I hope you are having a nice start to February 2025.
Today’s post is to join in the blog tour for the book Story Chat 2.
I mentioned this book, briefly, in a January Priorhouse blog post, reviewed it on Amazon, and below are blog tour links – so rather then restating content, in this post I wanted to share one reason why you should check out this book: to possibly leave your comfort zone.
What I like about the Story Chat writing group, now in its third year, is how it brings the reader to new genres and allows us to leave our comfort zone. Now of course we need regular refreshment from comfortable genres but it can be very good for humans to leave the same ol’ same ol’:
“Making time to leave your comfort zone (like reading the Story Chat 2 anthology) can stimulate imagination and fuel creativity, it can boost your mood, and could even help if someone was wrestling with burnout. Because when we “change things up” – that bit of change could bring refreshment, even if it also brings some annoyance. When we make a little time to explore diverse genres and various authors, we expand knowledge, enhance understanding, and subtly augment new ideas.”
If you have not checked out the book yet, below are the links (or just go to Amazon and Kindle and search for Story Chat 2) and below you will find other posts from the promo blog tour for this book.
Story Chat Volume 2
While most of the stories would fall into the category of drama at all ages from children to older adults, this collection includes sci-fi, comedy, and two non-fiction articles about the writing process. All of the selections are family-friendly even though the topics are aimed at adult readers.
Story Chat Volume 2 was another collaborative project coordinated by Marsha Ingrao. Assisting editors included Dan Antion, Gary Wilson, and Doug Jacquier and publisher and editor Colleen Chesebro, from Unicorn Cats Publishing Services, polished the manuscript and helped me launch the book.
AUTHORS in Story Chat Volume II
MARSHA INGRAO, UNITED STATES –STORY CHAT CO-FOUNDER & EDITOR
Hi Robbie – my pleasure and looking forward to what Story Chat III brings this year – I herad you wrote another amazing poem for one of the challenges – and can’t wait to check it out.
XXX
You are ubiquitous, Robbie. I made it to the party, in a few hours late. I’m so proud to be here. Yvette adds a lot to whatever she does. This post speaks about the psychology of the writer responding to the readers in a public arena. It’s not hard, but it’s not for the feint of heart.
Yes, that is true. In saying that, whenever you publish anything on WP or in the public domain for consumption you are putting yourself out there for criticism and commentary.
well said Robbie and Marsha…
and the saying that comes to mind is that “winners have more losses than losers” – even though I never use that verbiage to call someone a loser or winner, ha!, but that phrase can be taken different ways and one way I take it is that people who never have a loss (never open up for criticism, play it super safe all the time, maintain a bubble) they may not have losses (or rejection or tough comments) but they are missing out because of that playing it safe. And so the “winners having more losses” part means that when we are trying and getting back up and becoming a little vulnerable (with trusted groups) and when we take chances and let people in – it will come with loss and hard moments (like you said, not for the light-hearted) and so perhaps in this context, winners experience more failures/setbacks and know it is part of living a rich life.
This phrase can also apply to how folks handle loss (winners persevere and become seasoned with coping, whereas the play-it-really-safe losers might give up or always blame external factors for setbacks).
Hmmmm
All that to say that the story chat group of writers and commentors tend to not be be brutal in their delivery of feedback – and this can make us less defensive…
Hi Yvette, this is a terrific comment and I hope it makes its way into Story Chat 3. This is 100% spot on about life in general and learning to share and take chances.
Hi Dan, thanks for the comment and I like that comfort zone graphic “just a little” – but do not think it applies to every situation – and I used it because I found a different one (with less circles) but I wanted to use an open domain one.
Me, too Dan. The graphic is brilliant and I thinks speaks more to authors who put themselves on display. It’s always a relief when the comments start, and the story has acceptance with readers. But until then, you don’t quite know. Even if you get some feedback that has positive ideas for improvement, it is a major step in toughening our literary skins. 🙂
Well said, and I was just watching a news story when I read your comment and I was like “True that, Janet”
People can get so much tunnel vision to where they do not even see the bias that clouds objectivity.
A great share, Yvette. I definitely used the Story Chat experience to stretch and try something different. I hope that a lot of other authors did the same. It’s a great read. Congrats for being a part of it!
The stretch for the reader is in the tips sections. It could also be in reading the high quality stories even though I have been looking at the stretch from the author POV. Reading this again makes me step back and consider that when I read a really good story, I often can’t resist the challenge of telling a good story back. Thanks for being a part of SC this past year. 🙂 xxx
🙂 Nice. There are a lot of ways to stretch in Story Chat: asking for feedback, putting ourselves out there, learning more about the craft, trying new voices or a type of story we haven’t written before… so many ways to grow!
Good points, Diana. You said you tried a new genre as I remember. I’m relatively inexperienced at writing short stories, so it’s all good. The other way is copying. I liked what Nigel did with the letter to Santa as a way of introducing Sophia. He took something that many people worldwide have done and made it unique even though it had nothing to do with the story, it introduced her devil-me-care personality. It made the strip show later totally believable.
I tried a story with a character that didn’t speak. Dialogue is a great way to moderate pace, and I didn’t have any. Oh, and Nigel’s story was excellent. I was totally entranced.
Yvette, you bring a depth to the reason behind Story Chat. I love the chart. It is often out of our comfort zones, even for published authors because it brings us so close to our readers. And you never know what readers might say. (They are like the characters in our stories – always surprising us!) Thanks for posting this great recommendation for Story Chat.
Thanks for the additional heads up. We are moving AGAIN, back to CA, so both of our heads are in a cloud most of the time with all the things that need to be done. I haven’t officially announced it, and I can’t until we have final approval on the house.
Wow – best wishes with the move! And back to CA (cue the song…. I’m going back to Cali, Cali, Cali…)
And I agree with you on the feedback provided, which can be raw at times. But something I have appreciated aboiut story chat contributors and what keeps me around, is the good energy that comes from folks and not a bunch of ego. And there are some heavy hitters in this group (which means serious writers with talent and success) and I have not felt ego and have not felt meanness – even with some of the “constructive” comments….
Great lead in about story chat and the great chat. It’s impressive what you all have done. And thanks for the mention. I’ll finally have a poem that Marsha has nudged about for sometime and I’m happy to finally be able to participate. Hope all is well. I’ve missed you!
I have missed you too – and I look forward to your poem – and I really think you dream in rhyme – do you? Do you have lines rolling off the cognitive mill at breakfast?
"When you awake in the morning, learn something to inspire you and mediate upon it, then plunge forward full of light with which to illuminate the darkness." -Rabbi Tzvi Freeman
priorhouse blog 
Hi Yvette, thank you for sharing about story Chat II
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Hi Robbie – my pleasure and looking forward to what Story Chat III brings this year – I herad you wrote another amazing poem for one of the challenges – and can’t wait to check it out.
XXX
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Thank you, Yvette, that is very kind of you.
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You are ubiquitous, Robbie. I made it to the party, in a few hours late. I’m so proud to be here. Yvette adds a lot to whatever she does. This post speaks about the psychology of the writer responding to the readers in a public arena. It’s not hard, but it’s not for the feint of heart.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, that is true. In saying that, whenever you publish anything on WP or in the public domain for consumption you are putting yourself out there for criticism and commentary.
LikeLiked by 1 person
😻😻😻
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well said Robbie and Marsha…
and the saying that comes to mind is that “winners have more losses than losers” – even though I never use that verbiage to call someone a loser or winner, ha!, but that phrase can be taken different ways and one way I take it is that people who never have a loss (never open up for criticism, play it super safe all the time, maintain a bubble) they may not have losses (or rejection or tough comments) but they are missing out because of that playing it safe. And so the “winners having more losses” part means that when we are trying and getting back up and becoming a little vulnerable (with trusted groups) and when we take chances and let people in – it will come with loss and hard moments (like you said, not for the light-hearted) and so perhaps in this context, winners experience more failures/setbacks and know it is part of living a rich life.
This phrase can also apply to how folks handle loss (winners persevere and become seasoned with coping, whereas the play-it-really-safe losers might give up or always blame external factors for setbacks).
Hmmmm
All that to say that the story chat group of writers and commentors tend to not be be brutal in their delivery of feedback – and this can make us less defensive…
LikeLike
Hi Yvette, this is a terrific comment and I hope it makes its way into Story Chat 3. This is 100% spot on about life in general and learning to share and take chances.
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thanks for coming back to add that – and it really does apply to life in general…. ahhh
good day Robbie
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💗
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It’s a good plug, Yvette, and sound reasoning.
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Thanks Restless Jo. And as I made the post, I realized that blogging lets us leave our comfort zone a lot – especially if we follow diverse bloggers…
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Her plug is electrifying, dear Jo. It makes me want to go read the book again.:) xxx
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Thanks for reminding people about this great project. I love that graphic about the different zones.
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Hi Dan, thanks for the comment and I like that comfort zone graphic “just a little” – but do not think it applies to every situation – and I used it because I found a different one (with less circles) but I wanted to use an open domain one.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Me, too Dan. The graphic is brilliant and I thinks speaks more to authors who put themselves on display. It’s always a relief when the comments start, and the story has acceptance with readers. But until then, you don’t quite know. Even if you get some feedback that has positive ideas for improvement, it is a major step in toughening our literary skins. 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
These days so many don’t get out of their comfort zone without anger. When we lose civility, we lose so much.
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Well said, and I was just watching a news story when I read your comment and I was like “True that, Janet”
People can get so much tunnel vision to where they do not even see the bias that clouds objectivity.
LikeLike
A great share, Yvette. I definitely used the Story Chat experience to stretch and try something different. I hope that a lot of other authors did the same. It’s a great read. Congrats for being a part of it!
LikeLiked by 1 person
The stretch for the reader is in the tips sections. It could also be in reading the high quality stories even though I have been looking at the stretch from the author POV. Reading this again makes me step back and consider that when I read a really good story, I often can’t resist the challenge of telling a good story back. Thanks for being a part of SC this past year. 🙂 xxx
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂 Nice. There are a lot of ways to stretch in Story Chat: asking for feedback, putting ourselves out there, learning more about the craft, trying new voices or a type of story we haven’t written before… so many ways to grow!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Good points, Diana. You said you tried a new genre as I remember. I’m relatively inexperienced at writing short stories, so it’s all good. The other way is copying. I liked what Nigel did with the letter to Santa as a way of introducing Sophia. He took something that many people worldwide have done and made it unique even though it had nothing to do with the story, it introduced her devil-me-care personality. It made the strip show later totally believable.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I tried a story with a character that didn’t speak. Dialogue is a great way to moderate pace, and I didn’t have any. Oh, and Nigel’s story was excellent. I was totally entranced.
LikeLiked by 2 people
But she talked in her head. That worked out beautifully. It was such a fun story. Nigel’s is brilliant as well. I’m so glad he joined us!
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I really like how this came out “a lot of ways to stretch” with story chat…. so true
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Thanks so much D. And I know that many folks appreciated your contribution with the writing tips – which added to the nice variety…
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Yvette, you bring a depth to the reason behind Story Chat. I love the chart. It is often out of our comfort zones, even for published authors because it brings us so close to our readers. And you never know what readers might say. (They are like the characters in our stories – always surprising us!) Thanks for posting this great recommendation for Story Chat.
Thanks for the additional heads up. We are moving AGAIN, back to CA, so both of our heads are in a cloud most of the time with all the things that need to be done. I haven’t officially announced it, and I can’t until we have final approval on the house.
Thanks again for all you do. 🙂 xxxxxxxxxx
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Wow – best wishes with the move! And back to CA (cue the song…. I’m going back to Cali, Cali, Cali…)
And I agree with you on the feedback provided, which can be raw at times. But something I have appreciated aboiut story chat contributors and what keeps me around, is the good energy that comes from folks and not a bunch of ego. And there are some heavy hitters in this group (which means serious writers with talent and success) and I have not felt ego and have not felt meanness – even with some of the “constructive” comments….
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I think you are very right. The chatters are kind, even when offering constructive words. I adore all my authors.
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🙂
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Great to see it highlighted here 🥰
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Thank you Esther. It has been nice connecting this week at your site too.
🙂
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Thank you for the links, Yvette! A wonderful to share and connect!
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Hi Amy, thanks for the visit and comment as we share and connect 🙂
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Hi Yvette,
Great lead in about story chat and the great chat. It’s impressive what you all have done. And thanks for the mention. I’ll finally have a poem that Marsha has nudged about for sometime and I’m happy to finally be able to participate. Hope all is well. I’ve missed you!
Sending love and hugs,
💗
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I have missed you too – and I look forward to your poem – and I really think you dream in rhyme – do you? Do you have lines rolling off the cognitive mill at breakfast?
haah
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Sounds like another great collection, Yvette. Congratulations to all the authors.
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Thank you, Norah💗💗💗
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