Author: Annie Parnell

November 1777, the trials begin…

Felicitations, dear Sisterhood,

Eleanor Barrett West, here. Miss Parnell has written me on several occasions expressing her readers curiosity regarding Hartwell, our beloved Sisterhood School.

I believe I have struck upon a brilliant, even if I do say so myself, solution to their inquisitiveness. You see, I have kept a diary of all things Sisterhood since Libby and I first conceived of the notion when we were just eight-years-old.

This portion of the chronicle begins on the day Giles presented me with the deed to the property. To say the least, I was ecstatic.

At this juncture I should tell you, if you haven’t already discerned the matter for yourself, I asked Miss Parnell to copy and reproduce my entries on her modern transcribing device. Normally, my handwriting is quite acceptable, but when I am excited about a particular situation or topic my script becomes quite indecipherable.

Libby has admonished me numerous times, over the years, on this account. Bah, enough with these side-tracks, back to the purpose at hand.

November 3, 1777, in the year of our Lord, in the county of Kent

Giles and I returned to Barrett Hall yesterday, after our month long seclusion, post our nuptials. I am eager to begin Hartwell’s transformation. It has lane uninhabited and abandoned for more than twenty years. Broken masonry, weeds, woodwork and plaster in disrepair. The place is an unmitigated disaster, and I love every broken cobble and windowpane, because it is my heart’s desire to provide a sanctuary for women and their children.

(Editors note: deleted a portion regarding dress fittings and preparations for Libby and Harleigh Barrett’s wedding.)

Comparing is to invite despairing.

Are you familiar with this saying (or something similar)? I have been spending a considerable amount of my wakeful life noticing that some of my writerly peers are and have been able to produce work during this time of global upheavals and I have not, or at least my work is dribbling along while theirs seems to be gushing out of them like a full-throttle fire hose. And thus, I have consigned myself to a self-made purgatory, as if life isn’t tough enough right now.

Then I watched an episode of Vox Tox (if you haven’t seen them, I highly recommend them). These are musings and commentary by Sandi Toksvig, a remarkably astute, insightful, and funny individual, who said she was having difficulty working on her current project (a play) because of all that was going on in the world. For some quirky, inexplicable reason, hearing Sandi say that eased my conscience and soothed my beleaguered soul.

No, I have not taken myself off the hook completely, to dwell in my imagination surrounded by my characters would be bliss right now. The best I can do is be kind and patient with myself. I recommend this course of action to you as well. Not that you asked me, but the alternative is bleak in the extreme. Take good care.

Whose your favorite heroine?

Our library has been closed to the public for months—just like ever other library in the country, I imagine.  Well, last week they started letting us return books through the outside drop boxes and do curbside pick-up off the back-parking lot.  As you can imagine I jumped at this op. 

Unfortunately, I seemed to have dropped a book borrowed from my friend through the drop box along with my library books. (Oy!)

Long-story, short, I called the library to rectify my mistake and had a lovely conversation with one of our newer librarians. I ended up telling her I didn’t even like the book (a short novel where the children literally catch on fire). The reason I didn’t finish reading this piece of well-hyped fiction was the heroine. What a loser. Seriously, as a child she gets a chance to better herself at a private girls’ school, then her roommate (from a very wealthy family) screws up big time and her family convinces the poor girl’s mom to let her daughter take the fall.

I could have gotten behind that as a premise—it’s realistic enough, but her situation never changes. Can you tell I am so not a fan of literary fiction? (Hah!)

I told the librarian I was sick to death of heroines like that one.  All those horrid books we had to read in school with their insipid heroines: Daisy (Great Gatsby), Maria (For Whom the Bell Tolls), or Sophia (Tom Jones).

Where were/are the women/girls a school girl or woman could root for, look up to? Dream about? Admire? Use as a role model? No where, that’s where. Why do you think I write the kind of women I do?

What books give/gave you hope? Showed you women of daring and substance? Please share. As ever, be well and be kind.

Off the cuff – RE: a writer’s challenge

Well, I did it! I gave myself the challenge of writing a new book (The Falcon & the Phoenix) in three months–holy cow thank goodness Orlando turned me onto Larry Brooks and Story Engineering–if you’re an author or thinking about it I highly recommend his work, Larry’s and Orlando’s (Orlando Sanchez). The downside is I have had absolutely no bandwidth for marketing. So, I am committing myself to at least a week of marketing only (yes, O I know in a perfect world I should be doing both…writing and marketing, but I am playing catch-up right now) anyway, marketing then on to working on my new book “The Reluctant Bride”. Part One of “The Reluctant Bride” will release June 1, 2018.

Off the Cuff: Doing it on a shoestring

I’m not sure which I find more frustrating right now: learning a new piece of software or marketing on a shoestring.The learning curve of software is annoying and yet I can see how far I’ve come in the year since I started self-publishing. Well, to be fair I didn’t actually publish until August. But my facility at using Scrivener has grown by leaps and bounds. I no longer have to sit with a dummies book in my lap. I actually remember a few things.

While my present daily reality of my minuscule budget is wearing and frustrating. Choosing when and if I can run Facebook ads, paying my wonderful cover artist to make a cover for a book that will always be a free download at my site, paying for my domain and hosting service are all investments in my long term goal of being a well-received, prolific author who helps women and girls see themselves as powerful, thoughtful, just, and capable. It’s just sometimes I feel like my shoes are too small and my toes hurt because they’re being pinched.

As I write this I can hear my son in my head saying, “baby steps, mom, baby steps,” and I laugh at myself. He’s right. Onward…

Off-the-Cuff: Dec 13, 2017

I am ruminating on the idea of women as avengers. When I use this word with some of my fellow authors to describe my female lead characters, we inevitably get into strong disagreements. They think I mean in the mold of a Robin Hood or a Batman, and truthfully, I do borrow generously from those tropes (e.g. tool belts and helping the poor) BUT I am having my female characters do it their way, whatever feels appropriate for that particular character. I am claiming the right to call Molly Flanagan, Eleanor Barrette, and a host of other women to come, as avengers because they are committed to joining with others to do what is right, not expeditious, or solely for personal gain.

Off The Cuff: December 9, 2017

Something’s been bothering me.  I am a member of a loop of published romance authors of all sub-genres. Last week someone finally asked the question: what is the difference between romance and harassment? I waited and watched. A few people posted and then the subject died an unceremonious death. Why didn’t I post? I told myself: I’m new, I don’t know how to post, I don’t want to expose my views. All excuses and a bunch of hooey. It’s an important question. I have been a reader of our genre for years. I tend to stay away from authors who write improbable plots and/or write their females characters  submitting to demeaning activities–inside and outside the bedroom or wherever the sexual intimacy occurs. I want to entertain my readers but not at the cost of humiliating or hurting anyone. What are your thoughts?

Off The Cuff – December 6, 2017

Okay, today I’m 15 days out from the launch of my next book, The Reluctant Heart – Part 2. Working fast and furious with my super-dee-dooper cover wonder woman designer, Dar Albert, of Wicked Smart Designs. I am so lucky to have found Dar (TY, Deb Stover). We are getting close. There is something about seeing the art for my cover that makes this whole business very tangible and real. After I stare at my screen for months through first draft and edits, it’s this cover process that really brings the dream home. Take care, AP

Off The Cuff: December 3, 2017

FRUSTRATION! (Can you hear me screaming from there?) Working on final edits for The Reluctant Heart, Part Two (Due out December 21, 2017) which are going painfully slow. My concentration is faltering and my distractability is on the rise. (Not a good sign) Read a few posts today from other romance authors about the difference between romance and harassment. It is good to know that my sisters and brothers are thinking about this issue. One of the things I like about writing historically is that the boundaries are clearer when placed in an historical context (note: I didn’t say better, just clearer), which leaves the field open for me to pursue other issues which are still with us such as: equality, education, abuse, and self-determination.

Until next time, have a great day! AnnieP

Off The Cuff: December 2, 2017

Since you landed on my website, the home of Annie Parnell on the web, I am going to make the assumption that you know I am an author and so spend a great deal of my day alone with my computer cooking up new stories for my readers.

Over a year ago, I decided to take the plunge, after a decade of chasing after the 20th century writers dream of a contract with a publishing house, I joined the 21st century and chose myself. Translation: I chose self-publishing.

I hate, abhor, resent people and entities that waste my time. So, I promise to keep these extemporaneous remarks short and, if not always sweet, at least clear, and worth your time.

Until next time, Annie P