The Insecure Writer’s Support Group (IWSG) is a place to share and encourage, where writers can express their doubts and concerns without appearing foolish or weak. It’s a great place to mingle with like minded people each month during IWSG day.
Every month there’s an optional question which may prompt folks to share advice, insights, a personal experience or story. Some folks answer the question in their IWSG blog post or let it inspire them if they’re struggling with what to say.
This month’s question is:
Blogging is often more than just sharing stories. It’s often the start of special friendships and relationships. Have you made any friends through the blogosphere?
Check out how people have answered this month’s question, as well as the other insecurities and writing topics they may have shared by visiting the IWSG sign-up list HERE. You can see how I answered the question below, find out about JQ Rose’s wonderful memoir – Arranging a Dream – and get an update on how my recent BookBub Featured Deal went.
Blogging Friendships
When I saw this month’s question, I smiled. That’s because the answer is really simple . . . yes, indeedy, I sure have made friends through blogging. Some of them I’ve even met in real life (like fellow IWSG member Liesbet at Roaming About). It’s such a joy to be able to connect with people with whom you share common interest. And in these pandemic days we’re living through, online connections become even more powerful.
One of my blogging friends is the delightful JQ Rose who I met through IWSG several years ago. I was thrilled when she asked me to read an advance copy of her lovely book, Arranging a Dream. I just adored this book. It’s a feel-good memoir that makes you realize that ordinary people can indeed arrange their own dreams, and, as a result, lead the most extraordinary and rewarding lives. Have a read below to find out more about it. You can also see my review over on Goodreads.
About Arranging a Dream
In 1975, budding entrepreneurs Ted and Janet purchase a floral shop and greenhouses where they plan to grow their dream. Leaving friends and family behind in Illinois and losing the security of two paychecks, they transplant themselves, their one-year-old daughter, and all their belongings to Fremont, Michigan, where they know no one.
Will the retiring business owners nurture Ted and Janet as they struggle to develop a blooming business, or will they desert the inexperienced young couple to wither and die in their new environment?
Most of all, can Ted and Janet grow together as they cultivate a loving marriage, juggle parenting with work, and root a thriving business?
Follow this couple’s inspiring story, filled with the joy and triumphs and the obstacles and failures experienced as they travel along the turbulent path of turning dreams into reality.
Grab your copy of Arranging a Dream at: Amazon | Kobo | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords
About JQ Rose
Whether the story is fiction or non-fiction, J.Q. Rose is “focused on story.” She offers readers chills, giggles and quirky characters woven within the pages of her mystery novels. Her published mysteries are Deadly Undertaking, Terror on Sunshine Boulevard and Dangerous Sanctuary released by Books We Love Publishing. Using her storytelling skills, she provides entertainment and information with articles featured in books, magazines, newspapers, and online magazines.
JQ taught elementary school for several years and never lost the love for teaching passed down from her teacher grandmother and mother. She satisfies that aspect of her character by presenting workshops on Writing Your Life Story.
Based on the lessons taught in her workshops, JQ created a book, Your Words, Your Life Story: a Journal for Sharing Memories to help life storytellers write, publish and market their stories. She decided to take her advice and pen her memoir, Arranging a Dream: A Memoir.
If you would like to write or record your life story/memoir, check out the Facebook Group, Telling Your Life Story and Memoirs Circle for encouragement and ways to spark memories. Click HERE to join.
Blogging, photography, Pegs and Jokers board games and travel are the things that keep JQ out of trouble. She and her husband spend winters in Florida and summers up north with their two daughters, two sons-in-law, four grandsons, one granddaughter, two grand dogs, four grand cats, and one great-grand bearded dragon.
Connect with JQ at: Blog | Facebook | Amazon | Goodreads | Pinterest | BooksWeLove
BookBub Featured Deal Update
For those of you who popped by here last month for my IWSG post, you’ll know that I had a BookBub Featured Deal scheduled for mid-January. I was a bundle of nerves wondering if I would make back my investment. The good news is that I did – phew!
My BookBub was for Murder at the Marina, the first in my cozy mystery series. I dropped the price to 99c, as well as lowered the price on the second book in the series (Bodies in the Boatyard) to $2.99. I sold 2100+ copies of Murder at the Marina during a six-day period (breakdown by retailer in the chart below), got reasonable sell-through to other books in the series, and a number of people have also pre-ordered book #6 in the series (Overboard on the Ocean). Overall, I would say that it was a success.
If you haven’t read Murder at the Marina yet, it’s still on sale. Grab a copy at your favorite retailer below.
Grab your copy of this hilarious cozy mystery at:
Amazon (US)
Amazon (CA)
Amazon (UK)
Amazon (AU)
Barnes & Noble
Kobo
Apple Books
Google Play
Smashwords
Ellen Jacobson 
That’s great the ad paid off! And hopefully you gained a ton of new readers for the whole series.
I bet meeting Liesbet was a treat. Hopefully you also get to meet JQ one day.
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JQ’s book sounds great!
Love Murder and the Marina – and so glad the BBFD was awesome!
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It was a simple question for me too – with the same answer.
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Hi,
I met JQ in IWSG also and was bowled over by her competence in writing.
Thank you JQ for being sharing what you’ve learned so far.
Thank you Ellen for hosting her.
Shalom aleichem,
Pat
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Fantastic news about the BookBub deal paying off! A scary investment, for sure, and I’m glad to hear it worked. That many sales should get you some reviews, too!
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Glad you made back your money. We used BookBub once before they got too big for their britches and way too picky about books.
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I loved your answer to the question. “Yes, indeedy!” really sums it up nicely. Great to read your review of JQ’s book. I love a good memoir. And what a perfect title she chose.
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Thanks so much for your kind words about the memoir. I especially liked how you summed it all up “It’s a feel-good memoir that makes you realize that ordinary people can indeed arrange their own dreams, and, as a result, lead the most extraordinary and rewarding lives.” Great news about the Book Bub feature and that you made your money back plus! No wonder they can get big bucks for their features. Looking forward to Book 6!
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That’s great the BookBub ad was a success. And so great that you’ve been able to see some of your blogger friends in person.
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So glad the Book Bub turned out well! So glad you wrote a blog so I could meet you!
Here is a couple of books I think you’d like that I’ve read lately – Ona Out of Order by Margarita Montimore and To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis. To Say Nothing is the second in a series but I don’t think you need to read the first to enjoy To Say Nothing. They are both completely different styles. I wasn’t crazy about the first book, I only read it because I wanted to read the second and always think you have to start series at the beginning. To Say Nothing of the Dog is light hearted and funny. It has a cat, time travel, romance, and mystery.
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Congratulations to you and J.Q.! She is such a sweet lady and you both deserve success with your dreams!
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So exciting about BookBub! I know sometimes those marketing avenues can be disappointing. I have read all of your books and love every one of them. I’ll deny this if you blab, but you’ve actually made a rom/com fan out of me. Not sure if that’s blame or credit. 😀
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Woot! I’m glad the advertisement paid off. That’s great.
I’ve met so many wonderful people through blogging. I’m very thankful for them and for you!
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Oh wow, that’s truly awesome about the Bookbub deal. I haven’t been game to try it yet. I want to get some more books out before I do.
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Congrats on the Book Bub success! Friends are a lifeline and meeting while blogging -exceptional luck!
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Congrats on getting a BookBub deal! That’s almost harder than writing a book, LOL. I’m glad more readers will get this wonderful series into their hands. That photo of Mollie is so cute!
Also congrats to J.Q. Rose. I love her author photo.
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Online friends can be so important especially today!
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That’s awesome that BookBub has been so useful for you! And I’m glad that you’ve made such wonderful blogging friends.
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Wow, awesome on the BookBub!! It’s always a risk when people qualify for one. The secret seems to be having multiple books in a series. One day.
(Shannon, thewarriormuse [dot] com-it auto-signs me into my podcast account on WordPress…)
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We often talk about the generosity of writers. You are an example of supporting an author. I met J.Q. Rose via IWSG and discovered she lives maybe an hour away. She even came to one of my book events. What fun to meet an online friend in person. Thanks for sharing J.Q.’s book. May you get much in return. Thanks, too, for sharing your experience with BookBub.
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Congratulations on the BookBub deal; . . . yes, indeedy. I smiled when I read that phrase.
Lynn La Vita blog: Writers Supporting Writers
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Congrats! The bookbub experience sounds good.
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Hi, Ellen! Somehow I have missed you recently on IWSG Day. J.Q.’s book is on my list, and I will definitely read it. Thanks for the great feature on it. And thanks for sharing the Bookbub information. Congratulations! Wishing you all the best this year!
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Wow! Congratulations on your ad paying off! That’s awesome! I hope you’ve gained more readers for the Mollie McGhie series.
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Huge congrats! That does sound like a success to me 🙂
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Making friends and reading their stories, as well as telling mine, is the reason i got into blogging. It’s a joy to get to know people!
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And congratulations on your sales!
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I’d say that your BookBub featured ad was, indeedly, a success! So awesome to see – and hear – the sales come in. So happy to have been with you during this excitement. If I ever sell that many copies of Plunge, ever, I’d be amazed! Thanks for mentioning me and let’s meet again and again and again!
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