IWSG April 2026 National Poetry Month

 

Welcome readers, writers, authors, and bloggers!

We're glad you're here! It's the First Wednesday of the month, when we celebrate IWSG Day as a blog hop featuring members and guests of the Insecure Writer's Support Group. Founded by author Alex Cavanaugh (Thank you, Captain!) and fostered by like-minded associates, IWSG is a comfortable place to share views and literary news as we record our journeys. Check out the April newsletter here.

The awesome co-hosts for this month’s posting of the IWSG are:  Melissa Maygrove, Cathrina Constantine, Kate Larkinsdale, and Rebecca Douglass!

 Today’s entirely optional question: If you have a playlist (or could put one together) that either gets you in the groove to write or fits with one of your books, what is it? What type of music or what songs?

Happy April, everyone! I love music.  I think it narrates the feelings of our souls, even as we sometimes tap our pen to paper, waiting for words to drip out.  Since we’re all about writing here, it’s a good time to remember it’s National Poetry Month. Do you write poetry or have a favorite poet? 

I have two favorite poets. My first favorite is Robert Frost. Do you know he’s the only poet to date to win four (4!) Pulitzer prizes? I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve read “Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening.”

My other favorite poet is Sinclair Lewis, and his poem “The Road Not Taken.” Do you know he’s the first person to ever refuse a Pulitzer prize? The award was for his novel Arrowsmith, which Lewis didn’t feel quite met the criteria, which was at that time work that “best represents the wholesome atmosphere of American Life.”  Nonetheless, the “powers that were” declared that his award would stand in perpetuity. And so it has.

My two favorite poets, walking in the woods and such, always call to mind songs by John Denver, or Bad Company (Seagull), or James Taylor.  I was listening to Chris Rea this afternoon.

Happy writing in April!

IWSG March 2026 Elements of a successful book launch

 

Welcome readers, writers, authors, and bloggers!

We're glad you're here! It's the First Wednesday of the month, when we celebrate IWSG Day in the form of a blog hop featuring members and guests of the Insecure Writer's Support Group. Founded by author Alex Cavanaugh (Thank you, Captain!) and fostered by like-minded associates, IWSG is a comfortable place to share views and literary news as we record our journeys. Check out the December newsletter here.

The awesome co-hosts for this month’s posting of the IWSG are:  PJ Colando, Ronel Janse van Vuuren, and Natalie Aguirre! 

 

 Today’s entirely optional question: What elements do you include in your book launch? Or what do you have in mind for your future book launch? Or what advice do you have to offer to others planning to launch a book?

One of the topics I hear the most laments about is getting mailing lists out early. Depending on the length of the campaign, sending out additional reminders might not be a bad idea. You know I’m hoping for feedback on my thoughts, right?

Defining target audience, timing of launch, and venue. I learned a lot my first time out, basically stumbling around 😉

Beyond the immensely helpful blog mentions by faithful friends with more time on their hands than you do (in the middle of a book launch), why not make it an event to remember? Even a small group of ten people all dressed in red T-shirts (as nondescript as possible) is bound to draw a few curious passers-by. Especially if you throw in a couple dozen cupcakes and a few rounds of Musical Chairs. By the time my meager group of mini readers sauntered away with personalized (signed) copies of Beanie’s Backyard, few would realize that it was they who had turned milling around near the Food Court outside of a bookstore at the Mall into a book event!

Such fun that was! As I watched the kids, moms, and grandparents walking away, a thought occurred to me, as it all too often does, what if they don’t like the book? What if they don’t even read it?  

Hoping to calm my worries, I decided to research how to know the things I’m so unsure of. Now I’m unsure of that as well 😉

Here’s what I found:

While many believe you have only to read the first 50 pages of a book to decide if you want to finish it, Page 69, I’m told, is where you’ll find the heart of the book. By page 69, the author has established a storyline, introduced characters you won’t mind hanging out with for a while, and basically found his/her voice as a lead narrator of their latest literary masterpiece.

See you all out there!

Happy Writing

 

IWSG February 2026

 Welcome readers, writers, authors, and bloggers!

We're glad you're here! It's the First Wednesday of the month; when we celebrate IWSG Day in the form of a blog hop featuring members and guests of the Insecure Writer's Support Group. Founded by author Alex Cavanaugh (Thank you, Captain!) and fostered by like-minded associates, IWSG is a comfortable place to share views and literary news as we record our journeys. Check out our monthly newsletter here.

The awesome co-hosts for this month’s posting of the IWSG are:   J Lenni Dorner, Victoria Marie Lees, and Sandra Cox!

 Today’s entirely optional question:    Many writers have written about the experience of rereading their work years later. Have you reread any of your early works? What was that experience like for you?

Have I reread any of my early works? Absolutely! Though, not often. Until recently, I began selecting stories for a children's collection and was pleasantly reminded of how attached I ended up getting to the younger characters as they grew and flourished in the stories I wrote. In some cases, it’s been somewhat of a homecoming. Still others I’ve reviewed (admittedly) left me wondering what the heck I was thinking😉 (Not a children’s story😊)

For the most part, rereading is exhilarating. Motivational, even. Especially when I’m effortlessly transported back into a story that greets me like an old friend. Hanky’s got a few new notes in her Hatbox, indicating the story can indeed go on. It seems the Otters have learned a new routine for entertaining the encroaching Beavers at Wet Bottom Crossing down at Wiggle River, and then there was this crumpled note tossed in the idea box as if by accident:

One scorching- hot summer day when you couldn’t tell the heat waves from sweat dripping in your eyes, there came a turquoise excavator to help us build a pond in the dusty old field out back. But Cotton’s place had a reproachful past that seemed bound to affect uncertain futures like ours.

Oh, the gum-smacking lady driver with hot pink lipstick meant well. In fact, she didn’t even know what she’d dug up when my dad started frantically waving his arms to stop the digging, and my mom fainted right there in the dirt.

But I should start at the beginning.     * * *

I may revisit Cotton’s Place again real soon. As well as half a dozen other stories 😉

I look forward to reading about your experiences. I’ll have just enough time to hop around and visit before I’ll need to rest my eyes for a while. Hope to see you all in April!

Happy writing!

 

 

IWSG January 2026

 

Welcome, readers, writers, authors, and bloggers!

We're glad you're here! It's the First Wednesday of the month; when we celebrate IWSG Day in the form of a blog hop featuring members and guests of the Insecure Writer's Support Group. Founded by author Alex Cavanaugh (Thank you, Captain!) and fostered by like-minded associates, IWSG is a comfortable place to share views and literary news as we record our journeys. Check out our monthly newsletter here.

The awesome co-hosts for this month’s posting of the IWSG are:  Shannon Lawrence, Olga Godim, Jean Davis, and Jacqui Murray!

 Today’s entirely optional question: Is there anything in your writing plans for 2026 that you are going to do that you couldn’t get done in 2025?  

Oh, absolutely! Don’t know that I will, but I’d like to finish two novels and compile, create, and publish a book of short stories that have been languishing in my Children’s file for far too long.  It will be fun catching up with my illustrator. I swear, she got better (as if that were possible) once she had her own children. But she got a lot busier, too 😉

First and foremost, this year, I’ve resolved to take care of my vision. It’s terribly important.

What’s on your agenda for this year? Are you starting anything new? Have you ever worked with more than one editor at the same time? 

Here's to wonderful beginnings!

IWSG December 2025

 

Welcome readers, writers, authors, and bloggers!

We're glad you're here! It's the First Wednesday of the month; when we celebrate IWSG Day in the form of a blog hop featuring members and guests of the Insecure Writer's Support Group. Founded by author Alex Cavanaugh (Thank you, Captain!) and fostered by like-minded associates, IWSG is a comfortable place to share views and literary news as we record our journeys. Check out our monthly newsletter here.

The awesome co-hosts for this month’s posting of the IWSG are:  Tara Tyler, Ronel Janse van Vuuren, Pat Garcia, Liza, and Natalie Aguirre!

 Today’s entirely optional question: As a writer, what is the coolest/best gift you ever received?   

Gosh, I’ve received so many cool writer gifts over the years it’s hard to recall who gave what. Ranging from thoughtful to frightful to humorous, each and every gift touched me in a special way as welcome reminders that someone thought enough of me to gift me with it.  I loved the waterproof pencil and notepad that stuck to the wall of my shower; if only I could see without my glasses 😊 I’ve revisited my books “On Writing”, “Bird by Bird”, “Essentials of English”, and “Elements of Style’, on numerous occasions. I was dismayed when the last bit of wick in my John Steinbeck candle burned out, but then I received a new candle called “Smells like she’s writing a Bestseller”.  Last year my daughter gave me a small Christmas tree decorated with tiny replicas of books I’ve written as well as a few I loved as a child. I vowed to put the “Writing tree” out on display every year (while I wear my tiny book-replica earrings) from then on 😉

I’ll be around to see what your favorite writer/writing gift is – or was. Does anyone have Scrabble Magnets for the fridge in case inspiration strikes (or wans, I guess) while you’re having coffee?

Happy Writing and a very Merry Christmas to all!

 

IWSG November 2025 Let's Not Forget This

 

 

Welcome readers, writers, authors, and bloggers!

We're glad you're here! It's the First Wednesday of the month; when we celebrate IWSG Day in the form of a blog hop featuring members and guests of the Insecure Writer's Support Group. Founded by author Alex Cavanaugh (Thank you, Captain!) and fostered by like-minded associates, IWSG is a comfortable place to share views and literary news as we record our journeys. Check out our monthly newsletter here.

The awesome co-hosts for this month’s posting of the IWSG are:   Jennifer Lane, Jenni Enzor, Renee Scattergood, Rebecca Douglass, Lynn Bradshaw, and Melissa Maygrove!

 Today’s entirely optional question: When you began writing what did you imagine your life as a writer would be like?    

The only thing better than reading a good story is writing one. I knew that after reading my first favorite book – I think it was “Miss Lollipop’s Lion). Later, I carried “The Velvet Room” around with me long after I’d finished reading it as if setting it aside would somehow lessen the impact the story had on me. As if putting it on a shelf would cancel the book tour. I couldn’t let that happen to any book, to any writer. My solution was to write often. Let no bookshelf go unlined with books for – and about – any and everything!

How hard can it be?

I imagined a writer’s journey to be paved with fewer potholes (wherein hide all the things you better not say,) I imagined many more filling stations (for when inspiration invariably runs low), a glove box that refills itself with snacks – oh! As well as a thermos of Iced Tea (or coffee on cold days). Turns out, writing wasn’t the same (as I’d so naively imagined) as a road trip with Grandma, but it can be even better. If you write it right!

“Books have a unique way of stopping time at a particular moment and saying: “Let’s not forget this,” ~ Dave Eggers

Happy writing!

 

IWSG October 2025 Favorites

 

Welcome readers, writers, authors, and bloggers!

We're glad you're here! It's the First Wednesday of the month; when we celebrate IWSG Day in the form of a blog hop featuring members and guests of the Insecure Writer's Support Group. Founded by author Alex Cavanaugh (Thank you, Captain!) and fostered by like-minded associates, IWSG is a comfortable place to share views and literary news as we record our journeys. Check out our monthly newsletter here.

The awesome co-hosts for this month’s posting of the IWSG are: Beth Camp, Crystal Collier, and Cathrina Constantine!

 Today’s entirely optional question: What is the most favorite thing you have written, published or not? And why?      

Great question! And an easy one as well, since one book in particular has been on my mind like a jumping bean; “Me! Pick me!” and in my heart with love everlasting for the little guy for and about whom it was written. The little guy is eighteen now, and while he’s still as curious as he was at two, his Nana doesn’t share every new discovery ;-)

I love everything I’ve written. Not for the purpose of selling them, though some actually have. Sold, that is. I’ve given away more poems than I can count. I dearly love the act of writing. From start to eventual finish, it’s being on my own adventure where all my favorite characters are invited to accompany me. Writing Beanie’s Backyard was my way of chronologically savoring adventures that I was fortunate to accompany him on ;-)

I’m looking forward to your thoughts on favorites.

Happy Writing!

 

IWSG Sept 3, 2025

 

Welcome readers, writers, authors, and bloggers!

We're glad you're here! It's the First Wednesday of the month; when we celebrate IWSG Day in the form of a blog hop featuring members and guests of the Insecure Writer's Support Group. Founded by author Alex Cavanaugh (Thank you, Captain!) and fostered by like-minded associates, IWSG is a comfortable place to share views and literary news as we record our journeys. Check out our monthly newsletter here.

The awesome co-hosts for this month’s posting of the IWSG are: Kim Lajevardi, Natalie Aguirre, Nancy Gideon, and Diedre Knight!

 Today’s entirely optional question: What are your thoughts on using AI, such as GPChat, Rapter, and others with your writing? Would you use it for research, storybible, or creating outlines/beats?

I’ve been skeptical all along – not so much about using, but about trusting AI. Don’t believe everything you read or hear, right? And that was before Chat or any of that. The Internet has always seemed (to me) to be “THE Edge” that people either jumped from or steered clear of.

Nevertheless, I tried it. However, not for writing. Because that would be cheating, skimping even. How could I put my name on something I didn’t write?

A friend and fellow member of this group makes an excellent point regarding exactly where AI gets the information we so eagerly consume…which brings me to my recent first and, so far only, adventure into the world of Artificially Intelligent (how reassuring is that?) bot-forms who live in your computer writing for and about anything; including you and anyone else who deems them trustworthy, simply by updating my resume.  

The new resume wasn’t terrible. It just didn’t seem right. Or real. And I didn’t write it. It was lightning-fast though! Where I simply listed “Author” it inserted genres and websites and enough information to fill an entire page in a matter of seconds.

Would I use AI for research? Yes. I guess I already do. I love research, and AI makes it so easy…I just need to believe in the validity of the information I read. How about you? Since I have the honor of co-hosting this month’s IWSG, I’ll be around to read your thoughts on the subject.

Happy Writing!

 

IWSG August 2025

“Think. Check. Submit.”  Or not?

 

Welcome readers, writers, authors, and bloggers!

We're glad you're here! It's the First Wednesday of the month; when we celebrate IWSG Day in the form of a blog hop featuring members and guests of the Insecure Writer's Support Group. Founded by author Alex Cavanaugh (Thank you, Captain!) and fostered by like-minded associates, IWSG is a comfortable place to share views and literary news as we record our journeys. Check out our monthly newsletter here.

The awesome co-hosts for this month’s posting of the IWSG are:    Ronel Janse van Vuuren, Natalie Aguirre, Sarah - The Faux Fountain Pen, and Olga Godim!

 Today’s entirely optional question:  What is the most unethical practice in the publishing industry?

This is an incredibly good question! I’m just dismayed to report that there are more “shady” practices than we should ever have to acknowledge. After absorbing so many warnings, and articles depicting examples of fraud and deception I was reaching for the Tums and starting to question my own (inadvertent though they may be) actions in the industry. Have I given everyone the credit they deserve? Was I careful with my research and accurate in my reporting?

In a word, my answer is Integrity. Or rather, the lack thereof. That alone can result in most of the trickery we see going on in the industry today. Here are a few reasons why I think so.

 

"Genius Borrows nobly." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Happy writing!

 

IWSG July 2025

 

Welcome, readers, writers, authors, and bloggers!

We're glad you're here! It's the First Wednesday of the month, when we celebrate IWSG Day in the form of a blog hop featuring members and guests of the Insecure Writer's Support Group. Founded by author Alex Cavanaugh (Thank you, Captain!) and fostered by like-minded associates, IWSG is a comfortable place to share views and literary news as we record our journeys. Check out our latest newsletter here.

Our awesome co-hosts this month are:   Rebecca Douglass, Natalie Aguirre, Cathrina Constantine, and Louise Barbour!

The optional question for this month is: Is there a genre that you’d really like to try  writing in and haven’t yet? Do you plan to?

Yes. And yes, it's already in progress.

Every writer generally writes whatever poem or story stirs the inspiration enough to bring a story to glorious life. I didn't start writing to write exclusively for children, but for a time, it seemed I had. It didn't occur to me that I had written an adventure for children or a mystery for young adults until I had. Good thing I have so many good folks around to tell me what I'm doing; "Hey, did you ever finish that mystery you were writing? And "How's that memoir coming along?"  

Should I be worried that no one has asked about the ghost yet?

How's your journey? 

IWSG June 2025

 

Welcome readers, writers, authors, and bloggers!

We're glad you're here! It's the First Wednesday of the month; when we celebrate IWSG Day in the form of a blog hop featuring members and guests of the Insecure Writer's Support Group. Founded by author Alex Cavanaugh (Thank you, Captain!) and fostered by like-minded associates, IWSG is a comfortable place to share views and literary news as we record our journeys. Check out our monthly newsletter here.

The awesome co-hosts for this month’s posting of the IWSG are:  PJ Colando, Pat Garcia, Kim Lajevardi, Melisa Maygrove, and Jean Davis! 

 Today’s entirely optional question: What were some books that impacted you as a child or young adult?

Growing up in a neighborhood called Enchanted Hills, on a street called Land’s End, it’s no surprise my reading tastes would lean toward all things imagined or dreamed of – even if they kept me up at night ;-)

Goodnight, Moon was the perfect book to fall asleep to. I’d heard it so often I could recite the story to myself when no one felt like reading to me. After reading Corduroy, I began collecting buttons because you never know when you might really need one. Years later, I lay awake wondering if the kids would discover what happened to their father in The Railway Children. I marveled at how alike Posy (Ballet Shoes) and I were, and how excited I was to finally graduate to toe shoes. Would I be as good as Posy?

Ours was a house full of cats and readers. We even had a library. A newspaper was delivered every morning and every evening. Everybody read something. Even the birdcage was lined with funnies from the Sunday paper. I suspect the cats always knew exactly what we were feeding them and thanked us with theatrical disdain, while the scotty dog (like the Monopoly game) at least feigned indifference so as not to cause a scene.

A story I loved as a child was told to me in reference to all the cats we had. I wasn’t sure, at the time, that any real book existed.  As far as I know, I’ve never known anyone who owned a copy of the book "Millions of Cats" (1928); however, it remains the oldest American picture book still in print to date.

But the book that remains the one, the first one, the unforgettable first story that flowed across my heart like warm syrup on a pancake, still remains in full detail on a repeating reel as if I’d walked those fields with Robin. It was after I read The Velvet Room that I ever dared to consider writing something myself. Zilpha Keatley Snyder inspired me.

Happy writing!

 

“If we don’t change direction soon, we’ll end up where we’re going.” ~ Professor Irwin Corey 

 

IWSG May 2025 Becoming an Elephant

 

Welcome, readers, writers, authors, and bloggers!

We're glad you're here! It's the First Wednesday of the month; when we celebrate IWSG Day in the form of a blog hop featuring members and guests of the Insecure Writer's Support Group. Founded by author Alex Cavanaugh (Thank you, Captain!) and fostered by like-minded associates, IWSG is a comfortable place to share views and literary news as we record our journeys. Check out our monthly newsletter here.

The awesome co-hosts for the May 7 posting of the IWSG are Feather Stone, Janet Alcorn, Rebecca Douglass, Jemima Pett, and Pat Garcia!

 Today’s entirely optional question: Some common fears writers share are rejection, failure, success, and lack of talent or ability. What are your greatest fears as a writer, and how do you manage them?

By listing all the common (been there, done that) fears, this question really gets to the heart of what’s left of the matter when comes to the final little shadow of fear that looms in the corner of my peripheral conscientiousness like the old White Elephant that everyone considered an attainable treasure until it appeared in “the room” unannounced. I call it relevance, and it’s what I’m afraid of losing. It’s also the elephant that no one wants to talk about.  How do I even know I ever had it? Here are a few thoughts…

 “Relevance to me is about being creative and doing things you believe in, whether that’s music or acting or painting a picture, or whatever it is.

~ Larry Mullen Jr.

Yeah, I agree with that idea. Until or unless losing relevance is a deal-breaker. Do I then stop writing? Ride dejectedly off into the sunset, dropping useless words behind me in the sun-scorched sand?

“The concept that an artist would be revered by popular culture is an immediate dismissal of his relevance as an artist.”  ~ Thomas Kinkade

If that sounds harsh, there’s this:

 “The most striking fault in work by young or beginning novelists, submitted for criticism -- is irrelevance – due either to infatuation or indecision. To direct such an author’s attention to the imperative of relevance is certainly the most useful – and possibly the only – help that can be given.” ~ Elizabeth Bowen

Oof!   Let’s read on,

“Relevance is kind of a weird thing. If one does topical material, it makes sense to want to be relevant. But if someone talks about donut sprinkles, it’s not quite as important.  Unless the US Supreme Court makes a decision outlawing donut sprinkles.” ~ Brian Regan

Perhaps I’d best quit while I’m smiling ;-)

Wishing everyone a wonderfully productive month of May!

 

IWSG April 2025

 

Welcome readers, writers, authors, and bloggers!

We're glad you're here! It's the First Wednesday of the month; when we celebrate IWSG Day in the form of a blog hop featuring members and guests of the Insecure Writer's Support Group. Founded by author Alex Cavanaugh (Thank you, Captain!) and fostered by like-minded associates, IWSG is a comfortable place to share our views and literary news as we record our journeys. Check out our latest newsletter here.

Our awesome co-hosts this month are:  Jennifer Lane, L Diane Wolfe, Jenni Enzor, and Natalie Aguirre!

The optional question(s) for this month is: What fantasy character would you like to fight, go on a quest with, or have a beer/glass of wine with?

 What a fun question!

Billy Summers (a character in a novel by Stephen King) is a professional hitman who only kills bad guys and is on his last “hit” before his long-awaited retirement. But something feels off about this last assignment, and he tells his boss as much. While Billy is a really nice guy (for a hitman), Nick, his boss, is not. Throughout the story, I was convinced that somebody should follow him around to ensure nothing terrible happened to him.

Myron Bolitar (Protag in a series by Harlan Coben) is a sports agent with a law degree and clients who often require him to acquire detective skills. Yet, he manages to solve mysteries and save his clients and himself with the help of his anti-hero best friend and business partner, Win, who most people tend to dislike on sight for his money and good looks. For Myron, any reason is a reason to celebrate anything with his favorite childhood drink. I could get used to YooHoos :-) 

Poison For Breakfast (Lemony Snicket) This poor guy has a series of uncertain days of soul-searching after receiving a cryptic note under his door one morning. But who eats toast and cheese for breakfast?

 That's all from me today. Happy IWSG Day, and have a wonderful April!