Diva Jefferson

Lately, I've seen a lot of people competing against one another for no reason. As writers, we try to be the best we could when perfecting our skills through reading, writing, critiquing, etc.

"How do you know when you're a successful writer? You can know immediately by answering yes or no to these four questions:

1) Are you earning a solid six-figure income from your writing alone?
2) Are you able to write exclusively from home... wherever in the world that may be?
3) Are you finding checks in your mailbox for writing from years ago?
4) Do people mistake you for being "retired," given how you never go to a 'job'... have lots of spare time ... and you're able to live so freely?

If your answer was "Yes" to all four questions, congratulations! You're either a bestselling novelist ... OR you're one of the small handful of writers who have discovered the secret to living the writer's life AND making a great living at the same time." 
-Excerpt from American Writers & Artists, Inc. (AWAI) newsletter.

If most of your answers are "No" then don't feel bad. Like Mario, we thrive on getting our 1ups to reach success. We all love the idea of success. We live on it, feeding ourselves on contests and queries to publishers until rejection slows us down, and we eventually give up.

A recent theme going around is don't worry about other people's success. Keep doing what you need to do in order to reach your goals.

Your best friend is a bestselling author, and you don't even have a publisher yet. OK? Stop focusing on what you don't have instead of what you could have. Your friend worked hard to get where she is. Maybe she started before you. Not everything is handed to people in successful positions. Life is not a game where we win or lose. Your reward will come when you realize how much your determination has truly paid off.

It's amazing how much jealousy and ego can complicate your self image or worth. Sometimes those negative feelings can hinder your life from progressing further.

In these days and times, you could become an author without previous credentials. You don't need a degree, you don't need to be certified, and you don't need at least five years of experience. The best part of being a writer is anyone could pick up a pen and do it! Would they be great at it? Not without much practice, but life is a journey. We must travel to reach our destination. We must practice to improve our skills along the way.

We try to be better than everyone else when we should work together. Through networking, advertisements on blogs, etc., we could help each other succeed. The writing industry doesn't single anyone out nor does it discriminate.

If you shine you will know only in your heart and it will feel damn good. That is what being successful is all about.


Happy writing!
-Diva J.

I am a romanticist. I write about the incredible power of love and how it can change someone's history. The wedding theme has surrounded me throughout October.


Last Wednesday, a couple who'd been married for seventy-two years, died only an hour apart. The story hit the media in full force and many posted it all over their Facebook and Twitter feeds. If only writers could be as steadfast as that marriage?

In a time where love is fleeting and passion is displayed in reverence to what everyone wants instead, so much rides upon a person's perceived notions. We assume the roles of statues and models, acting like everyone else. We do what others do to look the right part. We write to impress agents, publishers, editors, critique groups, reviewers, friends, and family. Do you ever write to impress yourself? Are you truly happy with what you write the first time? After all, art is "the quality, production,expression, or realm, according to aesthetic principles, of what is beautiful, appealing, or of more than ordinary significance." (www.dictionary.com)


Your work is truly unique and don't use others poor judgments as an excuse not to show the world what you are capable of.


Upcoming events:
-I received the 2nd-round edits for To Love An Irishman. I am currently working diligently on those.
-www.youtube.com has asked me to create a revenue account. They will place ads on my video blogs and I will receive a percentage of the income. So, therefore, I am in the process of creating several video blogs to post a month (probably once a week) so viewers will be able to tune in regularly to my updates.
-Some content featured on the video blogs will be: my journey on the publishing/editing process, read excerpts of my past novels and upcoming ones, and an explanation of historical facts...


If there is anything you'd like me to talk about or if you have any questions, I will start a live Q&A session where I answer your questions in a video.


Thank you so much for reading...and until next time...


Happy writing!


-Diva J.

Two months have passed since I submitted the first round edits to my editor. It feels like an eternity. I spent over a year writing and editing To Love An Irishman, and knowing I can't do anymore for it right now makes me feel like I'm missing a long lost friend. My writing friends have told me that it takes several months to receive the 2nd round edits, because those require more attention to grammar.

I don't know about you, but a lot can happen in several months. I hope to at least write another book and submit work to magazines. I do have a few short stories that need to be recognized and a website that needs to be completely reshaped. Oh, and did I mention? The day job is an endless shadow looming over me.

With so much to look forward to and to do on a daily basis it's no wonder many writers are stressed out!


According to a study by the Center for the New American Dream, more than 50% of Americans would be willing to take a day off work without pay in an effort to feel less stressed and have more time with their families.


Here are ten ways you can reduce stress at the workplace (or home offices):

1. Eat Right. When you allow yourself to choose unhealthy foods, you are decreasing your energy levels. During your lunch break, don't opt for the first candy bar you see in the vending machine.
2. Drink Less Caffeine. Coffee and sodas increase your stress levels. Choose to drink water instead.
3. Exercise. Just 10 minutes a day of walking could get your blood moving. Not to mention, your mind will get a break, too.
4. Eliminate Noise. It could be very distracting. Invest in some ear plugs or pull out the iPod and listen to your favorite tunes with headphones to decrease the outside noise.
5. Stretch. It helps relieve stiff muscles and reduce the tension that makes you stressed.
6. Simplify the Morning. Lay out the clothes you'd like to wear the night before, pack lunches, or just wake up 15 minutes earlier. Once you're organized, you're more focused on other less-stressful tasks.
7. Think Positive. Reflect on all the good things in your life; everything you have that makes it all worthwhile.
8. Breathe. Stress causes us to take shallow breaths. Just inhale deeply through the nose for eight seconds, then exhale slowly for sixteen. Concentrate on counting out one breath at a time.
9. Rest. Get enough sleep. They recommend for adults to get 6-8 hours of restful sleep a night.
10. Enjoy Life. Do something you love everyday to give yourself something to look forward to.

One single idea can lead to a whole multitude of others. Whether you are reading about culture, languages, societal change, politics, architecture, or places, then you know what it means to research. You could research for hours and never run out of material to cover. As writers, or historians, we strive to know everything. We ask questions and receive answers. We debate and reconcile our differences. Since we haven't been around forever, it's hard to write what we don't know about the past.

History is the witness that testifies to the passing of time; it illumines reality, vitalizes memory, provides guidance in daily life and brings us tidings of antiquity.

Cicero (106 BC - 43 BC), Pro Publio Sestio

In To Love An Irishman, I became fascinated with Ireland's landowners and tenant farmers. I wasn't satisfied with basic information. I needed to know how much profits the farmers made and how big the farms were. I wanted to know how everyone treated each other and what conditions were like on the field. I found the challenge enticing, but I knew it would be a hard endeavor. Most information was about the Irish Potato Famine, not many stories were told about the 1820s.

Soon I found texts on Google Books about Irish farming through the English perspective. I dug deep into the very pits of history and discovered more than I ever hoped for. Clothing, tools, and conditions were easier. It took only a few pictures and descriptions to find a perfect setting. Altmore, County Tyrone was small enough and barren enough to contain farming land. During this time period, the North was not yet controlled by Britain. Few people were speaking the native tongue (Gaelic) due to the Penal Laws implemented a few years in the past. They worked all day every day to pay high rents and unfair taxes while struggling to keep enough food to feed their families for months. This is the kind of research that broadens a person's perspective on life.

All words aside, we have it much better now a days. Without Google or Bing, our research would be done through travel and endless guesswork. It's really hard for me to describe a place without seeing it. Pictures are wonderful tools when I can't physically go to a location and study it.

Here are some tips for conducting research:
1) Take and keep any and all notes.
If you forget something, at least you know where to look to find the information again.
2) Don't spend all your writing time looking up information.
According to author, Jody Hedlund (Jody's Research Tips), you should "go deep but stay narrow". Although it's hard to follow a set path and research info about one particular topic, try not to allow any extraneous researching block your story's flow.
3) Have fun.
When it comes down to it, we love writing. Why not turn research into a game? How much information can you find in a half hour about your topic?

There is never a right or wrong way to conduct research. I get carried away sometimes in information, because I like to find out everything about every subject. I love history.

What are some ways you research? Have any tips to share?

As always, thank you for reading.


Happy writing!
Diva J.

Over two weeks go, I found myself in an old city. My decision to go to Charleston was spontaneous. That Friday evening a hotel room near town was booked and I was setting out on the journey the following Saturday morning. Although, the almost four hours on the road (due to traffic) was uneventful, my GPS turned me onto a one-way street going the opposite direction and a car honked me out of the road. Scary!


So I checked into my hotel room, brushed my hair, and took the road toward the Aquarium. Right beside is a ferry ride to Fort Sumter. Missing the last tour for the day, I found my way to Hwy 17 and crossed the large bridge to Patriot's Point where I took the last ferry ride for the day. Then I toured Fort Sumter, touching brick that has been around since the Civil War. Amazing.

Later on that evening, after finding a parking place, I walked down the street heading for one of two Irish pub and grills located in the same building. I heard music playing from an upper terrace and chose Molly Darcy's. I ordered a pint of Guinness and corned beef and cabbage. Soon I discovered the musician was a Dublin, Ireland native. He'd only been in town for four weeks and he loved Charleston. Then one pint turned into two. The food was delicious. I told the Irishman that I'm a writer, my book takes place in Ireland, and he told the owner who said he'll buy it for his wife. I exchanged email and phone numbers with the musician and the owner. I thought the night couldn't get any better!

Two pints turned into four before my eyes (thanks to my flirtatious waiter whom insisted he accidentally poured another). I was introduced to a man who shares my ancestral last name of Foley. He told me we are from the mountains of County Kerry. So we all sang Irish ballads with fuzzy minds, stood with hands on our hearts for the Irish anthem and laughed all the while. I couldn't imagine a better time or place for anything. I felt renewed, spirited. Wonderful!

But the night ended too soon. The next day I found myself waking early for free breakfast and to check out of my hotel. I went on a carriage ride through the city. I felt at peace for almost two hours as the clicking hooves went up and down the narrow streets and the Irish tour guide told us of a life lived long ago. Next, I found myself parking on Queen Street and I walked for over a mile to the museum. I bought a three ticket pass to the whole history museum and two houses. I spent almost two hours reading texts, admiring early furniture, and gawking at Civil War period clothing styles.

You can find this architecture style in my upcoming novel "To Love An Irishman".

The return trip home was very sad, indeed.

Sometimes life steps in and tells you where to go. My decision to go to Charleston was too spontaneous to believe otherwise. It's like the publishing world. Every time you turn around, there is something new to learn or to experience and sometimes it happens so fast you don't know where you started. Red flags are never spelled out in easy terms. You have to do your homework and research every thing about the industry. I'm anxious to receive my 2nd round edits. It took me almost a month to complete the first and that was no easy task. Everything takes time to come to fruition. Dreams are made to be worked for.

Make sure where ever life leads you, you are well-prepared for whatever comes. You never know, you could be having the time of your life drinking pints and singing with a group of Irishman in Charleston.

Never give up on life. You never know where you will end up next!






Happy writing!
Diva J.

My kitty, Muffin.

I read an article recently about how to continue writing romance after a divorce. I'm not an advocate of divorce, nor am I opposed to marriage for that matter, but most everyone I see who write successfully is married. By the way, my observation is open to criticism.


"Studies have shown that married people tend to earn more money and live longer than singles. Marriage also appears to promote better health. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that husbands and wives are less likely to smoke or drink heavily, experience frequent headaches and suffer from psychological problems than people who aren't married.  
Psychologists conjecture (through surveys and such) that married people are merely more inclined toward happiness since they're happier to begin with. Humans are predisposed to certain happiness ranges depending on their genetics, personality and life circumstances. Also, happier people are generally more social, and it follows that people who actively socialize will be more likely to meet someone they'd like to marry."
I may be young, but I don't have a committed relationship. Well, readers, I want to encourage those who lack a steady companion to keep on writing. You can write on one income. You could find the time to reach success even though you sacrifice most of it to pay the bills.


You don't need a man or woman in your life to know what emotions feel like. What love feels like. Sometimes all you need is an active imagination and an observant gaze. In society, you see so many traits in the way people act and portray themselves. After watching someone for a while, they might think you are strange, but you'll have a new character for your book. Or a new villain.


Motivation does not fleet out the window so easily without a steady inspiration. Sometimes you have to find it within yourself. What do you live for? 


With first round edits on my upcoming release (which consisted of a Word document covered in red) and the day job giving me more hours than I have available in a day, working a lot with little play at my age feels like a waste of youth. A waste of time and energy I could never wish back. Nobody realizes that my life is mine to live. One day soon, I will be doing what I love and everything I did before would seem like a stepping stone in a river of opportunity. I may be introverted, not the life of the party, nor the brightest star in the sky, but guess what? 
I wake up every day to a soft meow with a smile on my face. My cat wouldn't have a home or a safe existence without me around. That's right. Muffin is what I live for. Animals will never reject your work, never criticize the life you live, never intentionally hurt you for a greater objective. Sometimes the best companions are furry and like laying on your favorite books.


Readers, thank you for reading and sharing in my experiences.




Happy writing!


-Diva J.

A journey is not an adventure without leaving the confines of all you dream and turning those dreams into a reality.

A week ago, for three nights, I dreamed of a vacation in Ireland. Each trip began with a long flight and continued when I went gallivanting through the lush, green countryside. I never went home. I blame such an imagination on the publishing contract I just signed for my novel, "To Love An Irishman" View Book Trailer Here.

You might ask if I have an agent and the answer is 'no.' By the time I wait for agents to read the queries I sent, months will pass and my book's release date will be extended. I love my small press. The other authors are encouraging, the editor is nice, and the acquisitions department is very helpful. Agents have lives and mid-year everyone is already filled up with clients and readying a book for release before summer vacation.

You're an independent person if you feel more capable and more empowered when you do something alone.You are proud to say you work hard for everything you have and want from life. You never give in and you never wait around for others to make a decision you could easily make yourself. Okay. Maybe I'm exaggerating a bit with the 'never' part. You've experienced your fair share of break downs, but you know what you want from life and you set goals to accomplish it.

What sets you apart from others? Your ability to make better judgments in life? Your personality? Your determination or lack there of? Your smile?

"I haven't a clue as to how my story will end. But that's all right. When you set out on a journey and night covers the road, you don't conclude the road has vanished. And how else could we discover the stars?" -Unknown


Find something that makes you totally unique from everyone around you and use it to your advantage. If you particularly like your smile, do so often, people will deem you as approachable, and genuinely want to read what you have to say.

Readers love to relate to their authors as much as they relate to the characters in a book. If you live in and write about South Carolina, then you will have readers who live there. While others live halfway across the world. No matter how your related, some will only see a picture and a small blurb on the back of your book. Others will hear you speak at a conference or take you out to lunch or see you at the day job. Readers are everywhere. An author's professionalism is the key to leaving a good impression, but behind those fancy clothes and eloquent manners, is a person. Wherever you go, whatever you do, never forget who you are. A professional writer who knows what she or he wants from life (to become successful at doing something they love) is someone who stays true to themselves, always.

While on your life's journey, confidence could become your favorite trait. If not, like me nine times out of ten, at least you have another goal to set and reach.

Thank you for reading.



Happy writing!

-Diva J.