#MondayBlogs #AuthorsRunYourMouths #WordsAreLife @MistyHope1996 @shannonihayes #MistyClark #SiHayes

S.I. Hayes Presents

Authors Running Their Mouths is the creative brain child of Author S.I. Hayes Join her as she asks other Authors to let loose and Run their mouths!

Welcome Author Misty Clark.  Let's see what she's got to say!

Words are life

What keeps me writing is very simple. I want to prove to myself and others like me that you can do it. I mean if I can do it anyone can do it. I also want to prove to everyone who told me becoming a writer/author was a stupid idea. That it was a waste of time. My daughters are the other main reason I keep at it. I have days where I feel like everything I write is trash. I want to delete it all, but I know if I do that its like saying others have won. Plus my editor would kill me! My love of story telling helps greatly, knowing that someone is gonna pick up a copy of my book, read it and love it. It amazes me. When someone tells me they love my writing it is a feeling I can't put to words. For me words are my life. 

Bio:

 Misty Clark was born in North West Pennsylvania. In her early twenties she headed  west and started her adventure into motherhood, raising two beautiful daughters. She has always had a passion for writing, having been published as a Tween, it’s always been apart of her life. Recently she began working with a partner and now has ventured off, to stand on her own two feet.  With her playlists uploaded, her love of music inspires her to lofty heights in the realm of Urban Fantasy. Where she has aspired to leave you clinging to the edge of your seat and begging for more. Come see why she’s Misty Clark, Music Lover and Destroyer of Devices!

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Authors Run Your Mouth Form

#MondayBlogs #AuthorsRunYourMouths #AMeansToGreive @shannonihayes #BrookGreene #SiHayes

S.I. Hayes Presents

Authors Running Their Mouths is the creative brain child of Author S.I. Hayes Join her as she asks other Authors to let loose and Run their mouths!

Welcome Author Brook Greene.  Let's see what she's got to say!

A means to greive. 

I started writing to cope with the death of my father. I needed something to do other than drink, which I was doing way more than I should have been. I knew several of my friends at work read a lot, so I asked them if I wrote something if they would read it for me and tell me what they thought. Well needless to say they loved the stories I was typing out for them and when it came time for me to put myself out there they were my support system and have stood by me since. The first book I published was a request from one of these very friends, and I never thought that it would lead to a six book series or take me on the fantastic journey it has. 

Bio:

I have been writing since 2012 and published my first book All In in 2014. I have since finished the six book series, The Knights of Mayhem. I have seven books in the making, The Hells Bastards, a spin off series from The Knights of Mayhem. A stand alone The Only One, a billionaire playboy romance. And a second generations of The Knights of Mayhem, The Way Back. I have been married to the love of my life for seventeen years, and we have raised a beautiful daughter who is now in college. 

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Authors Run Your Mouth Form

#MondayBlogs #AuthorsRunYourMouth The Journal: A saving grace. @abbyemccarthy @shannonihayes

S.I. Hayes Presents

Authors Running Their Mouths is the creative brain child of Author S.I. Hayes Join her as she asks other Authors to let loose and Run their mouths!

Welcome Author Abby McCarthy is a Romance/MC and Contemporary Romance Author.  Let's see what she's got to say!

The Journal: A saving grace.

     Growing up, I always had an unstable home life. I remember writing often and in 1989 I had a PSR teacher give me a journal. I still have that journal today. In it I wrote short stories and early feelings about boys and childhood friends. As I got older, my journals changed, as did my subject matter. I wrote my feelings as a teenager out. In that black book, I processed failed relationships including a failed first marriage. I'd find quotes that meant something to me, and I'd write them too. Poetry and doodles coated the blank pages. Through my late twenties, my more adult journal stayed with me, a tool in my ever-maturing arsenal.  I could look back and see that I was making similar mistakes.
In 2009 my first daughter was born. I didn't write nearly as often as I used too. I was caught up in trying to balance a marriage, banking career and mommyhood. When my second daughter was born two years later, I knew I wanted nothing more than to stay home and focus on being a mom. So I did. I began reading, a lot. I found the beautiful Breathing Series by Rebecca Donovan. I felt like I needed to talk about it. I wanted to shout about every book I was reading. This was also when the Indie world started to gain momentum. Having never not worked, since I was fourteen, I started to feel like I loved being home with my kids, but I was losing myself. I was a sleep deprived boob. Reading changed that for me. Then, I began a blog. I had no idea what I was doing. I didn't realize how big the online world was. I didn't even know what Goodreads was. I met this wonderful lady named Dawn, who started talking with me and we decided to give the blogging thing a shot together. She learned how to do things and taught me. We formed an amazing bond, being what eachother needed at that exact moment in our lives.
The more I read, the more I went back to my roots and wrote. I started stories and shared with Dawn a ton of my beginnings. In 2013 she asked me if I'd ever heard of NANOWRIMO--National Novel Writing Month. I hadn't. She explained to me that it was a month where you wrote and wrote some more. The goal was to get to 50,000 words in one month. I wrote 14k and scrapped it. Then I wrote another beginning and got to 27k. In May of 2014, I independently published my first novel. Since then, I have released six additional novels! Writing is the kindest thing I can do for myself. It makes me happy. When I'm not writing, I often feel as if something is missing from my day. It's a passion that has brought me balance.

Bio:

Abby McCarthy is a reader and a lover of words. She is a blogger turned author and released her first novel in May 2014. She is a mother of three, a wife and a dog person. She has always written, sometimes poetry, sometimes just to vent about failed relationships, however in parenthood she has found her voice to help keep her sanity. Words have flowed from her, to review and with the support of amazing friends in the Indie community she has decided to pursue her dream of writing! She loves to write and read romance, because isn't that something we all yearn for? Whether it be flowers and hand holding or just the right tug on your hair. Isn't that what life is about? The human connection?

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Authors Run Your Mouth Form

#MondayBlogs #AuthorsRunYourMouth #TheWordsmith @darylbanner @shannonihayes

S.I. Hayes Presents

Authors Running Their Mouths is the creative brain child of Author S.I. Hayes Join her as she asks other Authors to let loose and Run their mouths!

Welcome Author +Darylbanner ! Daryl is the author of M/M Romance, New Adult Romance, Post-Apocalyptic Fantasy/Young Adult, and Dystopian reads.

Lifelong Wordsmith

       I've been storytelling in some form or another my whole life. It started with theatre in grade school, where I enjoyed acting, then college where I acted, wrote music (another form of storytelling all on its own), and also engaged in playwrighting and musical-writing. Two of my plays were produced under the tutelage of the (now late) Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lanford Wilson, who then encouraged me to write my very first novel. When I realized how much creative control I had in commanding a book, I found it to be one of the most exhilarating ways to tell a story, and I've been hooked ever since.
      The possibilities of what world to inspire in a reader's mind from off the page is infinite, and keeps me constantly motivated to write, to explore new ideas and creative territory, and to continue moving and affecting and inspiring as many people as I can.
       Sometimes writing isn't easy, and sometimes it's a lot of work, but I find that in the end, no matter the struggles you face during the creative process, it always rewards you in the end. I love writing.

Bio:

Daryl Banner is an author and composer who graduated magna cum laude from the University of Houston Honors College with a degree in both Theatre and Psychology. During his time in college, he wrote, composed, and produced a musical under Tony Award-winning musical and Theatre producer Stuart Ostrow, as well as two original plays produced under the mentorship of Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lanford Wilson, who also mentored Daryl through the writing of his very first novel. In addition to new adult and M/M romance, Daryl also writes post-apocalyptic fantasy as well as dystopian. He is most inspired by the smart and unlikely hero, but urges you (the reader) not to fall in love with them; they may deceive you with their innocence.


Fun facts: Daryl is also an obsessive piano player, video game enthusiast, and performer. He's been remixing video game music for over fifteen years. You can feed your ears with his remixes and original music on his YouTube page: http://www.youtube.com/DarylBanner


He also composes original soundtracks that accompany his books and series. You can listen to and download them here:

Join his mailing list here to never miss out on the latest from Daryl Banner! He awards one of his subscribers an Amazon gift card every newsletter:


Connect with fellow readers in Daryl's Doorway

Website Facebook: Twiter: @darylbanner

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Authors Run Your Mouth Form

#MondayBlogs #FindingTheFocus #WritersRunningTheirMouths Vol.6 @aliwinters_ @shanonihayes

S.I. Hayes Presents

Authors Running Their Mouths is the creative brain child of Author S.I. Hayes Join her as she asks other Authors to let loose and Run their mouths!

Welcome Author Ali Winters.  Let's see what she's got to say!

Finding the Focus

Publishing is a long, long, long, process. I wish it was as simple as waking up in the morning with a bright and shiny new idea bouncing around in my head. Pounding away at the keyboard until it was all out on "paper" and then hitting publish.

 

I suppose one could do that, but many of us are perfectionists and want to put the best versions of our books out there for readers.

 

There's so much more to the process than most would think from the outside. There are the multiple rounds of edits, proofing, formatting, etc. For self published authors, and let's face it, even many traditionally published authors, there's also connecting with fans, promoting, setting up ads, beta readers, cover design, and so on and so forth.

 

So, who doesn't dream of being as productive as possible? I mean we all have deadlines, whether they are contractual or self-imposed. And I don't know about you, but I hate missing deadlines.

 

A problem that I have struggled with over and over was lack of focus. Either I never get around to sitting down, or I sit down and do everything under the sun except write. Or, I start and then the smallest thing can derail me. 

It's taken me a while and a lot of trial and error to find something that works. 

 

It's my hope that something in this blog post helps you out. If not, don't give up. Keep searching for the thing you need. Take stock of what's worked for you in the past and what hasn't. Maybe you'll end up creating a whole new way of focusing that could help many others like you.

 

So here are a few tips and tricks that have helped me be more productive with my time. Perhaps you'll find one that helps you.

 Create a ritual. 

 

No, nothing crazy like sacrificing books, pens, or your archnemesis to the writing gods. But set a routine that is the same every time you sit down to write.

 

Drink the same drink, tea, coffee, whatever your taste buds want, listen to the same music, sit in the same spot, light a candle. You get the point. Just do the same thing every time you mean to write.

No, it won't become habit the first time, or the second, or the third. But give it two weeks, a month. Test it out. But keep at it, and whatever you do - don't alter it. At least not any time soon. If it works for you, then keep at it. If you want to alter it, do so slowly over time. Nothing big, or you will lose that routine.

Create a schedule.

This has always been something that was hard. I'd go through dozens of different scheduled and stick to them for an hour. But once I wrote it down, everything changed. My productivity went through the roof.

It was still hard to stick to at first, but it helped endlessly and it allowed me to add in much needed self care without guilt that I wasn't sitting at the keyboard typing like mad.
I have a planner and every week I have a set number of main goals that I spread out through the week. Then each morning I write my goals for the day. Big and small. And when I’ve completed one, I put a check mark next to it. At first I would have the unfortunate habit of giving myself more to do in a day then was realistic. So I started bumping things to the next day. Every once in a while that still happens because something’s take longer than expected. 

Sprinting.

 Don't panic! Not like... running or anything. 

Timed writing sprints. 

For me doing 20 minute sprints with 10 minute breaks or 25 minute sprints with 5 minute breaks have worked the best. It's enough time to get words on the page, but not so much that I feel like it's never ending. It makes the hard days easier. And on the easy days, it reminds me to breathe and take a break. 

 

Try them out. See which works for you.

Make Music

Create a play list. Either one that you listen to for every book you write or a new one for every, series, or for every book to get you in the mood for that story. It could be an entire play list or just one song that fits the mood of the book or chapter you’re writing and have it on repeat. The sound can both put you in the mood of the book while also functioning as white noise to cancel out other noises that might pull you away from your writing.

I do all of the above. Depending on my need for new music. I have an overall play list just to write to, but I'll make a play list for every book. Those in the same series are also combined. I tend to pick a song that fits the chapter or scene that I'm writing and have it on repeat until I'm finished with it. Then I'll move on to the next song that fits the next scene or chapter.

Bio:

Ali Winters is the USA Today bestselling and award winning author of The Hunted series, as well as an amazon and international bestselling author. She was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest where she developed her love of nature, animals, and all things green.
For as long as she can remember, she’s been mesmerized by the extraordinary world of books and fantasy. There has never been a time when stories were not begging to be told, either by drawing, photography, or writing. With encouragement from one of her favorite authors, she jumped in head first, to pursue the career that had been calling to her since the day she opened her first book. She has a deep love for coffee, tea, warm blankets, dogs, creating art in any medium she can get her hands on, and family.

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Authors Run Your Mouth Form

RT#FictionFriday #AuthorsRunningTheirMouths #TheGiftOfSilence #TheSoundOfSilence @theauthorSAM @shannonihayes

S.I. Hayes Presents

Authors Running Their Mouths is the creative brain child of Author S.I. Hayes Join her as she asks other Authors to let loose and Run their mouths!

Welcome Author Stephanie Ayers

Stephanie is a Speculitive Fiction Writer. Let's see what she's got to say!

The Gift of Silence

I am Stephanie Ayers, published speculative fiction author. I am a coffee guzzling, word whispering creative ninja. I am a unicorn disguised as a human. I hate housework, refuse to grow up, and terrified of zombies. I have lots of things known about me out there—my love of unicorns and fairies, the number of children I have either given birth to or inherited by marriage, how many fur babies we have at any given time. The fact that I am a huge football fanatic is well known, too. But what if I told you I am mostly deaf? I need a hearing aid to help me hear and even then it’s a good chance I still won’t understand you unless you are in front of me, and I can read your lips.

No need to feel sorry for me. I certainly don’t feel sorry for myself. Just don’t friend me on Facebook and send me videos without captions or audio recorded messages and we’ll get along just fine! Having a severe hearing loss that requires aids has its own blessings. I have the distinct ability to shut the world off whenever it gets overwhelming.  A simple click on the aid and my children’s arguing, fighting, and complaints disappear (and I get satisfaction out of making them mad, too, haha!). I’ve got it pretty well over here!

In fact, the only time having a hearing loss affects me is when I’m writing. I used to have full hearing when I was a kid, but I’m not a kid anymore. I haven’t been a kid in a long time. I have memories of sounds, but it’s not always the easiest sense for me to get a grasp on in my writing. That’s partly why you don’t get a lot of sound effects in my story. So, when I need sound, how do I figure it out? Now that, friends, is the real purpose of this article.

How Do You Write Sound if You Can’t Hear?

You’re writing a story and someone knocks on the door. You want to show the knocking rather than tell it.. “Sophie’s moment of bliss was interrupted by a knock on the door,” vs. “Thump! Thump! Interrupted Sophie’s momentary bliss and she rose to answer the door.” But if you can’t hear, how would you know the knocking would sound like a thump vs a tap? How do you know if different door materials make different noises when touched? What does a door knocker sound like? Is it different from tapping on the door itself?

These are the kinds of questions that could make your story richer, but how would a deaf person answer them? We have a few choices. Sometimes Google works, but most often I have to draw from memory, which taints how I perceive sound (visually or perhaps an alternate or extra acoustic representation of sound). Sometimes, I have to recreate the sensation and stew over it as the sound fills my head, and my brain finds words and meanings to put to it. For me, as an example, the sound of a big book hitting a hardwood floor may be muffled, so I would lean heavier on the vibrations I feel from the action and challenge it by dropping a small book on the floor rather than the actual thud the book would make. This would translate on paper to something more like feeling rather than an actual sound.

And if I still struggle with a sound? I go to my writing group. For instance, I recently needed to know what it would sound like getting hit by a large vehicle like a bus. I could imagine what the sound was like, but to be true to my story, I needed more. Googling doesn’t help much in that aspect, so relying on how other people hear it was key. Was the sound as I imagined it and had already put to paper? You’ll have to read the story Send in the Clowns in The 13: Tales of Macabre to find out.

Does Hearing Different Affect How You Write?

I think perhaps because my ears don’t work as well as they should; I enjoy a strong sense of smell, feeling, and intuition. I think it helps me put myself in the scene and visualize it in a way other writers can’t. Like real life, I’ll pick up on that faint trace of perfume or that fresh-baked pretzel that wafts around downtown Springfield I have yet to find the source of. I think it gives me an advantage to bring readers into the scene and make that movie play in their heads. I have to rely on my five other senses and emotions every time I sit down to write. This can have its drawbacks.

When I first wrote seriously, I had a lot of “purple prose” comments. Through trial and error, learning and experience, I’ve learned how to write sound the only way I know how to without going overboard. I can still get carried away, but my fans don’t seem to mind.

Bio:

A published author with a knack for twisted tales, Stephanie Ayers is a full-time world-building ninja and part time freelancer living in Ohio while crafting her own story and resists growing up at all costs. She mothers her children, loves her husband, attends church, and avoids all things housework and zombies.

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Authors Run Your Mouth Form

#MondayBlogs 7 Things that #Inspire @shannonihayes @reginapaul

S.I. Hayes Presents

Authors Running Their Mouths is the creative brain child of Author S.I. Hayes Join her as she asks other Authors to let loose and Run their mouths!

Welcome Author

Regina is a Speculitive Fiction Writer. Let's see what she's got to say!

7 Things that Inspire This Writer

I’ve been telling stories for as long as I can remember and spinning a yarn is one of my most favorite things to do. As I’m sure is true of most writers, I get my inspiration from a lot of different things, and they aren’t necessarily the things you would think of. 

Here are 7 things that inspire this writer:

Dreams.

The nighttime ones. My book Alien Deceptions was created from a dream I had one night that made me ask what might be the reason for alien abduction, assuming it is real. I dreamed the basis for that book that very night, and while the book took me five years to write and has been through two different editions with the next one coming soon to Leap of Faith Publishing, LLC, it is still one of my most favorite stories. I had a blast creating this universe, and I can’t wait to write more books in this series.

Photos. 

I love to cruise the stock photo sites and look at photos. That old saying about a picture being worth a thousand words is so true, and I love to look at photos including very old ones from the days when photography was just getting its start. Once I find a really interesting photograph, I love to start playing the “what if?” game with myself. I’ve gotten some of my best story ideas from playing this game using my imagination.

Books. 

Like most authors, I absolutely adore reading. I have over 3,000 e-books on my Kindle and I’ve read the majority of them both non-fiction and fiction. What is fun for me as an author is when I read it sparks my imagination in other directions. For example, I especially love LGBT romance, gay romance in particular. And for no particular reason other than that I was inspired by a book where one of the main characters was a guy hiding from a mobster who had murdered his best friend. Said guy was in the witness protection program and was presenting himself as a woman when he meets and falls in love with his neighbor who is a gay guy. Needless to say after reading that book, my imagination took off in another direction. What would it be like for a woman to find herself in a male body? And thus The Last Jumper my gender bending scifi romance was born. 

Book Covers. 

Another favorite past time of mine is looking at book covers. The ones I like the best are the ones that don’t look like everyone else’s. It’s not uncommon to find me surfing google images for scifi romance covers, or fantasy romance covers, really any type of book cover for inspiration. Now one key thing about doing this is that I do not read the blurb for said book covers. I’m just looking at the cover and seeing if it triggers my imagination and they usually do! I purposefully don’t read the blurbs because I don’t want any story ideas I might come up with from the cover to be influenced too much by what another author wrote. I want my imagination to cook up something completely different, and as long as I don’t read the blurbs this works just fine for me, and has given me completely new story lines and ideas. 

Art. 

Another favorite of mine is visiting museums though I don’t get to do this as often as I might like. Of course you can also find all kinds of cool art on the internet and I’ve been known to look at it there too. The idea is the same as with photos or book covers, I look at the art and see what story it is telling me and then come up with a story line or idea and run with it.

Daydreams. 

Yes, I admit it, I have a very overactive imagination! Daydreaming is another favorite activity of mine. Laying out in a field of flowers, staring at the sky, or even laying on the floor in my home office and letting my imagination run while with daydreaming has brought about some of my most fun story lines and ideas to write about. 

Intuition. 

I’ve always relied pretty heavily on my intuition for story ideas as well. This usually goes along the line of I’m sitting quietly in meditation when a picture or an idea will just pop into my mind out of seemingly nowhere and abracadabra a new story idea is born!

These are by no means all the things that inspire this writer, but they’re certainly some of the top things. Of course I’m always looking for more things to inspire me! What inspires you whether it be in writing, or art, or whatever?

Thank you so much S.I. for having me here on your lovely blog today! 

Bio:

Regina Paul lives in Seattle, WA with her husband of twenty-seven years. A long time resident of the Pacific Northwest, she cannot imagine living anywhere else, although she would love to see more of the world, particularly Hawaii, Greece, Australia, and New Zealand, not necessarily in that order. 

Regina has several books available which include Alien Deceptions (out of print but will be back soon), No Place to Run, A Gift From Home, Lilly's Choice, Lilly's Christmas Surprise, Destiny's Choices, Destiny's Holiday, Through a Dark Mirror, Frost, Flame and Flower, and The Last Jumper. Regina calls her writing speculative romance because she writes across genres and heat levels depending on her mood.

When Regina is not writing, she enjoys spending time with her husband, reading m/m and paranormal romance, which are her all time favorites, writing, painting, creating Native American beadwork and  3D art.  

Regina loves to hear from readers, so please feel free to e-mail her anytime. 

Facebook:   Website   Twitter

Buy Link: Amazon.



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Authors Run Your Mouth Form

#MondayBlogs #WritersRunYourMouth Vol. 3 #ShopTalk @shannonihayes

S.I. Hayes Presents

Authors Running Their Mouths is the creative brain child of Author S.I. Hayes Join her as she asks other Authors to let loose and Run their mouths!

Welcome Author Jennie L. Morris

Jennie is a Women's Fiction Writer. Let's see what she's got to say!

Shop Talk with Jennie L. Morris

     Hello, and thank you for the opportunity to write for your blog! My name is Jennie L. Morris, and my first book Drawn in Shadows was published this month, and I have to say I the feeling is still a bit surreal. I work with a fantastic publishing company called Leap of Faith Publishing, LLC, and because it is a small publishing house there is a lot more freedom for the author during the publishing process. I’ve completed the sequel to Drawn in Shadows, and it is waiting in the wings. There is nothing like finishing that first draft, then re-reading your work about five-times through before submitting it.

As a natural night owl, my best writing ideas come at night, which is impractical. If I could, I would write through the night and sleep all day, but that is unrealistic even if desirable. So that is one of the hardest things I’ve had to overcome, making time during daylight hours to write and setting aside the computer, even if I’m right in the middle of a plot point when it is time for bed.

If you ask many writers, published or not, (because YES you are a writer even if you aren’t published) I’ve found that there is a theme. A lot of us start young, writing or telling stories from an early age and the urge never goes away. To be honest, I hated reading until I started high school. Then, a magic wand clobbered me on the head. My mother gave me Ray Bradbury’s From the Dust Returned and I fell in love. After reading that marvelously creepy book, I wanted to read more but also I wanted to write.

The first book I wrote was a terrible romance novel that should never see the light of day. Then I tried my hand at fantasy, writing an opus filled with clichés and predictable characters. I didn’t find my own voice until my late twenties when I decided I wanted to write stories that I wanted to read. Though I read a wide variety of books, both fiction and non-fiction, my favorite genre to read is a well-written historical fiction.

Half the fun for me in writing is the research, collecting all the facts and delving deep into a topic, even if I only mention it in passing. I’m a trained biologist and anthropologist, so I tend to add some sort of scientific details in my work, as this interests me on a professional and personal level. I am also a self-proclaimed Anglophile, even though I live in central Kentucky, I could easily find myself escaping to anywhere in Great Britain. I’ve been lucky to spend four amazing days on that isle, and it felt like going home.

Every author has their own voice, and it’s a shame to try to steal another’s voice when your own may be something fantastic. But, I love the language some authors use and wish for a pinch of their talent. Jane Austen, her mastery of sarcasm of tension between men and women is superb. Diana Norman (also wrote under Ariana Franklin), used history to make her characters so lifelike. As a scholar herself, the authenticity of her books comes through but doesn’t overshadow the storyline in any way. And last, Dean Koontz. He was one of the first authors I read, and though his works are considered masterpieces of literature, they taught me a lot about how to grab a reader with sentence structure and word choice.

Thank you again, S.I. for allowing me to ramble on your fantastic blog. Its been a privilege and a lot of fun talking shop. 

Bio:

As a self-proclaimed Anglophile, and tea lover, it's no wonder that Author Jennie L. Morris writes Romance and Historical Fiction. Her love for both leading her to degrees in both Anthropology and Biology. Coming from NE Ohio, and raised on a Beef Cattle farm , life was anything but ordinary,

Jennie now resides in rural Kentucky, among the bluegrass and dazzling horses, with her amazing husband, ancient feline Chelsea and their newest addition Archie the Boxer. Wher she feeds her Tea and Perfume addictions, letting the scents and flavors fuel her creative fires.

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Buy Link: Amazon.



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Authors Run Your Mouth Form

#MondayBlogs #WritersRunYourMouth Vol. 2 Rising up! @shannoniahyes @Writergirl74

S.I. Hayes Presents

Authors Running Their Mouths is the creative brain child of Author S.I. Hayes Join her as she asks other Authors to let loose and Run their mouths!

Welcome Author Cassandra Jones

Cassandra is a Multi-Genre writer. Let's see what she's got to say!

My Journey Into Writing

     My journey into writing started when I was 13. I had always loved reading and wanted to create my own stories to share with others. I had even taken creative writing and journalism classes in high school. I am always happy when writing.

     I realized being as shy as I was, that I could best express myself through writing. I started keeping journals that I could use as inspiration for my writing. I also keep a notebook of quotes as inspiration. Between the ages of 13 and 32 I had started over 200 stories.

One day in 2002 I decided to try my hand at poetry and instantly fell in love with it. Between 2002 and 2010 I had written almost 300 poems. Sadly in September of 2012 I lost almost all of those stories and poems in a fire.

     I didn't let that stop me from getting back on my feet and writing again. I just recently finished my first novel. It has been sent to the betas and is in the editing stages. I am currently getting together a book of poetry as well. I have written lots of poems from an experience with an ex best friend.

I've seen my publishing dreams come true when 2 of my poems were included in Vol 1 of Authors Against Bullying. It is an honor to be involved in something like this. All proceeds from sales go to charity. I have a short story in Authors Against Bullying Vol. 2.

Since then I have had poems and short stories published in several other anthologies for charities and one that is always free. They are Dark Fantasia, A Healing Anthology, Streetlamps To Starlight, Our Secret Nook, and Ghostly Writes Anthology 2017. The Tricks or Treats Anthology is due out later this month.

     I am working on stories for several more anthologies and my first novel. The Hunt For Amanda is a crime fiction novel. The main protagonist is named after and based on my best friend Tammy Perdue, who we lost in 2012. When Tammy is targeted by an ex co-worker she has to try and protect Amanda. When the man can’t get to her, he kidnaps Amanda to get Tammy to do what he wants. I am currently making changes to the novel and even adding some new scenes. It has been a fun story to write.

     I have learned that writing is my way to get through. Without writing I am nothing. I hope that through my writing I can help others as well. Participating in these anthologies has been an honor in itself. I am so happy to be able to help out these charities and even raise awareness against bullying and abuse.

     After being bullied by that ex friend emotionally for years and then dealing with a cyber bully, I am more than happy to help raise awareness to help others who have been through similar situations. No one should have to go through that. So I will continue to use my writing to help others any way I can.

     I hope ya'll enjoyed my journey into writing. Thank you so much for having me on your blog S.I. Hayes.

Bio:
I was born in Fairmont,WV and raised in the small town of Four States,WV. (Yes, that’s a real place!) I have loved to read since I was very young. At the age of thirteen I decided I wanted to try writing my own story. After taking Creative Writing and Journalism in high school, I began to love writing even more. I have won first place in two poetry contests and third place in a writing contest. I attended my first writer’s workshop in 2015 and another one October 21,2017. When I’m not writing, I can usually be found with my nose in a book.

I enjoy working on the family history and learning new things.I also love to spend time with family and friends. I have the best time at my book group called The Lunchtime Book Discussion Group that meets at our local library once a month.

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Thank you for joining me today!!

Cheers!

#WriterWednesday #AuthorsRunYourMouth #WW #WednesdayWords @SusanMeachen @shanonihayes

S.I. Hayes Presents

Authors Running Their Mouths is the creative brain child of Author S.I. Hayes Join her as she asks other Authors to let loose and Run their mouths! 

 Welcome Author S. Meachen

S. Mechen is an Erotica,  Romantic, Drama and Suspense writer. Let's see what she's got to say! 

     I started writing almost three years ago it wasn’t ever post to be published it was to help me deal with my past. Then a few friends were reading it as I wrote it and they pushed me to release it to the world. Chance Encounter is my soul book I guess it contains so much of me that I almost died writing it (no seriously) Well once it was done I got nudged to do another book and well you know how that is. Now we are sitting on book 6 and 7 waiting on release dates.

    I don’t write Fairytale Love Stories it’s more like I Write Perfectly Flawed Romances and I can’t promise an HEA in any of my stories as rainbows and unicorns don’t hangout in my head.

    My first Positive review made me so excited and made my heart relax a bit as others loved what I’d wrote.
Then that first one star review came in and it broke me but I picked up and moved on.

    When I hit bottom the one person who is always there outside my family is my PA Connie Ortiz trust me we hit bottom a bit. While releasing Chance Encounter we found out I have Bipolar 1 and from the moment I got stable I advocated for Mental Illness and Suicide Prevention.


     We could sit here and talk all day long if anyone every has a question feel free to contact me one thing I’ll never get tired of is touching someone’s soul. I’m always wandering around and love Stalkers and Fans. Plus shh I love giving sneak peaks at what is to come from my twisted little self.

Bio:

I'm from a very small town in the Southern part of Tennessee, it's not huge, but it's home. I wear many hats I'm a wife,mom,meme, author, sister to name a few. Being an Author is the one job I've never dread doing unless it editing time. My wonderful PA Connie Ortiz keeps me on track and makes sure my deadlines are meet even if she has to kick my butt. 
I have been married to my husband for twenty-two years, we have two grown children, and one we sort of adopted, who has given us our first set of grand kids. 
You can normally find me curled up with my laptop and my baby girl a 6 foot long Ball Python working on my next book or reading one of my favorite Authors new release. 



Stalk Me if you’d like

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Buy Links

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Thank you for joining us today!

Cheers! 

S.I. Hayes