A Little News

Late summer greetings from Amasca, the mystical mountain land of creative inspiration and play!

I’m descending the mountaintop for a few moments to let you know the I’ve got the edits in on The Strangcliffe Secret and yes, Virginia, there is another Sisters by Choice book coming. Highland Legacy: King Arthur Strikes Back is Michael and Christina’s tale and I hope to submit it by the end of the year. Also, Highland Captive will be released in audiobook at the beginning of September 2014.

For now, I am in the midst of a whirlwind Love in the Highlands blog tour with Angela Ashton and K D Fisk, two wonderful authors from Champagne Books. If you are interested in following us, you will find information about the tour at .

I hope you will join us for a wonderful time in the Highlands.
Until next time, Happy Reading and Writing!

Mary

Long Time, No Post

I’m Blogging today at The Writers’ Vineyard. If you want to visit, the url is http://thewritersvineyard.com/2014/05/sometimes-its-good-to-be-fool.html

In the meantime, here’s something to ponder. In 1976, Spielberg’s supershark ate a helicopter with it’s pilot and died by electrocution. In 1978 Donner’s Superman caught Lois Lane and a helicopter with it’s pilot and saved them from the “jaws of death.” (Okay, I admit it. It’s a bad pun). And then in 1983, even the world’s most advanced computer couldn’t electrocute Superman. Think there’s a correlation?  

Will be back to blogging soon. Until then, happy reading and writing!

Blogging today at The Writers Vineyard

If you want to stop by, here’s the link: http://thewritersvineyard.com/2013/04/the-importance-of-life-structure.html . I only get to sit for 30 minutes at a time a few times a day, so I’ll be back later.
Have a great Tuesday!

I’m blogging at Seduced by History!

You can all knock me in the head when you come through Memphis. I just realized I didn’t put this up last night. So for those interested, here’s an overview of Medieval art with a special medium and skill.http://www.heartsthroughhistory.com/?p=4806

 

Mary

http://www.marymccall.net

A Writer’s Worst Enemy

I hope you’re all sitting down so you won’t have so far to fall! Believe it or not, I’m actually going to post something other than, “I’m blogging at…” here today. Yes, I know it’s been a while. But since it is March, I thought it was about time to begin working on that list of New Year’s resolutions I wrote back in January.

According to an old legend, Lucifer at one time thought about going out of business. He sent word far and wide, calling all his demons together for what was surely an event to exceed anything Christie’s ever dreamed of staging. That’s right. The devil was going to auction off his tools.

Of course all the younger devils, eager to become masters in the diabolical art of temptation, began to bid for the devil’s collection. Anger, pride, lust, un-truth, sloth, all these among others were sold for a fairly low amount. On and on the bidding went until there was only one tool remaining. The room became boisterous as the bidding on this last item soared causing the demons to go wild in their desire to acquire the most valuable of all Satan’s assets.

Each fiend tried his best to get it because he knew that here was a tool which in the hands of a skillful tempter would make the capture of a soul extremely easy. Lucifer decided that because they were all so anxious he had better not sell this tool. He cancelled his retirement and stayed in business. The name of that tool by which the devil gets more souls than any other is discouragement. A big word? Maybe, but it means simply this: When you are discouraged you quit trying, and if you quit trying you are licked.

What makes this the devil’s most valued tool and why should we fear it? It doesn’t matter if you believe in the devil or not. He believes in you and, frankly, he is our enemy. He holds with the old adage, “Know thy enemy.” He probably knows more about us than we know about ourselves and we certainly don’t know enough about him. So when he comes after us, his strategy is well planned. And while I constantly tell new writers to eradicate their fears, this is one we should never lose or forget. We should have a healthy fear of the devil as our enemy. He knows how to hit us where it hurts most. Want an example of discouragement? I could wall paper my entire apartment with the rejection letters I’ve received. Reviewers and many readers seem to love my books. Then again, there’s always one out there who will write the most scathing review until I think I should dig a hole and bury all my paper, pens and computer.

On the other hand, just because we should fear him doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be confident, because there is a way to deal with him and his discouraging tactics. When it comes to dealing with the devil, there is a very simple rule: Run—don’t walk—to the nearest exit. Running doesn’t make you a coward. You are a coward if you stay. Because if you dally with him, he will overcome you and then you will get more discouraged, then you will quit trying and then you are licked.

So get your affirmations together. Surround yourself with other writers. Socialize with your readers. Above all, don’t let the devil wear you down with discouragement. It’s hard to crawl out from under his tent of hindrance. This is a case of feel the fear and write anyway.

Every couple of years or so, I used to go through a series of writing exercises to help me stay on track and out of Lucifer’s Lair of discouragement and fear. I’m in the process of doing them again. Surprisingly, my daily word count has tripled in the last two weeks and I’m only on step four of fourteen. The process may seem trite to some, but it works for me. If any of you are interested in the process, I’ve posted steps one through five at The Stoa. The classroom link is http://thestoa.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=classes If you have trouble with that link for some reason, try http://thestoa.proboards.com/index.cgi , go down to Writing Classes. Free Your Inner Writer is the only one there so far and I picked it because it’s a good one for us all from pre-published to multi-published. I’ll post a few steps every week until all fourteen are there.

On a news note: On March 23, I’ll be joining several authors from other genres at the M.R. Davis Public Library in Southaven, Mississippi for their fabulous Mix and Mingle with the Authors event. The affair lasts from 11 am to 2 pm. There will be books for sale, for signing, giveaways, and a great chance to meet some wonderful authors from a variety of genres. If any of you are near the Mid-South Tri-State Area and can make it, please stop by. I’d love to meet you. And I’m dragging my friend Barry along so you can meet my wonderful web designer too. When the event is over, I’m going for food, so I’ll let anyone interested know what local restaurant we’ll be at.

Until next time, happy reading and writing!

Finally Back Online

I finally got the first couple of steps to Free Your Inner Writer up at The Stoa. The third step is longer from a time perspective. I’ll get it up in the next few days.
http://thestoa.proboards.com/index.cgi

Happy Reading and Writing!

Guest Blogging at Seduced by History Today

It’s a blog that had to be written so I did. Hope you can join me: http://www.heartsthroughhistory.com/?p=4620

Happy reading and writing!

Mary

Blogging with Ardra Middleton

Hi All!

I’m blogging with Ardra Middleton from now until 2/20 at http://audramiddleton.weebly.com/1/post/2013/02/interview-with-mary-mccall.html

Come join me for a chance to win a prize!

The opening of The Stoa is rescheduled for 2/20 8pm and the party will last through the 28th. There will be a lot of prizes and giveaways, so come on by if you get a chance.

Happy reading!

Mary

I’m Celebrating My Birthday with Rita today

I haven’t blogged in ages, but I’m celebrating my birthday with a fellow Champagne Books author today. If you have a chance, stop by http://ritabay.com/2012/12/31/welcome-author-mary-mccall/ . We can have some fun and I’ll let you know about what’s happening with my next book.
Have a wonderful and blessed New Year, as you realize the Mayans simply ran out of rock and I was right.
Mary

Blogging Today at Seduced by History

I know! I know! I go into hybernation, my blog goes dorment, then I post two blogs in one week. Have Gibbs smack my head!

I’m at Seduced by History today answering a fan on the medieval mindset related to redemptive suffering. If you get a chance, stop on by! The link is http://www.heartsthroughhistory.com/?p=3718

I’ll get the newsletter out in the next few days, until then…

Read a great historical romance!