Hometown: Atlanta, GA/Newan, GA

Book: When Love Knocks

Genre: Drama/Urban

1. Describe your book in 10 words or less. Drama-filled, emotional, and very unique
2. What made you want to write When Love Knocks?  I love movies like Forrest Gump, I Am Sam, and  Tru Confessions (a Disney Channel movie),  but they all tell the same story: People with mental illness overcoming their disabilities which great, but what about the physically disabled overcoming their disabilities and impacting those around them? Who is going to be their voice?
3. How long did it take you to write your book? It took me nine months to write it. At the time I thought that was a long time to write a book, but now I know that’s not long at all.
4. How do you choose the names of your characters? Not sure. The names just came to me.
5. What do you do when you have writer’s block?  I put the book down until I have something to say.
6. What was your favorite chapter (or part) to write and why? I have two parts of the book that I like.  When Summer came to Carter for help, and he didn’t know how to help her anymore and also the very end because I felt they were the most emotional parts. Writing this book helped me to release my emotions.
7. If you were stuck on an island and had to have one famous person with you, who would it be and why?  Cicely Tyson because I’m a  huge fan of her work. She’s such an inspiration, with empowering roles that she does and she does them well. Her longevity proves that she loves what she does.  I will love to have a conversation with her to see what motivates her to keep acting and what hardships she had to overcome. Plus, we have the same birthday.
8. Besides writing, what are your other interests? I love listening to Michael Jackson. Although he wasn’t disabled, he said a lot of things that I felt, and his songs are just fun.
9. Do you keep a journal? No, I do not keep a journal.
10. How did you celebrate the publishing of When Love Knocks? I went to Facebook and Instagram and went posting crazy.
11. If your book was made into a movie, who would play the main characters?  I’ve always been a fan of Keke Palmer. With her beauty and dramatic ability, I think she would portray Summer like a dream.  I would love for Michael B.  Jordan to play Carter.  He is an amazing actor and I think if there’s there’s anyone who could bring Carter to life, it’s him.
12. What did you enjoy most about working with Dorrance Publishing? Dorrance really made my dream come true. They were always there when I had a problem. They have been very patient with me.
    
13. Five favorite books of all time?  A Christmas Carol, A Light to My Path, The Autobiography of Malcolm X, B-More Careful, Black Girl Lost
    
14. One sentence of advice for other writers? Don’t let anyone wake you up from your dream.

The post Author Spotlight: Brandon Domineck appeared first on Dorrance Publishing Company.

Hometown:

Book: King Godfrey’s New Stove

Genre: Children’s

1. Describe your book in 10 words or less. Children’s fantasy featuring King Godfrey, his children, and palace life.
2. What made you want to write King Godfrey’s New Stove? I wanted to create a humorous, slightly far-fetched event a young reader could laugh about.
3. How long did it take you to write your book?  Over the course of three to four days.
4. How do you choose the names of your characters? For the daughters’ names, I experimented with unusual spellings and pronunciations. The sons’ names were names that made me laugh when I heard them.
5. What do you do when you have writer’s block? I take a long walk, clear my head of distractions, and images, words, and ideas start popping into my head.
6. What was your favorite chapter (or part) to write and why?   My favorite part of my story is when the turkey flies off the platter landing on the banquet table, sending food in all directions.
7. If you were stuck on an island and had to have one person from each category with you, who would they be and why? 
   1. One character from your book: King Godfrey, who is a chubby, little old man who has an interesting palace life.
   2. One fictional character from another book: Inspector Hercule Poirot–I love his powers of deduction and sleuthing.
   3. One famous person: Alfred Hitchcock who was a masterful director responsible for some of the greatest movies I have ever seen.
8. Besides writing, what are your other interests? Travel, watching all sorts of film genres, and reading fiction and biographies of famous historical figures.
9. Do you keep a journal? No.
10. How did you celebrate the publishing of King Godfrey’s New Stove? I took my friends out to dinner.
11. If your book was made into a movie, who would play the main characters? The late Charles Durning would play King Godfrey. His daughters would be played by Kirsten Dunst, Anna Camp, and Genevieve Angelson.
12. What did you enjoy most about working with Dorrance Publishing?  A hands-on approach to getting the book ready to print.
    
13. Five favorite books of all time?  Breakfast at Tiffany’s by Truman Capote, Herzog by Sam Bellow, Humboldt’s Gift by Sam Bellow, Independence Day by Richard Ford, Lay of the Land by Richard Ford
    
14.  One sentence of advice for other writers?  Stay positive about the quality of your creative process and the results it produces.

The post Author Spotlight: Janine Nugent appeared first on Dorrance Publishing Company.

First of all, we’d like to thank you for taking the time to read this blog. By doing so, you’re spending a few moments each week focused on cultivating your craft and achieving your publishing goals.

Secondly, as we finish one chapter and begin the next, we wanted to channel this gratitude in a way that we hope proves to be a source of motivation for you in 2018.

Here are three ways to find motivation to power you into the New Year:

1. Gratitude is a constant source of motivation, and when you tap into this wellspring of inspiration, you’ll be surprised at the energy you feel. Take time each day to think about everything that you’re grateful for and use it to your advantage.
2. Find your inspiration. As a writer, what better place to find motivation than in the written word? Make it a point each day, to find quotes that stir emotion and motivate you to take action. You’ll be surprised at how powerful this exercise can be.
3. Define your why. We all have our reasons as to why we do things. When you identify your source of motivation, you can build from this momentum. So whether you write because you can or you write to leave a legacy for future generations, take the time to reflect on your why.

As another 365-page chapter is about to begin, we want to know: How are you going to maximize this time to get you one step closer to your goals?

Copyright Dorrance Publishing, 2017

The post The End of One Chapter and the Start of the Next appeared first on Dorrance Publishing Company.

In today’s blog post, we cover the topic of defining your own unique why—the foundation to all your efforts.

First and foremost, your why is your starting point. It’s the defining mark of your writing journey and gives everything you do a purpose. Some people write to be fulfilled. Some write to touch other people’s hearts. Still others write to fuel their passions.

No matter your motive, at the core of your why should be your love of writing. When you have a passion for something, it makes it enjoyable; it makes it sustainable.

You have to love writing and see it as not just a hobby, but as the oxygen that fuels your creativity.

At the end of the day, you have to write for the right reasons.

Write because you can.
Write because you can’t imagine your life without storytelling.
Write for yourself.
Write to help others.
Write because it brings you happiness.
Write because you’ve been given a talent you don’t want to waste.
Write because you want to leave a legacy for future generations.
Write because you love it.

Take the time to jot down your own list of reasons why you write, because if you get lost in the shuffle and write to please others or to gain notoriety, you’ll quickly lose steam. Once that happens, the words you’re writing won’t feel genuine; instead, they’ll feel forced.

Whether you’re in the throes of your writing process or are about to start, we encourage you to take a step back and establish a purpose for your writing.

Once you’ve defined your why, you can use it as your compass to help navigate you on your journey. Use it as a constant source of motivation and a reminder that you are working to make your dreams a reality.

We all have our reason why we write; make today the day that you define yours.

Copyright Dorrance Publishing, 2017

The post Define Your Why appeared first on Dorrance Publishing Company.

Merriam-Webster defined “gratitude” as the state of being grateful : THANKFULNESS.

So what exactly does gratitude have to do with writing? The answer to that question is a lot.

Gratitude can be used as a motivational force. When you sit back and realize what you’re doing and the fact that you have the freedom to write down your thoughts and put your imagination to use, it’s something that should inspire gratitude.

As authors, not only are we lucky enough to have the talent to take our ideas and put them on paper, but we’re also fortunate that we’ve been given the opportunity to express ourselves in ways that some people cannot. Our creativity enables us to tap into relatable human emotion to connect with people from all corners of the world through our written words. If that’s not motivation enough, here are three quotes to motivate you even more!

“Gratitude also opens your eyes to the limitless potential of the universe, while dissatisfaction closes your eyes to it.”

“Learn to be thankful for what you already have, while you pursue all that you want.”

“If you are really thankful, what do you do? You share.”

The next time you feel discouraged and can’t seem to see the light at the end of the tunnel, take a moment to realize how lucky you are to be writing your book. Gratitude is a source of motivation that never runs dry. When you feel a sense of gratitude, you feel like you can do anything. Use it to your advantage, and as motivation to reach your writing goals.

From all of us at Dorrance Publishing, we’d like to wish you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving!

Copyright Dorrance Publishing, 2017

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