Pinterest by Diane Burton

In 2004, I quit writing. As I’ve mentioned before, Life intruded. A combo of events led to stress, more stress, and though I tried to write through it, I finally gave up. For the next four years, I barely kept up with email and my RWA chapter’s loop. No energy. No writing.

When I came back, sometime in 2009, so much had changed. Facebook, Twitter, Myspace. Huh? Blogging? I felt like the techno-clueless Gibbs on NCIS. My brother-in-law joined Facebook so he could show off his fishing skills. 😊 Hubs joined. I resisted. I’d heard so many horror stories about FB. After peeking at Hubs’ page, I saw the “light” and gave in. How wonderful to connect with family and long-lost friends. Gradually, I connected with fellow writers and saw other benefits of FB. Around that time, I also returned to writing—for fun, at first, then seriously.

When I joined an online group called Authors Helping Authors, I learned about the world of social media. Holy cow! I was overwhelmed and ignorant. A tweet? What was that? I was supposed to write a tweet for others to share? How was I supposed to do that when I didn’t even know what it was? With the help of patient people (like our own Alicia Dean), I learned. This old dog learned a lot of new tricks.

All right! I mastered (sort of) Facebook and Twitter. Cool. Then, I heard about Pinterest. A bulletin board where you pinned pictures? Huh? I’d heard about people doing that with pictures from magazines taped to poster boards. I didn’t have time for cutting and pasting. But how did that work online? I understood how it might be useful for crafters, mothers with young kids, but for a writer? No idea. Until I read a blog post about how authors could use Pinterest.

A whole new world opened up. A visual world. I created boards for each of my books then added pins of things that provided inspiration for the book. When I started, I worked backwards. The book was written when I added pins that went with it. For example, for my first book, Switched, (originally pubbed in 2001, re-issued in 2011) I added the following pins (pictures): a farmhouse and farmland (the story begins and ends on a farm), starships, Kaylee (the mechanic from Firefly because my MC is a mechanic), posters from the movie Vertigo (my hero has acrophobia). If I found pictures of actors that I’d choose to play the main characters, I added them, too.

Then I found more uses for Pinterest. Besides being “inspirations” for my story, the pins could be topics for blog posts. In my science-fiction romance, The Protector, my MC thwarts a trafficking ring then captures the ring leader. On my Pinterest board for that book, I added info on human trafficking. When I did a blog tour for The Protector, I wrote a post on human trafficking. I even have a board with pictures of the authors who’ve visited my blog with a link back to their post. (I really need to update that board.)

Once I caught up with the already published books, I began to use Pinterest for ideas for works in progress. That’s when the pins really did provide inspiration. The most fun I’ve had so far is finding wedding dresses for my work-in-progress board “Inspiration for Alex O’Hara #4.” Not just wedding gowns but bridesmaid dresses and mother of the groom dresses, and ideas for bachelorette parties.

Of course, I have more personal boards. Before we built our house, I looked for pins for the “home of my dreams.” I loaded my own pictures from vacations. Tampa Tourism used a picture I took of a dolphin in Tampa Bay for their board—without giving me credit, I might add. I have boards for travel, favorite places and those I want to visit, Dollar Store hacks for the home, recipes, quotations, and books.

But, here’s the kicker. There are only so many hours in the day. Writing is primary. Promotion, next. Can’t forget family and home stuff. Using social media to promote ourselves and our books takes time. I use Facebook and Twitter (add in Triberr, which amplifies the reach of blog posts into tweets). Other social media like Instagram, Tumblr, LinkedIn, Snapchat, etc. sound interesting take more time—first, to learn how to use it, then actually using it. At this point, I can barely keep up with what I’ve already joined.

Of all the social media that I’ve tried, Pinterest is my favorite. I figure if I’m going to use time not spent on writing, I might as well have fun doing it. If you’d like to check out my boards (and pins), here’s the link.  https://www.pinterest.com/dmburton72/boards/

What social media do you like best?

Diane Burton combines her love of mystery, adventure, science fiction, and romance into writing romantic fiction. She blogs here on the 16th and 30th of each month. She shares snippets from her stories every weekend on her blog.  Her latest release is NUMBERS NEVER LIE, a romantic suspense, available at Amazon, free on Kindle Unlimited. 

Getting Ready to Publish Your Book by Betsy Ashton

I've given a dozen or more classes this year on what it takes to be ready to publish, self or traditionally. I give the attendees my actual release plan, so that they can do as much or as little as they wish. Everyone leaves my class with a game plan and a boggled brain.

Those of us who self publish have to do everything ourselves. Everything. Right now, I'm working with my cover designer. We have a good idea, an image that is close, and  a plan to modify said image. Spooky cover. Hoodie with a pair of eyes following you around. The cover is the fun part. Getting the ISBN, back matter, blurbs all have to be done around the same time. So does asking people to read the ARC, get more blurbs back, and review on Amazon. I think two of the three of the latter points are easy. Getting that darned review up on Amazon, well, a whole different matter.

I talk to the class about housekeeping issues. If they don't have a website, they need a professional-looking site before the book is available. Where else will readers be able to buy a signed copy if they don't live near the author? Goodreads? Wait, I have to be on Goodreads? Sure do, sister. That's where readers hang out. Author Central from Amazon? I thought Amazon did that. Nooo, you, dear author, set it up. How else will you track e-book sales on Amazon and book sales on all other distribution sites?

What about newspaper interviews? Well, you can hire a publicist, or you can develop a press kit with your press release, a brief summary of the book, interview questions, and a list of places where you can be contacted. You do the legwork. No one else will.

What about social media, you ask? Don't sit there and tell me all you have to do is put the book out, and it will sell. That worked in Field of Dreams, but I'm not Kevin Costner and I don't have a multi-million ad budget. How the heck will people other than friends and family know you have a book out if you don't use the tools at hand to spread the word? If you don't want to use all the current apps, pick one or two where you feel comfortable. Also, pick ones where your readers come to share information and play. For example, if you write YA, hang out in Snapchat, Instagram, and several others whose names I can't remember. I don't write YA, but I'm trying to learn how to use Instagram. Pinterest is fun, but it doesn't really drive traffic to my website or Amazon where my books are available.

Did I hear you say you don't want to do all of the work yourself? If you have a kid whose interested, use said kid. If you don't, consider hiring a virtual assistant who can set up posts on your chosen apps.That will cost money, and you might not see a return on your investment immediately. But if you don't want to do the work and you can't afford to hire someone, you should set you mind to selling a few books to friends, colleagues, and family. It will be harder to attract strangers if you hide.

Writing the book is the easy part. Even working with a professional editor is the easy part. Sucking it up and shoving yourself out there in front of readers is not for the faint of heart. We all have to do it. We need to learn to do it well.

Next time, we'll talk about giving a book talk...

Adventures of a Food Nut by Amber Leigh Williams

I fell in love with food at a young age.
Cooking was another story....

When I married, I had never cooked for myself. Toasting bread for breakfast was challenge enough. The hub had been cooking for himself for years and so tried to teach me the basics. How to boil eggs, fry bacon, brown meat, peel potatoes, etc. I say tried because I didn’t have much inclination to learn. There was always take-out, right?

When my son was born, I realized I didn’t want him to grow up eating freezer meals. I wanted him to have the same wholesome, home-brewed memories I did around the dinner table. I read Julia Child’s My Life in France and grew hungry. I joined Pinterest and grew even hungrier. Finally, I decided to satisfy my appetite while challenging myself to learn to cook just as my mother had. Last summer, I began to blog about these cooking exercises every week on Facebook with my Toast of Tuesday feature. I’ve gathered all my favorite Toast of Tuesdays together for you. Here’s a peek into my kitchen as well as my adventure in becoming a foodie….

My first cooking experiment was a strawberry cream cheese confection, a decadent gift for the hub on Valentine's Day 2013. He cooked me a big steak dinner. I made him dessert. We rolled out a quilt on the living room floor, lit candles, dressed up and ate until we couldn't eat anymore. The icing of the cake was messy and a teensy bit clumpy since I didn't let the cream cheese reach room temperature before spreading it, but the cake was every bit as yummy. That original recipe has been lost but I’ve found one pretty similar at Cooking Classy.

This was the recipe I was trying out when I nearly set my kitchen on fire. Word of advice: use a deep fryer if one is available, not a pan on the stove with hot oil. Prior to my near brush with the fire extinguisher, I was determined to master the art of home-style fried chicken because my mother made her own and it was one of my favorite dishes when I was little. Coupled with lima beans, mashed potatoes, and sweet tea, there are few dishes that taste more southern. This recipe from Jo Cooks so far is my favorite...aside from the part of the instructions that involve a pan on the stove. I make it with garlic mashed potatoes and I'm working on the perfect blend of sweet tea....




Teaching Young Skywalker to make ice cream....

Bragging on another family favorite, requested at least twice a month here at Chez Williams: Rosemary Mustard Chicken. This recipe is surprisingly easy with few ingredients. I double the sauce to make the chicken extra juicy and flavorful (and for leftovers). The Like Mother Like Daughter recipe calls for Coleman's mustard but I have trouble finding that brand at my grocery store so I just use regular mustard and it still turns out yummy-licious every time. Whenever there's a special occasion and I need something with little fuss to make for dinner, Rosemary Mustard Chicken is my go-to recipe. (I serve this dish with carrots glazed in honey and lime juice.) 


Long before I began my foodie adventures, the hub was the cook. One cool fall day we were craving something warm and filling but had only an odd assortment of food in the fridge and pantry - eggs, sausage, yellow rice, and peppers. He decided to improvise, giving us what is now Jake's Fried Rice. A few years ago, I bragged on this original family recipe with author Anna Kathryn Lanier at her blog. I'm bragging again 'cuz Jake's Fried Rice is on the menu tonight here at mi casa. Dinner cannot come soon enough!

It’s soup season! When the wind picks up and the leaves start falling, my first foodie instinct is to make soup – particularly if somebody’s sick. And speaking of sick days, there’s nothing better than a warm bowlful of Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup to fill your belly when you’re feeling under the weather. I’ve made this version from Cooking Classy for two winters. Whether the hub and I are suffering from seasonal allergies or cold toesies, there’s nothing more healing than this blend of herbs, chicken, and vegetables (served with soda crackers and hot tea)….

$3.99

Years ago, I was going through my mother's recipe tin when I found a wrinkled, yellow type-written page crowned with the words "Hash Brown Potato Casserole" and initialed by my paternal grandmother. I got really excited because this was one of my favorite comfort foods growing up. It's warm, it's hearty, and it's classically southern. I copied it down on a legal pad and snuck it into my own recipe box. I attempted the recipe many times. It was well-received, but to my taste buds there was something missing - a small thing I couldn't quite define. Finally, I brought my frustrations to my mother who admitted that through the years she had secretly swapped one of the ingredients for one of her own. (She's sneaky and brilliant like that.) When the heroine of my second Harlequin Superromance novel Married One Night needed an edible pick-me-up, I enlisted the help of my fictional foodie, her cousin Briar Browning (from A Place With Briar), and Hash Brown Potato Casserole. Enjoy with a slice of Texas Toast or two, with breakfast in lieu of quiche or as a side dish for dinner....


$3.99

Hash Brown Potato Casserole
Ingredients:

 2 1-lb packages of frozen hash brown potatoes (the cubed kind make the best texture), partially thawed

 1/4 cup chopped onion

 1-1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese

 1 stick butter, melted

 1/2 tsp. pepper

 1 carton of sour cream

 1 can cream of mushroom soup

For the topping:

1 cup crushed Ritz cracker crumbs

1/2 stick butter, melted

Instructions:

Mix all casserole ingredients. Pour evenly into a 3-qt. oblong casserole dish and pack down. Top with Ritz crumbs. Pour extra butter evenly over the crumbs. Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Do not cover while baking. Serves 10 to 12.


For more foodie adventures, join me on Facebook every Tuesday for The Toast of Tuesday. The fun doesn't stop there! At Super Authors, I blog about various kitchen disasters. Here's Kitchen Disaster Log 1  (with my infamous Broccoli & Cheese Soup) and Kitchen Disaster Log 2 (where I explain that near-kitchen-fire with fried chicken).... 

Do you have any  personal foodie adventures? Please do tell! as the entrees and it was a huge personal triumph. It made me a foodie and the process of assembling it made me fall in love wi