Valerie Ormond's Thoughts On …

Writing Tips from Valerie Ormond

Category: books

  • Looking Back Through Books: Bold Characters and Bigger Goals

    A graphic featuring book covers of 'Fall of Giants' by Ken Follett, 'Sisters of Night and Fog' by Erika Robuck, 'Degrees of Intelligence' by Miranda Armstadt, and 'Undaunted Courage' by Stephen E. Ambrose, with a central caption 'Conviction-Driven Stories'.

    The new year is a good time to reflect on the last, and I prefer to look at the positive. I read and listened to more books than ever, which means I’m achieving one of my goals! Since my current work in progress is a historical fiction novel, I consider reading part of my homework.

    I curated ten of my recent favorites across a variety of genres but with similarities: strong characters fighting to support their countries and their beliefs.

    Historical Fiction

    Fall of Giants (The Century Trilogy #1) by Ken Follett

    Reading this led to books #2 and #3 in this series…a fascinating education told in riveting tales

    Sisters of Night and Fog by Erika Robuck

    Strong women fighting evil and seeking survival against all odds

    The Rose Code by Kate Quinn

    Three brilliant women from wildly different backgrounds solving the problems others couldn’t

    Degrees of Intelligence: A Geopolitical Thriller of WWII and the Cold War—Inspired by a True Story by Miranda Armstadt

    Politics, spies, and a behind-the-scenes look at the early days of the CIA

    The Sand Pounder: Love and Drama on Horseback in WWII by M.J. Evans

    What’s not to love about a young woman challenging the rules to serve her country?

    (Young adult historical fiction)

    History

    Undaunted Courage: Meriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson, and the Opening of the American West by Stephen E. Ambrose

    An eye-opening story of adventure, history and courage every American should read (or listen to)

    Operation Underworld: How the Mafia and U.S. Government Teamed Up to Win World War II by Matthew Black

    A true story that seems unbelievable—Naval Intelligence and the Mafia joining forces to help win WWII

    Mystery

    Welcome Home to Murder by Rosalie Spielman

    Female veteran returning home to find her family in danger in this cozy mystery

    Fatal Image: An Avery Sloane Mystery by Rhonda Lane

    An intriguing mystery including horses, veterans, and a slice of humor

    Fiction

    Playing Army by Nancy Stroer

    Will she race to the finish line or crash along the way?

    I hope you’ve enjoyed the list, and please feel free to add your own favorites in the comments.

  • How Much Will it Cost to Self-Publish?

    Infographic showing the costs associated with publishing a book, including editing, cover design, formatting, and marketing.

    I saw this post today from my friends at Reedsy and thought it was worth sharing.

    https://blog.reedsy.com/guide/how-to-self-publish-a-book/cost-to-self-publish

  • Podcast Connections

    A vintage microphone in the foreground with a radio and headphones in the background.

    I recently had the pleasure of speaking to Rachann Ennis Mayer, owner and host of the Raising Connections Program. Rachann and I became fast friends, and I thank her for being such an excellent host and making the experience a fun one.

    To paraphrase Rachann, she focuses on Critters, Companions, Commerce, and Agriculture and raises the connections between them through casual conversations.

    Our conversation, titled Author, Valerie Ormond, aired on the Raising Connections Podcast at this link:
    https://www.buzzsprout.com/2069900/episodes/17103601

    If you want to learn more about the fascinating Rachann and listen to wide variety of past programs, please visit her website at https://raisingconnections.com. Thank you to my new friend and connection!

    Logo of the Raising Connections program featuring a gear symbol with wheat stalks, accompanied by the text 'RAISING CONNECTIONS' and the tagline 'Critters Companions Commerce Agriculture'.

  • Celebrating International Impact

    The International Impact Book Awards presented my latest book, Believing In Horses Out West, an award at their book awards gala in Phoenix, AZ this past weekend.

    Nim Stant, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of the International Impact Book Awards said, “Being selected as a winner at the International Impact Book Awards is a testament to your exceptional talent, dedication, and creativity. Your work has truly made an impact, and it is our honor to celebrate this remarkable achievement with you.”

    This award was personally significant to me not only due to the words “international impact” in the title, but also because it is likely the last awards contest I will be entering Believing In Horses Out West in. It’s been a fun run for the past three years, and I’m happy with the recognition we have achieved.

    Since many of my blog readers have been part of my “team,” I wanted to share a wrap-up of awards for Believing In Horses Out West.

    Winner, International Impact Book Awards – Pets and Animals

    First Place, National Federation of Press Women’s National Communications Contest – Young Adult Book – Fiction

    First Place, National Federation of Press Women’s At Large Communications Contest – Young Adult Book – Fiction

    Gold Medal, Military Writers Society of America MWSA) – Young Adult

    EQUUS Film and Arts Festival – Winner – Equine Fiction

    Second Place, BookFest Book Awards – Animals

    Finalist, The Authors’ Zone (TAZ) Book Awards

    Finalist, The Wishing Shelf Book Awards

    Thank you to the judges who have found to book worthy of these awards and to all those who have been along for the ride.

  • StoryWorth

    Passing on Your Life Story