Changes at The Write Way Cafe

As 2019 comes to a close, we at The Write Way Café have mixed feelings announcing that today is the last day for our blog. Starting January 1, we are moving in a new direction, and we hope you will join us on that adventure!

We want to thank everyone who has blessed us with their input, their sharing, and their support over the past year. So thank you to all authors, readers, and visitors. We have truly appreciated doing our part to bring you all together.

As we review the journey we've been on since The Write Way Café debuted in 2012, we think back to our primary goal of establishing an inviting space where writers and readers could engage, share, vent, and celebrate. We had no idea when we started how many authors would touch our lives with their stories. To date, we've featured more than 180 authors, some more than once. It's been our treat to get to know the breadth of authors, and come to call some friends.

But things always change, and we, HiDee and Lynn, have decided it’s time for change at The Write Way Café. We need to evolve personally and devote more of our time to our writing.

Please join us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TheWriteWayCafe/ and Twitter at https://twitter.com/writewaycafe2, where we plan to continue promoting books for our fellow authors.

Authors: please continue to send your book information (Title, genre, buy links and preferred social media links) to us at thewritewaycafe@gmail.com and we will post on our Facebook page and Twitter. How often we post will depend on how many submissions we receive, but we sincerely want to continue helping you by promoting your books.

Again, a huge thank you to all the authors we've featured at The Write Way Café, and to all the visitors and readers who have taken time to share and support the blog and our authors. We hope you will continue to support this circle of life in our writing world!

Best wishes and happy reading!

HiDee and Lynn

Never Stop Dreaming by @lcrandallwriter

At times, we can feel beaten down by life. In those times, fulfilling our dreams can appear impossible. I know that so well. But when I feel discouraged by whatever life has brought to me on any particular day, I remember my son and his dreams. He is the redhead on the left of the photo.

I wrote the following piece years ago for E-Magazine, but it is still pertinent today. Always remember, Never Stop Dreaming.

On University of Illinois home football game days, the university's marching band, the Marching Illini, gather about an hour before the game inside the Armory to warm up their instruments. Next door, on the lawn in front of the Harding Band Building, the drumline assembles, drawing a crowd with their precision drumming. Each percussionist -- bass, tenor, snare -- wears a sober, very business-like expression while their hands fly, beating out incredibly clean, crisp and exhilarating sounds in alliance with the flashy cymbal players. To say this drumming event is soul-stirring is like saying winning the big lottery would be fun. Words can't adequately describe what it feels like to be in the midst of such talent and skill. It borders on the spiritual, in a mystical, cosmic sort of way. In fact, a quote from the drumline home page says it well: Any sufficiently advanced drumming is indistinguishable from magic.

If music was light, the Marching Illini would be a prism, casting an array of beautifully shimmering sounds out upon the world. The brass and woodwinds sound like heaven and make my heart soar. Percussionists punctuate and deliver power to the band. Admittedly, I'm partial to percussionists. My son plays the tenors. I know, you'd never have guessed.

I've stood in the crowd on the band building lawn watching my handsome son's participation and choked back tears. Okay, I'm his mom and yes, I'm proud of his ability. But it's more than that. It's a matter of all the cosmic tumblers dropping into place, confirming that life is good.

On a crisp fall day back about 10 years ago, my husband and I sat with our two youngest boys in the stands at Memorial Stadium. It was their first college football experience and they were really taking it all in. Part way through the game, members of the Marching Illini visited our section of the bleachers and played a song. To my 9- and 6-year-old sons, those band members seemed like celebrities.

"One of them smiled at me, " Andrew said, eyes wide.

"I touched one of their capes," Daniel whispered, as though he'd just touched a god.

That's when the light struck Daniel and he decided someday he wanted to be one of the Marching Illini too.

It's that little boy I think of when I watch Daniel stand tall in his place among the other tenors. I think of all the times he's felt the very human ache of aspiration -- to pitch the winning pitch, see his name on the basketball team roster after try-outs, get a date with "that one" girl -- and maybe felt the sting of disappointment. Seeing him grow into a wonderful young man is awesome enough. Watching him and listening to his dynamic drumming, I feel the glory of the symbolic message he has brought to life wash over me. It says, Believe.

Seems pretty simple, but it stands out like a bright star in a world of unknowns. Will my family be safe? Will my kids learn good lessons? Will they stay away from drugs, cigarettes, too much sugar, caffeine, pesticides, and reckless driving tickets? How many things in life can I manage and control thereby making certain my kids are safe, healthy, and happy? It's enough to make a parent go bananas!

Then I see Daniel performing with the band on the field at Memorial Stadium. With the brilliant sounds of their rendition of a popular song like Jurassic Park filling the stadium, I remember the little 9-year-old who had a dream, a glimpse of himself as how he could be. He grew into a man and made the dream come true.

Witnessing your child bring a dream into fruition is one of the rewards of being a parent. Not because you, the parent, get a pat on the back for your child's accomplishment. Giving them stability and a sense of themselves so that they can succeed is a parent's job. What I'm referring to is the confirmation that life is worth living, no matter what. The universal truth of believing that we can have dreams renews itself in our kids.

In dark times of worry, sickness, disappointment, or strife, we can believe in a world that is as much light as dark. Our children's dreams are proof.

Read a Book. Write a Review. Support Authors. @lynncrandallwriter

You’ve just finished reading a book that grabbed your attention and took you somewhere, in some time, through the experiences of the characters to a satisfying end. You text your reader friends, sisters, brothers, and cousins, telling them what a great book you just finished reading. Stop right there. Before you search for another book by that author or pick up a book from your book pile, post a brief review.

Reviews make a difference in an author’s life. If a reader writes a complimentary review, the author’s day gets better. After all, writers write for readers. When they’ve given a reader a good experience, they love knowing about it. They love their characters, and if a reader relates to them, a writer feels fulfilled. When you write and post a review for any book, you have done something meaningful, and that’s a very good thing to put out in the world.

Let’s say that book you read wasn’t so great for you, and you want to give other readers a head’s up. Well, remember that everyone has different tastes in books. I say remember that because you may have an impulse to trash it online, but you don’t have to. Authors acquire thick skins, and though uncomplimentary reviews are less exciting, we all respect readers differing tastes. We don’t expect everyone to love all our stories. But an uncomplimentary review written with grace and respect is much appreciated. There are ways to review a book that doesn’t make your top-ten list without using degrading words. I know. I’m an author but I also read. I post reviews because I know how much they mean to authors. If in my opinion the book is not well written, I’m inclined not to write a review. I personally don’t need to tell the world about what I feel is a 1-star book. I understand other readers feel differently. I just suggest you remember someone worked hard on the book.

I also understand some people are uncomfortable writing anything. Let me make some suggestions for writing a review to take some of the scary out of it.

1. Try to start with a title to your review. That line can help direct your thoughts. Ex. Hang On for a Wild Ride. This tells readers you probably liked the book. Then writing the text of the review, simply tell readers why you liked it, what it did to make it worth reading. Ex. In this fast-paced paranormal romance, Lynn Crandall grabbed my attention from the beginning and kept me on the edge of my chair with hair-raising and heartbreaking action. The characters had depth, and the ending didn’t disappoint.

Or write something very short. Title: Epic Series. Text: Man I loved this book.

2. Remember, book reviews are not book reports. If you want to add details about the story line and the characters, feel free, but you don’t have to. And try not to spoil the ending for those who haven’t read the book.

3. Also remember that the author wrote the book they wanted to write. The question is not did he or she write the book you wanted to read. So ask yourself, did the author write a good book and did it accomplish its story goals? Period. If the answer is yes, what about it worked for you and what didn’t?

4. Another thing to be aware of is that a review is not a reader’s opportunity to show off his or her genius. I’m not meaning to come across cryptic. But, this kind of approach happens all the time and I feel it’s misguided. The review should be about the book, not how superior you are for seeing what is so wrong with it. Use your brilliance to write your own stories, not announce to the world your awesomeness.

If and when you take a few moments in your busy life to write and post a book review, I thank you from all of my heart. I understand it takes a bit of nerve to have an opinion and share it with world. For the work you pan or praise, it can mean the difference between a well-deserved author getting attention for a job well done, or remaining in obscurity.

Review by LAS Reviews for Unstoppable, Book 5 in my Fierce Hearts series: Author Lynn Crandall has a wonderful way with words and description. She makes the scenes and characters come to life in her books, and this one was no exception. Find on Amazon and other retailers.

Get to Know Lynn Crandall

The Write Way Café does something a little different today by interviewing one of the blog's partners. HiDee and Lynn have featured a large variety of talented authors on the blog for a number of years. Today, Lynn Crandall answers the questions we've asked others so you can get to know her a bit better.

When did you first have the thought you'd like to write a book? Was that first thought related to writing romance?
Casually, I made up stories to tell my younger sister when we were both very young. I wrote a short one-act play when I was twelve. My best friend and I were the only characters and we performed in front of our church. It took me awhile to discover my passion for writing, and in particular romance novels. That first book will never see the light of day. I wrote it in longhand with a pencil in a notebook and it took two weeks. Yeah, not good, but it was a start.

What was your path to getting this book written and published? What type of research did you do?
My first book was published by Kensington, then it took me a few years to juggle my way through family, a day job, and writing to produce another novel. That was titled Dancing with Detective Danger, a romantic suspense. For that story, I interviewed police officers and detectives to help me write about private investigator sisters and their private investigator and police officer heroes. The heroine and the hero carried emotional scars that I needed input from a counselor and real people who had experienced those particular traumas. I do Internet research to get background and familiarity with various elements of the story, but I really enjoy first-hand interviews.

Where did the idea for your story come from? 

Dancing with Detective Danger was an exploration of family working together and creating family out of people beyond their biological family. I feel our commonly held beliefs for how family occurs and behaves is often far from the real experience of family. I wanted to explore different ways of finding groups where we get a sense of belonging. All my subsequent books, romantic suspense, paranormal romance, and contemporary romance, carry that theme of what makes a family, within the context of the developing love relationship, of course.

Why did you pick the setting you did? 

I only write stories set in the Midwest. There is so much natural beauty everywhere, but I like the variety of the Midwest. So whether the setting is a fictitious town during a Michigan winter, a rural area of Minnesota, or a big city located on one of the Great Lakes, nature is a frame for the characters’ experience. More recently, I’ve been having fun pinning setting images, which include housing fitting the characters, natural landscapes, town scenes, and other relevant elements, in my Pinterest book boards.

Are your main characters completely imaginary or do they have some basis in real people? Do they reflect aspects of yourself? 

My main characters reflect their individual stories. They are imaginary, but sometimes they may be an amalgam of a variety of personality types. I believe people are born who they are, but are also shaped by their life experiences and behave out of patterns and beliefs, rather than their true selves. Part of their character arcs demonstrate dealing with their understanding of who they are and learning about their true selves and how they want to express their values. So, in a way, that experience for characters reflects my personal goals, abstractly.

Did you face any blocks while writing the book, and if so, how did you handle them? If not, what's your secret? 

I wish I had magical secrets that would prevent blocks. The closest thing I have to a secret is personal, and it is to write. It’s not unusual for me to get bogged down and not write, which makes things worse. Over and over, when I just sit down and dig in, my muse is there with things to say. And I always say a big thank you to my magical, invisible writing team for showing up, because the next day may begin the same way. I really admire writers whose writing is hard won and they just keep soldiering on regardless of level of support, amount of available time, or bouts of discouragement.

What have been surprises you've encountered while writing the book and after? 

With each book, I have been happily surprised at being able to write, and finding that I like what I’ve written. I get pretty attached to my characters and their trials. For instance, in Probabilities, as I was writing I realized I was going kill off a young boy’s mother. I really struggled with that. How could I take away his mother??!! I cried during writing the scenes regarding her death and the child’s life after. That was surprising.

What did you learn? For instance, what did you learn about yourself, your process, the writing world; about technique, skills, and your goals? 

I love words and streaming them together, and reaching for a way to produce the kind of immersive experience I want readers to get. I always strive to improve my skills. But beyond all that, what I’ve learned from writing is that for me it is a vehicle for personal growth, purpose, and having more and more joy becoming more and more who I really am.

Tell us about your writing space and how or why it works for you. 

I lust after the writing space Tom Selleck had in the movie Her Alibi. It was upstairs on the second or third floor in a kind of large attic room with windows and books and disorganized order all around. But…I have a desk in front of a window, two tall bookshelves to my left filled with books I turn to during writing, a shelf with little things that inspire me or tickle my imagination, and filing cabinets. I would love a writing space in a personal library, and a much bigger desk, which would still be orderly in my own disorderly way.

What are some of your favorite books and why? 

Books that have taken my breath away include Persuasion by Jane Austin because of the characters’ palpable aching for each other; Jane Eyre because of the absolute devotion the main characters have for each other; and the Dark Materials series by Philip Pulman for their tremendous depth. I credit Kelley Armstrong’s Women of the Otherworld series with teaching me everything I needed to know about myself. I could go on, because there are the Harry Potter books, the Greywalker series by Kat Richardson, and on and on.

What are you working on now? 

Presently I am writing a contemporary romance I’ve tentatively titled Love and Cherish. It is a runaway bride story that is challenging me.

Would you like to try your hand at writing a different genre? Which one and why? 

I have written romantic suspense, paranormal romance, contemporary romance, and a children’s book. I’ve enjoyed writing them all, but I am keenly interested in writing women’s fiction and plan to start one this summer. I also dream of writing dark fantasy.

If you were not a writer, what would your dream job be? 

I would never not be a writer. LOL But I also would like to study and be knowledgeable about art history.

What aspect of writing gives you the most trouble? 

I’ll admit, writing skillfully to show not tell keeps being a challenge.

Who is your favorite hero/heroine? 

I’m going to be selfish and pick from my own books. Even picking from those books is hard. I love them all. But because Quinn in Probabilities is not a typical romance novel hero, I have a soft spot for him.

Lynn Crandall lives in the Midwest and writes in the
company of her cat. She has been a reader and a writer all her life. Her background is in journalism, but whether writing a magazine or newspaper story or creating a romance, she loves the power stories hold to inspire, empower, and uplift.

Visit Lynn:

Website            Facebook            Twitter  

Amazon            Instagram            Pinterest

Wild at Heart

Wild at Heart: Four Cat-Shifter Romances

by Four Authors

Releases June 19

It’s a feline frenzy with this sexy shifter bundle of paranormal romances. Watch out—these heroes and heroines have claws! Four purrfectly passionate matches are made for the ages in this were-cat collection.

The Cougar’s Pawn: Ellery Colvard escapes her perfectly organized life for a camping trip with her friends, hoping for a tiny thrill. Instead, she gets carried away—literally—by alpha were-cougar Mason Foye, who needs a mate to avoid his fate. But Ellery has some witchy ways, too, and she isn’t buying into his life story. The clock is ticking as Mason struggles to keep his son, his family, and the woman for whom he’s already fallen head over heels.

Secrets: Casey Mitchell has always kept his identity as a were-lynx secret. But he’s drawn to Michelle Slade, and when he begins to help investigate the circumstances surrounding a mysterious disappearance, the situation soon spins out of control. Their survival depends on trusting each other with secrets better left unspoken. Will these two lonely souls triumph and find true love … or lose everything?

Dragon Heart: In her haste to establish her own boundaries, leopardess Shay Barclay may have entrusted her heart to the wrong man—former Navy SEAL Drake O’Connor, a dragon shifter too dangerous to resist. Drake swore to protect his buddy’s daughter to the death, so when his explosive chemistry with Shay finally boils over and they end up in bed, her family’s political enemies are the least of their problems.

Secrets of the Jaguar: Hiding out in a small island town, Michelle guards her secret closely: she may look like the girl next door, but she’s a were-jaguar. When vampire Duncan comes to town after eight years of loneliness, he thinks Michelle’s a gift, not a freak. Together, they venture to Mexico where the ancient Mayan past holds the key to her elusive origins. However, when Duncan realizes an Aztec army of vampires needs Michelle’s blood to perform an ancient ritual, he’ll stop at nothing to protect her. But falling in love could be the most dangerous game.

Buy Links:

Simon & Schuster

Barnes & Noble

Kobo