Overheard on . . . Romancing the Genres

“After seeing the other side, I have a new perspective on this life.”

It was the first time I had met someone with a near death experience. We were at PF Changs having dinner after a long day of writing-related sessions at the Emerald City Writers Conference in Seattle. The woman across from me was really interesting on a number of levels. Traveling to the U.S. from Budapest, she was on an extended tour to promote her books. She was also an incredibly spiritual woman who had wonderful stories to tell about how her near death experience changed her life. The highlight, though, was when she read my palm.

It wasn’t the first time that day I had run into someone with a perspective on my character. At lunch we sat with a woman who knew how to do handwriting analysis. She showed us how to determine whether we believed a statement about ourselves to be true. Like, “I will be a New York Times best-selling author.” Try it! Write something you want for yourself. Now, are you done? Okay, if the letters are all evenly spaced, you believe it. However, if there is a space between the words ‘will be’ and the next part of the sentence (in my case, ‘a New York Times best-selling author’,) it means you don’t believe it. Apparently I have a ways to go in building my self-confidence around this statement:>)

Then, after analyzing my signature, she told me I was a cheerleader. I probably should have clarified whether she meant in the 'mean girl' way, or in the 'supporting your friends' way. I’ll take it as the second though.

So anyway, back to dinner and my palm reading. My new friend from Budapest told me I should not be afraid to take risks because I was well protected from the other side. It was the perfect timing for this insight too, since I am experimenting with a new-model publishing company for my third book, Molto Mayhem.

Set in Italy, and filled with rich descriptions of food and place, as well as hilarious characters, Molto Mayhem is a story about finding unexpected love on a difficult journey home. Like my second book, Untangling the Knot, it delves into deeper topics while still maintaining a light, humorous touch.

I am thrilled that it was accepted by Inkshares Publishing and set up for the funding stage. Inkshares selects only those projects they think will succeed, helps them raise money for all of the services required to publish a book, and then handles all of the publication, distribution, and publicity much as a large NY publisher would.

My campaign is only a few weeks in and I have already reached almost 20% of my goal. I have a lot of plans to get the word out there but I’d love to have help. Here are two ways you can support my effort to get this wonderful story published.

1.       Check out my funding page at Inkshares, where you can read the full synopsis, learn more about Inkshares, and even pre-order Molto Mayhem to help fund the book. https://www.inkshares.com/projects/molto-mayhem

2.       Help spread the word. Here are Facebook and Twitter blurbs you can use to let your friends know about Molto Mayhem and Inkshares.
Facebook: I just found a cool new book project called "Molto Mayhem" on Inkshares!  The first chapter already looks hilarious, so I can't wait to see it published! You can find out all about the book (including an overview) at:  https://www.inkshares.com/projects/molto-mayhem
Twitter: I can’t wait to see this book published. It’s set in #Italy & the food descriptions make me want to lick the pages: https://www.inkshares.com/projects/molto-mayhem

Now I’m off to bungee jump since no one said my risks have to be just with my writing. Besides, famous author John Burroughs said, “Leap, and the net will appear.” Here’s to everyone who takes risks without a net and to your next Journey Inspired by Love.

Deanne

Overheard on . . . Romancing the Genres

What’s  your favorite vacation?

Although I normally try to use my RTG post to spotlight our upcoming guests, April’s monthly topic was so inspiring I just had to switch it up this month.

Asking about a best vacation is a little like asking about a favorite child I think. You know each one has their own unique and wonderful traits and you love all of them. But…… okay, so maybe one of them connects with you just a little bit more than the others, though you could never explain why.

Well, this is how I feel about my favorite vacation. First I should say that I love, love, love, travelling with my husband. And, though I am always nervous about the work of travelling with my daughter, she continually surprises me by being a blast. So a front runner would definitely be my trip last August to NY and Boston. It had the best of everything: seeing friends, exploring new places, great food, and a chance to reconnect with locals from my books.

However, as much as I loved that trip, the first one that always comes to mind is my trip a couple of years ago to Italy. I’ve written lots about this trip (for more you can link here to my personal blog posts about it.) It was magical and non-replicable.

A friend had invited us to his wedding in Italy, but we had another trip which conflicted. Ultimately there was only one thing to do; I flew to Italy on my own to attend the wedding and then met my family in Mexico for our family vacation.

So, I was travelling by myself, in a foreign country where I didn’t speak the language. And I L-o-v-e-d it! The weather was warm but overcast while I was there, but in my memory the trip was golden and glowing. I visited spots from my second novel, UNTANGLING THE KNOT, and my next novel, MOLTO MAYHEM. I ate the most incredible food. Having just begun blogging, I got to incorporate fun overhears from Italy. And, I had the privilege of attending the most beautiful, incredible wedding I could ever imagine.  The people I met while on that trip continue to be part of my life. And in fact, I plan to fly to Italy this summer with my daughter so I can introduce her to them (and to the joy that is Italy.)

There are times when I am planning trips where I think it can’t possibly be worth the, fill in the blank: money, time, effort, difficulty.

Remembering this trip reminds me of why I should go anyway. You never know which trip will turn out to be that most miraculous of journeys that inspire your life.

I hope your next trip sweeps you away on you own Journey Inspired by Love. Let me know when you take it, especially if it lands you in Italy.

Deanne
www.deannewilsted.com

Overheard on. . . NPR

“Four score and seven years ago…”

November 19^th marks the 150^th year anniversary of Lincoln’s address at Gettysburg. America was, at that point, at about the midpoint of the war, which was waged from April 1861 to April 1865. This destructive war, which claimed an estimated 750,000 deaths, also solidified our country’s principles of freedom and equality for all.

Lincoln’s Eulogy at Gettysburg was intended to frame the horrible deaths being suffered, not just at Gettysburg, but across all of the battlefields, in terms of the cause the soldiers were dying for. But no matter how much Lincoln or anyone might wish it different, revolution is messy. And, even when a war has been ‘won’, people do not somehow magically agree with the other side’s views. In fact, at Gettysburg itself, only a few years after the war, a distinct cemetery was created for black Civil War veterans because of segregation policies still in effect (more on Gettysburg here).

As we look toward December the Genre-istas will be spotlighting some amazing guests who will discuss the changes occurring within the publishing arena. And, while not nearly as weighty as the Civil War, these changes do form a messy revolution. Do not expect clean lines and simple solutions. Do not look for clear winners and losers. Do not hope to avoid casualties. These are all a part of the experience of great change.

If you look to the right of this blog post you will see the guests who will help us understand this revolution. And while I am looking forward to hearing their perspectives, as we recognize that the best fictional characters have great depth, with that comes complexity and disagreement. The methods for waging this revolution, the players involved, the sacrifices being made: all of these can be debated and discussed.

So come back in December and add your two cents. A war of words, whereby we civilly discuss the problems and reach agreement, has far few casualties than a physical revolution.

Cheers,
Deanne

www.deannewilsted.com
Journeys Inspired by Love

Overheard at... the Lan Su Chinese Garden in Portland

“Listen to the fragrance.”

This line from a poem inscribed in the Lan Su garden has haunted me since I read and blogged about it a year ago (Overheard at... Art in the Pearl). I love the idea that our senses can be used to understand what is beyond our traditional comprehension. As Romancing the Genres plunges into the heat of August, we bring with us a focus on reader resources, spotlighting guest bloggers on the topics or book reviews, book clubs, and libraries. More than the blogs themselves, I am looking forward to hearing comments from our readers (wink, wink… that would be you!) about which resources they use to help them choose books.

Obviously dedicated readers know all about Goodreads and are probably well trained in how to use the Amazon system to narrow down their favorite picks. My husband is a pro, for example at searching Amazon for new books coming out by his favorite authors and then saving them to his wishlist or getting on the waiting list for when they are available at the library.

But when I look back, it seems like my favorite books have found me. I have been riding on a train and seen a cover that struck me, or been searching for one book and found something entirely different that called out to me. Like the moment when we ‘listen to a fragrance,’ sensing the presence of a great book is sometimes so unconscious I am not even sure most of us could articulate why or how it happened. All we know is that we walked into Barnes and Noble prepared to buy The Hunger Games (because, of course, we saw it mentioned on some great blog or something;>) and walked out with a copy of love poems.

And if sometimes that relationship, like many, deceives us and we sell the book back to Powells for a pittance, well, so be it. Because the very best reader resource I know is our own open mind and our willingness to try.

By Genre-ista: Deanne Wilsted

Author of BETTING JESSICA and UNTANGLING THE KNOT

www.deannewilsted.com

@dwilsted