K. D. Capener's Blog

There are ten characters in Hidden by These Walls who all play important roles in the story. Each has a unique personality, and as such, each has different responses to the situations in the story. I’ve seen some trends on social media where authors describe their characters as foods, depending on the personality traits they possess. I’m taking it two steps further by also describing them as movie characters (from 1980s or older movies) and countries of the world.

Libby

Libby is the main character in Hidden by These Walls, the one whose point of view we see. She is the older sister, the one who comforts and protects Anna and Edie. She is steady, reliable, and hard-working. Some foods to describe her would be roast beef and mashed potatoes or chicken noodle soup. Movie characters who possess the same qualities as Libby include Mr. Miyagi in Karate Kid, Fezzik in Princess Bride and Cinderella. A country that resembles Libby’s personality is Switzerland, a safe, high work ethic environment that values hard work.

Jake

Jake is Libby’s best friend, the one who knows her struggles and supports her through it all. Jake is an all-American 1980s teen who plays baseball. He could be described as loyal, stalwart and a planner. Foods to describe him would be hamburgers, fries, and apple pie. Jake could be compared to Goose in Top Gun, Alfred in Batman and Ferris Bueller in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (minus the let’s just skip school attitude). A country that is comparable to Jake is Japan where they value loyalty in community and work, they are reliable and persevering.

Anna

Anna is Libby’s sweet and loving ten-year-old sister. She is quiet and obedient, and she tries to be brave, but deep down is very afraid. She could be compared to warm cinnamon rolls, banana bread, and hot chocolate. Her movie character resemblances would be Mary Poppins, Piglet in Winnie-the-Pooh and Charlie in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Anna fits the personality of Canada, where the people are polite, and they are known for apologizing often and following the rules.

Edie

Edie is the youngest of the three sisters, at eight years old. Her personality is completely different from that of her sisters. She is a little spitfire, unafraid to challenge anyone. She’s sassy, messy, and vibrant. As foods, Edie could be described as chips and salsa, sloppy joes, and pineapple. Movie characters who are similar to Edie are Short Round in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Scout Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird and all the kids in The Goonies. Edie. as a country, fits the personality of Colombia, where the urban environment is chaotic, disorderly, and loud, but the culture is spirited and passionate.

Donna

Donna is the mother of Libby, Anna, and Edie. She is a single mom with an addiction and a temper. Her character could be described as bitter, angry, and mean. Some of the foods that compare to Donna aren’t as common as some of the foods to describe our other characters. Foods like arugula, bleu cheese, and spicy chili don’t sound quite as good to me either. Donna can be compared to Johnny in Karate Kid, Beth in Ordinary People, and Jake in Raging Bull. Several countries could be described as angry, but I won’t name them here. I’m sure you can guess some to fit Donna.

Holly

Holly is Libby’s friend from school. She is a dancer who is popular and pretty. She is trustworthy and supportive and is as beautiful on the inside as on the outside. Foods that fit Holly’s personality are grilled cheese sandwiches, sweet potatoes, and watermelon. She is similar to Mary McFly in Back to the Future, Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird, and Buttercup in Princess Bride. The country that compares best to Holly is Norway, where the beauty of the Northern Lights, mountains, and fjords is well-known and where the society is supportive and highly trusted.

Nicole

Nicole is a character who tends to be outshone by her best friend, Holly, and is always the last to know about Libby’s life, yet she remains steadfastly by their sides. She is positive, energetic, fashion conscious, and owner of lots of hair scrunchies. Nicole could be a lemon, with its zingy flavor, a fruit smoothie for its energy-giving qualities, or a chocolate chip cookie, because she’s so sweet. Nicole’s movie character twins are Jordan in Real Genius, Andie in Pretty in Pink, and Doc Brown in Back to the Future. Brazil’s energetic, friendly vibe fits Nicole’s personality nicely.

Nolan

Nolan is Libby’s stepfather, and the father of Anna and Edie. He lives in another state, so he isn’t privy to what’s going on behind the walls of his girls’ home. He is a big teddy bear, devoted and strong. You’d probably agree that honey buns and waffles describe him perfectly. He is similar to Jack in Mr. Mom, Inigo Montoya in Princess Bride and George Bailey in It’s a Wonderful Life. If you visit New Zealand, you may find the people there are friendly, strong and resilient, just like Nolan.

Jerri

Who wouldn’t want a boss like Jerri? She Is optimistic, lighthearted, and accessible for Libby. Her concern for Libby is admirable. She’s a softie, like cooked spaghetti. She also is like popcorn, because it’s a happy snack. Jerri pays attention to Libby’s words and her actions, concluding more than Libby intends, but because of that, she is like a pomegranate, which requires attention and focus to eat. Uncle Buck, Chris in Stand by Me, and PollyAnna all can represent Jerri. The country that  best describes her is Denmark, which is famous for the concept of hygge (cozy contentment).

Roy

Roy is introduced later in the book, but without him, there is no unhinged ending. He is greasy, arrogant, and immature, resembling Iceman in Top Gun, Biff in Back to the Future, and Greasy in Who Framed Roger Rabbit? He is processed cheese, green bananas and artichokes all rolled in one. Unfortunately, the best country to describe Roy is the United States of America (gasp!). Americans are often seen as arrogant with a superior attitude, by other countries.

Conclusion

There you have it: a menu, movie characters to check out, and a world map to describe the characters in Hidden by These Walls. I hope these characters interest you, and that you’ll be looking for Hidden by These Walls for your next read. Oh, and writers, try this with your characters! It’s a fun exploration of their personalities and certainly a helpful way to describe them!

Recently, I completed my first attempt at making sourdough bread. I know you’re wondering if I was successful, and I will say I followed all the steps. It just didn’t turn out like I was hoping! I’ve heard sourdough can be finicky, so I’m determined to keep trying until I get it right. But it got me thinking about how going through the process to make sourdough bread is very similar to the process of writing a story.

You Need a Starter

Sourdough requires a starter that has been flour and water to keep it “alive.” The starter goes through a natural fermentation process as it’s fed. With writing, your starter is your idea(s). Every story begins with an idea, but that idea requires “feeding” to expand it into a full story or novel. The feeding of an idea is done through brainstorming, outlining, charting and notetaking, to name a few.

You Need Time for the Starter to Be Ready

The feeding of a starter must take place over several days. It’s not going to be ready right when your neighbor surprises you with your own, so you can stop eating all of her finished products. This time to be ready to use can be compared to the shaping of story details through research, plot twist planning or getting to know your characters. It could also be compared to the development of writing skills through courses, seminars, conferences or learning one-on-one from other authors.

The Dough Needs to Rest; So Does Your Story

Resting time for bread is when it rises. You don’t want your bread to be dense when it should be light and airy. Guess which mine was? Maybe it didn’t rest long enough! The rough draft of your story will take a lot of time, but when you are finished, you really should take a break. If there’s one piece of writing advice I’ve gotten repeatedly, it’s this: For one month after you have finished writing your first rough draft, do not look at the story. Work on something else, catch up on household chores, take a vacation, but whatever you do, just let the story rest. When a month is up, come back to it and you’ll see much more easily how to make the story better.

The Dough and the Story Must Be Stretched

With sourdough, stretching is a mandatory step. You pull it like taffy, fold it back in and turn the bowl a quarter turn, repeating several times with periods of rising/rising in between. Your story can only be stretched into a polished tale through revising. Like the stretching of dough, editing must be done multiple times to have the most perfect work you can possibly have.

Baking Bread and Writing Stories are both Tricky

The reason why I’m not too disappointed with how my sourdough bread turned out is that I know how tricky it can be to get it exactly right, especially the first time. It’s pretty common knowledge that it may take a few times for you to know what you’re doing. Writing is the same. It’s extremely rare for a newbie to hit the best-seller list with a debut novel. Not impossible, but rare. Writing takes continuous effort to perfect your style, your voice, and your craft before you have a big following. Remember, practice makes perfect.

When it Works, It Works!

Perfectly baked sourdough bread should be browned to a crispy crust with those airy, open spots inside. It should be light, chewy, and tangy. Not at all like my first attempt!  Your story works when it flows seamlessly, when it evokes feelings in the reader, and when it sends our imaginations to another world, place or time. You’ll know a story works when the feedback from readers is positive.

Conclusion

Both bread-making and writing require steps that must be achieved to end up with a finished product you can be proud of. It doesn’t matter how quickly you learn the steps or how many times you need to start over, it’s all part of the learning process. Bread may have to be tossed and a draft may have to be scrapped, but that’s okay. Keep at it and it will get easier. Now who’s ready for some bread?

March is National Reading Month, inspired by the birthday of Dr. Seuss on March 2. In honor of an entire month dedicated to one of my favorite pastimes, let’s delve into the reasons reading is beneficial and how we can foster a love of reading in others.

Benefits of Reading

Reading Expands Your Vocabulary – The best way to learn new words is to read them or hear them in conversation. Studies have shown the correlation between reading and increased vocabulary. Not only will you learn new words, but you’ll learn how to use words correctly. Relying on a dictionary for definitions ensures understanding of meaning and helps you know when to insert that word into a conversation or written work.. Reading is Exercise for Your Brain – Reading does for your brain what vitamins do for your body: It strengthens it. Reading turns your brain into a detective, helping you think critically, solve problems, analyze behavior and motivations, draw conclusions and formulate questions.Reading Enhances Communication Skills – Whether it’s oral or written communication, the more you read, the better your ability to communicate. If you want to be a better writer, or a better speaker, try reading more. And it’s not just a small benefit either. Research has shown the improvement is exponential. Over time, you will begin to feel confidence in your prose.Reading Bolsters Memory – Fictional stories are crafted with beginning, middle and end and you must remember through imagery the order of events in the story. If you skip parts of the story, the connections won’t be there for it to make sense, like you’ve hit a pothole in a road. Research has shown that levels of cognitive decline are lower in those who read regularly.Reading Equals Better Sleep – Reading helps your mind and body relax leading to improved sleep. It’s much better to read a physical book at bedtime than reading from a screen. The blue light from a device can have the opposite effect of a physical book.Reading Increases Empathy – Empathy is the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of others. When you read, you learn to relate to the characters, thus enabling you to carry those feelings of understanding into your real life. When we take time to put ourselves in their shoes, we learn to show empathy.Reading Diminishes Stress – Regular readers already know this benefit! When we read, we block out our own life, problems, thoughts, whatever, and we focus on the story. It only takes six minutes of reading to reduce stress by almost seventy percent. That’s more than if you took a walk or turned on some music! So, pull out a book and let the stress float away.Reading Elevates Mood – Reading can provide a mental vacation, leaving us rested, refreshed, and ready to face whatever life is throwing at us. Reading can be used in treating depression, a concept called bibliotherapy.Reading Stimulates Imagination – As adults, the books we read are filled with text, requiring us to use our imaginations to picture the characters and the setting. The more we use our imaginations, the more it spurs our creativity in other areas of our lives.Reading Connects Us with Other Readers – Why else would there be book clubs or a entire Bookstagram community on Instagram? Those who enjoy reading want to share their love of books with their friends because it’s fun! The social connections we build through a hobby we love often last a lifetime.

Ways to Foster a Love of Reading in Children

First, start young. Read books aloud and let children touch and hold books. Point out pictures. Talk about the story after. Reread books often. Let children choose which book they want to hear/look at. Take them to the library and let them find the books they’d like.

As children get older, find books that relate to their interests. Dinosaurs one day, Baseball the next. The key is to show them all the exciting things that can be found in books.

When they are chapter book readers, find a series that matches their interests. This is a great way to keep them reading, with one book leading to the next to the next. Many times, children want to read books that make them laugh because it’s fun. And don’t forget that magazines, comic books and graphic novels all count as reading. Let them choose, let them read at their pace and hopefully you’ll have helped foster a love of reading for life!

Yeah, I know, that title probably caught you a little off guard, but if you’re like me, I bet it made you think of some kind of food and book combination that brings back delicious or disgusting memories for you. Why is food so memorable in the stories we read? Because we all have to eat, right? And what better way to discover new foods or picture ourselves in the story than to mention something as relatable as a meal?

In my book, Hidden by These Walls, the circumstances are such that there’s nothing special about the meals my main character, Libby, cooks: everything from macaroni and cheese (which is a true comfort food for some people) and casseroles for dinner, to pancakes or oatmeal for breakfast. But what Libby’s sisters get really excited about are the unexpected treats they get: Twinkies, cookies, and even the Whatchamacallit candy bar (anyone remember that one?).

Food in Children’s Books

Who doesn’t remember at least one book from your childhood that mentions food? Chances are you can remember a lot of them. I was fascinated by The Very Hungry Caterpillar, by Eric Carle, eating his way through all sorts of food and seeing the very holes he made in all of them. What about the adventures Winnie-the-Pooh went on, always seemingly distracted by his love for honey?

Food is also mentioned in Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst as one of the unacceptable things that completely ruins a young boy’s day. Lima beans is one of those, and I know a few someones who might agree. Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss was a crazy combo, at least to me, because I’d never eaten green eggs. But do I remember it? Of course!

And then we have books that focus on a certain food for the entire story. If you Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff is one giant tale that depends solely on something you might feed a rodent if you have the imagination for it. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a fantastical tale by Roald Dahl that is memorable because who doesn’t love chocolate? And what child wouldn’t want to spend the day inside a chocolate factory, including the mishaps?

Food Featured in Middle Reader/Young Adult Literature

If I mentioned The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis to you, what food would you think of? Probably Turkish Delight, the magical confection to which Edmund is so drawn. How about the Harry Potter series? I bet you couldn’t name all the food enjoyed in those beloved stories! Butterbeer is the most memorable for me, especially since it is sealed in my mind forever. A visit to Universal Studios provided opportunity for a glass of that taste bud-approved delight. I was in heaven!

Let’s not forget all the floating delicacies during the Hogwarts meals. Roast beef and sausages, puddings and pies made Harry glad for a world of food otherwise unavailable to him in the Dursley’s home. But the visits to Honeydukes really provided some joy for Harry and his friends. With candies galore, the shop provided more tasteful (get it?) fun than Harry, or we, had ever experienced. Who didn’t want to try chocolate frogs, Fizzing Whizzbees, and even Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans? Be careful what you choose though!

The Hunger Games might at first glance seem like the title of a book about getting your preschooler to try new foods, but we all know it as a dystopian tale of something more focused on deprivations of all kinds (except for the Capitol). Katniss had to hunt or trade for food. So, when Peeta tossed a loaf of burnt bread from his family’s bakery to the starving Katniss, we all felt what she did: relief at finally having food in her stomach.

Adult Genres Don’t Forget the Food Either

Several authors have taken the food theme and run with it, creating entire culinary mystery series. Diane Mott Davidson’s main character, Goldy Bear, is a caterer who gets mixed up in all sorts of murder and mayhem. Readers are given the recipe for each of Goldy’s dishes, providing a way to enjoy it for themselves. There are other series that have the same concept, including Josi Kilpack’s Sadie Hoffmiller mysteries and Joanne Fluke’s cozy mysteries featuring baker Hannah Swensen.

And adult genre that tends to showcase foods with cultural significance include historical fiction. Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café by Fannie Flagg is an example. Historical fiction can bring on all the nostalgic memories of foods we grew up with or wish we could have again.

The romance genre is big on fabulous foods. How many couples have fallen in love over a picnic, or a fancy restaurant meal or even a cozy, home-cooked dinner? Richard Paul Evans, author of several Christmas romance novels, includes food regularly in his stories. And more often than not, many of the dishes mentioned are Italian fare, because of his love of Italy.

Food + Books = A Deliciously Good Time

I think you can see that one tried and true element to include in your books is food! In every genre, from ages 0-100, food helps us feel strong emotions, forgotten memories or excited adventurousness that can come in no other way. Pay attention the next time you read to how many times food is mentioned. See if that doesn’t bring the story to life.

Happy reading and eating!

It’s funny when I talk with someone unfamiliar with the publishing industry. Some of them don’t realize there are different types of publishing. So, let’s pretend we’re all new to this and hopefully answer some of the most asked questions about the differences between self-publishing and traditional publishing. And I’ll explain my journey to publication.

Self-Publishing

Someone once asked if self-publishing meant I did everything myself. And I had to say, “Yep, pretty much!” And even if it doesn’t mean I did all the work myself, like my cover for instance, it certainly does mean that I am the one in charge of all the decision making for my work. I run the show. That can be daunting, especially when you are inexperienced or just learning. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of self publishing.

Pros: 1. You are in charge! That means you get to decide what you write. If it’s really important to you to not have any of you story left out, you’ll probably like this aspect of self-publishing. You also get to choose who will edit your book, proofread your book, and design the cover. You can choose where and how you will publish. For example, do you only want ebooks, or do you want physical books too? Making that decision will help you narrow down which platform you’ll use for publishing. Some of the most common are KDP (Amazon), IngramSpark, Draft2Digital and Barnes and Noble Press.

2. You’ll save time. Self-publishing will get your book out to your readers so much faster than traditional publishing will. Most of your timeline with self-publishing is in your control: how fast you write, edit, design, format, and hit publish. We’re talking about years of time you aren’t querying to find an agent, then waiting for said agent to sell your book. Once a traditional publisher agrees to publish, your book will be placed in a long line behind all the other books they need to publish first.

3. You’ll receive higher royalty rates than traditionally published authors. Now don’t get too excited. It’s not THAT much more. As a self-published author, you have to pay for any printing costs too, so it narrows the gap a bit.

4. You will always have the rights to your work. In the traditional publishing industry, your rights can be sold to the publisher to do what they’d like with your book. Use a purchased ISBN and you will be your own publisher.

Cons: 1. You will pay for everything! And I do mean everything. Need a content editor? What about a copy editor? How about a formatter or cover designer? Those things cost money, sometimes a lot of money, and it all comes out of your own pocket. If you’d rather purchase software to help with formatting, for instance, that too will cost you. Running any kind of advertising also adds up quickly. Just be prepared for this by saving your money for publishing like you’d do for any other large purchase you would make. If you are traditionally published, the publisher covers these costs for you.

2. You are your own marketer. Marketing is a huge deal, and probably the one area where writers struggle the most. All social media marketing and content creation is on you unless you hire someone, but then you’re back to con #1. Knowing where to market and how much to spend on advertising is a learning process. You just have to try things and see what works. Marketing yourself can be scary. Most authors would much rather just write, but marketing is a necessity if you want people to know about your book. A traditional publisher has more money to put towards marketing, but they still expect you to do much of the work yourself.

3. It may take a long time to be recognized for your work. Because you are only one person trying to do it all and not a large corporation with resources to help your book become visible to the world, you will likely struggle with fluctuating sales. It will take time to be noticed. You will likely have to exert much effort into placing your books in stores. Traditional publishers can place your books in any store worldwide. To me, that’s the biggest advantage of going with a traditional publisher.

My Story

As a newbie author, my biggest fear has been the marketing aspect. I specifically struggle with promoting myself or my work on social media. It’s been a learning curve for sure, and I’m still learning, but I’m more comfortable with it now. I originally hoped to be traditionally published, but the querying process to find an agent was so long and I wanted to get my book out now, not five years from now. Once I made the decision to stop querying and go with self-publishing, I had a lot to learn. And I still do. One suggestion would be to find some author friends who can answer questions and provide some guidance. I have also found the author community to be very supportive and motivating for each other. Use resources on the internet to help teach you. There are plenty of classes/webinars you can participate in.

Ultimately, the decision is yours. I hope by using the information provided here, it will help make that decision easier for you. Go with your instincts. Follow your heart. I wish you the best of luck!

K. D. C.

Since publishing Hidden by These Walls in October, I’ve had several compliments on the cover. I was even interviewed for Pressing Matters podcast, discussing the creation of the cover. If you haven’t listened to that interview, you definitely should (Nov 21 episode on Spotify or YouTube!)

Take a look at the cover of Hidden by These Walls. It’s dark and moody with realistic characters, a full moon, the woods, and an old gray house, all elements important to the story. Today I want to give you some tips to consider as you prepare to create your own eye-catching book covers.

Pay attention to the genre. Rom-coms are clearly identifiable by their illustrated characters and bright, cheerful colors. Fantasy books typically have a calligraphic font and monsters, swords, crowns and magical elements. Now if it’s romantasy, they typically include a couple on the cover as well. It’s pretty obvious that horror or thrillers have a bold font and spooky elements like ghosts, haunted houses, blood, etc.Consider your use of color. Color reflects mood, so think about the tone or feel of your story. You want to use a color that best represents that feeling.

Red can represent boldness, anger, danger, passion or power. I often see it on thriller or horror books because they scream of all the descriptors above. Sometimes red can give a feeling of foreboding and that’s why those genres use it. Since red is also a Christmas color, so you’ll see it as a prevalent color on holiday stories too.

 Blue can be a calm color or a deep, mysterious color depending on the shade. Blue seems to be a very common choice for every genre of book from romance to sci-fi. Most books I’ve seen have some element of blue on the cover.

Green reflects nature, magical elements, peace and refreshment. Several fantasy books have green covers for this reason. Green is, not surprisingly, showcased on holiday fiction

Purple reflects royalty, magic, and power. Deep purples are great for fantasy books or fairy-tale retellings. Purple creates a mystical feeling and a sense of wonder.

Yellow=happiness and sunshine. Pink=love and fun. Orange=warmth and energy. Think Fall and Halloween too.

3. What about the font? Does it really make a difference what your title and author name look like on the cover? Most definitely! Some books have large, bold lettering that takes up most of the cover with minimal design. If that is what you like, go for it, but as a reader, I like to have some indication of what’s actually in the book. A smaller font allows other elements of the story to be showcased as well. Do you want your title in all caps? Or do you want a softer, swirly font for a lighter read?

Think about what type of book you’ve written and make choices that relate. The font for Hidden by These Walls has little fracture lines embedded in it, so it’s perfect for my story. My favorite part of the title is the little BY hiding in the word HIDDEN. It is a creative way to show the story is about secrets just by hiding that little word.

4. Consider the most important aspects or scenes of your book. Would it give too much away if you showcase one of them on the cover or would it create a sense of intrigue or wonder in the reader? We all know that we shouldn’t be judging a book by its cover, but everyone I know does, including myself. If the cover images spark my curiosity, chances are I will pick up the book to read the blurb.

5. Decide who will design your cover. Are you gifted in graphic design? It’s possible you could create your own cover, but if you’re like me, that’s not happening. Look for reputable companies or individuals to work with you. I was worried about finding someone who wouldn’t take my money and run or someone who would be able to take my vision and convert it into something that looked professional without breaking the bank.

I didn’t have a huge budget to work with and when I found Getcovers.com, I wasn’t sure about them because the cost seemed so inexpensive. I decided to give them a try, thinking that if the cover came back and I didn’t like it, I wouldn’t be out much money. Turns out, they did an excellent job. I was pleased with most elements of the cover from the get-go, and with a couple minor tweaks I had my cover in a short amount of time.

6.What kind of finish do you want? Shiny or matte?

Shiny finishes allow darker colors to stand out more. They are reflective and will have glare. They also will show fingerprints.

Matte finishes are more sophisticated and have a soft feel. They tend to mute bright colors and can look dirty from handling. My advice is to take a trip to the bookstore. Hold and feel books with shiny and matte covers, so you know what you like and what is more appropriate for your work.

7. Have fun with the process! Your book is the packaging for your words, so enjoy making it exactly what you want it to be.

I hope these ideas will spark your imagination on your journey to creating an eye-catching book cover!

It has finally happened! The book I’ve been working on since 2023 has been published! You might ask how it feels to have Hidden by These Walls in the hands of readers. And I can honestly say it feels amazing, thrilling and deeply satisfying. Like all the toil and labor I’ve been through to get here is so worth it. When I hear how much the book touched someone, how they couldn’t put it down, or that this book needs to be read by everyone, I feel completely validated.

And yet, along with the highs, there are also the lows. It is so scary to hand your work over to someone and wait anxiously to see if they enjoy it. So far, the feedback has been positive, so I haven’t felt like I’m going to throw up, but that anxiety lingers.

One of the lows for me is that marketing the book now takes up the majority of my time. As an indie author, the marketing burden falls to me. I am my own promoter (which I hate), and I am always making content for social media or searching for the best promos in which to include my book. It’s exhausting and doesn’t leave much time to enjoy my other hobbies. I am struggling to even find time to keep working on my next book. I did not realize how time-consuming and stressful marketing would be before I actually started doing it.

Another low is worrying about sales. Not because I want Hidden by These Walls to become a best  seller (not saying THAT wouldn’t be fantastic!), but because I want to feel like it was worth my time to write it. Indie authors take on quite a bit of debt when publishing. Paying for editors, proofreaders, and a professionally made cover is expensive and I’d love to get enough sales to pay for what I put into it.

Why would anyone want to publish a book then, you ask? I’ll give you a few reasons. Number one. I feel like I have something important to say. The entire premise of Hidden by These Walls is based on the secrecy of abuse and how it traps those who are victims of it. I want this book to bring awareness and hopefully help someone, anyone, who feels like my main character, Libby. I want readers to realize that there’s always hope, and that sometimes the very thing we MUST do may take all the courage we’ve got.

The second reason I wanted to publish a book is because I set a goal and needed to see if I could accomplish it. Now that we’re on the other side of Launch Day, I feel proud of the fact that I did it! I started with very little know-how, and I spent hours learning about writing, the publishing industry, and marketing. And I’ve enjoyed reaching the goal. That’s why I feel like I can do it again.

The community of writers and readers I’ve found is the third reason publishing a book has been a terrific experience. Who knew that my efforts on social media would pay off like it has? I was lucky to find several reliable and intuitive people to read my advanced copies of the book in order to facilitate early feedback and create an early buzz about the book.

If reading this has inspired you to write a book yourself, just know I’m here if you have questions. I could not have done it with that community support, so I’m happy to be a cheerleader for you too.

Hidden by These Walls has been a joy and struggle to finally get into your hands, but it’s performing very well so far. It’s the number one new release in two categories on Amazon and has great ratings. But more importantly, the book is resonating with readers. And that’s the best reason of all.

Hidden by These Walls will officially launch on Tuesday, October 28. The ebook is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and several other retailers. The paperback is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Walmart and many other retailers.

Early reviews on Goodreads (17 reviews as of this writing) have rated the book at 4.59 stars. Reviewers have described the book as gritty, emotional, and unputdownable (is that a word?).

If you would like to read, but cannot purchase, you can request the book at your local library and they can get in for you. In fact, if EVERYONE would do this, Hidden by These Walls could find a much larger audience across the country.

Please remember to leave reviews on Goodreads and Amazon (or wherever you’ve purchased your book). Reviews are what drive visibility.

I’ve had some amazing support, so to thank you, I’ll be hosting a giveaway soon on my social media. You can find me on Instagram, Facebook and Goodreads at the links on my website. I’m also going to start a Reader Spotlight here, so watch for it. You may be the lucky one who gets to be spotlighted!

Thank you for all you do and have done to make this launch a success!

I have always been the travel planner in my family. Every vacation we go on, whether it’s just me and my hubby, or includes our kids, is planned by me. I research each location we decide upon, finding all the fun, and usually more affordable, activities and not-to-be-missed experiences offered in each place. And let me tell you, it can be exhausting and stressful.

Then comes the packing, the transportation, and planning for contingencies. If you’re like me, then you know it can be a lot! I can’t tell you how many times we’ve sprinted through the airport because our flight changed gates at the last minute or because we boarded, then because of a mechanical issue we were rebooked on another flight. Or how about tight connections, flight delays or cancellations? All super stressful!

We’ve traveled around much of the United States, visiting National Parks, amusement parks like Disneyland and Disney World and Dollywood, mountains, deserts, oceans, lakes and large cities. We’ve gone to Mexico, Canada, Jamaica, the Virgin Islands and England. It makes sense then, that we discuss travel quite often at home.

My husband has had a long-time wish to travel to Japan, to revisit some of the places he became familiar with when he lived there years ago but ticket prices have always been too high. Until last winter. I saw a few fares pop up in a travel email that were reasonable, and I told him if he was serious about going, we should hop right on the good deals. We took a look at the calendar, chose September 2025, and purchased tickets.

Here’s where the narrative shifted. Since Hubby had lived in Japan before and I knew nothing about traveling there, I told him he was doing the planning this time around. Was I worried about handing over the reins? You bet! Oftentimes, as the date inched closer, I had to remind him that we couldn’t go without some idea of what we were going to do there. So, with input from me about things I’d like to do (like visit the sacred deer in Nara and take a Kintsugi class), an itinerary was made. And let me tell you, being the one along for the ride and letting Hubby handle the schedule, transportation, etc. turned out to be a dream come true. Maybe that’s why I enjoyed Japan so much?!

Or maybe it was the smiling, helpful people. The beautiful countryside (think Mt. Fuji and waterfalls). The delicious food, like katsu curry, ramen, and okonomiyaki. The temples and shrines that are literally everywhere. The markets and shopping. The opportunity to stay in a ryokan for a couple of days experiencing tatami mat floors and futons for sleeping. I really could go on and on.

I guess what I learned from this experience was that it’s okay to branch out and try something new. I ended up loving Japan much more than I thought I would. I learned it’s okay to just go along for the ride. Lucky for us, we only had one short flight delay, and only got on the wrong train three times, which was easily corrected. But what a fascinating country I’d happily visit again! So, when the opportunity arises, make those travel plans. And as for planning, maybe do it together to lighten everyone’s load!

Ah! The comfort zone. It’s the place we stay because it’s the easiest thing to do, the place we crave when we aren’t there, the place people are always telling us to leave. Why? Because “it will be good for you!” Ugh. While I agree that stepping outside of our comfort zones can and often does open up more opportunities, that doesn’t mean it’s easy.

I was such a shy kid, preferring to listen to conversations going on around me rather than engage in them. Better than that was hiding away with my nose in a book, so I wouldn’t have to talk. Especially to adults. I just didn’t like to be the focus of attention. If I could have made myself blend into the wallpaper, I would have. But at some point, learning to relate to people becomes very important, hence the need to step out of our comfort zones.

Beyond preferring to listen rather than talk, I had a difficult time being the center of attention for other things too. Piano recitals and public speaking were the worst. Book report or class presentation days had my stomach tied in knots from the get-go. I flat-out dreaded the spotlight. That was more for my siblings, who seemed to thrive in it. But as a teenager, when my parents said, “You need to get a summer job,” those knots in my gut returned, twisting their way into every part of me.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I didn’t mind the work. I was definitely a hard worker. I’d had babysitting jobs for years and enjoyed it. I even did a summer of volunteer work, but the idea of being behind a counter addressing customers, taking orders, making sure I got the order and money transaction correct was a HUGE step out of my comfort zone. Working in fast food was pretty much a rite of passage back then because there weren’t that many jobs available to teens. So, I got a job at the most famous of them all, the one with the golden arches. I can say now, that despite the burn scars on my arms from the fryer, I’m glad I did it because it helped me gain confidence in myself. I realized most people were more patient and kind than mean and nasty. And they certainly weren’t overly concerned about me. Maybe it was just a baby step, but I did it and it gave me courage to take on the next big thing.

Fast forward a few decades. I feel like my teen self again. Well, let me clarify, because I WISH I was talking about my joints. I’m talking about how I feel taking on this new endeavor of writing and marketing myself. That is WAY outside my comfort zone. Like 20 miles outside of it! It feels like I’m putting myself behind that counter again. I just want to write, but in this era we live in, everyone who wants to call attention to their work, whether it be writing, art, music or business, has to promote it themselves. So, here I sit, spending more time on marketing efforts these days than finishing the second novel I’m writing because my book won’t sell itself. And it is terrifying to open myself up like that.

I always hear, “Your book could be really good, but if no one knows about it, it will just sit there.” Double ugh! My proofreader told me just the other day that I “have 100% written a page-turner” with Hidden by These Walls. So, that gives me confidence that it’s not just me who likes the book! Now I just have to get into the hands of readers through marketing. I’ll cross my fingers that it’s working. Meanwhile, I’ll keep plugging away and hope the twisted knots in my stomach will decide to take a vacation.

Have an awesome September!