BACK AGAIN!

In December of 2021 I wrote what I thought might be my last blog.  I was tired of trying to remember each month to go to my blog and try to write something clever or interesting.  Besides that, I was, and I am a very busy writer, and didn't really have time to write the blog.  So, I said the hell with it!  Yet, here I am, three months later, back again.

Will it be monthly?  I don't know.  If I want it to be, because I use this blog to share my thoughts and do a little extra self-promotion.  There's no shame in my game.  As for now, I'm in the process of rebooting one of my earlier books titled Stillwaters.  Originally, it was a romantic suspense novel that concentrated on the relationship between an older woman and younger man.  There was some mystery and intrigue in the book, but because it was published by a mainstream publisher there were rules.  The rules involved the number of love scenes, how much I could delve into the mystery and intrigue elements, and I abided by those rules.

I now own all rights to Stillwaters, and I can do whatever I want with the book. I plan to do exactly that.  In the Stillwaters reboot I'm going to keep most of the dialogue, the mystery and intrigue, and the older woman, younger man elements, but Stillwaters will also examine African American history and its effect on one extraordinary family when it come to the psychology of Black Excellence.  I'm really excited about this!  Below is the Stillwaters cover.  The upside-down roses are symbolic, but I'll tell you more about that in another post.  

       

MY LAST BLOG POSTING?

Here it is the end of 2021 and I'm still trying to sandwich in writing on this blog between all of the other things I have to do as a writer.  This year has been fantastic!  The third book in my Stillwaters trilogy, SOMEONE LIKE THEM, was published, and my award-winning One Act play, 1200 Miles from Jerome, won the OnyxFest Play Festival, and I had the privilege of being provided with the funds to produce the play for the Festival.  In addition, I enjoyed a very successful reading of my latest Two Act Play, Ebony Eagles, which helped me improve the play.  Unfortunately, the all consuming work of producing 1200 Miles from Jerome overshadowed the work that was needed to promote SOMEONE LIKE THEM, and it all became a bit overwhelming.   The book is doing okay, but it could do much better with more attention from me.

As I move into 2022, I do so with a commission to write a play for a noted theatrical organization.  My writing partner, Lillie Barnett Evans, and I are seeking an agent to push our first thriller novel, Retribution, which took us three years to write.  After the success of our Grandmothers, Incorporated cozy mystery book series, we found changing genres to be quite a challenge.  On top of that, I'm turning from writing romantic suspense novels to writing historical fiction.  I'll be sequestering myself at home this winter to complete the second draft of my first historical novel, The Diary of Annie Mae Franklin.  After that is completed comes the work of  trying to find an agent to hock the book to publishers.  To say that I continue to be busy is an understatement.  That being the case, this will probably be my last blog post. How I managed to keep up with this blog is beyond my comprehension, but I'm proud that I did.  It remains to be seen if 2022 brings a change of mind about me posting in the future. Who knows what will happen, but it has been an interesting journey, and thank you to those of you who have taken the journey with me. 

TOO BUSY TO REMEMBER TO BLOG

 Oh, oh.  I was so busy in October with my other writing passion--playwriting--that I forgot to post on this blog.  Oh well. 

My One Act play, 1200 Miles from Jerome, won the Onyxfest Playwriting Festival and was produced for the stage in October.  As one of the five winning playwrights of  OnyxFest I was granted funds to produce 1200 Miles from Jerome.    I've produced plays before, but this proved to be a different experience. I never worked so hard in my life.  Thank goodness I was assisted by my friend, Deborah Asante, one of the best directors around.  We assembled one of the hardest working cast I've ever worked with, and we pulled it off.  

1200 Miles from Jerome is the story of a harrowing automobile journey from Jerome, Arkansas to New York City by four African Americans and one Japanese American in 1943.  OnyxFest is the third  festival that the play has won, but the first one that provided a full production.  I'm flattered by the recognition that my writing has earned in general, but the production was exhausting and I'm glad that it's over.  Below is the cast of the 1200 Miles from Jerome  OnyxFest production.  The photo is by photographer, Ron Slavens.  

SOMEONE LIKE THEM on Whizbuzz

 I tried something new on the P.R. front with my latest novel, Someone Like Them.  I advertised my book on a platform called Whizzbuzz Books.  I heard about it from a fellow writer giving a talk at a seminar.  I looked it up, I liked what I saw and purchased an ad. It wasn't expensive, and my book cover  and the Amazon link to the book will stay on Whizbuzz for a year.  Not a bad deal, particularly since the Someone Like Them  cover and the purchase link will be posted on the following Whizzbuzz platforms:

           Facebook

            Pinterest

            Linked In

            Flipboard

            Tumblr

            Wordpress

            Goodreads

            and the Whizzbuzz BUZZ page

In addition tweets about Someone Like Them will appear on seven different Twitter accounts, according to Whizbuzz the ad should reach more than 600,000 pairs of  eyes.  That remains to be seen, but I do know that marketing is everything when you have a product, no matter how good it is, and I think Someone Like Them is good.  A couple of reviewers on Amazon agree with me, giving the book five star ratings.  I'm glad that they enjoyed the read, and it's my hope that anyone who reads this blog will purchase the book and enjoy it too.   

PRE-ORDER PLEASURE

 

I want to thank anyone who might be reading this blog and pre-ordered my latest release, Someone Like Them.  It was the first time I used the feature on Amazon.com, and it went well.  Someone Like Them has received at least one five star review on the site, and I’m grateful to anyone who takes the time and goes on-line to write a review.  It always feels good to know that readers enjoy your work.

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome

Reviewed in the United States on July 2, 2021

Verified Purchase

 “I really enjoyed the Carson family. They endured tragic, mental and physical abuse, and they still prevail. I hope you continue to write about this family. Myra’s story "

Right now I’m caught up in doing research for the latest novel I’m writing, a historical fiction.  It will be the first time that I’ve tried to tackle this genre and the going is slow, but I’m enjoying the process and learning a lot.  I hope to release another novel in the Sin series later this year or early next year.  Stillwaters is the title.  It will be a re-release of one of my most popular novels, so stay tuned. 

SOMEONE LIKE THEM IS HERE!

Finally! Someone Like Them has been released.  I've been talking about it for so long it's hard for me to believe, but the novel is out.  Right now it can be purchaed at Amazon.com, in paperback and Ebook formats.  However, many of my other novels can be purchased at HALF PRICE during SMASHWORD'S annual SUMMER SALE.  The sale will end the last day of July.   

Someone Like You is the last book in the Stillwaters series.  I had fun writing about the different roads that each of the Carson sisters took on the road to happiness.  I have two more romantic suspense novels that I hope to release. Hopefully, that should happen in the coming year.  In addition, I've taken a stab at writing a historical fiction novel which I've been working on this year.  We'll see where that goes, but historical fiction is an area of writing in which I've grown increasingly interested.  I have ideas for at least two more novels in that genre. Meanwhile, Someone Like Them is ready and waiting to be read.  Just CLICK  ON THE BOOK COVER and you can read an excerpt and then purchase a copy.

SOMEONE LIKE THEM COMING JUNE 30th!

 All right, I know I said that this book would be released in May, but so many good things happened that had to addressed that the month's delay became necessary. Finally, a release date for SOMEONE LIKE THEM has been written in stone.  Superstar, Wanda Carson, will step on to the public stage and do her thing on Wednesday, June 30th.   SOMEONE LIKE THEM ,  the third and last book in the Stillwaters  series, can be pre-ordered as an ebook on Amazon.com.  The book will also be published as a paperback.  In case you haven't read my previous post about the story line, it is as follows:

  

Lady C is a superstar!  The Grammy winning diva is 

the toast of Broadway, and will soon grace the silver

screen.  She is on her way to becoming an

entertainment legend, but in the real world she is

WANDA CARSON, single, mother of three, and the

legal guardian of her two grandchildren by her

wayward daughter.  Having been poverty-stricken

most of her life, Wanda has overcome many

obstacles.  Yet, wealth and fame doesn’t mean that

she has it all.  Not only is she estranged from her

daughter, whose whereabouts is unknown, Wanda’s

life is threatened by a dangerous man.  

Plagued by fears and filled with insecurities, Wanda

goes into hiding, where the last thing she expected

was to meet a man.  A victim of abuse in past

relationships, DONALD CHAPMAN turns out to a

complete surprise.  A giant of a man, he is kind,

thoughtful and intelligent.  The friendship she forms

with him changes her perspective in life.  Yet, just as

unexpectedly another man enters the picture with a

 plan that could disrupt Wanda’s entire world.

  

TO BE OR NOT TO BE RELEASED IN MAY!

 Okay, here I am again, wavering on when my next novel, Someone Like Them, will be released.  I'm on the last editing of the book to make sure that I release the best quality product possible.  My efforts in getting the book out have been interupted by my other writing passion, playwriting.  Over this pass year I've won quite a few playwriting contest.  My work has been selected as finalist or semi-finalist  in even more contest, and I've been deeply involved in the future production of yet another one of my plays.  All of this has taken time away from the promotion of the release of Someone Like Them, and when you 're in this business promotion is a must!

Then, lo and behold, the chance of a lifetime has popped up with my latest play contest win.  I won the right to control the full production of my work and will be provided the budget to do so.  What was already limited time will now become even more limited time to promote my book, not that I'm complaining.  My love for what I do and my gratitude for the writing talent that God has bestowed on me is endless.  Meanwhile, I'm still not sure whether I'll delay the release of Someone Like Them until June.  Actually, one more month is no big deal.  We'll see.

Whatever the case, below is the Prologue to Someone Like Them.  Enjoy!

PROLOGUE

Wanda stood bathed in the glare of the brilliant spotlight with tears streaming down her face.  The audience was singing a love song, just for her. 

Should auld acquaintance be forgot… 

How could it ever be? 

And never brought to mind? 

Not brought to mind?  That was impossible.   

Should auld acquaintance be forgot… 

This was the end.

And auld lang syne?

This was her last performance.   

For auld lang syne, my friend… 

The most important people in her life were beyond those lights.  Her mother, Faith, her younger sisters Melanie and Jolene, her granddaughters, Raven and Racine…  

For auld lang syne, 

And her beloved godmother, Miss Emma. 

We’ll take a cup o’ kindness yet, 

Yes, everyone she loved was present, except the ones she loved beyond comprehension—her children. 

For auld lang syne. 

The song filling the Broadway theatre morphed into a chant in celebration of Wanda Carson’s extraordinary rise to stardom.

Lady C!  Lady C! Lady C! 

Standing center stage, a vision in gold, bathed in the spotlight, Wanda accepted the adulation and deafening applause.  Torrents of tears smeared her glittering makeup.  No one would have guessed that they weren’t tears of joy.

For the past eighteen months, she stood on this stage, singing her heart out.  Every song that she sang was for her children.  Every tear that she shed, past and present, onstage and off, was for the three of them. 

The curtain came down.  The spotlight faded.  The last performance was over.  Or was it just beginning? 

COMING IN MAY, 2021 -SOMEONE LIKE THEM

 

Here is the cover for the book that it seems as though I've been working on forever.  SOMEONE LIKE THEM is the last book in the Stillwaters Series.  Each of the books in this series follows the lives of three sisters caught in life circumstances that appear difficult to overcome, but they manage to perserve.  This last story belongs to the oldest of the sisters, Wanda Carson, who succeeds beyond any expectations that she may have had in life.  Yet, she finds that despite wealth and fame, life can still throw curve balls.  Below is the blurb for SOMEONE LIKE THEM.    

Lady C is a superstar!  The Grammy winning diva is the toast of Broadway, and will soon grace the silver screen.  She is on her way to becoming an entertainment legend, but in the real world she is WANDA CARSON, single, mother of three, and the legal guardian of her two grandchildren by her wayward daughter.  Having been poverty-stricken most of her life, Wanda has overcome many obstacles.  Yet, wealth and fame doesn’t mean that she has it all.  Not only is she estranged from her daughter, whose whereabouts is unknown, Wanda’s life is threatened by a dangerous man.  

Plagued by fears and filled with insecurities, Wanda goes into hiding, where the last thing she expected was to meet a man.  A victim of abuse in past relationships, DONALD CHAPMAN turns out to a complete surprise.  A giant of a man, he is kind, thoughtful and intelligent.  The friendship she forms with him changes her perspective in life.  Yet, just as unexpectedly another man enters the picture with a plan that could disrupt Wanda’s entire world.

FREE BOOKS DURING READ AN EBOOK WEEK!

FREE ebooks are back again at Smashwords.com.  For the week of MARCH 7-14th, Smashwords will be offering designated eBooks free on its website and two of my books are included.

In the Sin Series, you can get SWEET SACRIFICE for FREE, and in the Grandmothers, Incorporated cozy mystery series that I co-write with fellow author/playwright, L. Barnett Evans, our book, SAVING SIN CITY, can be gotten for FREE.  The other novels in the Sin Series and the Grandmother, Incorporated Series are on sale during this week. 

Take advantage of this special if you're looking for romance and laughs.    

BACK AGAIN and HOPEFULLY BETTER THAN EVER

I missed  the January 2021 post because I wasn't sure I wanted to continue this blog.  I've been so busy writing during the pandemic that the extra time it takes to attend to this blog hasn't always been there,  but then I thought, what the hell.  Some of my readers actually look at my blog.  So, I'll see if I can maintain it another year.

In 2020, I've been blogging about writing my latest Stillwaters series book, Someone Like Them.  I finished the book, and then sent it to the best editor I've had in a long time for her review.  To make a long story short, I have some work to do on Someone Like Them because I don't want to make the mistakes I've made in the past--and believe there have been many.  

In sending my two former Stillwaters series books, Someone Like Me and Someone Like You to the new editor, she found mistakes that had been overlooked in both those books, and I was truly embarassed that those books were released with too many errors.  There is nothing I can do but take full responsibility, go back, fix those mistakes and release the books again on Amazon.com and Smashwords.com.  I am in the process of doing that now.   So, those of you who may have read these two books that had such blatant errors, I apologize.  

I take pride in being a good writer, and I should have been paying more attention.  I'll do my best not to let that happen again.  

THE END OF THE ROAD

I've been writing this blog since 2012, and I think I've come to the end of the road on this site.  How I've managed to keep up amazes me,  especially in 2020.  This is the year that the pandemic seems to have put me on what I call creative crack.  My creativity has soared.  I finished  Someone Like Them a romantic suspense novel, (or is it Women's Fiction , I'm not sure anymore.)   I finished writing a mystery novel with my writing partner, L. Barnett Evans.  I also started two new novels.  One is a historical mystery and the other one is general fiction with political and social overtones.  Plus, earlier this year I wrote a play titled Ebony Eagles, the third work in a trilogy of plays I started in 2017.  All three plays have won or been finalists in  national play festivals.  I wrote Ebony Eagles in March 2020 and the play has been a finalist in two festivals and has won a third. I couldn't be happier with those results.  It has been quite a year.  However, I think it's time to find a new name for this blog, a new direction since I'm expanding my writing muscles, and probably a new blog platform. 

In 2021 Someone Like Them should be released, and if we can find an agent, hopefully, the thriller Retribution, written by L. Barnett  Evans and me, should be released by 2022.  In addition, I was the recipient of a prestigious award from my local Arts Council to indulge in a creative endeavor that will keep me on the road for a while.  So, I'm not sure if I'm going to keep up this blog or start a new one.  I have yet to decide.  Meanwhile I do have a website which I would like readers to visit:  www.crystalrhodes.com.  

I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year.  s we all know, the year 2020 has been one for the ages.      

A NEW COURSE OR THE SAME OLD DIRECTION

 I love to write and at times I admit that I overdo it.  Right now I'm doing the 5th edit of my romantic suspense/women's lit novel, SOMEONE LIKE THEM, which I've been writing about all year and have yet to deliver (but it's coming).  I'm doing edits on one of my old romantic suspense novels, SMALL SENSATIONS, for re-release in the future.  I'm working on completing the edits on a thriller co-written with my writing partner, L. Barnette Evans, from the Grandmothers, Incorporated cozy mystery series.  I'm turning one of my plays into a general fiction novel, which is easier than I thought it would be.  I'm busy entering my latest full-length play, Ebony Eagles, in playwriting contests and I recently received word that it is a finalist in one of the competitions.  On top of this I've also committed myself to writing a brand new play for one organization and working with a theatre to set up a reading of another play. Those two things happen if I win monies from two different arts organizations.  Yeah, I'm overextending myself, but I wouldn't have it any other way.  

The other day I received information about an on-line book app that specializes in hooking readers up with romance novels.  Of course I had to look into it.  I liked with I saw and now I'm considering re-releasing some of my former novels, SIN, SWEET SACRIFICE and SINFUL INTENTIONS, among others, on that app--with rewrites and updates of course.  At times it seems that although I'm setting a brand new course for myself as a writer in some areas, I'm still steeped in the same old direction in others.  Oh, well!  That's my life, and I LOVE IT!  

   

FINDING MY WRITING STRIDE

My last blog stated how I was on my fourth edit of my next novel,  Someone Like Them.  Well, scratch that, I am now on my fifth edit and counting.  I've agonized on why this book is taking me so long to get right.  Why have I not been satisfied by the main character in this book.  The personalities for the protagonists in my other novels came so easily.  Eventually, it came to me.  The protagonists in Someone Like Them started out weak, and I cannot write about weak women, mainly because I don't know any.  I was raised by strong, competent, independent women who taught me to be a strong, competent, independent woman, and that's what I write about.  In Someone Like Them I was trying to create a character I really didn't know.  Thank goodness I've finally discovered who she is, and no matter how long it takes, Wanda Carson is going to shed her light brightly in Someone Like Them.

Meanwhile, for those writers of color who might be looking for a writing community to join, I would like to suggest  Crime Writers of Color (CWOC).  Most of its members write crime and mystery novels, which I write with the co-author of our Grandmothers, Incorporated cozy mystery novels.   However, I do believe that there are some writers who are members of the group who don't write mysteries.  Nevertheless, I think it is a group worth exploring.   I stumbled on CWOC by accident a few months ago.  I find the members to be very supportive of each other and the information they share is very helpful.  I've attended a few panels and workshops that the group has held via Zoom and I've been very pleased with the results.  It cost nothing to join the group.  Simply put Crime Writers of Color in the Google search engine.  The name should come up and you can read about them.   If you're interested, follow the directions regarding how you can become a member.    

 Until next time...  

COVID and BLACK LIVES MATTER CREATIVITY

Okay, so I'm still working on Someone Like Them.  I'm on my fourth edrt and going strong, because the critique on my first edit wasn't very good, and I'm waiting for the critique on my third edit.  This covid crisis has been good for me insofar as I've given myself more time to do just about everything, which improves the quality of what I do, from writing books to writing plays.  I'm proud of that, and it's a lesson I should have learned sooner.  But, better later than never.

The Black Lives Matters movement  has turned out to be quite an advantage for Americans in general, but for black creativity specifically.  I've never seen so many pubishers looking for African American material, or so many producers looking for African American content.  I'm thinking about acquiring a literary agent for Someone Like Them and for another one of my novels I hope to re-release.  I figure that I ought to strike while the iron is hot.  Who knows how long this interest in black writers will last.  If we go by historical trends in this country this interest in all things black coud be over by the end of the year.

That's all for now.  Stay Safe!             

A WRITER' S EBB AND FLOW

 It seems like I've been working forever on my latest novel, SOMEONE LIKE THEM .  This pandemic has heightened my creativity instead of lessen it.  I've been working on two books and a new play all at once, so getting my latest romantic suspense novel out has been slow since I'm doing so much.  However, I wouldn't do it any other way.  I'd get bored if I worked on one thing at a time.

I've made progress on each of my projects.  My latest play, Ebony Eagles, is finished, and I've entered it into several play contest.  I'm still working with my writing partner on our latest mystery novel, but  it's about to be completed very soon.  As for SOMEONE LIKE THEM, I'm on my third edit of this book. Each time it gets better and better, so I have no complaints.  I hoped to have the book out this year, but that may not happen.  I'd rather put a good book out there than a rushed book.  I want it to be a book that I am proud to have written.

Meanwhile, thanks to all of those people who went to Smashwords.com to get my books last month.  Two of them were free during the month of July, but there were a lot of sales of my other books as a result of readers liking the stories from my free books.    I really appreciate the support!         

SMASHWORDS SUMMER/WINTER SALE!

Smashwords.com is at it again.  The book site is holding another sale for all of the summer sun worshippers.  Of course I'm participating in this sale. Through the entire month of JULY, all of my ebooks at the Smashwords.com site are on sale for only $1.50 and THREE of my BOOKS are FREE:  SINFUL INTENTIONS, SWEET SACRIFICE and WHOSE KNIFE IS IT ANYWAY? 

SWEET SACRIFICE is the second book in the Sin Series, and it was nominated for an award by an on-line review site.  SINFUL INTENTIONS is the third book in the Sin Series and I have to say it is one of the best books that I've written.  It only took me three months to write it, and I didn't use an outline.  The words just came to me, flowing like a river.  I still don't know how I did it.  As for
WHOSE KNIFE IS IT ANYWAY? This is the latest cozy mystery novel in the Grandmothers, Incorporated series that I write with my writing partner, L. Barnett Evans. It's very funny.   So, go to Smashwords, pick an ebook, read and enjoy .

PRODUCTIVITY PLUS!

I've been so busy that I nearly missed this month's blog post. It seems that the pandemic is affecting different people different ways, and I'm one of those people who seems to be thriving while sheltering in place during this pandemic.  I've finished two books and a play!  The first draft of my third book in the Stillwaters Series, Someone Like Me, is finished and is now in the process of being edited.  It seems like I've been writing this book forever.  

My writing partner for the Grandmothers, Incorporated cozy mysteries, L. Barnett Evans,  and I have been busy writing a  new thriller that is very different then our usual work..  We've been working on this book since 2016 (can you believe it!) and we finally finished.   We're in the editing stage now.

 As for my playwriting, one of my One Act plays. won another play festival  (my third in four years).  It will be presented in Columbus, Ohio next year, that is if the pandemic is over.   During April and May of this year I made sure that all of my books were a part of the Authors Giving Back sale at Smashwords.com.  The sale was quire successful.  Thank you to the many readers who purchased my books.   

AUTHORS GIVING BACK SALE CONTINUES!

The authors on Smashwords.com continue to respond to the shelter in place directive that citizens are being asked to follow, and we are extending the  AUTHORS GIVE BACK sale that started in April.  Titles continue to be offered at 60% off through May 31, 2020! 

This means that all of my romance suspense titles in ebook format are only $1.20 on Smashwords.  The title that launched my career as an author SIN,  remains absolutely FREE during the entire month of  May!

In addition, through May 2020, the hilarious novel, There's Something Wrong with Miss Zelda,  one of the funniest titles in the Grandmothers, Incorporated cozy book series that I write with my writing partner, L. Barnett Evans, is being offered FREE on Smashwords this month!  All of the books in this series are also on sale.  Don't miss out on this opportunity to read a good book.

Go to Smashwords.com. CLICK on one of my titles, and ENJOY!   

AUTHORS GIVE BACK SALE!

In these precarious times when nearly everyone in the country is sheltering in place to protect each other from the virus that has overtaken our country, the authors on Smashwords are responding. We are offering 60% off our titles during the AUTHORS GIVE BACK Sale through the month of April, 2020. 

This means that all of my romance suspense titles in ebook format are only $1.20 on Smashwords.  To kick the book reading off,  the title that launched my career as an author SIN, is absolutely FREE during the entire month of April!

In addition, Whose Knife is it Anway?  the latest titled in the Grandmothers, Incorporated cozy book series that I write with my writing partner, L. Barnett Evans, is on sale as well!  All of the books in this series are cheap this month, so don't miss out on the opportunity to read a good book.

Go to Smashwords.com. CLICK on one of my titles, and ENJOY!