Winter is the perfect time to get comfy with your favorite hot beverage and write. For both fiction and nonfiction writers, it may be hard to get started. Here are some winter and holiday season writing prompts to warm your writing brain up!

Fiction/Character Writing

Christmas Tree Farm 

Write your characters traveling to a Christmas tree farm to pick out a tree. 

Snowman

Write your characters building a snowman. How do they make it? Do they cooperate well? What does the snowman look like?

Gifts

Describe the process a character goes through picking out a gift for their friend or significant other.

Scenery

Use sensory language to describe a snowy winter weather scene. Think about the five senses – sight, smell, touch, taste, and hearing. 

Grinch

Relay a short story that explains why a character doesn’t enjoy the holiday season.

Nonfiction/Personal Writing

Preserve a memory

Describe your favorite holiday of the past in detail.

Christmas in the Snow… or Sun?

What does the holiday season look like where you live? Write a paragraph about what weather you associate with the holidays.

Food

Describe your favorite holiday food.

Meaning

What do the holidays mean to you?

Pets

Describe holiday memories with your pets.

The post Holiday and Winter Writing Prompts appeared first on Dorrance Publishing Company.

Four of the authors had the opportunity to have a book signing event at a Barnes & Noble in Greensburg, PA, southeast of Pittsburgh. All four are natives to the Western Pennsylvania area. 

Bob Fulton (left) and Dan Rose (right) are the authors of Burial at Home Plate: An Oddball History of the Pittsburgh Pirates and Little Boy Blue, respectively. Burial at Home Plate tells the story of Pittsburgh Pirates baseball over the decades through fun, quirky anecdotes. Little Boy Blue is a crime novel, detailing how a young boy grows up to become a deranged killer. Fulton has decades of experience in sportswriting, while Rose drew on his past experiences as a cop for his debut novel.

Readers also got to know Carol Kieda and Catherine A. Roser Rybak at the event. Both ladies are authors of children’s books with Dorrance. Kieda, pictured right, is the author of The Sock Thief, and Rybak (left) is the author of Pooch In A Pound. Both of these children’s books feature dogs. The Sock Thief is the tale of a pup who steals their owners socks, while Pooch in a Pound is told from the point of view of a dog waiting to be adopted by a loving home. “I met other Dorrance Publishing Authors with their talented books. I feel like I have acquired some special friendships!” Rybak said of the event.

The event was not far from Dorrance’s home base – which meant that one of our staff members got to visit the authors! The authors were excited to see Brittany, who works in the promotion department, in attendance. 

But this wasn’t the only author event close to home recently. Marc Stevens, author of Zombie Apocalypse: Day 91, had an event in the Pittsburgh area a couple days earlier! 

Zombie Apocalypse is a guide to Stevens’ tabletop roleplaying game, in which the player has to survive the zombie apocalypse. At the event, Dorrance staff members Alessandra and Amber played the game with Marc. All had a great time, sticking around for hours to play the game.

The face to face interaction between these authors and Dorrance staff members at both of these events is something everyone will remember for years to come.

Several of these books have received local media attention in recent months. The authors have also had previous book events, both in Western PA and elsewhere. 

We are excited to see where they go next!

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There has never been a better time to become a published author!

A recent survey by the Alliance of Independent authors showed that self-published authors earned more in income in 2022 compared to 2021. The survey of English-speaking authors found that incomes rose for self-published authors over 50%. Key findings from the report will be showcased at this year’s London Book Fair on April 18th, 2023. 

Indeed, there is no better time to be an independent author! Interest in becoming an independent author has risen over the past several years, according to the Alliance of Independent Authors. 

25% of respondents to the survey said that they released their first book in 2020. Over half surveyed had published 10 or more books independently. The most popular types of books among the self-published are fiction, with genres such as romance, science fiction and fantasy, and crime/mystery making up the majority. 

Alliance of Independent Authors director Orna Ross hopes these trends will show that self-publishing is a viable option for authors. Authors can achieve their dreams of publishing without a big publishing house.

Will the publishing and literary establishment take notice of these trends? Alliance of Independent Authors campaigns manager Melissa Addey hopes that they will notice. “It’s time for literary organizations to wake up to the realities of how authors work and earn in the 2020s, and do right by all authors,” she said.

While certain changes might be slow, the movement of authors working to achieve their dreams is not! 

(Source)

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She also became the first woman hired by a Fortune 500 company in a sales position. Breaking through the “glass ceiling” opening doors for other women in a male-dominated world. Terry Wells-Jones fought many battles to reach her level of success in business while also cultivating a happy family life. In Reflections!, Terry shares the philosophies that helped her on her journey, as well as the disappointments and opposition she faced along the way.

Read on for some behind the scenes on the creation of her book and learn what the publishing experience was like!

(Pictured: Terry Wells-Jones at a recent Barnes & Noble book signing.)

Name: Terry Wells Jones

Book Title: Reflections! Looking in the Mirror

Hometown: Milwaukee/Palm Desert

Why did you want to tell your story through this book?

As a legacy for my children and future generations.

How long did it take to write the book?

A year and a half.

What was the most difficult part of the writing journey?

Organizing it and making sense of all of the information I had accumulated as well as my computer skills.

How did you decide what to include – and what not to include – in the book?

I had to do many edits and include what was important to me and the reader.

What do you hope readers take away from the book?

I hope readers will conclude that challenges are no match against faith, belief, hard work and determination.

Do you have any advice for anyone looking to write a memoir?

Stay the course no matter how difficult it gets.

Besides writing this book, what are your other interests?

Travel

What did you enjoy most about working with Dorrance Publishing?

Prompt responses, and helpfulness and knowledge of the publishing business.

Thank you, Terry!

Purchase Reflections! at the Dorrance Bookstore.

Ready to share your story? Contact us!

The post Author Spotlight: Terry Wells-Jones, “Reflections!: Looking in the Mirror” appeared first on Dorrance Publishing Company.

Imagine: you have an idea for a novel or short story. You have mapped out your plot, and sketched out the world your characters will be living in. You have all of the details, except for one important thing – your characters’ names! If you are stumped trying to think of character names, here are some ways you can go about naming fictional characters. 

Name meaning

You can name your characters by choosing names that align with their character traits. Most first names and last names have a meaning that has carried on throughout time. Use the internet to search for name meanings. You can look up the meanings of names you already know, or search for names that mean a certain thing. Behind the Name is a leading site for first name meaning, as well as Babynames.com. Behind the Name also has a section dedicated to last name (or surname) meanings. 

Personal connections

Honor family members or friends by naming characters after real life loved ones. However, use first names only – it’s unwise to give out personal identifiers for a story the public will read. 

Random generator

You may have no ideas for a character name, or be completely fine with letting a random name generator decide for you. An online random name generator can be a great solution when you want to come up with something totally fresh and new for your characters’ names. Random Name Generator will generate first and last names according to parameters you set. The random name generator from Behind The Name will generate first names, last names, and middle names in a wide variety of categories. 

Ethnicity and Nationality

Similar to searching by name meanings, you can search names by country of origin and ethnic group to find ones that fit your characters. 

Historical Context/Age

If you have a good idea about what time period your characters are living in, you can look through a list of popular baby names for the year they were born. For example, if your character is 50 years old, search for popular names from 1973. 

Maybe your story takes place in a different time period than the present. There are also records of names that were popular in bygone historical eras. You can find an Ancient Roman name, or perhaps a  medieval name for your story set in the Middle Ages (500-1500)! Behind the Name remains the most comprehensive site for these types of searches. 

Bottom line

At the end of the day, character names are important to your fictional novel. They help create meaning and create the character’s identity. They help brand your book as uniquely yours. And who knows – someday they may even become famous!

The post How to Name Characters for Short Stories and Novels appeared first on Dorrance Publishing Company.

Genre is a term given to categories of books. The word is derived from French, meaning “like” or “type.” It is a label that describes what the book is about and how it is constructed. A genre label not only helps in marketing the book, but it helps readers know what they are getting into with a book. 

There are fiction and nonfiction genres: Fiction is a made up story, while nonfiction is a “real life” book. A book can’t be fiction and nonfiction at the same time. A book that is a novel, but based on a true story, is still fiction. 

Some examples of nonfiction genres are biographies, memoirs, and history. (For more about the difference between an autobiography, biography, and memoir, read this blog post!)

Some examples of fiction genres are romance, mystery, science fiction, children’s fiction, and fantasy.

Books of a genre will share certain characteristics and conventions. For example: romance novels will feature characters falling in love, science fiction will push the limits of our current scientific knowledge. The familiar characteristics are what made up the genre.

Sometimes, for fiction books especially, the story may not fit neatly into a genre. “Literary fiction” is sometimes the genre given to novels that are character-centered or otherwise don’t fall into a genre. There can be multiple genres – a book can be a fantasy romance, for example. 

Nonfiction books that don’t fit into another nonfiction genre are often simply categorized as “nonfiction.” 

We have a wide variety of genre categories at the Dorrance Bookstore. These genres are not to suggest that all books within the genres are the same, but to merely sort similar books with each other. This makes it easy for readers browsing the store to find what they are looking for.

Having a genre also helps with promotion and marketing of a book. For example, a true crime book and a children’s fiction book need to be handled differently – they are very different, and meant for very different audiences!

Dorrance Bookstore online homepage.

As for promoting your book, a genre helps you find your audience. If you have a book that is about a topic related to business, a business magazine or podcast might be a suitable partner for an interview. 

At the end of the day, the genre of your book is not a determining factor of quality, but is a signal to your audience. Books may be of the same genre, but each one is unique – just like yours!

Have a book within you? Let us help!

The post Book Genres 101: What is genre? appeared first on Dorrance Publishing Company.

Author Jim Hammell spoke to us about his book How Murrey Saved Christmas. This adorable children’s book follows a moose named Murrey who is separated from his parents. When he sets out to find them, he finds himself on an exciting journey – and is soon presented with the task of helping Santa, in order to save Christmas.

We spoke to Jim about the inspiration for the tale, working with his illustrator all the way in Europe, and more!

Name: Jim Hammell

Hometown: Philadelphia, PA

Book: How Murrey Saved Christmas 

Describe your book in 10 words or less:

It was a fun story made up for my grandchildren.

What made you want to write the book?

I had this vision of Billy Bass (fish on wall plaque that sang,) and thought about a Christmas decoration, Murrey Kismoose, and the name stuck with me. So I created a character and then wrote a story.

How long did it take you to write your book?

Once I started to write it took me about a month to come up with a complete story. Then re-read it and added some to it.

(Photo courtesy Jim Hammell)

What did you do when you had writer’s block?

I carried a small note pad with me as I was also working as a nurse, and sometimes when an Idea came to me I’d write a note. Later, I would line the notes up and arrange them in a suitable order then write some. Bit by bit the story came to life.

What was your favorite part to write and why?

I was able to work a call out to 3 of my granddaughters in the book. And a special call out to an angel.

What was it like working with your illustrator?

Since she was from Europe we communicated via internet. With time differences it was sometimes difficult. An example was the elf in the story, what she had was a PIXIE elf. I had to have her Google Elvis and Alvin and blend them together. 

If you were stuck on an island and had to have one person with you, who would it be and why?

If I were stuck on an Island: it would be with my wife (best friend) and Murrey because he’s a likable, nice moose. 

Outside of writing this book, what are some of your hobbies?

I play pickleball a few times a week, I also like to Workout in the gym, and do some woodworking.

(Photo courtesy Josh Hild via Unsplash)

What did you enjoy most about working with Dorrance Publishing?

The skilled staff and experience was a plus, since I never even thought about a project like this, it was all new to me.

Do you have any advice for anyone looking to write a children’s book?

To follow your heart and let things happen, don’t try to force it.

What do you hope young readers will take from How Murrey Saved Christmas?

Young readers should take from this book A SMILE – and knowing that just because someone is different you, can still be friends. 

Thank you, Jim!

You can purchase How Murrey Saved Christmas at the Dorrance Bookstore. 

Have a children’s holiday tale you’d like to publish? Contact us!

The post Author Spotlight: Jim Hammell, “How Murrey Saved Christmas” appeared first on Dorrance Publishing Company.

A new year is upon us, and with it comes new opportunities. If you’re looking to finally write that project you’ve been thinking about for ages – whether it’s a book of poetry, a novel, or your life story – just know that it is possible!

Here are some practical tips to make the New Year’s resolution of writing a book into a reality. 

1.) Start small

Every finished book was once a small idea. When you get the idea for a book, it can be intimidating. The blank Microsoft Word document or blank notebook page can stare back at you and make your mind go blank. If that’s the case, no need to worry – start smaller. Write down your ideas on a sticky note, or in the notes of your phone. They don’t even have to be complete sentences. Just getting your ideas down will help you get started.

2.) Ask for help

Writing a book is a lot of work. A lot of things need to be done for it to happen. A lot of things need to go right for it to happen. Often, you might think you are in it alone. But you might be surprised how many people are in your corner rooting for you to succeed. Ask for help when appropriate from your friends and loved ones. You may not be able to ask your support system for specific writing help, but they can offer support and encouragement in your writing.

For help with writing, ask us! Dorrance’s Writing Coach program has helped hundreds of writers realize their goals. A Dorrance Writing Coach will be your guide for finishing your book at whatever stage in the process, and can help as little or as much as you need. Learn more about our Writing Coach program here.

3.) Go with your gut

When writing a book, there can be pressure to do what is popular or what may get the most notoriety. However, listening to this pressure usually causes more problems than solutions. Write the book that is inside you, rather than the one the world may want to hear right now. As the old adage goes – “write what you know.” Not only will your project be more authentic, but you will be more trustworthy to readers. When in doubt, go with your gut!

4.) Take risks

At the same time, one mustn’t be afraid to take risks. Whether it’s the type of story you write, the structure of the story, or your personal style – it is worth it to be bold. If you’re wondering whether to take a risk with an aspect of your project, here is your sign to do so. Fortune favors the bold.

5.) Pat yourself on the back

Whether you are at the beginning of your writing journey or have reached the end of writing your book, give yourself a pat on the back every now and then. Stick to your goals, but don’t beat yourself up if you fall short. Celebrate your accomplishments at every step of the way as you complete your book. You will feel better about yourself and your project if you treat yourself kindly throughout the process!

No matter what stage of the writing process you’re in, we want to hear from you! Contact us.

The post New Year, New Book: 5 Tips To Help You Write More in 2023 appeared first on Dorrance Publishing Company.

Susan talked to us about what it was like writing and illustrating the book, as well as some of her other favorite books!

Name:

Susan J. Logan

Hometown:

Vancouver, Washington 

Book Title:

The Christmas Ghost Boy

Describe your book in 10 words or less.

An exciting children’s story with a sweet Christmas message. 

What made you want to write your children’s book?

I had originally made it up orally for my grandchildren and they liked it. I love to write and draw so I proceeded to make it into a book. 

How long did it take you to write your book?

Well, it’s a process. A day to write it out, rewriting over several years on occasion, while working on other stories as well. Then at the urging of my daughter I drew the illustrations and completed it. I had no idea what to do next, so I had it copyrighted. Then I heard from Dorrance!

What do you do when you have writer’s block?

Stop and wait for the muse to return.

What was your favorite part to write and why?

The building of the suspense, and creating the children’s confidence in what they were discovering. Also, getting the wording at the ending just right. Why? Well, I guess when you feel you’ve nailed it it’s exhilarating!

What was it like completing your illustrations?

I was my own illustrator. I love to draw and I had the pictures in my mind. I worked hard on getting the children’s expressions to coordinate and enhance the storyline. I also found it challenging to make the ghost boy and his merging with his ‘toys’ into the sunshine. Also, since the story happens over several days I had to be accurate (e.g. matching the kids clothes to the right day.)

If you were stuck on a desert island and had to take just one person from each category who would they be and why?

–A friend or family member

My husband, Kim, because he would be the best companion. (AND if anyone could figure out how to get us rescued it would be him!)

–One fictional character

Natasha from War and Peace because she is a joyful caring soul and yet fascinating by being from such a different place and time.

–One famous person, alive or deceased

Wallace Stegnor. It would be the perfect opportunity for a writing workshop with the mentor I would be most thrilled to have. 

Besides writing, what are some of your hobbies?

Reading, drawing,  cooking, gardening,  swimming, socializing.

What did you enjoy most about working with Dorrance?

They were great! Especially the personal assistants assigned to me along the process, starting with the encouraging, warm and wise Brenda. Thank you!

What are your favorite books of all time?

War and Peace

Angle of Repose

Gone with the Wind

Long Day’s Journey Into Night

The Bible 

As far as children’s books, there are so so many but these definitely are in my top picks:

The Maggie B – by Irene Haas

Pierre – by Maurice Sendak

Sylvester and the Magic Pebble – by William Stieg

Madeline- by Ludwig Bemelmans

When We Were very Young  – by A.A. Milne

If you were to give advice to someone who wanted to write a children’s book, what would it be?

The best advice I’ve ever received came from a concert pianist and composer. She told me “It’s more about the process than the result. Just keep working at it.”

To add to that I would say: Formulas are for chemists. Be true to your own voice and ideas. Believe in yourself and have faith in your abilities. 

What do you hope your readers will take from this book?

An exciting story, and an enhanced understanding of the joy of giving.

Thank you, Susan!

You can purchase The Christmas Ghost Boy at the Dorrance Bookstore – use code JINGLE for 25% off!

Have a Christmas children’s tale you’d like to publish? Contact us!

The post Author Spotlight: Susan J. Logan, “The Christmas Ghost Boy” appeared first on Dorrance Publishing Company.

Name: Mary Franklin

Hometown: Muskogee

Describe your book in ten words or less: The evil was taking souls deep into darkness for eternity.

What made you want to write the book?

My friend Steven who also is a writer encouraged me to write and not stop or give up.        

How long did it take you to write the book?

5 years of going through data. The case packet is 18 inches thick.

How did you become interested in paranormal investigating?

My parents always spoke about ghosts. I decided at a young age to prove them wrong. I  now know they were not far from wrong. I had questions about the afterlife nobody could answer. So I have been searching for years for some sort of answer to my questions. 

How did you decide what paranormal occurrences or anecdotes to include in the book?

It wasn’t easy. I chose parts that showed demonic infestation are dangerous and can effect our daily lives. Tearing at the very heart of our soul.

What was your favorite chapter or part to write and why?

It had to be bishop Kelly. He gave me words of wisdom. He encouraged me to be safe and stand on my faith. He gave his life trying to cleanse the evil from the house.

Besides paranormal investigating, what are your other interests?

 I am a member of ASPCA. I rescue and place animals in safe forever homes. I teach our young native children about their heritage and preserving our traditions.

How did you celebrate publishing your book?

Besides jumping up and down and smiling feeling proud. My husband and I went out and had a very lovely meal.

Any advice for those looking to get into the paranormal investigation?

Always be respectful of those you can’t see or hear. And not everything is paranormal. Look for the rational before the irrational. But most of all have fun and document everything. 

What do you hope readers will take away from The Murder Suicide House?

To be careful in what you do in the paranormal, evil is all around us just waiting to be released. Be careful in what you do in the paranormal and be respectful. If all seems to be terrifying just leave. Don’t play where evil lives.

What did you enjoy most about working with Dorrance Publishing?

Everyone was so helpful and helped me every step of my journey. I have learned so much from everyone. I highly recommend Dorrance Publishing to any new writer.

You can purchase The Murder Suicide House at the Dorrance Bookstore.

Do you want to publish your paranormal or true crime book? Contact us!

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