All three of my books started with a title. The second book, which has been published, C’mon Let’s Play was originally called Yes PLEASE! Help Yourself. The purpose of the book was to enable people to recognize how much control they have in their lives and how playing around with a few different methods of thinking could help them define and live the lives they would love to live. The word “play” showed up so many times, I had to change that title.
Based on the advice I received from a writing teacher, I created character sketches for a few of the main characters in my fiction book. Originally, I planned to create a short story for my stepson. Turns out I only wrote one page. To meet the expectations of a writing group I joined with two of my friends, I found that paper and committed to making a story out of it. So, the main character is Joey, and he rode a BMX bike. After that, I had to create more information, so I went into brainstorming mode over breakfast before leaving for the second class. Physical description: based on my stepson. Hobbies – photography – favorite camera old polaroid, favorite color… plaid. Sleeps in a waterbed (like my stepson).
Let me tell you that the camera from this brainstorming session played a huge role in the story. Next person from a different world, Wheedles, noticeably short and colorful, and his claim to fame? Ahhh, he is the 18th King of the Zing Fling Thing. Let’s see, what is the name of the other world, and how does Wheedles get here? Joey sleeps in a waterbed… Wheedles can come through that somehow. Hmmm, waterbed, how about coming in from Waiderfled, and the bad guy could be Haidderdred. The bad rhyming here started out as a joke because we had all joined this writers club where people would read samples of their work and the group would give constructive criticism, but I brought poetry which brought a long and uncomfortable silence to the group. Hence this story.
After meeting a few main characters in the book, I wrote a high-level outline which begins as the chapter titles. I target a given number of chapters (in this case, 18) to get me started and adjust, as necessary.
In the non-fiction work, I worked to identify the purpose of each chapter and how will it serve the reader, just a sentence or two. In the action fantasy, I created the titles of the chapters with zero boundaries with the purpose of moving the story forward. I should mention that this was a fast process and felt like play. Everything was a target idea that I would shape or replace in the writing. The titles turned out to be a great idea because I knew he had to have a life here, flip over into another world, meet people, have an adventure building up to the pivotal moment, become more confident in the process and return home. So, I followed that formula with outrageous chapter titles in which new characters were born. So fun!
Once I had this framework, I started writing stealing little pieces of my life and weaving them into the fabric of the story. I should mention that the name Wheedles emerged as my new orange kitty kept pushing on my arms while I was trying to type, and I felt like he was wheedling in on the story. Hey – that is a great name so both the King of the Zing Fling and my new kitty received the same name.
As it turns out, while drafting these books there is a lot going on around me in my real life. Once I start a book, each time I resume the process, I leave this world no matter what is happening in reality and go inside the book. And while in there it is magical for me. Like a mini-vacation. And that is what I love and adore about writing. I chase it for a bit… then I fall in and create new worlds.
In summary:
Inspiration, title, character sketches, chapter titles, chapter purposes, fill in the blanks, big finish, and edit, edit, edit. Hire an editor, edit. Submit, and edit.
Thanks for this opportunity and your time.
Publication Date: December 8, 2020
C’mon, Let’s Play! shares methods for the readers to play with that can help them change their lives. Here, Suberla reflects on her life journey, and uses her own examples of good and bad choices to give practical advice on how to achieve your goals. With humor, she shares her approach to making some life changing choices including how she became a hippie in the late 60s and early 70s, to her decision to retire early from her corporate job. Dee also shares her process for how she moved through breast cancer. By sharing her personals story, the author demonstrates the importance of how one’s thoughts and beliefs determine the life that he or she leads and how anyone can get more living in life by playing with the concepts in this book.
Dee G. Suberla is best known for her expertise in project management. Of course, she didn’t start out that way, no she started writing poetry at an early age, then became a resource for people she worked with in the pharmaceutical industry when there was a need to write something particularly tricky. When she reflected on the favorite parts of her job it came down to coaching; she loved helping people to set and achieve their goals. Coaching wasn’t in her job description but it was a passion that she pursued after she became a consultant and wrote her first book to help new project managers called Poof You’re a Project Manager and Other Delusions of Grandeur. Recently, she was compelled to write C’mon Let’s Play to share what she had learned with people who felt stuck, helpless or were looking for something new. Whether Dee is career coaching, life coaching or coaching somewhere in between, she shares much of this information with her clients and wrote this book to reach a wider audience.
October 18 – RABT Book Tours – Kick Off
October 19 – Our Town Book Reviews – Spotlight
October 20 – Sylv Net – Spotlight*
October 21 – B for book review – Excerpt
October 22 – Momma and Her Stories – Excerpt
October 23 – Book junkiez – Spotlight
October 25 – Crossroad reviews – Spotlight*
October 26 – The Indie Express – Review
October 27 – Book corner news and reviews – Spotlight*
October 28 – Novel News Network – Review
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October 30 – The Faerie Review – Spotlight
November 1 – Nanas book reviews – Spotlight
November 2 – A Life Through Books – Interview
November 3 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog – Spotlight
November 4 – Texas Book Nook – Review
November 5 – Momma says to read or not to read – Spotlight
November 6 – Teatime and Books – Spotlight
November 8 – Novels alive – Guest Post
November 9 – My Reading Addiction – Interview
November 10 – On a Reading Bender – Review
November 11 – The Avid Reader – Interview
November 12 – RABT Reviews – Wrap Up
Dayna, thank you for inviting me to create a guest blog and for featuring my book. I appreciate you time. Kind regards, Dee
It’s truly my pleasure, Dee!