#CarnieLuvsBoox

#IWSG September 2018: What’s your publishing path? #amwriting #amreading

Created and hosted by the Ninja himself, Alex J. Cavanaugh, the Insecure Writers Support Group posts the 1st Wednesday of every month. Click the image to learn more or sign up.

Hi there everyone. Guess what. I’m co-hosting today. Yay! Or Wish me luck, whichever you prefer. Be sure to stop by and say hi to my fellow co-hosts today: T. Powell Coltrin, M.J. Fifield, and Tara Tyler!

Optional Monthly Question: What publishing path are you considering/did you take, and why?

I tried traditional publishing but just couldn’t deal with the negotiating aspect of the process. I do, however, believe that if I’d had a better publisher the process would not have felt so restrictive. Many of my traditionally published friends have great relationships with their publishers. I’m a self-publisher at heart, but that doesn’t mean I’m against traditional publishing or won’t ever try it. In fact, I plan on submitting to the IWSG contest. Even if I don’t make the cut, I’ll be proud of myself for making the effort to actually submit my work.

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Last month, I started the habit of mentioning the member spotlight from the IWSG newsletter, so imagine my surprise when it turned out to be me this time around. Thank you IWSG. I’m so honored and grateful to be part of this community.

Be sure to stop by the IWSG blog today because we are announcing the judges for the IWSG Anthology Contest. I, for one, am very excited about this, especially since I think I might actually enter this one. In fact, I’m seeking at least two more beta-readers for the story I’ve been working on. It’s a YA historical-fantasy romance based on the Golden or White Stag mythology. If you’d like to beta read this short story, please visit my contact page and tell me why? (I’m asking for feedback by September 15th.)

Another honor that blew me away last month was that I won the Encouragement Award for the first WEP-IWSG Challenge. The winner and runner-up stories were amazing, and all the other stories offered good-quality entertainment. The next Write…Edit…Publish Challenge will be in October; theme- Déjà vu or Voodoo! I’m so ready for this. Check out my August story by clicking the image below.

Over at A Small Gang of Authors, I’ve taken on the role of co-manager. We issued our first-ever group magazine, which I think turned out great. Kudos to Erika M. Szabo for putting that together… Today, I’m finishing my blog series on words and their meanings in the English language. Oh, and we’re hosting our first-ever micro flash-fiction contest. Click the image below to learn more.

The IWSG Book Club book for August/September is: The Art of Memoir by Mary Karr. I guess I need to head to the library for this one. Haven’t picked it up yet, but I’m eager to. Memoirs have really begun to fascinate me lately.

I’ve put together a reader’s scavenger hunt, from September 7-9, and would love it if you’d give it a try. This is a real scavenger hunt. I’m using Rafflecopter to record the results, but this is not an online like and follow campaign. Its 50+ fun and bookish tasks for book lovers to complete and share online, such as taking selfies in front of their favorite bookstore or reading an excerpt from their current read, etc… The prize is a $50 gift card of choice plus $50 worth of bookish swag. Open to U.S. and Canada.

The whole point of this scavenger hunt is to make readers aware of my Lit Carnivale dream and have fun. That’s it.

Even though I can’t win, I’ll be posting my own task entries into the challenge, simply because I think it’ll be fun. Will you join me?

Follow the FB event to receive a reminder.

Now, on to the personal updates.

Well now, that was quite a bit, so I’ll keep this short.

Most teachers in the U.S. have headed back to school by now, and I’m not with them. This is the first year, in ten years, I won’t be working in a school. I think I’ll be okay, though. With my new job, I still get to work with the kids I love.

I have been writing up a storm. I just finished a piece I’m reluctant to release because it’s controversial and may make some people mad. Not sure what to do. I’m really proud of it, but not ready to face all the cyber-bullies.

I’m struggling a bit with my illustration, but I’m still doing it, so that’s something.

I just barely made it back to YouTube with this VIDEO, but it’s not quite BookTube worthy. The Carnie Loves Books Challenge should fix that this weekend.

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What’s your publishing path?

Are you entering the IWSG Anthology Contest?

Wanna beta-read my story?

Wanna try my scavenger hunt?

Any advice on publishing controversial topics?

The writing life comes with highs and lows. I’m blessed to be having a bunch of highs right now. I want to encourage you to stick with it and wait for your highs to come. They are on the way.

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After hanging out with Alex, be sure to stop by and visit this month’s other co-hosts:
T. Powell Coltrin,
M.J. Fifield, and
Tara Tyler R !

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Click here to visit other IWSG blogs and sites to receive and share more inspiration and support. (This month, I’m #54).

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

#IWSG August 2018: Writing Pitfalls to Avoid & a #Giveaway

Created and hosted by the Ninja himself, Alex J. Cavanaugh, the Insecure Writers Support Group posts the 1st Wednesday of every month. Click the image to learn more or sign up.

Optional Monthly Question: What pitfalls would you warn other writers to avoid on their publication journey?

The main pitfall I think many authors succumb to, myself included, is asking the wrong people for help or not asking for help at all. I learned the hard way that just because someone looks shiny and new doesn’t mean they are.

Some authors are great at building up an audience and having that look of success, but that doesn’t mean they have the skills to guide or mentor you. It sounds odd to write it out this way, but the best authors to help you are the ones who have either a giving spirit or a teaching spirit. The only way to find out if they can teach you is to spend time getting to know them. I took advice from authors who were further along in their career than I was, but their advice wasn’t meant for someone at my level. A new author and a long-established author aren’t working at the same level and may need to use different strategies.

Plus, there have been so many times where I’ve not asked for help simply because of all the bad experiences I’ve had working with others. Like it or not, though, sometimes you must take that risk and reach out; especially if it’s something that’s going to make you better at your craft.

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Congratulations to Jemima Pett on her newsletter spotlight.

Today is also WEP Challenge posting day. You can check out my entry my clicking the image below.

Over at A Small Gang of Authors, we’ve reached 156,166 views and heading toward 200,000 soon. If you guess when we’ll reach that goal, you could win $50. Pet Loki to make your guess.

The IWSG Book Club discussion on description featuring the title, The Lion, the Witch, and The Wardrobe is still going strong if you want to check it out.

Our book selection for August/September is: The Art of Memoir by Mary Karr

This one is for our memoir writers and anyone who has ever thought of writing a memoir. The discussion will start September 19th and will go to the end of the month, but it will be up indefinitely, so you can hop in whenever you’re able to join.

Oh, and there’s a GIVEAWAY!

Book club members have the chance to win a paperback copy of Plot and Structure by James Scott Bell. This is a used copy, but it’s in great condition. To enter, go to this Rafflecopter Form. It’s free to enter, but you have to be a book club member. We will verify this, so join us on Goodreads!

One winner will be randomly selected on August 8th, and Chrys Fey will email the winner to get mailing details. All info will be kept private.

I’ve put together a reader’s scavenger hunt, from September 7-9, and would love some help getting the word out. Here’s the thing. This is a real scavenger hunt. I’m using Rafflecopter to record the results, but this is not an online “like and follow” campaign. Its 50+ fun and bookish task for book lovers to complete and share online, such as taking selfies in front of their favorite bookstore or reading an excerpt from their current read, etc… It’s open to anyone in the U.S. and Canada. The prize is a $50 gift card of choice plus $50 worth of bookish swag.

The whole point of this scavenger hunt is to make readers aware of my Lit Carnivale dream and have fun. That’s it.

If you’d like to help me promote this or have any suggestions for me, please either let me know in the comments below or visit my contact page to leave me a message. It would mean the world to me.

Now, on to the personal updates.

Well now, that was quite a bit, so I’ll keep this short.

I’m enjoying my new job.

I’m writing more often, which has been a major struggle for me.

I’m illustrating more often too.

I’m working to get back on to YouTube; I really miss it.

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Any pitfalls you’d warn writers against?

Interested in the IWSG Book Club discussion or giveaway?

Have you done any writing lately?

Any tips on how to promote my scavenger hunt?

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After hanging out with Alex, be sure to stop by and visit this month’s co-hosts:

Erika Beebe,
Sandra Hoover,
Susan Gourley, and
Lee Lowery!

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Click here to visit other IWSG blogs and sites to receive and share more inspiration and support. (This month, I’m #55).

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

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