4 Blogs and Then Some

Blogging gives any and all of us an opportunity to express ourselves. Many of us may wish there was less of it—particularly when the expressing takes the form of politics or celebrity culture are concerned, but then either we all have the right to speak freely or no one does.

Most writers use blogs to promote their books, network with other writers, and, sometimes, work through their processes and research. Occasionally we use them to vent emotion or express opinions. Can we pour all that into one blog?  I can’t. I regularly write for four of them, and often contribute to others. (Those of you who have now concluded I am crazy are probably correct, at least in this matter, but do remember I write because I’m a writer.)

The four I manage (in whole or in part) and write for regularly are:

1. This one, Caroline’s own. I try to give my readers insights into my writing life, promote my books (of course), On Thursdays, it also provides a platform for other writers of historical fiction to highlight their work. New material appears at least twice a week. Lately I’m also participating in the Marketing For Romance Writers 52 week challenge. Every week in 2017 numerous romance-writers will all post on the same topic. Watch for it on Fridays.
2. The Bluestocking Belles’ Teatime Tattler. The Belle’s blog is meant to be a gossip rag like US or The National Inquirer, as it might have been written in the early nineteenth century. Mr. S. Clemens delights in exposing the foibles of the upper classes through short bits of fiction, purloined letters or diaries, and the reports of eavesdropping servants and jealous aunts. In doing so, the authors also promote their work. When we put out an invitation recently, we were overwhelmed with the response, and have filled our schedule through June.
3. History Imagined. My partners, Becky Lower and Linda Bennett Pennell, and I write on a variety of topics, some suggested by research for our novels and some merely historical topics that strike grab our interest. Generally each article also lists novels set in the period mentioned in the article or dealing with related issues. My topics have ranged from “The Seraglio” to “Pistols for the Uniformed” to a very personal one, “Christmas, Pusan” about the Korean War.
4. Per Ipsum. That one is entirely personal. It is a spiritual journal on a variety of topics related to faith, “One person’s lamp-lit journey with some baggage and few maps.”

Now that It spell it out, it seems like a lot, but none of that is allowed to get in the way of the real work, the writing of novels, of course. My Bath novella is coming along very well, but I need to make progress quickly because I will soon have comments back from beta readers for The Reluctant Wife and that will take priority. Goodness! It is going to be another busy week. But first? Coffee.