone until the next day.  
One thing I’ve found helpful for starting again is to write a sentence or two that describes where I think the story should go next. Sometimes I even list things I want in the next scene. When I come back to the story, I have a place to start.
I’ve tagged DONNA MCDINE to post on May 1. Donna is an award winning author of so many great books for young reader. You must check her out.

A to Z Blog Challenge: The Letter W

By

The Write Game’s Theme 
AtoZ Blog Challenge
2014

Stuff I Learned or Laughed at from Bloggers in the 2013 A to Z Challenge .

All you gots to do is identify the Mystery Blogger each day. I’ll give you hints when I can. I’ll post the answers and the winner each Monday.

Two visitors (one each week) can win: 
Week 3) an ebook of The Princess of Las Pulgas 
Week 4) a $10 gift certificate from Amazon
 (If you already have one of the prizes, I’ll figure something else out!)

BY

1) identifying the most bloggers correctly=2 points.  
2) leaving witty comments=1 point or more depending on glibness
3) adding to the information and making it more valuable=2 points 

TIES WILL BE BROKEN BY MY CAT. SHE’S FAIR AND IMPARTIAL.UNLESS CATNIP IS INVOLVED, THEN SHE GOES WITH THE BEST SUPPLIER.

Cover of The Shining [Blu-ray]

Mystery Blogger W’s 2013 theme: “The films that I’ll be listing in my April postings will not necessarily be films that I’d call my favorite films, but they will be favorites in the genres I’ll be naming.   The A to Z genres are very specific micro genres as opposed to the broader genres like action, romance, or comedy.”


W is for Writers In Movies: Here are some of this bloggers favorite movies about writers. It made a great list of TO SEE MOVIES

8 1/2 (1963)-Okay, I know I already used this film in my post Movies about Making Movies, but that’s how much I like this film.  This is one of my top ten films.  If you are a serious writer you should see this film and take it to heart.  A masterpiece of the genre of thinkers’ films.  Forget this one if you’re an action fan unless you’re in the mood to just sit, listen, and learn.  I’ll warn you that it’s in Italian and you’ll have to read the subtitles if you don’t know the language.  I just can’t rave enough about this film.  Oh, and did I say it’s good?


The Shining (1980)— Jack Nicholson stars as a writer who gets more than he bargains for when he secludes himself and his family so he can get some writing done.  Chalk up another hit for Stephen King.  One writer’s nightmare is another writer’s dream. A shot of Red Rum anybody?


Misery (1990)-Famous novelist crashes car and is rescued by his “number one fan”.   Fans like this we don’t need.   Stephen King strikes again.

Shadowlands (1993)— Based on the true relationship between author C.S. Lewis and poet Joy Davidson, this one’s a weeper.  Grab the popcorn and the Kleenex.

Shakespeare in Love (1998)— A liberal dose of poetic license results in a lot of fun with one of the most famous writers of all time.  This film won a few awards as well.

Adaptation (2002)-Great cast of actors in a curious tale.  This is one of those films that I rewatched as soon as I had watched it the first time.  Great film.

Secret Window (2004)-Johnny Depp as a writer suffering from writer’s block.  But it doesn’t end there. Now he’s being accused of plagiarism and it only gets worse.  Oh yeah, and Stephen King is in on this one too.

Sideways (2004)-If the writing career is not working, you can always go get drunk.  The focus of this film is wine, but it’s really about a writer and writing.



Freedom Writers (2007)-Brand new idealistic English teacher gets assigned to tough class of inner city students.  She gets them involved in journaling and they in turn fall into the writing life.  Inspirational film about teaching and the power of words.




Midnight in Paris (2011) — In one of the best films directed by Woody Allen, a writer vacationing in Paris time travels back to the 1920’s and meets famous authors and others.   Doesn’t matter if it’s a dream, a fantasy, or what-it’s fun.




Hint: This blogger juggles a lot of online activities.

Who is it?

SIGN UP or VISIT the others who are on this AtoZ Challenge and check out the HOSTS:

Arlee Bird @ Tossing it Out
Tina @ Life is Good

Damyanti @ Amlokiblogs

Jeremy @ Being Retro

Nicole Ayers - The Madlab Post

M. J. Joachim’s Writing Tips
Pam @ An Unconventional Librarian