Weekend Wonder

April 11, 2016April 11, 2016 / legreene515 / Leave a comment

I had one of those amazing weekends. Of course the weather helped. In the 70s. No humidity. Sun shining in a blue sky. No clouds. Plus, I finished my part of the yearbook, and it seemed like a huge weight off my shoulders.

I went into the weekend feeling a bit over-scheduled, but it ended up working perfectly. I had two book clubs to attend and discuss my books. The first book club met and discussed No Turning Back. I felt a little worried, because I hadn’t done a book club on this book. I self-published No Turning Back six months before The Devil Within, and it is not professionally edited. Part of me wanted to pull it off Amazon, but I do like the story. As a novice writer, many mistakes are made and not having the story edited was mine. I can, at some point, remove the story, have it edited and put it back out there, but at this point I’ve moved on and have bigger fish to fry (cliché).

The book club went off without a hitch though. It was at my neighbor’s house, and as usual I met some interesting people. I also met some women who are writers themselves. I always love meeting writers who are looking to start out in the business. It’s so motivational and inspirational to see others on the same journey as I am. Plus, at this point I have some knowledge I can impart to them because when you’re first starting out the process of getting published seems big and overwhelming

After the Saturday book club, we had a grilling extravaganza at our house. Rob made one of our friend’s famous rib recipes, and they tasted great. All the kids had fun playing outside in the sunshine, and of course we had a good time eating and drinking too much. I fell into bed feeling happy, content and loved. Isn’t that the best feeling?

On Sunday, I had a goal to run 9 miles. I’m still training for the half marathon, but my training derailed with my stress fracture. I’d gone to Montgomery Multisport and met with Malcolm about my shoes the weekend before, because I really think my Saucony Ride 7s were not the shoes for me. They aggravated my stress fracture. I bought new shoes, and Malcolm showed me how to do a runner’s loop. Let me tell you: my feet have never felt so good on a run. They weren’t sliding around or coming up in the back. Apparently I have skinny ankles. The run went well. I had to walk some of it, but my goal was to stay below a 12 minute mile, and I did (just barely). I listened to Hamilton the Musical, recommended by my sister, and let me just say if you haven’t listened to this you should. What an amazing and tragic life Alexander Hamilton lived.

Sunday continued to be gorgeous, and I spent some time up at our neighborhood playground with the kids and some new neighborhood friends. Then I had yet another book club meeting on The Devil Within. That book club went well too. I continue to be amazed at the generosity and the interest I receive in book clubs. It’s amazing to meet people who have lived such amazing lives. And I feel like all of these people could contribute to a story about the human existence. We had a great discussion about abuse, the rigidity of religion in the South, and about the psychology of human beings. I always learn when I attend book clubs, and this time was no different. I think that’s what I enjoy most about them how books can bring people together, and give them a commonality. As a writer, there is nothing better than feeling like your reader can relate to you.

All in all the weekend felt so productive. And I was able to see people I loved and meet people I will grow to love. Who could ask for more?

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Wind of Change

August 17, 2015 / legreene515 / Leave a comment

Today, because I’m still not ready to review my current Southern Fiction book, Cold Sassy Tree, I’m putting up a piece of flash fiction I wrote for Alissa Leonard’s Blog the other day. I took Special Challenge winner on this piece (a prediction had to be included). And I had a lot of fun playing with voice in this story. Enjoy!

Wind of Change
499 words
@laurenegreene
Special Challenge accepted

The seller of marmalade arrived just after the tornado. In fact, Grandpa’s house had been smashed to bits and poor Lily Blue’s body weren’t even found yet. But don’t worry your pretty little head about her. She was just a cat.

Grandpa had predicted it would be a big ‘un, and he was right.

“Right as rain,” he said, stroking his whiskers.

I rolled my eyes, because everyone knows rain can’t be right.

The marmalade man must have thought we had a boat-load of money, because he showed up and set up a wooden stand packed with jars of jelly. Sign said: 2 for $0.10. But Grandpa’s cash was gone with the house. Grandpa said I should have said Gone With The Wind, on account of it being a tornado and all. I ain’t read that book, and I probably never will ‘cause I hear it’s for girls.

I took to standing ‘round the marmalade man as Grandpa hammered nails and tried to fix us up some shelter.

“You from these parts?” I asked.

“No. I’m from New York.”

Darn Yankee, I thought, but I had ‘nuff sense not to say it.

“Do people buy marmalade?” I asked.

“More than you think.”

“You travel ‘round the world selling this here stuff?”

“Last year I sold Bibles, but then those Gideons started giving them away for free. Imagine that.”

“I’ve lived here my whole life. Just me and Grandpa,” I said.

“Where are your parents?” the man asked.

“Up’in left when I was just a babe. Grandpa says, ‘Good riddance, never needed them nohow.’”

“You have the world in your heart, I can tell,” the seller of marmalade said.

I looked at him real funny-like, cocking my head to the side. “What’cha mean?”

“You look like a traveler. How’d you like to be my sidekick? The road gets awfully lonely.”

Grandpa done predicted that I wouldn’t stay in this here valley town my whole life. I looked over my shoulder at him, and I picked up a jar of marmalade running my finger ‘round the silvery-looking top. Grandpa was busy nailing two four-by-fours together. He wouldn’t live forever, and there weren’t much for me in the pile of wood that remained.
“I think I’d like it right fine. When we goin’?”

“Tonight. You be here by the light of the moon.”

The marmalade man packed up his table and jams quicker than you can say, ‘my dear aunt rose,’ and all but disappeared. The thought of the world filled my ‘magination as I worked beside Grandpa. By the time the sun set, we had a shelter.

“I reckon I was right and you’ll be moving on.”

“How’d you know?”

“I’m smarter than I looks,” Grandpa said. “You go on and git. Nothing here but a dead cat and a pile of bones. But never forget where you came from, you hear.”

By the light of the moon, I left. Like Grandpa always said, “Storms be bringin’ the wind of change.”

What do you think about the main character? Did I do his voice justice?

Don’t forget No Turning Back is on sale for $1.99 until August 21st! You can pick it up at Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

No_Turning_Back3

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New Beginnings

August 14, 2015August 14, 2015 / legreene515 / Leave a comment

I like to look at the new school year as a time for new beginnings. New shoes, new clothes, new books. This week has been crazy busy, with school starting. My baby even started Kindergarten this week. I can’t believe she’s old enough–just yesterday she was born (or so it seems).

I apologize for the cellphone quality. I couldn’t find the charger for the camera, and buying a new one is next on my list.

I had another new beginning yesterday, of sorts, and I found it appropriate it fell on the first day of school. I did a book signing at a friend’s book club event for The Devil Within. I was so nervous when I arrived, but the people were nice, and when my time came to speak the words just flowed. I guess that’s what happens when you’re talking about something you love. Unfortunately, there are no photos of me signing book, but this napkin wrap around the stem of my wine gave me quite a laugh:

Here’s to the new school year (2015-2016) and more new beginnings to come!

Don’t forget to grab your copy of No Turning Back for $1.99! Only one week left on this sale!

Available at Amazon: http://amzn.to/1TAOxjl

And Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1EWHdJe

Enter to win a free copy of my newest book, The Devil Within.

Goodreads Book Giveaway

The Devil Within

by Lauren Greene

Giveaway ends August 31, 2015.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway

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Poppy’s Best Paper Book Launch

August 10, 2015 / legreene515 / 4 Comments

This weekend, I had the pleasure of going to my Aunt Susan Eaddy’s book launch at Parnassus in Nashville, Tennessee. Being a newbie writer, I haven’t done a book signing or reading, and I was interested in the mechanics of the event.

My Aunt Susan has been an illustrator and artist for her whole life. And she wrote Poppy’s Best Paper and another illustrator, Rosalinde Bennett illustrated the work.

This book is great for 5-8 year old children. My 5 year old daughter loves it. It’s also great for writers, because Poppy is a procrastinator. How many of you all can relate to that?

During the book signing, Aunt Susan had a cake with the cover of the book printed on the front. She used a slide show, and she read the book to the crowd. And she told a personal story about herself as a fifth grader (about Poppy’s age in the book). Afterwards, she had some great questions, especially from the younger kids in the crowd.

I told her she looked so comfortable in front of everyone, and she said, “Well that’s a relief, because I was so nervous.” I’m super scared about the public speaking aspect of writing, and it was great to see someone like my Aunt who I look up to so much and who is so inspirational to me stand up there and speak with ease about her dream and how she achieved it.

Dreams are so important in life. What are your dreams and how do you think you’ll go about achieving them?

Don’t forget: No Turning Back is on sale for $1.99 from now until August 21st! Pick up your copy at or now.

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No Turning Back from Kindergarten!

August 7, 2015 / legreene515 / Leave a comment

Today, my darling daughter and I are taking one last vacation before school starts. She’s starting Kindergarten next week. I can’t believe she’s already five. I’ll blink, and she’ll be eighteen/ I feel like when my boys went to Kindergarten, I wasn’t as much as a slobbery mess as I am with Hailey. Maybe it’s because she’s my baby, and it signifies that I have no more babies at home. Maybe I’m just becoming a huge softy in my old age. Whatever it is, I’m so emotional. I know she’ll do fine. She’s outgoing and sweet and a hard worker (when she’s not in her imaginary world–I wonder who she gets that from?). I think her mommy is going to have more trouble with her leaving the nest than she is!

How did you feel when your birdies went to Kindergarten or left the nest?

Before I leave you, I wanted to let you all know that my first book, No Turning Back, is available for the next two weeks at for kindle at Amazon and for the nook at Barnes & Noble* for only $1.99.

No Turning Back is my first novel and is in the women’s fiction genre. It’s a unrequited love story with a little twist! I self-published it back in January. Here’s the blurb:

Kaia Hart seems to have it all: a job as a successful architect, two perfect children, and a handsome husband, Patrick, but she’s haunted by an accident in her past. On a business call, one day, she’s surprised to find Asher, her once-love, has moved to town and will be working with her. In “No Turning Back,” Kaia faces nightmares from her past and big decisions about her future, as the two worlds seem to collide. Will Kaia give up everything for Asher, or will she find comfort in the arms of Patrick?

*B&N is currently showing the $3.99 price, but it should be updated shortly.

Don’t forget to sign up for my monthly newsletter! It goes out once a month, and you can sign up here–> http://eepurl.com/bo4ILP

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There’s still time to enter to win 1 of 2 free copies of The Devil Within on Goodreads:

Goodreads Book Giveaway

The Devil Within

by Lauren Greene

Giveaway ends August 31, 2015.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway

No Turning Back

February 16, 2015February 16, 2015 / legreene515 / 4 Comments

No Turning Back

After years of talking about being a writer, I finally decided to do something about it.

In January, I self-published “No Turning Back” on Amazon. I had worked on it for several years: pulled it out, put it up, pulled it out again. Finally, I had a few people beta read, and they gave me great feedback. They also made me believe the story was worth telling. Then I decided if I was going to go for it then I just had to do it.

I set myself a deadline, and I worked towards making sure I had everything ready for that deadline. I wish, now looking back, that I had been a little more flexible with my deadline. I should have probably talked the book up a little bit more than I did, promoted it, marketed it. But overall, I think the release went well. And what was better was that people talked to me about it: what they liked in the book, what they didn’t, how Kaia’s character frustrated them but seemed so real.

I had several authors from various writer’s groups I’m involved in spread the word. Being a writer means being part of a big community, and writers are great at helping out their own fledglings. Something I’ve learned recently and really love. It’s great to know there are so many people in the same journey as I am.

So now Kaia is out in the real world, and people react to her in different ways, some predictable and some not.

From I hate her to What a strong woman–there is conversation about the characters that lived in my mind and were put down on paper. And I think that’s pretty effing cool! I’m figuring out how to juggle promotion, writing, editing, and publishing my second book (not to mention family, day job, and exercise). Writing is time consuming, and it’s not nearly all writing. In fact, about 50% of it is other stuff. At first, I hated the other stuff, but now I’m finding ways to like it.

I’m realizing if I want to tell my stories, and have people react the same way they did to Kaia, Patrick and Asher in “No Turning Back,” that I have to put in the work. A lot of hard work, even when I don’t want to. It will be worth it in the long run.

♥♥♥