Rebecca M. Douglass, Author

Fiction in 50 is a regular feature in the last week of every month and I invite any interested composers of mini-narrative to join in!      What is #Fi50? In the words of founder Bruce Gargoyle, "Fiction in 50: think of it as the anti-NaNoWriMo experience!" Pack a beginning, middle and end of story into 50 words or less (bonus points for hitting exactly 50 words). The rules for participation are simple : 1. Create a piece of fictional writing in 50 words or less, ideally using the prompt as title or theme or inspiration. Bonus points for hitting 50 exactly. That’s it! But for those who wish to challenge themselves further, here’s an additional rule: 2. Post your piece of flash fiction on your blog or (for those poor blog-less souls) add it as a comment on the Ninja Librarian’s post for everyone to enjoy.  And for those thrill-seekers who really like to go the extra mile (ie: perfectionists): 3. Add the nifty little picture above to your post (credit for which goes en

The Wendig Challenge this week was to write a story that had something to do with food. I'm still neck deep in prepping our house for sale (looking at every. single. book. to decided if it goes or stays...), so there was no time or mental energy to write a story. But I remembered this one, which fits the requirement, though it feels a little odd to post humor in response to a memorial sort of thing--Wendig's call for stories was inspired by the death of Anthony Bourdain. Still: food. And I don't think many of you saw if the first time around, in 2013! This one is meant for the kiddies. Well, and the grownups. The Tomb of the Strange Feast Mom never was a good cook, but that night she really outdid herself.  Her smile when she brought in dinner didn't convince even Lily, and she's only five. "Brussels sprout-tofu casserole, with non-fat cheese," Mom announced, all bright and enthusiastic, the way grown-ups sound when they are trying to convince kids of the

NEW RELEASE & GIVEAWAY! Catch the sparks you need to write, edit, publish, and market your book! Write with Fey: 10 Sparks to Guide You from Idea to Publication offers an abundance of data in one handy book. From writing your novel to prepping for publication and beyond, you’ll find sparks on every page, including 100 bonus marketing tips. You’ll also discover how to write specific scenes and characters, adding depth to your work. •        Spark One: Being a Writer •        Spark Two: Story Essentials •        Spark Three: A Book’s Stepping Stones •        Spark Four: How To •        Spark Five: Character ER •        Spark Six: Editing •        Spark Seven: Publishing •        Spark Eight: Marketing •        Spark Nine: Writing About •        Spark Ten: Final Inspiration With so much information, you’ll take notes, highlight, and flag pages to come back to again and again on your writing journey. BUY LINKS: Amazon US / Amazon CA / Amazon UK Barnes & Noble / KOBO / iTunes   A

This book is a great addition to my "Hero Month," because there are a whole lot of heroes in here, mostly people just managing to go on in spite of terrible things. Ordinary heroes, you might say. Title: The War I Finally Won Author: Kimberly Brubaker Bradley. Read by Jayne Entwistle Publisher: Dial Books, 2017. 389 pages. Audio book by Listening Library Source: Library digital services Publisher's Summary: When Ada’s clubfoot is surgically fixed at last, she knows for certain that she’s not what her mother said she was—damaged, deranged, crippled mentally as well as physically. She’s not a daughter anymore, either. What is she? World War II continues, and Ada and her brother, Jamie, are living with their loving legal guardian, Susan, in a borrowed cottage on the estate of the formidable Lady Thorton—along with Lady Thorton herself and her daughter, Maggie. Life in the crowded cottage is tense enough, and then, quite suddenly, Ruth, a Jewish girl from Germany, mov

Told you it's Hero Month! That's why today's flash is an excerpt from Halitor the Hero. Isn't that a lovely cover?  Title: Halitor the Hero Author: Rebecca M. Douglass Publication Info: 2014, 159 pages (paperback). Available in paper and all ebook formats Genre: Humorous fantasy Age Level: Middle grades (roughly age 8 or 9) and up   A Fair Maiden who breaks all the rules.   A would-be Hero who fails everything by the book.   It’ll be the adventure of a lifetime…if they survive past breakfast. Blurb: Halitor wants to be a Hero and ride through the world rescuing Princesses and Fair Maidens in distress. Too bad he tends to trip over his own feet and drop his sword when he gets excited! When his Hero apprentice-master abandons him at an inn in Loria, he resigns himself to life as a kitchen boy. But he’s reckoned without Melly, the young kitchen wench. She wants his help finding her father, and she won’t quit until she has it. Soon Halitor is tramping through the m

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds! Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer - aim for a dozen new people each time - and return comments. This group is all about connecting! Be sure to link to the IWSG page and display the badge in your post. And please be sure your avatar links back to your blog! If it links to Google+, be sure your blog is listed there. Otherwise, when you leave a comment, people can't find you to comment back. Let’s rock the neurotic writi

I'm kicking off "Hero Month" with today's post. What is Hero Month? Just me, promoting my backlist title Halitor the Hero. Isn't that a lovely cover?  Title: Halitor the Hero Author: Rebecca M. Douglass Publication Info: 2014, 159 pages (paperback). Available in paper and all ebook formats Genre: Humorous fantasy Age Level: Middle grades (roughly age 8 or 9) and up   A Fair Maiden who breaks all the rules.   A would-be Hero who fails everything by the book.   It’ll be the adventure of a lifetime…if they survive past breakfast. Blurb: Halitor wants to be a Hero and ride through the world rescuing Princesses and Fair Maidens in distress. Too bad he tends to trip over his own feet and drop his sword when he gets excited! When his Hero apprentice-master abandons him at an inn in Loria, he resigns himself to life as a kitchen boy. But he’s reckoned without Melly, the young kitchen wench. She wants his help finding her father, and she won’t quit until she has it. Soo