Author K. Williams Archived Pages

Hearing that Takes me Back – Open Book Blog Hop #546

September 14, 2026 By Captain Maiel 6 Comments

Topic #546

Setting music aside, describe some of your favorite sounds.

Welcome back to another Open Book Blog Hop, Friend! The authors included in this ongoing learning series wish to thank you for your reading. Even more so, we appreciate that you share our writing with friends. If you’re new to the series, welcome aboard. The authors engage and impress weekly. Prepare to become a regular reader.

Sound is a powerful sense that can affect the human brain in numerous ways. The trend of ASMR took off because people respond well to sound. I mean, look at how much we enjoy music! Of course other sounds matter to us and cause ripples of emotion and memories, too. What a trigger! And, that’s not a bad thing.

The warm, comforting warble of a house wren takes me back to my childhood, napping in my room on a lazy Saturday afternoon, or just waking late in the morning. My parents had a little bird house at the end of the clothes line that these little guys used to build a nest in every year. They’re the sweetest little things and their song is matches that sweetness. An Irish symbol of poets and writers, it seems so apropos for me to have them right outside my window trilling me awake and comforting me. Are they here because of ancestors?

While we’re on the topic, to bolster the power of the wren song is the notable blue jay. Their squeaky wheel call comes hand in glove with that time, too. Whenever I was out enjoying a nice day, a jay would be nearby calling and just looking so lovely in their blue feathers. Did you know they’re in the corvid family? They are! So that tracks for me, along with the wren. Corvids are a strong favorite, and their calls warm my heart. Ravens and crows remind me of my excursions through the woods, the time I rescued one, and me trying to befriend them all. They are smart cookies and I miss having a flock of them to join my walks.

Another bird who I am obsessed with: the peafowl. Love it! The call is somewhere between a goose and a lady calling for assistance.

A napping dog who is having a dream fills my heart and soul with such warmth, I can’t tell you. It’s a lot of feelings. The other night, Fionn sleep barked, waking me from my near sleep. I patted and consoled him and drifted back off a content human. It feels like everything is right in the world when this happens. The same for the warm ripples of a kitty purr. Those little motors run me right off to sleep. If it weren’t for my Siamese back in 2001, I’d have not made it to 2026. The purr is lifesaving sound.

Let’s see what else brings peace, as we continue on. Dog tags tinkling as a dog moves around. A dog munching on a potato chip–cronch cronch cronch. A fun cartoon playing in the background, with all those foley works.

The soft to medium breath of wind and a stiff rain are relaxing sounds I enjoy, having lived and grown up in the countryside. Thunderstorms are a top sound which I find relax me to sleep. Very sexy. The soft hiss of a fire or the falling snow is another peaceful, meditative sound. Of course, that brings up such clear memories.

The rural childhood I enjoyed also provided the delicate white noise of the spring peeper, like a little alarm going off in the distance. On that same note, the distant train whistle and machinery carrying over the wind from miles away is a favorite night time relaxer. A warm rumble hum of a small plane is quintessential summer.

Let’s not pretend that all our favorite noises are peaceful, either.

While this might be a noisy one, it is filled with nostalgia. American Football has a number of sounds to delight the ear: whistles, crowd chatter and cheers, the calls of the quarterback, the announcer, celebrations, helmets cracking, bands… so much to hear. It sounds like fall at home. It’s just missing my mom calling the current NY Giants quarterback an f— idiot. Hahahaha! She so gets into it. A lot of fun memories around football.

Other noisy things…

virginia zoo peacock, (c) K. Williams — Photo by K.Williams – Virginia Zoo

Donkeys. No notes.

Every single sound in the Haunted Mansion is my favorite, too. Enough said on that. I made a cd out of the video that I linked and will literally watch it like a movie. Bob Gurr (he designed the doom buggy) and team did a fantastic job. No notes.

Things I like for a short stint and the right context (because horrifying at the wrong time): hum of a fish tank filter, and the bubbling of the water return. Tippy taps of feet (children or pets). Babies–their cries or chatter have always warmed my heart, but yeah, it can overwhelm the best of us if gone on too long. I must have gone through a CIA dark site to be able to endure.

I am also a fan of EDM. so…

What I hate: running water (sink of bathroom faucet, tub–anxiety inducing), footsteps while I am sleeping, car alarms, alarm clocks, asmr whispers, baby talk from adults to other adults (like on customer service calls).

Find out what the other authors said on their posts by clicking the links in the scroll box below. Don’t forget to subscribe before you go. The hop will land in your inbox every Friday without the need to search for us. See you next time!

Acting Out – Open Book Blog Hop #545

September 7, 2026 By Captain Maiel 6 Comments

Topic #545

Do you ever act out your scenes to immerse yourself and test them out, to be sure they really work?

Being multi-faceted as an author makes you a stronger writer. Don’t mistake that that means you have to be as good at the other things as you are at writing to make it matter. That is far from the truth. You can be the shittiest cabinet maker in execution, but if you know about the tools and the steps, and that ends up in your writing, then the authenticity is upped several notches. The same is true for those writing crime. No one is asking you to be a real dragon handler, however. There are things equivalent that can feed into the understanding of how handling reptiles would really go. If you love dragons, I’d be surprised you wouldn’t want a beardy.

girl on a mountain road with a map — ^{Photo by Daniel Gonzalez on Unsplash}

Writing what you know also means testing out your knowledge. Playwrights and screen writers both have a duty to examine their writing in the context of playing it out, so I am familiar with this tool. Most will think, oh, no, I’m not doing that! I’m no actor. You don’t have to be an actor. Do you have a way to record yourself (that nice phone, or laptop)? Read your chapter and play it back to yourself. You’re not just proofing when you do this. The writer should listen to make sure this makes sense.

Try it on!–In other words.

Do you write scenes where a character may attempt to shimmy through a window? Is there a sword fight or fist fight? Honestly, you should get out of that chair every hour to get the blood flowing again anyway. So stand up, parry and thrust that pencil. Get a Halloween costume sword if it makes you feel less silly. Make people question your sanity this way, not on the page. Because, trust me, they will question what you were thinking if that scene doesn’t read right. If you don’t try the shirt on, how can you be certain it fits?

Writers are already thought of as odd ducks. Don’t disappoint the onlookers. Not only will you get some movement in, you’ll have a little fun. The best part is, you’ll know that the movements you write down work!

Actors often talk about how writers don’t seem to get that the scenes they write don’t work in action. You don’t have to be writing plays or movies to write a scene that works for both. The more visually accurate your writing, the better your story will read for the audience. Don’t let not being an actor intimidate you. It doesn’t take performance skills to test your theories. Just get up and walk through it. You’ll honestly prefer feeling goofy over proven dense. None of us wants that for ourselves. If you can prevent embarrassment over something you wrote, do so.

Read More:
Writing Tips from an Actor
Book Fox

You won’t be alone in feeling uncomfortable with such exercises. We’re authors not actors. Still, it is a worthwhile exercise. Read your dialogue out loud, record it, and play it back. Get out of your chair and walkthrough scenes with movements, determine what is necessary and what is too much, or just wrong.

Other things you can do around this is watch movement videos for actors (expressions/body). You can watch fencing/swordplay instructional videos, or the like for other forms of combat if this comes into play. Read about care and behavior for animals (similar animals if you write fantasy). Research isn’t just about historical timelines. Research also encompasses the way someone puts their outfit together, loads a pistol/gun/musket, and how they care(d) for animals. Historically, people even carried their bodies in a way that is relevant to a scene due to multiple factors (shoes, dress, paving, social expectations).

Do I do this? I have been know to do this. All of this. It’s really important to think from the perspective of an actor, because that is closer to real life, in the head of a reader. If a scene fumbles in the head clearly, tangles up, the reader can’t see it. It will tire them and that annoys them. Do these exercises to gain an easy win for your writing. If movement is hard for you, do the best you can or ask a friend to help. It really is worth it!

To see what the other authors have to say about this week’s topic, click on their links in the scroll box below. Before you go, subscribe by dropping your email in the box on the top right. The hop will arrive Friday afternoons (EST) to your inbox without the need to search us out. See you next time!

Catch You In The Feels – Open Book Blog Hop #544

August 31, 2026 By Captain Maiel 6 Comments

Topic #544

From a writing perspective, how do you view advertisements for
products or services (on TV, in magazines, online)?

This right here may be a clue as to why I am no good at writing ads or any marketing for my work. To manipulate the feelings of others feels disingenuous. Running at the mouth with platitudes built on word salad loses confidence. While I may feel super excited about my work, I can no more manipulate another person about it than I could a stick of deodorant. Have you ever listened to the lyrics of songs in ads and wondered how the performers get into it? I could never. Worse is when that word salad of feeling attempts to appeal to your self-image!

Sometimes, an ad can be super catchy or hilarious. Of late, though, I feel like the creativity is gone. Have you ever seen the Bones Coffee, Co. ads? You’ll find them on YouTube, mostly. Sometimes, you might see a splash ad on social media. I regard them as a winning ad campaign. They’re not so much manipulating your feelings as saying, we know you like horror and we have horror themed coffee, and we believe our flavors are the best available. Their bag designs, site design, splashes, and spots are all on point. They’re themed to the hilt, and they don’t miss. The best part is, they back up their claims with great coffee.

When you can feel great about purchasing a product that appeals to you aesthetically and by quality, it’s a win. No manipulation, as you’d call it. It cuts past that to what they got and the confidence in their product. The worst is when a product attempts to catch you in your feels. And then, you’re just like what even is this?

From car ads to meal time, everyone is attempting to appeal to your lifestyle and emotions with their products. There’s little genuine sentiment behind it. Look, Birdseye, it’s just vegetables not the most meaningful moment of my life. Why are they trying to attach themselves to important moments? To your quality of parenthood or personhood? Bones doesn’t do this. While I’m sure they’d love to corner the coffee market, they’re content providing quality product to the horror and cosplay crowd. They know who their people are. Birdseye thinks that if you want to be considered the good kind of family, you’ll buy their stuff. The underwriting of elitism threads through a lot of ads.

open book blog hop, a young woman with dark hair, wearing a black top, chews on the end of a pen. She's writing something in a journal resting on a white picnic table.

The writing behind these ads goes hard for helping their customers portray a persona to others. They don’t come in saying, they match with your persona. Think of car ads and clothing, perfume and jewelry. They’re selling you image, and that they can make you popular. It’s kind of pubescent, which is something you’d probably accuse Bones of being for matching Halloween and fun flavors. How does bones avoid that trap? They meet the customer where they are at, and don’t propose to change who they are or make them over. They accept you as you are: a person who likes horror and good coffee.

I struggle with this kind of writing. While I have full faith in my work, there is a disconnect in articulating that I have this thing I think you horror nerds are gonna love. My reluctance is in having been bullied into believing doing this makes me an egotistical nuisance. Maybe it would feel different if someone else did this step for me? Having a team is a great help when trying to market anything. The quality and technique of that team will matter even more.

Instead of catching a potential customer (reader) in the feels, it’s better to show them how you align. Don’t beat it like a dead horse, either. Theming will help, because it shows what you have concisely, quickly. It’s not easy, regardless. Eventually, the feels will come with the territory, because you’ve created places and characters readers can really fall into.

In the meantime, I really hope Birdseye, Chevy, or that bra company on YouTube catch on. Platitudes aren’t a sales pitch. Talking in circles to string together feeling words is poor writing. You come off empty and elitist. Instead of seeking feelings, seek common values and compelling connection.

Hop through the other author responses on the links below to see how they feel about current advertising and the writing behind it. Before you go, add your email address to the subscription box. The hop arrives to your inbox each Friday without the need to search for us! See you next time.

Why Do You Bother To Put It On Paper? Open Book Blog Hop #544

August 31, 2026 By Captain Maiel Leave a Comment

Topic #544

“I write because I don’t know what I think until I read what I say.” – Flannery O’Connor.
Authors have many reasons to write. Why do you write what you write?

That’s a great question! The effort to put the ideas from inside my head out into the world is unmerited, essentially. Writing is often a thankless job, unless you manage to hit the moment perfectly, striking the fancy of enough readers. If they can’t find you because algorithms work to prevent it, and you can’t afford to advertise effectively, you feel you’re screaming into the whirlwind. Unfortunately, added to this is the grifter utilizing AI to produce fake manuscripts. When AI could benefit an artist to overcome the lack of capital for advertising, it is instead set against them to ensure they never can, burying their work beneath millions of bot manufactured shitty texts.

It feels so defeatist to go over this, as I examine the hurdles. However, I am at a point where I can study the problems without them touching me so deeply. It sounds trite to say that you get used to it. However, you really do! Big publishers are in the business of making money, and if they can silence the competition, they will. So don’t ever shut up!

It’s been one thing after another for writers in the past few decades: the gatekeepers, failing independent publishing, the claim no one reads anymore, the rise of influencers, and now AI. As if a lack of capital were not enough, there are all those bad actors thwarting any author’s rise. If you don’t have it or nepotism to assist, you’re going to have to strive.

How does one strive against these terrible odds?

Think of all those authors who came before you centuries ago. They had a drive to do this, and nothing was going to stop them. They published themselves, and they put their books out there regardless of getting any love back from other humans. Ovid did not ask permission or approval of a publisher. An author needs to have a reason to write, no matter what it is, that lasts against all the hurt and frustration coming their way. You can call it loving the art, but is your love strong enough? From my perspective it is something more than love, but just as fragile as pain and frustration experienced by being halted at every step damages it so thoroughly.

Is Your Love Strong Enough?

Bryan Ferry

Just one step at a time,
And closer to destiny.
I knew at a glance,
There would always be a chance for me.
With someone I could live for;
Nowhere I would rather be.

Is your love strong enough,
Like a rock in the sea?
Am I asking too much?
Is your love strong enough?

Just one beat of your heart,
And stranger than fantasy.
I knew from the start,
It had to be the place for me.
Someone that I would die for;
There’s no way I could ever leave.

Is your love strong enough,
Like a rock in the sea?
Am I asking too much?
Is your love strong enough?
Is your love strong enough?

Is your love strong enough?
Just one beat of your heart.
Is your love strong enough?

Is your love strong enough?
Just one beat…

Written by: Bryan Ferry
Album: Legend (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Released: 1986
Lyrics provided by Musixmatch

A good buttress against losing heart is to have many reasons. Don’t think for one minute having one solid reason is enough. The love that you have for writing will change over time. You’ll gather more reasons and achieve distance that makes the old ones moot for all the right reasons. We grow throughout our lives, so should our love of what we do.

For instance, I write for a multitude of reasons. You’ll find I cite cinema as a huge reason for putting me here. The great films of the 1980s, for which many are so nostalgic, (looking at you Stranger Things (2016)) inspired me to create. The blessing of growing up in that time, bookended by the 1970s and 1990s in my most formative years, certainly is a reason for why I write. Scholastic Books provided subscription services that made a home library possible. In addition, my grandmother, who retired by the time I was up and running, took me to the library and on outings when not in school. What a beautiful time to be alive.

From there, cinema has provided some epic fare. There have been books and movies pumping ideas into my head for decades. What else helped was my dislike of hanging out at parties and taking part in that whole fraternity style high school life. I remember the slight disappointment in not having that as well, but it isn’t as if I didn’t hang out with friends–going dancing, to theme parks, their houses, all the things. It was just less frequent. Therefore, I had plenty of quiet time to recharge my introvert batteries and absorb books and movies.

Being from a boring town, watching movies was a big entertainment option. Sometimes we got to theater shows and concerts. The creme de la creme, however, was getting to Disney World. For someone steeped in cinema, you might imagine what a big deal this was. Beyond that, though, Walt was a huge creative, and he showed me that spilling your brains out into tangible things was truly possible. Next to him, Jim Henson presented the importance of taking that bottomless creativity and making things that mattered, that people loved, and touch other humans. To show love through creativity.

Feeling the love through the screen on films from Disney, Ridley Scott (Legend (1985)), Henson, Spielberg, Lucas, and many others helped me piece together my puzzle. Tolkien, Jordan, Austen, Poe, Shakespeare, and so many others filled in more pieces. Family and friends added their pieces. Experiences and education still more pieces. That makes what you see before you now. 1000s of pieces complete that picture. Therefore, if I forget or can no longer see those pieces, I know there are 1000s from which to pull.

No one can take this from me. My hero list has only grown and become more diverse over time. Not a single frustration or hurt will remove my appreciation for past and present creatives who I enjoy, who make me feel, somehow, what I do actually matters. Instead, because they touched my life, I don’t count readers as fans. How do I even class those folks who read my work and enjoyed that work as fans? They feel like friends and that is how I see them.

Writing gives me friendship and connection. Irreplaceable. At some point, that may reach a point I can’t see everyone’s faces. I hope they’ll know that they matter to me, just the same. The whole point was for them to read the book and feel the joys I do with the stories I tell. Otherwise, those stories could stay wrapped up in my brain not bothering anyone.

neon sign that reads: All we have is words. All we have is worlds. Words need a reader. A writer creates worlds. — ^{Photo by Alexandra on Unsplash}

Why would you bother to write it all down?

Somehow, I had the thought that others might like to explore the ideas I had. They had me invigorated, so why wouldn’t they provide that to others? Essentially, I wanted to share that excitement I felt. My writing met with confusion from those who require others to assure them my work is worth reading. Conversely, others ready to take a chance on the adventures I pen embrace them. That is the basis of why I write–to share my stories. Like I said above, there’s no other reason to put it all on paper without that desire being strong first. It gets your pen to paper.

Aside from the desire to share that which I am excited about, I wanted to provide to others the same high I got off reading and watching films that those creators had provided for me. You know the feeling of watching a great movie or reading a great book. I am compelled to create as in kind. If people don’t come along to pick up the pen when others have passed away, where would the new stories come from? Folks may not be able to reconcile what they see in me with the reality of me, but that’s not my problem. I’m here to be a storyteller, not what they think I should be.

Unrealistic Expectations Around Publishing and Writing

During my graduate studies, I was awarded a fellowship for my social justice writing. All of my books contain explorations of social issues, such as women’s roles in society during war time/historical ages, the bold exposure of how domestic violence can destroy lives, it shows how community strives to protect its members and how that plays out in realistic ways. I even explore how folks can heal from bad experiences and that their value isn’t in arbitrarily set ideas of purity. Nobility is found in the heart, not your blood line.

A common thread you may find in my work is the message to never give up, and that things change over time. They may get worse, but they will also get better. Sometimes we have to fight for that, but the fight is worth it. Stay.

But, just like I am 1000s of pieces of my history and touchpoints, so are my books. They come from dreams and nightmares I have had, and they come from and idea to challenge myself to create something lasting. The base of it all is to give love back to a world that showed me such beauty. Yes, there is ugliness, but oh, it is so beautiful, too.

The more love we put into the world, the better things will get. Click on the links in the scroll box below to find out why the other authors write. Each of us is different and compelling in our own ways. Before you go, subscribe by dropping your email in the box on the top right. The hop will arrive Friday afternoons in your inbox without searching the web to find us. See you next time!

Don’t Do This 1 Thing – Open Book Blog Hop #543

August 24, 2026 By Captain Maiel 6 Comments

Topic #543

Name one thing that a writer should never do.

Actually, let me list a couple of top tier pieces of advice for writers. Why stop at one, when there are two really important things to keep in mind? At the risk of sounding like one of those click bait articles or videos, I really mean don’t do this one thing. The fact is, engaging in these can end your career.

Aside from not committing the plagiarism, which will get you sued and end your career, Authors should avoid responding to negative reviews. This won’t defend your honor or your credentials. It will make you look unhinged (regardless of it being warranted or not), but it will also make you feel unhinged. Why would you waste your precious energy on some ass hole? There are people who literally spend all their free time trying to wind someone up online. They enjoy it like normal people enjoy a roller coaster. Someday, their sociopathy will have a clear category and be treatable. Until then, save your time and breath.

A one star review can be really upsetting. Trust me, though, when I say that it’s part of the drive to flick someone’s nose and get off on their reaction. It is highly unlikely they even read your work. A bad review, even if backed up by comments about the text, should only be seen through the lens of how you can improve your craft. Brush aside the unhelpful and pointless snide remarks and look for anything that you can use to hone your skills. When nothing is there, write it off as a troll. Don’t get your bestie to respond. Resist running to anyone to respond on your behalf. Lastly, don’t hire folks to bump your ratings in response. Artificially blowing yourself up is just as unhelpful. You could get your work banned from publication.

Deep breaths. I feel your frustration as one who experienced it.

four round stones that say dream, courage, inspire, harmony

The next bit of advice is super important to your success, too. You may think that we writers work in a vacuum. While we do our efforts on our own, we still come together to do many of our next steps. From editing, proofing, spit-balling ideas, publishing, marketing, and the all important community, we need one another. Community being the main hub, instead of an office building, is how we get along and figure it all out. It helps us feel sane. We build real relationships with other authors, that are symbiotic and necessary.

To best maintain your relationships: don’t diminish other writers. We have each come to this art by our own means. Taking a giant dump on how that happened (traditional institutions or otherwise) doesn’t make you look smarter. Anti-intellectualism, in fact, attacks your own path. Being a writer is seen as an intellectual pursuit by bookish individuals. You came from the streets or you came from the hallowed halls, you sought out education and the betterment of your mind. Writing is a noble art! Authors are viewed as deeply insightful intellectuals.

If we dump on education institutions, we dump on the art we engage in. Don’t mistake this for legitimate criticism. Criticizing how things are taught and gatekeeping, is a necessary task. It improves access and quality. What we don’t want to do is stop others from reaching for this, too. We don’t want to shut down the drive to write. All of that will shutdown the drive to read. So not only would dumping on it cause less people to seek out writing, it’s going to lessen the pool of readers. Why would we do that to ourselves?

It’s understandable to fear going unheard. There are a lot of books out there. Undercutting other authors to improve your chances is not the way to manage your marketing. The most successful authors I have seen work with others. They’re often editors and do marketing. They love the art and want to share it with others. They celebrate all the books. In no world does being against reading and learning make a wider field in which to share your writing.

All that said, being realistic about those who are ahead of us and those coming up behind us is fair. If you’re not realistic about where you fit, how do you improve? If I thought I was the great American Novelist, I’d never do any better. What would I think I had to change? But, don’t forget, you must respect your own accomplishments, too. Diminishing yourself isn’t going to help you anymore than blowing yourself up falsely. The realism goes both ways! Holy shit! You published a book. Do you know what a huge deal that is? Only 6-7 million publish 2-3 or more times, out of a whopping 8.3 billion people in the world. (AI calculation via DDG search assistant).

Don’t cry on me now! You’re brilliant. Now, don’t mess that all up by trying to knock the sparkle off another one of us or loosing it online with idiots. You’re better than that.

Check out the tips our other authors wrote this week by clicking on their links below in the scroll box. Before you go, subscribe to the blog. The hop will arrive without fuss each Friday in your inbox. If you’re an author, this will be a great tool for figuring out all of the things you have questions on. See you next time!

Author K. Williams Archived Pages

Setting music aside, describe some of your favorite sounds.

Let’s not pretend that all our favorite noises are peaceful, either.

Do you ever act out your scenes to immerse yourself and test them out, to be sure they really work?

Try it on!–In other words.

From a writing perspective, how do you view advertisements for products or services (on TV, in magazines, online)?

“I write because I don’t know what I think until I read what I say.” – Flannery O’Connor. Authors have many reasons to write. Why do you write what you write?

How does one strive against these terrible odds?

Is Your Love Strong Enough?

Bryan Ferry

Why would you bother to write it all down?

Name one thing that a writer should never do.

Deep breaths. I feel your frustration as one who experienced it.

Favorite Quotes:

Tags

From a writing perspective, how do you view advertisements for
products or services (on TV, in magazines, online)?

“I write because I don’t know what I think until I read what I say.” – Flannery O’Connor.
Authors have many reasons to write. Why do you write what you write?