Rainy, Rambly Mondays

"Rainy days and Mondays always get me down."

Sound familiar? Maybe not, if you're under the age of ... maybe 40? LOL! It's a line from an old Carpenters song that was very popular years ago. A song I always wind up singing along with -- on those rare occasions that I hear it played -- because I remember most of the words. Nostalgia times a hundred, in this case. :)

I remember songs from way back -- from catchy jingles, to Christmas carols, classic top 40, and classic rock. True confession: I even remember most of the School House Rock songs. I can recite the Preamble to the Constitution only if you let me sing it. ;)

Anyway, I've been wondering if that might be the reason one of my short stories seems to be catching on at Barnes and Noble? Do readers see the title and immediately think of Counting Crows? (It's titled for the group's popular song, Accidentally in Love.)

The song inspired the story, actually. I had two characters in mind, and the setting, since it was part of the Blue Plate Special - Pops' Girls series. I listened to that song played over and over and over, ad nauseum, while I wrote. I hummed it as I did laundry. Sang it in the shower... so much so that dd2 begged me to stop. LOL! And it was from her CD. ;)

Songs frequently inspire my writing. All my characters have at least one 'theme song'. All my stories have a sound track.

Which might be the problem with my recent writer's block -- besides being lazy, that is. ;) I haven't really set a sound track up for this story. I have one song set in stone, but I haven't listened to it lately. I think I know what my next step should be.

Meanwhile, I have a dark, rainy Monday outside my window. Instead of letting it get me down, I think I'll let it inspire me, instead.

~~Meg

Table for Two, ready to read

Finally finished my edits and revisions for TABLE FOR TWO.

This story was originally published with By Grace Publishing. It actually received quite a number or wonderful reviews -- however, because of the publisher's issues at that time (namely, going out of business), only a handful of reviewers ever read the story. No other readers had a real chance to buy it. Until now. :)

Table for Two
(A Harris Grove story)
(C)2011 Meg Allison

Love is found in unexpected places.

Sandra Larsen and David Jenkins have nothing in common—except that their best friends just got married.

Despite their petty bickering and sarcastic barbs, David has fallen head-over-heels for the feisty restaurant critic. He has one week to convince her they should share a permanent table for two.

$1.99/ available at

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Smashwords

The editing dilemma

I'm working on the next story in my Harris Grove series. These are the final, refining edits -- and maybe a little re-writing. I really don't like this part.

The main problem? I wrote the story quite a while ago -- and with a particular audience in mind. Now that audience has changed since that publisher closed its doors. My style of writing isn't precisely the same, either. It's not a drastic change, but it isn't the same.

Every time an author writes, they refine their style or voice. Which is hopefully what I've done. However, I also have a slightly different voice when I write comedy over suspense. I have to get back into light and funny mode. Not always an easy transition.

Now, back to the story at hand: Table for Two. It's light; funny; sweet. Yeah, I'm really not sure it completely works. It seems too old-school. Too 1950s? No, that's not necessarily a bad thing, but I can't backtrack when it comes to voice. I want to keep refining until I just can't find anything to change. I want this story to reflect that.

But this story... I don't know. I like it. I'm finding it a challenge. And at the moment, it's kicking my butt.

Wish me luck!

Self-publishing times three

ACCIDENTALLY IN LOVE

(A Blue Plate Special - Pops' Girls short story)

Amelia Wojosowski moved to Glen Meadow to heal her broken heart and start a new life. She never dreamed she'd fall in love with the oh-so-serious and sexy town physician.

Doctor Marty Winston has sworn off pretty waitresses ever since one broke his heart--but he can't resist Amy Jo, despite her penchant for dumping food in his lap.

She's a beautiful accident waiting to happen…no wonder he's falling in love.

Genres: short story; romantic comedy; sexy romance; series romance; contemporary romance.

PRICE: $0.99

For KINDLE

For NOOK

Other Formats at Smashwords


I now have three stories up for sale at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Smashwords. (Honestly, I'm beginning to wonder if anyone buys books at Smashwords? No action there, to date.)

Anyhow, things are going well. Not fantastic. I won't be buying a new car anytime soon, but that wasn't really the point. ;)

And the point was...? I wanted to do something with these stories. Stories I spent a lot of time creating and fussing over. Ones I did sell, but that may not have caught the attention of many readers. I actually want to give readers a chance to discover them. These books weren't big sellers their first trip out. My other publisher was very, very tiny. Small presses are a dime a dozen, and let's face it -- it's a BIG Internet out there. ;)

But what to do with published stories? Unless you have a big name, not many pubs will try something already done. Then a friend began talking about her foray into self-publishing. The more she talked, the more I listened. Then I thought: "Why not? Let's give it a shot."

My third story is now available. It's another Blue Plate Special - Pops' Girls story ... a very short story. It can also be considered a sequel to SECOND CHANCES (formerly known as: Learning to Live).

I like the characters because they're real. They're not over-the-top Alphas or "perfect" heroines. They might just live right across the street -- only they don't mind if you peek in the bedroom window. (GGGG)

If you enjoy this or any of my books, I do wish you'd let me know. Leaving a comment or even a review is a wonderful way to pat an author on the back. It will be appreciated. :)

~~Meg

Indulge your senses...
htt://www.megallisonauthor.com

One more time...

I have a few wonderful romances gathering dust on the hard drive. They've been published before, but that small press went belly up some years back. So, I've decided to dust off the stories; shine them up; and publish them myself.

You can find the first two at Amazon, Barnes & Noble (NOOKbooks), or Smashwords. Links to buy are also on my website: http://www.megallisonauthor.com




Romancing Jenny
genre: short and sweet romance/romantic comedy
Cost: $0.99

Jenny wants a little romance in her life, but her current boyfriend, Mark, is romantically challenged. Give him up or put up with it? Jenny has to decide if romance is more important than true love.

AMAZON Kindle

NOOKbooks

Smashwords









Second Chances*

(A Blue Plate Special - Pops' Girls story)
genre: romantic novella/ continuity story/ romance with humor
COST: $1.99

Katie Marie Morrison hides behind a flirtatous mask as she serves burgers and peach cobbler at Pops' Dinner. Her bright smile and sarcastic wit hides the devastating knowledge she was just a one-night-stand for the one man she ever loved.

Jeff McAlester, her only lover, returns home for good. But timing is everything and it's Katie who's now ready to leave. Despite their rekindled love, she doesn't want to stay. Can Jeff, the man with bluer-than-blue eyes and highly-charged kisses, help Katie learn to live a little ... the old fashioned way with a white picket fence and Happily Ever After?

AMAZON Kindle

NOOK books

Smashwords

*formerly titled: Learning to Live