8 Questions You Should Ask Before Making Magic & IWSG

Do you ever wish you could snap your fingers and something awesome would happen?

Me too, but that's not how life works. For every action there is a reaction. I think often we just want things to work out, because we wish them to--not because we put in the work necessary to see success. Magic is like that. We want something for nothing.

But there are always consequences--both bad and good, so before you jump into anything, ask these 9, not 8, careful questions:

1. Have I made a good plan of execution? 

(It's best to think around our efforts before jumping in full storm.)

2, Have I examined my surroundings and prepared for...possible disaster?

(You can plan all you like, but no man is an island. Your choices will affect those around you.)

3. Have I asked for outside help/feedback to avoid frustration over stupid/obvious mistakes?

(Nose against the wallpaper syndrome. We all experience it.)

4. Am I prepared to try again if I utterly fail?

(Failure is the best teacher.)

5. Am I ready for the backlash (feedback) that is guaranteed to blow me over (good or bad)?

(No part of life happens in a vacuum. We have to realize that when we make a choice, we make ourselves vulnerable to the response. We can't let that part taint or damage us. It goes with the territory.)

6. Am I prepared to repurpose my efforts if necessary? 

(We may find what we want isn't really what we want, but leads us to something unexpected and wonderful. Or it may just teach us a lesson we needed to learn.)

7. Are there influences outside my power that I've not accounted for?

(Stuff happens. When failure occurs, because it always does on the path to success, don't let it break you.)

8. Am I documenting the steps leading to success?

(If you want to recreate an amazing cake, you keep the recipe. Recording how you come to your successes is often as important as the successes themselves.)

9. Am I willing to abandon ship if it doesn't work out?

(There is a point at which the cost of an adventure is too much--emotionally, physically, financially. Do you have a hard walk-away trigger?)

This has been an answer to the IWSG question for the month: What pitfalls would you warn other writers to avoid on their publication journey?

Huge thanks for hosting
Alex Cavanaugh, Erika Beebe, Sandra Hoover, 
Susan Gourley, and Lee Lowery!

Last month Ellen Jacobson shared MURDER AT THE MARINA along with two truths and one lie. Anyone who guessed was entered to win an eBook.

The game:

1. I once dressed up as Lt. Uhura from Star Trek for a scifi/fantasy convention.
2. I refuse to eat anything that has a wooden stick in the middle, like popsicles.  
3. I'm allergic to tetanus shots and try to avoid stepping on rusty nails at all costs. 

The lie: #1. From Ellen: I've never been to a scifi/fantasy convention. If I had, I don't think I'd look good in one of those short skirts that the women in the original Star Trek series wore, so I probably would have dressed up as a tribble instead. For some reason, the thought of putting a wooden stick in my mouth freaks me out. Bad childhood experience with a tongue depressor, maybe? If I do have a Popsicle, I eat all around the edges and throw the middle part away. I had a bad reaction to a tetanus shot as a child and haven't had one since.

And the winner is:

...DRUM ROLL...

Cathrina Constantine!

Congrats, Cathrina!

And speaking of magic, how about a magical story? Check it out:

Jasmyn blames herself for her baby sister's death, and she's confident her family blames her too. Instead of returning home, Jasmyn joins her coven to focus on developing her grandmother's magic. Her parents' grief is too much to bear, as is a home without Katarina. 

Logan understands Jasmyn's pain and respects her desire to live apart, but when he finds a way to undo Katarina’s death, he goes in search of his estranged sister. But his mission is interrupted -- an enemy clan of sorcerers claims Logan as one of their own, and a mysterious bond of an ancient brotherhood takes hold of him. 

When an ancient rivalry reawakens between Logan's clan and Jasmyn’s coven, the violence it unearths threatens all they hold dear. And when opposing magical forces pull at the strands holding them together, even the tightest family bonds can break. 

Buy your copy now on Amazon.

Ready to meet the author?

Tanya is a dreamer, writer, intergalactic superhero, and a mother of two little aliens posing as human children. Whenever she's not attending a piano lesson, softball game, soccer match, or jiu-jitsu event, she writes novels and short stories. You might find her running a 5K in the morning, drinking a Java Chip Frap in the middle of the day, or taking long walks in North Bergen in search of freshly baked bread and café con leche. You can find her other work at www.tanyamiranda.com. 

You might run across Tanya anywhere enjoying an excellent Asiago sliced thin with fig spread on a ritz cracker.

Tanya gave me two truths and one lie to test your "lie detector" skills. If you guess the lie, right or wrong, you will be entered to win the 2 eBooks of the THE FAMILY RELICS series. (Open internationally.) DON'T HAVE A BLOGGER ACCOUNT OR AN EMAIL ON YOUR PROFILE? No problem. EMAIL crystal@crystal-collier.com to enter.

You have until Tuesday, September 4 at 2 p.m. EDT to guess. Be sure to come back for the answer on September 5th, 8 a.m. EDT.

TRUTH OR LIE

1. I drink white vinegar straight from the bottle. 
2. I have dozens of analog clocks around my house. 
3. I could never build anything "cool" with LEGOs.

So sleuths, which is the lie? What important lessons have you learned in your journey for success? Have you met Tanya? Do you read paranormal or fantasy?

The Death of America, Happy 4th! & IWSG

"This is the way the world ends, not with a bang but with a whimper."

As we've been seeing lately, major countries and their decisions affect the world. We live in a global economy, and I for one think that's an amazing thing. The world feels a bit smaller, more accessible.

So what is my deal? Why am I calling America's demise?

History. And no, it's not what you think. Last month a friend posted about a negative population growth and asked people's opinions on the matter. The majority thought this was a great thing. More resources for the rest of us!

First of all, let's define a negative population growth: It means the current population isn't producing enough children to replace the current generation. Basically, Mom and Dad decide to only have one child. Or a fur baby instead.


A few years ago I attended a lecture given by a man whose job is to track population growth, decline, and the affects it has on the economy and every day life. (He works for the US government). Until that evening, I might have thought a declining population growth wasn't a big deal.

I WOULD HAVE BEEN WRONG. SO WRONG.

We're already seeing the results in many European countries. Their numbers dwindle, and so does their world influence, their financial status, and their ability to support themselves as a country. They begin taking on debts to stay above water, and then default on them or raise taxes beyond reason. How many countries are bankrupt at the moment?

When good people stop making proactive choices that benefit others, the world suffers.

Think about this: an educated, thriving couple decides not to have children, while the druggie on the other side of town ends up irresponsibly spawning 3, 5, 7 kids (whom they don't raise). Who is the future of that nation? What kind of future can the generation after that expect? What kind of country is this going to be in just a generation or three?

Jobs go empty. Pay increases for menial labor that no one cares to do, and then the cost of living skyrockets. Cities shrink and empty homes fall into disrepair. Because there are less producers, there is less national product, and the tax burden falls heavily on the workers who remain. There aren't enough doctors, police, firefighters etc. to support the populace. Out of necessity, high paying jobs go to other countries because the basics (like food production) must be covered on the home turf. That, or immigrants end up filling the vacancies. Roads, sewers, and electrical sources crumble because there aren't enough able bodied people and finances to maintain them. The wealthy find homes in more prosperous, less taxed locations, and after only a generation or two, we live in a second world country. Or third. 

The lecturer I listened to was sincerely terrified for the future of this great nation. He was raising the warning voice and asking us to raise it as well.

All things change. I get that, but please tell me there are a few other people out there responsibly and intentionally raising the next generation FOR THE SAKE OF THE FUTURE. (I'm raising enough to cover at least one and a half other families...which doesn't stretch a long way.)  

Let's not intelligence ourselves and our kids out of a prosperous future.

Happy Birthday, America.

And last of all, the IWSG question for the month: What are your ultimate writing goals, and how have they changed over time (if at all)?

My overall writing goals remain the same: get out the rest of my tri-series and capstone book/series, then everything else. Basically, share all the cool stories burning through my brain. The timeline is different though. It's not a big deal if I can't get back into the stress of publishing for a couple years. I'm also more focused on what my writing is saying. What positive message am I planting in readers heads? How am I exploring the range of traumas & emotions we poor humans experience?

Huge thanks for hosting
Alex Cavanaugh, Nicki Elson, Juneta Key,
Tamara Narayan, and Patricia Lynne!

Last month Donna K. Weaver shared KINGS CROSSED LOVERS along with two truths and one lie. Anyone who guessed was entered to win an audiobook or eBook of SWING VOTE.

The game:

1. I was interviewed on TV just before the release of the last Harry Potter Book, Deathly Hallows.
2. I started school in Greece.
3. I flunked the second grade.

The lie: #2. Donna actually did flunk second grade. *gasp* But she's definitely made up for it since. Out of hard things we gain greater strength.

And the winner is:

...DRUM ROLL...

Sherry Ellis!

Congrats, Sherry!

How is your summer going? How about a little mystery to spruce it up? Check it out:

A dilapidated sailboat for your anniversary—not very romantic. A dead body on board—even worse.

Mollie McGhie is hoping for diamonds for her tenth wedding anniversary. Instead, her husband presents her with a dilapidated sailboat. Just one problem—she doesn’t know anything about boats, nor does she want to.

When Mollie discovers someone murdered on board, she hopes it will convince her husband that owning a boat is a bad idea. Unfortunately, he’s more determined than ever to fix the boat up and set out to sea.

Mollie finds herself drawn into the tight-knit community living at Palm Tree Marina in Coconut Cove, a small town on the Florida coast. She uncovers a crime ring dealing in stolen marine equipment, investigates an alien abduction, eats way too many chocolate bars, adopts a cat, and learns far more about sailing than she ever wanted to.

Can Mollie discover who the murderer is before her nosiness gets her killed?

A Mollie McGhie Cozy Sailing Mystery - #1

Buy your copy now on Amazon.

Ready to meet the author?

Ellen Jacobson writes mystery and sci-fi/fantasy stories. She is the author of the “Mollie McGhie Sailing Mystery” series. She lives on a sailboat with her husband, exploring the world from the water. When she isn't working on boat projects or seeking out deserted islands, she blogs about their adventures at The Cynical Sailor. 

You might run across Ellen on the open sea, enjoying some tasty goat cheese, especially on crusty bread along with some prosciutto or Parma ham.

Ellen gave me two truths and one lie to test your "lie detector" skills. If you guess the lie, right or wrong, you will be entered to win an EBOOK of MURDER AT THE MARINA. (Open internationally.) DON'T HAVE A BLOGGER ACCOUNT OR AN EMAIL ON YOUR PROFILE? No problem. EMAIL crystal@crystal-collier.com to enter.

You have until Tuesday, July 31 at 2 p.m. EDT to guess. Be sure to come back for the answer on August 1st, 8 a.m. EDT.

TRUTH OR LIE

1. I once dressed up as Lt. Uhura from Star Trek for a scifi/fantasy convention.
2. I refuse to eat anything that has a wooden stick in the middle, like Popsicles.  
3. I'm allergic to tetanus shots and try to avoid stepping on rusty nails at all costs. 

So sleuths, which is the lie? What are your feelings on a negative population growth? Are you worried too? Have you met Ellen? Do you like clean cozy mysteries?