Author: Kathy Lauren Miller

Lauren Miller is the author of a children’s interactive book for special needs children, and an up coming novel, Eulie's Song.

Telling Sonny, a novel by Elizabeth Gauffreau

Published on by Kathy Lauren Miller3 Comments

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Author, Elizabeth Gauffreau, totally immerses the reader into a by gone time, a time when vaudeville shows captured the imagination of both young and old. It was also a time of innocence. It is 1924 in a rural town in Vermont where time seems to move at a snail’s pace. Or so it seems to Faby, a young girl on the cusp of adulthood. Newly graduated from high school, Faby is waiting for her life to begin. When a handsome young man, a hoofer in the vaudeville show that has entranced Faby, shows interest in her, Faby’s choice leads her into a life for which she is unprepared. Author, Gauffreau, tells Faby’s story with depth and poignancy. This novel is deeply researched and rich with details of life in the early part of the century. With the ease of a writer who knows her craft, the author immerses the reader not only into a bygone time, but into the mindset of a young girl grappling with the unexpected turn her life has taken. It is also a story of family and of the ties that bind.
Poignant and beautifully written, I highly recommend this remarkable novel.

Interview: Women’s Fiction Writers Association

Published on by Kathy Lauren Miller1 Comment

I’m so excited about this novel. Liz is a remarkable writer.

Elizabeth Gauffreau

I am very pleased to share that I was recently interviewed by Maggie Smith of the Women’s Fiction Writers Association for the podcast “Hear Us Roar.” I roar to Maggie about my debut novel Telling Sonny: what the book is about, the process of researching and writing it, and the road to publication.

https://www.womensfictionwriters.org/debut-author-podcast–elizabeth-gauffreau

And of what relevance is the header photograph for this post, you might ask? Why, it’s my very-pleased-with-my-little-self face, of course!

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Series or Standalone: What do Readers Prefer?

Published on by Kathy Lauren Miller4 Comments

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What Do Readers Prefer: Series or Standalones?

The advantage to writing a series are many. Marketers like marketing a series. What about readers? According to a survey by Written Word Media, it appears most readers have no preference, though some do prefer a series. This means which ever appeals to a given writer, will appeal to a given reader.

So, whether series or standalone, what keeps a reader turning the pages?

Obviously, readers do not want to be ‘bored’. That goes without saying. So, what really keeps them turning the pages? According to the survey mentioned, they want a plot that keeps them engaged, which means pacing and either tension or suspense. What they don’t want are uninteresting, one dimensional characters and overdone descriptions. Too much narrative or backstory weighs a story down. Grammar mistakes or spelling errors can kick a reader out of their suspension of disbelief. The emphasis needs to be on a well a developed plot and fully dimensional characters. This is essential for both a series and a standalone.

What writers need to know when marketing a series or a standalone.

First, even successful authors realize that offering the first book in the series for free or at a low cost will garner new readers. According to marketers, the economics of writing and selling are easier when authors write a series. This also goes for authors who write standalones. Marketing the first standalone with giveaways or at a reduce cost will garner readers.

What readers like and expect is a book that is in line with their expectations.

This is true from the illustrated cover to the written description of the book. If it is a series, the author must relate this in the description so the reader can expect that some plot threads will be left unresolved. Readers want to be surprised by the unfolding of a story, but definitely not confused by the ending. According to this survey, readers absolutely hate cliff endings. Gently lead the reader to the next in the series. Whether a series or a standalone, unresolved, confusing or unsatisfying endings lead to poor reviews.

Last, though not least, make your books easy to find and to buy. A website with links to your books and reviews will up your readership.

 

A Thousand Miles of History VII: The early birds and the Tinners Hare

Published on by Kathy Lauren Miller4 Comments

Fantastic art and stained glass in these churches. The beauty is astounding.

Sue Vincent's Daily Echo

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We were, as always, up and out early. This time we were on a mission of hope… we hoped the church would be open, as it looked too good to miss and we were meeting the girls a few miles away that morning too.

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You might have thought we’d be all churched out after the marathon on Saturday, where we had visited seven of them, but each one is an adventure… you never know what you will find. What we found in Tavistock was an open door and morning prayers in progress. Withdrawing quietly, out of respect, we went for a walk through the old town, watched the birds foraging for breakfast… then tried again. This time, we were in luck.

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The church of St Eustachius is one of only two dedicated to the saint in Britain. Eustachius was a Roman soldier who converted to Christianity in the second century…

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The Giant and the Sun – The pattern in the landscape (A Thousand Miles of History)

Published on by Kathy Lauren Miller3 Comments

Fascinating article. History holds so many questions…

Sue Vincent's Daily Echo

Leaving the church, we gathered in the little garden beside it which, so the church’s Keeper of the Keys would later tell us, had been sold to them for the princely sum of £1, with the sole proviso that the garden be used. Beside its gate is another fragment of the old Abbey, bearing once again the symbol of St Catherine’s wheel… which seemed fairly appropriate considering what we were about to do.

The gardens are a beautiful and peaceful spot, tucked under the wing of the church. The air is fragrant with the perfume of herbs and old roses. Apples grow on carefully tended trees and there are bees and butterflies in abundance. We gathered around a small, paved square lined with benches to start the next part of our adventure.

We had been convinced to hold a workshop at Cerne Abbas because of a feeling and a…

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How to Use PowerPoint to Outline your Story into a Storyboard

Published on by Kathy Lauren Miller10 Comments

 

I love using a storyboard  to outline my chapters. PowerPoint makes this easy:

  • Once you set up the platform design, it is so easy to revise and edit your outline.
  • It is very easy to move individual chapters around either in the storyboard itself or
  • By moving the chapter slides on the left side of the page as you revise your story
  • I love to highlight important elements within the chapters using different colors.
  • Once you are satisfied with each chapter outline, or slide, print it out for viewing.
  • I keep my outlines in a binder for quick reviewing.