What Are Boomer Lit Novels?

My last two novels belong to a genre referred to as Boomer Lit. I wasn't aware of the label until I stumbled across the term while surfing the Internet for tag lines for my books—"Old Ways and New Days" and "Darkness Beyond the Light"—now part of the John Ross Boomer Lit series.


In a sense, Boomer Lit is a continuation of the young adult novels that sprang up in the 1960s, such as "The Outsiders." You might include "Catcher in the Rye," since it was almost required reading for boomers when they were teens. 

Those readers have grown up and many want to read about their contemporaries, who now range in age from 54 to 72. By the way, as you have probably guessed, I'm in that group. 

Those born in the United States between Jan. 1, 1946 and Dec. 31, 1964, are referred to as baby boomers. After the war years, there was an increase in the number of births during that period. My "Greatest Generation" parents produced five boomers.

According to statistics released a few years ago, that number reached about 76 million. A recent figure has it at about 65 million, meaning the generation is aging and dying.  

Except for two young-adult novels, my other novels have focused on middle-age adults dealing with life's trials and tribulations. They were boomer lit before boomer lit became a label. Reminds me of the Barbara Mandrell song, "I Was Country When Country Wasn't Cool," if you know what I mean. 

Wikipedia defines boomer lit as "any genre that features mature characters, in contemporary settings, addressing any aspects of today's world."

I'm sure many of the novels offered by Wings, especially the romances, contain elements of Boomer Lit if the protagonist is a boomer. Check out the many titles by clicking here. 

For those interested in Boomer Lit, check out these sites:

• Boomer Lit: Novels, Short Fiction, Memoirs and More on Goodreads.
• Is Boomer Lit the Next Hot Genre?
• Boomer Lit: Romancing the Middle-Aged Reader
• On the Edge: Boomer Lit

I'm currently rewriting the third book in the John Ross Boomer Lit series. We'll let you know when it's released.

Until the next time . . . 

Writing Advice: My Take on Finding Time to Write

You're not going to find anything new here about managing time so you can write. There are blogs and articles galore about how to eke out minutes or hours to work on your masterpiece.

But here's my two cents' worth on what I've learned from writing 12 books including eight novels:

• When working on a first draft, I try to write in the predawn hours (I'm an early riser), when it's dark outside and relatively quiet. I have a timer on my coffee machine so the hot brew is ready when I go to my study and sit in front of the computer.
• I don't go online. I don't need distractions. I'm here to write. I have a cell phone but I'm not glued to it (a generational thing?) but it's turned on in case of an emergency involving family and friends.
• I generally have a good idea about what I'm going to write because I close the previous day's session with a hook to pick up where I where I stopped. And I give more thought about it, probably subconsciously as well, in the interim. That includes writing notes (I don't trust my memory anymore) to keep focused.
• I usually write for a minimum of one hour but it can stretch to two or three if I'm really in a groove. There was a time, when I was a younger man, that I could write for several hours (four or more), only breaking for liquid refreshment or going to the bathroom. I find that I can accomplish a lot in one hour, leaving me somewhat mentally spent. So I like to believe that it's quality, more so than quantity time. 
• I do use a general outline at the start of a project, but it doesn't bother me to stray from those early plans. That's part of the fun of writing: learning more about your characters and where they take you. And I have a good idea how the story will end, although it may take some twists and turns getting there. That's the fun part as well.
• When I'm finished with the first draft, I sit on it for a week or so, maybe even a month or longer, before going back to it. I like to have fresh eyes when I read it again. On rewrites and revisions, I generally work in afternoons or evenings. I find that's the best time to reflect on what's been written. 
• Working on a first draft or rewrites, I know that life sometimes gets in the way of best intentions. I prioritize. Family matters most. Other daily activities such as reading and exercise are important to me as well. I can be flexible to work around those events.
• Lastly, I write every day when working on a book. If something interrupts me in the morning, then I write before going to bed. Writing begets writing.  

Do you have any secrets, rituals, and advice on finding the time to write?

Until the next time . . . 

EPIC Finalist

I hope you don't mind me tooting my own horn but I was notified this week that my novel, "Old Ways and New Days," is a finalist in the 2017 EPIC eBooks Awards category of contemporary fiction.

What is EPIC? It's the Electronic Publishing Internet Coaliton—the "voice of ePublishing since 1998." The organization has been around since the beginning of digital books.

A fellow author at Wings ePress, Suzanne Hurley, is a finalist in the young reader category for "The Teddy Bear Eye Club." Read more about the organization here.

EPIC also has competition for best book covers—Ariana Awards—in 10 categories. Check them out as well to see some impressive artwork.

This is a wonderful organization for small presses, indie authors, illustrators and others in the industry, providing a great voice in the world of publishing. I encourage authors and publishing houses to become an EPIC member.

The organization will hold its annual convention—EPICon— June 16-17 in San Antonio, Texas.

I'm also excited about the recognition because the sequel to "Old Ways and New Days" will be published this year. And I'll soon be working on the third book in the series in the next few weeks. My novels are also available in print.

I'll keep you posted when the winners are announced. For me, it's already a win-win regardless of the outcome.

Until the next time. . . .

2016 in Review

This wasn't the best year for me in terms of writing. I had good intentions but found myself sidetracked on reaching certain goals.

I hate to make excuses, but it's a human thing. Writers aren't excluded. We may be more guilty than most folks in staying focused on projects.

Certain things happened over the course of 2016 that made it difficult for me to concentrate on my works in progress. I've written it before, and I'll write it again: Sometimes life gets in the way.

Because of those major distractions, I wasn't able to publish a second volume to my "Laments" short stories. That will be a continued goal for the new year. We'll see.

I wasn't able to complete a sequel to "Old Ways and New Days." I did finish the first draft, but I'm still stuck in the second. I wanted to get started on the third draft on Jan. 1, but that won't happen, at least for another week. My desired goal is to have the manuscript ready for the publisher by the end of January. We'll see.

And because I dragged my literary feet on the sequel, I failed to reach another goal of starting another book in the OWND series. My intention is to do that in the spring. Again, we'll see.

I simply hope things will be more settled in 2017 so I can concentrate on my writing goals. We'll see.

For all the writers who follow this blog, I wish you a success in reaching your goals in 2017.

Until the next time....

 

Active and Passive Book Promotion

Sometimes, as authors, we tend to forget about our earlier works. We focus on a recent publication and mentally store previous books in the attic.

I'm guilty of that to some extent. I find myself expending lots of time and energy in promoting a new release. That's probably a good thing to do but I think authors should also look at their catalog and make sure some titles aren't forgotten.

Since the publication of "Old Ways and New Days" last October, I've used various outlets to spread the word about the coming-of-old-age novel. I'd like to report that it has resulted in the book reaching the upper echelons of best-seller lists, but that hasn't been the case, unless you view "upper" in the off-the-chart categories.

But being published by a small publishing house -- Wings ePress -- it's difficult creating a buzz about the novel. That's why I and most authors urge readers to leave reviews and/or ratings on websites such as Amazon.com, B&N.com, Goodreads.com and others. That's a word-of-mouth promotion that can bring more attention to our books.

Recently I've promoted "Shooting Star," a young adult novel about a boy trying to gain acceptance on a team that has aspirations of winning the high school basketball title. Although it was published nearly five years ago, it's a timely (it's basketball season)  and timeless story that's received little promotion. 

After the "Shooting Star" promotion, I'll turn my attention to "The Bully List," which was published nearly three years ago. It's also a young-adult novel, focusing on bullying in a middle school. 

I also try to promote other titles at writing conferences, book signings and similar events. And they're passively promoted on my website, Facebook, Amazon, and other sites -- including this blog page, if you haven't notice.

I try to limit the promotions on places such as Facebook and Twitter. Too much and it becomes unwanted spam. I want to attract readers, not turn them off. 

I confess I don't like promotion but it's a necessary part of the publishing process. I know quite a few authors who have books with large publishing houses, and believe it or not, they find themselves doing many of the things that I do with my novels. And most of them don't like it either; they'd prefer to be writing.

Do you have any marketing tips?

Until the next time....

Personal E-Book Promotion

I'm always looking for new ways to promote my novels.

I've used websites for promotions, reviews, and giveaways; traditional (and perhaps old-fashioned) approaches such as postcards and bookmarks; and other ways such as posting links and images to emails and other correspondence. (By the way, I still believe word of mouth is the best way to promote).

I'm going to try something new, at least for me. Through this post I will offer seven digital copies of my novels, since that's how many I've written since 1999.  I've already done a print giveaway on Amazon.com and Goodreads.com. 

If you're interested in reading one of my novels, all you have to do is reply to my email at michael.embry@gmail.com with "Contest" in the subject line and the following information the body:

1. I need your email so I can send the novel to you through Amazon.com as a gift. 
2. I will let you pick the novel of your choice -- The Touch, A Long Highway, Foolish Is The Heart, A Confidential Man, Shooting Star, The Bully List, or Old Ways and New Days. You can go to my website or visit Amazon to read a synopsis of the novels. I would recommend going to my author page since all the books are listed there.
3.  Your name, location and selection. When the contest is finished, I will update this post with the winners, e.g., John D., Yakima, Wash., Old Ways and New Days.  I won't use your last name or your email. Promise!
4. So how will I decide the seven winners? That's easy. The first seven who respond will receive a novel of their choice.
5. There are no catches or surprises to this contest. I would appreciate a rating and/or review, but it's not necessary. I know some folks don't like to write reviews. Maybe word of mouth?

I look forward to hearing from you. Good luck!

Until the next time....

A Farewell to Romance

Back in 1998, after I finished the manuscript to my first novel, "The Touch," and shopping it around to agents, I was told by an agent that what I had written was a romance. 

A romance? Well, it was about a relationship and had an upbeat ending but it was also about a woman in an abusive relationship. I had a relative who wrote romances and she advised me to check out the Kentucky Romance Writers of America group. So I did. And I joined in  1999. And I also joined the Romance Writers of America.

I wrote two more contemporary novels -- "A Long Highway" and "Foolish Is The Heart" -- about relationships that could probably fall under the romance genre. It's such a gray area that they could be labeled as mainstream novels. I've read quite a few "literary" novels that could easily be considered romance.

I maintained memberships in the groups because I got a lot out of them -- things that are beneficial to any author such as promotion, marketing, dialogue, plotting and much more. I enjoyed reading the Romance Writers Report magazine and e-Notes from the national organization and the camaraderie, support, and friendships I developed in the state group at bimonthly meetings. Needless to say, I was the only male in KYRW, and one of a few in RWA.  

I gained a deep appreciation for romance writers. There are some very talented writers in that genre -- great storytellers and supportive of one another. It's no wonder that romance is the biggest seller in fiction. 

In recent years I veered off in other directions in my writing. "A Confidential Man" is a murder mystery, "Shooting Star" is young adult, and "Laments" is a short-story collection. My next novel, which will be released in October, is another young adult story.

So when it came time to renew my national dues after 14 years in RWA, I decided it was time to move on. However, I encourage writers interested in romance to join the national and local groups. It's well worth the time and investment. I know I never regretted being a member.

Until the next time...

Booking a Trailer

This past week I finally put together a trailer for "Laments,"  my short-story collection. It was way past due since the book was published last August. 

I generally put together a trailer and release it about the time the book is published, or at least a few weeks later. 

As I mentioned, I do the trailer. It takes some preparation but not a lot. And if you have everything in place, it shouldn't take more than an hour or so to complete it. 

One thing I've learned -- at least from my viewpoint -- is to make the trailer as short as possible. My first trailer, for "Foolish Is The Heart," ran more than two minutes. I've questioned whether people really want to watch a trailer for that long.

My last trailer, for "Laments," ran 70 seconds. It's really a minimalist-size trailer since I don't have many images. Why? I suppose because the trailer is so overdue. I can always go back and add images -- if I find the time. 

I would guess that any computer with Windows will have software to compose a video. It's not that difficult. And I can do it, well, I'm sure you can do it as well.  I'm sure you can find a service on the Web that can produce one as well.

As mentioned, it's nice to have images. I also include music, which is easy to find. Just make sure you have permission to use it. I also give credit for the composition at the end of my videos. 

I've included book trailers for my books as well as one I did for Steve Flairty so you'll have see how I've approached each book. 

Good luck with yours!



Until the next time...

Writing a Novel: One Day at a Time

I plan to do a lot of writing in November. Every day. Lots of words. And at the end of the month I plan to have the beginning, or first draft, of another novel.

 

At least I hope so.

I'm participating for the first time in National Novel Writing Month, or commonly referred to as NaNoWriMo. I've signed up on the website and I'm practically chomping at the bit to get started. All I have to do is produce a minimum of 50,000 words.

NaNoWriMo is promoted as "thirty days and nights of literary abandon" -- simply a way to let the creative juices flow for an entire month. Thousands of writers from around the world take part in the exercise, from school children to old folks.

While I have a lot on my plate in November, I think it's important to set aside time for writing. I do write every day, but it's not always creative writing.

On my previous five novels, I wrote daily on each one until I completed the first draft. Then I went back and did numerous rewrites to make them suitable for publication.

If you've never taken part in NaNoWriMo, I encourage you to take part, even as a personal challenge to yourself to see if you can do it. You can join virtual groups that offer encouragement and there are apps to help you keep your word count.

Don't be intimidated by the thought of writing each day for a month.  As a marathoner takes one step at a time, you simply need to approach it one day at a time. And we know that time flies, especially when you're having fun, so the 30 days will be over before you know it. 

Good luck and I hope to see you at the finish line!

Until the next time…