PrickleForrestChronicles By Chrissy Hartmann

Tag: writing

  • Prickle Forrest ChroniclesJuly 2020 Newsletter

    PRICKLE FORREST CHRONICLES

    July 2020 (Posted 07/29/2020

    By Chrissy Hartmann

     

    No Fourth of July celebration. No community celebration of Independence Day. The city not festive at all. The town sits stagnate in the presence of this pandemic. But is it truly a pandemic? Or is it the figment of fear?

    The hot humid days of summer have arrived. Unfortunately, with this pandemic it makes it difficult to cool down. No fun filled days going to the local pool unless of course you call ahead for a reservation for a quick dip. Needless to say, the air conditioner is getting a workout and will be happy to see the fall come sooner rather than later.

    The flowers look beautiful and the grass is quite green, but unless it doesn’t rain soon the possibility of gazing out onto a brown patchy yard is inevitable.

    Hope runs abundant for the autumn that this turmoil will exit our beautiful lands and the days of peace return. God bless America!

     

     

     

    THE TOP FIVE

    1. Rescuing Whiskey’s Salvation finished and sent to publisher.
    2. Hand-dipped ice cream.
    3. Baseball is back! Go Tribe!
    4. Lemonade.
    5. That Blind Tech Show.

     

     

    WIP IT… WIP IT GOOD…

    Working on book 2 to the Rescuing Whiskey’s Salvation series. As of right now, only going to write it as a 2-book series. Reworked the outline so it better fits the romance beats that Gwen Hayes teaches. Much stronger storyline and character arcs. About six chapters written with a few edits. Loving it!

     

     

    QUERYING…

    Made the changes EP suggested and sent it back to them as of July 13th. Hoping to hear back from them within 60 days with some positive news and maybe an offer. Had lots of help from the Wayne Novelist Guild, RedPen, two literary agents, and a number of others are on the page of acknowledgments of the book.

    Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

     

     

    THE CRAFT

    This month’s writing tip…

    If you are writing a romance, please read Romancing the Beat, Story Structure for Romance Novels. How to write kissing book 1 by Gwen Hayes. It’s a short book — very short, but does a fantastic job of explaining how romance beats are different from other genres. It’s a tremendous help for creating your outline.

     

     

    THE HOLIDAYS:

    Fourth of July or Independence Day arrived and unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 status our stupid state government officials made it very hard to celebrate the holiday. Surreal! And with all the riots, the thought of what country this actually is crossed the brain waves a number of times. Going to a cookout at the end of the month down in the hollar. Should be fun with lots of good food. Hopefully, no one will put the 4-wheeler into the pond this time. Oops! But it will be fabulous to hang out with everyone.

     

     

    MY BOOKSHELF:

    1. Romancing the Beat, Story Structure for Romance Novels. How to write kissing book 1 by Gwen Hayes
    2. Five Secrets of Story Structure; How to write a novel that stands out by K.M. Weiland
    3. The Bachelor; Duke Dynasty #2 by Sabrina Jeffries
    4. The Bromance Book Club #1 by Lyssa K. Adams

     

     

    SEASONAL FAVORITES:

    SEASON: Summer

    SPORTS TEAM: Cleveland Indians. Go Tribe!

    COLOR: Dark Brown

    CAUSE: The Seeing Eye

    SONG: Truly Madly Deeply by Savage Garden

    FOOD: Crisps Sweet Peas… Yummy!

    HOT DRINK: Iced French vanilla cappuccino.

    FLOWER: Daisies and roses…better yet…both!

     

     

    DID YOU KNOW…

    Dexcom G6 is a fabulous continuous glucose monitor. No more finger pricks. This is almost like having the pancreas working on its own again. Provides much freedom. One quick look at their app to monitor the blood sugars and one is good to go. And if you want to dress your CGM up why not try an overlay patch from Expression Med? Lots of great designs. Puppy paws, black cats, flowers, flags, shamrocks, etc. Check them out with the link below and get $5 off your firsts order. Hopefully you’ll love them as much as I do.

    http://expressionmed.refr.cc/christinabenchoff

     

     

    PRICKLERS OF THE MONTH..

    • Cancellation of 4th of July fireworks.
    • Rioters!
    • Rain storms that cause wind damage to the roof and inexperienced insurance adjusters.
    • The phrase “the new normal.”
    • Fascists, Socialists, Communists, Liberals.
    • COVID-19 mask bullies.

     

     

    THEY SAID…

    “The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one will do. ”

    – Thomas Jefferson

     

     

    HOMETOWN UPDATE:

    • Unfortunately, due to this rotten Rona Walmart, Kohl’s, CVS, etc. are now requiring masks to enter their stores.
    • The Wayne Novelist Guild is using Facebook meet to hold their bimonthly meetings until the Wayne County Public Library can open back up to the public.
    • Wooster downtown Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA), which establishes boundaries for patrons to walk around with open containers of alcoholic beverages during specified times or events is now allowed.

     

     

    INQUISITIVE MINDS…

    The Muses want to know…

    Should everyone wear a mask or should just those vulnerable be the ones to wear them?

     

    Please comment below.

     

     

    GOOSING OFF…

    Goosie & Gander

    The geese are trying to do their best to lighten the mood, and celebrate each day with merriment with bright colors, patriotic themes, and traditions of summer. They started the month out rocking the patriotic colors of red, white, and blue. Then they wanted to remind everyone not to forget about their pink friends, the flamingos and another , a delicious, favorite, the plump strawberry season. And let’s not forget the blooms of the summer. Last but not least, they are thrilled to head to the pool with the sunny days. Enjoy!

     

     

     

    FIND ME…

    Twitter: Chrissy Hartmann @USAWriter355

     

    Facebook:

    www.facebook.com/usawriter355

     

     

    http://www.facebook.com/AuthorChrissyHartmann

     

    WEBSITES:

    Expression Med $5 off Coupon for patches

    Dexcom G6 CGM (Continuous glucose monitor)

    https://dexcom.com/g6

     

    Goose Outfits by Terri Fredericks

    https://www.facebook.com/gooseoutfitsbyterri

    Prickle Forrest Creations goose shoes

    Order via E-mail pfcreations@gmail.com

     

    The Seeing Eye

    http://www.theseeingeye.org/

     

     

    Instacart Refer a friend $10 off coupon

    https://inst.cr/t/cTlEVXBRMWN1

     

    Walmart Refer A Friend $10 off Coupon

  • Prickle Forrest Chronicles May 2020 Newsletter

    PRICKLE FORREST CHRONICLES

    May 2020 (Posted 05/17/2020

    By Chrissy Hartmann

     

     

    Spring’s arrived! Easter’s passed. Normally a celebration of rebirth. But not this year. Sure blooming flowers fill the landscapes, Blue Skye’s hang overhead, but life itself casts a shadow over the splendors of Mother Nature.

    Death invades the land. Liberal instability longs for conquest. Concepts of destruction feed our fears.

    But always remember, Good trumps evil. The Darkness fades from light. Strength, resilience, and patience create survivors. Learn from it. Keep faith. The good shall win. And once again, the colors of happiness will bloom and this evil will fade into a distant memory. Stay strong. Stay Safe. Never give up. This is a time of rebirth. A time to show the doubters we will endure. Step out of the darkness and do what’s right. Celebrate! Live! Love! Never give up!

    And for goodness sake, KEEP WASHING THOSE HANDS!

     

     

    THE TOP 5

    1. Happy Mother’s Day!
    2. Unlock America begins. Greatness here we come again!
    3. Major League Baseball returns July 1st!
    4. Hydroxychloroquine, the destroyer of COVID-19.
    5. Faithful Little Cupcake… local bakery. Latest 2 flavors Peach and Elvis Presley… YUMMY!

     

    * 

     

    WIP (Work In Progress):

    Book 2 for the Whiskey series plods along. Now that edits are finished will have the time to write more. Hoping to get it finished by the end of the year. Love writing this one, so it won’t take forever…especially since will be following an actual outline this time. Woohoo! Woohoo!

     

     

    QUERYING:

    Starting June 1st. Sending the requested changes to EP first. Will give them a week’s advance, then submitting the manuscript to a list of 10 literary agents/publishers. Plan to continue its query until one sticks or book 2 of the series is completed. Already have 5 chapters written out of the 30 proposed. Woohoo!

     

     

    THE CRAFT

    This month’s writing tip…

    Check out the following posts for help with cutting out the distance in your writing…

     

    Narrative Distance by Jennifer Ellis

    https://www.jenniferellis.ca/narrative-distance/

     

     

    How to eliminate distance using Deep POV by Lisa Hall-Wilson

    How To Eliminate Distance In Deep Point of View

     

     

    THE HOLIDAYS:

    Celebrated Mother’s Day…started the day out with a call from Mom, AKA RedPen. She’s reading over the edits to the novel. So far, she likes the changes. That’s good news. She can be brutal sometimes.

    In college, she returned letters corrected. No reply. Just corrected. Yes, corrected. Yikes!

    Slept until 2 pm, but did wake for breakfast in bed with mimosas. Yummy! Then spent a couple of hours out in the sunshine watching two of the three kiddos play in the yard. Punkin discovered she could slip under the fence and explore the neighbor’s flower garden. Obviously, she’s not noticed their new puppy, Rudy, an 11-year-old retired greyhound. He’s very gentle. Just hope she realizes this. Actually, not sure if Winnie’s seen him yet either. He’s a very mild guy who appreciates his naptime.

    A storm blew in, so the deck emptied for the safety of the house…and Coccia House pizza and anti-pasta salad. Unfortunately no more mimosas.

    Received a beautiful handmade card and a bouquet of red-red roses from #1 kiddo and hubby. No baby’s breath in them, thank goodness, because otherwise you’d find Punkin’s picture plastered all over this page with her climbing into the vase attacking them. What is it with kittens and baby’s breath? Sheesh!

    Finished the holiday with some social media perusing and the search for new reading material. Will check the LOC BARD first then Kindle. Hopefully something will inspire its selection. Recommendations welcomed for entertaining literature. Please Post title suggestions below in the comment section.

    As for Memorial Day…Wondering if Ohio plans to cancel this next? Hmm? I doubt any parades will take place…not with these ridiculous rules of social distancing. Obviously, our governor and his team of health experts need to be educated on the concept of “Herd Immunity.”

     

     

    MY BOOKSHELF:

    1. Unfreedom of the Press by Mark R. Levin
    2. The Writer Magazine
    3. George Washington’s Secret Six: The Spies Who Saved America by Brian Kilmeade
    4. Writing Deep Scenes; Plotting Your Story through Action, Emotion, and Theme by Martha Alderson

     

     

    SPRINGTIME SEASONAL FAVORITES:

    SPORTS TEAM: The Cleveland Indians. MLB starting up July 1st… Woohoo! Go Tribe!

    COLOR: Dark Brown, white, and pink.

    CHARITY: The Seeing Eye

    SONG: Truly Madly Deeply by Savage Garden

    FOOD: Homemade Buffalo cauliflower wings. Yummy!

    HOT DRINK: French vanilla cappuccino.

    FLOWER: Tulips, daisies, and roses…better yet…all of them!

     

     

    DID YOU KNOW…

    Dexcom G6 is a fabulous continuous glucose monitor. No more finger pricks. This is almost like having my pancreas working on its own again. Gives me a lot of freedom. One quick look at my iPhone app to see my blood sugars and I’m good to go.

    And if you want to dress your CGM up why not try an overlay patch from Expression Med? Many great designs. Puppy paws, flowers, flags, shamrocks, etc. Check them out with the link below and get $5 off your firsts order. Hopefully you’ll love them too!

     

     

    PRICKLES OF THE MONTH…

    • Coronavirus, COVID, COVID-19 — whatever you call it, it sucks!
    • Obama Administration — Liars! Liars! Liars!
    • Face masks — Really? You think that’s going to work? How about “herd immunity?”
    • Social distancing — 4th of July fireworks cancelled. What? It’s only May!

     

     

    THEY SAID…

    “I conceive a knowledge of books is the basis upon which other knowledge is to be built.”

    By George Washington

     

     

    HOMETOWN UPDATE:

    • Wooster’s Walmart started their online shopping and curbside pickup. Started May 15th. Already had the app downloaded and the shopping cart is full. Pickup scheduled for Tuesday May 19th at 6 pm. No shopper fees or tipping. No extra charges like Instacart. Hoping to do most grocery shopping via Walmart but plan to use Instacart on rare occasions for deliveries, but if they decide to ever do the pickup service in my town, then will definitely shop with them on a regular basis. Too bad Aldiss and other stores don’t do what Walmart’s doing.
    • Wooster City Schools still trying to figure out what they plan to do for our graduating class. Why they can’t have it outside in the stadium with a limited group of spectators is puzzling. Do half the class one day then the other half the next day. Makes one wonder what they plan for next school year if they can’t even figure this out. Hmm?
    • Pretty much all social entertainment whether it be music, sports, or any community based activity canceled for the summer. Wayne County Fair still on the calendar so keep the fingers crossed it survives.

     

     

    INQUISITIVE MINDS WANT TO KNOW….

    The Muses wonder…Should masks be required or should it be the individual’s choice?

     

     

    GOOSING OFF>…

    Goosie & Gander

    The Geese have celebrated a birthday, played in the rain, jumped around like frogs, and are patiently waiting to honor our Vets for memorial day. They do plan to show off a couple of new outfits they purchased with their share of the stimulus check. And if you’re looking for that fabulous modiste to make your own geese fashionable check out one of their favorite designers, Terri Fredericks. Contact info below. Check her out!

    But until the new haute couture arrives, enjoy their current spring collection…

     

     

    FIND ME…

    Twitter: Chrissy Hartmann @USAWriter355

    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/USAWriter355/

     

     

    WEBSITES:

    Expression Med $5 off Coupon for patches

    http://expressionmed.refr.cc/christinabenchoff

     

     

    Dexcom G6 CGM (Continuous glucose monitor)

    https://dexcom.com/g6

     

     

    Goose Outfits by Terri Fredericks

    https://www.facebook.com/gooseoutfitsbyterri

     

     

    The Seeing Eye

    http://www.theseeingeye.org/

     

     

    Instacart

    https://inst.cr/t/cTlEVXBRMWN1

  • Back to the Movies…

    BACK TO THE MOVIES…

    It’s been some time since I visited the movie theater. I hadn’t wanted to go not because of the movies out there of little quality, that’s a whole different story, but I hated being a bother to my fellow moviegoers.
    No one likes the constant questions to describe what’s going on in the scene and I detest over explanation. So what got me back into a theater seat?

    I’d heard movie goers with disabilities were having much success and actual enjoyment because theaters now equipped themselves with the latest adaptive technology for everyone to participate in a night out at the movies.

    Thrilled at this possibility of returning to the movies I was game to try it out.
    But on a side note, I’m a fan of great tunes and I’d heard this sequel’s sound track was as fabulous as the first one.

    So wanting to witness volume 2 gave me the extra umph I needed to justify to shell out the cash for the overly priced tickets and possible disappointment that this new technology for the disabled was not up to par.

    Prepared to just listen to the dialogue and sing along to the sound track, I was shocked at the quality of the narration and how well everything worked. There was no extra cost for the use of the head set which was a pure bonus then when the movie came on, after the trailer previews, the narration started.
    Able to follow along with the plot needing no assistance from my fellow watchers all I could think was, It works! I’m back to the movies. “Hallelujah!”

    The movie was a real treat. The clear narration explained all of the high adventure in space. The spectacular soundtrack that could make any star dance to its beat had me doing just that.

    I loved it! The whole experience brought about a rebirth of venturing out to the movies.
    Normally I stick to books, audio books, some e-books if I can find a tolerable narrating voice, but now with this discovery that movie theaters are now carrying devices for the hearing and visually impaired to better enjoy the movie experience it means the purse strings will get quite the stretching.
    Honestly, I doubted the experience would prompt me to mark Saturdays off as movie night but it has.

    I could say it’s the screen writers or the sound track for the reason but in all reality it’s probably the fact I can walk in to a theater, unfold my seat, sit down with my tub of popcorn and gallon of overpriced soda and finally slide on some earphones, sit back and actually watch the movie through my ears. What a fantastic treat.

    And if you’re interested…Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2 gets the soft fuzzy prickles of a Douglas Fir,2 thumbs up, *****, and 10 Oreo review rating from the muses.
    Sound Track is fabulous like the original and I’m looking forward to downloading the tunes to my iPhone.

    And since its Saturday, Johnny Depp’s new amazing pirate tale is now inked onto the calendar for the 8 o’clock showing tonight.

    So stay tuned…more coming from the Prickle Forrest Chronicles!

    As an added bonus check out:
    AMC Assisted Movie going
    https://www.amctheatres.com/assistive-moviegoing

    Movie Popcorn Nutrition Facts:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/nutrition-facts-calories/movie-theater-popcorn

    Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2 Movie Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEpsPXUt4R0

    Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2 Soundtrack Facts:
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guardians_of_the_Galaxy_Vol._2_(soundtrack)

    Follow me on Twitter: @ usawriter355

    Chrissy Hartmann 4CRHB 2017©
    Prickle Forrest Chronicles 2017©

  • One Stop For Writers: An Online Library Unlike Any Other

    Every once in a while, something comes along that changes things for the better.

    And in the world of writers, this is especially welcoming, because we all know just how much sweat, courage and persistence it takes to write a book and then release it into the world.

    Today I’m pointing you toward a new website which I hope will help writers brainstorm stronger characters, craft deeper, more compelling plots, and teach us how to be more effective with our description so we draw readers in.

    One Stop For Writers is a collaboration between Becca Puglisi and Angela Ackerman, authors of The Emotion Thesaurus, and Lee Powell, creator of Scrivener for Windows. This powerhouse online library is filled with one-of-a-kind descriptive thesaurus collections, tools, tutorials and much more, all geared to provide the resources you need to strengthen your prose and write more efficiently.

    Want to check One Stop For Writers out?

    Hop on over to Writers Helping Writers for their Launch Week festivities (October 7-14th)! If you know Angela, Lee and Becca already, you probably can guess there will be some great prizes, and probably a bit of paying-it-forward too.

  • Hello to the World of Writers!

    The excitement’s building.

    the prickles today are soft and tingly.

    Yes its almost that time…

    One Stop For Writers is almost here! Watch this fun little video for a look inside this unique library for writers: https://onestopforwriters.wistia.com/medias/jy2kj7hmyw

    remember the site launches soon so please bookmark their website, you’ll love it!

    http://www.onestopforwriters.com/

    Chrissy Hartmann

    Prickle Forrest LLC 2015©

  • Aps for Writing on the iPhone

    What’s the most irritating thing for a writer?

    I know most would say writers block, but not for me.

    For me it’s when I’m on the go and an idea hits. It’s not the idea that’s irritating, it’s the fact I have no pen or paper near by to jot down my thoughts.

    But with technology these days, that scenario is pretty much obsolete.

    Below is a list of iPhone apps I find helpful as a writer.

    1. A novel idea by Shawn Svacha

    This app is great for the new novelist on the go. The cost is well worth the price. Its free at first but with a few $$It can expand to even something better with adding the function of Drop Box and e-mail sharing. Plus you can even write out full scenes. This is a great app to get your novel organized.
    I love it because you could actually create your novel in this one little ap. It has character outlines, setting outlines, scene outlines, and story characteristics. Then when you’re ready, you can e-mail it or send it to the cloud to share or pick up on your PC. It’s simple to use and keeps everything grouped by novels. So yes, you can work on numerous books
    I give it *****
    at once. Check it out at: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/a-novel-idea/id421948244?mt=8

    2. Pages by Apple

    I haven’t explored every little facet of Pages but that’s only because there are so many. But what I can tell you, if you want, you can format, type, edit, and print anything you want on Pages. This has templates to use of many types and it also has the ability for you to open a previously created document into pages and work from there. I love the automatic saving it does. The sync to Drop Box is an added bonus. One feature I hope to check out soon is converting a document to PDF. It’s well worth the price of $9.99 and if you desire more templates there’s even an additional app to tandemly use with Pages for more document templates. More info can be found at:
    https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pages/id361309726?mt=8

    3. MS Word by Microsoft corporation

    If you love Word, you’ll love it on your Apple product.
    I’ll admit, I’m a PC user and when MS word became available for the iPhone I was thrilled. The only problem is you have to obtain a subscription for MS Word 365 to access the complete functionality of the program and that can run you $$$.

    but I still give it ****

    Check MS Word out at: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/microsoft-word/id586447913?mt=8

    4. Access Note By the American Foundation for the Blind

    Yep, folks that’s right. The visually impaired do write. And if you have trouble with vision then Access note just might be the best writing app for you. The screen commands are simple to use with VoiceOver. It’s Fast and efficient navigation throughout a note by page, paragraph, line, word, character, and other elements can speed things up. You can do a search and find and the app will mark your place with the cursor. For more info check out:
    https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/accessnote/id591287188?mt=8

    5. Voice Dream Writer By Voice Dream LLC

    This app is awesome. It can save you time with text-to- speech writing and proofreading. Best of all when your document is read back to you you’ll hear how it flows and any mistakes which is great for content quality.
    The Apple Bluetooth keyboard is compatible if you need that hands on approach. Syncing with iCloud and Drop Box is available too.
    The price tag is $9.99 and well worth it. Voice selections are abundant and can be purchased at a minimal cost too. See

    https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/voice-dream-writer/id920583100?mt=8

    6. Word press by WordPress.Org

    Who doesn’t like to blog and read blogs? This handy little app lets you do both. No $ to acquire it. It’s easy to set up a new blog. You can draft from here and even post something new. Your Word Press blog from the PC is all there. Just login on your phone and take your blog on the road. You’ll never know when inspiration hits and the ability to blog anywhere is divine. So Keep your readers current write from the Apple. Get it at
    https://apps.wordpress.org/

    7. Outliner by CarbonFin

    Here’s a handy little outliner ap. Its great for doing all kinds of writing tasks whether it be a grocery list or a full length novel, this is a great one to check out. Its $4.99 and it can be found at

    http://carbonfin.com/.

    Its awesome features include online sync, sharing and editing.

    8. Paperless by Crush Apps

    Okay this is usually my go to app for when I need to take a real quick note or make a list. This app is great for making any and all kinds of lists. You can add icons and themes to each to make it fun. Its plain and simple, just the way I like it. Its like writing on a piece of paper.
    Find it at

    https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/paperless-lists-+-checklists/id359564368?mt=8

    9. Day One by Bloom Built LLC

    Believe it or not people like to read journals. if you’re a writer and want to keep your readers entertained try this simple but elegant little ap. Its $4.99.
    The price to remind you of your thoughts for the day whether it be listing them or writing a diary page its going to be helpful. The app isn’t hard to use and added features of sharing to other social media sites such as twitter and Facebook are a bonus. Backup to the iCloud and drop box makes syncing a sure thing. And if this is strictly for your eyes only a passcode is available too. This app has lots of extra features. You should check it out at

    https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/day-one-journal-notes-diary/id421706526?mt=8

    10. Journal Chronicle a personal diary
    here’s my favorite to journal in. Its only $2.99…and well worth it.

    I love the simplicity of the program. It makes it easy to sit down and write a few hundred words without pain or complicationand without fuss I can export all my stuff to my PC or friends. Backups can be made with a few quick taps. You can even save them to Dropbox , Drive, and Evernote.
    Adding pictures to your enteries can be done with as many pics you want and customizing the program can be made as much as you want.
    As an aspiring author I love the idea of separate notebooks. Hours of searching for my entries is now over with the easy search feature. The program may look simple at first but its got a lot of punch to it.
    I give it a definite *****.

    You can find it at

    https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/chronicle-personal-journal/id371886793?mt=8

    And to top it off here are five helpful aps all writers, no matter what you write, should consider:
    1. Dictionary.Com
    2. Drop Box
    3. Flexy
    4. Writers Ap (Agent finder)
    5. Able to extract

    On a final note, most of these apps, if not all of them are VoiceOver friendly and my Apple Bluetooth keyboard works great with them.

    Happy writing!

    ChrissyHartmann

    Prickle Forrest LLC 2015 ©