My Blog's Top 13 Posts of All Time / Thursday 13

 

During the A to Z challenge, Liz A. posted for a small blog hop called Thursday 13 in which participants create lists of 13 things to share. It could be anything. I love lists, so I thought I'd join in a couple of times this month for fun. I’m sharing a list of the most-viewed posts on my blog.

MY BLOG'S TOP 13 POSTS OF ALL TIME:

(based on views)

1. Writing About: A Car Accident - 77.3K views

2. Writing About: A Kidnapping - 15.4K views

3. Writing About: A Wedding - 11.8K views

4. Writing About: Witches - 7.35K views

5. Writing About: A Plane Ride - 6.43K views

6. Protagonist vs Antagonist - 6.27K views

7. Ad Astra Interview / Olivia and Fiona Discuss Banned Books and Intersectional Feminism - 4.01K views

8. New Release Marketing Conclusions - 3.94K views

9. Writing About: Torture - 3.56K views

10. Writing About: A Foot Chase - 3.34K views

11. Writing About: School - 3.25K views

12. Writer's Burnout Part 10 (No Stress) - 3.25K views

13. Dear “I’m Still a Nobody” Author - 3.02K views

NOTE: Comments are closed to these posts, as is the case for all of my older posts. I close the comments to every post about a month after they go live to prevent spam attacks.

It's always interesting to see what posts get the most views. My Writing About feature, which I did for a few years here on my blog, obviously was a hit. I wonder if I should revive it. Back then, the posts were about topics and characters and scenes I'd written about at the time. I've written a lot since I stopped the feature.

If you'd like to check out my Writing About feature, you can find the archive on this page: Writing About. There's sections for Characters, More on Characters, Disasters, Supernatural/Paranormal/Fantasy, Crime, Romance, Places, Seasons, Holidays, and Other.

Whom Would You Want To Be Stuck with During a Blizzard? / Frozen Crimes Blog Hop + GIVEAWAY + FREE EBOOK

 

Frozen Crimes Blog Hop Prompt: Whom would you want to be stuck with during a blizzard, and what would you do?

My Answer: It would be a cliché to say I'd pick my own characters. No, not Beth and Donovan. Are you crazy? I don't want to go through what they go through in Frozen Crimes. Nuh-uh. Nope. 

Favorite Holiday Memory Blog Hop / Sleigh Ride by Elaine Kaye

Hi, everyone! Thanks for stopping by for this blog hop to celebrate my mom's newest picture book SLEIGH RIDE!

Blog Hop Question: What is your favorite holiday memory?

(This includes Hanukkah, Kwanza, Yule/Winter Solstice, Christmas, etc.)

MY MEMORY: I was obsessed with The Nutcracker ballet when I was little. Every day for a year I watched an old tape and fantasized I was Clara. I didn’t know how to dance ballet, but that didn’t stop me from showing off my moves…karate moves. I would jab my fists in the air and punch and kick as gracefully as I could.

Doctor Mom Blog Hop / I Love You, Mom!

DOCTOR MOM BLOG HOP

Prompt: Share a favorite memory you have of your mom. Or just share a picture of your mom that you cherish. Or you can do both!

My mom and me. We were...and are...so much alike.

My mom is the author of Doctor Mom. I grew up watching her write these children's stories, featuring Gregory Green and Sammy, when I was in Kindergarten. She'd sit at our dining room table with her typewriter, a stack of papers, pencils, colored pencils, and laminating paper. That was where she'd write, illustrate, and bind her stories. She dreamed of publishing these stories and sent out many snail mail queries without success. So she read her books to my siblings and me, as well as to elementary school students.

She worked as a library assistant at my elementary school. Sometimes, my class (and other classes) would go to the library for reading time, and my mom would read her stories. She would even bring Sammy...not the teddy bear, but the real Sammy, a Cabbage Patch Doll. She'd pick a student to enact the story with Sammy as she read. I remember wanting to be the lucky kid to have that job, but she chose someone else to do it instead. I was disappointed, but in all fairness, it was the unbiased thing to do.

The original Sammy. He inspired the teddy bear in my mom's stories.

Years later, my mom visited my fourth-grade class to read one of her stories and lead us in some fun activities. We were joined by our neighboring class. In that class was a boy who liked to bully me on the school bus, so I was full of fear that he'd make fun of my mom to me later. If he did, I was ready to fight.

During her time with our classes, she picked a student to, once again, enact the story with Sammy. Coincidently, she chose the same student (who happened to be in my class again) to play with Sammy as she did all those many years ago. (It was even a different school.) She even read Slow Poke.

Left: My mom's graduation picture. Right: My mom in Hawaii.

These are two of my favorite pictures of her.

Later, on the bus, I braced for what the bully would say. Sure enough, he sat down in the seat next to mine, and the first thing he said was: "That was your mom?"

I glared at him. "Yes," I snapped.

Then he surprised me with, "She's cool."

I was so proud of my mom at that moment. She had the power to make my bully nice. That's what a story and an author can do. It just so happens that the updated version of Pea Soup Disaster, the first adventure in this series, is about bullying.

As the years have gone by, I've wanted to help my mom to realize her dream of being a published author. I wasn't able to do it before, but I'm capable now, so we're self-publishing her picture books. Two to three a year. And next year we plan to add a chapter book to her credentials. After all my mom has done for me, she deserves this. And she deserves to see her stories in print.

I LOVE YOU, MOM!

Title: Doctor Mom

Author: Elaine Kaye

Genre: Picture Story Book

Ages: 5-8 years

BLURB: It’s Saturday, and Gregory Green can’t wait to have fun with his dad on the riding lawnmower, but something is wrong. Sammy, his teddy bear and best friend, won’t get out of bed. Gregory is worried when he sees Sammy’s left leg is torn. This is a case for Doctor Mom! Can they fix Sammy? And just how did Sammy get hurt in the first place?

PRAISE FOR DOCTOR MOM:

"Doctor Mom is an adorable story that shows how Moms can fix anything—even a torn limb on a beloved teddy bear! Children will enjoy the lovable little bear who needs a stitch or two and his boy who plays dress-up as a doctor." – Wanda Luthman, award-winning author of Little Birdie Grows Up.

“A sweet and heartfelt tale kids can easily identify with, and all of that with a wonderful touch of magic.” – Tonja Drecker, reviewer at Bookworm for Kids

  BUY LINK:

AMAZON

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Elaine Kaye first created Gregory Green after her son, who loved her homemade pea soup, thus inspiring the story Pea Soup Disaster. Doctor Mom is the second book in A Gregory Green Adventure series and highlights something all moms and children can relate to; a beloved stuffed animal in need of a repair.

Kaye has worked as a library assistant and teacher's assistant in elementary schools in the Sunshine State. She currently lives in Florida, but she has called Michigan; Honolulu, Hawaii; and Okinawa, Japan home.

She is a grandmother of three boys.

Website / Etsy Shop / Goodreads / Amazon / Instagram / Facebook

Nix Book Reading Anxiety + Mom Blog Hop

My guest article 6 Ways to Be a Writer While Recovering from Surgery is live on NothingAnyGood.com!

***

A book reading can be scary when you’ve never done one before, especially if you’re an introvert and hate doing anything in front of people. I know the idea of doing a reading makes my palms sweat, so I have come up with tips that anyone can do to work up the courage of having a real reading.

1. Video Reading

Record yourself doing a reading in the comfort of your own home. This can actually be a lot of fun.

NOTE: I never actually listen to my own recordings. Not even the ones I post. For me, it's not about seeing how I do, but helping me get used to doing it.

- Pick an excerpt from your book. This doesn’t have to be long. One to two pages will keep people’s attention from straying. 

- Set up the stage; find a neat spot where you can sit. This can be at your desk or in a chair positioned in the corner of the room. 

- Wear something comfortable but nice.

- Get your equipment (laptop, camera) and do a simple test. 

- When you’re ready, try a recording. The great thing is that if you mess up or don’t like the recording, you can try again. Once you have a recording you like, prepare it to get ready for others to view. 

- Upload it to YouTube, your Amazon page, your Goodreads page, your website, and your blog. Now people can listen to your reading from the comfort of their homes.

2. Family and Friends Reading

Once again, in the comfort of your home, invite your family and closest friends to a reading. These are the people who will support you no matter what. You can even make it fun with snacks (cheese, crackers, veggies) and refreshments. Sit in a chair in front of your family and give them a short reading. If you’re like me, you’ll still be nervous, but reading for your loved ones is easier than reading for strangers.

3. Local Coffee Shop or Library Reading

The previous techniques should help you to feel more confident about doing readings. Now you’ve graduated to public readings. Call around to local coffee shops or libraries you enjoy going to and see if you can schedule a live reading there. After you book time, invite all of your friends and make announcements on your blog/website. The great thing about doing a reading at one of these places is that the customers will likely listen to your reading and you can gain new readers.

TIP: Practice with several recorded readings before your public reading. But don't publish those practices! This is to just get you used to reading your story out loud, and recording yourself will give you a bit of nervousness that will simulate much of your nerves at the public reading. I did this to prep for my speech. It works!

How to ease your anxiety:

- Take a sip of water to wet your throat. Then take your place and introduce yourself and your book.

- Take a few, slow deep breaths before you begin the reading.

- Hold your book in your hands in front of you. If you can, rest your book and your hands on a stand or table to keep your hands from shaking.

- Put markers on the page you’re reading to remind you to look at your audience.

- Read slowly. If you read fast, your audience won’t be able to understand you and you may stumble on your words.

- Pause every now and then, after a paragraph, for instance, to calm your nerves and take a quick breath.

- When you reach the end of the excerpt, close your book, hold it in your hands (cover facing out), and tell your audience they can read more in [Title]. (You don’t need to open the floor to questions until you’re ready for that.)

- Thank them for listening and step away. If you’re doing a signing afterward, invite them to come over to purchase a book to be signed or get a signed postcard. 

QUESTIONS: Have you ever done a public reading? How did you prepare?

Blog Hop Celebrating Moms:

In honor of my mom's newest picture book coming out on Mother's Day, DOCTOR MOM, we're hosting a blog hop celebrating moms.

PROMPT: Share a favorite memory you have of your mom. Or just share a picture of your mom that you cherish. Or you can do both!

When: May 21st

Where: Your Blog

***Every post will include the blurb, links, and cover art for Doctor Mom as well as my mom's bio and author photo. I'll email all participants a week before the hop.***

Doctor Mom Blog Hop:

Souper Blog Hop / Monthly Mishmash

Thank you to everyone participating in the Souper Blog Hop. If you're visiting, I hope you enjoy the recipes we share. Don't forget to check out my mom's picture book Pea Soup Disaster!

When I was little, I loved soup. I even would say it was my favorite thing to eat. And, yes, I did what Gregory does in Pea Soup Disaster and brought a thermos of soup to school for lunch. And...yes again...split pea soup was my favorite, followed by tomato soup.

I was about ten years old when I made soup from scratch for the first time. My mom would peel the potatoes and cut the onions for me, but I diced the potatoes and other vegetables by myself. I'd add carrots, celery, and diced tomatoes at the end. And I'd season it with way too many spices. My favorites were basil, celery seed, celery salt, onion powder, and garlic salt. So, my soup would be quite salty and a bit spicy, but I was very proud of it.

As a teen, my friends would beg me to make chicken Ramen Noodle because they claimed I made it so well. Once again, I'd add far too much seasoning. Yup, celery seed, garlic salt, and basil. Oddly enough, they loved it.


The recipe I'm sharing today does not involve celery seed or Ramen Noodle, though. Thank goodness!

Easy Pea Soup with Tomatoes

1 cup small, diced potato (peeled)

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 large tomato, chopped

1 can chicken broth

1 can Campbell's Condensed Green Pea Soup

1/4 teaspoon dried sage

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Mix 1 can Campbell's Condensed Green Pea Soup with 1 can of chicken broth.

2. Add potato, onion, and tomato.

3. Add dried sage and salt and pepper to taste.

4. Cover and simmer until potatoes are tender.

5. Fill up a bowl and enjoy!

And now, a round of applause for my mom's picture book...PEA SOUP DISASTER!

AMAZON

BLURB: Gregory Green loves his mom’s pea soup, but when he eats it at school, all of his friends make fun of how it looks. He doesn’t think it looks like bugs, and it tastes good! Then at recess, his friends run from him, screaming, “He’s a monster!” Gregory doesn’t know why his friends are being mean until he sees his skin is green. The teasing gets worse until an unlikely friend comes to the rescue—his teddy bear, Sammy. Sammy usually only comes to life for Gregory and his family, but Sammy has an important lesson to teach Gregory and his classmates.

PAPERBACK:

AMAZON

Elaine Kaye got the idea for Pea Soup Disaster from her son who loved to eat her homemade pea soup. Pea Soup Disaster is the first of many fun stories featuring Gregory Green and his teddy bear, Sammy, as part of the Gregory Green Adventure series.

Kaye has worked as a library assistant and teacher's assistant in elementary schools in the Sunshine State. She currently lives in Florida, but she has called Michigan; Honolulu, Hawaii; and Okinawa, Japan home. She is a grandmother of three boys.

Find Elaine:

Website / Instagram / Litsy - @ElaineKaye

Goodreads / Amazon



Visit the other Souper Blog Hop participants:

MONTHLY MISHMASH

New Family Member - The last time I had a betta fish was about 9 years ago. He was named Poseiden after the Greek god of the sea. I've wanted another betta fish for awhile and finally got one. Meet Neptune! He's named after the Roman god of the sea. ;)

New Tattoo - I got this tattoo in honor of my paternal grandmother who died from ovarian cancer when I was one. This symbol is from her necklace. I wanted to start wearing it every day, but the first day I did, it got stuck on something and broke in three places. I put it back together but decided it would be safer not to wear it. Years ago, though, I had thought this symbol would make a cute tattoo, so that's what I did.

QUESTIONS: Whats your favorite soup? Do you have or did you ever have a betta fish? Do you have tattoos?

Submission Process Anxiety + Souper Blog Hop

Submitting a query letter can bring a lot of anxiety. Submitting a partial or full manuscript can be down-right scary. Let’s take the fear and worry out of the submission process. Take the stress out of it, for one. Writers rarely get an acceptance with their first submission.

Put the fun into the submission process, instead. You may have to convince yourself that you’re doing it for fun, and that the outcome won’t matter to you. (Even if it does later.) I did this for a project that I did write for fun, which is another thing you may have to do…when you write, think of writing as something you’re doing for yourself, for fun, not for publication. That will definitely make writing easier.

Then when you submit to an agent/editor/publisher, treat yourself. Dogs get treats for performing tricks, so why not people?

You’ve been a good little writer. Yes, you have. You submitted a query. Here’s a treat for my good little writer. *tosses a cookie*

Treat yourself to a piece of chocolate. But don’t cheat and submit to ten agents in one hour to get ten treats. No, that counts as one chocolate. Well, maybe one chocolate bar. We’re not trying to be gluttons, here. We’re trying to show ourselves that we are proud, happy. And we should be!

You can treat yourself to a day out. Visit a public garden, go on a nature walk, take an archery lesson. Do something to take the edge off the big step you took.

Remember, make the writing and submission process fun. Rewire your brain and treat yourself.

The next Spark post for IWSG will be about rejections.


QUESTION: How do you deal with the submission process? 



SOUPER BLOG HOP:

No, this is not a blog hop for me. It's a blog hop for my mom. I'm just hosting it. :) My mom is publishing a children's book that means a lot to her, and she could use your help to get the word out, which is why I've created this fun blog hop.

So...Now my insecurity is I won't get any sign-ups for this. Eek!

SOUPER BLOG HOP:

Prompt: Share your favorite soup recipe.

OR

Tell us about a soup you love. Even if your favorite soup is from a can, that works! Take a picture of it (the can or the soup in a bowl) for your post. Easy peasy.

When: February 26th

Where: Your Blog

**Every post will have the blurb, cover art, and links to Pea Soup Disaster.**

**I'll email participants the info a week before the hop begins.**

Sign Up:

Trick-or-Treat Reads Blog Hop - FREE EBOOKS

WHAT IS TRICK-OR-TREAT READS?

Trick-or-Treat Reads is an annual Halloween event where authors put their books for free and readers go trick-or-treating to get the books. BOOKS ARE THE CANDY!

FREE SHORT STORY!!!!

Disaster Crimes Series:

Hurricane Crimes #1

Seismic Crimes #2

Lightning Crime #2.5

Tsunami Crime #3

BLURB:

A freak lightning storm unleashes its energy on Central Florida. Bolts of lightning crash to the ground. Torrential rain soaks everything within seconds. And the power goes out, casting Beth and Donovan’s apartment into darkness. Beth is already on edge after receiving a menacing phone call several months ago, and this storm doesn’t help with her nerves.

Donovan tries to distract her from Mother Nature’s tantrum, but someone else has other plans. When they find the front door to their apartment wide open, they soon realize it isn’t an accident. Someone is in their apartment with them.

What crime can happen as fast as lightning?

FREE LINKS:

Amazon / Smashwords

Barnes & Noble / Kobo

HAPPY TRICK-OR-TREAT READS! 

I SURVIVED! Blogfest - How did Disaster Chrys Survive?

"This is Chrys Fey reporting for Disaster 5 News. I am in Central Florida where a tsunami hit yesterday morning. I have my doppelganger with me, Disaster Chrys, a survivor of the tsunami. Diz, can you tell our viewers what happened, and how you survived?"

Diz: “You probably won’t believe me, but I’ll tell you anyway.

“I was walking along the shore, collecting shells, when the water sucked back out so fast and far that I could see reefs, the breaker, and several fish flopping on the sand. A gust of wind tossed my hair over my head and caused me to stumble. I looked toward the ocean to see a giant wall of water. At once, it was frightening. And then magnificent; a humpback whale curved over the top. Its tail waved at me and splashed salt water into the air. Along the crest, dolphins jumped like synchronized swimmers performing a routine.

“Something told me not to run, that I’d be okay. The water bubbled up my body, but it didn’t toss me around. Instead, it lifted me high, as if putting me on a watery throne. It swept me forward, making me feel like Poseidon’s Queen.

“I peered at the gentle waves lapping around my hips and saw a school of mermaids below my feet. They waved at me, beckoning me to come play with them. So, I let my body sink under the surface. There was a mermaid with a black tail spotted with white barnacle, a mermaid with seaweed braided through her hair, and another with starfish attached to her arms.

“A merman with cobalt blue hair and a crown of coral atop his head swam up to me. He put his mouth to mine, granting me his breath. He held onto me until the water stopped. Then he and the other mermaids lifted me onto a patch of green land. Before me stood a pearly-white unicorn. She bowed her head and lowered so I could climb onto her strong back. She carried me for miles. Eventually, I feel asleep.

“Sometime later, I woke up in the aftermath of the tsunami. The land wasn’t destroyed. It was healed, and magical creatures were everywhere.”

Title: Tsunami Crimes

Series: Disaster Crimes #3

Author: Chrys Fey

Genre: Romantic-Suspense

Page Count: 272

BLURB: Beth and Donovan have come a long way from Hurricane Sabrina and the San Francisco earthquake. Now they are approaching their wedding day and anxiously waiting to promise each other a lifetime of love. The journey down the aisle isn’t smooth, though, as they receive threats from the followers of the notorious criminal, Jackson Storm. They think they’ll be safe in Hawaii, but distance can’t stop these killers. Not even a tsunami can.

This monstrous wave is the most devastating disaster Beth has ever faced. It leaves her beaten, frightened. Is she a widow on her honeymoon? As she struggles to hold herself together and find Donovan, she’s kidnapped by Jackson's men.

Fearing her dead, Donovan searches the rubble and shelters with no luck. The thought of her being swept out to sea is almost too much for him to bear, but the reality is much worse. She’s being used as bait to get him to fall into a deadly trap.

If they live through this disaster, they may never be the same again. 

QUESTION: What "out there" survival story can you come up with?

I SURVIVED! Blogfest Sign Up + TSUNAMI CRIMES Reveal

Didn't I just do a blogfest? Yes, I did. I didn't think I'd have to do another one so soon after the If I were a Mobster Blogfest, but my publisher surprised me with the release day of TSUNAMI CRIMES...January 20th! So now I am scrambling. It doesn't help that this is a difficult time to plan anything with everyone taking breaks. *insert insecurity here*

I've thought up a fun blog hop, though. Here are the details:

BLOGFEST ANNOUNCEMENT

Prompt:

"This is Chrys Fey reporting for Disaster 5 News. I am in [location of your choosing] where a tsunami hit yesterday morning. I have [your name] with me, a survivor of the tsunami. [Your name], can you tell our viewers what happened, and how you survived?"

[Your Story]

Details: Every post will begin with the intro above. What will follow is your made-up story. It can be fantastical and wild or realistic. The goal is to make this fun. :) You can create a flash fiction piece or write a paragraph. You can even create a back-and-forth interview. Be creative!

When? January 20th

Where? On your blog!

Note: Every post will include the blurb, cover art, and links for TSUNAMI CRIMES, which I'll provide.

Won't you please sign up?

I SURVIVED! Blogfest

COVER + BLURB REVEAL

Beth and Donovan have come a long way from Hurricane Sabrina and the San Francisco earthquake. Now they are approaching their wedding day and anxiously waiting to promise each other a lifetime of love. The journey down the aisle isn’t smooth, though, as they receive threats from the followers of the notorious criminal, Jackson Storm. They think they’ll be safe in Hawaii, but distance can’t stop these killers. Not even a tsunami can.

This monstrous wave is the most devastating disaster Beth has ever faced. It leaves her beaten, frightened. Is she a widow on her honeymoon? As she struggles to hold herself together and find Donovan, she’s kidnapped by Jackson's men.

Fearing her dead, Donovan searches the rubble and shelters with no luck. The thought of her being swept out to sea is almost too much for him to bear, but the reality is much worse. She’s being used as bait to get him to fall into a deadly trap.

If they live through this disaster, they may never be the same again.

DIGITAL PRE-ORDER LINKS:

Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon CA

Nook / Kobo / The Wild Rose Press

ONE QUESTION BLOG TOUR SIGN UP

If you can't sign up for the blog hop, I am hoping to do a short blog tour from January 23rd to February 3rd. Or you can sign up for both!

I had fun with my Y Post where I answered questions posed by many of you, so I am going to do that for my blog tour. Come up with ONE interesting question, and I will give a detailed answer for my guest post. NOTE: Doesn't have to be related to my book/series. Your question can be totally random. :)

What's in it for you? I will be running a Rafflecopter giveaway for a signed, paperback copy of SEISMIC CRIMES and HURRICANE CRIMES playing cards. All participants (blog hop/tour) will be automatically added as entrants to the giveaway, increasing your odds of winning. :)


I hope you can forgive me for making this post all about me. This release is a BIG one, and I want it to go smoothly.

Thanks for understanding!

OPTIONAL JANUARY QUESTION: What writing rule do you wish you'd never heard?

*Add this question and your answer to your January 4th IWSG post.