WD Publishing

A mother’s memoir of surviving murdered children, seeking justice, rejecting revenge, and persisting through love.

To listen to Jessica’s story, click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6Bg_39EVv0 or here, when she was featured on Kevin Price’s radio show, Price of Business: https://thedailyblaze.com/grieving-with-gratitude-and-thriving-after-trauma/

Jessica Lee Peterson is, first and foremost, a mother who has built her life around raising children. While developing her family, she also pursued a career in social work. She has been a licensed social worker since 2001, helping people and their families navigate complex systems and work through the hardships of life. In July of 2012, Jessica lost her three daughters Amara, Sophie, and Cecilia to domestic violence. Since then, she has used her grief as fuel to make the world a better place, embracing a philosophy of choosing light over darkness. She works for Washington County as an adult protection investigator and resides in River Falls, Wisconsin with her husband Matthew, stepdaughters Ellianna and Maya, and their children Trinity and Flint. You can contact Jessica through her website: .https://thistlesandthorns3x.squarespace.com/home

Meeting Readers

As an author, meeting new readers can be a rewarding experience. You’re able to get feedback on the book(s) you’ve written such as book reviews, possible ideas for future books from their comments, and get appreciated (hopefully) for the work you’ve done.

It can also be daunting or scary to meet readers and fans of the genre you write in, whether it’s fiction or nonfiction. Sometimes, the readers can get disappointed in what you write or scenes/topics you do not put in the book. And sometimes, they won’t like it at all. That’s okay. Not every story is for everyone. As an author, you have to remember that, so you don’t dwell on the negatives.

Instead, take the positive experience and bask in it. Be personable, happy to meet the reader. Excited. Let it fill you with joy for completing something many people will never do–writing and getting a book published to share with your audience.

Things you should say when you meet a new reader:

  1. Hello, are you a __(genre of your book)_ reader?
  2. If yes, begin telling them about your story.
  3. Then, assuming they are interested in your book and purchase it, ask them if they would you be willing to post a book review on _(site where books can be reviewed)_ when they finish reading it.
  4. Would you share my story with a friend who might enjoy it?
  5. Do you need an autographed copy for that friend?
  6. Thank the reader for reading the book.

Things you can say to a reader who has already purchased your book:

  1. Did you enjoy the story?
  2. If yes, would you be willing to post a book review on ______?
  3. Have you shared my story with a friend who might enjoy it?
  4. Do you need an autographed copy for a different friend?
  5. Thank the reader for reading the book.

If you write a second/another book, be sure to thank your readers in the acknowledgements.

Summer Ebook Sale!

From June 21, 2022 thru September 21, 2022, ebook readers will be able to pick up new ebooks on our site for $1.99 each. Look at our selection of mysteries, memoirs, true crime, poetry, and other titles on our website. Ebooks can be downloaded directly to your ebook reader after purchase.

Reading Books To Help You Learn How To Write

I’ve been an editor for over twenty-five years, and writers ask me all the time how they can become a better writer. It’s simple, and any pro writer or editor will probably say the same thing: read and write.

Like you’re told as a teen when learning a new skill such as playing a musical instrument, you need to practice your skill of creating stories by actually writing. Practice, practice, practice. Write, write, write. Practice every day, and if you need a day off from writing because it does take a lot of energy to create from scratch, then write 6 days a week and take 1 day off to recharge.

When not writing, read other authors’ books in the genre you write in but also in genres you don’t write. Let those authors inspire you with their creativity, stories, and unique ideas. Read how they stretch their limits and discover how they immerse their readers.

So many things happen while you’re reading: 1) You are internalizing how the characters come alive on the screen in front of you. They become flesh and blood to you, and you begin to hear their voices, see their actions, and how they interact with other characters. 2) As you read stories, you empathize with those characters and learn the tropes of that genre. 3) You are entertained, and maybe you might just smile while reading verses stressing about the next page you need to write. 4) If the story has really engrossed you, you might think about these characters and their stories while you’re doing mundane household tasks. This will get kickstart your brain, get it engaged, and help you brainstorm ideas for your own stories.

Please do not mistake these tips for stealing or plagiarizing another author’s work. That is not what is meant here at all. Never ever use another author’s words in your own work. It is not an ethical practice. Instead, use reading as a way to decompress and get inspired by the pros. Using my music analogy, as kids we might listen to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra but it takes years to be able to play like those musicians.

Which books should you read? Anything and everything that interests you. If you’re like most writers, you also have a love for reading. If you’re still discovering reading, check out the following authors and their books.

For action scenes, you might enjoy: R.A. Salvatore’s novels (Drizzt’s stories), Terry Odell’s Blackthorne series, Charles DuPuy’s E.Z. Kelly series, or D.M. Herrmann’s John Henry Chronicles series.

For series family characters in a romance: Johanna Lindsey’s Malory novels or Barbara Raffin’s St. John Sibling series.

For a unique voice in a memoir: Dallas H.’s Shaking the Family Tree, Carolyn Redman’s News From Lake Boobbegone, How Steve Became Ralph by Steve Buechler, or Bruce Kirkpatrick’s Lumberjack Jesus.

For poetry that tells a story: Under the Shade of the Banyan Tree by Simi K. Rao, Poetry and Ponderings by Diamante Lavendar, or Kaleidoscope by Dallas Hembra.

For characters that stretch their limits: Katharine Nohr’s Tri-Angles series, Paul Lisnek’s Assume series, or Gini Athey’s Wolf Creek series.

For historical fiction: Margaret Mitchell’s Gone With the Wind, Sara’s Sacrifice by Flo Parfitt, or Callie Trautmiller’s Becoming American.

For law enforcement/prison topics: Try Scorpion Wind by Joseph Mosca or Prison Clown by Richard Keith.

For tips on writing like a pro: On Writing by Stephen King, Telling Lies for Fun and Profit by Lawrence Block, or Spider, Spider Spin Me a Web, also by Lawrence Block.  (Find authors who speak to you and your own personal needs in their nonfiction voice.)

I’ll keep adding to this list periodically, so keep checking back. You can also ask your local librarian for suggestions in the genre that you want to learn more about reading. Enjoy, and remember practice, practice, practice writing!

Don’t panic, write.

In this chaotic time when people are hoarding toilet paper and thermometers, and understandably so, as a writer, you can take this time to write, create, and outline your next project.

I recall hearing the story once of how Nora Roberts got started in the industry. She was at home with her boys during a snowstorm for a few days. After exhausting every avenue, she turned to writing to occupy her mind and creativity.

If you’re not sure where to start, write (or type) a list of 20.

  1. Chapter 1: write 1 – 2 sentences about what the main action will be in chapter 1.
  2. Chapter 2: write 1- 2 sentences about the main action in Chapter 2.

And so on.

Or, another way to get started on a new project is to start a file folder on the location or people you’d like to write about. Find articles, photos, or items online or in magazines that trigger a scene in your mind that you want to write about.

For instance, if you’re researching Scotland, you might put a few photos of the country’s beautiful countryside in your file folder, then later write a scene about your characters spending a day in the outdoors there. Visual tools can help get the creative juices flowing.

Some writers can begin typing as soon as they open a blank page, but most people seem to need to have an idea in their mind before they begin. No matter how you get started, don’t procrastinate another day. Make small, reachable goals for yourself.

Whether you’re writing 100 words a day or 10,000 words, make a goal to write so many words a day 6 days a week, with taking 1 day off to recharge.

Reward yourself for reaching your goals. After 21 days of writing 100 words or day (or more), it’ll become a habit for you and be much easier to get started each day.

If you need more ideas on how to get started, reading author interviews are a great way to learn from the pros on how they did it.

Good luck, and happy writing!

Interview with Charles DuPuy, author of Say The Word

This week, we had the pleasure of interviewing Charles DuPuy about his new release, Say the Word. The novel is currently available to purchase here on the Written Dreams website. Come learn a little more about his heart-pounding, tear-jerking mystery as Charles shares his process with us!

About Say The Word

When physician assistant Jim Booker “saves” the life of a Mafia don’s son, the young man’s father makes him a solemn promise. Jim remembers it when he runs into an intolerable situation at Serenity, a substance abuse treatment facility in Maine.

The resulting consequences of the don’s actions threaten to land Jim in prison for the rest of his life. He struggles to come up with something, anything that will clear his name. He is helped along the way by Brianna, a counselor who works with Jim at Serenity. They join forces to try and get the tenacious state police detective off their backs, but they’ll face numerous obstacles along the way as Jim tries to prove his innocence.

The Interview

Q: What made you want to write a physician’s assistant type character for Say the Word?
A: I was a physician assistant in Maine for many years. I drew on my experience at a substance abuse treatment program for the background to Say the Word.

Q: What is your connection to Maine?
A: I moved to Maine after becoming a physician assistant in 1983. My first exposure to Maine was as a camp counselor while in college. I have hunted, fished, camped and hiked throughout the state, and enjoyed fishing for lobsters and digging clams. Maine is larger than all the other New England states put together, and it’s chock full of things to do and places to go.

Q: Any words of advice on how to cope for people who have dark demons like abuse or addiction in their lives?
It’s a waste of time and money to offer advice to people who are addicted to one or more substances. They need to reach the point in their lives where the only direction to go is up, and they’re willing to go in that direction. Without their willingness to change, any effort to help them is a waste of time, sad to say.

As for people who have suffered abuse, be it physical, sexual or psychological, a willingness to get past it is key. The most important thing they need to understand is that the abuse was not their fault. Many abused people blame themselves for what happened. That is what keeps them suffering.

Q: Why mystery? Did you find it, or did it find you?
I’ve always loved a good mystery, so writing them came naturally to me. Keeping my readers wondering what’s going to happen next is very satisfying to me. It’s the spark that keeps me writing.

Q: Words of advice to an aspiring young author?
Read everything that interests you, write daily in a diary or a journal, and explore everything in your world. Keep doing it until you know who you are and what you want to say. Then write, write, write until most of what you write satisfies you. Don’t expect everything you write to satisfy you. That’s why good writers edit and rewrite.

Q: Who do you enjoy reading?
I read to learn and to be entertained, so I read a wide range of stuff. Naturally, mysteries grab me the most. It’s likely that Edgar Allan Poe got me started, and Graham Greene, Ernest Hemingway and William Golding caught my eye. Contemporary writers include Lee Child, Dan Brown, Stuart Woods, James W. Hall, Dean Koontz, and yes, Stephen King, a fellow-Mainer. I’m constantly on the lookout for new blood, pun intended!

The Truth About Writing Your First Novel

Writing takes a lot of determination, patience, and hard work. A lot of people who aren’t in the publishing industry don’t realize this, so if you want to be a professional writer, realize it’s going to take a lot of time. To begin with, you need to spend a lot of time reading. Reading about the craft, reading novels in the genre you want to write in, reading books that are outside of your target genre. Read everything!

Next, you’ll want to write a short outline to give you a map of the beginning, middle, and end of your story. For some people, it’s difficult to write a 20 page outline. The type of outline I suggest for new writers are much simpler for writing a novel. Here’s an example:

Chapter 1: write 2 sentences about the main action to take place in Chapter 1 and 1 sentence about which character will be introduced.

Chapter 2: write 2 sentences about the main action to take place in Chapter 2 and 1 sentence about which character will be introduced.

And so on until you get to Chapter 20, or the end. Some simple outlines might have up to 60 chapters. Ultimately, that’s up to you and your editor.

Next, after you’ve written this very brief outline–your novel path, if you will–write one of the scenes. It doesn’t have to be the scene from chapter 1. Write whatever comes to mind. Figuring out where the scenes go can come later, if need be. The point is to write. Write when you’re in different moods–happy, sad, angry, overwhelmed. All of these emotions need to get out and onto the page. Don’t be afraid.

You’ll want to decide which point of view you feel most comfortable writing in–1st person, 3rd person, or another viewpoint. If you don’t understand viewpoints, read what other successful writers say about writing in the viewpoints of their choosing. Then, make a decision.

Write every day for at least 1 hour, if you can. Write 100 words, 1000 words, or 10, 000 words–whatever your schedule allows for. Be consistent–writing at the same time every day, six days a week. Take 1 day off to rest and brainstorm.

If you’re writing a fiction novel, you’ll need to write between 60,000 -90,000 words. Don’t get discouraged if it takes 1 year or more to write your first novel. Writing takes time to do.

And the most important thing to remember, don’t revise now. Just write your first draft until you get it done. You’ll have lots of time to review and revise, add new chapters, new characters, and different plot twists later.

Good luck and happy writing!

Interview with D.M. Herrmann, author of INNISFREE

The author of this week’s featured book, INNISFREE, is D.M. Herrmann. D.M. Herrmann is a retired soldier, having spent twenty years in the US Army. He has authored three fiction novels under the pseudonym Evan Michael Martin. He lives in Wisconsin.

We had a chance to ask him a few questions about INNISFREE this week–check it out, and remember that INNISFREE is now available for purchase at writtendreams.com! 🙂

Q: What motivated you to write INNISFREE?
A: I’ve always enjoyed post-apocalyptic and dystopian stories, and so I thought it would be fun to write one.

Q: Did you base John Henry off of anyone particular that you know?
A: No one in particular. Like many of my characters, he is a composite.

Q: How similar are John Henry’s military experiences to your own life experiences?
A: Pretty close. We both retired from the Army and moved back to WI. The location is near where I served as an Army recruiter, so the area and culture were a reflection of that.

Q: Have you ever visited a cabin in the woods, and if so, where did you go and what did you do?
A: My uncle owned one for many years in Northern Wisconsin, not far from where this story takes place. We went fishing and just enjoyed the fresh air. It was a rustic cabin in that it had no plumbing, and the cookstove was an old fashioned wood cook stove.

Thanks for sharing! We hope you enjoyed this mini-interview, and that you will also enjoy INNISFREE as well!

Learning your craft

Every author wants to improve their craft. Here’s a few tips on what to do.

Write a lot. Write on a schedule. Write different things, different forms, different stories. One editor used to say to set a goal of writing one short story a week. If you do that, at the end of the year you’ll have 52 short stories you wouldn’t have had otherwise.

If it’s early in your arc as a writer, by the end of the first year, none of those 52 stories are likely to sell, but during that year you will have learned a lot about the art and craft of writing. And probably learned a lot about yourself as a writer.

Keep with that schedule, and at the end of the second year, you’ll have written over one hundred stories. By this point, you may have produced a few stories that have a good chance of selling and learned more about writing than you’ll ever learn in any sort of writing program.

Read a lot. Read different genres, different formats, by different authors. If you write mystery, read romance. If you write humorous, read serious stories. Pick apart the story, analyze the characters, their actions, their emotions. Are they realistic?

And most of all, don’t stress the small stuff. Writing should be fun, fulfilling, and something you enjoy doing. If you’re struggling with a story, set it aside and start something new.