Candice Gilmer's Blog

Ever feel like someone strapped you to the back of a rocket and said “hold on,” without any seatbelt or warning?

That’s how I’m feeling right now. The thunder of the engine shakes me in my seat as I’m trying to get my bearings, but before I can do that, I’m off.

Hit hard and jettisoning to the stratosphere.

I can’t think of a better metaphor for the last few weeks as I start working on my author life. I suppose that’s a misleading statement. Because I’m always working on something author-relat...

So today, while I was doing laundry, my kids came in my room where I'd been working on my computer, and started reading on the book I was working on cleaning up. 

My daughter and son decided to help write the end of the chapter I was working on. I felt the need to share it with the world. 

 

She smiled.  He was hot. Really hot. As hot as hot could be. Hotter than hot.  Even though he looked like Christmas personified, he was still hot. Hotter than Santa clause in a 60 degree room.

Uh-oh spaghett...

 Whether it's Indoor or an Outdoor Event, there are things you always need.

I’ve done a ridiculous amount of indoor and outdoor events over the last fifteen years. I enjoy interacting with readers and engaging with them. Over the years, I’ve gotten really good at setting up a nice table, and I've learned a lot of tricks and tips to getting ready for a public event to sell books.

All of us want to sell all the books at these events. It can be very scary to do it the first time. 

I know there’s a...

So, my 37th book, Claim, released today, December 30, 2023. It’s been a helluva road to get it here and available.

There were points when I didn’t think I’d ever get it finished. More points came up when I thought it was literally the dumbest book I’d ever written and no one in their right mind would want to read it, or even like it.

That side of me warred with the fact that I had people who had purchased pre-orders for it, from the initial set up of the book, back in Sept of 2022. Many were on ...

Medical issues stink. They really do. Especially when it’s stupid.

Like mine for the last, oh, I don’t know, let’s say, for argument’s sake, it’s been a few years anyway, that I've been having stomach issues.

To remain delicate about it, I will say that I couldn’t leave the bathroom, or was constantly going to the bathroom because my gut decided to expel everything. This happened at least once a week.

I would try different things to attempt to fix it. Boycott coffee for a while. A close friend ...

So I'll be at a few events this year, here's the current list: 

Events* 2023 Live Event  Appearances

April 15-16 -- Spring Great Plains Renaissance Festival 

June 24-25 -- Smallville Comic Con 

August 5-6 -- Guest Speaker, classes on Writing to Market and Cover Art to Market - Romancelahoma 

September 30-October 1 -- Fall Great Plains Renaissance Festival 

(Missed due to illness)

October 28-29 -- Air Capital Comic Con

November 3 - Sigma Tau Delta High Plains Regional Conference  Keynote Speaker...

 

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, a very special love existed between a scoundrel and a princess that changed the way many of us looked at love stories. No longer did the princess have to swoon over the good-hearted young hero. Instead, she could have the heart of a rogue, a smuggler who was completely beneath her social standing.

He still captivated her.

She loved him.

Whether she would admit it or not.

I’m talking, of course, about Princess Leia Organa and Han Solo, in Star Wars Th...

Who hasn’t fallen for a jock in high school? I know I have. Had several jock-crushes, as a matter of fact. I was that girl, stalking them in the hallway, knowing when they would be in “C” hall or “D” hall, and waiting, with baited breath, that they’d say “hi” to me.

Never did, but hey. That’s high school love.

Probably why I love the whole Jock-falls-for Nerd storyline. It’s a common enough theme in entertainment--movies, books, music, and television all bank on this particular idea.

But what is...

Everyone remembers Back to the Future, it is a classic movie that does an amazing job at moving the story along and generally keeping you engaged, without being overly complicated, even though it deals with time travel.

I find a lot of inspiration from that movie, when I looked at it from a story perspective rather than a movie to love.

So here's some of my tips, taking inspiration from Back to the Future.

Laying out the essentials in an organic way (avoid info dump – think about the pacing in ...