The Big Writing Secret by Mary Manners

The tasks in a writer's life are akin to the ebb and flow of waves that lap along the shoreline. No matter how many are checked off the list, there's always another heading in. Sometimes, like a boat caught in those waves, a writer can become overwhelmed. A few years ago I was tackling a full time job and a writing career, and I dreamed of the day I could retire from my day job to focus only on writing. I would have time to write the million stories dancing through my head.

Well, that day has come and gone and I still find myself searching for more hours in the day to get everything done. Most days, I cannot fathom how I managed to do it all with a fifty-hour work week as a school administrator. But somehow I managed...and I wrote a good deal of those million books because it was important to me, and I knew the biggest secret of writing.



So, what is this secret? Well, the biggest secret to writing successfully is so simple that it's almost painful. You must simply plant yourself in a seat and write. And then write some more. And continue writing, even when you don't feel like it. The more you write, the better a writer you will become. It takes time and patience to learn the craft. There's no magic fairy dust, no elves that come out at night to finish what you began (though sometimes I wish this was so).

My favorite time of day is early morning...the pre-dawn time when everyone else is sleeping. That's the closest thing I have found to any sort of writing magic, because the world is still and quiet and it almost feels as if I've found those extra hours I've been searching for. It's then the creativity burns brightest. I would suggest trying this, even if you are not a morning person. You might just be surprised by the outcome. Just don't message me to let me know until after lunch. ;-)

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Love on a Dare (The Mulvaney Sisters: Alana)

FOUR SISTERS AND THE MEN THEY LOVE. SWEET, SMALL-TOWN ROMANCE...

Alana Mulvaney’s life is in a holding pattern. Consumed by day-to-day operations of the family business, Alana has no time for fun or romance. But a little fun and a whole lot of romance is just what Alana’s sisters have in mind when they learn childhood friend Donovan O’Reilly has returned to town.

Donovan O’Reilly has loved Alana Mulvaney since he moved in next door to her at the age of five. But he broke her heart when he was forced to leave town, and now that he’s returned home to Winding Ridge he has a second chance to prove his love. But is it too late to earn her trust…and her love…again?

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Mary Manners is a country girl at heart who has spent a lifetime sharing her joy of writing. She lives in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee with her husband Tim and their rescue dog Axel, mischievous cats Colby and Rascal, 8 rambunctious chickens, and 13 fish.

Mary writes stories full of faith and hope. Her books have earned multiple accolades including two Inspirational Reader’s Choice Awards, the Gail Wilson Award of Excellence, the Aspen Gold, the Heart of Excellence, and the National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award.

Mary loves long sunrise runs, Smoky Mountain sunsets, and flavored coffee. She enjoys connecting with reader friends through her website: www.MaryMannersRomance.com.