C. Lee McKenzie

Young Adult and Middle Grade Author

Featured Follower, Cathrina Constantine & Are U Ready For IWSG Wednesday?

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I took April off from a lot of my usual activities to let my wretched hand/shoulder heal. It’s now much better, and I’m back to typing with all of my fingers! One day I’ll have a Story To Tell about this.

But today I’m featuring another author. Here’s Cathrina Constantine 


Featured Follower for the month of May.
Her newest book has one of those covers that makes you stop, look and want to open it. Here’s my Amazon Review.

Some Stellar Reviews. 

“The gritty realism of the many struggles she deals with makes this book so compelling. Plus, just when you think you might be reading a romance, the author takes a completely surprising turn. This book is more of a coming-of-age story that keeps you guessing until the end!” ~ Stephanie Faris, Best Selling Author.

“From its psychedelic beginning to its sweet, poignant ending I loved this story.” ~ Nana Prah, Best Selling Author.

If you hurry, you can enter to win a copy on her 
Rafflecopter Giveaway 
Speed Interview with Cathrina: Her FAVORITES

  • Song ~ Just about every song gets my heart pumping and my feet tapping, it’s almost impossible to pick just one. For this moment in time, I’ll say, Rolling in the Deep by Adele.
  • Movie ~ Soooo many, so many. I’m a movie fanatic. I think I’ve watched Harry Potter a zillion times.
  • Author ~ I have an ardent desire for dozens of authors. They all helped to light the flame of my imagination and my writing. I’m sorry, I can’t pick just one…
  • Time of Day ~ That’s an easy one, the early morning when the birds are just starting to sing.
  • Book ~ The Bible.
  • Place to think~ Taking a walk in the woods behind my house.
And there are some little tidbits about this author. Want to ask her more about herself? Leave that in your comments.

Thanks Alex

It’s just about time for another #IWSG Wednesday. Are you ready? Clock’s ticking and the first Wednesday of May almost upon us. Here’s your optional question: What is the weirdest/coolest thing you’ve ever had to research for a story? Or you can just go ON and ON about your current insecurity. 🙂

A lot of you have heard that Joylene Butler has a new book out, but that just before launch day she took a tumble and broke some bones. Surgery during a book launch? I don’t think so. Here’s her book. It looks like a super read.

Nook. Kindle



Quotes of the Week: I had to post two today, variety being the spice of life!

“Every year, back comes Spring, with nasty little birds yapping their fool heads off and the ground all mucked up with plants. Dorothy Parker

If you’ve never been thrilled to the very edges of your soul by a flower in spring bloom, maybe your soul has never been in bloom. Audra Foveo

#IWSG Peeps. . .Why Tackle the Alphabet in April?

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#YASH is still on until 4/9 NOON. Check out the hundreds of books to win!

Sign Up!
Thank you Alex J. Cavanaugh


The question is optional! 
April 5 Question: Have you taken advantage of the annual A to Z Challenge in terms of marketing, networking, publicity for your book? What were the results?
The awesome co-hosts for the April 5 posting of the IWSG will be Christopher D. Votey, Madeline Mora-Summonte, Fundy Blue, and Chrys Fey!
Sign Up!

I can’t even remember how or why I started doing the A to Z Challenge. What attracted me to it was all of the fascinating themes people chose. I learned so much that I had to repeat the experience for several years in a row. Not only did I learn from others, but I learned a lot about the theme I chose. I’m missing it this year, but I hope to be back in 2018. 
As to the second part of this question, I’d say the results were that I connected with a lot people who in turn connected me with others. 
Learning new things and connecting with others are two reasons I keep coming back for a month of alphabetizing.

How’s everyone doing on the Insecure front these days? Are you doing the A to Z Challenge 2017? Why? Why not?

Oh Shoot! It’s the Tunnel Chute & #IWSG News

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Let Me Tell You A Story

Over the years I’ve heard or read stories about other people’s lives. I’ve also had a few experiences that have entered into my “Let me tell you about the time” category. Some of these stories have crept into my books. Others are waiting in the wings. Here’s one about the time I ran the Tunnel Chute.

This is the North Fork on a different rafting adventure. My son’s to my right. My husband’s down in front and almost under water. Nobody filmed my Tunnel Chute experience. My family said they were glad they missed that trip.

I’d rafted the North and South Fork of the American River, but not the Middle, so when a friend asked if I wanted to go on one of his rafting trips, I jumped at the chance. We’d had a wet year, and the river was boasting a lot of Class V rapids.

I wound up with a group of about five other rafters plus the guide who were all surfers from Santa Cruz. They were also about twenty years younger than I was and were still immortal. I didn’t know that until after I stepped into the raft, so common sense had no part in my decision to go along.

When we came to the Tunnel Chute, the river guide made us hike up to the top of the gorge and “study” the rapid. He told us we had to have our paddles in when he called for them, and we had to hit the boulder on the far bank with our raft at an exact spot. If we did it right, we’d bounce back, into the rapid and be on our way down river. If we missed. . .well, let’s just say, we didn’t want that to happen. A lot of the others on the river that day portaged around the Chute, others capsized and swam. 


They save the Tunnel Chute for the last. It’s worth the wait! 

As I stepped into the raft, I eyed the trail, thinking portaging sounded darned good, but I grabbed my paddle, said a prayer to the river god and pushed off. 

I was aft with the guide, so when we hit the rapid, and he yelled paddles in, then flew off the back of the raft, I was the only one who knew the six of us were on our own. I didn’t have time to shout, “guide overboard” before our raft “folded” and I flew up and out. The river god must have heard my prayer because before I had a chance to go under water a second time, the water threw me back into my seat, paddle and all.

We shot that rapid and, of course, celebrated our success by jumping into the icy water. Why not. We were already soaked and blue. The guide met us. He swam the rapid faster than we rafted it.  



An interesting fact about the American River: The river is known for the 1848 discovery of gold at Coloma which started the California Gold Rush and contributed to the initial large-scale settlement of California by European immigrants. 

Quote of the Week: The danger sensation is exciting. The challenge is to find new dangers. Ayrton Senna, Brazilian Celeb.

Here’s a special Announcement from #IWSG!
Not on Goodreads?
The IWSG book club is a good reason to join.
Hope to see you there

Holy Moly #IWSG Wednesday Has Arrived

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Thanks Alex J. Cavanaugh

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The awesome co-hosts for the March 1 posting of the IWSG will be Tamara Narayan, Patsy Collins, M.J. Fifield, and Nicohle Christopherson!

Taking a month away from social media is great except the return is a bit overwhelming. And does that add to the insecurities? Absolutely.

  • Will I get everything done that I’m supposed to? 
  • Will I do it by the deadline? 
  • Will I do it well? 

Do any of those questions sound familiar? Have you ever taken a month off your social media to do all that other stuff you need or want to do, or are you among the sane ones who don’t do social media?


March Question: Have you ever pulled out a really old story and reworked it? Did it work out?

I wasn’t going to answer this month’s IWSG question, but it so happens that did pull out an old story. I reworked it. My agent loved it, but I wasn’t happy with it. There was something off about it, and I never could put my finger on what that was. My agent has let me pull it to do some more fiddling-she’s very understanding-but I’m wondering if I just should have left that thing tucked inside my C-drive in the first place. It may be a story that I should have let die a nice, quiet death.


Now here’s some excellent news: IWSG has some new and lovely SWAG for y’all! Stop by the site and pick out something you like and can use. AND. . . 

stay tuned for #IWSG Twitter Pitch Party! Do you have a hot idea you want to try out? This will be your chance. Want the details? Ask and you shall receive. 

Guess What? It’s IWSG Time.

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Brain Child of Alex J. Cavanaugh

The awesome co-hosts for the January 4 posting of the IWSG will be Eva @ Lillicasplace, Crystal Collier, Sheena-kay Graham, Chemist Ken, LG Keltner, and Heather Gardner!



I think I’m more exhausted than insecure this month. While I took some time away from social media, I packed the hours with a road trip, lots of cooking and family gatherings. With so many events back-to-back insecurity slipped a notch on my list of concerns. 

However, it’s still there lurking and waiting to trip me up. 

Here are the two areas that have me up tight:

I’m testing out a new blog format to see if 1) I can actually do it, and 2) if anyone will care enough to read it.

I’m ready to plunge into draft #2 of the last book in my Pete Riley trilogy, but I’m still not happy with some of it.

Question: What writing rule do you wish you’d never heard?

I absolutely hate show don’t tell. I’m a storyteller and I like to tell stories. Some of the best books ever written “tell” a story. So leave me alone with the telling. 

Want to see what others in this group are saying about their insecurity and how they answer this question? Here’s your chance.

IWSG Among Other Things

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Brain Child of Alex J. Cavanaugh
The awesome co-hosts for the November 2 posting of the IWSG will be Joylene Nowell Butler, Jen Chandler, Mary Aalgaard, Lisa Buie Collard, Tamara Narayan, Tyrean Martinson, and Christine Rains!
Sign up!
I went back into my archives and found this post from 2011. Thing just don’t ever change! Except the logo for IWSG is now different, and there’s a question to answer each month. November’s question is What is your favorite aspect of being a writer?

The Insecure Writer, Me 2011

See these nails?  I stopped biting them just in time to save the fingertips and why? Because I’m an INSECURE WRITER; I need those fingers for the keyboard.

This is me when I was an INSECURE ACTRESS, biting my nails.  (Ignore the caption. Marilyn was always trying to get the spotlight away from me. I think she might have been more insecure than I was.)

I don’t know which is worse, my insecurity on stage or what I’m enduring now. But I no longer look like the picture above. Here’s a more recent one. 

Writer on the Verge . . . but of what?

Oh, I have me ups and downs. There have been days when I’ve seen myself with the Nobel prize for literature clutched in my nibbled fingers. I once thought I’d craft a Newberry Award acceptance speech just in case . . . you know the phone rang. But when a call came through on the day the award was decided, it was the vet telling me I could pick up Buffy.

This is my INSECURE WRITERS REJECTION week and I’m celebrating by joining the blog hop of other angst-filled-creative-finger nibblers. At last a support group.

Answer to the November Question: I like to be able to tell stories the way I want to. Writing is a control freak’s best friend.

Are You Still Searching for Gary? Or the Answer to This Month’s Question?

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Alex J. Cavanaugh Ninja Powered


The awesome co-hosts for the October 5 posting of the IWSG are Beverly Stowe McClure, Megan Morgan, Viola Fury, Madeline Mora-Summonte, Angela Wooldridge, and Susan Gourley!

What would life be without laughter and IWSG? Answer: Kind of boring and lonely. So we can’t have that, can we? I propose we borrow the idea of Where’s Waldo and have a game of Where’s Gary. Then, when we actually find him, we can stop SEARCHING! So here’s the map. All you have to do is pick Gary out of the crowd. Enjoy.

Source
Don’t forget to check out the guidelines for this year’s 
IWSG Anthology Contest!
Now about this month’s question: When do you know when your story is ready?
There are two things that signal FINISHED. 
  • I like the story again. Like most writers, I have a real love-hate relationship with my books. First, they’re the most brilliant things I’ve ever penned, then they stink. It’s after this phase and the love returns that I know it’s ready.   
  • My three crit partners give it the thumbs up. If they like it after reading it umpteen times, then my thermometer jumps to DONE! Of course, they could be telling it’s a go to get rid of me, but I hope not. 

What’s IWSG Anyway? And Egg Salad Moments

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The awesome co-hosts for the September 7 posting of the IWSG will be C. Lee McKenzie,(Wow! This is me! Jumping up and down at my computer.) Rachel Pattison, Elizabeth Seckman, Stephanie Faris, Lori L MacLaughlin, and Elsie Amata!

Check out the details of the annual IWSG Anthology Contest Today! 

For me IWSG is a place to hold hands with other authors who are waiting to hear some news about their books: 

  • Will the agent of my dreams like what I’ve sent?
  • Is the publisher going to send a contract sometime this century?
  • Is my Indie book edited and formatted properly or did I screw up again?
  • Will anyone buy my book while I’m still alive?
  • Will anyone read my book?
  • Where are those reviews?

If any of these questions have every bugged you as a writer, SIGN UP HERE and let’s hold hands. Excuse the bones. I’ve lost a bit of weight during my book launch this summer.

September 7 Question: How do you find the time to write in your busy day? 

When I think of something-no matter where I am-I write it down, and when I can get to my computer, I put those ideas into whatever I’m working on. That’s why my manuscripts scare me senseless. There are random notes between scenes. There are images I think I can use to help me describe something or capture the mood of a place or the look of a person. There’s egg salad splats because I ate lunch during an epiphany. 

Yesterday during yoga, I had this brilliant thought while I was standing on my hands. Attribute it on blood flow to the brain. So as soon as my hands were free, I wrote that thought down. Last night it became a scene that will go someplace in my book. I’m counting on another handstand to tell me where. 

What’s your answer to the September 7th question? I’ll be coming around to read what you have to say. 

When Do You Need #IWSG?

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When do you need #IWSG? Anytime. But during a book launch it’s essential, so how lucky am I to have writers in my corner this very day when my next middle grade book, Sign of the Green Dragon is officially published.

Many of you have read and reviewed the story on Goodreads already, so I hope you’ll post your reviews on Amazon as well. No one else knows better than you how important those reviews are for writers. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Question of the Month

This month’s question is interesting, and I look forward to reading the answers when I visit your blogs.

My very first piece of writing as an aspiring writer of fiction was called Bad Ass Attitude. While it’s published, it didn’t get to keep the title I wanted, and it came out as Sliding on the Edge. Here’s a bit about it:


A teenager who cuts herself.  A doomed horse. And a grandmother with guilty secrets.

Shawna has spent the first sixteen years of her life in Las Vegas and learned to handle anything from a Las Vegas hustle to skipping out on the rent. Scarred inside and out, she’s survived with a tough, hardened attitude. When her mother abandons her, with only a bus ticket and the name and number of stranger to call, this troubled, desperate teen finds herself on a California horse ranch with Kay Stone, the steely, youngish grandmother she’s never known. 

Kay overwhelms Shawna with rules and daily barn chores, and Shawna baffles Kay with her foul-mouthed anger and shrugging indifference to everything-except the maltreated horse on the ranch next door. But it’s worse than even Kay suspects: Shawna’s driven to cut herself by Monster, that strange voice inside her head. Kay fears that unless she helps this girl, she could lose her last living family member.

As this unlikely pair struggles to co-exist, will they overcome their suffering and transcend the past?

I write in two very different categories because I need variety or I go stale. What do you write? Are you insecure when you first put a book out into the world? Besides #IWSG what do you do to manage it?

IWSG-I Was Searching for Gary-And Then He Found Me Hopping

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Thanks Alex.

The awesome co-hosts for the July 6 posting of the IWSG will be Yolanda Renee, Tyrean Martinson, Madeline Mora-Summonte , LK Hill, Rachna Chhabria, and JA Scott! 

Never turn your back on the first Wednesday of the month. 

Seriously. 

That’s when it pounces and has you for dinner. Maybe lunch. I was writing-do not snigger-and then July 6 popped up on my calendar with “ALERT. HOP TO IT.” 

Hop? Really? 

Gary will go bonkers and Penny might even withhold her affection if I start hopping again. However, I’m basically intrepid and pressing on. 



Quietly. 

So. I’m tiptoeing into this TMI Blog Hop with some IWSG twists and turns. Here’s my post. I hope you’ll take the dare in spite of Gary or because of him. He is really a good guy who would never pounce, unlike the first Wednesday of each month seems to.

Thank you,  Debbie and Guilie  for the #AtoZ TMI Blog hop. So this is the “This is me, from A to Z. 

Sorry. I’m a fairly boring subject, so feel free to skim and scan. But before you start my #AtoZ, here’s the answer to this month’s IWSG question. 

The best thing anyone ever said about my writing was in a blurb Francisco Stork wrote about The Princess of Las Pulgas: “. . .a beautifully written, meaningful, young adult novel. Carlie Edmund will jump off the page and pull you into a poignant and timely story of loss and ultimate gain. She’ll take you into a world where stereotypes are shattered and truth is discovered deep beneath the surface.”




And now . . .
A: Age
Rocks are younger than I am, but heavier. So I’m good.
B: Biggest fear
Gary will read this post and he’ll tell Penny.
C: Current Time
Summer. What could be better, except perhaps winter or spring or fall?
D: Drink you last had
It was either Chardonnay or Pinot. The only other things I drink are coffee or water, so those are possible last things, too.
E: Every day starts with

A walk. Simple, right? I live in a place that beckons. Have to take walks.

F: Favorite Song
My last favorite song was Total Eclipse of the Heart by Bonnie Raitt. I still replay that one in my head.
G: Ghosts, are they real?
This question is too close to my bones to answer. I have to write about this one day because she’s back and making my life edgy.
H: Hometown
I don’t have one. Not kidding. I was born on the move.
I: In love with
Penny. Who else? She’s my heroine. And she might put a good word in for me with Gary if I say this.
J: Jealous of?
Nothing and nobody. I gave that up after high school. Waste of time.
K: Killed someone?
Not yet. But I have had targets in mind.
L: Last time you cried?
When my two close friends died within a month of each other. I’m still crying, but you can’t see it.

M: Middle name
Lee
N: Number of siblings
One.
O: One wish
To not regret my choices.
P: Person you last called?
My husband. “Dinner’s ready. Where are you?”
Q: Question you’re always asked
And you are…?
R: Reason to smile
I’m breathing.
S: Sounds that annoy you
Very high pitched voices send me over the wall. Or they would if there was a wall available.
T: Time you woke up
4:30. I’m writing. (Please stop the sniggering.)
U: Underwear color
Let me check. . . Oh yes, white. I’m back to basics, so my undies are either black or white.
V: Vacation destination
I travel a lot, so my deck is often my best vacation.
W: Worst habit
Giving impatient looks. I must learn not to do that.
X: X-Rays you’ve had
Those airport X-Rays! What a horror. Some totally weird, strange person with a badge is looking at my innards. Creepy.
Y: Your favorite food
If it doesn’t involve goat, it’s my favorite. There’s a story behind this. The answer involves a bazaar in Istanbul.
Z: Zodiac sign
Aquarius, if you go with the western zodiac. One of those obnoxious Tigers if you go with the Chinese zodiac.
Did you have fun? (not you Gary) 
The blog-fest is on through July 13th. 
Just add your name and post your answers.
Happy First and Insecure Wednesday Everyone. 

I may be late in getting around to those I usually visit because we have a new baby in our family as of June, and I’m off to meet the little guy tomorrow. Hope he likes me.