jodirizzotto

[jodirizzotto]

The writing retreat

At the beginning of May, I attended a writing retreat up in the mountains of Southern California. Tahquitz Pines in Idyllwild, once a youth camp, has been refashioned into a wedding/resort destination. Its cabins, bunkhouses, and lodges still whisper echoes of Christian songs and children’s laughter. The writing retreat is put on by the Southern California chapter of the Society of Children’s…

[jodirizzotto]

Plans

My life was overflowing with tasks and errands. My husband and I were looking forward to getting away on a Harley overnighter weekend with old friends. We put a new windshield on Stoker, our Harley trike. He checked the tires. We both washed it. Our overnight luggage was packed. The weather looked like it was going to be perfect. The morning of our trip, I got up early and made breakfast. I got…

[jodirizzotto]

The next thing

Ever since two of my books went on submission to publishers, I have felt like I was holding my breath. I knew nothing would probably happen right away. But I still checked my email five times a day. After the first full manuscript requests, I could barely think. Weeks passed. Months passed. When I checked the Google sheet my agent set up, I could see some rejections with comments. More…

[jodirizzotto]

Bedrest

I’ve always been the kind of person who rarely rests. My days are filled with checklists and preliminary tasks for bigger projects to come. My husband and I host a Bible study in our home each week. We ride our Harley with the HOGs on the weekends. We cheer at our grandkid’s sports games. But when both of us came down with massive colds last week, our schedule came crashing down. Everything was…

[jodirizzotto]

Beach magic

A few weeks ago, I felt like I was getting sick. My throat was scratchy. My feet dragged. My responsibilities weighed me down. Since I had been busy nonstop since before Christmas, I prepared myself for being stuck in bed. But we had a beach camping trip planned, so I took a deep breath (with a few coughs) and packed up the motorhome. Rain was looming on the forecast, but it’s as hard to get…

[jodirizzotto]

How far would you go for football?

My friend, Heather Butchka, has a new contemporary YA book coming this summer. If you like football and small town dramas, this book will keep you up reading past your bedtime. Presales are going on now. Support your local indie bookstore by clicking on one of the links below. In the cutthroat world of Texas high school football, a scandal threatens to unravel East Pages High, a powerhouse…

[jodirizzotto]

The longest month of the year

Finally, we’ve reached the end of January, the longest month of the year. This past month has been full of unplanned expenses from dental to house repairs. When I total it up, I spent more in January than I spent on Christmas gifts in December. February’s starting out strong though, with a major pool repair scheduled. As soon as I type this, I realize I should have no complaints. My house has…

[jodirizzotto]

When rejection becomes inspiration

When I read the comments from an editor I respected and met during a writing retreat, I should have been discouraged. She agreed to read the full manuscript. I had high hopes. But when I opened the spreadsheet from my agent with all our submissions listed, the line with that editor was highlighted in red. Rejected. But she gave lots of great feedback that threw light on misgivings I’d had about…

[jodirizzotto]

The magic of feeling "meh"

After the whirlwinds of the holiday season are swept away, I find fewer excuses to avoid writing. I call myself a writer, and there comes a time when I actually need to write. But the muse of January likes to doze and offers little help to rouse me from my warm bed. There’s writing work to be done. Currently, I’m in the middle of revisions on a YA fantasy novel. And I’ve outlined a new MG book.…

[jodirizzotto]

If the house burns down tonight

“The smoke tries choking the pacific sun, we rocket down the road like we’re shot out of guns, and if the house burns down tonight, I got everything I need with you by my side. And let the rest burn.” from If House Burns Down Tonight by Switchfoot Southern California is home to various creators, from writers, artists, performers, and film makers. We thrive on dramatic tones, discordant notes,…

[jodirizzotto]

Is this the new year?

[jodirizzotto]

Thanksgiving before Thanksgiving

As I transferred my frozen turkey from the freezer to the fridge, I checked it off on my mental To Do list. That list has occupied prime space in my mind usually reserved for writing. There’s still some writing going on. I’m still in revisions on my latest project. But the creative flow has slowed down. But taking a writing break is a good thing. I need to live more life to write about. More…

[jodirizzotto]

On submission

When your precious children, birthed after years of tears and struggle {otherwise known as your unpublished manuscripts), are out on submission, it feels like you’re in a nightmare. You know the one that cycles over and over again. Every time you reach for the exit door, it opens into darkness. Cruel laughter taunts you. Who do you think you are? You can’t even write a clever Instagram…

[jodirizzotto]

More episodes of College of the Crones

Check out Kindle Vella, a new way to read stories. From your Amazon page or app, you can go to Kindle Vella. There you can read the first few episodes for free, and then purchase tokens to read more. My young adult fantasy romance College of the Crones is up with 24 episodes so far. If you like your heroes ugly and your handsome prince wicked, check this…

[jodirizzotto]

Creepy Holiday Stories to Keep You Up at Night

As if worrying about the Christmas feast and visiting relatives wasn’t enough, you can cuddle up by that fireplace and read some creepy short stories from another great anthology edited by Knight Publishing. My story, “Homeless for the Holidays,” is included: What would a homeless man do when he realizes he’s an exiled faery who needs to complete a heroic task to regain admittance to the Winter…

[jodirizzotto]

The quiet creative zone or what happens after you sign with an agent

For the last eight years, one of my writing goals has been to find a literary agent. Last October, in a surreal moment on my birthday, I got “the call.” Actually, in our post COVID world, it was a request for a Microsoft Teams virtual meeting. It was really happening. At the meeting, we talked about ourselves, our dreams, my book. Then Tia Mele made me an offer of representation. Because I…

[jodirizzotto]

Happy Book Birthday to me and my friends

There is a chill in the air. Something is coming. Change is coming. It’s a time to celebrate. It’s a time to hide. It’s a time to get ready for the things we don’t expect. It’s time to open up the Autumn Breezeway. Get your ebook or paperback now: https://books2read.com/u/4EpjEe Paperbacks at Amazon or Barnes and…