Refining the Writer's Voice

I'm guest posting at Shirley Wells' blog today. Shirley, a British crime writer with some fabulous books to her name and a very nice person, graciously offered to host on my House of Diamonds blog tour. Each month she features a guest writer on her This Writer's Life series.

This is the last stop on my tour. I interrupted it to post about Celery Tree because for some strange reason which I still don't understand, the launch of House of Diamonds coincided with the launch of Celery Tree which coincided with Thanksgiving and NaNoWriMo.

For a couple weeks there, my universe was in total disarray.

 I didn't make all the stops I originally planned but I appreciate all who volunteered and offered. I can't imagine living the writer life without the support of my online friends.

I owe many thanks to those who did so much to help me with the House of Diamonds launch--reviews, comments, opening your blog for my tour-- I appreciate each and every one of you.

See you over at Shirley's website, where I'm talking about Refining the Writer's Voice.

Best Time to Read

You know the feeling, right? It's Thanksgiving Day and the table is loaded with all the classic favorites as well as some new dishes you just have to try.

By the end of the day you're too full to do anything but nap, watch movies, wake up and go for a walk, nap some more, and then go to bed and read a book. After helping with the clean up, of course.

If you're anything like me and I hope you're not or I feel bad for you, you will be too stuffed from Thanksgiving dinner and the day- after leftovers to do much besides curl up and read.

Mason Canyon's book review blog, Thoughts in Progress, is a must-stop. She always has great ideas of good books, and sometimes freebies for lucky winners.

I'm visiting Mason's blog today to talk about House of Diamonds,  with two free print copies to give away. So come on by, if you're not too full.

2 Days before Thanksgiving and I'm in Africa

The Fabulosity Wendy is extending her feature on House of Diamonds to another day. Yay! She asked me some interesting questions and posted her interview on Fabulosity Reads.

Thanks, Wendy, for your support. Those of you looking for book reviewers, she is willing to do reviews in a variety of genres. Guidelines are on her blog.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone in the US. Many thanks to my wonderful blogging friends for your support, friendship, comments, and general awesomeness!

I'll see you Friday with another visit on my House of Diamonds tour-- the wonderful Mason Canyon, who has two print copies to give away.

What's Hot and Not so Hot about House of Diamonds

Something I love about blogging is meeting people from all over the world. Wendy of Fabulosity Reads originally hails from South Africa (so of course she would attract my attention, it's where my two giraffes are from). She currently lives in Nigeria.

Not sure how Wendy will like House of Diamonds as it's not the usual genre she reviews. For those of you looking for book blog reviewers, Wendy is a good one. She is fair and honest, telling what she does and does not like about a particular book.

Yikes, I'm just a bit nervous! Go here to see the verdict.

Me and Marcie McGill, just chillin' at the Piedmont Grille

It's Friday at the Piedmont Grille! And that means Anne Gallagher, the Piedmont Writer, has another great post to share and this time I am honored to be her guest!

(Well, me and Marcie McGill, the main character in House of Diamonds.)

Anne has a review, some questions and maybe even something tasty to throw on the grill, so come on over to Anne's place. See you there!

The two Karens

My blogging friend Karen Walker and I are the same age, we both enjoy memoir, and we live in the Western United States. We have even spoken on the phone and one of these days we must get together in person because I just know we'd have lots to talk about.

Today Karen reviews House of Diamonds at her blog Following the Whispers. Come by and say hi!

And don't forget the special from WiDo Publishing running throughout the end of the year. Order your copy of House of Diamonds from the website and you will also get a free print copy of Uncut Diamonds.

Have any of you had an opportunity to meet a blogging friend in person? Maybe if I got out more, I would too.

HOUSE OF DIAMONDS available at last!!

Today is the ebook launch for House of Diamonds! Print copies come out November 22. With a special deal for the holidays-- Anyone preordering House of Diamonds from the WiDo Publishing website will also get Uncut Diamonds, absolutely free. Two books for the price of one!

Charmalot from and then my heart smiled is kicking off my launch and blog tour. Please come and share the joy!  Charmalot, known in real life as Jordan McMakin, earned her B.A. in English from Western Washington University, and was previously a bookstore manager, children's book buyer, and freelance editor. She interned at Puffin Books and Viking Books for Young Readers, and was an editorial assistant at Disney*Hyperion Books in New York City.

So drop by Jordan's blog because she is awesome and it will make your heart smile. And if you don't follow her blog already you should, you really really should. And you should buy House of Diamonds because you'll love it!

Some things are simply worth the wait, like babies. And book covers.

Introducing House of Diamonds, and I hope people will love this cover as much as I do! 

But wait, that's not all. You must see the full shot to see what brilliant treatment the designer gave the back of the book.

The summary is written on the sheet of paper, because in House of Diamonds Marcie McGill dreams of becoming a published author and writing her first book. I doubt if you can read it on this thumbnail but here's what it says:

In this sequel to Gowen’s debut novel, Uncut Diamonds, she follows sisters Cindy and Marcie as they reach a crossroads in their lives. House of Diamonds tells the stories of two women, one facing opportunity the other tragedy. Can their bond endure?

Marcie pursues her dream of becoming a published writer while Cindy faces a terrible tragedy. In this gripping story of faith, loss and the transcending nature of sacrifice, Gowen gives voice to a beloved baby who has none. She shows the incredible power that comes to families when they pull together to overcome challenges. It is at these times that a house of pain can become a house of diamonds.

So at last I have my cover! And I have some wonderful advance praise that warms my heart whenever I read it, making me not as scared as I should be to send my newest darling out into the world.

 Release date: Tues, November 8!!

Want to read it? If you're on Goodreads click here to add House of Diamonds to your to-read list!

Writers Write

Today I am thinking about my older sister Julie. Today is her birthday, and she is someone I really look up to. We weren't that close during most of our adult life. She and her husband lived in Europe and I was busy with my large family. But after she came back to the States and went through a divorce, and my kids were older, we had time to bond again.

That's when she made a statement that changed my life.

One day on the phone I was moaning about my career or lack of one. Should I go for a master's degree? Should I teach?

"What do you want to do, Karen?" she asked me.  Without a moment's hesitation, I said, "To be a writer. I only want to write. It's what I've always wanted."  And she said, "Then why go back to school? Writers write. They don't keep going back for degrees. They write. If you want to be a writer, you have to write."

At that time, I'd finished Farm Girl and felt there was hope for me completing a novel. After my conversation with Julie, I resolved that I would finish the novel I'd been working on for ten years and I'd get other projects lined up as well. Whenever I wavered and worried about money, thinking I should be supplementing the family income with a guaranteed paycheck instead of  spending time writing with no guarantees, I thought of Julie's words.  

Writers write.

There's really no other way, is there?

Like all my family Julie's a really good sport about seeing herself show up in my stories. She is who I based Marcie's older sister Linda on. One reader said this about Linda-- "I especially loved Linda, Marcie and Cindy's sister-- I do wish we got to see more of her. She was fun!"

Happy birthday to my wonderful sister, Julie! Who I'm sure won't mind if one day Linda gets to be a main character in her own book.

Julie has always loved laying out by the pool to work on her tan. (She's the one sitting on the edge.)

At last, progress on the writing front

After a very long nonproductive writing lull, I am back in business, baby! I never really worried. (Too much.) After all, when your mom dies and you have a major move to a new home shortly after, really it isn't the time to stress over word count and delayed projects.

But I am now happy to report that I am very close to having my BuNoWriMo draft complete by June 30!

And something else-- House of Diamonds is heading to the typesetter this week! A cover concept is being finalized, and the release date has been set for fall. I'll be organizing a blog tour to promote it, something I never did for my previous books so I'm excited about that too.

What it is about:

Two sisters, one approaching opportunity, the other tragedy. Marcie McGill moves towards realizing her dreams, while her sister Cindy faces heartache.  Can their bond endure? 

House of Diamonds give voice to a beloved baby who had none. And shows the incredible power that comes to families when they pull together to overcome challenges. At these times, a house of pain can become a house of diamonds.  

It will be the last novel about Marcie and Shawn McGill, and Marcie's sister, Cindy. (My next one is completely different, although also women's fiction.) But I still had some things to say using these particular characters. House of Diamonds is as much Cindy's story as it is Marcie's

I have some last-minute editing to do. This is why I love having an editor. When I think it is done, she finds some issues that, once resolved, will make it so much better. 

Also, Uncut Diamonds has been dropped to .99 on the Kindle, to prepare for the launch of the (sort of but not really) sequel. You can get it here here here!!