Favorite Day of the Week

We celebrated a big anniversary and it made me reminisce about our lives, about how far we've come. Hubs and I grew up in different states, but in similar fashion ... we often spoke of our favorite things like ... our favorite day of the week. 

This is what writers do - we search our pasts for intersections and meaning. You do that, too? Of course, it's my belief we are all writers at heart. Writers and readers. 

In my current work in progress, I mine past relationships, as always, and try to craft them into something new and what else ... readable. Haha. I didn't say my standards were high, just readable. That's it. Now, I'm back to work on it, that WIP. Another fictionalized story full of me and other stuff so not me. Maybe you will like it ... maybe not. One thing is certain, it's not ready for prime time yet, as the old saying goes, but here's a little bit of my mind talking to itself in the meantime. 

(Comment if you want to share your thoughts. I love hearing from you.) ❤️☕️📚

What’s your favorite day of the week? 

Mine has always been Saturday.
Sleep in
no school
cereal and cold milk
TV on low - Tom & Jerry
or Wile E. Coyote and The Roadrunner - 
The Monkees!
American Bandstand at noon ❤️
Life was good.
No, it was great.

That was me
that was my living room -
do kids even watch TV anymore?
I don't think so 😢

Why does that make me sad?
Because now they doomscroll
and binge series based on violent games -

not a cartoon roadrunner or coyote but men and women

killing each other over and over again.

And that language and the sex - why? Just ... why?

The envelope is torn - not pushed - torn
wide open and shredded, the pieces burned to a crisp -

Innocence left in ashes.

I find I'm suddenly all for censorship - 

no one needs to see what I accidentally glimpse

on so many types of screens now

After all on my Saturday, after Bandstand,

my chariot awaited 

outside in the driveway

a sparkly green bike with white banana seat and 

freedom built on a fast frame of steel, slim spokes,

and rubber

I owned the neighborhood

in fact, the entire town - 

small town life was good.

No, it was great.

That was me

do kids have it that good

anymore? Is this what technology is all about?

I don't think so -

it makes me sad. 😢

All posts © Ann Swann

PS did you know the Coyote's middle name is Ethelbert?

SEEKERS is Here!

Hello friends! Goodness, it's been awhile since I've updated this account. It's not because I'm lazy - well, not much - I've just been busy. SEEKERS came out, (and now the audio is almost ready). Don't you adore the cover? That's a perfect Turq and Snake. I'm working on the third book, REMAINDERS. That's what's keeping me so busy. Well, that and the major move hubs and I made ... clear across the state of Texas. 

Whoo. I'm about to recover, I think. 

In addition to REMAINDERS, I've also got RETURN TO STUTTER CREEK in the works. That is a tentative title, I have another in mind, but we'll see how it plays out. For now, enjoy your weekend and as always, happy reading.

And don't forget to look me up on FB or Instagram, we'll chat. 😊📚😊

 

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iTunes: http://tinyurl.com/hlflu9k

 

Audible: https://tinyurl.com/yxp4pldx

Yeah, But I Didn't - Cover Reveal

Ta-dah! Here is the amazing Wordcrafts cover for my new semi-autobiographical novel, Yeah, But I Didn't. Comment below to be entered into a special giveaway. The book will be available beginning November 20, 2019 at all major retail outlets.

COPPER LAKE on sale 99¢

 That's right, COPPER LAKE, the 3rd entry into the Stutter Creek companion series is on sale for only 99¢ for the month of BOOKTOBER! Grab your ebook now. And don't forget to leave the light on ...

Excerpt:
Kendra stepped onto the porch and pushed her way inside the empty house. The silence enveloped her as surely as if cotton wool had been stuffed into her ears. 

“What’s the matter with your face?” she grinned. “You look like you tangled with a wildcat.” She aimed at his groin and pulled the trigger. 

COPPER LAKE ~ REVIEW:

http://ow.ly/WLztZ 
 http://www.5princebooks.com/annswann.html

There were times I wanted to scream or run and hide somewhere as the book delivered graphic details of the found bodies. I felt like I was reading a Stephen King novel that makes you jump at every noise. The author has done an amazing job of writing a story that clearly will have you on the edge of your seat. I have not read a book this well defined in horror in quite some time. The serial killer is diabolical and quite possibly the scariest character I have ever read. "I reviewed this for Lone Star Book Blogs"

Also on Audible http://www.audible.com/search/ref=a_search_tseft__galileo?advsearchKeywords=ann+swann&x=0&y=0

New Year, New Page - Book Giveaway

2018 - New Year, New Page . . . what will you write on yours?

Leave a comment telling me how you will write the next page of your life and you will be entered into a drawing for the Ann Swann paperback book of your choice.

(Don't forget to leave your email address so I can contact you when you win!)

Contest ends January 31st

http://tinyurl.com/Amazon-AnnSwann   

The Monster Mash Books and Prizes

Join the party on Facebook
12 amazing books! 

12 incredible authors! 12 days of fun features, fun facts, interviews, excerpts, and more!!

Don't forget to invite your friends!

http://tinyurl.com/yd7hvf3p

http://tinyurl.com/yd7hvf3p

Book Signings, Readings, Music, Coffee, Fun!

Please join us at Brew St. if you are in the area!

For the Love of Books Valentine's Day Giveaway

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Fill Your Kindle for Christmas Only 99¢ Each!

These five Kindle books/novellas are on sale for ONLY 99 CENTS EACH from now through Christmas. Happy shopping! http://amazon.com/author/annswann

Easy to Write

Why is it easier to write when I know I have only a few minutes? Is it a form of procrastination? The Freudian flip-side, perhaps?  If I have a whole day to devote to my characters--or they to me, as the case may be--then I find a hundred little things that must be done immediately, in succession, or better yet in tandem, so that no one thing is ever completed . . . but if I have only a few minutes before I have to be out the door, the words flow like water.

So I've developed a faucet solution to a Freudian problem. It's actually very simple: I sit myself down at the computer (knowing I can only stay a moment or three), then I turn on the tap and let the letters flow. After a bit, the faucet goes off and I jump up and sweep the floor, take a walk, shampoo my hair, or a even just load the washing machine. That's when the ideas break over me in waves . . . and then I rush back to the computer and try to capture them in print. Somedays, it's as exhausting as treading water in a storm. But the words do flow. Maybe they aren't the perfect, good china words I long for, but as someone much wiser than I once said,

Wow - Where to Spend Money on Promos

Call to Arms: Year-long survey reveals which book advertiser offers best value for money View this email in your browser

Year-long survey reveals which book advertiser offers best value for money

Figuring out where to advertise your book is worse than standing in a betting shop, five minutes before a race. You have money in your pocket, but a limited amount of time in which to select a guaranteed winner, and the odds are not in your favor. To change this, I have been asking authors for the past 2 years to share their hard data: Where have they advertised, how much did it cost and how many books did they sell as a result? Last year I shared the results on my blog. Since then, I've continued the survey. In case you missed my relevant blog post, here are the updated findings! Many thanks to everyone who has participated in the survey. With your help, I can continue to inform you of the best ways to invest your precious, limited advertising budgets. Please help me reach more authors – just share, reblog, and share the results. Let’s help each other navigate these treacherous waters and make sure we don’t spend another dime in vain! Okay so this isn't my survey, (I shared from Jenny Burke's FB page), and I don't see my favorite promo, BOOK BUB, listed at all. I've sold thousands of books using Book Bub, but they are picky. They have only ever taken one of my books, but it was well worth it, and I intend to apply again as soon as I can. I have used a few of the ones listed here, (ENT is a fave) and they do have value so if you have used some of them, I would love to hear from you personally. Just leave a comment if you would...

Banned Books Week Giveaway!

I can't believe it's banned books week again! 

In honor of Banned Books Week, I am giving away my trio of Phantom books to a random commenter (to be chosen by Random.org). The winner may choose the format: digital, paperback, or audio (GREAT NARRATION ON THIS SERIES, just sayin') 

BE SURE TO LEAVE ME YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS SO I CAN NOTIFY YOU IF YOU WIN! (Giveaway ends Oct. 2, 2016)

GOOD LUCK now GO OUT AND READ A BANNED BOOK JUST FOR FUN!

Stevie-girl and the Phantom Pilot http://ow.ly/rkYrw

Book Two Phantom Student http://tinyurl.com/d47a8hs

Book Three Crybaby Bridge http://tinyurl.com/n7pusfw

Audio http://tinyurl.com/p7fdpjm

I'll bet everyone is familiar with certain banned books like Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man about the horrors of racial discrimination, 

but did you know the chunky children's book Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See was once banned by the Texas Board of Education. Author Bill Martin Jr. happens to Texas Board of Ed because Bill Martin, Jr (the author) has the same name as a Marxist theorist and no one checked to see if they were the same person. Talk about oversight. Sheesh!

For another surprise, check this out. In 1987 the Anchorage, Alaska school board voted to ban the American Heritage Dictionary because of entries for slang words like "knocker," and "balls." I may be twisted, but I think that's funny. As if any self-respecting teen would check out the dictionary to learn new slang.

Those are only a few of the strange reasons books get banned, and while my Phantom series hasn't been banned--to my knowledge--it did have several religious references cut by the publisher. I've restored some of those references in the first book, but not all. 

Afterthought: Censorship comes in many forms.

Goodreads Winners: Oh, the Horror!

Yay! Goodreads Giveaways are complete.  Out of 1, 014 entries, FIVE readers won autographed copies of TAKERS: Apocalypse in Eden. I hope you all like Jack and Snake -- if you do, please leave me a review on Amazon and/or Goodreads. You can say you won the book, it doesn't have to be a verified purchase. Check out this cool review from NetGalley:

This is a fast moving, bloody, and dark book – and it’s got some awesome musical references. Aside from the aforementioned underlying mysticism, there’s a religious aspect to it. It’s not a preachy book, but the religious aspect plays a very direct role in what happens here. Note further that, even though our main character is a kid not yet in high school, this is by no means a kid’s book or even YA. This is Horror/SF for adults.

Only $2.99 Amazon

Here are the names of the lucky winners: Heather Cooney, Doug Brown, Scott Parker, Rachel Burke, and Jennifer Lorenz - Congrats to all, the books are in the mail! Next time, I'll list the winners of the COPPER LAKE giveaway.

Winter Wonderland of Books Christmas Giveaway

Merry Christmas!

$200 Cash Prize

November through Christmas - tons of books and other prizes! 

See the Rafflecopter and enter, enter, enter!

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Dark Dreams Halloween Giveaway!

Dozens of authors gathered together -- thanks to the efforts of Claudette Nicole Melanson -- in order to offer you a plethora of spooky reads, Halloween inspired prizes and one GRAND PRIZE consisting of $175 PayPal Cash. Each author is giving away one of their own books like my STEVIE-GIRL AND THE PHANTOMS TRILOGY (all three tales in one volume) shown above + a Halloween inspired prize like my RAVEN PENDANT (also shown above). 

Enter NOW through Halloween. Good luck and great reading! 

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Happy New Year Reading Challenge

Hope you all had a wonderful holiday season and are off to a grand start on the new year.

Check out this 2015 reading challenge via PopSugar. It's kinda cool. Happy New Year and Happy Reading!

http://www.popsugar.com/love/Reading-Challenge-2015-36071458

Cool Questions from 8th Graders

I was privileged to be allowed to read to students at Bowie Junior High school a few weeks ago. Here are some things they asked:

What themes do you write about? I write about people who struggle. In the Phantom series, the two main characters struggle with loneliness and with growing up. In All For Love, the woman struggles with so many things from infidelity, to alcoholism, to abortion and suicide. And in Stutter Creek and Lilac Lane, the protagonists struggle just to stay alive.

Who inspired you to write?  Edgar Allan Poe, Stephen King, Mary Stewart (The Crystal Cave); in other words, all my favorite authors

How long does it take to write a book?  From a few weeks to a few months. Writing in first person (like in my Phantom series) is much easier than third person like my adult series (for me, at least).

How do you get over writer's block?  If I get stuck on a story, it usually means my brain is fried, so I’ll go for a walk, or go to Sonic for a diet vanilla Coke. If I write myself into a corner from which I can’t possibly escape, I put that tale aside and start a new one. I have a file of hundreds of ideas for stories.

Were you excited when your first book was published?  Yes! I was also very excited the first time I had a short story published (way back in the dark ages). I remember getting a letter in the mail and literally screaming my head off inside my truck. I think I had picked up the mail and was sitting in there to open it.

Who is your favorite author?  Stephen King — although I have to say his earlier work excited me more than his recent work. I love Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption, The Body (Stand by Me) and stories like that. I also loved The Dead Zone and The Stand. One of his newer works that I like is Joyland.

What is the hardest part of writing a book? Staying off Facebook and/or other social media. I also spend hours just reading articles on MSN, etc. I’m a very nosy person.

How do you decide on titles?  Sometimes the title comes right away, but sometimes it’s later, in the story. And then sometimes, it doesn’t come at all and I depend on friends and readers to help me find it.

Do you have other people help you with ideas?  Hmmm, no. I’m sort of close-mouthed about my ideas, but I do have a writing group (eh, Ms. Harris?) to help with rough drafts.

Do you have places you go to write?  No. Just my computer (s). Or if I get an idea away from them, I write in my iPhone notes or my handy dandy mini spiral that lives in my purse.

How many kids do you have? 2.5 (I inherited a beautiful daughter from my husband’s ex, but she isn’t actually my husband’s daughter. It’s complicated. LOL.)  I also have 5.5 grandchildren ;-)

Do you use symbols? Yes. And I usually don’t even know it until later, when I read it through.

What method do you use to brainstorm? Free writing — I just write without stopping and without thinking. It works best when I’m really tired. Which is most of the time.

What is your writing process? Catch as catch can. I love to write in the morning with a cup of coffee. And I always write the best parts first. I don’t outline, but I do write the ending as soon as possible. It’s like my goal, to get to the finish.

How do you choose your words to create a better mental image? The muse does that. My very best work doesn’t come to me consciously, but subconsciously. I really loved this line from ALL FOR LOVE, “The moonlight was seductive, it lay across the water like a transparent veil across a woman’s hair.” But I have no idea where that line came from. I wrote it out just like that, without stopping. And then I thought, well, I like that.

What is your favorite type of figurative language? Oh, I love metaphors, but similes are easier and they often pop into my work unbidden. I have to cut them out frequently. I also love onomatopoeia. Poe was the expert at making up his own sound words like susurration and tintinnabulation—I try to do that from time to time. I also fall into the alliteration trap sometimes—I love it, but it has to be seeded into sentences sparingly or it sort of starts to suck.

Why did you write Chems?  Awesome question! Chems came from an image of a boy finding a zombie in his dad’s toolshed. But I didn’t want just any old zombie—I wanted a zombie hero. So that’s what I wrote. I decided the government could make one using chemicals. Funny thing is, my cousin and I wrote an entire novel based on this blue pseudo zombie. We wrote every night sending the pages back and forth via email (she lives in Washington DC), but alas, the book somehow devolved into a zombie romance (I know, I know, it really was a horror story then) so it’s now simply lurking about in my Mac seeking asylum from the land of the dead novels.

Thanks for the cool questions kids. Take care and thanks to  your teacher for allowing me to come and invade your classroom!

Afterthought: Thank you, ToysRUs for coming back from the dark side. And thanks to the mom in Florida for helping them see the light.