WARNING: Writers Avoid the Internet!!

Writers--Avoid the Internet

Hello and Welcome to the Focused on Story Blog. Focused is the word of the day for this post. Do you find yourself not quite focused on your writing? You can't seem to remember things? You are easily distracted?

In a study published this summer entitled The online brain: how the Internet may be changing our cognition., lead author Dr Joseph Firth reported, "...high-levels of Internet use could indeed impact on many functions of the brain."

Starting your day by checking your email and social media will set your brain up for a day of distraction. It's like starting the day eating sugar, so the rest of the day you will crave sugar. With all the multi-tasking online, you set up a pattern for your brain to be in high gear for the rest of the day.

In an article from the writing and wellness site, 5 ways are suggested to start off your morning so you will have a productive day of writing.

1. Read a poem
2. Read a book
3. Meditate
4. Make a gratitude list
5. Write down your thoughts for 5 minutes

If the Internet interferes with an adult brain, just imagine what it could do to a child's brain. The Internet has already shortened the attention span of adults to 8 seconds...shorter than a goldfish attention span. !!! 

Click here to read the entire article--5 Ways to Power Up Your Writing in the Morning.

Have you noticed you have trouble concentrating during the day? Do you have any other suggestions on how to start your morning without the Internet?  Please share them below in the comment box. Thank you.

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Dream Big!
Painting courtesy of Julie Ann McKevitt

GOOD NEWS:
Next week I'll reveal the book cover for my upcoming book release, Arranging a Dream: A Memoir.  I'm putting the final touches on it for the release in June from BWL Publishing. I have enjoyed looking back at the first year we were in the floral and greenhouse business. Oh, did I mention we had no experience in the floral business or the greenhouse business, except for GT's hobby greenhouse? All I can say is to Dream Big! No matter your age or experience. Go for it!

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The Rose Courier will arrive in your inbox with all the latest info on books, contests, jokes, giveaways, but ONLY if you sign up for it. Scheduled to go out on February 4. Sign up now!

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If you need inspiration and howw-to tips to write your memoir, Your Words, Your Life Story can help you.
Check it out as a journal paperback book or as a guide in eBook format. 

Your Words, Your Life Story: A Journal for Sharing Memories by J.Q. Rose 

Click here to order the paperback journal.

Your Words, Your Life Story: A Guide to Sharing Memories

Click here to download the digital copy from your favorite online bookseller.

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➽For group support, click here to join us at the Facebook Support Group, 
Telling Your Life Story and Memoirs Circle. 
Jog your memory, tips on memoir, informational videos, and meet like-minded people like you.

Writing and the Internet
http://writingandwellness.com/2019/12/02/5-ways-to-power-up-your-writing-brain-in-the-morning/

IWSG Blog Hop: My Character is ME!

IWSG Blog Hop---the first Wednesday of every Month.

Hello and welcome to the Insecure Writer's Support Group Blog Hop! 

Always on the first Wednesday of the month.

What is the Insecure Writer's Support Group?

Founded by author Alex J. Cavanaugh, the Insecure Writer’s Support Group offers support for writers and authors alike. It provides an online database, articles and tips, a monthly blog posting, a Facebook and Instagram group, Twitter, and a monthly newsletter. To find out more, click this link:  Insecure Writer’s Support Group

The purpose of the group is 

* to share and encourage. 

* Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. 

* Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. 

*It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds! 

You're invited to become a member of this supportive group. Click here to sign-up to join.

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July Question 

July 3 question: What personal traits have you written into your character(s)?

Very personal indeed! My character, Lauren Staab, is me! Let me count the ways.

Deadly Undertaking
Romantic suspense
On Sale at Smashwords $1.50

• Yes, she is the daughter of a funeral director just like me.
• She works hard and is reliable like me. 
• She eats the same food I do. 
• Her condo is decorated like a home I would have if I were 35 years old again. 
• The funeral home she works in is modeled after my Dad's funeral home.
• She overthinks things like I do.
• She's smart like me. (wink wink)

In fact, I had a very, very, very difficult time establishing this character because I was too up close and personal with her. When I finally separated me from Lauren and stepped back to get a different perspective of her, I was able to continue writing the book.

I have never had a problem developing a character using my imagination to conjure her up. But since she was me, I guess I couldn't get the brainstorming/creativity to flow. Have you ever had that problem when developing a character? Please leave a comment below and let us know your experience. Thank you!!

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BIG NEWS FOR READERS AND WRITERS!

July1-31 2019 Smashwords is having a 75% off SALE! Check it out at Smashwords.com.

Thanks for stopping in today. To continue the blog hop, click the link below and scroll down to the list of participating bloggers! Click this link-- Insecure Writer’s Support Group

To the US --Wishing you all a Happy and Safe Fourth of July!

Armchair Travel:The Gilmore Car Museum

Vintage Hearse at the Gilmore Car Museum

Hello and welcome to the J.Q. Rose blog!

A handsome detective,
a shadow man,
and a murder victim kill
Lauren’s plan for a simple life
Available at Amazon

Are you wondering why I put an old hearse at the top of the page? Well, in case you didn't know it, my family was in the funeral business. Growing up as a funeral director's daughter, I had plenty of fodder to write a mystery that takes place in a funeral home! Deadly Undertaking was so much fun to write drawing upon my experience. Readers enjoy the twists and humor I wove into this quirky murder story set in an unusual location. Having funeral director brothers for resources was a bonus! Thank you Jim and John. 

I found this gorgeous old hearse at the Gilmore Car Museum near Kalamazoo, Michigan. If you live near the area or if you have time to take a day off, please make the trip to visit this amazing place. From my video, you'll see it isn't a stuffy old museum full of dinosaur cars. My daughter was delighted she came along and of course, my grandsons and son-in-law were in heaven seeing all the cars and engines.

The museum's mission is "to collect, preserve, exhibit, and interpret the history of transportation in America; to connect people with the heritage and social impact of the automobile; and to provide an understanding of the past, embrace the present, and imagine the future."

They certainly deliver on their mission displaying "Ford Model A's to Cadillacs, Pierce-Arrows to Duesenbergs, Studebaker to Chevrolet, and more." 

Even if you aren't a car buff, I think you'll appreciate the beauty and art work of these magnificent vehicles. Here are just a few of the models we saw and appreciated.

Now relax and enjoy a short video I made when we visited the museum in September with our daughter and her family.

You Tube VIDEO: A Stroll Through the Gilmore Car Museum, Kalamazoo, Michigan

You Tube VIDEO: A Stroll Through the Gilmore Car Museum, Kalamazoo, Michigan

Check out the earlier blog post I wrote about the museum here.
Do you love the old cars? What's your favorite? Please leave a comment below. Thank you.

Welcome Spring Celebration Sale and Giveaway

Welcome Spring! The daylight is longer and the breezes warmer as we enter into anticipated Spring weather. Oh I know Spring is a bit temperamental at times. Last year in Michigan March was warmer than April fooling the fruit trees in to blooming early. An unusually cold April came along and froze the blossoms. Farmers had a bad year due to the capricious spring weather. 

I'm looking forward to a wonderful spring full of flowers and foliage and a summer brimming with abundant  fruit and veggies.

 To celebrate the arrival of Spring, I am offering my book for girls, Girls Succeed: Stories Behind the Careers of Successful Women at a 25% discount. The price was $3.99, but now is available for  $2.99. 

This e-book about careers includes interviews with fifteen remarkable women who have achieved recognition for accomplishment in their occupations. This diverse group of careers encompasses women in the arts, business, science, medicine, ministry, entertainment, and sports. Stories include women who have stamped out disease, made people laugh, earned Olympic and Paralympic gold medals, crossed the country in the cab of an eighteen wheeler, and many more chapters to inspire and empower girls to reach for their dreams.

Here's what reviewers say about this non-fiction book for girls 9-14 years old.

Review by: Sue Perkins on Dec. 14, 2012 :     
How many of us have dreams when young which we never realize? The women in this book have all achieved their dreams and are to be applauded for their efforts. All worked hard to get to the level they desired, but some had to work harder than others when life put obstacles in their way. They're not all high flying professional women, their goals range from chef, to minister, to scientist to gold medallist.

This book is well written and very informative. If you have a dream you don't think you'll be able to attain I suggest you have a look at this book. It will certainly give you inspiration for your own goals.
(reviewed long after purchase)

Review by: Rochelle Weber on Nov. 18, 2012 :     
This is a wonderful book. It contains the stories of several women in many walks of life who have pursued their dreams and succeeded in reaching them. Each story starts with the age at which the woman decided what she wanted to be when she grew up, and then tells how she reached her goal. In some instances the women went to college and got one or more degrees in order to pursue their dreams. In other instances they practiced daily at athletics or music. There was even the story of a woman who became a truck driver. Yes—a woman who drives a big rig. I’m pursuing my dream of writing and being published, and even I found it inspiring and empowering. Thanks, Ms. Rose.
(reviewed within a month of purchase)

GIVEAWAY

If you are interested in a Study Guide to accompany the book, email me your request for a FREE guide and save $.99. My email addy is jqrose at gmail dot com. I will send you a PDF copy suitable for printing.







Here are the Links to download a sample or to purchase the book at Smashwords and 

Amazon as well as Kobo, Barnes and Noble, and Sony.

Thanks to the Beach Reading Bonanza Authors

What a diverse group of stories for you to escape with this summer.

Many thanks to the authors who visited this month during the Beach Reading Bonanza. It was fun to read how they spend their summers. Their stories are a mix of mystery, sweet romance, romance, light horror, and paranormal genres. All are designed so the reader can get lost in another world for entertaining summertime reading.

If you missed one of these author's interviews, please check my blog posts list to catch up with them.

July 12 --Pat Dale Sleeping with the Enemy
July 14--Mike Arsuage My Life as a Dog and Subspecies
July 19--Joselyn Vaughn Sucker for a Hot Rod
July 22--Debra Shiveley Welch Cedar Woman
July 26--Marva Dasef Missing, Assumed Dead

Wishing you all a happy reading summer!!

Sound the Trumpets! Sunshine Boulevard Releases Today!!

Sound the trumpets! Sunshine Boulevard marches onto the world-wide stage of e-books today! Muse It Up Publishing releases this mystery/horror with humor e-book March 1, 2011, along with a great line-up of books full of interesting stories sure to intrigue and tantalize all readers.

I want to thank so many people who have helped me along this journey to reach the title of "published author." From my grandmother, Ma, to my sister-in-law, Sandy, who encouraged me to write as far back as when I was in high school. After selling our retail floral and greenhouse business, I screwed up my courage to ask our regional newspaper editor, Rich, if he would be interested in some ideas I had for articles for the paper.  When I turned in my first one, he actually ran it in the paper with my byline. Thanks, Rich, and the staff at the Times-Indicator! 

Through the years editors, my writing group who meets at the library, and writers online such as Audrey Shaffer and the gang at The Writers Chatroom and Lea Schizas' free Muse Online Writers Conference have provided valuable information and encouragement. The welcoming, warm authors and editors at Muse It Up Publishing have shepherded me through the process of editing and answered so many questions from this newbie novelist with patience and humor. I am blessed to have my daughters and husband walking this new path with me. Thank you Sara, Lee Ann, and Ted.

It is my pleasure and great honor to offer you, my readers, this entertaining, quick read for you to enjoy. Thank you!

Sunshine Boulevard is available at Muse It Up Publishing bookstore, amazon.com, bn.com, and e-book retailers online.

What is Sunshine Boulevard All About?

Are you curious to discover what the story is in Sunshine Boulevard, a mystery/light horror novella coming out tomorrow, March 1?

Back of the book blurb: Mysterious deaths upset the Florida retirement community interfering with their seasonal activities and turning up more than dead bodies... 

Excerpt

“Jim, Jim!” Gloria threw her keys on the kitchen counter and then stashed her mat and barbells in the hallway closet.

            “Jim!” She called louder. He was not in the Florida room. She gingerly stepped from the kitchen to the carport. She darted into the attached shed housing the laundry room with storage in the front and Jim’s workshop in back. She walked through the workshop and out the back door to the neat little back yard and found him watering their garden plot.

            “Did you hear about George MacDonnell?” Gloria shook her auburn hair, compliments of her favorite brand of hair color #118.  Her clear blue eyes filled with tears.

            “Yes, I heard.” Jim kinked the hose to stop the water flow and dragged it to the faucet on the back of the house. He slowly turned the tap to cut off the stream of water and dropped the hose to the freshly cut grass.

            “How sad that he died alone. Oh, Jim, he wasn’t discovered for so long his body just ro...” She couldn’t say it.

            “Gloria, come in the house. I have to tell you something. I don’t want the neighbors listening in on this conversation.”

            Gloria knew her husband of thirty-five years well enough to realize something

wasn’t right.

            As they stepped into the bright kitchen, Jim turned to her. Looking straight into her eyes, he said, “Royce called this morning. George’s death was peculiar. I guess, that’s what the Medical Examiner is saying.”  

Jim was friends with the county M.E., Royce Williams. They worked together on investigations involving the First Responders Unit. Living in a retirement community, the Medical Examiner and medics were frequent visitors. An ambulance at a home was not a significant event at Citrus Ridge. It was part of life and death.

            “Royce told us George’s body did not rot. It couldn’t have decomposed that quickly because Miss Lottie checked on him every day when she brought him the mail in the afternoon. She delivered it the day before he died. He was alert and talked about the weather.

            “When Lottie called 9-1-1 at one o’clock yesterday, she was so upset she couldn’t even speak. They traced the call to her house. When the police arrived, she only pointed to George’s house.”

            Jim stopped a minute. Gloria saw the anguish in his face. “They discovered George sitting in the living room in his recliner. His body was mustard yellow. His clothes were melted to his body. The odor was not a rotting smell, but rather like burning or scorching. In fact the fabric in the chair was charred. Ron was the first responder. He told me when he and the paramedics touched the body, it turned to powder.”

            Gloria cried out in disbelief. She covered her face with her hands. “Dear God. What happened, Jim? What could have caused such a thing?”

             “Ron arrived at the scene first. You know Ron. Always talking and telling great stories.” Gloria remembered the usually fun-loving raucous Ron.

            “Royce told me there was such a look of horror in Ron’s eyes. He was traumatized by what he saw. Ron told him he moved George’s wrist, and his hand fell making a pile of yellow ashes on the floor.”

            “Dear God.” Gloria sat down at the dining room table feeling nauseous. Jim wiped his eyes. “I don’t know how Ron and Lottie will ever forget this nightmare.”

             The ominous feeling of inexplicable danger washed over her. Jim sat down heavily in the chair across from Gloria reaching his hand across the table. She rested her hand lightly on his. After thirty-five years of marriage, she knew they needed no words; just a touch for comfort and strength to carry them through what she feared would be the difficult days ahead.

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E-book Formats Are Confusing...Here's Help

Once upon a time there were e-books and e-zines in their own little world on the Internet. The people laughed and thought how clever to write a short little booklet of information accessed on the pc. Then the clever little electronic books found their niche as promotional tools in business.

In 2000 Stephen King presented his fiction in the form of a "digital novella" which added credence to the idea of e-books having a place in the publishing business. Today with the Kindle, Nook, and more e-readers, plus apps for reading on other devices, the e-book is part of the national scene, not replacing print books, but enhancing the availability of stories and information to readers.

With so many reading devices, there are different e-book formats. Nothing is standard...yet. So if you are confused as to what format you need to order when purchasing an e-book, David Normoyle has added a Format Guide to his website. This clear, easy-to-read guide is a great reference for you. Thanks, David.

David's new e-book, Crimson Dream, is available now at Muse It Up Publishing bookstore.

Ebooks Outsell Print Books in Holiday Sales

According to an article at USA Today, ebooks outsold print books during a week of holiday sales. From this popular national newspaper--"USA TODAY's Best-Selling Books list, to be published Thursday, will show digital's new popularity: E-book versions of the top six books outsold the print versions last week. And of the top 50, 19 had higher e-book than print sales."

It is little wonder that the ebook sales are happening during this time of the year since the paper reports about three million to five million ereaders were activated during the month. That is mind boggling. Activation doesn't necessarily equal sales. Some who received the gift may find the new-fangled reader more of a pain than a joy, (but I hope they don't tell their loving children since most were probably gifts from children and family members.) How many of the three million will actually enjoy reading from  an electronic reader or prefer turning the pages of a print book? Old habits are hard to change.

My daughter gave me a Kindle last May for my Mother's Day and birthday gift. I was delighted and enjoy the ease of looking up a book, paying for it, and then downloading it so I can read it within a blink of an eye. I also like being able to change the font size for easy-on-the-eyes reading.

Ebooks are here to stay. They are impacting the writing and publishing business, but I don't believe they will eliminate the paper books. Somehow I can't imagine cuddling up with my two year old granddaughter with my Kindle. It is too much fun to turn pages of a colorful picture book and ooh and ahh together at the images on the large page. What a joy to flip the pages back and forth to find that same frog on a page we read earlier.

Print books are here to stay, but ebooks will find a place in our lives in this new era of electronic books.

Final Galley

A galley. Thesaurus.com uses these synonyms for a galley--galley , galley proof, impression, page proof, pass, pull, repro, revise, slip, stereo, trial, trial print, trial proof

Were you thinking of a kitchen on a boat? No, it is a publishing term derived from setting type in a metal sleeve and placing it on the printing press. In modern terms, I received a galley from my publisher and it was a digital file of my entire book, Sunshine Boulevard, as it will appear as an online ebook. Lea Schizas, formatting editor and publisher at Muse It Up Publishing included instructions--"go over this with a fine tooth comb." I searched for typos, grammar errors, punctuation problems, incorrect line spacings. whew...Now it's on me if there are any goofs in the book. That is scary enough, but even more scary is what she added.--"The sooner you get this back to me, the sooner we can finalize it and send it out for reviews."

Reviews, what? That has me shaking in my boots. My little story which I wrote closeted at my safe desk oblivious of the world around me, will now be sent out into the cold, cruel world for criticism, judgment, praise, applause, or rotten tomatoes.

The plan is for release on March 1, 2011. When I signed the contract for Sunshine Boulevard, I thought March 1 was so far away. Now it is just around the corner. I am excited to share it with readers, but also a bit apprehensive. Whatever happens, I have enjoyed the adventure into publishing.

Going Flamingo

I am going flamingo crazy! Just because the book cover for my upcoming ebook, Sunshine Boulevard, has a pair of flamingoes on the front, I am searching everything flamingo. I think it will be fun to use these symbols of fun Florida sunshine to add to the conversation about my mystery/horror story that takes place in Florida.

On the right side of this page, notice the flamingo pair on the cover of the book make a heart shape. No it isn't a romance. What is the significance of the heart? The book cover designer, Delilah, figured this one out. Very clever gal. Perhaps as you peruse the info on this blog and my author website, you can figure it out.