An Ojibway from Northwestern Ontario, Maggie resides in the country with her husband and their fur babies, two beautiful Alaskan Malamutes.  When she’s not writing, she can be found pulling weeds in the flower beds, mowing the huge lawn, walking the Mals deep in the bush, teeing up a ball at the golf course, fishing in the boat for walleye, or sitting on the deck at her sister’s house, making more wonderful memories with the people she loves most.

2020 Character Interview

Beverley: What’s your name?

Billy: I’m Billy Redsky, one of the heroes from Real Warriors, the fourth and final book in the When We Were Young series.

Beverley: W here did you grow up?

Billy: On the rez.  Thunder Mountain First Nation.  It’s a stone’s throw from Thunder Bay in Northwestern Ontario.

Beverley: During what time period does your story take place?

Billy: Grunge, baby.  Grunge.  Well, that’s when the series starts.  Now we’re in post-grunge because Real Warriors is set in 1999.

Beverley: What’s your story/back story? Why would someone come up with a story about you?

Billy: My author gave me a father I never knew who left when I was two.  He’s in prison now serving about ten or fifteen years for armed robbery.  Knowing him, he was probably coked out or drunk when he pulled that job.  My Mom’s a total lush who’s trying to kick booze.  My older brother’s a loser who deals drugs and is affiliated with an outlaw motorcycle gang.  Because my fam are such losers, I got put into foster care.  But it’s not too shabby.  I’m bunking with my dream guy.  The super-sexy and super-cool René Oshawee, the hottest guy on the rez, heck, in the city of Thunder Bay.

Beverley: What’s your goal in this story?

Billy: Just like it says in the blurb:  To live as a true “out” couple with René, and finally have a real brother in my older brother Hoyt.

Beverley: What conflicts are you facing?

Billy: For starters, René’s too scared to come out, so we’re still hiding in his closet.  As for Hoyt, he has no intentions of giving up his life of crime.

Beverley: Do you have a plan for resolving them?

Billy: I sure do, but I won’t say what I’m up to, or how I came up with the idea.  You’ll have to read the book to find out.

Beverley: Is there anything else you’d like us to know about you?

Billy: I dig root beer, motocross, art, nature, and wildlife.

Blurb for Real Warriors:  

The courage of a warrior is a must on their new path, or they’ll never grasp their happily ever after.

Just when eighteen-year-old Billy Redsky believes he’s holding his happily ever after in the palm of his hand, he must practice what he’s learned in ceremony to face two more tests—share with the world his love for René, and let go of the past.

But that’s not so easy.  René is terrified of exposing their secret to anyone else but his family.  As for Billy’s brother, he has no intention of changing his criminal ways.

Only a miracle can help Billy reach his final destination on the red road his Ojibway ancestors once walked.  For his dream to come true, he must look deep inside of himself and trust the creator he follows.

Excerpt from  Real Warriors :

As they drew closer to Parry Sound, a sea of green welcomed them. The time on the clock stereo was closing in on twelve-thirty.

René turned down the volume that had been blasting. He’d humored Billy by letting him play the Goo Goo Dolls. “We gotta stop somewhere. I need to use the john, and my taste buds are dying for a ciggie.”

“Sure. I need another coffee.” Over an hour ago, Billy had polished off his large cup of joe.

“It’ll be about another two hours before we reach Sudbury.” René checked the dashboard. “Fuel’s still good. We can fill up again there. This U-Haul is gonna really eat up the stuff once we get deep into the Shield.”

“I get to drive once we’re out of Sudbury, right?”

“Yeah. I know you’re itching to try out some highway cruising.” René softly chuckled.

“You read my mind.” Billy reached over and locked their fingers together, since René didn’t have to shift gears yet.

They bypassed Parry Sound and made their pit stop at a mom-and-pop operation about fifteen minutes out. The place was locally owned by an Ojibway couple who told them the reserve was nearby.

“You fellas coming from the city? Which rez you from?” The man’s baseball cap was slung on backward.

“Yep. T-O. We’re from Thunder Mountain. It’s a hop, skip, and a jump from Thunder Bay.” Billy leaned against the truck.

“You fellas are a long way from home. Heading back for the summer?” The sun shone down on the man’s many wrinkles and bronzed skin.

“Heading home permanently.” The area was peaceful. Tons of trees and far from the craziness of the city.

“Permanently? Not gonna finish your education?” The old man frowned.

“Yeah. In Thunder Bay. My boyfriend’s starting his second year of university in the fall.”

“Eh? Boyfriend?” The old man’s eyebrows thrust upward and then relaxed.

René emerged from the store. He carried two more cups of coffee and another bag of food. They’d eaten their muffins. Billy’s stomach grumbled for lunch.

“What’cha got there? By the way, name’s Quentin.”

René approached them. “René Oshawee. That’s my buddy, Billy.”

The hunger growling in Billy’s stomach vanished.

“Buddy?” Quentin squinted his wrinkled eyes. “I thought you said you were boyfriends?”

The sunglasses hid René’s gaze, but the pink on his cheeks was a knock to Billy’s gut. “Oh…uh…yeah. Boyfriends.”

“We should go.” Billy threw open the door to the truck.

“Geez, I was gonna say I know a few Oshawees. Ah, I’ll let you fellas move along. You got a lot of driving ahead of you.” Quentin waved. “Be safe now.”

Billy got in the passenger side.

René set the coffee cups in the holders and placed the bag on the console between them.

They left the gas station.

René kept griping and re-gripping the steering wheel. “I’m sorry.” His voice was quiet.

“Nothing to be sorry about. I…” Did Billy understand? He was trying his best to, but moments like this, he could use some advice from René’s wise uncle, Ned Atatise.

Buy Links for  Real Warriors :

Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09CP9SDG2/

eXtasy Books:  https://www.extasybooks.com/Real-Warriors

Social Media Links:

Web Site:   https://maggieblackbird.com/

Facebook Page:   https://www.facebook.com/maggieblackbirdauthor/

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/BlackbirdMaggie/

Goodreads:   https://www.goodreads.com/maggieblackbird

BookbBub:   https:/ /www.bookbub.com/profile/maggie-blackbird

Linked In:   https:// www.linkedin.com/in/maggie-blackbird-032798169/

Amazon Author Page:   https://www.amazon.com/Maggie-Blackbird/e/B07KQP1FFG

eXtasy Books Author Page:   https://www.exta sybooks.com/maggie-blackbird/

Newsletter Sign-Up:   https://yahoo.us20.list-manage.com/subscribe? u=92959d27295c47605a8325906&id=d83ed57ebd

I have a difficult time with metadata. I’ve taken classes to try and figure it out but it’s a little like learning Greek. I thought if I blogged about it, it might help me gain a better understanding and maybe it might get other authors thinking about it. This is definitely not a techie post. Please feel free to comment.

What is Metadata?

It’s information, the information bookstores, libraries, and online stores use to categorize a book – your book. (or my book).  To start it should include the title, genre, series information, the author, blurb, back cover, table of contents, index, page numbers, publisher and copyright, and narrator if it’s an audiobook.

Researching Amazon and other bookstores can help with those. They can be keywords, mystery, hard-boiled, spy stories, tales of intrigue, political, kidnapping, thriller, etc.. Research books similar to yours, or by a similar writer and see the tags they use on their book store page.

Metadata can help sell your book by helping people who read your genre, find your book. Then your cover and blurb will help sell them your book. The metadata also helps the bookstores place your book in the right spot for the reader looking for your book.

Some area to check when doing your metadata is if the book is a series. Did you include the series number? That information will usually link the books, making it easier for readers to buy the next book.

It can be work at the start when you publish your book but metadata is a very important tool to sell your book.

And that’s not all. Then there are the metatags that are used for SEOs. That’s way beyond me at this time.

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When I started to research writer’s burnout, I found this explanation. Burnout is staring at a page, hating the page, and questioning your ability as a writer, for a long time. That article also said don’t stop writing.

That didn’t sound right to me. It might work for some but if you’re burned out how can you write?

Then I found this list of burnout symptoms like exhaustion, lack of motivation, you don’t enjoy writing anymore, and when you think about writing you find other tasks you need to do, like ironing. You feel depressed and fantasize about escaping from everything, maybe moving to a beach. You stare at the TV and pig out on ice cream when you should be writing. You can probably fill in a lot of other symptoms if you’re suffering from burnout.

You haven’t written a new word for months, so you know you’re burned out. What now?

First Take a Break.

If you have to go to work. you still have to do that. But other daily chores and specifically writing, take a break.

How Long?

That will depend on you. It could be weeks. It could be longer. You need to stop writing and get in touch with your inner self. Sleep more. The Dalai Lama said, “Sleep is the best meditation.” Figure out how much sleep you need. It’s individual.

Meditation may also help. Try yoga or running. Read more. Take up painting. Fit the new activity/s into a new routine for yourself and have fun. Laugh more.

During this ‘break’ time organize your living quarters. Focus on your writing area. Clutter can contribute to burnout.

When that desire to write returns and you really want to put words on a page. Schedule your writing. Pick a time to start and how long you will write. Don’t go over that time frame. Remember consistency is the key to writing and avoiding burnout. Take care of yourself.

If you have any other tips, I’d love to hear them.

           Happy writing!

Janina Grey has been writing since she could hold a crayon, and there has been no stopping her since. Journaling, short stories, poetry, newsletters, news, feature, columns, Op/Eds, and press releases have kept her busy her whole life. But it was the sweet romances she read in her downtime that stayed forever in her heart and gave her the inspiration to write her own.

Growing up on Long Island and living periodically in Tennessee as a youth has given her the opportunity to meet many different types of people and experience many different lifestyles. After moving from Long Island to settle in upstate New York with her family, she found the support needed to pursue her writing endeavors.

When Janina is not writing, she may be marching for women’s rights, kayaking, camping, drumming, or dancing around the fire. With her two children grown, she and her husband, David, share their 110-year-old Mohawk Valley farmhouse homestead with a few resident spirits and a very squawky murder of crows.

Character Interview

Beverley: What’s your name?

Brooke: My name is Brooke. Brooke Meadows. Don’t laugh. My parents were kinda well . . . hippy wannabe’s? Josh insists I was conceived under the stage of a Grateful Dead concert, but, hey, I’m not that old.

Beverley: Where did you grow up?

Brooke: California. And we can leave it at that.

Beverley: During what time period does your story take place?

Brooke: I like to live my life by the adage “Now is the only moment.” This part of my journey began in August of 2018, about three weeks before I even met Josh. When his wife, um sorry-dead wife- Rosalie, began visiting me to tell me she had a message for her husband.

Beverley: What’s your story/back story? Why would someone come up with a story about you?

Brooke: To be honest, I have no idea why anyone would want to tell my story. I imagine this all would have never happened if Dee and Doug hadn’t come up with that crazy idea to shop our ‘talents’ off-site.  Anyway, my story is pretty simple, and if you don’t want to believe it, that’s fine. I had a great life in Cali. I had a great job and in my spare time, I was a hospice volunteer. It was a quiet life, but I like quiet. I don’t like drama.  But then . . . I’m not comfortable dredging that crap up, so let’s just say it was time to fly. I came out to New York after hearing about the need for a camp photographer, and to escape all the negativity. And, when it comes down to it, I was trying to get away from the voices. I thought I was going crazy. But it was all part of my journey.

Beverley: What’s your goal in this story?                                             B rooke: If you mean, what’s my goal in life, it’s to heal people’s hearts. To give them hope and a reason to go on.  If you’re talking about the story of this part of my journey, well. I guess it’s to let people know that ‘this’ is not all there is. There is life beyond our trauma, beyond the trauma and drama we call life. It’s cyclical and infinite.  I guess another goal in my ‘story’ would be to show people how the Universe works in mysterious ways, and that sometimes we just have let go, let flow, and understand that it will all work out the way it’s supposed to in the end. We just have to trust in the Universe.

Beverley:   What conflicts are you facing?                                              Brooke: Ugh. What conflicts am I not facing? First of all, I was not ready for a relationship. I came here to get away from people. Not get involved with anyone. I’ve had plenty of opportunities but no. I’m still healing. And besides, I’m on a mission. I have messages to deliver.  So, I guess my first conflict was my attraction for Josh. Everything was fine until he stepped off the bus. And only got worse when he took off his sunnies. Then when he smiled at me. And then . . . when he almost kissed me.  I tried to tell Alyssa and Kyle that I was uncomfortable working with him, but because I’m the only deathwalker they had, and he was the only client this session who was dealing with grief from losing his wife and two daughters, well. Tag, I’m it. They said since I wasn’t his counselor or therapist, they had no issue with it.  Falling for a client seemed really unethical. I was not happy with what I was feeling and I tried hard to compartmentalize. But the more professional I tried to be, the harder it was to ignore the attraction we were experiencing.        —Do you want me to keep going? — Okay. I mean, my life feels like one big conflict.              Finally, ugh. I love Josh dearly, but he’s a control freak and I hate (WILL NOT) be controlled. By anyone. Ever.  Why does this interview feel like one of my therapy sessions?

Beverley : Do you have a plan for resolving them?                                                                       

Brooke: Usually, conflict resolves me. As much as I try to avoid drama and stress, I’m starting to realize I cop out with my avoidance tactics. I say I’m living life to the fullest, but I’m actually avoiding life whenever there is any semblance of conflict. I’m afraid of getting close to people. Afraid of people thinking I’m lying about the messages. They thought I was lying about, well. Things in my past and I wasn’t. So, I moved away. Ugh. I guess my plan for resolving conflicts is running. That’s not good, is it?

So, yeah. I guess I don’t really have plans for resolving my conflicts. Wow. That’s telling, isn’t it? I just ebb and flow, like the tides and the moon. I go where my heart leads me. And usually that’s how my conflicts get resolved, by resolving me.

Beverley: Is there anything else you’d like us to know about you?

Brooke: I love coffee, margaritas, naps- whether it’s under the sun on this pretty cool flat boulder at the top of one of the trails I hike, or curled up on the front porch under a blanket on a rainy afternoon. I love hiking, especially that one particular trail that leads to this glorious summit, where you can see for miles and miles.

I love taking pictures, immortalizing someone’s brilliant smile, or the despair they feel as they hit rock bottom, just before they begin the ascent of their most vital journey of healing.

I don’t like to be tied down. This may sound a little controversial, but I’m not a big proponent of the Patriarchy. Like I said earlier, I hate being controlled. Especially by men.

Finally. I’m a witch. Not the Hollywood kind that shoots fire from their fingertips. Just the normal kind. You know, like the kind you work with, shop with, live next door to, even if you don’t know it. Some people prefer the term ‘Pagan.’ So yeah, I’m Pagan.

Blurb for LOVE IN THE FOREST

Step into the mystical and magical forests of Upstate New York, where Earth and Sky camp photographer Brooke Meadows has taken refuge from the demons of her past as she uses her ability to communicate with the dead to heal loved ones left behind.

Unable to cope with the loss of his wife and daughters three years prior, Josh Quinn, CEO of the number one dating site Quirkyflirt.com, is ordered by his board president to take a break from his Big Apple Headquarters. He finds himself at Earth and Sky Retreats, where confronting his grief has led him to experience a life-altering transformation and re-evaluation of reality.

Will Josh leave behind his fast-paced, high society life in the concrete mountains of New York City, for the magical, bewitching world Brooke reveals to him in the foothills of the Adirondacks?

Will Brooke acknowledge and accept her own journey of transformation and healing as she and Josh explore the winding paths and summits that lead them to find love in the forest?

Excerpt from LOVE IN THE FOREST

“So, you guys really think you can heal people in three weeks? Make them functioning members of society?” He raised one eyebrow in disbelief.

“Well, yes and no. Yes, the healing process definitely begins here if the person is ready. If so, we help them build the foundation where they can continue healing. We can’t force you guys to heal. We can show you how to begin to heal and how to keep healing—if you want to.” She studied his face as he nodded thoughtfully.

“I think I’m ready.”

“I know.” She jumped off the boulder.

“Thank you,” he said, remaining on the rock as his demeanor changed from sunny to cloudy. “For not staying angry with me about last night, about the kiss.”

“No worries, thank you for believing me about Rosalie,” she replied, capturing his gaze as she took off her sunnies. “Besides, I may have overreacted a little bit.”

“No. You didn’t. I don’t force myself on anyone. I don’t know what got into me. And I just needed to tell you I was sorry in the light of day, so you could see I meant it.”

His sincerity seemed genuine enough for Brooke. And although his eyes were warm, she detected a hint of sadness. Or was it regret? Her butterflies flitted and she steeled herself against the impulse to pull him close and kiss him. Talk about mixed messages.

“Shh,” Brooke said. “I accept your apology. But in the future, remember I’m super big on consent, FYI.” She leaned against the rock and studied the toes of her hiking boots as he jumped down and stood beside her.

“So am I. And I respect you and admire you, and I trust you. And last night I totally blew it.”

“Almost. Almost blew it. You weren’t entirely wrong to go there. It was just bad timing.” She wrapped an arm around his waist and gave a quick squeeze of a hug. “We’d just experienced something really emotional, and traumatizing, and in a way, it forged us together and—”

“Bad timing?” He cupped her chin, his eyes questioning.

She held her breath, her lips parted as she dropped her gaze to his mouth, wanting so desperately to ease away and replace the bad memory of their first kiss.

“Well. Yeah.” She tried to speak but lost her ability to form a coherent sentence. All she could think about at the moment was how the world was right when he stood by her, how he wore fresh air like an expensive cologne, and how her body felt as brilliant as the first rays of the morning sun when he touched her.

“Is this what consent looks like, Brooke?” he whispered and dipped his head.

“I don’t know anymore. I can’t think when I’m around you,” she said, lifting her arms to rest on his shoulders as he turned into her, drawing her close.

“This sure feels like consent,” he murmured, closing his eyes, nudging her nose with his.

She molded into him, her hands cradling his head. His hair was soft against her fingers, his body hard against hers, his breath minty as he paused, waiting for her, she knew. Tipping her head up ever so slightly, she brushed her lips against his.

He leaned back, searching her face. “You sure?” His voice was wavering, hesitant.

You want this, she reminded herself, as her heart beat a steady rhythm against her ribcage. “Yes.” Her answer caressed his lips just a hairsbreadth away.

He growled low and deep as he buried his face in her hair, nuzzling the vulnerable, tender spot just below her ear. He left a trail of kisses along the soft curve of her neck, her jawline, before he claimed her mouth with a gentle fierceness not unlike that of a late afternoon thunderstorm.

Desire like heat lightning rolled through her body as she responded, tracing her hands down his spine, over the hardened muscles sculpting his back, pulling him into her.

His kiss deepened, and she welcomed him, forgetting about everything she had run from, everything she hid behind, knowing this was where she was supposed to be. At least for right now.

BUY LINKS for LOVE IN THE FOREST

Soul Mate Publishing

soulmatepublishing.com/love-in-the-forest/

Amazon:  amazon.com/Love-Forest-Janina-Grey/dp/1647162394/

Barnes and Noble:

www.barnesandnoble.com/w/love-in-the-forest-janina-grey/1139804111?                                     

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS

Website: www.janinagrey.com

Facebook: facebook.com/janinagrey

Goodreads: goodreads.com/author/show/18967836.Janina_Grey

Instagram: @janinagreyauthor

Twitter: @janina_grey

Bookbub.com: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/janina-grey

I just finished writing a review for another author. It started me thinking. Are book reviews still that important? Some books get hundreds of reviews. Others have very few. Does this increase sales? Personally, I pay more attention to blurbs and excerpts. You may write a glowing review and I read the book and hate it – different expectations.

So why book reviews?

There are reasons to get those reviews that not only sell the book but help the writer.

First the more reviews the easier it is to find the book when people are searching. Your SEO (search engine optimization). But good meta tags could work the same way.

Reviews might also provide the author with credibility for the potential reader. On sites like Amazon, Kobo and Goodreads it can move your book up the search ranking.

Another way book reviews might help is to share information with the author on how a reader likes or dislikes their book. They might share what they particularly enjoy or what they found confusing. Their feedback can be very helpful to the author. It can help improve the author’s writing, reveal possible weaknesses, and provide motivation for the next book.

Remember not to take any of the comments personally. If you disagree with a comment and feel it isn’t accurate, disregard it.

Reviews not only promote the book but you as an author. And another marketing tool people talk about is branding. What is your brand? Your brand helps to sell your book. And reviews can help you develop that brand. They say things like the book is a romantic suspense so readers will know your genre and maybe that you write that genre well. That could be part of your brand. If you are great at world-building that could also be part of your brand. So pay attention to those reviews. They might help you as an author in many different ways.