Month: December 2015

Happy Holidays!

December 31, 2015 / Marsha Ward / 1 Comment

No matter which Holidays you observe at this time of the year, or even none at all, I extend my most Joyous Greetings to you

From all the Characters in the Head of author Marsha Ward, and Me

It’s been a fascinating year for The Characters in My Head and Me, but we couldn’t have made it through the distressing, painful times without loyal readers. Although we didn’t plan for, nor publish, a novel in 2015, it has still been a busy writing year.

The Characters and I plan an ambitious publishing program for the year 2016, beginning in February, with the release of the newest novel, The Zion Trail, in ebook format.

Producing a Print Edition of a book eats up a significant amount of my time, effort, and resources, but I like to please my Fans. If I hear from YOU and 49 other Fans that you will purchase a print copy, The Zion Trail will be available in print form later in the year.

Send me an email at marshaw@marshaward.com with the Subject Line
“Please do a Print Edition of THE ZION TRAIL”
to press your case for a Print Edition of The Zion Trail.

Spread the word, and encourage your friends who also love my books to drop me an email.

The Characters and I look forward to bringing you other exciting projects in the New Year. Follow the word counts at my Writer in the Pines blog. And if you haven’t signed up on my Mailing List yet, there’s a form up there at the right where you can do that so you won’t miss out on a bit of news in the New Year. Yes, it’s the one that talks about getting a free novel! Or click here to subscribe.

As you and I leave 2015 behind and enter the uncharted waters of 2016, I send my thanks and many warm wishes to you and yours. Please make the most of every day, read lots of books, and give the gift of reviews to your favorite authors. May you have bounteous peace and prosperity in the New Year.

Happy Holidays!

Marsha Ward, and the Characters in My Head

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Sample Saturday Mended by Moonlight

December 12, 2015 / Marsha Ward / 0 Comments

Welcome to Sample Saturday. This snippet is from my new Work-in-Progress (WIP), Mended by Moonlight.
~~~

from Chapter 3, Mended by Moonlight

Dr. Alexander Marshall opened the door to his small office, thrust his fingers through the front of his straight black hair, and stopped abruptly. A woman dressed in black clothing from tip to toe sat in the chair facing his untidy desk. She turned her head at the sound of his entrance. The skin of her face was pale as the pallor of death, but her features were fashioned with exquisite symmetry. Pale blonde hair peeked out from under her black bonnet, and he drew in his breath, startled by the unexpected sight of such beauty in these dismal circumstances.

She was a young woman, scarcely old enough to put up her hair, although he could see signs of wartime privation in the hollows of her cheeks. He noted the lack of a companion, and wondered who she could be, come here so boldly, so alone.

He let go of the doorknob and allowed the door to swing shut behind him, enclosing the two of them together—alone—in his crowded office.

The woman had shifted the paperwork that had previously occupied the chair to the floor. He felt the annoyance, no, the embarrassment of having put her to undue labor because of his untidiness.

Suddenly aware that a bloody apron still covered his clothing, he removed it with haste, balled it up, and flung it into a corner. Then he dipped a hand into the pocket of his trousers and took out the unread note he’d received that morning from Dr. Clark, the hospital director.

The only response from his guest came from her large blue eyes, which followed his every move. Otherwise, her rigid posture and tightly-clasped hands indicated uncertainty—or fear.

“Miss . . .” he began, then realized she wore the attire of a widow. He glanced at the note. Please attend to Mrs. Allen before noon. She suffers headaches. “Mrs. Allen, I am Doctor Marshall.” He dropped into the chair behind his desk and laid the note on the surface before him.

“I am Mrs. Benjamin Owen,” the widow said, her voice firmer than he supposed it would be.

“I beg your pardon,” he answered, looking at the note again.

“My mother, Mrs. Theodore Allen, arranged for this visit. I am Mrs. Owen.” Again, her voice conveyed her statement with firmness.

He inclined his head. “Mrs. Owen. How may I be of service?”
~~~

Thank you for visiting my website blog. I hope you enjoyed this short piece from my new work, Mended by Moonlight.

My latest novel, The Zion Trail, will be published in 2016 as an ebook, and if there is sufficient demand, in print. To keep up-to-date on when The Zion Trail will be published, along with other new releases, and to learn of special offers and sales, click here to join my Readers email list. In your inbox, you will also receive instructions on how to download a free ebook of my last novel, Gone for a Soldier.

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Trust Your Creative Voice

December 9, 2015 / Marsha Ward / 0 Comments

How are your trust issues these days? Do you trust yourself as a writer? Or do you often find yourself on the shaky ground of self-doubt?

That’s a hard part of being a writer. You might be mistaken for someone with bipolar disease, because you either love your work or you hate it, with corresponding high and low mood swings.

While I can’t offer much help on the high or low moods you may experience, here’s a writing tip on a subject I’ve been studying a lot lately, which might help with the trust factor.

TRUST YOUR CREATIVE VOICE

The Creative Voice comes from the part of your brain that knows how to tell stories, as opposed to your Critical Voice, which keeps you out of danger by preventing you from writing, ’cause, you know, that’s too dangerous!

If you, like me, detest outlining, here’s a book that may just lift you up to the stars with elation: Writing Into The Dark: How to Write a Novel Without an Outline, by Dean Wesley Smith. Yes, I did write about this book before. But after reading it once through, I had a terrible scare. I couldn’t find it anywhere!

Fortunately, when I went to Amazon to order another copy (yes, that’s how valuable I found the book to be), I discovered that since I had purchased the print copy, I could download the ebook free!

HAPPY DANCE!

A couple of days ago, I looked at the bottom shelf of a bookcase from a different angle than usual, and discovered that my print copy of the book had slipped off something and become lodged on the bottom shelf.

SECOND HAPPY DANCE!

Now I’ve re-read the book, and I’ve highlighted crucial points in bright pink, a practice I never allow myself, except, you know, in very important cases, this being one. I’m learning to trust my Creative Voice, and oh! What a difference it makes!

Tell me: Are you a writer who outlines before you write, or do you sit down and trust that your Creative Voice will lead you into a rip-snorting good tale?

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Sample Saturday The Zion Trail #5

December 5, 2015 / Marsha Ward / 0 Comments

Welcome to Sample Saturday. This scene is an excerpt from my forthcoming novel, The Zion Trail, which will be available in ebook format early next year. Lije expresses his concerns to his father following John’s altercation with neighbor boys. Caution: Mormon beliefs are briefly discussed in this excerpt.
~~~
By suppertime, John looked like a new man—well, boy at least—with his damp hair combed into submission and the egg residue absent from his person.
Ma said she would sit with us at the table that night. She told John he was to take the tray into Pa’s room to explain his altercation and help Pa eat, if he needed any assistance.

Before we sat down to supper, I looked in on Pa. He looked better with the color fading from the bruise on his face. He was able to open his eye now. I could tell he chafed at Ma’s insistence that he stay in bed, as he wasn’t a man to be idle.

“Elijah,” he greeted me.

I sat beside his bed and gave him a report on the farm work. When I had finished, he stared into my eyes for a long moment, then nodded.

“You are doing well, son, but what is troubling you?”

I don’t know why I was surprised that he had read me so easily. I took a moment to formulate an answer.

“Reverend Silcoe has added to our woes,” I said. “He preached against us on Sunday, according to John.” I paused. “I should let him tell the tale. He’ll be here shortly with your supper.”

“All right. I’ll hear him out. You are fretting, Lije.”

“I didn’t expect folks to beat you and pick on John merely because we chose to join a different church. Ma said the same.” I looked down. My fists were clenched so tightly that my knuckles appeared as snow-capped mountains. I eased my hands open and gripped my knees instead.

Pa reached out his hand, and I took it gingerly. “That book the elders left. The Book of Mormon. At the beginning, the prophet Lehi was laughed to scorn because of his belief in God’s word. His sons were in danger of their lives when they returned to gather records. Can we expect better treatment?”

I shifted in the chair, remembering my promise to President Peters to read that book. “I guess not.”

Pa nodded. “So it was anciently. So it is today. People sometimes fear truth, especially when it calls for change.” He squeezed my hand. “Go to supper, Lije, and give no more worry to the matter.”

I left him then and went to eat, trying to let his counsel sooth my own fears.
~~~

Thank you for visiting this Sample Saturday post. The Zion Trail will be published in 2016 as an ebook, and if there is sufficient demand, in print. To keep up-to-date on when The Zion Trail will be published, along with other new releases, and to learn of special offers and sales, click here to join my Readers email list. In your inbox, you will also receive instructions on how to download a free ebook of my last novel, Gone for a Soldier.

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