Leslie Keller Books

Tonight I'm heading off to meet with a new critique group.  I hate to admit how very nervous I am to expose the revised pages to anyone.  Ironic since I write and if no one ever reads it then what is the point? I don't mind anonymous rejection since it feels as if I have nothing to lose.  However, when you are sitting across from someone who is judging your "baby" then it seems that so much more is at stake.  When you have read and re-read the same paragraphs at least one hundred times and you think you have polished it to perfection, what happens if someone points out it's flaws? Intellectually I understand that is what will help me grow as a writer but emotionally it scares the heck out of me.  Although while getting ready and before I sat down to really contemplate the act of sharing my work, it crossed my mind that I had only thought of the negatives.  What if this bad thing happens or that bad thing.  What if they hate the pages and my hair an...

The best way to generate some content for your novel based on real life - also known as Happy Hour with the ladies.

Recently I have made a commitment to myself to become more proactive about writing.  To that end I have been making edits to the Menu for Murder manuscript and have been dragging myself out of the house to attend writer groups. I'm very excited about the changes to Jayne's story and have included a new chapter as well.  That part was completely motivated by some excellent feedback I received from a book club reader. I'm also enthusiastic about the Scottsdale Society of Women Writers meetings.  I've now attended two and have met some wonderful women. It is stimulating to hear the speakers but even more is the interaction I've experienced with the other writers.  I love hearing the stories about the effort they have put in to finish their work, the ups and downs of trying to get published and ultimately the amazing news about their books coming out. It is encouraging for me to hear their stories and makes me feel that I'm not alone in this process....

Every day I get an email from a service called BookBub.  I registered and specified the genres I like to read and I get a list of books which are discounted or free (woo hoo) which match my requirements. I originally registered because it's exciting to see new books which I haven't read, but an additional benefit I hadn't expected is that it exposes me to other authors in my genre.  I am presented with the opportunity to investigate publishers I may not have considered as well as note the number of self-published authors. Once I receive the email I can select a book and then read the book description, editorial and customer reviews.  It's a wealth of information for an author.  Reviewing books in my genre I can compare page count, character descriptions, and get a feeling for what other authors are writing about.  This is a priceless tool and I will admit it's slightly addictive.  I probably have more books saved to my Kindle ...

Is this the life, or what?  My little Chance, who runs the household, takes every opportunity to kick back in the sunshine.

Hot air balloons floating in the warm breezes over the Phoenix desert.  Definitely a fun activity especially when you land to a Champagne breakfast.

Last week I experienced the great sadness of losing my younger sister who had fought an amazing battle with cancer.  It started as breast cancer and then moved to her brain and she battled the disease for twenty years.  I will miss her every day even though I know she is finally at peace and I feel blessed to have had her in my life for so many years.  She left behind her husband of thirty years and her lovely daughter.  I want to try to find a way to honor her memory but to also take those feelings and pour them into my writing.  I hope that not only can I do work to support the eradication of breast cancer, so that another person doesn't have to fight this battle, but that my writing can provide an outlet to bring my characters to life for my readers. Each time I sit at the pc I vow to pour more of myself into my characters so that you will feel their pain as well as their joy. Leslie