So, this morning, I felt in the mood to vent and if my children weren’t sleeping, to scream!

To give a little back story, I’m an author of six published novels, two in a paranormal shifter world (with another in the works), three in a series of contemporary romance, and one romantic suspense. Now for the paranormal, I wrote those two books a few years ago and am currently into about 26k of the third and final book of that series.

Now this is where writer’s block comes into play. I’ve been stuck in this plot, outline, and chapters for a few years now! I have tried to take walks, clear my mind, take a step back and work on something else, all of the advice from other authors but SOMETHING isn’t working and I’m not sure what it is. So for the first time in a year or more, I’ve opened the doc, transferred everything into Scrivener (an awesome writing software), and tried to get back into it. It’s a good story. It has potential but something is missing, and I haven’t figured it out yet! It’s beyond frustrating. The first and second leaves the overall plot hanging, a cliffhanger, and I really need to finish it, to ty up loose ends, and I swear, for those awesome readers who are following Travis and Vanessa’s plot, the characters, I’m sincerely trying!

Any writers/authors out there with advice? It would be awesome if I could finish this novel for my publisher. Anyone who ever says that writer’s block doesn’t exist hasn’t met me and please consider themselves blessed that they have never gone through it! It’s not fun and extremely frustrating to have a novel half unfinished and stuck on where to go. Maybe I’m looking at it all wrong, now that I’m thinking about it. I don’t know how it ends. Maybe, just maybe, I should focus on the ending instead of where I’m at within the story. Maybe if I had the ending, I could write to that conclusion. It’s a thought and something I will try! Any other advice would be really appreciative!

Stay tuned, stay sane, and stay safe my awesome friends!

Connect with Desiree

https://www.facebook.com/Author.Desiree.L.Scott

https://www.linkedin.com/in/author-desiree-scott-4a7791b2/

Different Things I Do For The  “Writing Zone.”

I get asked a lot what I do to get into the zone, my routine so to speak. There isn’t one thing I do or don’t do.

Without coffee, I’m a zombie so that’s the first thing I do! Make me a nice and hot cup of coffee and sit down at my kitchen table, taking in the quiet.

Then I consider the scene I’m writing. Is it during an adrenaline rush? Is it slow? Is it romantic? Is it tragic? Depending on the scene, I begin to listen to soft music in tuned with what I’m writing. It’s also early, around 6 AM and I have found that is the best time for me, when my brain and thoughts are at full capacity. It also helps that the whole house is sleeping and it’s so quiet and peaceful.

I read the last scene I have written or revised and then begin. My process isn’t complicated or dramatic. It’s actually pretty boring when you think about it. There is no magic or this awesome strategy I do to crank out the words. It varies each day. Except the coffee. I ALWAYS need my coffee!!

I do seem to have a writing buddy. She’s so sweet and always wants to be around my clicky click keys of sound it seems LOL She’s not evil though, promise!

What’s your daily routine like? Do you do anything special during the day?

Please welcome Dr. Dawn Menge!

I decided that I wanted to occasionally feature authors and for readers to possibly discover their next great read! Beyond me of course! LOL I’ve never done this before so please, if there is a better way of featuring a wonderful author such as Dr. Dawn, please let me know!

Dr. Dawn Menge has won forty-one national awards as a self-published author of the Queen Vernita’s Educational Series. Her published works also includes The Six Federal Individual Educational Goals and the Effectiveness of Their Implementation in Preparing for Transition.

Dr. Dawn has a Ph.D in Education. She specialized in Curriculum and Instruction. She has a Master’s and a clear credential in moderate/severe disabilities and a Bachelor’s in Human Development. She has been teaching professionally severely handicapped students for sixteen years.

On a little more personal note, Dr. Dawn is the mother of three and the grandmother of five beautiful grandchildren!

To get in touch with her and stay updated, her social media links are below!

www.drdawnmenge.com

www.facebook.com/dawn.menge1

I know this is my second post today, back to back, but I wanted to give you all a small teaser of my thriller, Perfect Witness!

###

He watched the woman run, her long legs straining as she flew across the hard ground, stumbling through the woods. His night goggles glowed in the dark and the heat from her body was bright red, different shades, signaling her location as clear as day.

He grinned; his smile wide as a thrill raced through him. He followed her with his eyes, her frantic movements and it was almost time.

His way of playing with the women had completely changed from before. He found he had another method of spiking their terror.

Oh, they screamed at the end, even while running, trying to escape, screaming for help, their voices loud and shrill. He still cut them to pieces while they begged but now he played with them before tying them up and getting his pleasure, his satisfaction, in multiple ways and that thrill always gave him such a high, he could go on for days reliving it. And he could relive it. He had cameras set up everywhere through the woods and in the basement of the small cabin he had rented about an hour from town. That was something else he had altered, his souvenirs. He now had video of the women he could watch over and over again, coming hard as their screams filled the room. He didn’t know why he hadn’t thought of that before but now he didn’t, and his collection was growing.

Another thing he enjoyed was the beauty of the location. It was isolated and someone, a woman, could scream as loud as she wanted and there was no one around to hear her.

He had let this woman escape three times and even as that thrill coursed through his veins, he hated to be disappointed. He loved the chase, the anticipation but always seemed to be disappointed. They all gave up before way too soon. This was his third in the area and they were all the same but so far, all had given him pleasure.

All except one.

It’s been a while since I’ve been this emersed in writing, in a plot and characters. I have two projects I’m currently working on, one thriller and my paranormal, the third in my Vendetta series, Shattered Ties. It’s also been a while since I committed and completed Nano. Life can get hectic and what I’ve always wondered is why they made Nano in November?? The month of family and the month before Christmas! That month is always so busy for me and for a lot of people. I always have such high respect for authors and writers who complete and succeed in writing 50,000 words in that month!

Now even though I posted on Facebook that I was considering Nano this year, I’m still undecided. If I do it, I will be a Nano Rebel this year, using that month to complete one of my projects on my plate. It’s been a few years since I’ve published Bear’s Shadow, the second in my series and I have one left in that series to complete, Samantha and Aiden’s story, with Miranda and Jackson as a subplot. The overall plot is about an underground fighting ring where an evil and deadly organization is using drugs developed to halt the shifting process in its track, forcing them to live in their animals and fight to the death. That project so far is abot 26k words and no where near done.

The other project, just started a few months ago, is my thriller called Perfect Witness (not totally sure if that title will remain but it works for now.) This story is about a serial killer who tortures woman and murders them. Gabbi Barnett is the only survivor and was actually saved by the serial killer’s son!

Here is the blurb in the works and would love my reader’s thoughts on it!

He gets off on their terror.

He gets off on their pain.

He gets off on their screams.

A year had passed and back then, she had made a vow. She wouldn’t give him what he craved. She had survived but she’s the only one; the only survivor out of thirteen murdered women. Or was she?

A year. Now he’s back. She’s cost him everything. He was a highly respected doctor in a small community and now his name is forever linked to thirteen murders and it’s all her fault.

He escaped right after the trial and this time, will she survive again, or will he finally get his wish, her pleas for death?

Both projects are being worked on and I’m so excited that I’m making progress! Finally, after a few years, they are coming along! The thriller is already over 57k words and nowhere near done!

Wish me luck!

Stay turned and stay safe!

There has been a familiar saying throughout history. “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me” (Cupples, 1872). The saying is basically persuading the victim of name-calling and bullying to ignore the taunt and refrain from physical retaliation and to remain calm and good-natured. The point of this saying is that there is an impact to each and every word uttered since the beginning of time, and the saying rings true for propaganda.

Propaganda, the impact of those specific chosen words work towards the same initial goal; this is to persuade an audience and crowd that something or someone is right in their point of view and to encourage the public in believing the same thing.

Words, as with actions, have consequences. A recent event within the political world is a perfect illustration of how words can impact those around them, not to mention the consequences of those words and the actions that follow.

Todd Akins, a U.S representative, made some remarks on national television about his opinion on rape and the possibility of pregnancy. Because of those remarks and the impact of his words, the viewpoint and opinions of millions were altered, the consequences and aftermath of his chosen words harsh. The impact of words, when it comes to propaganda, has both negative and positive aspects. There are positive effects to the impact of words and propaganda, such as with the following example.

The American Red Cross endorses blood donations and advertises band aids; the end result being that the action of the blood donation saves lives, and the wound is really not painful and will heal in a day. Advertising also promotes attentiveness of health and safety issues, as with the assistance of seat beats and what could happen if seat beats are not used, the tragic effects of car accidents and that anything could happen with one twist of fate.

Advertisements also has negative effects on society as well, such as with the smoking aids that also deal with propaganda as well. Smoking ads endorse the constant social acceptability and encourage the inappropriate belief that the majority of people smoke. Because of those chosen words and the language that is used, people get the impression that smoking is ok, the health risks intentionally left out. It is easy to generate false images within the mind of the consumer. Advertising influences society as a whole, with both negative and positive effects.

The impact of words has been known to ruin reputations and as with bullying, can cause death and suicides. Caution is recommended and a thought about the consequences of those words is highly desirable, as society has grown, and technology increased.

Over ten years ago, my journey began but the reality is that I’ve always wanted to be a writer. I started my first book at seventeen. Now I never finished it and unfortunately, I lost the manuscript and let me tell you, even years later and knowing what I know now and didn’t know then, it really had potential. Everyone, I believe, has a pivot point in their life on their dream and what they want to do with their life.

Mine, even 20 years later, I can still remember as if it was yesterday. I’ve had a lot of influences in my life when it comes to writing and those influences had a major impact on the direction and path I took.

Karen Rose

Lisa Gardener

Nora Roberts

Cynthia Eden

Catherine Anderson

Laura Griffin

Andrea Kane

Lisa Jackson

And the list goes on and on. This list by no means defines my own writing but they have indeed influenced my desire to create my own world. Now let me return to that pivot point of my life. I was eighteen years old and wanted to write some of my favorite authors, to ask for advice, etc. I write ten authors; ten famous and well-known authors whom I loved.

Only one responded. Only one wrote me back. Only one took the actual time to write an aspiring eighteen-year-old girl back and to tell her to follow her dreams, to write and never give up, no matter what.

That author, that wonderful and caring author, was Andrea Kane.

For those of you who don’t know who she is, she’s a romantic suspense author of over 30 novels. Because of that one small act of kindness, she not only has my respect as an author but as a wonderful person who took the time to let a young girl know about a few organizations and to wish me luck in my goals and ambitions through life. It meant the world to an eighteen-year-old girl and still does to this day. It’s who I want to be; someone who is looked up too, who gets letters from fans, and who takes time to respond to each and every one, to maybe have a small impact on someone else as they struggle to navigate their own way through life.

Stay safe and take it one day at a time!

Writing has never been easy. Anyone who tells you differently is either a machine or crazy. That’s just my opinion. I’ve been off work for almost a year now and I’ve always told myself that if I had the time, I would write, write, write, and publish, fulling my dream of becoming a full time author. It was always a catch 22. I worked full time, the mother of two, and taking care of my parents. When did I have the time? It was a struggle. Now the so called traditional job is gone and yet I’m still struggling. Why? Well, let me tell you.

Reality. A cold hard reality that life doesn’t play. Life can be messy. Life can be unstable and unpredictable. I’m still a mother of two and taking care of my parents, errands, appointments, and helping my family when I can. So now it’s time to really sit down and analyze what I can do in order to fullfill my dream. A schedule. I really need a schedule and I think I’m working on it. I am writing but I’ve had to make some sacrifices, such as sleep! I get up anywhere between 4 and 5:30 am. I make my coffee and open my laptop.

So I’m getting there! Now I need to find the motivation behind my dream. I had it, was so close! And then I lost it again, somewhere along the way of this appointment or that errand. It never fails. Even struggling, I still get up super early. It’s peaceful. It’s quiet. The kids are sleeping and so innocent-looking as I breathe deep and just relax. I think that has a lot to do with my lack of motivation and drive right now. When I get up early, it’s MY time. It’s my time to decompress. It’s my time to drink my coffee in silence. It’s my time to think about the future, to wonder if I’m raising my children right, with good morals and values. I think I am but again, it’s MY time and it gets to the point of being selfish as I sit, relax, and just let the silence flow over me.

But now it’s time. It’s time to get back to writing, to creating this world and the characters struggling to survive in a world of blood, danger, and suspense.

I’ll get there, promise.

More updates coming! I plan on updating my current writing project and my process behind the scenes.

Stay tuned, stay safe, and take it one day at a time!

Life can get hectic at times, pure chaos that knows no bounds. My life right now is pretty crazy. Being the mother of two, one turning 3 soon, makes it even more so. My little one is getting to where she hates the car and I don’t blame her. My 12 year old usually stays home because it’s less boring and more to do. My three year old doesn’t have that option but I usually make it up to her, in some way, even if it’s small.

Now we obviously don’t LIVE in our car. We are blessed that we have a solid roof over our head, food in our fridge and pantry, and money for the essentials. Money can be tight but our bills are paid and we are warm with full bellies. That’s more than a lot of people can say and I try to stress our blessings to my children. They’ve never been exposed to that side of humanity, loss, or desperation. But maybe they should.

I’ve been thinking…

How to help someone else and yet turn that into a lesson as well?

There are a few options.

Food donation. Charity.

But that doesn’t really enable that lesson to be taught and yet I want my children safe of course. A person never knows.

So I was thinking soup kitchens.

If anyone had any other suggestions on how me and my children can help those less fortunate while teaching them that we are indeed blessed with what we do have, please comment and let me know!

The bills are piling up, stress is constant, tempers are short, and it’s a never-ending elevation of worry.

Then I pray. And continue to apply. Rinse and repeat. Pray. Apply. Pray. Apply.

Then it happens.

The email. Then the video chat interview. Then the offer contract.

Now suddenly, I am working from home, learning new skills, and it’s a new experience!

I get up in the morning, take my daughter to school, get my youngest fed, and then close to the door to my office where I am soon staring at two monitors with multiple programs and websites pulled up. I’m watching how-to videos on how and what a lot of the new terminology is.

Sales Pages. Traffic. Blogs. Marketing. Campaigns.

It’s overwhelming but I’m so grateful for the opportunity to learn, to grow. I love the challenge, and this is what my new job is; a learning challenge I’m prepared for.

My oldest still can’t believe that I made it. I managed it. I’m working from home when I didn’t believe it was possible. I still can’t believe that I get to work from home and still support my family!

I’m so thankful and blessed for what I have and for new beginnings and what the future holds! I don’t have to get up at the crack of dawn, heck, hours before the sun, and leave the house! I don’t have to battle the rush hour traffic or hours before work to get through that traffic.

I won’t miss out on my daughters and the joy they bring me! I’m still in shock and so nervous what this new experience and job holds because it is new for me, but I’m blessed, and I know that! My daughters are healthy, happy, and growing into beautiful young girls and that thrills me beyond anything in this world!

So never stop believing. Never stop dreaming and aiming for those dreams. Anything is possible in life. You can make anything happen, be anything.

You just have to believe and this here is why I do what I do…

If someone tells you you can’t do something, don’t believe them and prove them wrong! I never would have believed that I would be a published author of six books and yet here I am, five years later!!! If I can do it, YOU can too! Don’t let the haters win. Dream big and do it! I know you can. Have confidence in yourself and DO IT!! There will always be someone who tries to bring you down, the haters of society, the jealous bags who don’t have anything better to do than bring people down but if there is one thing I’ve learned, it’s that I can do anything I set my mind too and so can YOU! Never stop believing or they win!

Dream BIG and accomplish those dreams, regardless of what others believe. You CAN do it!!

Here is my current list of published books for anyone interested! A little bit of everything but with romance! Who can’t use a little romance in their lives ❤️😃😁 Or course all available on Amazon!! Was this a shameful plug? Probably LOL

Valentines Day. A beautiful but freezing start but with the chill comes new possibilities and anything is possible in the grand scheme of things. My children are healthy and happy and spring is right around the corner. It’s time to start living!

My name is Desiree. I have two beautiful children, family I would do anything for, and wonderful friends who keep me on my toes. Let me tell you though, as I write this, I can’t WAIT for warm weather! I have so many plans and really want to make this summer fun for my kids but also for me. It’s time to start appreciating life, what I have, and the many blessings I’m surrounded by! Here’s to a wonderful 2020!!!

A mother doesn’t anticipate the scares of motherhood, the daily struggles of keeping your child whole, healthy, and happy. The terror is real. When our children are sick, all we can do is try our best and help them feel better. My daughter is two and she’s been sick for the past two winters. Very sick. Struggling to breath, congested, and a rattling cough that’s terrifying. She’s had croup three times in her young life, whooping cough once. When she’s sick, I cry, just wanting her to feel better. All parents want their children happy and healthy, to run, play, and life, just enjoying life. It hurts when they are laying on the couch with a fever. Thank goodness Winter is almost over!! Spring, for us, signals health.

However, this is the first winter where we have answers as to why and now I’m kicking myself as to how I couldn’t see it before, and in that way, would have been able to help my daughter better before now. The plus side is she’s getting a lot better and for that I’m thankful!

Where should I apologize? How? Life gets crazy and multiple aspects of my life are put on the back burner and unfortunately my blog and my writing seem to be a few of them 😩

My youngest was born ❤️, both of parents fell ill 😭 and I had to care for them and they are just now getting well enough to get around, and stress has a funny way of altering one’s perspective of life and what’s important. So I’m feeling my way through the mine field of reality and what’s been tossed my way but in the long run, I also feel like it’s made me stronger, made me realize what I can handle, and how to deal with what life can throw you. Nothing is impossible. There is always a way around any obstacle. It’s just finding that path that works for you and your family without falling into the quicksand that can easily sink your soul. I’ll post another update soon of my new releases since my last posts so stay tuned!

Thank you all! I wouldn’t be here without you all cheering me on!

❤️❤️❤️

Yours Truly,

Desiree

I’m back and with my lovely presence comes some exciting news!! Oh lord, I’m thrilled to anounce I have my FIRST EVER book signing this Saturday with the new release of Crescent Vendetta, Book One! I’m working on the second as we speak and after going through everything, I have decided to bring my blog back from the afterlife. This new release is a whole new take on shifters and the world they live in.

*****

The summary:

In her life there is one rule: survive. Kidnapped and forced into an underground fighting ring, Vanessa Burns knows each day could be her last. A win and she wakes up tomorrow. A loss and they toss her out with those she’s defeated. Escape is futile; she’d tried and failed. Multiple times. And as she’s forced to live in her shifted form, she’s utterly powerless. So, her life has been dwindled down to one option. And she carries it out to the fullest of her abilities.

Then, another shifter is brought in. Travis Kameron, an Alpha, proves to be a formidable enemy. She knows the day is coming — when she and the Alpha are pitted against each other. And she knows she won’t win. The deadly encounter results in a bloody promise, and Vanessa must choose what is more important to her: fulfilling her vendetta against her greatest enemy, or obtaining the one thing she wants most in her life.

****

This story is fast paced and full of awesome characters! One five star review consist of:

“Read this in one setting. Could not put it down. There is the beginnings of a great series and enough supporting characters to move and shift to have many storylines to build upon. She did a wonderful job on creating the arc of the story and the empathy for the characters early in the story and built on that from the beginning. The child, I was hoping would turn but I guess I will have to read the next book to find out about Ava. I will definitely be ready to read another and would highly recommend it to anyone else as an intriguing read.”

If you want a copy, you can pick it up here!! 🙂

http://www.amazon.com/Crescent-Vendetta-Book-Ice-Pack-ebook/dp/B01B4VNB5Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1457022213&sr=8-1&keywords=crescent+vendetta

Until next time!! 🙂

WOW. I haven’t written ANYTHING on my blog for two years!! Time is flying by and it has been flat out CRAZY the last few years! I will be writing a LONG update today or tomorrow so stay tuned! I will also stay with my blog from now on! At least once a week. I hadn’t realized it had been so long! Has anyone else started something and looked at it later, only to realize that something had happened to the time?!?! Who pushed the fast forward button?!?! haha

My emotions today are conflicted as I realize that my dreams of being an author have finally come true. I know I’ve only self-published but do believe it is a step in the right direction, a way to get my name out there and to gain the experience of the industry. My book, “The Anthology of Murderous Connections,” is not only for sale on Amazon for $0.99 but the paperback is also for sale as of this morning at https://www.createspace.com/4269181 for just $5.99. I’m so happy and yet terrified at the same time. I do have seven wonderful reviews on Amazon so the fear is probably not necessary but will it eventually go away? I’m afraid it won’t. LOL I would also like to thank my wonderful support group that I met at my college that have been there for me from the beginning. Their support has been a saving grace for me when I wanted to give up. They wouldn’t let me. They are more than just my support. They are my family and without them, I honestly don’t think I would have made it. Thank you guys! I love you! 🙂 🙂

Everyone have a wonderful day!! 🙂