authorajalexander

[authorajalexander]

It's March - And Time To Bring Back One Of My Most Successful Posts

It’s been a while… It’s March, time to laugh, springtime, time to enjoy… and I decided to do my part. Have fun with the read. A Little Bit Of Childhood – Or – How To Become A Tough Adult I’m now talking to the kids, teenagers, and the ones who one day want to become teens, young adults, and millennials. I’m talking to those wimps who have no clue that one can grow up without having everyone…

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Soul Taker Secrets - Unravel The Myths & Secrets Of An Incredible Invention Everyone & Nobody Knows

Since Katie has never been the best chef, and despite her fellow consorts helping her, on occasion, she needs to ‘whip’ up something for breakfast or brunch for Raphael, or even another one or two (or more) Council members, depending on what is going on at that point. Together, they were brainstorming what would be an easy, still healthy, and quick meal to make, even without cooking [much]… and…

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An Unexpected Sunbeam

It’s been more than a year since I got the order from someone to throw away some trinkets they got as business gifts. One of them was a little square box with small square ‘surprise’ quotes about how ‘Life is beautiful’. I looked at that box and couldn’t throw it into the trash. And it stood in my room for the longest time, waiting to be discovered. Each of them is carefully sealed, and each must…

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Authors: Spring Special! 10% Off Paranormal Romance Guild Membership!

Dear Authors Spring is in the air, and so is the perfect opportunity to take your author journey to the next level! From March 21 through April 21, 2025, we’re offering a Spring Special—10% off your first year of membership in the Paranormal Romance Guild! That means you’ll pay just $90 for a 2-year membership or $45 for a 1-year membership—and with it, you gain access to an incredible suite of…

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Are Writers Uniquely Vulnerable to Scams? - Written By Victoria Strauss For Writer Beware

This is a question that sometimes comes up when I do interviews. Writer Beware has been in operation for more than 25 years, yet it’s still so busy. There seem to be so many scams that target authors. Are writers somehow more vulnerable to fraud than other creatives? In my opinion, no. Writing scams aren’t unique. There are similar frauds in every creative industry. Headshot scams for models.…

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10th Year Anniversary Of 'Writer's Treasure Chest'

W-O-W!! I’m so excited – and old… I’m very excited to be a blogger of 10 years! Writer’s Treasure Chest has grown significantly in the past few years. 2,600 posts over 13,200 comments1,873 followersandalmost 200 guests I’m so lucky to be part of the blogging world with all your help. Without guests, friends, followers, supporters, and people encouraging me again and again, this blogging…

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Winter Darkness

Despite the silver sparkles, despite the whitest flakes the beauty of the coldness the frozen ponds and lakes despite the reigning darkness, the bite that freezes our breath danger searches for its victims, and the monster is called death. ~ A. J. Alexander ~ The statistics say, the months in which the suicides are highest generally are around May/June, and again, August/September, early and…

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Oscars 2025 - A Fashion Post

Welcome to my annual Oscars-Fashion Critics a la AJ. I worked hard to avoid the same kind of delay that happened last year. So, let’s that show going… I’d like to start with a few dresses that I consider being listed ‘somewhere in the lower third’ of the list. They’re not bad, but they’re not great either. Maybe they’re on the safe side, without much risk or personal style. The Safe Side In…

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Retired actor Gene Hackman (95) and his wife, pianist Betsy Arakawa (63), passed away in their house in New Mexico. (together with their dog.) Gene Hackman retired from acting over 20 years ago. May they Rest In Peace. https://apnews.com/article/gene-hackman-found-dead-f6c106e92987aeaaab7b35c1b956a5c8?utm_source=copy&utm_medium=share #genehackman #betsyarakawa #rip #goodbye #ajalexander

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Read An E-Book Week On Smashwords - March 2 - 8, 2025

Hello, Readers!, Followers, and Friends I’m excited to announce that my entire ‘The Council of Twelve’ series, will be available as part of a promotion on Smashwords for the ‘Read An EBook Week’ Event! This is a chance to get all six books, along with books from many other great authors, at a discount so you can get right to reading. You will find the promo here starting on March 2,…

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SAG/AFTRA Awards 2025 - A Fashion BLOG Post

I watched the Awards tonight for one particular reason. But since I’ve already been on it, I would be unable to keep my mouth shut about the fashion worn that night if my life depended on it. It might not be as extended as the Oscar red carpet, but there were a few nice and tasteful outfits – and a few on the opposite side. One thing surprised me, I admit: why the blush pink? I thought it was…

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Constraints and Creativity for Writers – Written By Melissa Donovan

on Writing Forward: Lots of writers feel restricted by rules and constraints. I’ve seen writers rail against constraints ranging from the submission guidelines on an agent’s website to the specifications of a creative writing exercise. I once witnessed a rant by an author whose story didn’t fit into any genre that could be found on Amazon (or in any other bookstore). Some people want to create…

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6 Tips on Writing Disabled Characters – Written By James Irwin

Good writers create characters that reflect the diversity of our world. Unfortunately, disabled characters in the work of abled writers tends to fall short of the ideal. Most people with a disability rarely see themselves in stories, and when they do the representations can be inaccurate, with some offensively ableist. Too often, writers become lazy and rely on disability stereotypes and tropes,…

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Free Yourself from Rewriting Paralysis – Written By Anne Carley

on Jane Friedman site: Most of us accept the basic reality: We draft and then we rewrite. Edit, take a break (when time permits), revisit, and revise again. Sometimes, though, the revision process meanders off-course, leaving us—and our project—stranded. Returning to our initial vision, applying reason, and using an outline are certainly useful tools. And yet. Sometimes they are not enough. A…

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The Writer’s Road to Creative Burnout Recovery – Written By K.M. Weiland

Because writers are generally a solution-forward bunch, we often think we can ten-step our way out of the problem. However, when creativity itself is the problem, the resources to heal can often be counter-intuitive. Creative burnout recovery isn’t about forcing your way back to the page; it’s about holistically creating space in the rest of your life for your creativity to breathe and…

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Publishing scams are rampant. How to be – Written By Nathan Bransford

Nearly every week I hear from an author who has a question for me because they’re in the process of being scammed. Publishing scams are RAMPANT. They have always existed, but they’ve reached epidemic status of late, along with America’s horrid overall scam culture. There was finally some good news on this front as some of the most egregious publishing scammers were arrested recently, but those…

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A Divine Intervention - Drowning Wings (Zachariel's Past) II

“Hoooooo…. wait… just one second!” A tall, muscular angel with mocha-colored skin and wild ebony locks turned around to look at the angel with the toffee-colored sickle wings and frowned. “Did something happen?” The slightly shorter angel replied, breathing heavily. “I haven’t seen you for a while. I thought… maybe… could you… Maybe you could put a word for me when you see Archangel Gabriel? You…