Jessica McCarty, Author

Like anything worth pursuing, writing takes dedication. Often that dedication is spelled out T-I-M-E. While I can't speak for other authors (Heaven knows there are well known authors who are far, far busier than myself), I thought I'd break my week down for you. Just for funsies. Marketing Blog--up to 1 hour/week Facebook and Twitter--1 hour/week Instagram--30 minutes/week Total: Roughly 2 1/2 hours per week Writing 4 hours/writing session 1-3 writing sessions per week Total: 4-12 hours of writing/week Grand Total: 6 1/2 to 14 1/2 hours per week This doesn't include extras like: research, organizing binder notes, making bookmarks, searching for authors and book lovers to follow on social media, organizing a giveaway, etc. ****** Speaking of Organizing Giveaways! Starting in July, I will be hosting a challenge/giveaway on Instagram. Simply follow the prompts for each day and use the hashtag #A...

Friends! I'm in the planning stages of another Instagram giveaway. One lucky person will receive a copy of my book, along with other goodies, one of which is a  Desperate Love  playlist bookmark! Details to come. Stay tuned! In that spirit, I thought it would be fun to do a pirate themed blog post. Who's ready to get their pirate on, mateys? Pirate Movies * Pirates of the Caribbean I've only seen one of them, but it was thoroughly entertaining! * The Princess Bride Highly recommend! * Hook ROBIN WILLIAMS as Peter Pan! Need I say more? * Peter Pan (animated Disney version) TV * Once Upon a Time Sadly over, but you can purchase all seven seasons on DVD. Killian Jones is my favorite Hook of all time. Five stars! Books * The Princess Bride  by William Goldman I didn't like it nearly as well as the movie. My opinion. Please don't shun me. * As You Wish  by Cary Elwes (the actor who por...

 If you know me, you know I love chocolate. I especially love dark chocolate. I've been pondering this week how dark chocolate is like a good story, bitter and sweet. As a reader and a writer, I want stories to contain each. To me, a story that is too sweet isn't entertaining. If there's no real struggle, what's the point? A book with too much struggle and too little triumph is frustrating. I want the happy ending, friends! This week I obtained a copy of a book I dearly love, Sky in the Deep  by Adrienne Young. It has both the achy and beautiful qualities that make for a great story. In one scene, Fiske asks Eelyn how she is doing (presumably in reference to her physical injuries). Eelyn's response is, "everything hurts." Those two words are so impactful in light of the story. The reader understands Eelyn's answer is just as much, if not more so, in reference to the emotional struggle and situation she is in. It's what I call the gut punch, ...

Did you know, many of your favorite movies are based on books? It makes sense, right? The book is wildly good. It plays vividly in your head as you read. You think, "Wow, someone should really make this into a movie!" Good new, this happens more than you think! Here are some of my favorites (I've marked movies with an asterisk if I've also read the book). Let me know on social media what books to movies are your favorite. YA=Young Adult book C=Children's book The Hobbit Dances with Wolves  * Princess Diaries   YA Pride and Prejudice  * Jurassic Park  * The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants   YA Maze Runner   YA You've Got Mail (Book: The Shop Around the Corner ) Princess Bride  * A Christmas Story  * (Based on the writings of Jean Shepherd.) The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe   C Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs  * C The Hunger Game...