C. Lee McKenzie

Young Adult and Middle Grade Author

Hello, First Wednesday of 2022…oops! 2023

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#IWSG
Join Us Now

The awesome co-hosts for the January 4 posting of the IWSG are Jemima Pett, Debs Carey, Kim Lajevardi, Sarah Foster, Natalie Aguirre, and T. Powell Coltrin!

Every month, we announce a question that members can answer in their IWSG post. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience or story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSG post or let it inspire your post if you are struggling with something to say. 

Remember, the question is optional!

January 4 question - Do you have a word of the year? Is there one word that sums up what you need to work on or change in the coming year? For instance, in 2021 my word of the year was Finish. I was determined to finish my first draft by the end of the year. In 2022, my word of the year is Ease. I want to get my process, systems, finances, and routines where life flows with ease and less chaos. What is your word for 2023? Why?

Since 2009, I’ve run through a lot of words to set an intention for another year of writing. Some of the verbs have been improve, persist, succeed, enjoy, publish. In the noun category, I’ve chosen things like courage, empathy, patience, energy. Each time I’ve looked back over a year, I’ve been somewhat surprised to find that the word of the year was exactly what I needed to guide me through 365 days and whatever manuscript I happened to be laboring over.

This year, I’m recycling one of my previous words, and I’m returning to persist. After writing for some time now, the idea of keeping on is more important than ever. I may have to fudge a little and tag on energy, so I can actually achieve the lofty goal that persist sets.

I wonder what other words bloggers have chosen or if they have. It will be interesting.

Get the full details here.

And speaking of persist…here’s another shot at putting your work into the hands of an agent or a publisher. The #IWSGPit is coming on January 25, 2023. This all-day event starts at. 9:00 am and goes until 8:00 pm Eastern Standard Time. It’s exciting, instructive, and often rewarding for writers, so don’t miss it!

Here’s what to do:

Create a Twitter-length pitch for your completed and polished manuscript and leave room for genre, age, and hashtag. On January 25, 2023, Tweet your pitch. If your pitch receives a favorite/heart from a publisher/agent check their submission guidelines and send your requested query.

Quote of the Month:

Patience, persistence and perspiration make an unbeatable combination for success.

Napoleon Hill

Farewell 2022 First Wednesdays

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This is it people! The last First Wednesday of 2022. I’m shocked that we’ve met here for an entire year to talk about writing, reading, and life experiences. I’ll leave this year with a lot of good memories, many interesting experiences, and some treasured friends. Thanks for all your visits and your wonderful comments.

#IWSG
Join Us Now

Now onto the final IWSG question for 2022

The awesome co-hosts for the December 7 posting of the IWSG are Joylene Nowell Butler, Chemist Ken, Natalie Aguirre, Nancy Gideon, and Cathrina Constantine!

Every month, we announce a question that members can answer in their IWSG post. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience or story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSG post or let it inspire your post if you are struggling with something to say.

Remember, the question is optional!

It’s holiday time! Are the holidays a time to catch up or fall behind on writer goals?

I definitely fall far behind in any goals I have-the writing ones included. My priorities shift to food (especially biscotti which I bake in copious batches), to my kids, to all the decorations that I’ve stored away for years. I seem to return to my “old” way of doing things and become more domestic and much more social.

The writing will be there when I put the decorations back in their boxes and when I’m no longer planning dinner parties or going to them. And when the festivities come to an end, I’ll be at my computer or scribbling in one of notebooks. But I’ll have a lot of wonderful memories of those biscottis, the kids with their presents and wide-eyed wonder at Santa, and the shared time with friends.

May you all have a wonderful December and meet the new year in high spirits and good health.

The December WEP Challenge is on.

Read the submissions

HERE!

WEP Challenge

Quote of the Month:

“Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before! What if Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store. What if Christmas…perhaps…means a little bit more!”
― Dr. Seuss, How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

I’m Back! And Just in Time for #IWSG Wednesday

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#IWSG

Our Twitter handle is @TheIWSG and hashtag is #IWSG

Every month, we announce a question that members can answer in their IWSG post. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience or story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSG post or let it inspire your post if you are struggling with something to say.

Remember, the question is optional! [Read more…] about I’m Back! And Just in Time for #IWSG Wednesday

Books. Books. Books. AND Insecurity Pride Day!

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This month I featured Yolanda Renee. She has been a great guest, and I hope the feature helped make her books more visible out in this wildly competitive world of books. Be sure to take a look at all of her work, including Parallels: Felix Was Here, an anthology The Insecure Writers Group made possible.

 

The Snowman: It takes a true artist to pursue his victims in the art of seduction, and Stowy Jenkins is no exception, especially with blood as his medium.
Buy your copy now and be terrified. A #Freebook on August 23 and 30!

[Read more…] about Books. Books. Books. AND Insecurity Pride Day!

IWSG and How!

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Thanks Ninja Alex

The awesome co-hosts for the December 7 posting of the IWSG will be Jennifer Hawes, Jen Chandler, Nick Wilford, Juneta Key, JH Moncrieff, Diane Burton, and MJ Fifield!

Talk about being insecure. Well, this IWSG post is the most insecure one I’ve ever done, but I wanted to test out something, and what better place than here among friends? That’s what I kept telling myself. Anyway, in spite of my good common sense, I’m posting my idea this month. What you’ll see is a work in progress with a rough draft of my first Instant Book. If you have some suggestions about how to use this as marketing tool or (Heaven Help Me!) how to create a video, I’d to hear them.

In terms of your writing career, where do you see yourself five years from now, and what’s your plan to get there?
Actually, in five years I hope to see two of my completed young adult novels published. To that end, last year I knuckled down and found an agent, Italia Gandolfo, then I sent her the two books. Now, of course, I’m waiting. But while I’m waiting, I’m finishing up my Alligators Overhead/Great Time Lock Disaster trilogy. So within that five years, I’d like to see these middle grade novels out as a package. That’s the plan. Fingers crossed.

IWSG March Has Arrived!

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And with March comes so much for writers, INSECURE  and otherwise. 
Brain Child of Alex J. Cavanaugh

The awesome co-hosts for the March 2 posting of the IWSG are 
Lauren Hennessy, Lisa Buie-Collard, Lidy, Christine Rains, and Mary Aalgaard! 

Since Tara Tyler and Christine Rains invited me to be a part of the MEME HOP, I’ve become besotted by memes. Here’s my IWSG short story told in memes.

TODAY

Sign Up Now!

My little man’s pointing to my email subscribe field at the top right of this post. My next email goes out mid-March, so hope you’ll sign up because there’s some good stuff this month and a surprise. Here’s a list of what Special Offers have already gone out since I started my email list.
  • 6 free books, some signed hardcopies
  • 2 $10 gift certificates
  • links to free book offers by others
  • 1 free story
Brain Child of DL Hammons

You can send your entries, starting April 1-30. Then the contest starts May 18. Wish I could jump in, but I’m booked solid all spring. I’ll be stopping by though to see what you guys are submitting. There are always great stories.

Arlee Bird and tons of others make this work!

Have you signed up? Get going. April’s here before you know it. HERE’s the link.

Four Uses for an Insecure Writer & Evernight Teen Giveaway

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Alex Cavanaugh’s Brain Child

Awesome co-hosts today are Allison Gammons, Tamara Narayan, Eva E. Solar, Rachel Pattison, and Ann V. Friend!

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

SIGN UP HERE

  • You’re washed up before you begin. 
  • Nobody wants to read your stuff. 
  • The rejections come back before the send key is cool. 

What’s so strange then about being just a little INSECURE? 

Nothing, but to ease any tension-should any of these be nagging at you-I’ve come up with some alternative uses for you… and me. Don’t thank me, please. I’m preparing for all of these after this post goes live.

Inspect Keyboards

Do Line Edits

Generate Memes

Function as a Door Stop

Any other uses for Insecure Writers that you can think of? For heaven sakes share! But call me first because this was my idea. And read on because there’s some free books and a $100 dollar gift certificate waiting for you below.

Visit EVERNIGHT TEEN to see all of their books.
EVERNIGHT TEEN is celebrating their anniversary this month with a 3rd Birthday Blog Hop. It’s EVERNIGHT TEEN’s birthday but we’re giving out the presents with a Grand Prize of a $100 Amazon gift certificate!
EVERNIGHT TEEN books feature fresh teen fiction that is raw, gritty and real. Whether paranormal, contemporary, sci-fi or suspense, our books are about real issues and pack a strong emotional punch. You’ll find cutting edge fiction that today’s young adults can relate to and will keep you turning the pages long into the night.

Here are some excerpts of some reviews.

By Carla Davis

I decided to give Double Negative a try because the sample dragged me in from the first paragraph until I had to read the whole thing! It’s so rare to see well done first person, but this book does it masterfully. Hutch has a real voice that must be rendered in the way the author has chosen. No lazy writing here!

By ltg584

I could tell within pages that this book was pure genius and it only became more apparent the deeper I was pulled into the story. I devoured it as quickly as I could… and now it’s over! 🙁 I wish there was some way that it could be a series, just so I could have more! I have already been perusing the author’s other works, debating over which one to read next.

By Night Owl Reviews

Double Negative is just amazing. Reading it felt like being on emotional roller-coaster.

I’m proud to be an EVERNIGHT TEEN author. Enjoy this tease from my book, Double Negative.

“My life was going, going, gone, and I hadn’t been laid yet. I couldn’t go into the slammer before that happened.” Hutch McQueen
TEASE: This is a short bit of a scene between Hutch and Fat Nyla. They get along most of the time, but not today. Nyla’s one of my favorite characters in this book because she’s often fragile and under attack by the “in-group” of girls, especially on a website called Mona Knows. Yet Nyla refuses to be beaten. 

I see her before she sees me, but when she does, man, does she shoot lasers at me with her eyes. I walk fast and stop her at the edge of the lawn. “Look, I’m a sleaze, okay? I’m sorry, but that’s just the way I was made.”

“What do you need?” 

“Nothing.” That’s pretty much the truth at the moment. By using one eye to read I’m doing more of the homework. If I hold one of them magnifying glasses over a page I can even look up words in the dictionary, so while it takes a lot of time, I can almost get through Deek’s assignments. Still I don’t want to take any chances. Nyla’s brain could be the difference between me staying a junior for a long time or making it to my senior year. I need to be on her good side.

She passes me and starts toward Larkston High.

“I said I’m sorry. Liz and me . . . well we kind of—”

“Just shut up.” She keeps walking, her eyes down.

“I came to try and—”

She wheels around so fast I run smack into her and have to back up.

“You’re a creep.” Nyla pokes me in the chest with her finger, and I back up some more. “I know what you call me. Not to my face, but when you talk about me to other kids.”
I try for one of those neutral looks, like I don’t know what she’s talking about.
“Let me refresh your memory.” She’s squared off in front of me with her hands on her hips. “Fat Nyla! That’s what you call me. That’s what Mona Knows calls me, and she got it from you.”
“Mona who?”

I don’t expect her to sock me, so when her fist comes at me I take the full wallop on the left side of my jaw. One minute I’m there with the sidewalk under my feet and the next that sidewalk is pressed against my cheek. 

I’m offering two eBooks of Double Negative during Evernight Teen’s super celebration.  All you have to do is say you’d like a copy and leave your email in a comment. I’ll put your name in the “hat”.

Be sure visit each stop on the BLOG HOP for more chances to WIN the GRAND PRIZE of a $100 Amazon Gift Card. You’ll receive bonus entries for commenting on each blog!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

IWSG in October

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SIGN UP HERE

Fall is officially here and nights grow longer. Spookiness wraps its arms around you and you shudder in the chill of October. It’s the perfect time of year to look under the bed before climbing in to sleep. And guess what you’ll find there-besides those dust bunnies and the last page of your manuscript you lost in April. . .

INSECURITIES

Yep, there they are huddled together, waiting, hoping to keep you tossing in those sheets and sleepless with them nagging at you.

Well, heck no, INSECURITIES. Take that! 

But just in case you don’t have a good left hook, SIGN UP for the IWSG and get the help you’ll need to see you through the dark and stormy nights ahead.

And if you have a good story to share. Enter it to be included in the IWSG Anthology!
ENTER HERE

Oh and speaking of Insecurities: There’s nothing like a contest to give you the jitters. The Great Time Lock Disaster has been entered in the Cover Wars Contest over at Masquerade Crew this month. If you like the cover, it would be great to have your VOTE. 

Amazon

Insecure Writer’s Support Group Wed

By

Alex Cavanaugh

 Your Hosts Today:
Julie Flanders, Murees Dupé, Dolorah at Book Lover, Christine Rains, and Heather Gardner! 


Let me count the Insecurities this month. 

1) I finished that manuscript I’ve been wrestling with for weeks, months-let’s be honest-years. It went to my all time favorite editor. She liked it. Then I sent it to an author who asked to read it. I’m still chewing my nails about that. Maybe there are really 3 Insecurities in this one paragraph, but I’ll bundle them into a unit. 

2) I set up a Special Offers Mailing List and that was a huge Insecurity Issue for me, but I have a good start on my list of people who are willing to let me invade their inboxes once a month and offer them books or other rewards for taking up their time. 

Denise Covey, Yolanda Renee

3) I entered the WEP August Challenge and posted a bit of description. There were some excellent entries in this HOP, so I had every right to be Insecure.

4) My WIP is at 26,000 words and I’m terribly Insecure about it because I’m experimenting with it, so I’m either going to make something good or something really bad. 

5) I was hugely Insecure when I invited Barry Lyga to be a guest on my site. I’m still experiencing fan-girl symptoms. He’s a super writer.

Well, that’s enough about my Insecurities. Now I’m off to see what others have to say about theirs this first Wednesday of September.

Here’s to fall! 

IWSG, AtoZ Road Trip, Win Some Books-What A Wednesday!

By

Alex J. Cavanaugh

I used to think that insecurity would vanish as I grew older and improved my craft. That is not the case. 

If anything, I think it has increased in size and duration-like, it’s no longer gorilla big; it’s gorilla ginormous, and it’s there all the time. 

Photo Credit

So why? 

My theory is that the more you come to understand what you’re up against in the publishing world, the more you anticipate those hurdles and know just what it takes to get over them. There’s something positive about having that knowledge, but I think that knowledge also is anxiety producing, which leads to insecurity, and which leads me to write posts like this every first Wednesday of the month.

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Hosts The Madlab Post & Write Game

I’m also posting on The Road Trip this summer while I take a road trip or two with Mario the Muse. He and I needed a break and new scenery. If you have time I’m featuring a few bloggers on my latest post. It could be YOU, so come take a peek.

On the road with Mario

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And now for a major DRUMROLL kind of announcement. 12 UncommonYA authors have banded together and are offering. . .SURPRISE!!!! Books. Yes, indeed. Winning them is a snap. Enter here. Rafflecopter Giveaway

Do you have a theory about this thing we label as insecurity? Taking any road trips this summer? Want more books to wrap up your summer reading?