Book Marketing Online Course

I'm in the middle of a book marketing course and it's wonderful how much I don't know about writing and marketing. Why do I  say it's wonderful? Because my ignorance has given me a new perspective on my writing, and a whole bunch of new friends who struggle with the same issues I do. Together we are mentoring and being mentored at the same time. The adage that often the teacher becomes the student and vice versa is currently coming true. More importantly, I see that all of us taking the course have more in common than we have different. That insight will help me down the road--in keeping my characters real and vibrantly involved in their fictional lives. They will be focused, reminding me to be focused on a target audience when the story is completed and finally in print.

As much as I dislike the internet world at times, I must admit that it has its good side. On any given day, it brings together people (from all over the world) to experience the same moment at the same time and be rejuvenated by the connection. I think when you're writing paranormal romance novels like I do, connections are everything, especially between the hero and heroine personally, and the storyline spiritually....So, needless to say, taking an online course I was skeptical about taking at first, has surprised me. But it has given me a fabulous connection to a  group of strangers doing what I love to do everyday--writing stories that help people escape their problems for a few hours, or educating them to a world they've never thought existed. Either way, the goal is to create a highly entertaining story for the reader. Taking this online course proves writers' skills are limitless when it comes to selling the message to a loyal readership.

Why Does Life Always Seem to Mimic Art?

My new novel, Sanctuary, is now officially on sale through Amazon, and as I think about its journey to publication, I'm struck how life always seems to imitate art, even though we don't orchestrate the pairing.  In my novel, the heroine, Sonny Blake, is living a quiet life, doing good and helping others. As she goes about her day, she's unaware a madman is nearby, bent on destroying her and those she loves. Lately, it seems in towns across America, madmen (young and old), are doing the same

While writing the novel, I never gave a thought that when it was completed, it would mirror the happenings of the day so strongly. After all, it's a fictional piece of writing meant to entertain a reader for a few hours. Now, having a chance to step back and look at the novel objectively, I think all pieces of writing must be orchestrated by spirit--a divine connection between it and the human existence.

To its credit, spirit can't be broken or killed, no matter how many madmen pick up a gun and use it to destroy lives.  Oh, it may go underground for awhile, but I know that spirit's always there, day in and day out. And it has a way, when least expected, of slipping important themes and issues into a writer's subconscious so that when we sit down at the computer to write, snippets of those important issues emerge as life imitating art. And the glory of it is, that the person reading those words GETS the connection (deep in their soul) and is changed by them.  Or at least I hope that's what happens. No, I PRAY that's what happens.

So, from my soul to yours, let's get madmen help before they have a chance to destroy innocent lives. Like the marine motto, let's not leave one of our brothers behind. Let's reach down and give them a helping hand up. After all, there's plenty of room on the ladder, don't you think?