Lorna Faith

Clean Fiction Author

038 How to Be an Innovative Indie Author and Inspire New Writers with E. Rachael Hardcastle

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Bestselling High Fantasy and Science Fiction author E. Rachael Hardcastle, has written fiction that has inspired Elementary School children in her home town to write their own short stories. Emma shares in this interview, that she self-published the children’s stories. The local TV station in her hometown interviewed these children and their excitement at being newly published authors.

In the update, I share how writing mentors can inspire us to get outside of our own comfort zones. When I had lunch a month ago with Angela Ackerman, she inspired me to: 1) find a way to get to the writer’s conference coming up in Calgary in August called When Words Collide; 2)reach out to some successful Wattpad authors and ask for a Podcast Interview; 3)to set up the Podcast on Patreon, to give new writers a way to receive even more benefits(name & website mentioned on the podcast as well as your name & a link to your website on a special website Patron page) for those who have found the interviews helpful and would like to support the Podcast(for less than the cost of a coffee a month). If you’d like to support the Create A Story You Love Podcast on Patreon, click this link.

I also mention a couple of books and a new tool for self-publishing I’ve found helpful: 7 Guidelines for Using Hashtags on Pinterest by Vincent Ng; Writing Deep Scenes: Plotting Your Story Through Action, Emotion, and Theme by Martha Alderson and Jordan Rosenfeld and I’ve been learning from tutorials on how to set up/format my new novella by using Vellum to create beautiful ebooks 😉

Watch the Video Interview

Interview Summary:

E. Rachael Hardcastle is a High Fantasy and Post Apocalyptic Science Fiction author from the U.K.

She writes imaginative High Fantasy series titled, Finding Pandora, a romance short story called, Romantic Faith: A Short Story Romance well as her newest Science Fiction novel, Aeon Infinitum: Run for Your Life: Book One of the Post-Apocalyptic Trilogy. You can find out more about upcoming new releases here.

Highlights in this interview include…

  • How you can learn to write by reading widely from many different authors – like J.R.R. Tolkien – who she learned so much from. This inspired her to write her own Fantasy novel.
  • When you write detailed notes of the symbolism, meaning and themes of books you love, it inspires you to incorporate new ideas in your own fiction.
  • Tips on brainstorming your own unique word settings, languages and unique creatures/characters.
  • How to make your own detailed maps using the FREE GIMP software. Check out this YouTube video tutorial to get started. Emma said she started without knowing anything, and learned how to create her own map in 4 hours that looked professional.
  • Writing tips for first-time writers: when you first start writing your book – instead of thinking about if others will like your story – your first question should be: Do I like this story? Write what you would  love to read.
  • How writers can set targets and goals that are achievable. For example, Emma writes scene by scene and only what is necessary for the story.
  • Tips on how writers can move out of their comfort zones and set new levels for themselves. Emma talks about how she set a goal for 2017 for a Media release. And as she helped Elementary School children self-publish their short stories, a local T.V. station interviewed her and the children. She already achieved that goal for 2017.
  • How writers can continue to inspire themselves by listening to podcast interviews and reading blogposts and books. 
  • How writers on a low budget can start simply by writing short storiesand uploading them to digital retailers like Amazon, Kobo, etc. Then see what response you get from readers. Keep putting yourself out there until you find your niche. Most of all, keep writing the stories you love.

You can find more about new releases from E. Rachael Hardcastle at her website and listen to her podcast interviews and watch her YouTube channel here. To connect, say hi on Facebook and Twitter.

 

How do you move beyond what’s comfortable to set new goals or levels for yourself in your writing life?  Please, do leave a comment, I’d love to hear your tips or ideas on that.

3 Inspirational Romance or Suspense Fiction You Might Like to Read this Christmas

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I don’t know about you, but one of the big things I look forward to during Christmas break – besides time with the fam – is to read great fiction.

I love stories that pull me in so that I feel like I’m part of the story. I want to laugh, cry and/or have chills run up and down my spine because I’m so involved in a great story.

I also love stories that inspire me to have hope. To believe in the power of forgiveness, redemption and love.

The following Inspirational novels have a little bit of each of the above qualities…

Cozy up by the Fireplace this Christmas and read 3 great fiction books…

Book 1: All in Good Time by Diana Lesire Brandmeyer

Diana Lesire Brandmeyer, has a great novella that is a beautiful story of second chances and renewed friendships.

This story is so compelling. The widow of a Vietnam soldier can’t get past the hurt caused by her first love. When Kevin returns to the small lake town for the high school reunion, Sandra must decide if she can move beyond painful memories. Watching Sandra and Kevin become friends again is really remarkable.

Get your FREE book here.

 

Book 2: Fallen by Melinda Inman

Fallen, by Melinda Inman, is a story of the beginning, the fall, the devastation that followed, and the ancient promise of Christ’s advent. This season, encourage and uplift your heart by reading of God’s love and mercy, no matter what we’ve done.

“Her descriptions of Eden are lush and sensual, deftly capturing the newness and wonder of experiencing all of creation through the eyes of the first human beings. And from personal experience, I can attest Inman accurately describes the dark, raw emptiness of separation from our Creator.” (Amazon Review).

Grab the suspense filled novel, Fallen when you click this link.

 

Book 3: A Most Unsuitable Husband by Lorna Faith

A Most Unsuitable Husband, by Lorna Faith, is a Prequel Novella to the 7 Brides for 7 Brothers Western Historical Romance series.

When Elizabeth Eaton – a proper lady from the East – is forced to leave her father’s home and move to the untamed west, she is unprepared for dangers that her journey to the West will bring her way.

To Elizabeth, the west is nothing more than a murky prairie filled with risk in all things… even love. With her dreams shattered, she spends time with her cousin Thomas Eaton and his wife Emma. While she’s there, she meets the cynical cowboy Drake Thompson.

Drake is a man whose attraction to Lizzie is at war with his past. But even his own misconceptions, can’t stop his growing attraction to her.

When Elizabeth’s stepmother once again tries to force her to marry a man she doesn’t love, she must make a choice.

Will she settle for a life of comfort or fight for the man she loves… at the risk of all she loves?

Click this link and get your FREE ebook of A Most Unsuitable Husband today 🙂

I hope you have a great time immersing yourself in amazing books during your holidays! Have a Merry Christmas 😉

How Your Art Tells Your Story

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Art in it’s many forms – writing, sculpture, music, dance, painting – tells a story.

As artists, it’s not just any story you are detailing on the blank page or canvas. It’s a story told through your filter. It’s a story that has your unique take on the world. It’s a story that has captivated your own imagination.

As artists, we are creative people who create something from nothing. Whether artists use a pen, pencil, a keyboard, work in oils, pastels or watercolor, they take ordinary materials and transform them into something amazing.

Whatever tools we use, we tell the story about our work and ourselves in a way that engages an audience.

Sometimes it’s a struggle to find the right words, or the right medium to use. Sometimes we would prefer if there was a template to follow, so we could just fill in the blanks with data.

But if we followed a template to tell our story, I believe we would have passionless art. You cannot fill in the blanks with passion.

If you as the artist were to just fill in the blanks, it wouldn’t tell your audience who you were as a person.

My daughter Atlee tells her story with passion as she weaves in the contrast between light and darkness in her drawings and paintings…

atlee-tiara-woman

Part of the story we share of our work, hints at why we used these materials or technique at this time in our lives.

As artists, it helps to ask questions of ourselves. Why this story? Why do we tell it now? Why did we choose these materials or this technique?

atlee-river

Does the story you share with the world, tell others what drives you, what you yearn for, or why this vision is the one your need to express?

atlee-moon

Most of all, sharing our story, unlatches the closet doors and opens them wide, to let people see what’s really in our artist’s heart.

atlee-flowers

I believe in sharing our passion in all our art, compels people to really connect with our art – and with the artist – on a much deeper level.

As artists, when we share our story, our audience begins to be drawn to us and our art in a new way. They look at it in wonder. They begin to year to own it for themselves. They begin to long for the same emotions they feel when they connect with our art, to be part of their life, everyday.

So keep telling your story… with passion.

How does your art tell your story? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. We can learn from each other;)

027 Tips on Self-Publishing and How to Become a Lifelong Learner with Pamela Hodges

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In today’s show, Pamela Hodges shares how writers and artists can give themselves permission to passionately create the art they love. I was inspired by this chat with Pamela, mostly because it has taken me a long time and writing a few books to begin to believe in myself and to give myself permission to write the stories I love.

In the intro, I share about the book I’m reading now by Alan Watt called, The 90 Day Novel. I’ve been going through the each week’s lessons and the exercises have helped me to write with more freedom and to ask the right questions to discover more of my characters & setting.

A copywriting book I’ve been reading and loving is Love-Based Copywriting by Michele PW. Honestly it was the title that drew me to this book. She shares how to attract people that resonate with what you have to say – to your website, blog, emails and everywhere else. Great book. Also, I chat about  TribeWriters  a course that was the #1 influence for me to start blogging and to write books.

Watch the Video Interview

Interview Summary:

Pamela Hodges is a blogger, author and artist who encourages others to embrace their creativity. She inspires by sharing stories about art, creativity and everyday life with cat barf and seven litter boxes.  You can see more of her blogposts at ipaintiwrite.com or visit her cat Harper’s blog at thecatwhowrites.com.

She talks about how she illustrated, formatted and designed the new book that her cat Pooh Hodges wrote called, How to Be A Cat.  This book is for guys who are tired of going to work everyday and can quit shaving and give away their car… and become a cat 😉

Pamela talks about how she was first inspired to write and create her art when she first joined TribeWriter’s course. Later, Seth Godin’s book It’s Your Turn, among other things, encouraged her to try to go to school to learn Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator and Adobe InDesign.

When she first started the class, she didn’t even know how to turn on her computer. But she really wanted to learn how to do this, so she asked a lot of questions and stuck with it.

Trying to be perfect can stop you from creating. Don't let that happen to you. Share on X

Color the Cats: Forty Real Cats from Around the World and Their Stories.

Pamela encourages anyone who wants to begin learning something new that they’re passionate about to…

  • Treat it like a job – even if you have to work many hours at it
  • Set a deadline of when you want to be done – it makes a big difference
  • believe passionately in what you’re doing – in what you’re creating

If as a writer you are doubting your ability, or you are hearing your inner critic tell you “you’re no good a that,” just try it anyway. Maybe it takes you a little longer to finish your project than what it would take others, but that’s okay. It only matters that you get there. That you finish it.

Pamela encourages all writers to read The War of Art by Steven Pressfield, to learn how to get past resistance and make space for their creativity.

How do people make room in their busy lives for lifelong learning – to create what their passionate about?

The only way to make room for something is that you have to make a choice.

Is it more important that you find out how the TV series ends, or is it more important to finish

writing that book? Or is it more important to do something with your friends every weekend, or do you need to choose some weekends to stay and finish that project you started, but didn’t finish?

If you want something you need to decide what your priorities are.

Pamela encourages creatives that are struggling with self-doubt, to embrace what you love. You are a writer or an artist when you say you are.

Our value as creative people doesn’t come from outside validation. Rather, it comes from an internal belief that you are who you say you are. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Trying to be perfect can stop you from creating. Don’t let that happen to you.

Treat yourself how you want to be treated. The best friend you can have is yourself. Be kind to yourself. Pamela encourages everyone who has self-doubt to take a big tube of red lipstick and write on your bathroom mirror: Smile sweetheart, you’re great. OR  Hey you’ve got this, I believe in you.

New projects that Pamela is creating: A coloring book called, 31 Days to Joy: Finding Joy in Everyday Life. She will also be writing Pooh Hodges memoir, in a writing class by Marion Roach Smith.  If you want to know more about what Pamela is up to, check out her blog or connect with her on Facebook or Twitter.

Have you given yourself permission and made room in your life to create the art that you love? I’d love to hear your thoughts on that in the comments below 🙂

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