Old Lawnmowers Don’t Need To Run At Full Throttle

My God, what a year it’s been. Last year at this time I was in a relationship I thought would be the last of my life, even as it was falling apart and nearly gone. I had just published my novella, DRIVING TO BELAIR. I was coming off back surgery in April and still going through twice-weekly physical therapy sessions that would last until Thanksgiving. I just bought an old red S-15 truck off my dad thinking I would drive it for a few months and sell it.

That S-15 is still in the driveway. The back hasn’t quite healed right. No new relationships, though I did inherit a cute little puppy from the last one. And today, I spent 5 hours (actually 3 and a half, I took a siesta around noon) mowing what felt like a never-ending yard with a push-mower that’s older than me. Read more »

Categories: About Me, Real Life (Or Something Like It) | Leave a comment

Driving to BelAir is ENT’s Book of the Day

My novella, Driving to BelAir, is Ereader News Today’s Book of the Day!

If you’re not already familiar with ENT, be sure to like them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter for great daily free and bargain book recommendations.

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My Thoughts on Chick-Fil-A Appreciation Day

In case you haven’t heard, yesterday–August 1st–Chick-Fil-A restaurants across the country were jam-packed with long lines and traffic jams at the drive-through. There’s been a lot of confusion as to what it means. Some think it was a protest to stand up for free speech and free enterprise, while others viewed it as an act of hate against those who wish to redefine the legal definition of marriage.

What happened yesterday was a nice reminder of how many people in this country still adhere to traditional conservative values. The problem is, those people apparently don’t vote, because there is no conservative candidate in the upcoming election. They don’t engage culture, either–because they’re not represented in the mainstream media, they’re not represented in Hollywood, they’re not represented in academia, and they’re not represented on Wall Street. Read more »

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Author Interview with Tonya Kappes with Giveaway Pt. 3

Today I am thrilled to be continuing my interview with Tonya Kappes, prolific indie author and fellow University of Kentucky alumnus. She’s the author of eight novels and co-author of Tricked Out Toolbox, a book on marketing for authors. Her ninth novel, A Charming Crime, launches this week!

Tonya is giving away TWO copies of A Charming Crime and a copy of Tricked Out Toolbox to some very lucky readers! Email tkgiveaway@williamgjones.com with the subject line TK Giveaway and put your choice of book in the body of the email. Winners will be drawn at random later today!

You can buy A Charming Crime at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

If you missed it, check out part 1 of this interview here.

You have the most amazing home office—what’s the story behind it?

Hahhaa! My entire house is feng shui, and my office is the same. I have a clear vision, and my amazing husband brought it to life. I’m one lucky gal.

Mac or PC?

PC

Well, that’s unfortunate. Though, to be fair, I bought my first Mac the week Vista came out and I haven’t worked on a PC since, so maybe my memories of how horrible and soul-crushingly miserable working around my old PC’s crashing fits are exaggerated just a bit.

Moving on…  iPhone or Android? Read more »

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Author Interview with Tonya Kappes with Giveaway Pt. 2

Today I am thrilled to be continuing my interview with Tonya Kappes, prolific indie author and fellow University of Kentucky alumnus. She’s the author of eight novels and co-author of Tricked Out Toolbox, a book on marketing for authors. Her ninth novel, A Charming Crime, launches this week!

You can buy A Charming Crime at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Tonya is giving away TWO copies of A Charming Crime and a copy of Tricked Out Toolbox to some very lucky readers! Email tkgiveaway@williamgjones.com with the subject line TK Giveaway and put your choice of book in the body of the email. Winners will be picked at random on Friday.

If you missed it, check out part 1 of this interview here.

Tonya, tell us a little bit about yourself and your writing. How does your personality influence your writing?

Hmmm….when I meet readers, they tell me they can see my positive and funny personalities in my characters. Life is so crazy and I try to give that escape. I’m a positive person and I want my readers to feel that positive energy when reading my novels. I want them to walk away feeling good.

When did you start writing and what was the learning process like for you?

Gosh, I didn’t start until five years ago. I’ve always been good at telling stories, but boy is that different than writing them down.

I took a lot of on-line classes, joined writer’s groups, critique group, and attended a lot of workshops. Writing isn’t an easy job, but it’s one that I continually learn something. The learning process never ends.

Do you (did you) have any writing mentors? Read more »

Categories: Interviews, Plotting, Self Publishing, Writing | 3 Comments

Author Interview with Tonya Kappes with Giveaway Pt. 1

Today I am thrilled to be interviewing Tonya Kappes, prolific indie author and fellow University of Kentucky alumnus. She’s the author of eight novels and co-author of Tricked Out Toolbox, a book on marketing for authors. Her ninth novel, A Charming Crime, launches today!

Tonya is giving away TWO copies of A Charming Crime and a copy of Tricked Out Toolbox to some very lucky readers! Email tkgiveaway@williamgjones.com with the subject line TK Giveaway and put your choice of book in the body of the email. Winners will be picked at random on Friday!

Tonya, first off, I know this is what you really want to talk about today and I won’t make you wait until the end of the interview. How about them Cats? Read more »

Categories: Interviews | 11 Comments

Some Bad News and the Start of a New Journey

About a month ago, I had a relapse of the terrible back pain that had plagued me for twelve years. Long story short, after an MRI and several doctor visits, I’ve learned that the disk I had surgery on last year is bulging once again.

What we don’t know is if this was caused by a sudden injury or if it has been this way ever since surgery. We also don’t know if it will get worse or stay the same or maybe even get better.

So many unknowns.

The good news is, on Saturday, I started the six-month ProSeries screenwriting program offered by Hal Croasmun at ScreenwritingU.com. If you check out their Buzz Page, you’ll see a lot of activity among their students. My goal is to have my picture on that page sometime soon.

If you’re looking to improve your writing skills, I can’t recommend the FREE ScreenwritingU teleconference 21 Powerful Rewrite Strategies highly enough. It happens THIS SATURDAY (May 26th).

If you decide to take it, here are a couple of hints–since it’s a phone conference, your best bet is to listen on your cell phone and use headphones. I use a pair of cheap Skull Candy earbuds. Keep your phone plugged into the charger or at least have the charger handy in case your battery starts going down. The call I took last year was 3 1/2 hours long.

I know many you reading this are writers yourself, and trust me, this isn’t some kind of time-share pitch. I took this class last year, and it changed the way I write. In fact, it highly influenced the writing of my novella (for those of you who didn’t like my book, just think–it could have been much worse).

This teleconference is powerful and best of all, it’s FREE.

Categories: Miscelaneous, Real Life (Or Something Like It), Writing | 1 Comment

Four Writers to Follow

I’ll admit it. When I wrote and published Driving to BelAir last August, I had no idea how hard it would be to sell an ebook. The greatest thing about the last nine months hasn’t been any kind of sales figures or financial reward, it’s been the great people I’ve met who have been so willing to help teach me a thing or two about promotion, and those who have really liked—dare I say loved—my little novella.

People like Lia Fairchild ( @LiaFairchild ), proprietor of Quickie Book Reviews, whose novel, In Search of Lucy, has been a perennial bestseller in the Kindle Store ever since its recent relaunch.

People like Tonya Kappes ( @TonyaKappes11 ), co-author of the marketing how-too book Tricked Out Toolbox, whose fiction recently earned her a finalist’s position in the Next Generation Indie Book Awards.

People like Donna Brown ( @_mrs_b ), author of Double Take Tales, who organized Adopt An Indie Month and runs the Indie Exchange.

People like the gracious Elizabeth Kaye ( @ElizKaye ), who’s Kindle Single Lifeboat No. 8 should be on every Titaniac’s to-read list.

I could go on and on. All I can really say about these women is that they’re all fantastic writers, but more than that, every one of them in engaged in the fan community and with other authors, helping promote, encourage, and educate fledgling authors like myself.

In a world full of people shouting, “Buy my book!”, there’s something powerful about a spirit of community.  It sounds so cliche, but nothing can quite match the impact of like-minded people working together for a common good.

Categories: Miscelaneous, Social Networking, Twitter, Writing | Leave a comment

Why the Titanic Still Matters

Today marks 100 years since the R.M.S. Titanic sank in the North Atlantic, taking over fifteen hundred people to a watery—and icy—grave.

I’ve found there’s two kinds of people when it comes to Titanic. Those who are fascinated by the great ship, and those who aren’t.

Count me in the fascinated camp.

For me, Titanic’s story is this grand Shakespearean tragedy that actually happened. Yet, it’s more than that; the story itself is so very multi-faceted. Read more »

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It’s Been a Year Since I Got My Life Back

April 13, 2011, I had back surgery.  I don’t remember much about that day, other than how terrified I was going into the surgery and how good the drugs they give you for surgery really work.

I can’t believe it’s been a year.

My back first went out in April, 1999. For twelve years, I fought a severe pain. For long stretches of time during those twelve years, I had to use a cane to walk. Sometimes my left leg would just stop working.

And I’ve been pain free for a year.

2011 will not go down in my personal history as one of the better years of my life. But it was, perhaps, one of the most profound because that was the year I got my life back.

I wish I had something profound to write to mark this occasion. Alas, I don’t. As the world commemorates the 100th anniversary of the Titanic disaster, I just realized that I have my own commemoration to mark.

They say after back surgery your back has no strength at all, and gains one percent of its strength back every week after surgery. I’ve just barely crossed the halfway point. I’m stronger than I can ever remember being before. Next year, I can’t even imagine how strong I could be.

Thank God for simple miracles like a good back surgeon.

Categories: About Me, Real Life (Or Something Like It) | 2 Comments