#2 - WEP Get Together - March 2024

 

Hello fellow WEPpers and friends!

Welcome to the second WEP Get Together! Starting in April, we go bi-monthly. 

The WEP team decided to keep in touch with each other and any of you who wish to meet each month and chat about our lives, or ask for help in publishing or anything, really. We learn from each other.

The options for participation are - 

- create a blog post with the lovely badge we use above and send us the link in comments.

- put the link in our C-Box which is found in the sidebar,

- write us a story in comments.

We don't want this post to be rigid. No specific topics. The topic is up to each of us. Share what's burning in your heart at the moment. It may not be writing related at all! That's totally fine. There's no word limit, but let's try to keep it down.

The writing world changes constantly and is not without its challenges. 

For example, 

- have you discovered something about your writing/publishing journey that you'd like to share? Please tell us! 

- have you found a way around a problem that others may be facing?

- have you found a fabulous editor who gets you?

- or share an interesting factoid - have you been nominated for the Nobel Peace prize???

- have you found a beta reader who made all the difference to your manuscript? 

Don't forget to access the 'How-to' posts which will remain in the sidebar. 

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Nila’s roundup of events:

Hi folks! Nila here, logging in from Lucknow.

Glad and relieved to report that the eye op went well, the right eye is done. I'd thought the other one would be done at a two week gap, -so that the whole tiresome process would be over by end Feb. The surgery gods must have been rolling on their respective heavenly floors laughing at my cluelessness.  The left one will be scheduled after I get back, meanwhile I'm struggling with temporary eyeglasses in various denominations. Writing or reading smoothly is still an elusive dream!

Jama Masjid in Old Delhi. Built 1650s.
By the same chap who built the Taj Mahal.

Also meanwhile, officialdom decided they needed to see us physically for various odd requirements, so we've had to zoom up to Delhi. Not that I'm complaining, Delhi is one of my favouritest cities in India - I've spent my some of my growing up years there.  I visited some old haunts, some of the famous monuments and caught up with friends and family there. I've now landed up in Lucknow, also a historic city - known for its refinement, chikankari embroidery, a major school of Urdu poetry and amazing kebabs - a foodie paradise. 

Son-e-Lumiere at the British Residency in Lucknow. Built
1780-1800. Main site of the Siege of Lucknow in 1857. 

My February has just whizzed past. Hoping March will be a little less hectic, but that's just wishful thinking. More eye op coming up and attendant houha. 

Hope everyone is doing well. Stay well, keep writing and keep in touch! 

Hi all! Denise here. This is my month in a nutshell:

UPDATE on last month.

The heatwave has lost its grip somewhat. Quite bearable to be honest. Still cyclones hovering, but no more vicious damage as of now.

Which has made the writing less of a challenge.

I've spent most of the month editing Angelique's Paris Cookery School so I can catch the superfluous bits before sending to our very own Development Editor, Renee. 

A quick mock up cover from Canva so this space is not empty and sad without an image.

AI in writing is on my mind thanks to the IWSG question of the month. I use it as I suck at blurbs. Here is an AI-generated first paragraph of a blurb for my novel:

In the enchanting city of Paris, where the aroma of freshly baked croissants fills the air, Angelique Ravello has decided to revive her beloved cookery school after a devastating loss. Determined to start anew and heal her wounded heart, Angelique has sworn off men, focusing solely on her culinary passion.

Other than study posts from the gazillion Facebook writing/editing groups I'm a member of, that's about it for me.

Congratulations to those of you who have powered on and published and promoted books.

Don't forget to share with us!

I have posted for the IWSG HERE....for Wednesday 6th ... The optional question is: Have you "played" with AI to write those nasty synopses, or do you refuse to go that route? How do you feel about AI's impact on creative writing?

Now that's a controversial topic ...

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Hi everyone! Jemi here😊

We've moved through 1st winter, false spring, 2nd winter, 2nd false spring, and are currently on 3rd winter... all typical for Northern Ontario!

In writing news, I've filled plot holes and corralled the commas in No Good Deed. With Yolanda Renée's help, I'm now doing the same with No Going Back (book 2 in the No Fail Heroes series). Renée's comments are SO helpful!

Hope everyone is doing well and can't wait to read your updates!

______________________

Hey everyone! Renee here 👋

Update on last month's news regarding Conundrum: I did not place in the top three, but I'm still a runner-up. And I'm still celebrating.

Since our last post. I've been working and not writing. In fact, the only thing I wrote was a poem for Sue @ Elephant's Child called An Angel. I'm sharing it here.

Photo by Nico Frey on Unsplash

AN ANGEL

I know an angel

of earthly fame

many seek her confidence

life is tough

living can become rough

this angel understands

many lose hope

but her light's bright

her words pure

this angel

with a heart so true

offers love and advice

recognized truth

means sorrow

disappears

promise returns

her magic works

happy folks

all recognize

her blessing

God's messenger of love

the restorer

of damaged souls

this holy vessel of perfection

but she knows sorrow

and immense pain

more profound than most

suffering despite

her heavenly calling

her beauty shines from within

and still

she gives all

despite her grief

this spiritual being

a guardian angel

of hope.

***

Yolanda Renée Stout © 2024

I send my thanks to Jemi again, for letting me be part of her team on No Going Back, book 2 of her No Fail Hero series. Jemi is an amazing writer! Anyone interested in a Developmental Edit just follow the link! 

Anyone interested in Jemi's books follow the LINK!

As always, I'm sending hugs and positive vibes to our writing community. Please let us know how you're all doing!

*****~~~~*****

Hello everyone! Sonia here.

We are slowly slipping into spring in Delhi, but it continues to play hide and seek with winter refusing to give way any time soon. In writing news, I finished the first draft of a short story for a writing grant and am now going to start with the edits. I've also submitted a poem for an annual anthology that features Indian poets. This is a special submission for me. My poems have been rejected for the last three years but I refuse to give up. Fingers crossed for 2024!  

This is picture from the World Book Fair at New Delhi. Fancy, isn't it?

I have a new post on the blog about book fairs (I visited World Book Fair at Delhi in February). It highlights how and why they aren't quite a reader's paradise and the things that didn't work for me. It's called NEW DELHI BOOK FAIR- A LONG & TIRING SWIM.  How was your writing month? I look forward to the 'catching-up' this March!

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Tbat's it for most of the team this month. Looking forward to your posts. 

Denise and Sonia for ...