A Year Later...

What a difference a year makes. It was just a year ago that I got my contract for my first book. And two weeks after that, my second one. After decades of writing, of learning, of trying... I finally had a contract in my hands.

And now, a year later, I have two books out, a third one under contract, and lots of new experiences under my belt. Like promos, ads, editing, copy-editing, cover art... all the "stuff" that goes with publishing a book. Because it's not all about the story. It's about the hype surrounding the story. Writing the book is the easy part. It's what comes after that's hard.

Then there's the angst about your next one. Yes, you've sold one or more. But if they don't do well, you won't be able to sell another one and what if "they" don't like the next one? Or you want to try something different but your agent/editor doesn't like that idea, after all, you've sold under this genre, why mess with success?

Funny thing is, I know I'm not the only one who has these doubts. Authors who have been on best-seller lists have these same doubts. It's part and parcel of the business. So what do you do?
You keep writing. You keep submitting. You keep trying.

And someone somewhere will buy your work. And a year later, look where you'll be. :)

It's one heck of a roller coaster ride. But there's no better ride in the world to be on.
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Progress - review book finished, review written and submitted
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Birthdays: Theophile Gautier, DuBose Heyward, William Shawn, William Saroyan

Tips and Teasers: Finish the following, using: hanging tree, carburetor, teddy – Darkness fell, and with it my nerve…

Thought for the day: “Concentration is the secret to strength.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Voice Recognition Software

I wasted about two hours last night trying to "train" my voice recognition software to work. After that two hours, I had six lines of text - none of which was right and would have to be redone.

I can hear the questions now - why in the world am I attempting to use this stuff? Because friends recommended it. I occasionally have problems with my hands and arms so writing and typing can be painful, especially after a while. I was told VRS would solve those problems. Maybe, but it created a whole lot more.

I read through several of the training readings. I read through the manual. I had the "cheat sheet" next to me so I could correct problems as they arose. What I didn't expect was a problem with almost every word! Okay, I can understand a computer not knowing whether to select "their, there, or they're", and to put Jacques or Jackson in for Jess? Possibly. Although it got "Aiden" completely correct. But what about "he said" coming out as "heal lead"? And yes, I was speaking very carefully and clearly.

My friends say it will get better with time. I'm not sure there's enough time in the world for me to get this stuff to work. Or enough time for me to waste on this. Maybe if I had hours to work on it, the software would work. But for now, I'm not impressed.

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Progress - 2 pages handwritten.

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Birthdays: Marry Wollstonecraft Shelley, Elizabeth Longford

Tips and Teasers: What is your character’s dream car? Describe it in detail. Now, how will s/he get one?

Thought for the day: “Vivid description is the life blood of fiction.” – John Gardner

Looking for a Good Book

What makes you pick up a book at a bookstore? What draws you to read a book?

I was thinking about this question the other day as I picked up yet another book for review. This one is an author-printed ARC (advanced review copy) so there is no cover art, no blurb, no advertising with it. Just the printed pages. It's a really good book that I'm enjoying so far, even with all the "hype" missing.

I don't browse bookstores the same way I used to. I tend to purchase my books on line or I get them from publishers who want me to review them or friends/relatives who recommend them. But when I do get a chance to go to a store, I am in heaven.

I wander the aisles looking at all the wonderful variety there, even the aisles where there is stuff I'll rarely read (bios, history, mostly non-fiction stuff). But when I get to the fiction section, ah the enjoyment of it all. First I'll look for authors I know and enjoy to see if they have anything I haven't read yet. If they don't, I'll look at genre types. I love science fiction and fantasy, especially if it has a touch of romance.

The cover art draws me, but it's not the reason I'll pick a book. I'll check the blurb on the back. If that works for me, then I read the first page or two. If that works for me, I'll probably buy the book. But if you haven't hooked me with the blurb and first couple of pages, the book goes back on the shelf and I look for the next one. I will admit that sometimes the price is also a factor. I will not buy a hard cover (except the Harry Potter books). In my opinion - and it is strictly mine - I don't see the sense in spending more than twenty dollars for a book unless it's a special edition or there's something equally unique or rare about it. For pulp fiction? Forget it.

The recommendations of friends and family also don't have much influence over me. Not unless I know they enjoy the same genres I do. Several years ago, a friend sent me copies of the Ya Ya Sisterhood and "The Bridges of Madison County". She absolutely adored them and couldn't say enough good things about them. I hated both of them. I found them boring and didn't like the endings. I thought they were horrible books. But I thanked her for thinking of me. I never sent her any books. Even though we were very good friends, I knew we'd never agree on what makes a good book. She tended toward literary works, I leaned toward action/adventure. But we both agreed that reading a good book was the ultimate in enjoyment.

So the next time you go book shopping - think about what makes you pick up a book? Why do you buy one over another? For you, what makes a good read?
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Progress last night - 3 pages (not feeling so hot)
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Birthdays: Oliver Wendell Holmes, Anna Carroll, Sue Harrison, Thom Gunn

Tips and Teasers: Darkness fell, and with it my nerve… Finish this scene using: hanging tree, carburetor, teddy

Thought for the day: “The most important lesson in the writing trade is that any manuscript is improved if you cut away the fat.” – Robert Heinlein

Almost Done

For the past week, we've been getting work done on our house. The contractor starts at eight - which is not early for most people, but as hubby works second shift, that is early for him. But we've managed to keep the noise to a subdued level until he gets up. But the noise has been distracting to say the least. Sawing, hammering, pounding - not to mention the mud and the mess outside.

But it's all worth it as our new deck and carport take shape. I can't wait. The contractor should be done today or tomorrow. Yay. I am looking forward to the return to normal.

Okay, I know - what's normal. Let's just say a return to my nice quiet life. :)
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Progress last night - 7 pages of new stuff
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Birthdays: Johann Goethe, Leo Tolstoy, Rita Dove

Tips and Teasers: Agents and editors do not like “wimpy housewives” or “Mary Jane” characters – stereotypical characters with no thoughts other than what the male character in the story puts in their heads and no backbone until the last chapter. Check your characters – are they human? Or cardboard cutouts?

Thought for the day: “It’s easy to lose the energy that you need for a long piece unless the characters are surprising you and showing you something new every week or even every month or every other paragraph, however often it comes.” – Anne McDermott

Book Reviews

I finished another book for review last night. An interesting one this time. The book reminded me a lot of "The Lord of the Rings". There's a young "small folk" who is attuned to a page in a magical book, but an evil wizard has the rest of the book and is destroying the world. The book calls to her, making her desire it. It is up to her to retrieve the book and get it to safety. She does so with the help of dwarfs, a crown prince, a mentor wizard, etc. As I said, reminiscent of LOTR. But still a good read. The review should be up on the wantzuponatime site shortly.

That brings my review list down to four to go from this latest batch.

Reading books for review is an interesting task. If I get a book I don't like, I must still read it - something I wouldn't bother to do if I was reading just for myself. Looking at it from a writer's point of view, I always try to find something good in a book. I know the work that goes into writing and the time it takes to get a book written, edited, and published. I know the ups and downs of this business from many angles. So I try to find something, even if it's a book I really, really don't like.

But fortunately, these last few have been pretty good. In fact, in the twenty years or so that I've been writing reviews, I've only ever had one that I absolutely refused to finish. It was self-published by someone who'd never seen the inside of a grammar or spelling book, had no clue what plot or point of view was and was totally in love with foul language. When I sent it back to the magazine I was writing for at that time, I got a note back from them telling me that I was the third reviewer who had refused the book so they were going to return it to the author.

I've read books I loved, books I was "bleh" about, and even a few I wouldn't recommend, but except for that one, I've never had one I truly hated.

But as we all know, this is a subjective business. What I love, another may not, and what I dislike, another may adore. It's all opinion. I can tell you how well the book is written, what I liked or disliked about it, but when it's all over, it's still just my opinion.

So remember that when you're reading reviews. Good, bad or otherwise. Unless there's a quantifiable reason for a poor rating (as above with just plain poor writing), the rest is just what that particular reviewer thought at that particular moment.
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Progress last night - 12 new pages!!!
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Birthdays: Confucius, Theodore Dreiser, C.S. Forester, Ira Levin, Antonia Fraser, William Least Heat Moon

Tips and Teasers: This is possibly the birthday of Confucius (history is inexact). Write out sayings for ten fortune cookies. Then go buy some and read your own.

Thought for the day: “The business of the poet and novelist is to show the sorrow underlying the greatest things, and the grandness underlying the sorriest things.” – Thomas Hardy

And again

August 26

Birthdays: Guillaume Apollinaire, Elizabeth Brewster, Barbara Ehrenreich

Tips and Teasers: Do you have a website? Most writers do – they are useful for promotions, fan contacts, and other information. If you can’t do one yourself, hire someone to do it for you.

Thought for the day: “All serious writers are interested in experimentation. It is a means by which they honor their craft.” – Joyce Carol Oates

Oops, I did it again - the sequel

If I don't blog first thing in the morning - and I do mean first thing, before I even eat breakfast - I tend to forget it. And that's what happened yesterday. Well, that and I was incredibly busy running all over the place and fixing food for company, etc. So, today you get a double tip/teaser bonus.

In the meantime, I am working through edits of two stories - one a fantasy book, one a long short story (13000 words - about 60 pages). The fantasy book has been through several crit partners and even a full line edit by an agent who then turned it down (after I willingly made all her changes!). Now it's with another crit partner who should be an editor. She is finding things nobody else did and she's very good. I really expect to see her as an editor some day-a prosperous one.

And as my cat is meowing for her breakfast and my stomach is grumbling, I guess I should go feed both.
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Progress yesterday: article written for newsletter, editing done on above.
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August 24

Birthdays: Jorge Luis Borges, Robert Herrick, Jean Rhys, Malcolm Cowley, A.S. Byatt, Mason Williams

Tips and Teasers: Show your characters no mercy. If your story has stalled, ask yourself what is the worst thing that could happen to my character? Make it happen.

Thought for the day: “Being a real writer means being able to work on a bad day.” – Norman Mailer

August 25

Birthdays: Bret Harte, Brian Moore, Charles Wright, Charles Ghigna

Tips and Teasers: Find someone with an unusual job or hobby and interview them. Turn the interview into an article.

Thought for the day: “The most certain sign of being born with great qualities is to be born without envy.” - La Rochefocauld

Writing Friends

Have been in a funk the last couple of days mostly about my writing (yes, there are other things - but this is a writing column.) I've seen this from my writer friends too. Where we think our stuff is terrible. That we can't write. That it's all garbage and why do we do this to ourselves.

And yet some of those same friends are on best seller lists and have agents or editors who believe in them beyond doubt. And they feel this way on occasion too.

So why *do* we do this to ourselves?

For me--and a lot of other writers--it's because we can't *not* write. There is something in us that drives us to put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) and write. Yes, I put it off for years as I was busy raising my family - but it was always there, lurking in the background. And I have the notebooks full of short stories or ideas to prove it. It is that undefinable "something" that has us look at a headline, a person, a situation and say "what if..."

I am a writer.

But there are days when I doubt that. When the internal critic laughs at me as I strive to find the right words. When all I can hear are the cutting words of my first college English prof.

The trick is overcoming those times and still write. And it is those times when writing friends matter the most because they know. They understand. And they support. As I do when they go through these periods.

And those are the best times of all.
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Progress - 50 pages edited
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Birthdays: Edgar Lee Masters, William Ernest Henley, Robert Irwin, Willy Russell, Melanie Thon

Tips and Teasers: You’re a master spy, ala James Bond. What kind of interesting tools does Q provide you with? What are you going to save the world from?

Thought for the day: “A man is not idle because he is absorbed in thought; there is visible labor and there is an invisible labor.” – Victor Hugo

Believing in Yourself

I received some pages back from a contest the other day for a novel I wrote last year and have been marketing. This is a book I truly believe in. A lot of workshops tell you to write the book of your heart - and at the time, this one was mine.

But it's not doing well. I get a lot of good comments on my world building, but the character development isn't there. This last one didn't "get" my book at all - which is my fault. According to her crit, it's a historical set in the time of Robin Hood (it's not - it's medieval in flavor, but not set on this world), the names are confusing (if it's set in England, why does she have a Celtic name with a Spanish nickname?)(her name is Riordan and she goes by Rio for short). And the nickname is the name of an album by Duran Duran so can't be used. (Had to look that one up - but there are lots of things named Rio), her paranormal abilities aren't obvious (um, she's in hiding! Or didn't you get that from her being on the run, hiding in bushes and caves, escaping her captors - all because someone saw her use her abilities). The list went on, but to me it was obvious that this person didn't understand my book.

And if one didn't... it's not a stretch to see where others won't. So back to the editing.

But I still believe this is a good book. I still believe it is a good story.

I still believe.
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Progress - edited 60 pages
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Birthdays: Dorothy Parker, Ray Bradbury, E. Annie Proulx

Tips and Teasers: Have you ever been in a relationship that ended badly? Remember those feelings? Embrace them. Now, write them into a scene.

Thought for the day: “Close the door. Write with no one looking over your shoulder. Don’t try to figure out what other people want to hear from you, figure out what you have to say. It’s the one and only thing you have to offer.” – Barbara Kingsolver

Stretch Yourself

I just finished writing a long short story (12,000 words) that I am going to submit. Nothing special about that, is there.

Except this is in a genre I've never written in before, nor have ever considered writing in. And the interesting thing is, I found it enlightening. I wrote fast and furiously. I freed myself to try this just once. I challenged myself.

And I enjoyed it. And found that the break from what I usually write also gave me new insights into my regular stories.

When you write, you can follow two paths - the path of normalcy and, perhaps, stagnation, or the more challenging path that takes you outside your comfort zone. If you choose stagnation, you may find yourself growing bored with what you write. And if you are bored, so too will your readers be. But if you choose the path that takes you beyond your usual line, you may find something amazing.

Okay, I know, you may also find a bunch of dreg, but the possibility is there. So I challenge you - if you are bogged down in your writing - or even if you're not, but you're slightly interested in trying something different - try a different genre. Try something so totally outside your comfort zone that it is difficult for you to write. Try something new. And see what happens.

"Imagine the possibilities."
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Progress - edited 80 pages.
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Birthdays: X.J. Kennedy, Mart Crowley, Robert Stone

Tips and Teasers: Action verbs make your work more vivid and interesting. Your character doesn’t just walk, he can stroll, creep, strut, tiptoe, amble or shuffle. Each action verb paints a specific picture. Go through your manuscript and change weak verbs to strong ones.

Thought for the day: “I shall live bad if I do not write and I shall write bad if I do not live.” – Francoise Sagan

Organization

As most of my friends and family can attest to, I am basically and organized person. Okay, so some of them say obsessively so. I have a great tendency to make lists - what needs done, when it needs done, what needs purchased the next time I go out, etc. I am a huge believer in lists. But even my lists sometimes fail me. This was especially evident last night.

Since I finished my last story, I wanted to work on a story I've been toying with for the past few months. So I checked my printout. When I got to the end, I was a bit puzzled. I *knew* I'd written more than what was there. So I check my notebooks - nothing. My Dana - okay, there were a few more pages. And even more on the desktop. And more on my flash drive. And even more on my laptop. Oops. I'd been scattering versions all over the place with a page here, a chapter there.

So today will be an organizational day. I'm going to type in any notes I have, upload the Dana files, coordinate the laptop and desktop, and update the flash drive. Hopefully, then I'll have everything where I want it and the same version on each.

Now I just need to remember to update them each when I finish my work! Hmmm - a list. I need a list.

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Progress last night - none unless you include organization

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Birthdays: HP Lovecraft, Salvatore Quasimodo, Edgar Guest, Jacqueline Susann, Sue Alexander, Lionel G. Garcia, Heather McHugh

Tips and Teasers: Start an idea file. Get three files or jars or whatever works for you. In one, put cards with character sketches; in the second, settings; in the third, problems or situations. When you’re stuck, pull a card from each and put them into a scene.

Thought for the day: “Whether we are describing a king, an assassin, a thief, an honest man, a prostitute, a nun, a young girl, or a stallholder in a market, it is always ourselves that we are describing.” – Guy de Maupassant

Creativity, the sequel

I actually got a couple of comments on my blog from yesterday. Thank you to both.

The subject was creativity and the one asked me what my favorite creativity book is. I answered in a comment, but would like to expound upon it here.

I believe we are all born with the spark of creativity. Just look at any child with his or her toys. Their imaginations are boundless as they play. Even something as simple as blocks become houses, towns, roads, or patterns. Given a blank piece of paper and crayons or paints and they become artists. Give them clay and they become sculptors. Okay, we may not recognize the tree or the elephant, but that's because we're not using our imaginations.

As we grow older, we tend to lose the use of our imagination. Not through age, but through lack of use. In school, we are given rigid patterns to follow. "We're all going to draw trees today. They have green tops and brown bottoms and the sky is blue." If we want to vary from the guidelines, we are gently guided back to the "right path". We learn to color within the lines. Think along the straight and narrow. And then we join the work world where many of us are stuffed into blank cubicles where we stare at computer screens for hours on end, following the pattern of our job. And we forget to have fun. To be creative.

But it doesn't have to be like that. I challenge you to do something creative. Go buy a tub of clay and play with it. Grab a box of crayons and sit down and draw something. Pick up an instrument and play some music. Take a blade of grass and make a noise with it.

Ask "what if...."

And then answer it.
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Progress last night - finished edits of quickie and sent off to crit group.
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Birthdays: Ogden Nash, James Cozzens, Edith Nesbit

Tips and Teasers: For ideas, look for unanswered questions in other stories. While Luke’s busy getting lessons from Yoda, what are Han and Leia doing?

Thought for the day: “I think life itself is so interesting you don’t need to invent anything. I couldn’t possibly hope to better it. Usually I base the story on newspaper headlines…I never follow the case up. I just find an incident I want to write about. I don’t know how it will turn out until I write it.” – Beryl Bainbridge

Creativity

My husband picked up a book at the library - it was on their "Free/Discards" pile. This is a pile we go through every time we go to the library. Most of the books are there for a reason - they're either damaged or outdated or simply have no interest to anyone and haven't circulated in years. But every once in a while, we find a gem.

"A Whack on the Side of the Head" by Roger von Oech is one of those. It is a book about creativity and every time I open it, I find a new challenge. It's not the best book I've ever seen on this subject, but it's close. It challenges the logical thinker in us to be less logical. To look at things from a new perspective. To challenge ourselves to be more creative.

For instance, answer the following question:
What do John the Baptist and Winnie the Pooh all have in common?


Answer: They both have the same middle name.

Okay, I can hear the groans now. I didn't say it was good, but it got you thinking. What other persons or characters can you come up with that have "the" as their middle name?

Let's try another one:
What's the next item in the following sequence:
hearts
green
flags
fireworks
skeletons


Answer - turkeys (or other Thanksgiving symbol) as these are all things dealing with American holidays - Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day, Memorial Day, 4th of July, Halloween.


Yes, creativity can also follow a linear line. The above is a puzzle in sequential logic, but at the same time, think about each symbol I wrote down. How many more symbols can you find for each of these, or for other holidays? For Valentine's Day, I could have used chocolate, or candy, or cards, or the color red, or any of several other things. Try this - take each of those holidays above and assign a color or colors to it. What would your list look like then? Possibly: Red, green, red/white/blue (for several holidays), black and orange... etc. Or assign an animate object (animal, person, etc.) to the day.

The point is, you need to stretch yourself to be creative. Writing is a creative exercise. If a writer gets bogged down while writing, the story will show it. The middle will slow down and sag. When you find yourself getting in a rut, find a new way - a creative way - of looking at the issues. Play with it. Have fun with it. Turn it upside down and look at it from a new angle.

Or pretend you're hanging from the ceiling fan. :)
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Progress last night - 30 pages edited
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Birthdays: Sonia Levitin, Paula Danziger, Elsa Morante

Tips and Teasers: Using the following items – check, firehouse, burp – finish the following: Once, I lost my hat…

Thought for the day: “One of the things that’s really wonderful about creating a character is that you have a place to say things that you yourself could never say without being totally offensive to other people. You have a place to be opinionated.” – Linda Hogan

Little Things Mean a Lot

There are many things in life we should do... but we don't. We make excuses. "I know I should exercise, but I'm just too busy." "I know I should eat right, but it takes so much time and effort." "I know I should (enter item here), but..."

Notice what each sentence had in common? That little three letter word "but". Technically, it is a conjunction, like and, nor, or, etc.

A conjunction is a little thing that carries a lot of weight, but so do other little things like commas, periods, exclamation marks.

As writers we tend to always look at the big picture. We worry about characterizations. We fret about plot lines and subplots. We analyze scenes and settings. But we don't concern ourselves with the little things. We figure a copy editor will pick out our faux pas and correct them.

That may have been true at one time, but not so much anymore. Newspapers have gotten rid of their proofreaders. My proof is any newspaper-especially smaller local ones. You can usually tell the writers who are older--those who went to schools where they actually taught grammar--from those who had writing classes where they were allowed to be "creative". There is definitely a place for creativity, but you also have to learn the basics.

Think about it this way. Would you want a builder building your dream house to have gone to a school where all they learned was how to be creative and nothing about load bearing walls, types of lumber, foundations, etc.? Your dream house would collapse with the first good wind.

And that's what happens to a lot of stories where the writer doesn't pay attention to technique. Yes, we can be creative. That's what writing is all about. But break the rules after you've learned them. (One of which I just did - do you know what it is?) Break them for a reason, not because you never learned them. Only by understanding the basics of writing--the foundation--can we truly become creative.
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Progress - working on edits of finished story.
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Birthdays: Charlotte Forten, Marcus Garvey, John Hawkes, Ted Hughes

Tips and Teasers: This is National Thriftshop Day. Take a trip to the nearest one and browse. Write ads to promote several items. Why did they catch your attention?

Thought for the day: “Read a lot and hit the streets. A writer who doesn’t keep up with what’s out there ain’t gonna be out there.” – Toni Cade Bambara

Chasing the Dream

Ever since I was able to hold a pencil (or crayon) in my grubby little hand, I've wanted to be a writer. I was always making up characters and stories. Even when I was labeled as "slow" and stuck in the lowest reading group, I loved stories. Then my dad stepped in and took it upon himself to help me. Seems I wasn't so slow after all. I just needed a little help in those earlier years. And I've got the degrees (with a 4.0 average) to prove it.

But even with all the education and the huge variety of jobs I held over the years, there was still that itch to write. Oh, I jotted down notes over the years. A story here, a chapter there, but I never really pursued it as I had other, more important things to do - like raising my family. But the dream was always there. Just out of sight, but never out of mind. Just waiting...

And now the dream has come true. With two books published and a third coming out in January, I have reached my dream.

So what do you do when your dream comes true?

You make it bigger.

That's the neat thing about dreams. There is no limit to what you can dream. No limit to what you can achieve or do in your dreams. And there is no limit to the number of dreams you can have.

So don't be afraid to dream. But remember...to make those dreams come true, you have to do some hard work. But it's worth it in the end. Trust me on that. :)
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Progress - finished my "quickie" story - a total of 11,981 words. (approx. 3000 last night).
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Birthdays: Hugo Gernsback, Georgette Heyer, Wallace Thurman, Beatrice de Regniers

Tips and Teasers: This is National Tell A Joke Day. What is your favorite type of joke? Do you prefer one-liners? Knock-knock? Stories? Why?

Thought for the day: “I write and write, and rewrite, and even if I retain only a single page from a full day’s work, it is a single page, and these pages add up. As a result, I have acquired the reputation over the years of being prolific when in fact I am measured against people who simply don’t work as hard or as long.” – Joyce Carol Oates

Busy, busy, busy

Coloring books with my grandson so I'll try to write more later. Maybe. :)

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Progress last night - 8 pages
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Birthdays: Luigi Pulci, Sir Walter Scott, Edna Ferber, T. E. Lawrence, Garry Disher, Mary Jo Salter

Tips and Teasers: Who is your hero? Why?

Thought for the day: “…writing well is so damned hard that your writing may not be good enough. If you can accept that fact, then you will probably succeed as a writer.” – Gary Provost

Science Fiction and the Metric System

While doing my edits last week, my editor- who is Australian - insisted I change all my carefully computed metric measurements to American standard (centimeters to inches, Celsius to Fahrenheit). I disagreed with her. But she was insistent so I made the changes under duress. Her reasoning was that this was going to a mostly American audience and they wouldn't understand the metric measurements.

My reasoning was that I've never read a science fiction book that wasn't written with metric measurements. It is the accepted standard of science fiction.

Yesterday, I got word from my editor that we need to switch all the changes back to metric. Since my book is but one in a series of books, and all the rest were using the metric system, that's what would be the standard.

So today, I get to go through my book line by line once again and switch all my changes back to what I originally had. It's a hassle, but one I willingly do since the book is so much better that way.

But it does bring up an interesting conundrum. There were other issues my editor had - ones that were strictly Australian vs. American standard. We dealt with each, but in this day of multi-national publishing, the problem becomes an unending one. I write for the American market, thus, with the exception of the metric system, my spelling and grammar are according to American standards. I don't put the letter 'u' in color or favorite. If a building has more than one floor, it has multiple stories, not storeys. I use the word theater, not theatre.

As I said, an interesting conundrum. But one I'm willing to tackle if it means getting published by one of the bigger houses. :)
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Progress - 5 pages new stuff
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Birthdays: John Galsworthy, Russell Baker, William Kittredge, Alfred Corn

Tips and Teasers: You’ve just found out your entire life has been a lie. You are not who you thought you are. So, who are you? And why the change?

Thought for the day: “True enjoyment comes from activity of the mind and exercise of the body; the two are ever united.” - Humbolt

Creativity

I was talking with my mom yesterday and we got on the subject of intelligence. She insists that she is not smart. I beg to differ, but she points out that I went to college, have a couple of degrees to my name, read a lot, write, etc. I attempted to point out to her that this is just book learning. She is intelligent in her own way - it's just a different way than mine. In her case, I've rarely met someone who is more creative than she is.

Creativity takes many forms. As a writer, I create through my words, artists through their physical renderings whether it be painting, sculpture, or other medium. Musicians have their music. In my mom's case, she is creative in many fields. She knits. A lot. And the things that come from her needles amaze me. I've tried knitting. It drives me nuts. I do not like it. But she loves it and is a master at the craft - and has the blue ribbons to prove it. But her talents don't stop there. She also creates master pieces with food. She can do things with icing and cakes that put my dusting with powdered sugar to shame. And a fruit salad isn't canned fruits dumped in a bowl for her. She used to carve pineapples and melons to create sculptures that became the basis for other fruits cut in fantastic designs. For her, food wasn't just something you ate to sustain your body, it was supposed to be a feast for the eye as well as the palate. Each Christmas, the senior's home where she lives has a door decoration contest. She's won every year she's entered. The ideas she comes up with for decorating a simple door are amazing.

Other than knitting, she doesn't do so much of this any more. At 80 years old, her hands aren't quite as steady or strong. But the ideas are still there. I envy her and wish I had a modicum of her talent.

But I took after my dad with my love of the written word and books. And that's good too. We can't all be creative in the same areas. What a bore that would be. Yes, I can do other things - I sew and do needlepoint and get creative with cooking, but it is in writing where my greatest strength lies.

So I'll let my mom do the knitting and I'll do the writing, and we'll both enjoy the fruits of each others labors.
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Progress last night - 2 pages new stuff
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Birthdays: Nikolaus Lenau

Tips and Teasers: This is National Left Hander’s Day. Try writing a paragraph with the hand you don’t usually use.

Thought for the day: “The best way to distinguish your book is to make it fresh.” – Lucien Diver

Family Fun and Critiques

Yesterday was a family day, nice, easy - well, except for the cooking! :) But it was all good (as was the food). I enjoyed my time with my grandson, son and d-i-l. Then my brother and his wife stopped by for a few minutes. A nice day all together.

And I even managed to get a little work done - a critique of 30 pages for another writer. This one, obviously a beginner. She had the germ of a good story in there somewhere, but the technique needed a little help - okay, to be honest, it needs a lot of help. As in a total rewrite by someone who knows the basics of grammar, spelling, active vs. passive writing, what back story is and where to put it, etc.

I really hate it when I get a story like that to look over because I know how hard it is for some writers to put their stuff out there. How hard it is to actually write something. I try very hard to find something good in every piece I look at, but some are just beyond redemption. Writing in all my comments is difficult for me because I don't want to squelch a fragile ego - but then I think about this business. One thing you simply cannot have as a writer is a fragile ego. If you do, you are definitely doing the wrong thing.

Writers receive rejections, criticisms, bad reviews, etc. all the time. This is one profession where we receive more bad news than good every day. The trick is in not letting it get to you. You can wallow in self-pity for a day, but then you have to get right back out there, writing and submitting. There is a saying that goes something like: if you write, you may never be published, but if you quit, you will definitely never be published. I was at that point when I made my first sale.

So to all you newbies out there, hang in there. Don't let bad crits or rejections get to you. Keep writing. Keep trying. Keep learning the craft. And someday, somewhere, someone will pick up a manuscript of yours and offer you publication. It happens. Honest.
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Birthdays: Robert Southey, Katharine Lee Bates, Jacinto Benavente y Martinez, Mary Rinehart, Zerna Sharp, William Goldman, Walter Dean Myers, Gail Parent

Tips and Teasers: You’re at a party and someone asks you what you write. What do you tell them? Be specific. You don’t just write fiction, you write science fantasy. You don’t just write non-fiction, you specialize in computer security issues.

Thought for the day: “We write for the same reasons we dream – because we cannot not dream, because it is the nature of the human imagination to dream.” – Joyce Carol Oates

Endings

Yesterday was a good day. And today looks like another one on the way.

Yesterday, I finished up a bunch of work I had hanging - including 5 crits of 25 pages each. I got all my notes typed in except for one - which I've been putting off because of how extensive my notes are - yes, it was that bad, unfortunately. But hopefully my notes will help this person learn the craft.

I also finished a review book, got the review typed up and sent in. Unfortunately, the book didn't get a very high score - just 3 1/2 out of 5. I started off giving it a 5 - had that five firmly in place until the last chapter. I was so disgusted by the ending that wasn't an ending that I immediately downgraded my opinion. I loved the book except for the ending. Why? Because it didn't end. It was a murder mystery and you know who the murderer is, but the bad guys got away, and you don't know what happened to several major characters - that will (supposedly) be told in the NEXT book! I really hate it when writers and publishers do this.

Yes, I know the Harry Potter books are like this. Well, yes and no. Each book has a separate story - the Sorcerer's stone is found and taken care of, the basilisk is found and taken care of, the tri-wizards' match is entered and won, etc. - there is a thread that is common to them all - Voldemort vs. Harry - but most of the books are also separate stories where most of the loose ends get tied up.

That doesn't happen in this book. I'm left dangling. By a whole bunch of loose threads. And I really really do not like that. It forces me to buy the next book - a marketing ploy that I abhor - and in this case (as well as several others in which this happened), I refuse to play their game. I liked the book, but not as well as I did the Harry Potter books. In this case, my ire has caused me to not care if I find out what happened to the characters. I won't bother to look for the author because I know I will not get a satisfying read.

Which is sad. Because up to that point, I really did enjoy the story.

Please, authors, if you are writing a series - that's fine. Go for it! I think it's great. But make sure each book has a story line that finishes. Yes, carry a thread through. But don't carry the entire story through. Because unless you're J.K. Rowling, it's exceedingly difficult to do well.
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Birthdays: Charlotte Mary Yonge, Hugh MacDiarmid, Louise Bogan, Enid Blyton, Alex Haley

Tips and Teasers: Your character is rolling dice (or whatever game s/he prefers) in Vegas. S/He has stacks of chips – almost enough to pay off all debts. Does s/he quit? Or bet it all on one more roll of the dice?

Thought for the day: “Books choose their authors; the act of creation is not entirely a rational and conscious one.” – Salmon Rushdie

Just Sittin'

After taking care of a bunch of writing-related stuff yesterday morning, I took the rest of the day off. Well sort of.

Hubby and I will be celebrating our 34th anniversary tomorrow. Since he has to work, we out to lunch yesterday. Now that may not seem like much, but trust me - we very rarely go out to a restaurant. Between his dietary restrictions and my food allergies, there just aren't that many places we can safely go eat. But we went to this nice little tea shop/cafe about a mile away and had a wonderful lunch.

When we got home, I settled down to work, but then it started raining. Not a downpour (yet), just a nice gentle rain. Hubby called for me to come outside and sit on our swing - which is under the porch roof - so I did and we sat and enjoyed the rain for a while. It was so nice just sitting there, not talking, swinging, relaxing... just being together.

But reality does eventually set in and so did the storms. We went back inside and I settled down to reading. I didn't write, didn't critique, didn't review (although it was a review book I was reading). And we listened to the rain.

What a wonderful day.
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Birthdays: Lawrence Binyon, Witter Bynner, Jorge Amado

Tips and Teasers: It’s five years after your story ended. What are the characters doing now? What about ten years? Twenty?

Thought for the day: “If you write a story of ten thousand pages, no matter whether it is good or not, no one is going to publish it and no one is going to read it.” – Isaac Bashevis Singer

Problems Solved

Yesterday, I told you about my problems with my files. Well, it took about two hours and a lot of frustration and guesswork, but I finally figured out what the problem was. I was working in two different versions of Word and with .rtf files. Now normally, an .rtf file wouldn't be a problem, but with "track changes" on - a requirement for the editing - in this case it was. If I saved the document as a .doc document and then converted to .rtf when I was finished, everything worked out.

But that wasn't the end of my problems yesterday. I also had printer issues - it kept jamming on me. I'd blame humidity, but we have the air conditioning on and it is definitely not humid in the house. I think the printer decided since the computer was getting all the attention, it wanted some too.

Oh, and my favorite chair - a replacement I purchased less than a month ago - broke.

So it took the better part of the day (after grandson left - playing with blocks and coloring is so good for the psyche when you're having a bad day) but the edits are done, as are the blurb, dedication page, and excerpts pages - and all sent off to the editor. A review (thanks to daughter-in-law) has been sent off. The proofs for my new business cards and bookmarks have been approved and ordered. The contest entries have been uploaded and glanced at. Even managed to read several chapters in new review book. And e-mail sent to manufacturing company of chair.

Not a great day, but everything was dealt with and worked out - so far.

Now for today...
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Birthdays: Izaak Walton, John Dryden, Philip Larkin, Jonathan Kellerman, Jeanne Larsen

Tips and Teasers: P.L. Travers was born on August 9, 1899. Never heard of her? I'd be willing to bet you've heard of Mary Poppins. Travers wrote several books about everybody's favorite nanny. Imagine you're a friend of Mary Poppins. Who would you be and what would your quirk be? No fair picking something from the movie. If you would rather, go find some of the Mary Poppins books and read them. What makes them so special?

Thought for the day: “The ideal view for daily writing, hour on hour, is the blank brick wall of a cold-storage warehouse. Failing this, a stretch of sky will do, cloudless if possible.” – Edna Ferber.

Frustrations

Yesterday started off so nicely.

Then I got up.

I spent most of the day working on edits of my coming book. I reworded and fixed and added and edited according to my editor's suggestions. I did all the work in the morning on my laptop. And saved it all to my flashdrive. Then I uploaded it to my desktop. After physical therapy and grocery shopping, I sat down to work some more. Got in a couple of more hours before it was time to get dinner ready. Saved everything, again, to hard drive and flash drive. It was going great. Probably another two hours of work would finish it.

Fast forward ahead to evening. I'm sitting in my favorite writing chair, laptop all ready to go, upload the file from my flash drive - but something's wrong. The font has been completely changed. And my corrections - where are they? Okay, maybe I uploaded the wrong file. Check the files. Nope it's the right one. Go to the desktop and check the file there. Uh-oh. What's happened? The font is all screwed up. The entire manuscript is red-lined. All my corrections are gone. I attempt to fix the font - but it won't. I attempt to undo the deletions. Nope. I spend nearly an hour trying to restore what I did. Nothing. The file is totally corrupted.

So I spent the rest of the evening re-doing the work I spent the entire day on. Hopefully, I'll be able to finish today.

But in the meantime, I also got packets from a contest I'm helping with - I knew they were coming which is why I wanted the editing done yesterday. And I've fallen behind with my reviews. And.... sigh.

But this morning, I get to push all the work aside and play with my grandson. Yay! :)
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Progress yesterday: I did a lot of work, but I would not call it progress.

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Birthdays: Sara Teasdale, Marjorie K. Rawlings, Valerie Sayers, Elizabeth Tallent

Tips and Teasers: Your character has exactly 24 hours to… what?

Thought for the day: “The only certainty about writing and trying to be a writer is that it has to be done, not dreamed of or planned and never written, or talked about but simply written; it’s a dreadful, awful fact that writing is like any other work.” – Janet Frame

Breaks

I spent the day yesterday with my writer friends - and their eight kids (and at one point, I think ten as the neighbors joined in). What a hoot. It was loud, chaotic, fun, and a good break from our normal daily routines.

But today it's back to the grind as we get down to our edits and back to work. Or at least I'll get down to my edits. Lots of work to get done. And I'm falling behind.

And this was supposed to be vacation week as hubby has the whole week off. Sigh. So much for that idea.

Fortunately, most of my edits are minor things - misplaced commas, split infinitives, change of wording. So I should be able to knock them out pretty fast and maybe we can salvage some of our week.

If not - it's all good. We'll just celebrate when we can. After all this time, we don't need anything grand. Oh, what are we celebrating? Our 34th anniversary.

Wow.
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Progress last night - none. Too tired after the day! :)
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Birthdays: Georg Stiernhielm, Laurence Eigner, Ann Beattie

Tips and Teasers: This is National Lighthouse Day. Most lighthouses are automated, but some still have people living there. Do some research and find one your character could live in. Where is it? What’s special about this one?

Thought for the day: “In writing, habit seems to be a much stronger force than either willpower or inspiration. Consequently, there must be some little quality of fierceness until the habit pattern of a certain number o words is established. There is no possibility of saying, “I’ll do it if I feel like it.” – John Steinbeck

Off and Running

This is going to be short and sweet - I've got a lot to get to today - maybe I'll add more later on.

I got my edits for my next book last night so I'm under the gun to get them done and sent in. Add to that, I'm going out with my writing friends today for a get together. This has been planned for some time and deadline or no deadline, I'm going. We chat every day online, but seeing them is so much better. We gab and eat and talk writing - and come away with renewed spirit and determination.

In view of the edit deadline, I scrambled last night to get some other work done. So...

Progress: 104 pages critted for writer friend, 2 new pages of my own written, 2 chapters of review book read.

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Birthdays: Alfred Lord Tennyson, Paul Claudel, Scott Nearing, Norma Farber, Janet Asimov, Piers Anthony

Tips and Teasers: “What time of day are you at your most creative? Is this when you write? Why or why not? What can you do to make this your writing time?”

Thought for the day: “Read, read, read. Read everything – trash, classics, good and bad, and see how they do it. Just like a carpenter who works as an apprentice and studies the master. Read! You’ll absorb it. Then write. If it is good, you’ll find out. If it’s not, throw it out the window.” – William Faulkner

Oops, I did it again

Forgot to blog yesterday, that is. Thought about it off and on, but never when I was at the computer. Oh well.

I skipped my monthly writer's meeting yesterday to go to a book signing at a nearby mall. The signing was for six of my fellow CP authors (although they write mostly for Ellora's Cave). But I also wanted to see the Ellora's Cave bus.

This is a really cool motor home that has been painted with the Ellora's Cave design. If you want a look, go to www.ellorascave.com and click on "bus tour" on the left hand side of the home page. The driver and his wife tour all over the place, advertising the publisher. It is so cool. While showing him where to park at the mall, the driver even let me ride with him for a little. And, yes, hubby took pictures of me standing with the bus.

Then I went in to the bookstore and met all six of the authors - and bought a book from each of them. So much for my budget for this year. Yeah, I know, the last thing I need is more books to read, but this was for a good cause. And it was great getting a chance to put faces with names I see on the author lists all the time.

Then I came home, and after the usual Saturday puttering, got down to work and managed to crank out 10 pages of new stuff.

I also spent a good bit of time working on the designs for my new business cards and bookmarks for advertising. And, thanks to eldest son for showing me how the program works, I now have designs I really like. And they're uniquely mine, not some template picked off a website.

All in all, a good writing day.
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Progress yesterday - 10 pages plus designs done
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Bonus for today - two days of birthdays, etc.

August 4

Birthdays: Percy Shelley, Knut Hamsun, Robert Hayden, William Henry Hudson

Tips and Teasers: What are three things your character has never told anyone else? Why?

Thought for the day: “Someone will always ask ‘How long does it take you to write a novel?’ I hardly ever give them the real answer. ‘It depends,’ I will say. ‘A year. Sometimes three or four.’ The real answer, of course, is that it takes your entire life.” – James D. Houston

August 5

Birthdays: Guy de Maupassant, Wendell Berry, Conrad Aiken

Tips and Teasers: You’ve just found out you’re a mutant, as in the X-men. What is your mutation? Is it obvious? Do you try to hide or be proud of your mutation?

Thought for the day: “Writers write about what obsesses them. You draw the cards. I lost my mother when I was 14. My daughter died at the age of 6. I lost my faith as a Catholic. When I’m writing, the darkness is always there. I go where the pain is.” – Anne Rice

Whittling Down the Pile

I finished another review book last night. This one was another that started slowly for me but picked up toward the end. Problem was, the slow part lasted well into the middle. Since my review hasn't been posted yet, I can't give details. But will once the review has been put up.

So I continue to whittle away at my pile of TBR books. Slowly. Very slowly. But it's all good. Unfortunately, I'm going to a book signing for some of my fellow Cerridwen authors tomorrow and I know I'm going to come away with some books! Sigh. :)

Meanwhile on several of my lists, the debate continues as to whether to allow editors and/or agents onto writers' lists. My question is - why not? If the person in question is a writer, why should s/he be judged any differently than anyone else? I can understand there may be a conflict of interest if the person is just and editor or an agent and not a writer, especially if they are an acquiring editor. But then the question becomes where do we draw the line? If they are not a writer, then why are they on the list? It's not as if they don't have contacts in the publishing world, unlike us mere authors.

In the same vein, on another list, many authors are saying "I was a reviewer until I sold my first book". I would think authors would make good reviewers - but only if they can remain objective. I've learned to do that, I believe. One thing I will not do, though, is review books from my publisher. I don't want even the barest hint of favoritism to sneak in - or what if I don't like something? How would that look to my fellow CP authors who support me as I support them. But other publishers? Bring them on. I know what goes into writing a book and know what makes a good story.

Harry Potter was a good story. Had I reviewed it, I would have given it a 5+ rating (5 is the highest we go).

The one I just finished, not so much. It's getting a 3 1/2.

I can't wait to see what the next one brings.
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progress - critted 61 pages for a friend, finished review book and wrote review
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Birthdays: Rupert Brooke, Ernie Pyle, P.D. James, Hayden Carruth, Leon Uris, Annette Sanford

Tips and Teasers: This is National Eye Exam month. A writer’s eyes are almost as important as his or her imagination. When was the last time you had a good eye exam? If more than two or three years, pick up the phone and schedule one now.

Thought for the day: “The best endings do something more than give closure. They leave us with resonance.” - James Scott Bell

Romance

I have been insulted. So have 9000 other writers of "romance". Why? Because of a stereotype that continues to degrade our writing. According to this person, we all know "romance is soft core porn geared towards bored housewives and little old ladies."

Excuse me?????

Romance is anything but!

Yes, there are erotica romance stories out there. But there are also those where there is no sex and some where there's not even kissing until the last page - and that a very chaste one. There are as many types of romance as there are readers - and trust me, there are millions of readers - not all of whom are bored housewives or little old ladies. The readership runs from teens to octogenarians and beyond and is read by both men and women. And bored housewives? Give me a break. Who has time to be a bored housewife these days? Romance is not about the sex. It's about relationships.

According to statistics, romance books make up the largest part of the fiction market. And there is a sub-genre for every reader. From science fiction to fantasy to traditional and historical. Name a date and there's probably a romance book about it somewhere. We encompass the universe and all time periods, including the distant future.

So please, before you degrade a type of story, read a sampling of them first - and not just one type. There are so many different types out there, that it may take several before you find the genre you like.

And put a little romance in your life.
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Progress - 68 pages of crit done for a friend, 12 pages of new stuff written for me
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Birthdays: Ernest Dowson, Irving Babbitt, Romulo Gallegos, John Kieran, James Baldwin, Mitchell Smith

Tips and Teasers: You have to describe the taste and uses of a lemon to someone who's never tasted or used one before. What do you say? Remember, if you turn them off by talking only about how sour it is, they'll never try lemon meringue pie or a tall glass of fresh lemonade. Think about how to put a positive spin on something negative.

Thought for the day: “Great is the art of beginning, but greater the art is of ending.” – Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Dreams

A few of my writer friends have been discussing dreams of late and I thought I'd look into it a little more. Psychologists say that dreams are our subconscious way of dealing with stresses in our daily lives.

If that's true, then we're in deep trouble.

My dreams are fodder for my stories. I've never had the type of dreams where I'm standing naked in front of a group of people, or flying or falling. Nope. Those are too mundane for me. Mine are the stuff of nightmares. Or science fiction or fantasy. Mine usually end up in my stories in one way or another.

Okay, occasionally they are about everyday things that I worry about. But on the whole, they aren't. That's one reason I don't watch horror movies or read nasty books before I go to bed. They affect my dreams - and me - too deeply. My one writer friend writes these really good romantic suspense stories, but they are dark and rather frightening. I cannot read her stuff less than an hour or two before I go to bed because I know I'll have nightmares. She's a very good writer! (It's a shame the publishing world hasn't seen that yet - but I know they will soon, and then look out!). When I was a teen, my class had to read "In Cold Blood" by Truman Capote. Even all these decades later, I still have nightmares about that - even more because it was true.

I'm probably the only parent in the world whose kids censor movies for her. They've been doing that since they were teens. (Mom, you do NOT want to see this part. Mom, don't watch this movie, you won't like it.) They knew even then how sensitive I am to some things and that it would bother my dreams.

Our environment influences our dreams - at least in my case. Yes, it may be my subconscious dealing with stress, but in a lot of cases, depending on what I've seen or read, my dreams stress me out even more.

But they do make a good basis for a great story. :)
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Progress last night - 36 pages critted for friend.
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Birthdays: Richard Henry Dana, Herman Melville, Anne Hebert, Carter Brown, Walter Griffin, Amy Friedman, Madison Smart Bell

Tips and Teasers: August is the only month without any sort of recognized holiday. You have been tasked with creating one. What or who will it honor? Why? Will it be national or international? Will we get the day off?

Thought for the day: “If you describe things as better than they are, you are considered to be a romantic; if you describe things as worse than they are, you will be called a realist; and if you describe things exactly as they are, you will be thought of as a satirist.” - Quentin Crisp