Rachel Jonas's Blog

Release day is fast approaching! October 26th will be here before we know it! My YA Paranormal Romance, “The Genesis of Evangeline“, is already up for preorder, but I thought I’d share a sneak peek here

Finding a healthy balance between life and our goals is something I think most of us (authors/entrepreneurs/dreamers) face at various times throughout our careers. We have a very clear vision of what we want, where we’re going, but our surroundings somehow didn’t get the memo. Next thing we know, “life” comes at us full speed and, often times, we have to let something go. However, that “something” should never be our health and physical/mental/emotional wellbeing.

My good friend, author Victoria H. Smith, shared a little about her experience on her blog and I thought I’d also share it here for anyone who’s faced this and also for fans of hers who might be interested in an update ❤

***Victoria’s post begins here***

 Hey, everyone! Happy Monday and welcome to my blog. For those of you who follow me or my work you know this blog hasn’t seen much action lately. Before I started writing I used to blog all the time and it was a great way to not just share my journey, but get everything out of my head from what I’m working on to my process.

Things have been… interesting for me lately. I recently started a new job and moved back to my hometown. The move kept me busy and I also have been focusing on my health. Those of you that follow me on Instagram know all about the changes I’ve made to my lifestyle and some of the health things I’ve been going through. Needless to say all that has kept me busy and writing has kind of been on the backburner because of it.







Some of the changes I’ve made. 65lbs lost and counting!

My health and the move aren’t the only things holding me back and I wanted to start blogging again to A, keep me accountable to deadlines and things, but also B, let all of you in a bit about me and my life. Besides Instagram, I tend to stay pretty quiet on the net. When I started writing I knew exactly what I wanted to write and how I wanted to create something for people like who were looking for emotionally charged stories featuring diversity and inclusion from the cast to the themes. I started there in writing and though I’ve continued with that mission, I find lately I’ve been in my head more, which has not only halted the creation of new words, but stifled my creative energy entirely. I’ll start to write a story, then stop and find myself all over the place in my writing when I start again. I think for me I’ve pegged this down to me forgetting what I was trying to do in the first place when I started writing. I want to create good books that I FEEL and want to provide my readers with the same.

 

So this is me getting back into this. From now on, I’m doing what I set out to do and not only that, I’ll be more open while I do it. You’ll see more posts on this blog. The content will be mostly focused on writing/for other writers, but I hope both writers and readers can get something from it. I’m just going to be doing my thing here and I hope you’ll join me! And ending with that, I want to ask you something:

 

Do you ever find yourself unfocused or easily distracted? If so, what do you find helps you get back on track?

***



 
(You can check out Victoria’s blog HERE.
She’s a cool chick, so you should give her a follow!

If you’re like me, you love the heart-pounding angst and intrigue of young adult paranormal romance, so you’ve come to the right place. Below, you’ll find books featuring swoon-worthy book boyfriends ranging from gods, angels, vampires, shifters, werewolves, and more. These hot new releases (and preorders) are sure to hit the spot. Already read one or all these stories? Share which ones you’ve picked up and what you thought of them down in the comments section!

❤ The List ❤

Persuasion Curse of the Gods (Book 2)–by Jaymin Eve
Lord of Shadows (The Dark Artifices Book 2)–by Cassandra Clare
The Toren: Shattered Souls (The Toren Series, Book 1)—by Lola StVil
Tempting Raven (Curse of the Vampire Queen Book 1)—by Jessica Sorensen
The Librarian–by Christy Sloat
Requiem (The Seraphim Series Book 3)–by Sophia Stafford
The Vampire Wish–-by Michelle Madow
The Gold-Son–by Carrie Anne Noble
Growing Wings (The Caged Series Book 2)–by Kellie McAllen
The Romeo Catchers (The Casquette Girls Series Book 2)—by Alys Arden

While you’re in the mood for shifters and intense, YA love stories, grab the first three chapters of THE GENESIS OF EVANGELINE (my upcoming YA Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy novel) FREE!! Click >HERE< and a copy of the early chapters will be delivered directly to you in seconds. Blurb and cover art below 

The first three chapters of my debut novel, THE GENESIS OF EVANGELINE, are now available to read for FREE! This is a Young Adult, Paranormal Romance/ Urban Fantasy for fans of Twilight (Stephanie Meyer), Moon Called (Patricia Briggs), and The Fallen Series (Lauren Kate). THE GENESIS OF EVANGELINE has no shortage of shifters, hybrids, and forbidden love (because, let’s be honest, they go together so well). Have a look at the cover and blurb below, and then check out the sneak peek!

SN: Keep in mind that these chapters haven’t been professionally edited yet because the book won’t be releasing for a while

Let’s get right to it!

1)      Don’t let “doohickeys” and “whatchamacallits” slow you down:

Our characters encounter objects that we, the writers, need to describe. However, on occasion, we realize we don’t know the proper terms for individual pieces that make up everyday items.  For instance, yesterday, I was describing a chandelier in a scene and couldn’t, for the life of me, figure out what to call the long pieces that extend from the main structure of the chandelier. You know, the parts that actually hold the lights? (They’re “arms” by the way—of course it was something super simple lol). But, at any rate, I turned to Google. Sometimes it can be hard to get the exact term your looking for, so here’s what I do and it works every time. Simply type the words ‘anatomy of _____’ and fill in the blank with the name of the object. Check out the images your search produces. Most often, Google will pull up a diagram with the item’s components named and you’ll get your answer. Ta-dah!!

2)      YouTube is your best friend:

If there’s something you don’t know how to do, a place you’ve never been, a process you don’t understand, YouTube will often lead you to a video that can help. Watch a couple and, guess what? You’re an instant soap-making expert! Or now you know exactly what it’s like to visit the small, casino town of Black Hawk, Colorado. Or now you know how the beginning of a high school football game is structured! (No lie… as an anti-sports fan, this was a real thing I had to look up. I had no clue what the players did right after taking the field… Don’t judge lol)

3)      Timing is everything:

Write in short intervals of 20 to 30 minutes to maximize productivity. Set a timer or find a writing app you like, and focus on nothing but putting words down for that allotted time. When you’re done, notate your progress and then go again when you’re ready. Typically, I write for 30 minutes and, if I’m not too deep in a scene, I’ll take a five-minute break to check social media, get a drink of water, or just stretch my legs. Then I jump back in for another round. This practice has helped me add 10,000 words or more to a manuscript in a day! Try it out and see if it works for you J Also, down in the comments, if there’s an app you use for this, share the name of it! I LOVE Writeometer.

4)      Location! Location! Location!

Choose a setting that’s conducive to creativity. Some writers have to also balance home life and work life in addition to writing, so it’s best to optimize those moments you’re able to eke out to jot down a few words. Everyone’s needs are different, but for the most part, we all require someplace comfortable and quiet with enough room to work. Whether you choose to create in your home office, a coffee shop, or your bedroom, configure your setting ahead of time to minimize distractions. Have a snack or drink on hand, have your noise-canceling headphones on site in cases where your space is likely to get a bit noisy while you work, and, at the risk of this getting a bit personal, a bathroom break *before* getting started is wise.

5)      Grab a partner:

Critique partners are an awesome asset. Find a writer whose skill-level and understanding of basic story structure matches yours and help each other out! I know what you’re saying…

“But, Rachel, I’m new to this and don’t know any other writers!”

Fear not. I, too, was new to writing once and soon found there were writers everywhere. I met each of my critique partners through online networking on Facebook. Look for groups with writers who write what you write and don’t be shy! Reach out to one or two or ten. Don’t solicit right away, though. Be genuine and helpful when possible, and then, once you’ve built up a rapport with a few, see if they’d be interested in trading chapters and feedback. You’d be amazed how many others are in the exact same position you are, in need of a fellow writer to lay a set of eyes on their work.

6)      Set a schedule:

This is especially vital for those of us who write full-time. It’s so easy to get distracted throughout the day. Designating a set time to start, break, and stop for the day is important. This ensures that you’re dedicating enough time to your career and also prevents you from neglecting other responsibilities and burning yourself out. For me, I stop writing (or doing other bookish things) between 3 and 4 p.m. to hang out with my family. Then, once the house is quiet and everyone’s asleep, I might squeeze another couple hours of writing in from around 10 p.m. to midnight. Decide what hours work best for you and stick to it.

That’s all for now, but I’d LOVE to hear what writing tips/hacks you’ve developed over the years. Feel free to share down below in the comments!

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Because we know the painstaking work that goes into extracting a thought from our brains and getting it on paper (or into a Word doc… same thing), we often find ourselves “married to our words”.

We love them. They’re our pride and joy. We go to great lengths to make sure *nothing* comes between us and them.

Married.

So, what happens when those words we love and protect at all costs begin to come between us and “The End”?

Well… that’s when you know it’s time for a divorce.

Yes, on occasion, we have to let those pretty lil’ jots and tittles ascend to the great dictionary in the sky.

*plays world’s smallest violin for all the writers who just shed a tear*

Breathe. Grab a sheet of lined paper from one of the many, many notebooks all wordsmiths tend to keep on hand ‘just in case’. Now, dry your eyes with it

Hey, everyone