Overused Words by Janice Seagraves

When going through my first edits, I overused 'and'. I hadn't realized that I'd used 'and' so much until my editor sent back my manuscript with 'and' highlighted and it was all over the place. I know now how to eliminate most of those, but not then.

Sometimes shorter punchier sentences work best.

Later, on another edit, I was given a list of overused words.

That
Very
Like
Then
Suddenly
Now
Really
Was
As

And then I learned about filter words and I had more words to avoid using:

Thought
Realized
Decided
Felt
Touched
Wondered
Noticed
Sounded
Knew
Seemed

Actually just removing these words and letting the sentences stand as is, works remarkably well.

Example: I felt her hand gripped mine.

Correct: her hand gripped mine. 

And now, about my books.

I'm running a sale during the pandemic.

Nearly all my ebooks on Amazon, Smashwords, and Barn and Nobles are only #99cents.

 

Windswept Shores two-book series

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B078MRFD6N

The sole survivor of a plane crash, Megan is alone on a deserted island in the Bahamas. Then she finds a nearly-drowned man. Another survivor, this time from a boat wreck.

With only meager survival skills between them, will they survive these windswept shores and can they find love?

 Matrix Crystal Series 

Find love among the stars

 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B078MHK58P

And my only Paranormal Romance is still free on kindle unlimited.  

Morgan isn’t expecting romance when she accompanies her friend for a week of skiing, but when she meets Jared all bets are off.
Haunted by the loss of his parents, werecat Jared Catterick earns his keep working for the Catclaw Clan. Jared has secrets that he doesn’t mind sharing with a special lady, and he hopes Morgan is that special someone. When his past and present collide it’s worse than he imagined, and he’s forced to fight for his life.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0748CP9JH/  

Windswept Shores Book One and Two by Janice Seagraves

This is my first published book.

I used to imagine what it would be like to live on a deserted island. How would I survive? This is a product of those daydreams.

I originally won a contest for a book cover and a contract to have my book published. I felt wonderful. Like I was finally getting somewhere with my writing. Getting that first contract is the greatest feeling in the world.

The ending of this book was inspired by my comments to a friend that modern pirates aren't romantic or sexy and are probably mean, dirty, and nasty.

Windswept Shores (Book One)

Blurb: The sole survivor of a plane crash, Megan is alone on a deserted island in the Bahamas. Then she finds a nearly-drowned man. Another survivor, this time from a boat wreck.
With only meager survival skills between them, will they survive these windswept shores and can they find love?

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AS9NDNO

Smashwords:  https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/637092


Two years later I published the second and last book in this series. We find out if my couple ever makes it off the island, and met some of Megan's and then Seth's family.

I had a problem writing the second book. I didn't have writer block then...It kept disappearing off my harddrive.

Just ~poof~ vanished.

My sweet husband bought me an external hard drive to keep this from happening again. I wish I could say that worked ... but I ended up rewriting this same book at least one more time with a total of three times from scratch.

Thankfully I have a good memory.

It's published now so that shouldn't happen again. *fingers crossed*

Windswept Shores Two

Blurb: Megan and Seth are finally rescued off their little island, but things are far from idyllic. Seth is arrested for murder, and Megan is ordered to return home to her philandering husband who is somehow still alive. Will they ever get back together again or see the life they envisioned?

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/637092

Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01BPLNHTI

How to write then lose and write a novel again: Windswept Shores Two

How to write then lose and write a novel again

by Janice Seagraves

 
I lost the first early draft of a story when it was still titled The Journey Home.

Darn computer.

Bought a external hard drive, but forgot to save another version of my story. The only thing left was an old version that I had decided not to use.

Sulked and refused to write for nearly a week.

Forced myself go back and write it the way I remembered it, and then took the editpalooza workshop on Savvy Writer.

I posted an early scene when Megan got snippy with her husband. The class love it.

Felt proud of myself.

Lost that version too. I'm not even sure how that happened. I know I had save it on my external hard drive.

Went into mourning.

Finally went back to hammering out the story based on my notes from editpalooza, since they were the only parts that survived.

Finished Windswept Two. Keep checking to make sure it didn't disappear again.

Worked on other projects. Published the Matrix Crystal Hunters and Matrix Crystal Christmas. Then two short stories for anthologies: Weather Witch and Werecat Love.

Decided not to use any more titles with a W in the beginning, since they're down at the end of the list of any book searches. 

Checked on Windswept Shores Two. Yep, this time it was still there.

Read through Windswept Shores Two.

Not bad.

Hired a professional cover artist: Winterheart designs. 

Admired the cover. Its perfect.

Rationalized with myself that if I didn't publish Windswept Shores Two it would disappear forever.

And hired an editor.

Went through the edits. 

And then sorted through the book over and over to fix any leftover grammar and formatting errors.

Finally it was as perfect as I could get it.

I hit publish on the kindle direct publishing.

Didn't sleep.

Checked for it to be published all day long.

Finally got the email.

All systems are go!

Published.

I am thrilled to introduce my newest release, Windswept Shores Two. It follows my first published novel, Windswept Shores (one). It is the second and last book in the series.

 

Blurb: Megan and Seth are finally rescued off their little island, but things are far from idyllic as they’re treated to one nasty surprise after another, which puts all plans of a wonderful future in jeopardy.

Will they ever get back together again or see the life they envisioned?

Excerpt: 

Megan charged back inside the boat’s cabin. Her heart hammered against her ribs and pounced on her lover. “Seth, Seth. Wake up!”

“Hmm?” Seth murmured, still curled around the pillow. His sleepy head normally wouldn’t move for at least another hour.

She yanked the sheet from his naked body and admired his finely sculpted ass. Although much thinner now, it was still a pure pleasure to look at. She gripped one muscular butt cheek and gave it a good hard pinch.

“Ow!” Seth jumped.

“We’ve got company.”

He rubbed his eyes then blinked over his shoulder at her. “It’s the natives again, is it?”

“Nope, it’s not them.” Megan slapped his rump. “Come on. Get your butt in gear!”

“Orright, love. I’m getting up.” He sat and ran a hand over his short beard. “I don’t reckon you’d be this excited about pirates?”

“It’s someone else. Come on. Get your clothes on.” Jerking open the built in Chester drawers, she tossed a T-shirt and shorts at him.

Seth eased into the shorts.

Megan grit her teeth. He’s taking too long. As he pulled on the T-shirt, she grabbed his arm and hustled him out of the cabin, Seth stumbling behind her.

Once on deck, he popped his face out of the shirt and stared open mouthed. “Bugger me dead.” He shaded his eyes. “Is that a ‘copter?”

“It certainly is.” She bounced on the balls of her feet. Finally, we’re going to be rescued.

The small helicopter floated along the beach and landed. A cloud of sand and grit filled the air.

Seth grinned at Megan. They climbed the ladder out of the boat and hurried down the slope and across the beach to greet the new arrivals.

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Windswept Shores (one): http://www.amazon.com/Windswept-Shores-Survivors-Love-Story-ebook/dp/B00AS9NDNO/

Windswept Shores Two:  http://www.amazon.com/Windswept-Shores-Two-survivors-story-ebook/dp/B01BPLNHTI/
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Website: janice-seagraves.org/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/Janice-Seagraves-Author-117551164948239/?ref=hl
Twitter: https://twitter.com/janiceseagraves

Windswept Shores Book Two by Janice Seagraves

My first book published is called Windswept Shores, and in the years since it was published I've worked off and on on the book that follows it.

However, I've had Microsoft Word loose it, got the blue screen of death twice and some other problems too numerous to name. I've gone through five computers and still working on this same story.

Deep sigh.

The first time it went poof was so upsetting I felt physically ill.

But... the exciting thing is that this is the year....I'm very close to launching Windswept Shores, a survivor's love story part 2.

I haired an editor to work with me, and now a cover artist, so my book will have a professional cover.

The launch date is tentatively set for sometime before Valentines day. And that will be February of this year.

I'm trying not to get too excited about it, but it will be my fourth book published.

So happy, yay!

Blurb for Windswept Shores two:

Megan and Seth are finally rescued off their little island, but things are far from idyllic as they’re treated to one nasty surprise after another, which puts all plans of a wonderful future in jeopardy. 

Will they ever get back together again or see the life they envisioned?

Excerpt: 

Megan slapped his rump. “Come on. Get your butt in gear!” 

“Orright, love. I’m getting up.” Seth sat and ran a hand over his short beard. “I don’t reckon you’d be this excited about pirates?”

“It’s someone else. Come on. Get your clothes on.” Jerking open the built in Chester drawers, she tossed a T-shirt and shorts at him.

Seth eased into the shorts.

Megan grit her teeth. He’s taking too long. As he pulled on the T-shirt, she grabbed his arm and rushed out of the cabin, Seth stumbling behind her.

Once on deck, he popped his face out of the shirt and stared open mouthed. “Bugger me dead.” He shaded his eyes. “Is that a ‘copter?”

“It certainly is.” She bounced on the balls of her feet. Finally, we’re going to be rescued.

The small helicopter floated along the beach and landed. A cloud of sand and grit filled the air.

Seth grinned at Megan. They climbed the ladder out of the boat and hurried down the slope and across the beach to greet the new arrivals.

When the motor wound down, a slim redheaded man exited.

The pilot leaned out the door and yelled, “We can’t stay here too long.”

The slim man nodded. “Okay. Let me talk to these people before we head back.”

There was something familiar about the new arrival’s hair and build. As the young man drew closer, she was able to see his face better, and her eyes widened. Is it really him? Her heart sped up. The sight of him reminded her of how much she'd given up to be on the island with Seth.

“Eli?” Before she knew it, she was sprinting toward him. “Eli!”

“Mom?” Her nineteen-year-old son threw his arms around her, catching her in mid leap. He chuckled and spun her around. “I found you! I found you!” 

Windswept Shores (the first one) is available at: 

Amazon

Nook

Smashwords

Find Janice Seagraves at janice-seagraves.org/ 

on twitter: https://twitter.com/janiceseagraves

And on facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/Janice-Seagraves-Author-117551164948239/?ref=hl