Introductions

[StaceyKeymaster]

Reply to this thread to introduce yourself and say hi! Be sure to mention what genre you write in.

• This topic was modified 1 year, 1 month ago by Stacey.

[TammiKeymaster]

Hi, I’m Tammi! I write every genre! LOL

For this challenge I’ll be writing two cookies, because my LitRPG cowriter is just finishing up Book 1 in a series we need a reader magnet for, and I’m also launching a new romance pen name. So that will be …. great. 😂

[katieParticipant]

I’m Katie, and *I* write in most every genre, as my…damn, let me count…76 books will attest. Like Tammi, I also have a litRPG coming up, but I’m not sure if I’ll be working on a cookie for it, or something else.

Actually, I’m not sure what I’ll be doing. I guess I’ll need to decide by Monday.

Wait, does it have to be a cookie we’re writing? Can it be a short story that isn’t a cookie, but has an even shorter story cookie attached? Does that makes sense? Why am I so difficult? Who even am I?

These an other questions are waiting to be answered. Until then, hello. I look forward to the class, and hope to have my act together by Monday.

[TammiKeymaster]

Wait, you’re writing LitRPG TOO? LMAO you’re a madwoman, seriously.

[katieParticipant]

Yup. I’m just not sure if I’m writing it next week, or a different project. I am presenting the muse with two choices tomorrow, and STRONGLY URGING her to make a decision because she had a week off gaming, and now she needs to get cracking again. 🙂

[TammiKeymaster]

Don’t forget, you’ll start getting resources tomorrow that will help at least somewhat with that! They’ll drop just before the kickoff party (because, true confessions, I’m still finalizing the worksheets).

[Leena PekkalainenParticipant]

I have to check what is LitRPG – never heard of it before, but that’s probably because I’ve forgotten myself over 2000 years back in time. Namely MA studies in Egyptology. Back in the present now… Curious to serch for info how on earth do you write LitRPG…

Leena 🙂

[TammiKeymaster]

Haha, I think LitRPG is the LITERAL opposite of what you’re writing. 😂

[Leena PekkalainenParticipant]

I bought one ebook in the genre – seems like fun!

Leena 🙂

[Cassandra MedcalfParticipant]

LitRPG is insane! Kudos to y’all- I could NEVER keep that many characters straight!

[Jessica HaltiwangerParticipant]

Hey friends! I’m Jess. I write steamy contemporary romance. I’m still pretty new to this author thing. I’ve got 2 books out and am desperately trying–read: struggling–to finish book 3. My BFF has been pushing me to write a reader magnet, so we’re doing this challenge together for moral support. I’m not 100% sure what I’m going to write, but I at least have a general idea of what I’m gonna do. Fingers crossed I can get this thing done within this six week time frame. I’m super nervous about it, tbh.

[Trisha MessmerParticipant]

Hey you go-getter, you beat me here! 🙂

[Jessica HaltiwangerParticipant]

I was supposed to be brainstorming that character like we said, and I did not. So idk if me beating you here was a good thing lol. (Okay, okay. I *did* brainstorm a little and I got 320-something words down so i guess I’m forgiven?)

[Leena PekkalainenParticipant]

I envy folks who can write steamy stuff. If I tried the reader would die laughing…

Leena 🙂

[TammiKeymaster]

If I’m honest, at least for me, it gets REAL old REAL fast.

[Jessica HaltiwangerParticipant]

lol @Tammi do you mean writing it gets real old real fast or reading it?

@Leena, I honestly do too. I mean, I hear I’m decent at it, but I feel like I’m just trying too hard sometimes. I have to go back in and edit it way too much. I do at least 3 passes in the first rough draft. 1st one is writing all the action, the second is writing in all the emotion, and the third is making sure to touch on all 5 senses. By the time I’m done with the scene, the process wasn’t nearly as enjoyable as reading it in someone else’s book is. (which may be what Tammi was talking about too?)

[TammiKeymaster]

Writing it. I swear to god if I never write another sex scene it’ll be too soon.

(I’m writing a sex scene in THIS VERY CHALLENGE, LMAO 😭)

[Leena PekkalainenParticipant]

Now that was an interesting way to write the scenes. 1) action 2) emotion 3) 5 senses. I do believe I’ll write this down should the odd occasion arise when I find myself writing something steamy.

Leena 🙂

[TammiKeymaster]

5 senses is a great thing to keep in mind in general, for any scene. I actually have a Post-It stuck to the side of my monitor with a list of the 5 senses in it, so I remember to include them!

[Benjamin SmithParticipant]

The sense of smell is something I always have to consciously add into a story, because my own is very shoddy. A deviated septum will do that! I hope my daughter has my wife’s nose and not mine. She’ll be cursed by the mushroom farms in neighboring areas, but she’ll be blessed if there’s ever a gas leak and she can actually smell the danger.

[TammiKeymaster]

A great sense of smell isn’t always the best thing — I have two dogs! 😂

[Cassandra MedcalfParticipant]

Good for you, Jess! I’m also super new to writing (just one book out right now) and I also write contemporary romance! This should be fun!

[Katje van LoonParticipant]

Hi everyone, I’m Katje! (Pronounced CAT-chah. It’s Dutch for “little cat.”)

I write Speculative Fiction — whatever subsubsubsubgenre of whatever I’m creating, it has an element of Spec Fic to it, so that’s my catch-all term.

My two main series that have at least 1 book published each are epic fantasy and portal fantasy, and I have a bunch of WiPs within those universes and even more ideas.

I have stuff I’m working on under pen names, too, but nothing published as of yet. Genres there are LitRPG and…something I can’t define yet, but it’s like if Urban Fantasy, Cozy Mystery, Ghost Stories, and AU Earth had a love child.

Literally everything I write has a romance subplot. I apparently am incapable of writing something without shipping characters together.

As for what I’ll be baking in this challenge, I’m not entirely sure yet but I know it’ll be for one of my main series. Or possibly for both of them, haha. XD

[Leena PekkalainenParticipant]

Hi!

I’ve been wondering if I should write alternate history sorta kinda stories. Being an Egyptologist it might be fun to imagine what our modern world would be like if Christianity did not win the worship of the goddess Isis.

Leena 🙂

[Katje van LoonParticipant]

I would be really interested in a story like that. 😀 I love AU-stuff like that (Kushiel Series!) and Egyptology has always been an interest for me.

Actually one of my upcoming series is going to be heavily Isis-focused. (Short story long, my epic fantasy is set on a planet Terrans colonized in our far future, their distant past, so there are remnants of human cultures all over the planet, and one of my countries is a theocratic matriarchy that focuses on the worship of Isis, with their leader being a mortal who is Isis reincarnated / mortal with a god-shard in her.

I’ve already planted the seed of the series in the second book of my trilogy, but it’s probably going to wait a while longer for me to write it as I’m apparently still not entirely sure what’s happening in it. Luckily a different spin-off series has appeared, so I’ll write that one first.

Hi I’m Katje and characters run my life.)

[JunetaParticipant]

I love to read stuff like that espescially involving Egypt. I a a mythology nut and write short humorous stories in the mythic realm playing with all the pantheons. I’d be your target audience for sure. I am also writing a mythic related fantasy connected to Atlantis. lol.

[TammiKeymaster]

I am also not capable of NOT having a romance subplot. Even if it’s just super low-stakes, it’s in there. I am an inveterate shipper!

Katje, did I meet you at 20Books last year??

[Katje van LoonParticipant]

Right? SHIPPING FOR LIFE. It really annoys my husband when we’re watching TV and I scream “NOW KISS” at characters who I think have chemistry. Or no chemistry. Honestly at this point I kinda do it just to irritate him. XD

You did not! It must have been my doppelganger; she’s a seasoned world-traveller. I am very much a homebody these days. ^_^

(Someday I would LOVE to make it to 20Books. Or like, any physical writer meet-up or retreat. But travel is a really big effort for me, so it has to wait until it’s less of an effort or I have enough money I don’t mind the effort, haha.)

[TammiKeymaster]

I hate traveling more than anything, and my ultimate life goal is to make enough money that I can fly First Class. LOL!

[AntoniaParticipant]

Hiya! I’m Antonia, and I’m currently writing urban fantasy. One ongoing serial on Kindle Vella, and a new series of novels in the works, both of which I want a cookie for, so I’m going to be baking double duty during this challenge (hopefully). I already know the basic premise for one cookie, but have to decide on the second…

Glad to be here! 🙂

[Leena PekkalainenParticipant]

How do you find Kindle Vella? As I am not in UK / USA / Canada and the other countries where authors are allowed to participate in Vella, I am eagerly waiting for it here in Finland as well. If it is any good for the writer, that is.

Leena 🙂

[AntoniaParticipant]

I’m hoping they’ll open it up internationally soon as well! It’s an interesting experience so far. I don’t know if Amazon will keep it going long-term, to be honest, as they seem to be treating it as a bit of an experiment and not making as much of an effort to drive their readers there as one would expect, but they do seem to be rolling things out slowly (very slowly). It definitely has some bugs to work out, but I’m satisfied with it overall for what it is. I enjoy writing in the serial format, and the monthly Amazon bonuses (so far) make up for the low royalties/sparse readership.

[Jodie CarterParticipant]

Hi Everyone,

I’m Jodie and i write speculative fiction but the current WIP is an Urban Fantasy. I tried to do a reader magnet for it before but i have an issue, i cant write short, so it blew out. I decided to integrate it into the main series which will work well but now i have to think of what to have instead.

I have a character that only shows up a few times under different names. I was thinking of writing what they did behind the scenes as we wont see it. There’s only a short period of time in story i can write with out giving away the ending. I’m hoping that will help keep it short and give readers some insight into a character that will have a bigger role in the series.

Excited to see what everyone is doing!

[Jobie BaldwinParticipant]

Hi everyone

I’m Jobie and I write YA urban fantasy and cozy mystery. I’m going to be writing one cookie for each genre during the challenge.

I’m old and inexperienced. Is that the worst thing I can be? Maybe not…

Up until now I’ve written the books and done absolutely nothing with them other than moan that I don’t know how to get people to buy them. I’ve thrown good money after bad, with little strategy. All that has done is blown my confidence. So, enough is enough. I’m turning over a new leaf in 2022 after a rough bout of COVID. Nothing like a pandemic to refocus the scattered mind of an ADHD author!

Anyway, im glad to be here. I’m looking forward to learning a lot but I also hope I can contribute to the experience for others too.

[TammiKeymaster]

I have ADD too! It’s a curse. (Especially combined with #1 Ideation (we’re Becca Syme/CliftonStrengths groupies around here) — TOO MUCH thinking, NOT ENOUGH doing!)

I can’t promise you’ll sell more books, but it’s generally a side effect of more subscribers, so here’s hoping!!!

[Jobie BaldwinParticipant]

So pleased to meet you. I’ve tried meditating this morning and all I got was a headache and 499 new story ideas 🤷🏻‍♀️

[jckeoughworldParticipant]

Hey y’all,

I’m Jamie. I write urban fantasy and cozy mysteries set in Texas and with a decidedly southern flair. My reader magnet will be a short story for my first cozy. I may also tackle a new cookie for my UF series. The current one I give away is a short story based on one of the characters in the series, but she doesn’t show up until book two. Plus, the magnet has a totally different tone and feel than the series, so I don’t think that’s doing me any favors.

See you Monday.

[Sonsie MeadowsParticipant]

Hello, I’m Heather, writing under penname Sonsie Meadows. I write cozy mysteries set in Scotland… have two published and working on book three. I haven’t done much advertising, have a very small mailing list, and basically I need to kickstart everything! I need a reader magnet and have no idea yet what it will be.

Looking forward to getting to know all of you!

[Trisha MessmerParticipant]

Hi all! I’m Trisha and if it shows my name as Patricia, please don’t call me that. I hate it–well, I hate being called Pat more. But that’s neither here nor there. My pen name is Trisha Messmer. I write historical romance–specifically set in the Regency era. I’ve written some contemporary romances (my first foray out of the gate which are god awful and I’m trying to ignore those). I’m working on book 4 of what will be a 5 book series.

I see a lot of Urban Fantasy folks here but not many romance, and so far no one else writing historical romance. Fingers crossed someone else will be here. Mine are a “little” bit steamy with one on page love scene. My BFF and writing/critique partner is taking the challenge as well! This should be a blast.

Looking forward to the challenge and getting to know all of you.

[TammiKeymaster]

I changed your display name, Trisha. This is the sort of thing you *should* be able to do yourself, but we have a permissions problem. Getting you guys some kind of dashboard access so you can do that (and avatars!) is high on James’s priority list when he wraps up his current project.

• This reply was modified 1 year ago by Tammi.

[Trisha MessmerParticipant]

Thanks, Tammi! You rock!

[Kristy MalloryParticipant]

Hi, Everyone,

I’m Kristy, and I write open-door contemporary romance with a splash of suspense. I’ve written three books in a four book series, and I’m flip-flopping between writing a cookie specifically for this series, or one that will double as a cookie for this series and for a planned spin-off series. I don’t know that I have the time to write two cookies at the moment.

I’ve done some marketing, and had some sales, but my newsletter skills are non-existant, so I’m here to help build up my base.

I’m looking forward to meeting everyone and getting started on Monday!

EDIT: My pen name is Kristy Mallory, but it appears my legal name is showing here. Hopefully will get that corrected soon.

• This reply was modified 1 year ago by Kristy Mallory. Reason: Issue with screen name

[Nicole ArrowsmithParticipant]

Hey Ya’ll 🙂
I’m Nicole (First name is actually Christine but I like to go by Nicole. I answer to both!) and I write mysteries with supernatural, horror, and folklore elements. I’m a Newbie at the beginning of my career but super eager to learn everything I can. The cookie I’ll be working on is for the supernatural mystery series I’m launching this summer.

[TammiKeymaster]

I changed your name for you! Everyone should be called what they like to be called!

[Nicole ArrowsmithParticipant]

Thank you so much!!

[StaceyKeymaster]

I’m Stacey, Tammi’s assistant. I’ll be in and out of the course helping with the “behind the scenes” aspects of the course (so feel free to ping me if you have a technical issue). I’ll also be participating in the challenge. I’m starting a new pen name for Sci Fi Humor, so I’m really excited to get going with everyone!

[JunetaParticipant]

Hi I’m Juneta Key, I write speculative fiction. My primary and current project is YA Fantasy, Magic Born or Magic Cursed? series, first book Atlantis Rising supposed to be an origin story to a Apocalypic fantasy world where magic returns changing life for everyone. My first idea was to write paranormal romance in this world, but instead the origin story turned into YA Fantasy Adventure. I intended to write paranormal romance in this world, and may later on.

I am also writing Sci-fi Fantasy Space Opera series. It is on hiatis while I focus on my YA Fantasy. I love romance, especially paranormal romance. I admit I have to put a touch a romance of some kind in anything I write, space opera, or fantasy.

I also write mythological humor fantasy short stories–Grumpy Old being our anthologies branding series, first brand series Grumpy Old Gods. We have four out now, with a fifh coming out in April, Grumpy Old Tickster Gods.

I need and want to create a cookie for my Atlantis project and my space opera, but I am focusing first on YA fantasy. I would like to do two if possible for YA, or at least finsih one with and idea/start of a second in this series. Looking forward to this hoping it will help keep me focused so I will get it done. (I don’t have focused cookies just general speclative fiction as flash fiction stories. Admittedly, I have not had a series out that was not short story until now, so guess it is a good time for me to to it.)

• This reply was modified 1 year ago by Juneta.

[SabrinaParticipant]

Hi my name is Jo-Ann but I often go by my penname Sabrina K. Mercury, or just Sabrina. I prefer Sabrina :).

I write M/M Fantasy and Paranormal fiction but my other stories include science fantasy, urban fantasy and romance. I also focus on writing erotic stories for adults and new adults.

I’ve written one cookie already but it took such a long time that I would like to learn a better and faster approach. My big goal is to write two cookies for two separate projects but it’s not the be all end all if I can only complete one.

My current primary projects are a paranormal romance and a magical crime organization book series.

I’m really excited to participate in this challenge.

• This reply was modified 1 year ago by Sabrina.

[TammiKeymaster]

Changed your name!

[JunetaParticipant]

Hey Sabrina, Thought I’d say Hi here since we keep bumping into each all around the writer communities Glad to see you here will be fun to go through this course at same time.

[Ariella ZoelleParticipant]

Yay, I’m so glad there’s another MM author around here! It’s nice to meet you, Sabrina ❤️

[Leena PekkalainenParticipant]

Hi!

I’m Leena, and I write fantasy.

I just finished 7 years of MA Egyptology studies at the University of Manchester so I suppose it is logical to see references to ancient Egypt in my books.

My Nephilim Quest series runs on several historical levels, but mostly present time and ancient Egypt. Fourth book in the writing. Then there is the Space Witches – third book ready but haven’t had the time to publish it, the Creature Wars (second book in the works), Seven Shabtis (second book there too)… And a paranormal women’s fiction series Magical Midlife Detectives. At least that’s the work name for it. First book at editing stage, second book half written. Oh, and the first book Bastet Mysteries – that is something that is not yet published, and I was thinking maybe Kindle Vella… Or perhaps publishing it as a series to my newsletter subscribers on Bookfunnel (loooove Bookfunnel). I have decided to put my ammo in newsletter writing, as having a 9-5 job seriously disturbs the hobbies (read: writing).

I write 1000 words per day at least – if I am not tied to editing anything, I try to get 10.000 words per week. If I am editing stuff, then I try to get those 7000 words written by weekend, which I devote to editing, marketing, planning etc. Still, I have other life as well so I do not have many hours per weekend to use.

I use Plottr to pre-plan my stories, and Dabblewriter to write them (I used Scrivener but Dabblewriter is online so I can write a few sentences using my phone if I want to and often do) but I have to say those dang characters seem to have a will of their own, and they seriously disturb my premade plans by galloping off to unexpected directions and then I have to chase them down in my writing to loop them back to what I originally planned. Sometimes it works, often it doesn’t. But hey ho – at least I manage to catch them in the end, even if the end means I find the series veering to frontiers I never planned traveling to.

And I have two cookies so far. ”Angel” is a prequel to Nephilim Quest, explaining how she became the villain she is in the series, and ”Matthew’s Demise” is a spinoff of Space Witches and explains how Matthew ended up in the Halfway House to the prematurely dead, run by an old angel called Anthony who loves to bake, and a demon George who tries to get rid of the creepycrawlies all over his hair, beard and body by doing good deeds.

Leena 🙂

• This reply was modified 1 year ago by Leena Pekkalainen. Reason: Forgot to mention my cookies
• This reply was modified 1 year ago by Leena Pekkalainen.

[Jessica HaltiwangerParticipant]

I envy people who know how to plan their books. Lol. I can’t figure out how to do it to save my life. And part of me is scared to plan it because it might take the magic out of it for me. I like letting the characters take over and run the show. (Most of the time. Sometimes I’m like “GET YOUR BUTT BACK INSIDE THIS BOX OR SO HELP ME I’M DONE” but of course, I’d never actually be done.)

[Katje van LoonParticipant]

PUT THAT PLOT BACK WHERE IT CAME FROM OR SO HELP ME

(or so help me)

Ok sorry I had to make that reference. XD

I kind of semi-plan my books; I try to have a robust outline. But my characters still run the show. The outline becomes the Pirate’s Code. Guidelines, not actual rules. XD

[Michelle McLennanParticipant]

Hi everyone!

I’m Michelle and I write YA Sci-Fi/Fantasy. I’ve written one book that is self-published and am planning to finish the trilogy sometime (along with giving birth to second baby and being mama of two toddler-babes). I’ve sort of thought of a cookie but keep finding reasons why it won’t work :/ So I feel nervous about coming up with something in time for writing it alongside you all!

Even though I don’t write romance, it feels like the most important thing for me in my stories!! But I love a good action/adventure plot to bring the romance to another level. Also, I have trouble pinning down the genre of my novel. Some readers call it Urban Fantasy, others Sci-Fi. There is a contemporary element to it as well. And it’s definitely Fantasy.

Can’t wait to start writing!

[Alan LastufkaParticipant]

Hello all!

I’m Alan. I write thriller / horror / (and soon) sci-fi. My debut novel, FACE THE NIGHT, comes out this week on the 8th!

I have a reader magnet for it already, but I just started my newsletter last month, so I’m still learning. Thought this course would be helpful in writing a second magnet and to make sure the first is as strong as it can be.

My newsletter is doing well, I think, I’ve gotten 205 subscribers over the first 35 days. And of those, 103 have actually downloaded the magnet.

Looking forward to working my way through this course with all of you!

[duncankatlynParticipant]

Hi all. I’m Kate. I am a hybrid author and am currently focusing on re-releasing a reverted YA paranormal series while debuting my adult thriller this fall (indie published). I’m hoping to stick to these two genres for a while (even though I have WF and romance in my backlist).

Currently, I have an epilogue for my YA paranormal series, between books 1 and 2, but I’m really interested in getting the most miles for my magnets by creating a standalone for the series (prequel), and for my thrillers as well (as those aren’t taking place in a series).

Looking forward to this!

[TammiKeymaster]

I’M SO JEALOUS OF ALL YOU AVATAR-HAVERS.

[Stephanie KremlParticipant]

You can set yours up at https://en.gravatar.com! Then it will follow you around everywhere…

[Jessica HaltiwangerParticipant]

It’s not working for me 🙁

[Jessica HaltiwangerParticipant]

Oh wait!! It worked! It just took it, like, 20 minutes to kick in lol

[TammiKeymaster]

Just one of the “great” things about Gravatar. LOL

It’s okay, James will get me sorted soon!

[Savannah FordParticipant]

Hello! I’m Kim/writing as Savannah. I write sweet-ish contemporary novels. Not too sweet, not too steamy, just a hint of steam. So, no sex on the page. I have no reader magnet and I’m so excited to get one out that I can use to build my tiny little newsletter list!

Savannah

[Morgan MooreParticipant]

Hi!

I’m Morgan Moore, and I’m co-writing RomCom with my lovely wife, Elizabeth.

We’ve already completed our 65k manuscript for book one of our planned series. We’ve got characters identified for the rest of the series, and we know we need a reader magnet.

Together, we’ve drafted 6-7k of reader magnet ideas that are “prequel-like” relative to our existing MS for book one.

But after reading the new Cookie book, we realize that we want a “convertible cookie,” and aren’t quite sure how to make that happen.

We’re looking forward to taking this journey with all of you!

Cheers,

Morgan and Elizabeth Moore

[Erin BrockusParticipant]

Hi all!

I’m Erin and I’m currently putting on my reading glasses so I can actually see this (aka put me down for wanting bigger font:)) And yes, I guess I just dated myself.

I write spicy beach romance, and I currently have 3 books published with several more in varying degrees of doneness (is that a word? sounds like steak).

I’m undecided about what magnet I want to write with this challenge. I currently have one (a “convertible” one) on BookFunnel but kind of like the idea of writing a new, shorter one and placing the original in KU. So many decisions. . .

Looking forward to working with all of you!

[Trisha MessmerParticipant]

I’m kind of in the same boat (but jumped ahead too soon). I had a prequel novella reader magnet I was using for my series and it did great. But after a while, subscribers really tailed off (like all the interested people had already received it), so I put it on Amazon (which was dumb, I know). Now, it amazes me how many people will buy it rather than get it for free by going to my website and signing up. I know, I know, I shouldn’t have done that, but that’s why I need to write another convertible cookie and just have the first one as part of the series. Live and learn. We can only go forward, right?
And yeah, this print is really, really tiny. 😀

[TammiKeymaster]

It’s ABSURD how small it is. And I’m overdue for new glasses because of the dumb P-word.

[Stephanie KremlParticipant]

Hi, everyone!

I’m Stephanie, and I write medical mysteries & thrillers. I’m early in my author career & I’m currently working on the 3rd book in my series.

I already have a reader magnet (a 20k prequel novella) which has helped me build up a decent-sized list, but I think I might need another one that will be better at drawing in new readers (and is a little shorter).

Also, I just took Tammi’s basic newsletter course, so I figure this challenge will help me (push me!) to implement everything I’ve learned.

Looking forward to meeting everyone!

[Cassandra MedcalfParticipant]

Hi all!

My name is Cassandra Medcalf (you can call me Cass- that’s what I am to my friends, lol), and I write contemporary romance that feature LGBT+ characters. I’m bisexual, so I explore both straight and LGBT relationships in my books- and I tend to deal with more mature themes that can lean into women’s fiction.

I only have one book out at the moment, and while sales have been slow but steady, I’m definitely eager to up my game. I’m currently writing book 2 with a deadline at the end of the month. I was hoping to write a cookie that served as an in-betweener for the series, but now I’m realizing I should write something more broadly applicable to new AND current readers.

I have a few series loosely plotted out at the moment, and also hope to start up an erotica pen name at some point (I’m still practicing on anonymous forums with that one- but it IS helping me with my spicy contemporary romance scenes!). All in all my themes focus on strong women aged mid-20s-40, found family, romance, and career fulfillment.

Really excited to meet you all and work with you!

[TammiKeymaster]

You’re friends with my friend Danny!! What a weird, small world??!

[Loraine BowmanParticipant]

Hello,
I’m Lori, my pen name is JL Bowman. I have a little newsletter list that I’m proud of having cultivated and three books, self-published in contemporary romance. I’m super excited about the cookie challenge.

1. To meet other authors. 🙂
2. To polish a cookie with other peeps
3. To finish something.

I have a vague idea what I want to bake during this challenge but I’m questioning my direction. (Not in life– just the choice of cookie)

Super excited to start!
Lori Bowman

[TammiKeymaster]

We’ll dive into that after the kickoff party! I hope you’ll be sure by the time we start writing.

• This reply was modified 1 year ago by Tammi.

[ashleyshannonParticipant]

Hey everyone!

I’m Ashley. I’m a full-time writer and blogger. I write non-fiction books under my own name and have three pen names that I have been cultivating for the past year, all in different genres. The one I will be working on in this class is probably sweet romance / romance.

Other than that, I’m a mom to some pretty awesome kids and spend most of my time walking into rooms and forgetting why I was going to that room in the first place. ( Thanks ADD. )

Also, Sophia is the best Golden Girl and I will die on that hill.

😅

• This reply was modified 1 year ago by ashleyshannon.

[TammiKeymaster]

*glares in Dorothy*

[ashleyshannonParticipant]

😁

[Andrew GordonParticipant]

Hey All,

I’m Andrew Gordon I write Fantasy and Urban Fantasy with LGBTQA characters. I work full time and write when I can – this first week I’ll be scarce because of a big case at work. Hope to be more active in weeks 2-6.

[Stephanie FlintParticipant]

Hi, everyone! 😀

My name is Stephanie Flint, and I write YA secondary world fantasy and YA SciFi/Dystopia (with superpowers). It often veers into science fantasy. My husband and I have worked together for the plotting of quite a few of our books– in the case of the dystopian story, it started as a homebrew tabletop role-play game we played together that I eventually decided I wanted to write as a novel.

I love world-building and mixing genres, the latter of which has made it a pain to figure out marketing. I’m hoping to really hone down on a reader magnet that can funnel people into my series. The previous times I’ve tried making a reader magnet, they’ve turned into their own series. 😅

I’ve got two magnet ideas right now that I think I want to explore, based on what we saw in the webinars. One is YA fantasy (focusing on what the antagonist was doing prior to the first book); the other YA dystopia (from the POV of a very important side character, where she first gets an idea of her powers).

I’m not sure if I’m going to try writing both cookies or just the YA dystopian one, but either way, I look forward to the course and meeting everyone. 😀

[Valerie LaroucheParticipant]

Hi everyone!!
My name is Valerie and I’m a French Canadian trad pubbed author who’s decided she wanted to write in English and have more control over her career. (Hello, indie path!)

I write spec fiction (mostly stories with nightmares and monsters) and I’m currently working on releasing this spring the first novel in my paranormal mystery series.

I’m so excited to be here! I love to learn: partly because it’s fun, but also because I have this “I need to know everything before I do anything” problem so the more there is to learn, the farther away is the day where I’ll have to actually do something LOL

But I’m getting better. I’m terrified, but I’m moving forward. 🙂

Can’t wait to start this adventure with you all!

[JudeParticipant]

Hi there!

I’m Jude. Wife to my teen-age heartthrob and mom to our four kiddos. I write hot contemporary romance under a pen since I work in the adoption constellation. Just felt it wise, and it gives my head more freedom. In non-fiction I outline. In fiction, uh, no.

To date, I’ve self-published four romance novels (three in one series) with another releasing this summer (in my second series), which I’m trying to finish while doing the Challenge. After that I’ll be working on a short story, for inclusion in an anthology (no story concept yet; no surprise there…), and the duet dropping the end of 2022 and beginning of 2023.

I’m delighted that Tammi is offering this, particularly after watching the webinar and learning I totally screwed up offering a cookie. (Of course I did, lol.) I pulled it. Epic fail on my end and a lot of red face, fortunately in the privacy of my office. The good thing is that my “uh-oh” jump-started the duet. I love turning lemons into lemonade.

At this point I have NO idea of what kind of cookie to create, only that I should probably have more than one. Maybe three or four. Oh my. But I’ll settle for one right now. Onward!

[Benjamin SmithParticipant]

Hello!

I’m Ben, and publish by my full name Benjamin Tyler Smith. I have two novels published in a shared post-apocalyptic universe, with short stories published in a few other shared universes, mostly sci-fi. For fantasy (my favorite genre), I have several short stories published in my own IP: the dark/noir/possibly-epic fantasy Necrolopolis universe. I am currently working on the first Necrolopolis novel, and I know what the cookie will be for that, though I don’t know if I’ll be writing it during this class or if I’ll save it for after the book is finished and in editing. At the end of that book will be a sign-up opportunity that states something to the effect of “Want to know what happened to zombie Prince Lian and his skeleton bodyguards after (necromancer protagonist) Adelvell heads back to Necrolopolis? Well, have I got good news for you…!”

In addition to this one, I think I’m going to need a couple of cookies, at least. One for my primary newsletter sign-up that I’d like to feature Necrolopolis in some way, either a revamped short story that’s already out in the wild in some form or fashion or something completely original (I’m open to either), and likely one for the post-apocalyptic books that are already published, although maybe that one can wait until closer to time when the third book comes out? Again, I’m flexible.

However it gets done, I’m hoping this class will finally be the kick in the pants I need to launch my newsletter, and to launch it in a big way. Doesn’t need to grow into something huge overnight, but a solid upward trajectory that builds from week-to-week would leave me satisfied.

Okay, a lot of words. You can tell what kind of writer I am just from this, right? Last is a tiny bit about me personally: I have a lovely and very supportive wife of soon-to-be thirteen years, an infant daughter who sucks up a lot of my time in a fun-but-sometimes-frustrating way, and two cats that rule the roost. Some days sweet tea is the only thing that keeps me going, along with an episode or two of anime or ten minutes of a video game (Currently Tales of Arise, and man is it a good source of inspiration). I’m trying to reclaim some of my writing time by dictating out on errands and during some of the more mind-numbing aspects of the day job. Progress is slow, but steady. In all things, God is good.

Looking forward to this journey with all of you!

Edited to add (Because there’s always more to add!) that in addition to Necrolopolis, another IP that I’m working on is solidly in the Middle Grade age demographic, an epic fantasy series that at the moment has the working title of Cloudfall. No idea when this will be out, so it’s backburner material at the moment. That said, I’m curious to know if it’s something I should do either under a pen name or under a different mailing list, or both. Almost everything else I write is older-teen to adult in content. I don’t write sex scenes, but there can be innuendo and scanty clothing and gory violence that parents might find objectionable for an 8-14 year old that’s in a lot of the other stuff I write, but wouldn’t be in Cloudfall.

• This reply was modified 1 year ago by Benjamin Smith.

[Anne RenwickParticipant]

Hello!
I’m Anne Renwick and I write steampunk romance. Based in Victorian London, but there’s traveling. And strange biotechnology and mad scientists and are-they-paranormal-creatures “explained” by science.
I’ve already got a 12K newsletter cookie, but it’s been out for a while now and is getting stale.
Looking forward to playing with the “small” plot idea that came to me.

• This reply was modified 1 year ago by Anne Renwick.
• This reply was modified 1 year ago by Anne Renwick.

[Kate BridgesParticipant]

Hi, happy to be here! I’m Kate. I’ll be writing a cookie in a new genre for me–sweet romantic comedy. I was partway through writing my first book in the series when I heard about this course, but didn’t want to miss the opportunity, so I’m putting aside my first book and writing the cookie first. The order doesn’t matter to me–I’d like to write the first two books and a cookie before I publish anything. And I just read Tammi’s excellent Newsletter Ninja2 book and realize that writing the cookie first will give me some leeway to add the characters/scenes from the cookie into the first book. So my cookie might be a “sideways” story (love that idea!) or a prequel, I’ll see how it goes. Looking forward to this!

[Christine NilesParticipant]

Hi. I’m Christine. I write Sea Adventure under the pen Chris Niles (i say it’s because it fits better on covers, but really it’s because i’m about the only chick in a dude-heavy genre, so yay for gender neutral names) and I’m launching a co-written small-town midwest cozy mystery pen name later this year. I’m also SUPER distracted by **gestures at everything** right now, and my goal is to actually STICK with this to keep my mind off of all the everything.

[JunetaParticipant]

Now I am fan-girling, I read you. Wishing lots of happy writing as it makes me a happy reader. 😉

[Christine NilesParticipant]

OMG, now THAT’s pressure!!! 😉 But seriously, just…wow. This means the world to me, and I’ll really really try to make you a happy reader if you will keep poking me in the back with a sharp stick!

[Ronnie RobertsParticipant]

Hi! I’m Ronnie. I write as Ronnie Roberts, Rene Roberts and Rex Roberts. I’m dropping in between making a massive pot of ham and bean soup and painting the walls around carpeted stairs—yes, fun times here—uh…not! I’m glad to be part of this group. What a diverse bunch of creatives. My plan is to write a much better dress origins story for my Wedding Dress Promise series. The one I have just doesn’t have the right tone for the series. Oh, I write sweet, closed-door romance, (couldn’t stomach another sex scene so switched), cozy mysteries and time travel sci fi. Anyone I know can pick up one of my books, regardless of age and I’d feel just fine about it. The perks of controlling explicit sex scenes, language and violence.

I was telling my sister one day I was about to write the dreaded love scene and she asked, why do you do it if you don’t like it? I sputtered, because… and faded out. Why was I? This was supposed to be fun, right? I decided to poll my readers. Spicy or sweet? I was surprised to find they preferred sweet and confessed they often skipped the sex scenes to get back to the story. Well, that was all I needed to know. I went back, closed the door inside the books I’d written already and stuck with sweet from then on. I’m having much more fun now. My takeaway? Write what makes YOU happy!

So, I love them all—all my series, all the genres. I love the characters, the relationships, the rising to meet the challenges, the fun, the mystery, the adventure, the growing trust, the falling in love — and especially the surprises my characters present to me on a daily bases. All of it.

I’ll also be writing book four of my cozy series, but this cookie, “Retro Active” will get first crack at my brain each day. Hopefully it’ll all work out!

So glad to be doing this with you all.

To Tammi —— I wouldn’t mind having my name as Ronnie Roberts here. Thanks!

• This reply was modified 1 year ago by Ronnie Roberts.

[TammiKeymaster]

Done!

[Leena PekkalainenParticipant]

Would have been nice to participate in the launch party but had to run errands for my 82-year-old mother who has Parkinsons and cannot venture outside – it is so cold and icy and slippery there she can’t go outside. So grocery shopping for her it was this evening after work.

Hope you had fun who participated!

Leena 🙂

[Valerie LaroucheParticipant]

The party has already happened?? I thought it was tonight at 8pm… ☹

[Jessica HaltiwangerParticipant]

You haven’t missed it yet! It starts at 8PM EST tonight. Idk what time zone you’re in, but I’m in the EST time zone and can confidently say you’ve got about 6 more hours before it starts. 🙂 (Which, maybe if it’s already nighttime where you are, means you’d be asleep then? Fingers crossed you can still make it)

[TammiKeymaster]

Yes, we’ve still got a while yet. I thought that Google Calendar would translate the time zone, but apparently not. I see that there is at least a notation in the bottom left of the calendar that it’s in Eastern Time, and I’ll add a note to the page itself.

[TammiKeymaster]

Okay, made some changes to the Calendar page that will hopefully make it a) less confusing and b) more helpful!

Calendar

[Benjamin SmithParticipant]

I will do my best to attend the launch party tonight, but I may have to either duck in late or duck out early due to parental duties. Same with a lot of the meetings. For any meeting I miss, I’ll watch as soon as I can and will be active on the message board. Thank you for setting up a space like this, Tammi! I much prefer a message board to Facebook.

[TammiKeymaster]

I’m SO OVER Facebook.

[Benjamin SmithParticipant]

I only ever got on it because it was the main way to keep up with my publisher and how they did cross-promotion with all their authors, so I avoided it for many years. From their constantly changing formats to arbitrarily nuking whatever group or account they feel like or suppressing author pages unless you opt in for paid ads, there’s a lot of negatives going with it. And all of the negatives add up to a lack of control on the part of the author/user.

It’s the main reason the mailing list needs to be a thing going forward and I can’t keep putting it off. So, in addition to the cookie(s) over the next six weeks, I’ll finally be taking care of that.

[TammiKeymaster]

100% agree!

[Jessica HaltiwangerParticipant]

Me @ 6:59 PM: *constantly hitting refresh so i can download the exciting blerksheets for week 1*

[TammiKeymaster]

💕

Everyone loves blerksheets!

[Jessica HaltiwangerParticipant]

• This reply was modified 1 year ago by Jessica Haltiwanger.

[Laura RyeParticipant]

Late to introduce myself (typing as the launch party is just taking off) — hello, I’m in Laura Rye from PDX. I write queer romance, erotica, and fantasy. My debut Freak Camp just launched LAST WEEK. I’ve been writing it with my co-author/BFF for over a decade, and now I’m launching it into the world.

I’ve never written a cookie magnet before and I’m excited to create one to onboard my new readers.

[Trisha MessmerParticipant]

PDX as in Portland, OR? We’re neighbors kind of. I used to live in Hillsboro but now I’m down in Eugene. I practically lived in PDX (the airport) when I was still working. My fave airport ever!

[Ariella ZoelleParticipant]

Congrats on the book launch! I’m so happy there are other MM authors here ❤️

[MoiraParticipant]

Ha, Laura! I’m even later and am so sad that I missed the launch party.
Am also an older noob – we know best that life is too short AND too long to do what you hate, so why not start now? I’m writing open door contemporary travel romances (and yes, not time travel – where is my category?)
Have first book of series written, am working on the prequel and related convertible cookie (which will be an extended epilogue that is the second chance part, where the first book/prequel to series is the first meet/fall in love part). Am here because I am a compulsive learner and podcast listener who is heeding the statement “I wish I had a newsletter when I started” moans of many successful authors.
I’m a trademark attorney currently on sabbatical doing all the things related to writing (and less traveling than I’d like).
And yes, I’m obsessed with Becca’s strengths stuff as well — Ideation, Strategic, Indy, Learning, Activator, and Maximizer. My favorite place to be is discussing new ideas, ways to market, tech resources, and what you want to be when you grow up.

[TammiKeymaster]

Oh man, #1 Ideation. I’m so sorry.

[MoiraParticipant]

Yes, it’s a joy.
#1 ideation – What about…
#2 strategic – What if…
#4 learner – (all the questions)
#6 maximizer – Wouldn’t it be great if…

My life.

[TammiKeymaster]

🫂

[Ariella ZoelleParticipant]

I’m Ariella Zoelle, an MM author whose brand is basically writing gay Hallmark After Dark books. It’s a pity I can’t use that as a tagline because that’s me in a perfect little nutshell 😂

All of my reader magnets have been extra epilogues with visual guides, so I’m lacking anything to draw in new readers. I wrote a swapped POV preview, but didn’t really do much with it since a preview has limited value. When Tammi’s book came out, I realized I needed to bake a new cookie ASAP.

I’m hoping the cookie I work on for this challenge will draw people into Bet on Love to get them hooked on my Good Bad Idea series. It’ll feature two servers who observe a scene from Bet on Love and then go off to have their own little romance. But I felt very clever calling it Serves Him Right since it’s about two servers who are in law school. I’m aiming for 15,000-18,000 words, which will be a challenge to keep it that short since I’m Wordy McVerbose.

Depending on how well I’m braining, maybe I’ll be ambitious and try to figure out a cookie for Snowbody Like You to get people into my Suite Dreams series, too… 🤔

[TammiKeymaster]

Ariella Zoelle: Same-Gender Cinnamon Roll Romance

• This reply was modified 1 year ago by Tammi.

[Ariella ZoelleParticipant]

Exactly!! ❤️

[Lizabeth ScottParticipant]

Hi everyone,
I’m Lizabeth Scott(Liz) and I love cookies! My fav is oatmeal raisin still warm from the oven and a glass of ice cold milk. Sorry, off topic.
I write contemporary romance that’s spicy & sassy. I love my heroes to be a bit damaged with redeeming qualities and my heroines to be strong quirky women up for the task of straightening them out.
Usually I offer another scene in the back of most of my books as a reader magnet. BTW I do have issues with the phrase reader magnet. It makes me think of fly strips. Sorry, off topic.
My latest reader magnet is a wedding scene where she goes into labor before they get to the I do’s. But what I do is usually around 5K.
I’m looking forward to learning and getting to know everyone as we write incredible RM’s.

[kariParticipant]

Hi all,
So excited to dig into this challenge and see what all I can learn, especially about how to actually SHARE all the cookies I’ve got sitting around on my computer. Kinda worried about ants moving in with warm weather…

I do well with the writing part and putting collections together, and okay with the submitting to markets part. Where I fall down is keeping up with my newsletter, and it’s time I got over that. 🙂

I write in just about every genre, and in every length except flash fiction and poetry. I’m amazed by folks who can do either or both of those!

I write a lot of fantasy, romance, and crime stories, with science fiction and contemporary fiction to round things out. Cross-genre all over the place, of course. My current long project is novel three of my first epic fantasy series! Once that one’s finished, I’ll start publishing those to go along with the background short stories that are already out in the world.

As far as reader cookies, I do a LOT of writing within established novel, novella, and short story series worlds. I have a great time with this for world building and answering my own questions, and for spending time with side characters.

This challenge happens to overlap with a collection workshop I’m doing with Dean Wesley Smith, focused on spies this time around. So I’m aiming to write spy stories within my own worlds and tie those together with an overarching story, which I probably wouldn’t have thought up without Tammi and this challenge.

Great to meet you all, and can’t wait to get started!
Kari

[Evi AeschlimannParticipant]

Hi everyone, I’m Evi. Most of the time I’m writing contemporary romance, but I also want to experiment with different subgenres in fantasy. Urban fantasy might be my jam (don’t know if this expression is still used). The cookie I’ll be working on is for my contemporary romance series which is set in Inverness, Scotland. I visited this place some years ago and fell in love with it.

As for myself, I live in Switzerland. I’m probably the only person here, who is writing her cookie in German (if not, please show yourself 😉). Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to attend the Kickoff Party, because when it took place, it was 2am in my time zone. Hopefully, I will be able to participate in today’s Planning Session.

Wish you all a good day. 😊

[TammiKeymaster]

Hi, Evi!! I saw you today, but didn’t get to chat. Might you be around for Friday’s session?

[Evi AeschlimannParticipant]

Hey Tammi, yeah I was one of those silent attendee (brainstorming my cookie while listening to the questions of the others). 😅

I can’t attend the session on Friday, because I have to work then. *sigh* 😔 Next week shouldn’t be a problem, though.

[TammiKeymaster]

I’m so sorry if you had a question and I didn’t get to it. I was really floundering. I have never had so many people come to a workshop.

I’ve gotten a lot of feedback on how it could have been handled better, so I’ll be working to smooth that out for the future!

[Evi AeschlimannParticipant]

No need to apologize. I mainly stopped by to meet the others, and I didn’t have any questions back then. 🙂

Meanwhile, there’s something I’m unsure about concerning your Facebook messenger chat group. Last Sunday, I sent you a message to add me to the group. Until now, it seems like I wasn’t added. Is this intentional, or am I missing something? <= Because of my inability to use Facebook messenger, this could be a possible option. 😅

[Jordan SummersParticipant]

Hi, My name is Jordan Summers. I’ve been both traditionally published and indie published in everything from spicy romance to humorous horror. Under another pen name, I write Middle Grade and Young Adult fantasy. I have forty-two books published. After a few years of severe burnout, I’m finally getting back to writing and want to write a ‘cookie’ that better reflects the main genre (ie paranormal romance) that I write in.

I did have a question that disappeared from the forum. Not sure what happened. My question was, can you write a ‘cookie’ that isn’t part of a series, but showcases the genre/s you write in? And follow up, is that something that would work well or is it best to stick with one of your series?

Thanks and I look forward to getting to know you all better.

[Isla ElrickParticipant]

Hi! I’m Isla, or Genevra, depending on which pen name you want to use 🙂 I dabble in lots of genres but my current published or planned are Urban Fantasy (you may have heard of my zombie hamster) and Fantasy Romance (dragon romance specifically). I’m looking forward to getting to know everyone!

[Linda CardilloParticipant]

Hi, I’m Linda Cardillo. I’ve been both traditionally and indie published, with ten books out and the eleventh launching in June. I write historical fiction and historical romance. Because of my passion for food, all my books include some mention of good things to eat. As my first cookie a few years ago I put together a cookbook with recipes for the dishes prepared by my characters, with short excerpts in which the meals appear. With the fourth book in my family saga series about to launch, I decided it was time to offer something new. I’ve gotten so much out of the sessions so far, both listening to others and asking questions, and I’m excited about the ideas percolating in my head for a prequel cookie. Thanks, Tammi, for a stimulating first week!

[rediseultParticipant]

Hi, I’m Anne Bartolucci, and I write nonfiction as myself and fiction as Cecilia Dominic. My main genres are urban fantasy and steampunk. Alas, I’m starting this challenge late because I had an audiobook review due last week, and that took up the majority of my non-day job (sleep psychologist) time. :sigh: But I’m here this week and am planning on writing a cookie to lead into my Lycanthropy Files series, and I proposed a couple of scenarios to my newsletter list. They overwhelmingly chose one, so here’s hoping it’s successful!

Yes, Tammi, I’ll do the blerksheets anyway. 🙂

[Author]

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