Ann Minnett, Author

Burden of Breath will be a free download on Amazon August 6th and 7th! Check out the 4.3 average stars for 142 reviews.

I tried, Twitter. I really tried. But my feed contains too much crap to wade through. I don’t read the book endorsements of authors I don’t know--I suspect no one else does either—and that was my sole reason for becoming a Twit. It’s too much! A writer friend recently posted (on FaceBook and I assume on Twitter) this paraphrased question: Do your fellow writers spam you with Twitter posts about their books? Yes, they do. Twitter works for those much more savvy than I about managing content and sharing. For me the quantity represents Garbage in, garbage out . So I withdraw once again to rely on trusted literary websites, random FaceBook posts , and this blog. I wonder if I should post this on Twitter?

One of the few one-star ratings Burden of Breath received on Amazon came from a reader incensed that I had not included a “trigger warning” in the story summary. The outraged reader’s review didn’t use that label, but within weeks the term caused a lot of controversy in the media. Some universities had mandated warnings that the literary content in reading lists might trigger traumatic memories. My reader righted my omission and detailed the entire story in her review. Every detail. Apparently, the reader wasn’t too traumatized to finish the novel. I stop reading anything that offends or bores me. How about you?

Courtesy: Whitefish Convention & Tourism Bureau There are two seasons in NW Montana: winter and construction. July is the first month of construction, aka glorious summer—quite a jolt to our economy and to the locals’ daily life. The temperatures warm enough to permit road repairs, and all the work must be done in a hurry. Meanwhile, walking-jogging-biking-hiking tourists flood our small town until the end of August. My home town is your vacation destination.   I like to watch summer visitors from a deli with a window-facing counter onto Central Avenue. Visitors saunter past within arm’s reach. Young parents herd small children, reminding me that disturbing a little person’s routine on vacation can be a hassle for the whole family. Small groups of women schlep shopping bags with logos from familiar shops. I recognize myself among them, driven to find the perfect earrings in each vacation spot. I wonder at the outfits they will pair with Montana-made bead and bear earr...

I’ve been away for a couple of months editing and preparing my second novel for publication by the end of July 2014. Serita’s Shelf Life . I’m back to writing routines with a new sense of purpose and determination. So much has happened: a new grandson, a new puppy, many successes of fellow authors, and SUMMER has arrived in NW Montana. More to come. Thanks for hanging in there with me!

I have two thoughts on July 4 th . One of the best memories of my childhood occurred every year on the Fourth of July. The University of Denver set off spectacular fireworks that could be seen for miles. We did not park the car along the old Valley Highway or in the University Hills Shopping Center parking lot to view the show. My family climbed onto the roof of our post-war bungalow and stretched out on the still warm shingles in the cool evening to watch the fireworks shoot over our heads. My husband returns from a 10-day raft trip in Idaho this July 4 th . I’m writing this during the six days in which we have no phone or internet contact. Good grief! My daughter spent a year in Afghanistan, and thanks to satellite phones, we chatted every few days. I’ve spent most of my life without cell phones, Google or Twitter, so radio silence with my husband seems oddly peaceful before the storm. I look forward to The Fourth. He’ll have a week’s adventures to share, and so will I. He doe...