Tag: LitCon

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IWSG

#IWSG May 2021: Are your followers friendly or scary?

Feliz de Cinco de Mayo! If you like Facebook Live, you should check out the video I posted yesterday talking about the underappreciated day.
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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: Has any of your readers ever responded to your writing in a way that you didn’t expect? If so, did it surprise you?

Yes. First of all, having anyone respond to my writing at all is always a shocking experience. Whether it’s a 1-star or 5-star review, it blows my mind that someone would take moments of their life to publicly comment on something I’ve written.

Secondly, I’ve received some interesting emails from people who’ve liked and disliked my work. Again, I’m astounded by the effort it took for them to either fill out the contact form on my Contact page or find my email address just to send me a message. One of my favorites was, a bit scary and, from a person demanding I hurry up and write the sequel to one of my stories.

Lastly, up until recently, I have cherished every comment I’ve ever gotten on my blog, even when they weren’t always positive, because again I appreciated the time taken to connect and communicate. Recently, however, I receive a comment on my blog that felt very much like an attack and a passing of judgment against me and my entire race. I do not cherish that comment, and yet, I will not remove it. I will leave it there as a reminder. A reminder that when you ask for comments, you must face the fact that not all of them will be cherished.

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IWSG BOOK CLUB ON GOODREADS

Well, I finished both books for the may discussion and am dreading having to come up with something to say about The High Mountains of Portugal (I just didn’t like it.). Deep Point of view was great. Probably gonna read more of her books.

Our March/April/May reads are…
The High Mountains of Portugal by Yann Martel is our fiction selection that offers a great use and example of description.

Deep Point of View (Busy Writer’s Guides Book 9) by Marcy Kennedy is our writing craft book with a focus on deep POV.

Discussion Day for both books will be May 26, 2021!

Please consider JOINing US for our next discussions.

 

So, I relaunched my newsletter, making is an homage to my love of reading. I think the first one went well. We’ll see how this months goes.

Now, on to the personal updates.

There were some really great entries in the WEP challenge in April and wish everyone the best with the continued challenges for 2021. I will be stepping away from the challenge for a while, maybe forever, not sure at the moment. It has been a wonderful supportive environment to develop and hone skills and I encourage struggling writers to seek it out. I will miss the community and enriching variety. I’ve learned so much but must now move on to learn elsewhere.

I’m sure there’s more I have to share, but my mind is a buzz with many things. I’d like to leave you all on a silly note by sharing a video from my YouTube channel, should anyone be interested in checking it out.

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Has a reader response ever shocked you?
Any thoughts on the IWSG Book Club books?
Any other interesting bookish or geekish news to share?
It may take some time, but I promise, I will eventually stop by your blog.

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After hanging out with Alex, be sure to stop by and visit this month’s co-hosts:
Erika Beebe,
PJ Colando,
Tonja Drecker,
Sadira Stone, and
Cathrina Constantine!

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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 #36).

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 #blacklivesmatter

Categories
IWSG

#IWSG April 2021: Do you play it cool or take risks?

Let me start off by saying that I’m done with blogging and writing….
That’s just silly. I can’t even keep a straight face while trying to write this. I have no idea how people pull off decent April Fool’s pranks. So glad that’s over and done with. 😉

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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: Are you a risk-taker when writing? Do you try something radically different in style/POV/etc. or add controversial topics to your work?

I feel like, for the most part, I’m a write what I know kind of writer, even when I’m writing fantasy, but there are times when I challenge myself. Sometimes those challenges can be risky. I once attempted a gender-neutral story- didn’t turn out too bad. I like playing around with POV but I’m not very good at it. I do think I have a knack for adding in darkness where it’s unexpected and mashing up genres in unique ways. But that’s just my perspective. I’d need more feedback from readers to really know.

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IWSG BOOK CLUB ON GOODREADS

March was a very slow reading month for me. I will be posting my book reviews on this blog later this month, but for now, I’m only halfway through The High Mountains of Portugal. I haven’t even started Deep Point of View, but I have a plan to catch up.

Discussion Day for both books will be May 26, 2021!

Please consider JOINing US for our next discussions.

Remember this post. Well, guess I’m a glutton for punishment. I’ve relaunched my newsletter but it’s very different from anything I’ve done in the past. Here’s the sign-up if you’re interested. It will focus on my love of reading. Here’s the message I sent to all my old subscribers.

Now, on to the personal updates.

I’ve been struggling to write a piece for the WEP April challenge. I’ve started it but can’t seem to finish it… And there it is, my insecurity. Not being able to finish a story I’ve started.

I actually have a lot more to share, but I think I’ll wait ‘til next month. I’m writing this post pretty late in the evening and feel I need to get my ideas more organized before sharing them with the world.

For anyone who was curious, I enjoyed my time with LitCon last month. You can watch the fantasy panel I participated in here: https://youtu.be/eBySbxc-AtE 

My February book reviews can be found in the video below. March reviews will soon follow (shh, there’s only 3).

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Are you a writing risk-taker?
Read any good books lately?
Any other interesting bookish or geekish news to share?
It may take some time, but I promise, I will eventually stop by your blog.

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After hanging out with Alex, be sure to stop by and visit this month’s co-hosts:
PK Hrezo,
Pat Garcia,
SE White,
Victoria Marie Lees,
Lisa Buie Collard, and
Diane Burton!

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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 #37).

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 #blacklivesmatter

Categories
Fun Hops Other

Heroes and Heroines Blog Hop #LitCon2021

We are excited to have you on this delightful adventure!

Come along with us and meet some amazing heroes and heroines who may just win, or break, your heart. We have the supernatural, the unnatural, and the magical on this journey for you.

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Hi there, I’m Toi, for anyone new stopping by, and welcome back to all my faithful subscribers. Today I’ll be sharing a short interview with the hero of one of my short stories in the collection, Legend of the Boy, In the Window, and Other Short Stories.

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Today, you’ll be getting to know Derek from In the Window.

Toi: What’s up Derek?

Derek: Oh, you know. Dead people as usual.

Toi: Ok, so we’re just getting right into it, aren’t we?

Derek: I see no point in pleasantries. I barely sleep anymore. The boy is gone but all the rest are still here.

Toi: Well, don’t give too much of your story away just yet. Why not tell the people a little about yourself first?

Derek: Fine. I used to be a cleaner. A guy who took care of messy situations that turned fatal. My partner and I wanted to start a legit cleaning business, but that was the only work we could get.

Toi: So, were you guys criminals?

Derek: Technically, we were just cleaners, but all our clients were criminals and we never reported the things we cleaned up. So, I guess we were kind of in the wrong. I guess that’s why we were cursed.

Toi: Okay, so let’s talk about the dead people. Do you see them, hear them, feel them?

Man In Gray Hoodie Behind The Window, March 17, 2020 by Máximo at Pexels.com

 

Derek: I see them in reflections, such as windows, TV screens, silver wear, and most of all mirrors. I can’t stand mirrors anymore. At least I can’t feel them, and they can’t bother me too much unless I invite them for a conversation.

Toi: Wow, how did this all start?

Derek: The last job my partner and I did was the first time I saw the spirit of the body we were to dispose of. Then I found out about the boy. I thought he was the cause but turns out he was just the catalyst.

Toi: What happened in your story?

Derek: Without giving too much away, once I was able to give the boy what he wanted I was free of him, but it came at a high cost.

Toi: So, what’s next?

Derek: You tell me. You’re the one who’s been writing about me so much lately.

Toi: That’s right I have. I’ve decided to continue your story and put it in another collection to be released, hopefully, in 2022.

Derek: I hope my next story has a better ending than the first.

Toi: We’ll just have to see.

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If you enjoyed this stop on the tour, don’t miss out on meeting the other awesome heroes and heroines:
Stop 1 Introduces Sigurlina from Horn of the Kraken 
Stop 2 Meet Derek who sees dead people
Stop 3 Meet THYA, a prophesied saviour to her kinsmen
Stop 4 meet Othrun of A Drowned Kingdom
Stop 5 Meet Fury and Havoc of the Hunters Saga

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 #blacklivesmatter