Living A Writer's Life
Interviews, new book releases, release parties, live events, convention news, and resources of interest to writers.
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Can You Gift an Author ISBN Numbers? (The Answer Is, Sort Of!)
From time to time someone might ask an independent author, “What would you like as a gift?” What that author doesn't dare say, but might really want and need is ISBN numbers
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Start Easy Hobbies That Boost Your Wellbeing and Connect You with Others
Aspiring writers and book lovers juggling deadlines, writer’s block, and the lonely loop of drafts and edits often end up treating downtime like another task to optimize.
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Fiction Writing as Freelance Work
Fiction writing can be a real freelance pathway for college students and recent graduates who want to get paid for storytelling skills without waiting for a “big break.”
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Scam Alert: The Book Marketing Grifters Have Crossed A Line
If you're a writer with published books, you've likely heard of the book marketing grifters that are flooding email, setting up social media accounts to pitch their scams in private messages, and no…
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Author Friends… Need Reviews?
Attention authors! Who needs book reviews? We ALL do.
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POLICY CHANGE: My Book Reviews
For many years I've reviewed books upon request, for free. I've enjoyed helping authors improve their book's visibility and rankings with my reviews. But I am also an author. And while I've been…
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Parlor Poetry Ready for Preorder
Discover the curious and innovative Victorians and marvel at their inventions and discoveries, fashions and fads, along with more than a few peculiar habits and beliefs in Parlor Poetry: A Victorian Versification Abecedary.
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If you could talk to a publisher… oh wait, now you can. Opinions wanted!
The founder of a new publishing platform is hoping for lots of input on a survey created to help better understand what readers and writers want from publishers.
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Wuthering Rewrites – The Fantasy Faire Workshop Chatlog
The full chatlog from the "Wuthering Rewrites" Mashup Workshop at Fantasy Faire 2025 in Second Life.
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Wuthering Rewrites: A Mashup Workshop for Writers
Here's a slideshow featuring 25 mashup book covers, the event poster, and a full chatlog of the workshop from the Fantasy Faire 2025 event in Second Life.
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Read an eBook Week!
My novel, kid's short story collection, and two cookbooks are all 50% off at Smashwords this week!
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I Found Eleven Ways to Rhyme with “Zoetrope”
This book's been simmering on the back burner for quite a while, but I'm moving it to the front and turning up the heat.
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Shepherd – A Shared Love of Books
For many years, I've used Goodreads to keep track of the books I read. I admit it, I'm a junkie for the Reading Challenge. But over the past couple of years, I've found…
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Second Life Book Club Shreds It!
On Wednesday, Draxtor Despres brought his weekly show, the Second Life Book Club, to The Inkwell in New Babbage.
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NaNoWriMo’s Stance on AI – and AI’s Stance on NaNoWriMo
A friend alerted me to changes at NaNoWriMo that are are, to be un-delicate, causing a complete and utter shitstorm among the writing community on X, and I'm sure plenty of other places,…
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The Second Life Book Club – Drax and Ceejay, Together Again!
For my second visit with Drax, we will talk about my new cookbook, Shredding It: A Cabbage Cookbook and whatever else comes to mind! Update: Drax decided to bring his show to my book shop.…
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Shredding It – Sightings in the Wild
I'm starting to see sightings of Shredding It here and there!
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Fantasy Faire Chat Transcript: The AI-lephant In The Room
There’s no denying that AI is here, probably to stay. How can a writer ethically make use of this technology to get tasks done, and still sleep well at night? My co-host for…
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Writer’s Workshop with Ceejay Writer: Getting Down To It – The Reality of Fiction Writing
This is the transcript of a workshop held in the virtual world of Second Life. About 30 avatars attended. There's lots of chatter and brainstorming going on (as often happens in SL) as…
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Second Life’s Fantasy Faire Literary Festival 2024 Begins
Fantasy Faire is open! Check the Literary Festival calendar for my events, which I will be running as my avatar, Ceejay Writer.
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Break A Spell Contest
Break a spell and share it for a collection of magical short stories and the chance to hear your story read by a voiceover artist!
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Igniting Your Creative Spark: Strategies to Flourish and Unleash Your Full Potential
In a world where creativity is the currency of innovation and personal fulfillment, finding ways to boost your creative energy is more crucial than ever.
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The Making of a Cover: Behind The Magic of The Hencha Queen
Ever wonder what goes into the making of a book cover? J. Scott Coatsworth, author of the Tharassas Cycle, lets us in on the evolution of the amazing cover for The Hencha Queen,…
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Book Review: Suck a Little Happy Juice
Whether you're a fledgling author or a seasoned one, this book is for you. Even if you've 'gone traditional', you'll get a lot out of this book of advice, written by an author…
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Navigating the World of Freelance Writing: A Guide to Success
The realm of freelance writing is a vibrant landscape offering boundless opportunities for those with a flair for words.
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All My Books – Half-Off or Free
Saaaaale! My novel, kid's story collection, and cookbook are all half-off through New Year's Day. And my three kid's short stories (The Steamkettle Kids Save the Day, The Legend of the Engineer, and…
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BLACK FRIDAY UNSALE!
For an unlimited time, you can buy ALL my books at full price! There's absolutely no limit on quantities, either! This offer has NO deadline, NO hidden fees, NO catches, NO discounts.
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New Release Soon! J. Scott Coatsworth’s ‘The Gauntlet Runner’
The Gauntlet Runner is the sequel to The Dragon Eater (books 1 and 2 of the Tharassas Cycle) and will be available for purchase Thursday, September 21st.
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Writing Workshop: Blurbs the Word!
If that back cover description isn't compelling, your potential audience could be passing you by. Learn how to hook a casual browser and turn them into your next avid reader.
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Writing Workshop: Continuity: Solid Worlds, Believable Characters
Ever have a character change their hair color, accent, or even gender in mid-story? And it's not part of the plot? Oops. If your Loki-wannabe isn't a shapeshifter or a trickster, it's up…
