#TeaserTuesday

  

Hetti's first day on the job, and she's off to her first murder scene...

BUY NOW: http://www.books2read.com/WAM

 [ID: A green background with the title WALK A MILE at the top and Out now in ebook and paperback just above it. The except reads:

“So, Fyfe,” Sabrina said. “Let’s go show you your first crime scene.”
She had a wry grin on her face and I saw a glint in her eye. This was another part of her plan to see how well I’d stand up over the coming weeks. I knew that if I fainted or puked at the sight of a dead body, then I was probably never going to live it down. I took a deep breath and followed her and John as they led the way to the scene of my first murder case.

At the bottom is Joey Paul and just below that the website www.joeypaulonline.com, in the bottom left corner is the New Apple Award seal, and in the bottom right corner is the logo for Bug Books. END ID]

 

Making Time For Fun - The Creative Process

MAKING TIME FOR FUN

We are now half-way through NaNoWriMo 2021, and I wanted to do something today that would both help spur you all one, but would also talk about something that's been on my mind a lot recently, and that is making time for fun amidst all the writing.

As you all know, I'm disabled, chronically ill, and I don't really get out much. I write as my job, and I don't have many other commitments when it comes to my time. That said, I don't really have a lot of free time for fun things. There's an occasion where B, my best friend and carer, will be talking about doing something away from home, and being the way I am, I'll usually explain it's a writing day and that I'm busy. It was really only when I went on holiday in October to Cornwall, that I realised how isolated I'd made myself, and how little time I made for fun alongside the writing.

I know that for some people, they can only squeeze writing in between other commitments, and that because they want this to become their day job, they don't want to risk taking time away from that precious writing time to do other things. There's nothing wrong with that, working hard isn't a bad thing. However, never taking time out, never spending some time with friends and family, and never doing something fun that might cut into the writing time is a cause for concern.

I'm pretty lucky that my writing time usually happens first thing in the morning, before everyone else has woken up, and so while away I was able to have two writing days. I thought about doing more, I'd taken along everything I needed to do so, but B, and my mum, were strict. I could write first thing on the two days I'd planned to, but otherwise, this was a break, there were sights to see, and a hot tub calling my name. And they weren't wrong.

It can be so easy to get caught up in the daily grind, either as someone with a day job, or someone who's a full time writer. There's this idea that if we're not working, then we're doing something wrong, we're wasting time, when that couldn't be further from the truth. With a challenge like NaNoWriMo, you'll find that a lot of people are having to squeeze in time around other things so that they can end the month with 50K. It's all well and good for one month out of twelve, but sometimes, I notice that it doesn't stop there.

We are human, we all need breaks. Whether that's spending a week in a cabin in the woods with a hot tub, or whether that's going out and about with friends and family doing things that you also very much enjoy. Whatever the reasoning, it's important to have that downtime and have those breaks, because otherwise we're all going to end up burned out, or worse, hating what we're doing and quitting it altogether.

I've heard enough horror stories of writer and author friends who just get to the end of their tether and up and quit because they just got burned out to the point where telling stories no longer appealed to them. I don't want that to happen to any writer, unless it's what they want, so I'm here to tell you that it's okay to take time off, it's okay to take breaks, it's okay to make time for fun along the way.

Writing is hard, it's isolating, it takes a lot of energy and brain power, and there will be times when you need to push through, but there are more times when taking a break, leaving the writing to sit and heading off to have some time, is the right thing to do. Self-care is not a bad thing, and it's something that I will never tire of saying. You need breaks, the writing will be there when you come back, recharged and ready to pick it back up again. You may even find that you've managed to solve a plot thing, or even come back with more stories to tell.

In the end, having fun is an important part of being a human being, so make time for it, and go out and enjoy yourself.

Any questions? Lemme know in the comments down below.

Follow Joey here on her blog, or on Facebook or Tumblr to be kept up to date with the latest news regarding Joey and her books

Review of Spirit Of Fire by Elin Dyer

Seventeen-year-old Jade Taylor is used to getting into a spot of trouble, but everything changes the night she and her twin brother Jack confront their sister's predator. Faced with a vicious gangster, an impossible fire, and a mysterious old woman, Jade witnesses a coverup of enormous proportions that threatens to change humanity as we know it.

While Jack's biggest concern is getting revenge for their sister, Jade throws herself into investigating the strange occurrences that spiral around her: fields spontaneously combusting, reports of flames erupting from people's fingertips, and hundreds of men and women being secretly contained underground. But those are not the only problems, because something is happening to Jade's body--and she doesn't understand it.

With no one to talk to about the impending danger that night-time now has, and no way to explain the bizarre changes that are happening to her, Jade can only turn to Ariel, a mysterious stranger who seems to have answers. A man who may--or may not--be involved in the gang led by her sister's abuser.

Jade must decide who she can trust--and quickly--else she'll never save her sister, and the rest of humanity will become the pawns in a supernatural battle.

Amazon 

My Review: 5 STARS

I picked this up for the chronic illness rep, and was not disappointed with the story at all. The story was engaging from the first page, a story that twists and turns and brings you to the end leaving you waiting for more, desperate to know what will happen next. Jade and the others were all well-rounded characters, all engaging and with little bits of themselves that made you root for them. I adored the book and ended up reading it in one sitting. Very much recommended!

Join Joey here on the blog on Fridays for interviews, reviews and guest bloggers. If you'd be interested in doing any of those, you can contact Joey here.

Life Of Joey & Bi-Monthly Goals - November 2021 [CC]

Telling you all about what I've been up to over the past month, as well as reviewing goals, and setting new ones! #Authortube

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#TeaserTuesday

 

Everything is changing for Tara and not all of it is good...

BUY NOW: http://www.books2read.com/DTSC

 [ID: A yellow lights background with the title DYING THOUGHTS - SIXTH CHANGE at the top and Out now in ebook and paperback just below it. The except reads:

I sat there and tried to process what he’d just said to me. He’d *forgotten* my birthday? What the hell? This was not like my dad to forget my birthday. Then again, it was the first birthday since he’d re-launched his career.
“You forgot? For real? You’re not just trying to set up a surprise?” I asked, trying to keep my anger in check. Maybe it was all an act? Dad usually has a tell, but I wasn’t seeing it.

At the bottom is Joey Paul and just below that the website www.joeypaulonline.com, in the top right corner is the Readers ' Favorite 5 Star Review seal, and in the bottom right corner is the logo for Bug Books. END ID]

 

Being Healthy With Your Goals - The Creative Process

 

BEING HEALTHY WITH YOUR GOALS

It's coming up to that time of year when some of us look back at the year behind us and start to look forward and think about what we'd like to achieve in the coming year. I do a bunch of goals of different speeds. I do monthly goals on a private blog, bi-monthly on my Authortube channel, yearly there as well as here on the blog. I also do weekly goals in my planner. My point is that you can approach goal making in a number of different ways and they're not always going to be the same.

For example, my yearly goals are more broad, they stretch over the whole year, and I'll do a six month check in during June or July. My bi-monthly goals are more focused, as the name suggests, on the coming two months and the tasks that I'll need to achieve to be able to reach my yearly goals. The monthly goals on the private blog are like that too, but on a month basis, as are the weekly ones in my planner. You get the point. I start broad and work my way down to seeing what I have to manage each week/month/bi-month to achieve those goals I set at the start to the year.

You can also do quarterly goals, which are quite popular, but have never really appealed to me, but if that works for you, then go for it. I know there are a number of Authortubers who do goals this way and it's always interesting to see how they structure them all.

But why bring this up in November? Well like I said above, we're coming to the end of the year, it's not here yet, but it soon will be, and one thing I really wanted to stress this year, after the hellscape that have been 2020 and 2021, is that you need to be healthy with your goals. I don't mean that you should be making exercise or weight loss goals (unless you want to) but that you need to be sure that the goals you're setting yourself aren't going to have a negative effect on you, either physically, mentally, emotionally, or otherwise.

For me, the point of starting afresh with a new year is to try and make some positive changes. I know a lot of people will aim to lose weight, or start a new positive habit, like writing, or reading a certain number of books, and these are all fine things. They don't work for everyone, but the point of goals is to focus on you, and what you want to achieve and where you want to be in the coming year.

But they need to realistic. I understand wanting to aim high, and that works great for some people, but personally, I know that if I'm getting to the end of the year and I know that I told myself I would release ten books and write ten more, I'd be anxious as anything, and I'd be setting myself up to fail. I know that, usually, I finish four books a year, I also know that I don't think I can manage more than two releases in a year, so setting a stretch goal that I know I would have to double or triple my workload to manage, is not healthy for me personally, and it'll just lead to lots of stress, burnout and the feeling that I'm failing myself and everyone else.

So what can you do to make sure that you're being healthy with your goals? My advice has always been to start small, and that's no different here either. I know from years of writing consistently that I can achieve at most four books in a year. The way I write, the time constraints my conditions put on me mean that I can't write daily, and I can't, usually, manage more than twenty chapters in a month. There was a period a few years ago when I would aim for twenty-four chapters every month, and all it got me was burnt out. So now I stick to twenty on the regular, and then when I start two new projects, usually in May and November, I'll write two chapters in one day for a few days and call it done.

If you know what you're able to achieve in one month, one week, or even a year, and you want to stretch yourself a little, then by all means up the goal slightly. Just be honest with yourself about whether or not you can realisticly achieve it. If you know you can't, don't set yourself up to fail because no one wins in that scenario.

So when setting your goals this month, or even in 2022, make sure that you're healthy about it. Bear in mind that you have a limited time, what you're able to manage and aim higher if you want to, but make sure you won't be pushing yourself to breaking point to get there.

Any questions? Lemme know in the comments below!

Follow Joey here on her blog, or on Facebook or Tumblr to be kept up to date with the latest news regarding Joey and her books

Review of Death By Midnight by Nicole Nadeau

When her inventions put her loved ones in danger, can this brilliant teen rescue them from hostile international agents?

Anna Goode feels her gift is more of a curse. Bullied at school for her high IQ, the sixteen-year-old genius can’t even tell her parents about her clever contraptions for fear they’ll treat her differently. But when a Russian madman kidnaps her family and demands she build him a doomsday device, her sharp mind is the only thing that can save them.

Teaming up with her best friend, Anna races against the clock to gather the materials to meet the villain’s deadline. And now struggling to stay off the CIA’s radar, the daring high schoolers could be the only people between a maniac and millions of lives.

Can these fearless spy kids free Anna’s parents and protect the rest of humanity?

Amazon

My Review: 4 STARS

I was intrigued by the premise for this book and wanted to give it a shot. It starts fast-paced and it caries on that way throughout the novel. Anna and Jake are engaging characters, jumping into their mission with only one goal: to saving Anna’s parents and stop the worst from happening. I ended up reading the book in one sitting and found it hard to pull myself away from it. There were a few bits and pieces that made me stumble with the disbelief, but at the end of the day, it was a good book, and an enjoyable read.

Join Joey here on the blog on Fridays for interviews, reviews and guest bloggers. If you'd be interested in doing any of those, you can contact Joey here.

 

44 Facts About My Writing Process [CC]

Giving you 44 facts about my writing process! #Authortube

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#AUTHORCITY BIRMINGHAM JULY 2022 SIGNING TICKETS: https://bit.ly/3fRLjxg

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BLOG: http://www.joeypaulonline.com/
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#TeaserTuesday

 

Cat is sure about what she wants, even if her parents don't agree...

BUY NOW: http://www.books2read.com/INAR

 [ID: A blue and purple gradient background with the title IT'S NOT ALWAYS RAINBOWS at the top and Out now in ebook and paperback just above it. The except reads:

“I’ll just take one of the ones that have a free space,” I said, feeling a bit smug. I know, I know, best interests at heart and all that. However, I already got the speech from my parents on an almost daily basis; I didn’t need my girlfriend telling me the same thing.
“I despair of you!” Sarah said, sighing. I knew she was joking though because we’d had these discussions a number of times before.
“Now you sound like my mother,” I said, joking. Sarah leaned over and her lips met mine. We shared a gentle kiss before she pulled away slowly.
“I bet your mother doesn’t do that,” she whispered.

At the bottom is Joey Paul and just below that the website www.joeypaulonline.com, in the top right corner is the Readers ' Favorite 5 Star Review seal, next to it is a New Apple Award Seal, and in the bottom right corner is the logo for Bug Books. END ID]

 

Writing & Isolation - The Creative Process

WRITING & ISOLATION

One thing that has always been hard for me is how isolating the writer life can be. As most of you know I'm disabled, and mostly stuck at home these days. I live with my best friend, who's also my carer, and her child, and while we all have our own space in the house, we do still talk between the rooms and all of that. Mx. D is a buddying writer, and they have a lot of fun talking out ideas and the like, but it's still isolating. I have a friend, who's also my editor, and we talk daily and chat about this and that, but at the same time, it's still isolating being a writer.

So what can you do about it? There are, even with the plague times still upon us, places you can go to try and help with that isolation, and help with the want to speak to like-minded people, who know the feeling of being trapped a little in the world of your characters and not really being able to talk to other people who get it within your own home. For me, a lot of these are inaccessible either because of the way I work, or the places they're held being just literally inaccessible. That's not to say that you shouldn't try to get out there and have a go at relieving some of that isolation, just that not everything will work for you, and that's completely okay.

#1 WRITING GROUPS ONLINE
I've specified online because for someone like me, who's trapped inside a lot of the time, the online space can be so welcoming and accessible. You can find people who think like you, who write stories like you, who want to connect and all the rest on places like Facebook and the like. These are great spaces for trying to branch out without having to leave the comfort of your own home.

#2 WRITING GROUPS IN PERSON
I would be remiss to mention one without the other. If you're someone who can travel, and is comfortable doing so, then yeah these can be a goldmine. It allows you to get out and be face to face with other writers, and they're usually local to you, and meet regularly.

#3 LIVESTREAMS
These have been so popular in the Authortube space for a while now. It's not something I've found easy to use, because I personally don't have a good enough computer to run sprints, and my sleep schedule is so off-kilter with everyone else's that I'm awake and able to write at the wrong times. I'm also not someone who writes well to short sprints. I much prefer going into a chapter and writing for a big chunk of time, so it's really not something that I've found useful, but if it works for you, then great!

#4 DISCORD GROUPS
I've made this a separate point than writing groups online because I usually find that discord is a whole different beast. On these groups you can easily do sprints, talk to people, share your work, and all of that. It's a great way to meet up with people and still get to do your writing and such in your own way. I've found a fair few that work well for me, and they sometimes have a sprinting bot that allows you to just jump into a sprint whenever you feel like it.

So there we go, those are my four things that help with the isolation around writing. It's not something that gets talked about a lot, we'll discuss things like burnout but less about the feeling of just being very alone in your writing space. I find that every little thing helps, and I hope some, or all, of these were useful to you!

Any questions? Lemme know in the comments!

Follow Joey here on her blog, or on Facebook or Tumblr to be kept up to date with the latest news regarding Joey and her books