Category: Writing

FREE FOR HALLOWEEN: Shakespeare's Witch on Kindle

10/29/2013

Shakespeare's Witch, the complete story.

Thanks to my dear friends at UtahRWA who taught me how to offer an occasional free book! At least I made it in time for Halloween! All kindle users: Click on the link Shakespeare's Witch on Halloween to download the complete book at no cost!

For my friends who ordered early and paid full price - "The Queen's Puppets" is coming along and I promise you will also get my first kindle copy free next year.

For friends who purchased the hard copy of Shakespeare's Witch - get one for your kindle as well!

Nook owners - I can't launch Shakespeare's Witch on Barnes and Nobel for another month - but it's coming!!!
It'll be a great night to read a witch story!

BTW, for my writer friends out there, I learned at conference that the more I include a search phrase in my material, the better chance of it coming up at the top of the search engine choices.

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Thanks for your support! See you next Sunday...

10/3/2013

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Thanks to everyone who participated in my first book bomb! Hope you enjoy the book...
I'm scheduled for a book-signing next Sunday (10/6/13) at the Olympus Ranch Retirement Community, It's at 974 East 5600 South in Murray, Utah. It seems appropriate that my first should be there since so many friends have listened to my writer stories! Plus, they're just fun folks to be around!

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Launching Today! 'Never Quenching Fire!"

10/1/2013

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I have successfully uploaded all versions of my Shakespeare's Witch series and today I'm launching "Never Quenching Fire" in digital, print and large print. It's also available in the lending library for Amazon Prime members. Google me, J.D. Steffensen, or 'Never Quenching Fire' for a direct link.
The fun part is that anyone buying today will be participating in my 'book bomb,' which is a marketing scheme designed to push a writer's ratings up on Amazon. This is my first ever, so I'm curious to see how it plays out. Let me know if you run into any hitches.
I'll report the numbers back tomorrow!
Thanks in advance to you all!

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Help! Should I go with a pen-name?

8/14/2013

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I'm hitting the deadline and need to decide what name I'll publish my Shakespeare's Witch series under. Many of my writer friends are using pen-names. I thought I'd go with J.D. Stevens. J.D. for Jodee (get it?) and Stevens would be a shortened, easier to remember and spell derivative of my true name. But when I surfed the web yesterday I was surprised to see how far my Jodee Steffensen name had gone to establish me as an author.
Such a dilemma!
Why a pen-name? First, it's gender neutral and men hesitate to read work by female authors (sorry guys, but research has found it to be true.) Second, historical authors often use their initials. I guess it gives them more gravity. Third, authors use different pen-names for different genres thinking it helps clarify which genre the reader is purchasing. Fourth, it may compensate for a name that's difficult to remember and/or spell.
All of these arguments apply to me.
So dear reader (whoever you are), send me some comments. Do you prefer J.D. Steffensen (not much of a change), J.D. Stevens (easy to remember but completely new in terms of establishing a marketing platform), or just stick with Jodee Steffensen as author for the Shakespeare's Witch series.
Feedback VERY much appreciated!

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History of English = Fun!

8/4/2013

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With school just around the corner, and we teachers already back at work, I couldn't resist posting this fun youtube! Yes, it does mention Shakespeare, who is recognized as an important contributor to our language, and it's surprisingly historically accurate in a tongue-in-cheek kind of way... Enjoy!

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Big Day for my Books!

7/31/2013

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It was a big day for me! One of my last for the summer, and one that marked a wrap up of lots of work. I successfully completed breaking my Shakespeare's Witch book into three parts, found some great editors, learned how to post on Create Space and to create bookcovers using BookCoverPro. I've also started looking at marketing strategies and today ordered bookmarks and business cards. I have five books being reviewed in Create Space and I've ordered one proof. I'm so excited! I can't wait to start gifting them out!

Based on some advice I received from another historical writer, I've divided Shakespeare's Witch into three parts. Readers can order parts individually or get the entire book. Everything will be offered in print and e-book form. I'm on schedule to have everything ready for sale on Amazon by September 1st, 2013. I love the idea that they're coming out in 2013 - so appropriate for a "witch" series!
Thanks to everyone for your patient support. I promise, book 2 will not take nearly so long!!!

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Writer's Guide to Everyday Life in Renaissance England

7/1/2013

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I want to keep adding to my reference library, mainly as a way to thank other authors who've compiled the information that allows me to write historical fiction.
I wish I'd had "Writer's Guide to Everyday Life in Renaissance England, by Kathy Lynn Emerson, earlier. It would have save huge amounts of time. The books is well organized and is packed with detailed information on all aspects of Renaissance England. I've been researching this period for years and still find much I didn't know. It also clarifies some of the things I've found difficult to research. For example, there's an excellent list of alternative cosmetics to ceruse, which I found very interesting.
"Writer's Guide..." was first published in 1996 by Writer's Digest Books in Cincinnati Ohio. I highly recommend this book to all of your period writers out there! It's an excellent addition to my research library!

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Writer's Retreat

4/21/2013

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Okay, I admit it. I tried to take some pictures of the wild turkeys that roamed the grounds, but the sun was behind them and I ended up with black shadows. So, they looked like this as I drove past them along the road. It's spring and they were in the romantic moods that wild turkeys enjoy. They gobbled through the weekend, day and night. And that was just one of the great things about our retreat!

Fellow writers - you know how lonely our endeavor is, and how fraught with self doubt. The chance to meet with other writers, enjoy a couple of workshops, and write for an entire day can only be appreciate by the afflicted.

Along with the turkeys, we had a fabulous discussion about grammar and homonyms. I totally loved the impassioned discussion regarding comma use. AND - I finished my book revision. It was a major accomplishment. I also spoke with a fellow writer about publishing our 400 page novels in smaller chunks. Which means I could publish more often. She's been publishing since January. She pointed out the e-books tend to be shorter, she can charge less, and when she completes the story, she'll offer it complete. Her fans complain about always having to buy the next book to continue the story, but many of them have been very supportive and she's pleased with the progress she's made.

I look at my 400 page novel, knowing that I need to clean it up now, fix the typos and such. It will probably take months while I'm working my day job. More nights devoted to working, self imposed deadlines, and the constant nagging feeling that I may not make it to the finish line.

Sharing time with other writers strengthens me. Yes, I pick up ideas, review the constructs of language, discuss marketing possibilities, and commiserate. But I'm also blessed with writer friends who encourage me to just keep going.

There is so much to the story I'm writing: romance, intrigue, political suspense - the amazing story behind Shakespeare's work. So to my fellow writers, I send the message all writers need to hear constantly. Keep at it, one step in front of the other, little by little, you've never failed until you quit ... It's critical you hear those messages over and over, because it's so easy to give up!

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Author

Jodee Steffensen
AKA
J.D. Steffensen

Jodee (J.D.) Steffensen

Historical and Romance Writer, Amateur Herbalist, and Seeker of adventure, new knowledge and all things good!

Hobbies? I've adored cats all my life. I came to love Shakespeare when I was introduced to him in college. I developed an interest in herbs when a dear friend was diagnosed with cancer. I learned about the complex politics of Shakespeare's world when another friend gave me a book, "Shadow Play," by Clare Asquith.

FREE FOR HALLOWEEN: Shakespeare's Witch on Kindle

Thanks for your support! See you next Sunday...

Launching Today! 'Never Quenching Fire!"

Help! Should I go with a pen-name?

History of English = Fun!

Big Day for my Books!

Writer's Guide to Everyday Life in Renaissance England

Writer's Retreat

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