I walked into my office this morning and cringed. I’ve spent the last couple of weeks promoting Clutter Free and brainstorming a new book. It didn’t occur to me that my desk had gotten out of control.
This would require fortification, so I made my second cup of coffee then got to work. I filed marketing notes, moved paperwork not related to the new book, and threw away unnecessary items.
I kept a few notes on the new book, and I decided shifting my laptop to the left might make it easier to take handwritten notes on my right. I also have two new history books to keep nearby. So for now, I have my computer, sticky notes, pens, and reference books close by. This may only last a day, but for this rainy morning, I feel organized and ready to write.
Dana Mentink suggests we “use those little tags on the bread bags to label your electric cords that way you never I accidentally unplug the wrong one! “
Thanks, Dana.
Rose Kerr, author of Death on the Set, also shared a tip.
I use timers to help me get organizing tasks done. You can get a lot done when you focus your attention for fifteen minutes!
Start small, think of a drawer, not a closet and work your way through the kitchen or pantry. This works for almost any project.
Thanks, Rose!
I’m going to try these tips, and I’d love to hear about your organizing tips. They may even end up in a future book in An Organized Crime Cozy Mystery series.
I hope you’re able to join the fun, and there will be a giveaway. I’ll share social media links or look for Just Read Tours, starting September 11. https://justreadtours.com/
This is your opportunity to learn about Kate Sloan, Clutter Free, and maybe collect an organizing tip.
Curious about the giveaway? I’m giving away TWO books, a polka dot shopping bag, and $10.00 in Starbucks gift cards.
And this seems like a good opportunity for an announcement. Clutter Free is now available in paperback and ebook at your favorite sites.
Heather Weidner has been kind enough to share writing tips with us this week. Thanks, Heather!
As a writer, I have way more ideas for stories and characters than I can use at any one time. I used to jot them down on paper or sticky notes. I’d clip articles out of newspapers and magazines, so I had folders of ideas. But it became unruly quickly. Here’s how I keep it all organized and usable.
Electronic Links and Pictures: If it’s a picture, web page, or blog post, I have Pinterest boards to organize ideas. For example, I was researching vintage trailers and tiny houses for a WIP, so I built a Pinterest board to keep my information in one place.
Single Spreadsheet: I finally created a single spreadsheet for all of the hundreds of sticky notes that were cluttering up my life. I created a column to tag each idea (e.g. character name, dialogue sample, story idea, etc.). That allows me to sort by the category when I’m looking for something specific. I also add notes if I’ve used the idea. I may still jot things on sticky notes or paper, but they now get transferred to the spreadsheet.
Web Favorites: If you mark favorites in your browser for websites, you may want to export it from time to time to ensure that you have a backup in case of a crash or device failure. (In Internet Explorer, locate your “Add to Favorites” button. Click the down arrow and select Import and Export. Follow the screens to export your favorites to a file.)
Character and Place Name Table: I also build a Word table for each series I write. Each book gets a column. I put basic information about each character and location. I track which books these appear in. When I’m done, I sort my list alphabetically, so I can make sure that I’m not reusing names or naming characters with similar names. This helps me keep the character details consistent in each book.
Heather is a fabulous author and an even better friend! Here are some links to get to know her better. She’s the author of Heather is a fabulous author and an even better friend! Here are some links to get to know her better. She’s the author of the Jules Keene Glamping series, Mermaid Bay Christmas Shoppe Mysteries and the Delanie Fitzgerald Mysteries.
Returning to Fox Island where she grew up, Kate Sloan begins her career as a professional organizer. When a woman accuses Kate’s police chief brother of having an affair, Kate’s priority shifts from organizing to proving her brother’s innocence. Kate visits the woman, hoping for a confession. The woman won’t admit she lied, and to make the situation worse, the accuser is found dead the next day by Kate and her business partner.
Kate has an eye for seeing what’s out of place, and she knows how to fix problems. Can she utilize her organizational skills to toss red herrings and focus on legitimate clues? Emma’s business is at risk as well as her brother’s career. The clock is ticking, and this could be the deadliest deadline of Kate’s life. She must discover the truth behind the victim’s vicious lies, but most of all, she needs to solve the murder before she becomes the next victim.
I got to live in Athens, Georgia for ten years, and I’m excited to have a series set in Georgia. Fox Island is a fictional town near Savannah. When my husband and I dated, we sometimes would get up before the sun rose and drive to Tybee Island for the day. So, this is a very special area to us.
Last year, Tim and I went to Tybee Island for a few days to research the area. It’s a coastal beach town, but it’s very different than where I live. Fox Island is not Tybee, but there are some similarities.
If you look closely, you’ll see Paula Deen. She couldn’t have been nicer to us.
Thanks for your time. I’ll let you know when Clutter Free is available on other formats.
In preparation for the release of Clutter Free, a few friends and I will share some organizing tips.
Sue Minix shared that her coffee table needs to be organized. She said, “Pretty sure it (to organize coffee table) is on the to-do list, which is, you guessed it, on the coffee table!”
Sue has a new book coming out in September, A Chapter On Murder. Find out more on her website. https://www.sueminixauthor.com/
Grace Topping shared, “Save boxes from greeting cards, candy, etc. and use them to create drawer dividers. They keep similar things separated and organized. They are particularly useful in bathroom, powder room, and kitchen drawers.
I also do this when I take cruises. Pack small items in the boxes, and then use the open boxes to create dividers in the drawers in the ship’s cabin. It keeps things from sliding around when the ship starts bouncing around.”
Grace is the author of many cozy mysteries, including Upstaged by Murder. Learn more about Grace. https://www.gracetopping.com/
Keys used to always get misplaced at my house. I bought a wooden boat at a local boat show, and it turned out solving the problem. We now keep all keys, small flashlights, and bug spray in our wooden boat.
Stay tuned for writing tips for authors.
If you’re curious about Clutter Free, here’s the back cover blurb.
Returning to Fox Island where she grew up, Kate Sloan begins her career as a professional organizer. When a woman accuses Kate’s police chief brother of having an affair, Kate’s priority shifts from organizing to proving her brother’s innocence. Kate visits the woman, hoping for a confession. The woman won’t admit she lied, and to make the situation worse, the accuser is found dead the next day by Kate and her business partner.
Kate has an eye for seeing what’s out of place, and she knows how to fix problems. Can she utilize her organizational skills to toss red herrings and focus on legitimate clues? Emma’s business is at risk as well as her brother’s career. The clock is ticking, and this could be the deadliest deadline of Kate’s life. She must discover the truth behind the victim’s vicious lies, but most of all, she needs to solve the murder before she becomes the next victim.
I’m so excited to share the cover of Clutter Free. August 29 is the official release date, and it’s up for preorder on Amazon. https://amzn.to/45vXrLj
Returning to Fox Island where she grew up, Emma Sloan begins her career as a professional organizer. When a woman accuses Emma’s police chief brother of having an affair, Emma’s priority shifts from organizing to proving her brother’s innocence. Emma visits the woman, hoping for a confession. The woman won’t admit she lied, and to make the situation worse, the accuser is found dead the next day by Emma and her business partner.
Emma has an eye for seeing what’s out of place, and she knows how to fix problems. Can she utilize her organizational skills to toss red herrings and focus on legitimate clues? Emma’s business is at risk as well as her brother’s career. The clock is ticking, and this could be the deadliest deadline of Emma’s life. She must discover the truth behind the victim’s vicious lies, but most of all, she needs to solve the murder before she becomes the next victim.
I’ll keep you updated and share more about Clutter Free in the days ahead. In the meantime, take care and stay hydrated!
I want to share some of the flowers I spotted in July in Waco.
These were taken at Magnolia. There were a lot of pretty flowers. It was hot, but it’s July in Texas, so it wasn’t surprising. Still, I admire all the people working on the flowers.
Homestead Heritage is the home to these wildflowers. One of my granddaughters braved the heat to explore with me. Then we headed into the coffee shop for icy cold drinks.
Emma Justice in Weeding Out Lies is a flower farmer who sells her flowers at the local farmers market. She grows some of the same flowers as I saw in Waco.
Thanks for sharing your time with me. I’d love to hear what your favorite flowers are. Or do you enjoy going to botanical gardens? Where do you get your flower fix?
The closet where we toss everything when preparing for company.
I have a new series coming out later this year, featuring a professional organizer. So, when somebody mentions an organizing project, my ears perk up.
Sherrinda Ketchersid told me last week that she and some other friends were going to clean up and organize their church closet. The Spirit of Unity is near Dallas, Texas. And we all know how hot it’s been in Texas this summer. The ladies assured me sweating was involved.
When there’s a community closet, lots of well-meaning people can stuff items into the closet. Using cabinets and shelves are a good way to organize spaces.
Goals for projects like this are DECLUTTER and ORGANIZE.
Remove all the items in the closet or storage unit. Clean the shelves then sort through the items you took out. Are they in good condition? Are they necessary? If not, throw or give them away.
Collect storage bins in appropriate sizes for your project.
Labeling clear containers helps the person who is putting items away, and it’s helpful to the person looking for an item.
Create a binder to list the items you’re storing.
Some items you may need for your church storage closet are:
Candles and supplies
First aid kit
Coffee and hospitality supplies
Sunday school supplies, name tags, and markers
An assortment of batteries, because we always need batteries
I feel like most churches with kitchens have food and cooking supplies in the kitchen.
Thanks to Sherrinda Ketchersid and her friends for sharing their experience of decluttering and organizing.
She’s the author of clean, fun medieval romances. Lord of her Heart, His to Keep, and Hers to Love can be found at some of your favorite online bookstores.
Jackie Layton 