Welcome Author, Jacqui Murray!

On By Lauren Scott, AuthorIn Book Promotions, Book Reviews

Dear Friends,

I am thrilled to welcome friend and fellow Author, Jacqui Murray, and help promote her new book, Balance of Nature, which is Book 3 of the Savage Land Trilogy! Jacqui is a talented and prolific author of prehistoric fiction and non-fiction, and she has published more books than I can count!
Balance of Nature is on my list to read later this year. However, I read and loved Endangered Species, and you can find my 5-star review on Amazon, Goodreads, and at this book review post.

Summary:

A tribe haunted by the past. Lies that threaten the future. A reason to find the truth.

Savage Land is the third trilogy about prehistoric man in the series, Man. Vs. Nature. Savage Land explores how two bands of humans survived one of the worst natural disasters in Earth’s history, when volcanic eruptions darkened the sky, massive tsunamis crossed the ocean in crushing waves, and raging fires burned the land. Viral tribes of Neanderthals and early man considered themselves apex predators, but that crown belonged to Nature and she was intent on washing the two-legged blight from her lands.

In Balance of Nature, Book Three of the trilogy, Yu’ung’s Neanderthal tribe hopes to settle at Gibraltar but instead find unexpected threats and lethal challenges. 

Follow the courageous Yu’ung, the determined Kazeb, the mystical Shanadar, and the pawed-and-clawed Canis as they navigate a perilous world of tribal conflict, unexplained visions, and shifting loyalties. Their journey is a testament to the resilience and strength of true leadership in a sweeping saga that ultimately leads to who we are today. 

Book information:

Print, digital, audio soon available: http://a-fwd.com/asin=B0G45MFBWW
Genre: Prehistoric fiction
Editor: Anneli Purchase

Author bio:

Jacqui Murray is the author of the popular prehistoric fiction saga, Man vs. Nature which explores seminal events in man’s evolution one trilogy at a time. She is also author of the Rowe-Delamagente thrillers and Building a Midshipman , the story of her daughter’s journey from high school to United States Naval Academy. Her non-fiction includes 100+ books on tech into education, and a freelance journalist on tech ed topics.

Social Media contacts:

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Jacqui-Murray/e/B002E78CQQ/

Blog:                                       https://worddreams.wordpress.com

Pinterest:                                http://pinterest.com/askatechteacher

X:                                             http://twitter.com/worddreams

Website:                                 https://jacquimurray.net

Jacqui shares her thoughts about attending Writer’s Conferences.

I haven’t been to an in-person writer’s conference in a while. In the past, I attended two a year, one for writing and one for education (I’m a teacher-author). I’ve posted about preparation for these events and how they went (always felt exhilarated and motivated afterwards).

Problems with airlines, COVID, personal issues, and limited funds have all seemed to discourage me from attending of late. I chatted with efriends to get their feedback on conferences they had attended and whether they were considering more in the future. Here’s some of the feedback I got:

Yes if…

  • You’re seeking structured feedback on your work (many conferences offer pitch sessions, manuscript critiques, or agent meetings).
  • You want to network with agents, editors, or published authors in your genre (check the guest list—look for 3+ people you’d genuinely pay to meet).
  • You’re stuck in a rut and need inspiration/motivation (workshops + peer energy can break writer’s block).
  • The cost is <5% of your annual writing income (or you’re treating it as a tax-deductible professional development expense).

    Skip if…

    • You feel like it’s a “pay-to-pitch” scam (red flag: high fees for vague “agent access” with no track record of sales).
    • The lineup is generic (“How to Write a Novel” by someone who’s never published one).
    • You’re introverted and hate small talk (virtual options or smaller regional events might be better).
    • You’re broke—wait for scholarships, early-bird rates, or free local meetups.

    Great take-aways from attending one

    • the opportunity to network with like-minded people
    • the chance to pitch to an agent
    • getting away from the daily routine
    • gain expert answers to questions 
    • hear up-to-date feedback on the status of the industry

    This is a lot to think about. I don’t know if I’ll attend the next one coming up, but at least, I have some metrics to apply to the decision.

    Jacqui asked me if I had ever attended a writer’s conference, and I have – the San Francisco Writer’s Conference for the last two years. Both were great but different experiences, and my take-aways align with Jacqui’s. Fortunately, this conference was local, about a half hour’s drive, so the travel cost was low. I regarded this event as ‘time for me’ so I stayed at the Hyatt Regency where the conference is held every year, and the convenience of taking the elevator to my room after the evening events was beyond awesome! I loved networking with other authors, learning about their writing and publishing experiences. I sold my books in the on-site bookstore. I met with agents and editors and gained valuable feedback. I lunched, wined, and dined with new friends. The fun began on Thursday and ended on Sunday, when I went home with a myriad of information. My brain was fried but in a good way! It’s not an inexpensive investment, especially, staying at the hotel for three nights. Although, if you can make it work, I would recommend attending at lease one conference that is convenient for you. There is so much to learn.
    Even so, Jacqui shared some good points that I agree with, so attending is definitely a personal decision.

    As you head out today, I hope you’ve been inspired by Jacqui’s incredible storytelling and her passion for writing prehistoric fiction. I also hope you’ll pick up a copy of her book and, if you haven’t already, consider attending a writer’s conference. It’s a wonderful way to connect with other writers and spark new ideas.

    Thank you so much for stopping by! I can’t wait to dive into Jacqui’s book later this year when life slows down a bit. And thank you, Jacqui, for inviting me to be part of your exciting book blast. It’s been a pleasure! ❤️

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    © Lauren Scott, BaydreamerWrites.com
    All photos courtesy of Jacqui Murray.

    Lauren Scott is a Pushcart Prize nominee who enjoys small-town living in California’s Bay Area with her husband, Matt, of thirty-seven years. Although their daughter and son live out of state, frequent visits and modern technology keep their family of four close. Lauren is the author of four poetry collections, a memoir, and a children’s picture book. She has been a guest on several podcasts and her work has appeared in seven anthologies. Her poetry and prose has also been featured by Spillwords Press and Literary Revelations where she has received several honors. Lauren is a member of the Redwood Writers chapter and Marin chapter of the California Writers Club, and she is currently working on a new poetry collection and an early chapter book for children.

    111 thoughts on “Welcome Author, Jacqui Murray!”

    1. Pingback: I’m Traveling |

    4. Jacqui brings our ancient ancestors to life in her stories! Thanks for hosting her, Lauren. Jacqui, I think your advice about being wise with the budget when considering writers conferences is important. There’s no need to overextend oneself.

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      1. I agree, Priscilla, and thank you for stopping by. I also agree with not overextending oneself to attend a conference. When I heard about the San Francisco conference, I planned for it like a vacation. So the cost wasn’t a big hit. 🥰

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    13. I especially appreciate hearing both of your thoughts on the pros and cons of writing conferences. I’ve only attended one (quite good), but it was fairly expensive. I know I will attend another one when it fits my schedule, geography, and budget. My guess is that they come in all shapes and sizes. The chance to pitch one’s book to an agent is a dangling carrot, but I can also see how that could be abused as a way to make money through false hopes.

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    15. How great to see Jacqui here. I agree with her that attending writer’s conferences can be very valuable. Just hanging out with like minded people is great and inspiring. The cost can sometimes be prohibitive.

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    16. thanks for sharing Jacqui with us. i first learned of her and her books from a very nice review and i love her theme, i am really fascinated by it.

      i have only attended one conference, the Erma Bombeck Writer’s Conference, having no idea what to expect. It was in Ohio, so an easy drive from Michigan, and not too expensive, and something i’d been wanting to attend so it was worth it. i grew up with her stories, via my mom, and grew to love her, as Erma and I both enjoy writing humor and the human story. all i can say, was as soon as i walked in, i felt like i was with my people. i met all kinds of writers, publishers, etc., shared meals and cocktail mingled with them, and i was incredibly inspired. i also met her family who continue to protect her legacy and the conference, that she wanted to create and leave for other aspiring writers.

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      1. You’re welcome, Beth! Fascinating is the perfect word! Jacqui’s an amazing writer! And I’m glad your conference experience was a great one! Thanks so much for sharing your experience and for stopping by! ❤️

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        1. For some reason my comments don’t show up. I remember this from last time when there got to be quite a few. Dang! I’m intrigued by the Erma Bombeck conference.

    17. Thank you, Lauren for sharing a summary of Jacqui’s book, Balance of Nature, and I wish her much success. I’ve never attended a writer’s conference, but would love to do so. Getting to know people with same interests would be a wonderful experience. 🌺

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    18. Hi Lauren, it’s lovely to find Jacqui featured here with this guest post. I have read a number of jacqui’s books and have another on my TBR for this year. There are no writing conferences in South African now that I know of. There were some book events pre-Covid that I attended but it wasn’t really worth my time. Only 40,000 South Africans purchase new books so it’s a tiny market.

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        1. I’ll check it out Jacqui. I wouldn’t know if I don’t try. I did like your latest post on the research you did for one of your books. I found it informative.

    21. Sound like the courageous Yu’ung, the determined Kazeb, and the mystical Shanadar are leaders we could use in today’s world, Lauren.
      Like you, I have attended two of the SF Writer’s Conferences and found them very valuable.

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    23. What a great collaboration you both share and the writers workshop sounds like it was so valuable for you both!

      Thanks for sharing Jacqui’s work, Lauren. She is multi and sure knows how to keep her audience on edge with her great books. They’re on my list.. I have read all of the posts so I’m sure to love them ❣️

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    24. I have read many wonderful reviews of this series by Jacqui. All of the excerpts I’ve read are fab.

      These are on my list for when I have time for reading more that 6-8 books a year. AND when/if I ever stop boycotting amazon.

      Thank you for this article on Jacqui, Lauren. Hooray for Jacqui!

      ꧁❦🌹❦꧂꧁❦🌹❦꧂

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        1. I understand amazon is the #1 platform for authors. I wish another one would rise up.
          They do make it easy for authors, and seem to be the go-to.
          Still… 👿😈
          Lol… I’m in my 12th year boycotting.
          I hope you sell lots of books!

        1. So funny you say that Jacqui. Truthfully, I am sick of the travel part to anywhere. But I do like the holiday part of the travel. How many times I’ve said I wish I could click my heels and just be where I’m going to. 🤣

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