Some Tips on Successful Blogging by Jacqueline Seewald

To develop a successful blog you need to blog regularly. An article I read not long ago suggested that posts should be provided on Mondays, Wednesdays or Thursdays with Thursdays getting the most hits or views. If you can manage, it’s good to post once a week, even more often if that’s possible.

You will probably notice that I don’t do as I suggest. I don’t follow a regular time schedule. I am a writer with limited time allotted for blogging, but I try to make each of my posts meaningful.

Appearance Matters. You want your blog to be attractive and accessible. Use an easy to read font like Verdana. Second, there should be graphics not just print words. Third, readers like white space between paragraphs, again for easy reading. Last, don’t make your blog too long. You’re not writing WAR AND PEACE. Readers today want writing conversational in tone and right to the point.

Keep in mind that drawing readers to your blog is your goal. There’s nothing more disheartening than writing an article and discovering that no one bothers to read it. So how do you manage to build a readership with so many other blogs competing for reader recognition and attention? There are a number of ways that seem to work:

1. Join groups of people of similar interests and advertise to them when you have a post.

I belong to several writer’s groups sponsored by Yahoo for the most part. Some of these are publishers’ groups, others are simply subject oriented like mystery, romance or short story writers’ groups.

2. Have interesting titles that are attention-grabbing and provocative.

Ask a question.

Begin with: How To _______

or create a list:

Ten Tips on ________

Keep focused. Topics should be those that would most interest your perspective reader audience.

For instance, I’m a writer and so my blog is concerned with topics related to writing.

3. Use social media to publicize your blogs. I post on Facebook and Twitter. I am not progressive enough to use Instagram or Snapchat, but you might consider them.

4. Do guest blogging for others who share your interests or your field. This widens your audience and brings new people to your blog.

5. Respond with comments to other similar blogs. These bloggers may do you the same courtesy.

6. I don’t put out newsletters but I know a number of bloggers who have had great success with them.

7. Offer giveaways of some kind.

We writers tend to give away advance review copies of our books when they’re published in order to stir interest of readers. There are many items that would interest readers and they don’t have to be expensive.

Do you have any comments or suggestions regarding blogging that you would like to add? What do you think draws to readers to a blog?

Librarians and Writers: A Symbiotic Relationship By Jacqueline Seewald

I suggest that authors look to promote their books, whether fiction or nonfiction, at libraries. Some libraries will pay writers to come and speak; others will at least provide writers with exposure to the reading public. Not all libraries welcome authors but there are many that do. As a former librarian and teacher, I can testify to the fact that authors are welcome to provide an event at many libraries. Books are an important component of what the library has to offer. Authors are respected by most librarians.

If you are a relatively unknown writer, try to get a local newspaper to do a story on you before your library appearance. Also, if you’re not Nora Roberts or Mary Higgins Clark, don’t expect people to come in droves just because you announce a book signing. Think in terms of what kind of event you can provide that library patrons will enjoy and appreciate.

I presented an event at my local library entitled “We Can All Be Writers.” It was not just a talk but a happening—an interactive experience for both attendees and myself. I provided writing exercises that we could do together and discuss. I’ll also gave a hand-out listing sources of inspiration for aspiring writers as well as library resources. In short, I was offering information hopefully of value to patrons.

Fifteen people showed up who were eager to participate. When I previously did this program in Central New Jersey, twenty-five people were present and actively participated. However, fifteen was a comfortable group to work with and they were very enthusiastic. I also had help from the library coordinator who turned my overhead transparencies into a Power Point presentation.

What’s in it for you, the author? Hopefully, library patrons may want to either borrow some of your novels from the library or purchase them from you. At the very least, the library will buy your book. In my case, I offered some of my novels at a heavily discounted price and had the librarian take the money because I donated any money earned from the sale of my books to the Friends of the Library so they can continue to sponsor more events. It was my way of giving back to the community.

What is your opinion of authors doing events, talks or panel discussions at libraries? Have you participated in any library events? If so, how has it worked out? Will you consider doing it in the future?

Luck and Irish Literature by Jacqueline Seewald

The Ides of March, the 15^th and 16^th of this month, traditionally bode ill luck. For instance, in Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, the emperor is warned to “Beware the Ides of March” by the Soothsayer. Julius, not being a superstitious sort of fellow and believing the nonsense about his personal immortality, sneers, ignores the warning, and refers to the Soothsayer as “a dreamer.” Not Caesar’s wisest decision.

 It will soon be St. Patrick’s Day which supposedly brings good luck and fortune. People do at times have lucky things happen to them and at other times suffer misfortunes like ill health, accidents or assaults. However, authors prefer to believe that for the most part we make our own luck.

According to Napoleon: “Luck occurs when preparation meets opportunity.” I apply that statement to authors. We get lucky with our work when we’ve done adequate preparation—that is being well-read, writing, rewriting, and editing until we’ve created something of value and quality. If we’re too lazy or too full of ourselves to make this kind of effort and commitment then alas we’ll never “get lucky.”

Luck is often a theme in literature. For example, Thomas Hardy created characters that were unlucky like Tess or Jude. Yet it could be argued that their bad luck came as a direct result of fatal flaws in their own characters. This is where tragedy derives from. Things don’t just happen. There is a cause and effect relationship.

I write about and admire main characters with positive values who make their own good luck and overcome obstacles through personal effort, not bemoaning their fate or bad luck. To quote Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar again, as Cassius observes: “Our fate, dear Brutus, is not in our stars but in ourselves.”

In tribute to Irish literature which often deals with themes related to luck, I want to mention a few of the outstanding Irish writers I’ve appreciated over the years.

As an undergraduate English major, I read and enjoyed John Millington Synge’s The  Playboy of the Western World. Synge celebrated the lyrical speech of the Irish in his boisterous play.

In graduate school, I took a semester seminar on the works of

William Butler Yeats, a great Irish poet. I learned a great deal about Irish mythology from his work.

George Bernard Shaw was also of Irish origins and a great playwright, another favorite of mine. His plays still hold up because of thought-provoking themes and clever dialogue.

I’ve read James Joyce’s stories and novels but most appreciated his earlier work. I thought Portrait of the Artist was brilliant as was Dubliners, his short story collection. His style was original and unique.

Satirist Jonathan Swift is often thought of as a children’s writer, but this is, of course, completely false.

Notable Works: Gulliver’s Travels, Tale of a Tub, A Modest Proposal, A Journal to Stella, Drapier’s Letters, An Argument Against Abolishing Christianity, Verses on the Death of Dr. Swift

Oscar Wilde was a talented Irish writer and playwright. Sentenced to two years in prison for gross indecency (homosexuality), he eventually lost his creative spark.

Notable Works: The Picture of Dorian Grey, The Importance of Being Earnest (play), Poems, The Happy Prince and Other Tales (children’s book), A Woman of No Importance (play)

Abraham Stoker (Bram Stoker) gave us Dracula (enough said!)

Lawrence Sterne, Oliver Goldsmith, C.S. Lewis all had Irish origins as well, although they left Ireland for England. The list of outstanding Irish men and women who have provided great literature is very long and therefore beyond the scope of this mere blog.

Did these Irish writers believe in luck? Were they merely lucky?  Do you have any favorite Irish authors? Your thoughts and comments welcome!

Harper Lee Remembered

Harper Lee’s funeral was attended by only closest friends and family. It was a reflection of the way she chose to live. Yet she will long be remembered for one classic American novel, TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD. Like many English teachers, I taught the novel to sophomores in high school. According to THE WASHINGTON POST, the book still earns about three million dollars each year.

Ironically, I had just learned of Harper Lee’s death as I finished reading 

GO SET A WATCHMAN, the unimpressive prequel to MOCKINGBIRD recently published.

Did Lee have help from her friend Truman Capote or a sympathetic editor in creating MOCKINGBIRD? It hardly matters. Didn’t Shakespeare write his plays with input from other playwrights?

On the very day that Harper Lee passed away, my first cousin, Ros, also died. She didn’t leave behind a great work of American fiction. However, her three children and their families including six grandchildren were there at her funeral. There were, in fact, many friends and relatives who knew and loved her for the fine person she was.

There is more than one type of greatness. When we must shuffle off the mortal coil, being remembered by others keeps us alive in ways that matter.

Thoughts and comments always welcome.

On Keeping Websites Updated

Today I updated my website by going into Layout on Blogger, entering Gadgets and adding my two latest novels. I then captioned most of my novels so interested readers will have some idea of what my books are about. Not all of my published books are listed, but there are enough for readers to get a good idea of my literature.

I write for adults, teens and children. I also write in a variety of genres and styles. I would say my novels are mainly mystery, suspense thrillers and romance. It’s important then that the captions reflect this.

Commitment to blogging means that websites need to be updated regularly. I don’t have the time to blog each day, although I wish I could. However, I think it is important for readers to know that I care about them as well as the quality of my writing. And so I’m trying to keep it current.

You will note that my latest novel for adult readers is an historical Western THE KILLING LAND. It should soon be coming into your local library. Ask for it if you don’t see it on the shelf.

STACY’S SONG is a coming-of-age/romance novel for teenage readers. It’s a completely rewritten and updated version of the previous print edition and now in all e-book formats.

DARK MOON RISING, another adult novel, is a paranormal gothic romance—a ghost story available both in print and all e-book formats as well.

Each of the newest novels comes from a different publisher and has had thorough editing.

And so for the moment, I am up-to-date on my website. Be back soon!

Celebrating Valentine's Day

Valentine’s Day remains a favorite holiday for me. In fact, the entire month of February makes me smile. One reason is because it’s the shortest winter month; another reason is because we are getting more daylight again. A third reason is that my older son Andrew was born on February 29^th. This year, we even get to celebrate his actual birthday.

But the best reason of all for me is that Andrew and his wife were married on Valentine’s Day. It was a joyful wedding, loving and romantic. No big fancy affair, just the bride and groom, my husband and myself, the bride’s best friend, and a judge happy to officiate, followed by a wedding breakfast at a local hotel. Afterwards the bride and groom had to take a long drive so that my son could represent in court a couple accused of white collar crime. Andy and Anna are still happily married and now have a lovely little daughter to help them celebrate their anniversary. This love story is one of many worldwide celebrated on the most romantic day of the year.

Love stories have always been an important part of history and literature. Cleopatra and Mark Anthony. Cleopatra and Julius Caesar (Cleopatra did get around). As Shakespeare said, “she was a woman of infinite variety.” Then there is the story of Napoleon and Josephine, another passionate love affair. In the Bible, we also find some of the world’s greatest and unforgettable love stories. What can be more romantic than the story of Ruth or Solomon and the Queen of Sheba? And there is the story of Esther which is celebrated on Purim.

A lot of the world’s most famous, classical love stories, of course, did not end happily: Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, Helen of Troy and Paris, Lancelot, Arthur and Guinevere (a triangle). These are tragedies.

Some of the literary characters I consider unforgettable are those of the Bronte sisters: Healthcliff and Catherine, the tormented lovers in Emily’s Wuthering Heights, Jane Eyre and Mr. Rochester of Charlotte’s famous novel. Both romances are in the gothic tradition.

Thomas Hardy wrote a number of tragic love stories as well. For something lighter, I prefer Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. Elizabeth and Darcy are memorable. I’ve read and reread that novel numerous times. My own romances have happy endings as well since I prefer them.

Love quite literally makes the world go round. My favorite Valentine’s Day gift  would be a new romance novel. Candy makes me fat. Flowers wilt and die too soon. But a great romance can be read and reread and enjoyed.

 If you’re of a mind to read some romance to celebrate Valentine’s Day,

and enjoy romantic short stories, consider my collection BEYOND THE BO TREE, a book that combines romance, mystery, fantasy and the paranormal:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DTV0750

For teenage girls and their mothers to share, THE DEVIL AND DANNA WEBSTER is a clean read romance available in all e-book formats.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JZYXW7K/

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/433530

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-devil-and-danna-webster-jacqueline-seewald/1119365486?ean=2940149550449

https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/the-devil-and-danna-webster

STACY’S SONG, another YA romance/coming-of-age novel, is also available from Clean Reads Press on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0177E67CQ/  

https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/jacqueline-seewald/id404379598?mt=11

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/stacys-song-jacqueline-seewald/1100389252?ean=2940150872493

https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/stacy-s-song

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/588465

For readers who enjoy adult romance and paranormal thrillers, check out my recent novel DARK MOON RISING available in print and all ebook formats:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Z7824A4/

https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/dark-moon-rising/id1020852100?mt=11

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dark-moon-rising-jacqueline-seewald/1122376394?ean=2940150766686

https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-darkmoonrising-1856071-340.html

Also available through the publisher Luminosity:

http://luminositypublishing.com/product/dark-moon-rising/

My most recent published novel is an romantic Western thriller

THE KILLING LAND published by Five Star/Cengage, available in hardcover and ebook:

http://www.amazon.com/The-Killing-Land-Jacqueline-Seewald/dp/1432831194

Kindle:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01ATYI6WU/

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-killing-land-jacqueline-seewald/1122846630

Can you think of any romances you would recommend to readers? What sort of romance fiction do you particularly enjoy reading?

Print Giveaway for THE KILLING LAND

As promised, winners of print copies of THE KILLING LAND are announced today.

Four commentators have been drawn and will be mailed copies of the novel.

They have each been contacted and are as follows:

Susan Coryell

Patricia Gligor

Betty Gordon

Carole Price

I hope to do more giveaways in the future.

You can always request this book at your local library for a free read.

Some good news regarding THE KILLING LAND. It has just received an excellent review from the Historical Novel Society.

Here is an excerpt from the review:

"The Killing Land is set in the Arizona territory in the 1880s, and opens with an intriguing hook that snags the reader's attention quickly...Seewald does a fine job with character development, including with her secondary characters...The plot itself is quite detailed as well...Fans of western romance should be pleased with this novel."

To read the full review, go here https://historicalnovelsociety.org/reviews/the-killing-land/

Thank you for visiting. Please come by again!