Author: J.I. Soucie

Christian, wife, mom, and pet lover with a love and passion for reading and writing.
General Updates

Voice4Society Article & General Update

J.I. Soucie

It has been a while since I have posted any updates. It is hard keeping up with blog posts and getting to write due to the chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia. But today is one of my “wired-but-tired” days. Funny how your body can feel so revved up, but yet still feel so exhausted.

Anyway, I have finished an article earlier this week “The Story of Esther” for the Voice4Society blog. It has not been posted yet but when it is I will be sharing the link with you.

I have several articles I am planning to write but I am struggling to decide whether to publish them through the Yahoo Contributor Network, or go through magazines instead. My husband says I keep putting “the cart before the horse” , or worrying about where I am going to publish before I even have an article done. He says I should write first and then think about where I am going to publish and I know he says that because he is looking out for me. I am often so exhausted that thinking about publishing zaps what energy I have and then I am unable to write.

I am learning that with CFS/Fibromyalgia, I must think of things and do things a little differently if I am going to accomplish anything, let alone writing. There are many days I wish I had someone to manage the whole marketing and publicity thing for me. Just let me write and “here, you mange the rest”. But, I have no extra money to pay anyone so, I must spread things out do some writing here, and marketing/social networking there. It’s a lot to take for an Indie Author and you don’t have to have CFS/Fibro or a medical condition to feel how overwhelming it can be.

I am not giving up, however. I am not the kind of person to give in or give up. Life itself is full of challenges and facing them with God by my side is how I manage. Learning my limitations and sticking with them has been tough, but I am getting there and finding that when I work within the limitations I can do efficient work on my “good” days. I am learning it is not all about the quantity of what you can get done in a day, but the quality of what you finish and that you feel good about it.

Funny how you go on and talking about something you hadn’t intended to. Guess I felt, for some reason, I should. I know I am not the only author out there who has CFS and/or Fibromyalgia. Laura Hillenbrand has CFS too. (She is the author of Seabiscuit and Unbroken.) She has inspired me to keep on trying, and perhaps, as I started writing and all this CFS/Fibro stuff came out, I felt I could inspire someone too.

So now I am off to venture in some writing. Where the path may lead, we shall see!

 

Author Spotlight

Persistant Love by Laura J. Marshall – Free Kindle Book

J.I. Soucie

I would like to introduce you all, my blog followers & readers, to author Laura J. Marshall. Here is a bit about her new book Persistent Love. A brief author Q&A and bio will follow. Thanks for reading and please check out her book!

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Free Tuesday May 14th and Wednesday May 15th

Persistent Love:

Christian Romantic Suspense Novella set in 1685, England.

Fear has been Tara’s constant companion since age nine when she witnessed her mother’s murder. Tara’s father moves his family to the ancient castle of Raven’s Cliff, far from the ships that could carry her back to India and the answers she believes lie there. Andrew offers her friendship and guides her gently to the One who will give her peace. Will she find hope for something other than revenge?

A Brief Q&A with the Author, Laura J. Marshall.

Q: How many books have you written and in what genres?

A:  I have written two devotionals in my Battle Cry Devotional series (with three more slated for release), a story in a non-fiction anthology, and this fiction work which is Christian Suspense/Historical.

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Laura J. Marshall is the full-time mother of five sons and part-time writer and blogger. She operates a popular blog called The Old Stone Wall. Laura is the best-selling author of the Battle Cry Devotional Series. Visit www.LauraJMarshall.com to find out more about Laura’s books.

 

my opinions

What’s Your Favorite Content Submission Site?

J.I. Soucie

Alright so there are magazines out there looking for articles of all different topics and lengths, and can take forever to get published by. Now there are, and have been for several years now, these online content submission sites such as:

And on the list goes!

Out of the sites you have tried, which do you think is best and why? Do you think publishing by any of these means is less professional than seeking out a magazine out of the Writer’s Market?

I have been writing for Yahoo Voices (associated content) since 2006 but have really slacked off in the last year or two. I am signed up at hubpages but have not posted a single hub.I have tried getting into Suite 101, and Examiner.com but was denied. It seems you can get published more easily by those who don’t pay much if anything at all, but others like Suite 101, and Examiner.com have stricter guidelines to publish and turn people away. I don’t even know how much these guys pay, since I have not been able to get in with them.

My hang up with the “other” guys? Payment. I do a lot of research for topics I write and I’d like to get paid a reasonable amount for the time and research and I put into my writing. I am a stay at home mom with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome so I write in spurts, when I am having my good days. Regardless of these physical ailments, writing is a challenge and takes time for anyone and I believe we should be paid fairly for the research we do and the work we produce. For my personally, I feel like these pages are an “easy” way to get published and in front of people, but honestly, when people see that you have been published on these sites, do they take you as a serious writer, or has the definition of “serious writer” changed over the past few years with so many new means of publishing?

Does it matter to you, the writer, that you get paid for what you write, or do you just like writing and publishing and don’t really care too much if you are paid?

I am not trying to put anyone down here, just curious to the different views out there, and I know this can be a controversial topic. Feel free to post your thoughts. Really curious what others are thinking about this.

Have a great day and keep writing!

 

General Updates

What’s Your Favorite Email Client/Host?

J.I. Soucie

Okay so I have tried AOL, Yahoo, Gmail, Excite, and Hotmail and out of them all I like Gmail the best and then Yahoo. But if are an Indie author, musician, artist, etc. which email client do you choose out of those listed above, or do you use something completely different, for your professional email?

If you use a client listed above, what do you like best and least about the ones you’ve tried?

I am currently using a hotmail address for my professional email, but to be honest I really don’t care for it too much. I am thinking of maybe going back to Gmail, which I tend to like best anyway.

Now another question… when creating your professional email, do you prefer your name@email.com, or do you use something other than your name? If you use something other than your name, does it make you feel less professional, or just more creative? I like to use my name, but then sometimes wonder if it really matters.

I am really curious to hear what you think, so please feel free to share your thoughts with me on this!

I look forward to hearing from you. :) Have a great day!

 

General Updates

New Audiobooks Available!

J.I. Soucie

On April 29, 2013, The History of Sackets Harbor, New York became available as an audiobook on audible.com.

Audiobook cover
Audiobook cover

 

On May 1, 2013, Day & Night: A Collection of Nature Poetry became available on audible.com.

Audiobook Cover
Audiobook Cover

 

Both audiobooks will be available on Amazon and on iTunes within the next few days!

This is so exciting for me. When I started out writing it was for the pure enjoyment of creating something from my imagination and then later did I decide to publish. At the time, there was only traditional publishing available, or should I say that was all I knew of since I didn’t, yet, own a computer. But now there are so many avenues to publishing and in so many different formats it is unbelievable! It is so exciting to be an author at this day in age where the world of publishing is open to all formats of writing as well as many formats to publish your work in, allowing you to reach your audience in a shorter amount of time than by way of a traditional publisher. I am not trying to come down on traditional publishers here. I am just in awe…reflecting on the extent of changes in the publishing industry.

Well, I am off now. I have an article to work on and dinner to make!

God bless!

 

 

Uncategorized

Free Kindle Book – Once Within A Lifetime

J.I. Soucie

Today my friend, Phyllis Georgina Rose sets her book, Once Within A Lifetime, for free on Kindle for her free Kindle promo days. Her book is a Christian historical romance set in Paris.

 

Once Within A Lifetime [Kindle Edition]

Once Within A Lifetime
Once Within A Lifetime by Phyllis Georgina Rose
Phyllis Georgina Rose (Author)
 
Digital List Price: $4.99 What’s this? 
Kindle Price: $0.00 includes free wireless delivery via Amazon Whispernet
You Save: $4.99 (100%)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 30, 2013
Triessa Barrett, a successful fashion designer loves her work and traveling to wonderful places. On one of these trips she was told that someone is planning to attend and wants to meet her. She is in for a big surprise for when she meets Todd Noble her whole world is changed so much and she will become a new person with new ways of seeing and doing things. It becomes evident things need to be reworked because they must be able to see one another more often.

A new project comes to mind which is bigger than they realized and the whole family joyfully gets in on the effort and work together to bring this dream to pass. It is a great deal of fast work and wonderful arrangements. Families gather from all over and along the way dark clouds appear on the horizon and threaten to end their hopes and dreams. These fears shake her whole world in a way she has never experienced. 

With discussions and plans, the situation is tactfully brought under control. All goes smoothly and well until an unexpected situation comes to the front and again the dark clouds begin to roll back in. Patience and a little more time helps new plans to offer the solution that will settle their lives, allowing their beautiful dream to come to life in a big way at The Rose Garden.

 
    • File Size: 593 KB
    • Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
    • Language: English
    • ASIN: B00C4G2BCI
    • Text-to-Speech: Enabled 
    • X-Ray: Not Enabled 
    • Lending: Enabled
     
    Uncategorized

    Changes…Changes…Changes…

    J.I. Soucie

    So I here I sit at my laptop, my brain swarming with ideas…fiction…nonfiction…historical…health/food related…poetry…articles…novels… Aye! If I was an octopus I could probably work on all of these things….though I would need more sets of eyes to go with those extra hands. Prioritizing your ideas and tasks is never an easy thing to do. But that is where I am at. 

    Camp NaNo for this month has been put on hold. The story I was working on WILL be written, but the timing of it I don’t think is right. I have other pressing nonfiction stories to write in article and book form. Once I have those done, I am confident my very creative fiction side of me will kick in and I’ll be back to working on Facade (title pending). 

    The corruption in the food industry is heavily on my mind…I am a mom, wife, friend, sister, aunt, cousin, daughter, step-daughter, daughter-in-law…a cook and baker. It saddens me to hear of how a large company Monsanto has been destroying our food chain by altering our food and killing off insects (some beneficial like the honey bee) and they claim they are doing nothing wrong and GMO foods or genetically modified food, is safe for us those studies have proven otherwise. Due to this, my family and I have taken drastic actions in what we eat and have eliminated some foods completely. I am very passionate about this subject and if you’d like to read more I highly recommend this site: http://www.takepart.com/foodinc

    Camp NaNoWriMo

    10th Day of Camp NaNo

    J.I. Soucie

    The past few days I haven’t been able to write much. Boiling sap, watching a four year old, and doing laundry have eaten about two of my days. And on the 10th day of Camp NaNo, I am sad to report I only wrote 187 words! Ugh! Better than what I thought I would end up with. I had only 45 words written at one point but had a few spare minutes to rank up into the 100 mark. I’m inching but getting there.

    Total word count is just over 6600 words. I am rather behind in my daily word count and now need over 2160 words a day to reach my goal of 50,000 words.

    Here it is actually after midnight as I write this and the 11th day of the event, so I guess I will close out of here and go write some more while I have the chance.

    The house is quiet. Hubby, and daughter are asleep, and my imagination is running without me. I best catch up to it….

    Check back later! :)

    Camp NaNoWriMo

    5th Day of Camp NaNo

    J.I. Soucie

    Here I am sitting at about noon on the East Coast and my story is calling to me. I am sitting at 5,670 words for the first four days of writing and I have not begun yet today. I must first calm my growling stomach and then see how much writing I can do.

    I had my first word war last night and found it was fun and really helped keep me motivated. It helps when the days chores are done and everyone is in bed so I don’t get interrupted! I had to wait until 10:30PM for a word war! Ugh! That’s a long time to wait. But I made it. Was great and I can’t wait to do it again.

    I best be off for now so I can get myself in gear and get things settled so I can write.

    Best of luck fellow NaNo campers and God bless!

     

    Camp NaNoWriMo

    3rd & 4th Days of Camp NaNao

    J.I. Soucie

    Yesterday was not a great writing day for me. I didn’t get much sleep the night before and so only managed to punch out about 300 words.

    Today, the 4th day of Camp NaNo, I managed to write a little over 1,700 words. My story has totally take a turn I had not expected and the plot I had originally planned is kaput! Now I have to think of something else as the story goes along.

    Oh, man! I just don’t know what’s gonna happen! Guess that is the adventure in not following an outline but letting the story take you down paths you had not thought of before. Just letting the words flow from mind to fingertips can be such a magical experience it is almost like someone else is writing for me. It is amazing!

    Well, I am off to bed for now. Need some good rest for more writing tomorrow!

    Best of luck to those still writing, and for those off to bed, sleep well! Night!