Ceiling Fans

What's Out There...

2011-06-22T11:19:00.001-04:00

I had a question the other day about what other books I've published and realized I don't have them all listed here. So... here they are as well as links where to buy them. :)

PRIME TIME

Prime Time at Captiva Press

When it comes to righting wrongs, there's no time like Prime Time.

Deena is a Prime, born and raised to Porter parents in the Lunar habitats. Life is hard, but with a rag-tag group of friends, she gets by.

Jake is a wealthy Techie, part of an elite security force searching out the source of the deadly drug Utopia. He can't imagine the hardships Deena and other Porters have endured and is determined to make a difference.

Deena reluctantly teams up with the hunky Techie. With the help of other Primes, both realize that not only is the danger to them all far more deadly than Jake and his team first imagined, but that love doesn't care about class and status. Can they stop the seemingly untouchable Utopia suppliers before time runs out for them all?

Contains some sensual scenes of m/f sexuality.

Copies may be purchased from the following:

Captiva Press

Aaron's Books

Amazon

DANGER ON XY-ONE

Aleksia Matthews is an asteroid assayer who would like nothing better than to be left alone. Her life is soon turned upside down when a band of ruthless pirates attack her ship. She manages to escape, but fears the worst for her brother. Ali swears revenge. Although well-trained by Fleet Security, she knows she can't do the job alone. When she literally runs into a stranger, Jason Cole she knows she has met the perfect partner — in more ways than one.

Special agent and Bounty Hunter, Jason has spent the past year tracking the pirates who killed his brother Zack and Zack's family. He's always one step behind, too late to help the victims. There are never any survivors — until now. It is up to him to keep Ali alive and out of trouble until the gang can be captured, and maybe longer.

Available from:

Ellora's Cave Blush

THE SHAPE OF LOVE - paranormal anthology

Who's To Say What Shape Is Normal...
Join three voluptuous women as they open their hearts and minds to possibilities beyond the normal...and straight into the paranormal.

Who's Your Alpha? by Vicky Burkholder
Sunny Clark always thought she was the only shape shifter in the town where she grew up. But when she returns for her high school reunion, she is shocked to find that nearly the whole town can turn into one thing or another. Including her teen crush, David Maxwell.

After a challenge for position in the pack, where Sunny defeats the town's Alpha female, the real question becomes does David only want the new Alpha female, or has he always wanted Sunny just as she is?

Out of the Storm by Misty Simon
Sarah James' quiet, almost solitary life changes when she rescues a wet, bedraggled cat out of a raging storm. But he always seems to disappear without explanation, only to return at the oddest times. Is he really lost, or does he have a secret life outside her apartment walls? Trenton Cutlass has been forced to roam ever since he was cursed into the form of a fat, tabby cat after dusk. No one has ever taken him in...until Sarah. Suddenly, breaking the curse is more important than ever, or he'll have to abandon the lovely Sarah forever.

Sheltered by Victoria Smith
Drugged and lost after escaping a deranged kidnapper, Dane Masters is stuck as his hereditary alternate form. While wandering the streets on four wobbly paws, he's taken in by vet tech Izzy Burnett. Once he has regained his strength, and his memories, Dane realizes he has found his predestined mate. But will he have time to convince Izzy before the kidnapper turns killer?

Available from:

Aaron's Books

Draumr Publishing

AKASHAN'TE

Although this YA fantasy is no longer in print, there are copies available at both Aaron's Books and Amazon.

Rowyn of Cotswold has eyes as black as midnight, bone-white hair, and powers that go beyond anything the world has seen in centuries. Raised by her aunts, she knows nothing about her powers until a fateful day when she returns home to find everything and everyone gone.

A cryptic note and a magical box direct her to the fabled city of Akashan’te at the six sister stars. The fate of the entire world rides on her ability to find the city before conjunction.

A giant of a man, Daniel is determined to guard her and love her no matter what the outcome. On their journey, they encounter friends who benefit from Rowyn’s abilities, enemies who will stop at nothing to control her, and love that will last a lifetime and beyond.

Available from:

Aaron's Books

Amazon

Memorial Day - in memory of my father

2011-05-30T10:42:00.000-04:00

This is part of a chapter from my father's memoirs. It's from 1944, he was 18 years old and in France.

In WWII, I was working with an infantry outfit in a little village outside of Orleans and the Germans were acting up a little bit. We were walking down a narrow street and the Germans opened up with machine guns. Most of the section ducked into a doorway on the opposite side of the street and I ducked into one on the other side. The door was locked and I couldn’t get in and all I was doing was standing pressed up against the door and the bullets were nicking pretty close. I decided that maybe I could get across the street to where the other guys were hiding. The street wasn’t that wide, probably no more than an alley, but it was still open. I got jammed up against the door as hard as I could; took my helmet off so it wouldn’t fall off; got my rifle clutched tight, put my head down and took off across the street. I wasn’t planning to stand there and open the door, I was planning on going right through the door. Just as I got to the door, it opened and I through the room and into the wall on the other side of the room. Here my buddies had seen me through the window and knew what I was doing. They stood there looking at me on the floor and laughing and asked me “What’s the matter? Didn’t you think we’d open the door?”

Close to the end of the war, we were staying in an old chateau. Rumor had it that it had belonged to Napoleon’s daughter at one time. The Germans had been in there and when they got kicked out, we moved in. Written on the one wall was something in German that took my eye. I couldn’t read German so I wrote it down and got someone to translate it later. It was from a German soldier and said: “To the American soldier who reads this: May we never meet on the battlefield and may you return to your home victorious and I to mine alive."

Writing Retreat

2011-05-10T15:17:00.002-04:00

I am going on a writer's retreat and I can't wait. Five days of nothing but writing, mingling with other writers, writing, eating, writing, relaxing, and, oh, did I say writing?

It's a retreat my local RWA group takes every year - this is our tenth year. About fifteen of us go and we have a blast. Yes, it is a long weekend of intensive work, but we also find time to socialize, party, have fun, and generally enjoy ourselves while putting out amazing amounts of productivity.

We stay at a campground that has a "hotel" on the grounds so we have all the comforts of home - and don't have to cook! They do all the meals for us. One thing we don't have in our rooms is TV - which is just as well since many of us would probably tend to use it to catch up on our favorite shows (though we can do that with our computers). We also do not have WiFi (or any other kind) of connectivity in our rooms - only in the lobby of the hotel. So no email, no surfing the web, no nothing.

Just days of writing. Brainstorming with other writers. Having immediate support when we're stuck with a word or scene. It is nirvana.

This year, I have two manuscripts I'm working on - an epic fantasy and an urban fantasy - my goal is to have them both plotted out and scenes ready to go by the time I'm done. I also plan to edit a third ms I've finished but needs work. Lofty goals, but I'm hopeful. :)

Can you tell I'm excited about this? We all are. My little crit group, all five of whom are also going, has been preparing for this for weeks. We have everything we're going to work on ready to go and we're packing up our pages and red pens and plotting sheets.

So my suggestion is to you... plan your own writing retreat. It doesn't have to be four or five days like we do - it can be just a day, or even a few hours. Get together with other writer friends and start writing. Or editing. Or brainstorming. Anything to get the writing juices flowing and have fun!

See you all next week! Oh, and keep an eye on my Victoria site - I've got a new "Chosen" story coming out on May 25th that I know you'll love!

A new PRIME TIME

2011-02-19T08:18:00.004-05:00

In the writing life, we all hit bumps and snags now and then. I hit one this past December when my previous publisher closed. Though I received the rights back to two of my three books I had with them, I was concerned if I'd be able to sell them again. After all, they'd already been published and most publishers don't want to touch that. With fingers crossed and hopes held high, I sent a letter off to my current publisher. And they responded in the positive. And not only that, but because both had already been edited and received rave reviews, they would get pushed through the process.

Then that snag. Yes, they'd been edited, but my editor pointed out some glaring errors that my previous publisher had missed. So I went to work fixing plot points, dialogue, and confusing issues. We worked fast, but we worked really hard and, voila, a new and vastly improved book emerged. And now, the new PRIME TIME is available! In its original condition, Prime Time received 4 stars from Romantic Times Magazine, 5 cups/lips/etc. from other reviewers. The original version was good. The new one is so much better. And it's available in formats to fit all e-readers or your computer as well as trade paperback
I give you - PRIME TIME available from Captiva Press:

BLURB:
When the super hot man in the moon comes calling, all you can do is melt.

In the dark corners of the Lunar habitats, Deena has safety and friends. In the light—danger lurks. To find those responsible for the death of her parents and the disappearance of her friends, she must join those who work in the light—if they’ll let her. After all, they’re Techies. Jake has every advantage of a Techie. Head of an elite security force investigating the Utopia drug, he is certain the pushers are the Porters. He needs to find a way to integrate with those who work in the dark, but Techies aren’t welcome. Deena and Jake must put aside their differences and work together against a common enemy—a threat to both Techies and Porters. Along the way, they discover love doesn’t care where you come from, and evil has a long reach.

Reviews:
From Romantic Times Magazine:, 4 stars: Burkholder voyages to the moon sometime in the future and builds a world with an intricate, well-defined, two-tiered social order. Everyone has a common goal, to locate a drug that can render all parts of society powerless if put in the wrong hands -- and the wrong hands seem to have acquired it. A compelling read.
Summary: Deena is a Porter, considered the lower class in contrast to the upper-class Techies. When she first meets Jake Parsons, the new cook, he looks a mess: outfitted with multicolored hair and bright blue shorts. He's also a Techie, and soon Deena is recruited to unearth the distributors of the drug, Utopia.

Deena is seeing double when Jake's twin, Sean, joins the hunt as they travel the vents behind the walls looking for answers.
From All About Romance: If Prime Time is ever made into a movie and Vicky Burkholder endorses it, I will be among the first in line to buy those high priced tickets. This tale is a rollicking ride of suspense, romance, and good Old West flavor that doesn't stop till the last line.Reviewed By Nancy Louise
Coffee Time Romance: Astounding! Miss Burkholder has outdone herself with this book. A real page turner. Deena and Jake are made for each other! The world the author created is stunningly realistic and pulls you in. A definite must for lovers of sci-fi action books!

Happy New Year?

2011-01-01T09:52:00.000-05:00

Today is the first day of the new year - and a new decade. I hope the coming year for you is a great one.

As for me, my new year started off with a couple of challenges - namely, the flu, and the reversion of rights of two of my favorite books - Akashan'te and Prime Time.

There's not much I can do about the flu but get through it. As for the books, when I'm alive again, I will shop them around an hopefully find a new home for them. Both books received great reviews (4 stars from Romantic Times Magazine and 4 & 5 ratings from multiple other reviewers). Unfortunately, Cerridwen Press is being rolled into its mother company of Ellora's Cave and these two books do not fit that area. My other Cerridwen book, Danger on Xy One, will be rolled over to EC so if you're looking for it, take a look there.

In the meantime, exciting things are happening at Captiva Press, my new publisher, and I look forward to a great new year with them there.

So HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL!!! May it be all you hope for and more.

At the end of the year...

2010-12-28T21:13:00.000-05:00

As part of my job working in a bookstore, I have to read books - yeah, I know. A real hardship. LOL. In addition to reading them, I have to write up a blurb as to whether or not I liked the book. This actually is a bit harder for me. Though I have extensive experience as a reviewer, I always find it difficult to give a book a less than stellar rating, though I do when I feel it is necessary. I find this so difficult most likely because, as a writer, I know the amount of hard work that goes into writing a novel. It is not an easy task and to have someone write that your work was less than incredible can hurt.
Yet, I do so. Not often, but it happens.
I also keep a record of all the books I read and write up. I just looked at my spreadsheet for this year. In my mind, I was a real slacker, not believing I was reading enough, but when I checked my spreadsheet, I saw that I read and reviewed sixty-eight books this year. That's more than a book a week. I know for certain that there were weeks when I barely read (thanks to deadlines and other issues). Now, granted, some of those stories were children's books - quick reads - but the large majority of them were full length novels. Whew. That's a lot of reading. And it doesn't include the ones I read just for fun.

In addition to reading and reviewing these books, I also critiqued several full length novels for friends and crit-partners. In fact, I just finished one this evening - a 407 page fantasy novel. A really good story that I hope gets published. This is just one of several I did this year. And then there's my own writing. In both this, and my alter-persona, I wrote several stories this year - and got a couple of them published. I also had some freebies out through Gloaming Gap.

So even though I feel like I didn't do nearly enough this year, I actually did a lot more than I thought I did. Guess it's a good thing I like to stay organized with spreadsheets!

But all this is to say, though there have been low points, it's been a good year overall writing wise and I'm looking forward to keeping the motivation going in the new year.

Keep writing!

Buy a Book

2010-11-23T16:35:00.000-05:00

Why not give the gift of reading this season? Books open minds, give us pleasure, teach us and entertain us. They can be as simple as a picture board book for a toddler or a technical manual for your favorite geek. There are as many types of books as there are people and you are certain to find something everyone likes at your local bookstore. While you're at it, shop your local stores and help them stay open.

This image was created and offered by RWA - Romance Writers of America - as an image to encourage everyone to buy a book from their local bookstore.

My store of choice is my local independent bookstore, Aarons Books You can also check out any independent store by visiting: www.indiebound.org

And if you happen to purchase a book or two of mine, I won't complain!

Grand Opening at Captiva Press

2010-10-26T09:18:00.000-04:00

Our official Grand Opening celebration kicks off October 27th at The Haunt at PNR! Please join us to meet some of our authors, staff, and learn how you can win a Sony e-reader, as well as other prizes!

Though my new book, Crystal Keys : The Emerald Key, isn't out yet, I'll be offering previews of this urban fantasy. Come take a look at what we have to offer.

CAPTIVA PRESS is a great place to find exciting new books.

A new game from Orchid Games

2010-09-13T08:08:00.000-04:00

I've blogged about Orchid Games before, about their Heartwild Classic Solitaire game. They now have a new game out and the text was written by my good friend, Misty Simon! The new game is called "Royal Trouble" and it's a type of "find the object, reach your destination" type of game. You can go here for a demo of Royal Trouble from the fine people at Orchid Games. If you like it, do yourself a favor and buy the full version. You won't be sorry.

*This is an unpaid endorsement given out of my love for the folks at Orchid and, of course, my very good friend who worked her tail off on this game. I have no financial interest in this game or Orchid games. I just enjoy their work, and, of course, the work of my good friend, Misty.

Book Signings

2010-09-09T14:28:00.003-04:00

I have the unique perspective of being a published writer while also working in a small, independent bookstore so I get to see the ins and outs of a signing/appearance from both sides of the door. And let me tell you, it isn't often pretty.

Take for instance a call I got yesterday from a prospective signer. This was a local woman who has self-published a children's book. She has never been in our store. Never. But she had seen an article in the local newspaper about the *annual* Kid Lit Festival we are having this weekend. She wanted to know how she could get in on the signings we were holding.

Give me credit. I did not tell her what I really wanted to say. I merely suggested that it was too late for her to participate this year, but she could send us information for participation for next year.

For some odd reason, she got rather upset with me. I mean, come on. We've been planning this three-day event for a year. The NATIONALLY known authors we have coming have been on the slate for almost a year. The promotional material went out at least two months ago. The sponsors and events have been planned down to the smallest detail. And she calls two days before it all starts and wants in on the fun? I'm sorry. What part of "get a clue" doesn't she get?

It's like the booksigning I took part in several weeks ago. This is an event at another store that is also planned a year in advance. Things like this are not put together overnight.

We've also had authors cancel on us at the last minute. Okay, we all understand emergencies crop up. But one author cancelled the day of her signing because she was able to get booked into a larger store. Guess where she's never going to sign? Yep. You got it.

So, for those of you who are authors out there, a few words of advice:
1. Get to know your local bookseller, preferrably before your book is published.
2. If you set up an event, try to get there. If not, give a decent reason, not just because you found a better spot.
3. Keep in touch with the event planner. They welcome your input.
4. During the event, do NOT tell people they can find your book cheaper at another store! (Yes, this happened)
5. Tell people about your event. Don't make the event planner do ALL the work.
6. Please, don't be a diva and expect a huge crowd. There are times when even the rich and famous authors only have a few people show up. It happens.
7. Plan to do more than just signing. Do a talk. A workshop. Smile. Meet and Greet. And if all someone wants to know is the directions to the bathroom, grin and point the way.
8. Bring promo materials, but make sure you have something for the bookstore to put their name on things too. After all, they're sponsoring you. It helps to be nice to them.
9. You don't need to be there hours ahead of time - it makes the bookseller nervous and feel that they have to entertain you, but don't be late either. And No Shows are a definite no-no (except under extreme emergency conditions).
10. Bring extra copies of your book, just in case the bookseller runs out.

Lastly, have fun. And keep writing! And for all you readers, keep reading and buying books. :)

Vicky/Victoria

Kid Lit Festival

2010-09-03T07:50:00.002-04:00

Yes, I know I haven't been blogging much. Chalk it up to moving...and lots of work to get done. But the big news is the workshop I'm going to be doing at the annual Kid Lit Festival in Lititz at Aaron's Books on the 12th.I will be doing a writing/editing workshop for any and all writers. If you're in the area, come on down!

Click here for Aaron's Books and more information on the festival.

Building upon the popularity of the store's first festival in 2009, Aaron's Books is expanding the event locations, adding a fundraiser for local literacy programs, and providing a focus on diversity in children's literature. Scheduled events for the weekend include a local author's night, story time with picture book authors and illustrators and special guest Mother Goose, open signing times with the authors, a panel discussion on diversity in literature, an editing workshop for aspiring writers, and a dinner with authors to raise funds for Lancaster Reach Out and Read programs. All events are open to the public and all are free except the Saturday dinner.

The 2010 Lititz Kid-Lit Festival is aided by generous sponsorships from The General Sutter Inn, Linden Hall School For Girls, and The Lititz House Bed & Breakfast.

"Saving Grace"

2010-08-22T07:57:00.002-04:00

Yes, I know it's been a while since I blogged. Moving will do that to you. More on that later. What I really want to talk about it the TV show "Saving Grace" starring Holly Hunter. Yes, I know I'm coming late into this since the show is now over, but without cable, I had to wait on the DVDs and just got to watch the finale last night.

I have to say I'm hugely disappointed in the writers.

First of all, if you don't know the show, it's basically a cop show that centers around Grace Hanadarko played by Holly Hunter, a lewd, crude, Oklahoma City cop with a very dark side and an angel named Earl, brilliantly played by Leon Rippy. Grace drinks too much, swears a blue streak, smokes like a chimney in winter, and humps every man she meets. But she has a heart as big as the outdoors. If you're her friend or family, there is nothing she won't do for you to protect you. If you're her enemy, there's nothing she won't do TO you to protect others.

As a writer, I have to admire the characters created in this series. They are believable and well written. The dialog, though rough, is realistic. The situations are also realistic. It's a well-written, well-crafted show. It's not my usual fare and it surprised me that I liked it as well as I did. But the ending left me flat. Okay, I'll give the writers some credit. Maybe they'd just found out they'd been canceled. Maybe they were having an off day. Maybe they were trying to leave a message. Maybe...well, whatever, it fell flat.

In the last show, I guess Grace is trying to find solace after accidentally killing a young girl in a car accident. She goes to Mexico to trace the child's path. Along the way, she finds "rebirth" and "baptism" by the ocean and returns to OK to face a demon/evil who has been plaguing her over the past few episodes.

First issue - why didn't the writers introduce this guy earlier in the series? By bringing him in now, it's almost like an afterthought. I don't find it very believable.

Second issue - the ending itself. It was a complete and total downer. Yes, she sacrificed herself. I knew that was coming. All of us who watched it knew that was coming. But the ending left no hope for the survivors - or the viewers. It was completely devoid of any spark, except that of darkness. Does that mean evil won? By Grace sacrificing herself, will evil now have free rein? A possibility. But... in today's climate of hopelessness, I would have left the viewers with a thread to hold onto. Perhaps my ending would have been like this:

Scene: Ham and Butch carrying stretcher with body bag (supposedly Grace) to ambulance. Everyone lined up in two rows saluting, sobbing.

Cut to picture of Grace sitting on top of pile of letters, possibly even drinking a beer, Earl standing behind her.

Grace: Will they be okay?

Earl: Eventually.

Grace: So, what now?

Earl: We go home.

Grace: Will G-pa and my sister be there?

Earl: Yep.

Grace: Cool.

Grace stands, puts the beer bottle down, takes Earl's hand. There is a flash of brilliant white light. Everyone turns, sees only the beer bottle sitting on top of the pile of letters. Rhetta grins through her tears.

Fade to black, roll credits.

And that's how I would have left the characters - and viewers - with a little hope.

But then, I'm all about the happy endings. :)

It's Moving Time

2010-08-02T07:33:00.000-04:00

When I moved into my current house five years ago, I swore this would be it. My last move. After all, I've moved 21 times in 37 years (and spent 20 years at the last place - you do the math).

But, as they say, "famous last words" and all that. Yep. I'm moving again. But this time is vastly different. Instead of downsizing because the kids are all grown and gone, I'm upsizing to a bigger place to move in with my son, d-i-l, and their two kids. We are going to become a generational household.

I can hear my friends and relatives now (and have heard them) - why in Heaven's name do you want to do that? You'll miss your quiet. They'll make you babysit all the time. You'll never have any privacy. And so on.

To all the naysayers, I say, let us give it a try. It is a fiscally sound arrangement for all parties involved. And we have already hashed out the "in-law" quarters aspect, who is in charge of what in the house, etc. Yes, there will be challenges and issues that will have to be dealt with, but we've made a good start.

There are probably very few families who could do this, but I have a really good relationship with my d-i-l (and son!) and I believe this will work.

Besides, they are both creative, writer-type people and what could be better for a writer than having a live-in critique/brain-storming partner any time you need one?

Now, if we just had the painting,cleaning, packing and moving aspects out of the way!

CHRISTMAS IN JULY CONTEST!!!

2010-07-01T07:58:00.000-04:00

Christmas in July Contest from "Romance Books 'R' Us!

No one wants to wait for Christmas to celebrate the holidays...so...we're having a Christmas in July Event! Great Prizes, to include a new Sony Touch eReader, hats, totes, tee-shirts, gift cards, and more!

To enter our BIG contest:
1. Join our yahoo group at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/romancebooksrus (Sorry - we're not approving authors for membership at this time, only READERS and INDUSTRY REPS).

2. Become a Follower at our blog: http://romancebooksrus.blogspot.com . Check the right sidebar there and click on FOLLOW and follow directions. If you have a problem with this, contact april@aprilash.net (aprilATaprilashDOTnet).

3. There are 20 RBRU Bloggers' Websites/Blogs listed on the right sidebar at the blog (under FOLLOWERS). Click on each one. Send a list of 20 authors' names and one book title for each one to: contests.rbrus@gmail.com
(contests.rbrusATgmailDOT.com) . If an author has two pen names, you only need to click on one. You'll need a total of 20 author names and 20 book titles.

Contest runs from 1 July - midnight ET 31 July. Sorry...we only ship prizes to US and Canadian residents. Others may receive an emailed gift card/certificate. Winners will be announced on our Yahoo group and blog during the first week in August.

Please note: If you join just to enter the contest and then leave the group, you won't be permitted to rejoin when we do another BIG contest. Like Santa, I'm "making a list and checking it twice" so will keep track of those who join and leave. ALSO, going NO MAIL happens to everyone, but please don't make this permanent. We want you to be a part of our group, hear all our news, and join in! I also check this "list".

Old Friends

2010-06-25T07:31:00.000-04:00

I am in the process of moving and am working on packing my library. This is where an ebook reader would be so nice. But I do still love my books. :) Unfortunately, I have way too many. Though I am weeding through some and handing them over to my local used book store for recycling, there are many...MANY more which I am keeping. What I find interesting, though, is how my tastes have changed over the years.

I've always been a lover of science fiction and fantasy. That hasn't changed. Somewhere along the line, I also became a fan of romance. As I go through my old books, some ancient favorites jump out - Kathleen Woodiwiss, Beatrice Small, Victoria Holt, Agatha Christie, Robert Heinlein, Frank Herbert... and many more. At one time, I absolutely adored historicals. I still do, but not quite as much as I did years ago. I still like a good suspenseful romance, but find my tastes have blended, as have many genres.

It seems that more of my books these days lean towards the futuristic, fantasy and paranormal romances, thus blending my loves of science fiction/fantasy and romance. Which probably explains why I also love to write in those areas.

I also find it fun to just go through the books. It's like meeting an old friend on the street, one you were once best friends with, but lost touch with over the years. Though the books may go into storage, I know they are always there for whenever I want to revisit them.

What Do You Do?

2010-06-20T11:43:00.000-04:00

When people ask me what I do in relationship to a job, I tell them I am a writer. I've penned several novels, short stories, newspaper and magazine articles, non-fiction works and even blogs - and been paid for my work, so I count that as making the claim true. Can I live off my earnings as a writer? Not even close. Which is why I also have another job, albeit a part time one. To be honest, I can't make a living off either one, but both supplement my darling breadwinner of a husband. But back to my life as a writer...

Though I live a rich fantasy life through my own stories, it is my part time job that really broadens my literary experience. You see, I work in a bookstore. Yep. I get to spend three days a week going through other author's books. And I can't imagine a better place to be. Along with my two bosses, the owners of the store, I get to go through catalogs and see what's coming out; get to read ARCs (advanced reader copies) of books that are yet to be published; get to indulge my passion for the written word.

The store is a small, independently owned one in a small, conservative town, so we are limited in what we carry, but we push those limits as much as we dare. We carry both new and used books and it's always interesting to see what people buy, and what they bring back for trade.

If there is a drawback to this job, it's that my TBR pile has gotten so large, it's insane. And yet, I keep bringing home more books. Part of the job entails writing up reviews of the ARCs we receive. Over the past year, I've read some rally good books that I never would have picked up on my own. I've also struggled to finish some - wondering why in the world the publisher chose that particular book.

I have looked at the publishing world from so many angles - as a writer, an editor, a librarian, and now, a bookseller. I believe it gives me a unique perspective into this world of wordsmithing.

And I'm so glad I'm here. :)

Do yourself a favor - go to a small bookstore and browse the shelves. Who knows what you may find there.

In Memory of...

2010-05-31T08:22:00.000-04:00

John Reisinger, World War II, Korea, Philippines, Japan....

From a memoir:

I was sent to Ft. Sill, OK. In school, math was always my poorest subject so, in the wisdom of the Army, I wound up in a survey outfit. I was the youngest kid there, being only 18. The other men, engineers, teachers, surveyors, were all in their 30's and 40's. I wound up being a surveyor for the Army and it turned out to be a good occupation. After seventeen weeks of Basic Training, I was sent overseas. My first combat was the fringes of the Battle of the Bulge. We came under artillery fire and a shell burst about a hundred yards from where I was. I decided then that war wasn't too much fun. A guy could get hurt out here.

A little later, I was working with an infantry outfit in a little village outside of Orleans, France and the Germans were acting up a bit. We were walking down a narrow street and the Germans opened up with machine guns. Most of the section ducked into a doorway on the opposite side of the street while I ducked into one on the other side. The door was locked and I couldn't get in. All I could do was stand pressed up against the door and the bullets were nicking pretty close. I decided that maybe I could get across the street to where the other guys were hiding. The street wasn't that wide, probably no more than an alley, but it was still open. I got jammed up against the door as hard as I could, took my helmet off so it wouldn't fall off, got my rifle clutched tight, put my head down and took off across the street. I wasn't planning to stop and open the door, I was going to go right through the door. Just as I got there, it opened and I crashed through the room and into the wall on the other side. My buddies stood there looking at me on the floor and laughing and asked me, "What's the matter? Didn't you think we'd open the door?"

RIP

My Mom Called Last Night

2010-04-25T08:32:00.000-04:00

My mom called me last night. Now you may not think much of this, but mom calling me in the middle of the week in the evening is enough for me to think about grabbing the keys and heading for whatever hospital she's been admitted to. It just doesn't happen unless something's wrong.

So why is it important that she called? She wanted to tell me that she'd just finished reading my book "Akashan'te". Which almost had me grabbing my keys to run myself to the emergency room. Because my mom doesn't read books. Ever. It's just not something she does (I got my love of books and the written word from Dad). It took her several weeks to read it.

She wanted to call me and tell me how much she liked it. And that it amazed her that I could do something like that (okay, that one hurt a little, but taken in the light of what she was trying to say, I'll take it as a compliment). And that she was proud of me.

Gulp. What? She was proud of me? Again, not something Mom ever says. Not even when I graduated from college (first in the family). Or went on to get my Master's. Or... for any other accomplishments I (or my siblings) did. She was proud of me? Wow. Going for those keys again.

Before you think my mom is a mean person, she's not. She's one of the most giving people I know. Just not verbally. Her way of saying something nice is to bake you something incredibly good. Or give you a gift. Something tangible. Words have no value to her. So for her to say these things meant a lot more to me than they might to many people. It meant more than the great reviews (though I love them!) and the pats on the back from friends. Because I knew how difficult this was for her to say.

My mom called last night to tell me how much she liked my book. This is something I will remember for the rest of my life.

May you have a great day like that.

I wrote a book - can I sell it in your store?

2010-04-20T19:07:00.000-04:00

In my regular life, I work part time at a small independent bookstore (Aaron's Books). Almost every week, we have people come in who want us to carry their book, or hold a booksigning for them. In most cases, these are self-pubbed writers (authors who pay to have their book published). Sometimes, they are from small publishers, micro-presses who don't have promotional staffs or publicity departments. After listening to these people, the owners came up with wonderful tips. These were specifically written for self-pubs, but they apply to all authors who are having signings. You might want to take a look and remember them the next time you want to have one:

1) DO NOT do a cold call the week after your book comes out. DO visit the bookstore before, after, and during the writing and printing of the book. Bookstores are much more likely to want to carry the book written by the person that has been in the store than by the person that calls them with "I live five minutes away and have never been in your store."

2) DO NOT be rude. DO treat the person you talk to as you would want to be treated. The people working in a bookstore are professionals who are passionate about books. But they are also overworked and under paid. Coming in with an attitude that your book is the best and we're stupid for not wanting to carry 30 copies immediately will not make us want to make an effort to add your book to our huge pile of books waiting to be reviewed.

3) In your email to us DO NOT mention that it's currently available on the (insert name of online or megachain stores), we know that EVERY book is available at them... that is NOT a selling point to us. DO tell us how to acquire your book. Is it listed with the major book distributors? Do we get it from the "publisher"? Do we get it from you directly? What is the wholesale price? (It is best to have a set wholesale price so we don't have to haggle with you about pricing. Industry standards are 40-50% off list price)

4) So now that we do have a few copies of your book in stock, DO NOT disappear. You want to sell books, we want to sell books. It's a lot easier for us to sell the book if you let people know they can get it at our store. Link to us in your emails, website, blog, Facebook, Twitter, etc. Tell Aunt Martha and Cousin Sue. Are you doing a reading/signing with us? Then please don't leave all the publicity work to us.... make sure we have cover images, author images, a full bio, blurb of the book, any reviews you have already received, etc. Are you doing a press release for the event? Then let us see it first. We have experience with the local book section editor, the local TV station, etc. We can help make sure your event listing appears... but DO NOT expect us to do ALL your publicity, and please DO NOT only link to the mega-chains on your online places.... like I said we want to sell your books as much as you do... and we can't if you're telling people to go somewhere else to get it.

5) DO NOT invite yourself to do a book signing. DO NOT email (the first one we get from you) and say "I see you are having a Dog Day, my book is about dogs, and can I come?" DO let us know that you are interested in an event at the store. DO let us know when you are available. DO understand that many of our events are set up 3-6 months in advance. DO trust that we know what events work at our location.

6) DO NOT assume that having your book at a chain store is the same as having it at an Indie. DO understand the value that an Indie has for your town. You are local right? Your kids went to school here? You've used the local parks, police, and ambulance? Guess who pays for that- NOT MegaSameEveryWhere Chain. WE do, the Indies. So having your book in an Indie store is not just about selling more copies and having more places to list that sell it, it is about supporting your community that will in turn support you.

I want to take a minute to highlight again what I think the most important thing to do is- BE NICE.

We are professionals. We know what will sell in our store. We know the subjects are customers are interested in. We know the price points they are willing to pay. If we choose not to carry your book, it is not personal; and understand we will not make the decision to carry your book on the spot. We rarely do that with the major publishing houses that send us hundreds of advance reading copies, so we won't do it with you either. Be willing to leave us a copy of your book, with the understanding that we have over 10,000 books already in the store, we cannot guarantee that we can be able to return it to you. Think of leaving that copy as an investment in future sales.

Check out Elizabeth Naughton's New Book

2010-04-18T19:23:00.000-04:00

Coming April 26: MARKED by Elizabeth Naughton

As unrest in the Underworld threatens, seven immortal warriors descended from the greatest heroes in all of Ancient Greece may just be mankind’s last hope.

THERON – Dark haired, duty bound and deceptively deadly. He’s the leader of the Argonauts, an elite group of guardians that defends the immortal realm from threats of the Underworld.

From the moment he walked into the club, Casey knew this guy was different. Men like that just didn’t exist in real life—silky shoulder-length hair, chest impossibly broad, and a predatory manner that just screamed dark and dangerous. He was looking for something. Her.

She was the one. She had the mark. Casey had to die so his kind could live, and it was Theron’s duty to bring her in. But even as a 200-year-old descendent of Hercules, he wasn’t strong enough to resist the pull in her fathomless eyes, to tear himself away from the heat of her body.
As war with the Underworld nears, someone will have to make the ultimate sacrifice.

An Interesting Day at the Bookstore

2010-04-13T12:51:00.003-04:00

As many of my readers know, I work at a small, independent bookstore (aaronsbooksonline). Most days, I work with one or the other of my two bosses, the owners of the store. But there is the occasional day when I work alone. Today is one of those days.

I have to say, it's been interesting so far. I opened the store at ten to find a shipment of books outside on the doorstep, and a customer waiting. I brought both inside. While taking care of customer, phone rings - it's the boss with some notes for me. Listen to him, finish with customer, check "to-do" list. Enter new customers. Work on shelving new books while customers browse. One older couple and I got to talking. They were visiting our small town from Devon, England where they lead book groups. They must have stayed here an hour, browsing and chatting - and even buying. Including one of mine! When we were talking about signings, I mentioned about mine last week - and one thing led to another... :)

To be honest, I'm a horrible sales person of my own stuff because I tried to talk them out of it. Okay, not too hard, but still, they were hugely into mysteries and literary books, not YA fantasies. But they insisted, so I didn't argue. After all, the customer is always right. Right?

During that time, I also had a customer in from Connecticut, and a couple of locals, all getting something. (yay!) And a call for a special order. And a box of trade ins. And the new book order to receive. And still the to do list to get to.

In other words, not a break until now. But this is good. Grab my lunch while I check my mail and blog, then back to the to do list. I might even be able to get to it this afternoon. :)

All this on a cold, rainy day. Think I'll go find a good book to read.

Addendum: Just had a couple in from Australia looking for books on green living, ecology and sustainability - which we have. Such a lovely chat with them. Such an interesting day.

Book Signing Tonight

2010-04-09T07:50:00.003-04:00

Wow. I'm having a book signing tonight with three of my friends. I'm so excited. Yes, I've done signings before. And with these same people, but this time is different.

Why? you ask?

Mostly because of where it is. The other signings were in other cities, not where I live. And at other stores, not where I work. This one is not only in the town where I live, but in the independent bookstore where I work.

My cohorts at the signing will be Misty Simon, writer of light-hearted mysteries and paranormal romance, Victoria Smith, writer of dark paranormal romance, and Susan Kelley, writer of fantasy and paranormal romance. (Seeing a theme here?) The boss is promoting the night as "Some Enchanted Evening" and we are going to have fun!

So... if any of you happen to be in the Lititz, PA area tonight, stop on in. We're the only bookstore in town. www.aaronsbooksonline.com

Aces and Eights

2010-03-12T08:03:00.000-05:00

Check it out! My friend Victoria Allen has a new release. Buy it here:

When the turn of a card seals your fate, you need to stack the deck.

Jessica Windemere loses her freedom when her father bets her in a poker game. But she isn’t willing to accept her fate without a fight. To have her revenge, she first must survive an unknown world while contracted as some stranger’s wife. She wants nothing more to do with men until a huge, dark god rides into her camp. Can she risk losing her new love on the turn of a card?

Kiernan Randall is on his way home from a trading mission. The group of abandoned women he finds were definitely not expected, especially their feisty, red-haired leader. She is contracted to his enemy, but gives herself to him and firmly entwines his heart. Can he trust her enough to let her wager their future together on her skill with cards?

It's All in How You Advertise

2010-02-24T10:45:00.002-05:00

The town where I live has been having a rather vocal debate between the merchants and zoning board about signage. Basically, one side says: "No signs, no flags, nothing exterior to indicate that you are a store and open because they detract from the view." The other side says: "Small signs, 'Open' flags, etc. because we have to let people know we're here and open for business."

It all comes down to advertising. How do you get your name out there and let people know who you are, what you have to offer, and when they can do business. How can your advertising budget best be spent?

An author faces the same issues. We have to get our names "out there", but what gives us the most coverage for the money? For an author published by a small press with a little or no publicity department, it becomes even more of a predicament. The old adage "You have to spend money to make money" has never been more true. Do we spend our unknown royalties on a fancy website? Postcards? Bookmarks? Go to book signings that generate little revenue? Send out our personally purchased copies for reviews? Take a blog tour?

How does an author get his or her name out there in order to sell the books - whether print or ebook? What is the best place to drop hard-earned money in order to generate sales?

I hope you are not looking to me for the answers because I don't have them. I am searching for them myself. One thing I do know is that if you write the best book you can and get it published by a legitimate publisher, that in itself is a huge accomplishment and is the best thing you can do for your career.

Then write a better one. :)

A Sad State of Affairs

2010-02-13T07:36:00.004-05:00

My husband and I had a workman in yesterday to run some wiring for new cable hookup in our office. Our office is in what would normally be considered the master bedroom. We chose that room because it is large, bright, and met our needs better than any other room in the house. Anyway, like most writers, the room is also lined with shelves on which I have hundreds of books sitting/piled/stacked.

So the man comes in and, according to hubby (I wasn't there), takes a look at the shelves and says "Wow. You have a lot of movies."

Movies??? Okay, I guess the old VCR tape boxes look like book covers. But I don't just have paperback books. I've got books of all sizes and types.

After a touch of surprise, my husband set the man straight and then went on to brag about me a little informing the guy that I am a writer and even showed off my latest book to him.

But rather than laugh over the incident, hubby and I were saddened. Now, granted, my husband is not a heavy reader. It was not encouraged in his home, in fact, often discouraged. But he knows the importance of books and especially what they mean to me. And our children were raised with a love of books.

What really saddens me is that this man who thought I had amassed huge numbers of movies is not alone. Too often, I hear "Oh, I don't like to read." or "I don't like books." Or other similar statements. This bothers me not just because I'm a writer, but because it also underscores what I believe is the literary decline of society. And I'm not talking about reading "high-brow" books, but, rather, the nearly illiterate writing skills of society in general these days. Highly placed business people who can barely spell or teachers who don't know the difference between a colon and semicolon. People who can't figure out the difference between homophones (they're, their, there).

My son was at a job-hunting seminar a few weeks ago and noted a misspelling on one of the handouts. During a break in the session, he quietly pointed it out to the presenter. Instead of being thankful, she got huffy with him and informed him that five people had proofed that paper and all said it was okay. Unfortunately, all five of them (actually, six if you count the presenter), were wrong. The word was definitely misspelled. And these were people who were showing others how to present themselves.

I realize we all make mistakes. Typos and the mistaken word creep in, especially when we are in a hurry (as we all seem to be these days) or our typing doesn't keep up with our thoughts. These are minor incidents in a major deterioration.

As I said, a sad state of affairs. Literacy is important. Spelling. Grammar. Diction. And, unfortunately, with people who should know better at the top of the ladder, I don't see it getting any better.

My Aching Back

2010-02-11T17:49:00.002-05:00

It snowed again yesterday. Actually, it started on Tuesday - and didn't stop until late yesterday. Then the wind started to blow... By the time it was done, we had almost two feet of new snow - on top of the almost two feet of snow we got on Saturday. Then it drifted. My front yard now has piles over six feet deep in snow. And tonight, they're calling for strong winds. Lovely.

According to our news guys, Philadelphia (an hour away from me) has more snow this winter - this week! - than Buffalo, N.Y. or Alaska. Most of the interstates in the state were closed, one of them just opening this afternoon. Some of the piles on the sides of the roads are fifteen feet high. We've set more records this week than in the past hundred years.

And yet, there are robins at the bird feeder.

To everyone fighting this white battle, be safe. Pace yourself. And good luck.

Retreat at the Beach

2010-01-31T09:38:00.002-05:00

I am lucky to have found four incredible friends who all happen to be writers. We try to get together at least once a month for a day of chatting and fun. But what's even better is that one of them recently purchased a "beach" house and invited us to share the place with her for a girl's writing weekend.

So, last Friday, we packed up her SUV - and I do mean packed - not only was the back full, but the seats and all of us were holding bags on our laps or at our feet. We headed out about 5 p.m. for the three hour drive. We made a stop along the way in Delaware at a diner for a quick bite to eat. I don't remember the name of the diner or where it was, but I do know the food was ample and great and the prices weren't bad. The only thing we found to complain about was the "quick menu" on the table - figures that five writers would pick out misspellings and other errors as we all giggled over the spelling of "accasion" for "occasion" and "Fish from the Seven Sea" (not Seas) and "From the sauteed pan" (they fry the pan and not the food?).

Anyway, we laughed and chatted all the way to the house, arriving around 9 p.m. We unloaded the car and checked out the room. The small home has four bedrooms and two bathroom around a central "Great Room" so we divided up spaces. Two of us, Natalie Damschroder, and I shared a room, which we had decided before hand so as to alleviate any issues. :) We sat around and chatted - I headed to bed earlier than the others, but it was a great end to the day.

Saturday, got up early (around 7) and made hot water for tea. The other straggled out over the next hour or so. Breakfast, coffee, tea, and down to work. Notebooks or computers came out and we started working. And it started snowing. Hard.

About 11, four of us decided to go for a walk in the snow. By that time, we had about two inches down. We got about four blocks with the wind blowing freezing snow in our faces and two of them wimped out and headed back to the house. Nat and I decided to continue on as we really wanted to see the ocean and the walk was only about a mile - 20 minutes on a nice day.

Note, I said nice day. This was most definitely not a nice day. We faced into the wind and struggled onward and made it. The beach was, of course, deserted. Gee, go figure. :) And the waves were angry, but we made it. Nat went down to the water while I stayed on the boardwalk, then we headed back. Fortunately, the wind was at our backs, but the snow was definitely deeper and by the time we got to the house, I know I was definitely beat. But the walk was worth it. Being at the beach during the winter is a significant difference from being there during the summer. And I think, in some ways, better.

The rest of the day was spent in working - editing, writing, brainstorming, etc. We broke for dinner around 5:30 - pasta, salad, garlic bread - and silliness. Check out Megan Hart's website for some of our zaniness. After cleaning up, we did a little work, but mostly sat around and chatted, watched TV, and other relaxation. And still it snowed.

Sunday - the sun is shining brightly this morning, but we have a good eight inches of snow down - and no shovel! Going to be interesting. I got up early and got about 50 pages of editing done before the others came out. Chatting, working, cleaning up from the weekend will take up the rest of the day in time for heading back to home and reality this afternoon.

I can't think of a better way to spend a weekend - five great friends, work, fun, and a little adventure.

Surprises

2010-01-25T18:44:00.003-05:00

This has been a weekend of excitement for me. Completely unknown to me and out of the blue, my editor emailed me Friday afternoon and informed me that my first book for Cerridwen Press, Akashan'te, is now out in print.

To say I was excited would be the understatement of the century. I've been waiting for this for three years. Moreover, so have many of my readers, several of whom either don't have connectivity (yes, there are still some people out there who do not), or don't like to read ebooks. But now they'll be able to purchase a real live printed book to hold in their hands.

Yippee!!

But that was only the beginning of the weekend. The very next day, I received notice from a new publisher that they were interested in one of my short, hot, romance stories. So a new book in print and sale of another - all in one weekend!

Stay tuned for more updates on the sale - but in the meantime, if you are so inclined, take a look at Akashan'te - my newly released paperback book: http://www.jasminejade.com/p-8127-akashante.aspx

One Lovely Blog Award

2010-01-19T18:28:00.005-05:00

The always crazy, but wonderful writer, Victoria Smith, awarded me with the One Lovely Blog award. Where she came up with this insane idea, I have no clue, but I think her for it and am honored by it. In following with the tradition of One Lovely Blog, I hereby pass it along to Nean - though I don't always "get" her poetry, her creative artistry is definitely lovely, as is the jewelry she designs.

For the second part of the award, I'm supposed to tell you ten things about myself you might not know. Let's see......

1. During my married life, I've moved 21 times, but all within Pennsylvania.
2. I have played, or still play, flute, piccolo, guitar, autoharp, and bells (in a bell choir)
3. My parents took me to a Pony Penning on Chincoteague Island when I was young because I was so enamored of the stories of Misty.
4. The first time I was on a plane trip was for my 51st birthday - and our 30th anniversary.
5. I have two left feet (and one of them is full of metal). My sister, the ballerina, got all the grace.
6. I love gadgets.
7. I was the only girl in my high school physics class.
8. I actually enjoy things like cataloging and organizing.
9. I love both the beach and the woods and would love to have a place that had both.
10. I can't be out in the sun long, but don't like the dark.

The School of Essential Ingredients

2010-01-09T08:14:00.003-05:00

I just finished reading "The School of Essential Ingredients" by Erica Bauermeister and have to say it was one of the best books I've ever read.

For a novel, it's relatively short - only 240 pages - so it's a quick read. But what a read. It is sensual without being sexual, evocative, well-written, and well-edited. The imagery is incredible. The characters are brought to life with such skill, that you feel as though you really know them.

At its most basic level, the story is about a woman who owns a restaurant and gives small cooking classes. This story is about the people in one of those classes. Each chapter is about a different person; about their lives, their hopes and dreams, and their foibles. But it is so much more than that. It is about how we relate to each other and to ourselves. It is about spice, not just in the kitchen, but in our lives, and how even the most subtle of flavors can have importance.

While a the book centers around cooking, and all of the imagery is food-based, it is is not a cookbook. As you read, you will taste and smell and feel the ingredients that are brought together to form the whole and how the characters relate to them. The book is not a genre book. There's romance, but it's not a romance novel. There's a little bit of fantasy, but it is definitely not a paranormal story. There's a little bit of intrigue, but no mystery. It's just a really good book that needs to be read.

If you know anything about cooking, do yourself a favor and pick up The School of Essential Ingredients. You won't be sorry.

Word Games

2009-12-30T19:36:00.002-05:00

I love word puzzles. Crosswords. Word seek. Crostics. Pretty much any word puzzle there is. Well, most of them. There are a few I don't care for, but I still try them when I run across them in the puzzle books I purchase. I started doing them as a child with my dad. I was a reluctant reader (yeah, me). Dad was hugely into crosswords so he'd sit me beside him and get me to help him. We also did word games when we were waiting - usually he'd pick out a long word on a sign and tell me to pick out as many words as I could from that one word. And we played Scrabble. And I blossomed into a lover of words.

In talking with friends over the last couple of weeks, I find there are people out there who don't share my love of crosswords. Gee. Go figure. But that's okay. Everybody has their own form of enjoyment. I dragged my husband into crosswords. He used to hate them, but now has his own crossword puzzle books. And has discovered something I found out a long time ago. As he's done more of them, he's become more adept and increased his vocabulary and spelling ability.

I take them with me when I'm going somewhere where I know I'll be waiting a while and need something to relax with (like a doctor's waiting room), as I did Tuesday. I did seven crossword puzzles while I was waiting. Okay, so they were easy ones, but still... seven?!

Another thing I do is use pen. Always. Even with the hard ones where I know I'll probably make a mistake. Doing a puzzle with a pencil is just so wrong for me. It has to be a pen. Another legacy from my dad.

Think I'll go find a good challenger puzzle and relax a little.

Today's thought: "The greatest stories touch on the sacred, that moment when the head and heart and soul combine." - Jane Yolen from "Take Joy"

Challenge: write a poem or scene that involves tea and a special teapot.

Jane Yolen and Take Joy

2009-12-29T20:23:00.003-05:00

I have a book on my shelf (all right - I have tons of books, but I want to talk about this particular one) by Jane Yolen called "Take Joy". Now, for those of you who don't know who Jane is, you must have lived in a vacuum. She has written over 300 books and has won more awards than I can name, including the Nebula (science fiction) and Caldecott (children's). I have loved Jane's books for years and read them every chance I get. In addition to her fiction, she also writes non-fiction and that is what I want to talk about.

In this book, she encourages writer's to take joy in what they do. In the art and act of writing. And gives the writer's quotes, pithy essays, and "interludes" to help them reconnect with the joy of writing.

Too often, we writer's become bogged down in the work of writing. Plot the story. Create the characters. Build the world. Select the correct words. Edit. Rewrite. Submit. Rewrite. Promote. And so on. We lose sight of the reason we write. We lose the joy of writing. Ms. Yolen helps get that back.

One chapter in the book I especially love is the one titled "Out with Outlines". In this chapter, she takes famous books and boils them down - "Crushed Classics". Here are just a few - I hope they make you laugh as much as I did:

The Scarlet Letter - Hester Prynne was a bad girl. Still, she got an A

Jane Eyre - Mr. Rochester had a bad wife. And a good wife. One set fires. One ran for her life. Run, Jane, run.

MacBeth - Mr. Macbeth and Mrs. Macbeth got their hands dirty. Out, spot, out.

Lord of the Rings - Yo! Fro! Give the mountain the finger.

Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of Jane Yolen's "Take Joy" from Writer's Digest books, 2006 copyright. You'll be glad you did.

Thought for today: Joy increases as you give it, diminishes as you try to keep it for yourself. In giving it, you will accumulate a deposit of joy greather than you ever believed possible. - Norman Vincent Peale

Today's Challenge: Try writing your own "Crushed Classics" - take any books you know well and boil them down to just a few words. Good luck!

Teaser 12-28-09

2009-12-28T18:33:00.002-05:00

Today's Author Birthdays: Mortimer J. Adler, Rod Serling, Manuel Puig

Thought for the day: Always leave enough time in your life to do something that makes you happy, satisfied, even joyous. That has more of an effect on economic well-being than any other single factor. - Paul Hawken

Teaser and challenge: What makes you buy a book? Is it the cover? The blurb? The first page? The writer's name? A friend's recommendation? Or something else?

Your challenge: Pick a book you know well and describe a book jacket you would have designed for it, then write a two sentence blurb that would entice someone to buy it.

A Free Game - Heartwild Solitaire

2009-12-16T19:19:00.002-05:00

Over the past few months, some friends and I have been playing this incredible solitaire game called "Heartwild Solitaire - the game for romance readers" - it's a beautiful game with stories attached. And now, there's a free version!!!!

Check out the link at: http://www.orchidgames.com/heartwild_solitaire_classic

You really should check it out because:

1. It's got gorgeous graphics

2. It's got seven stories by some of my best writer friends: Misty Simon, Megan Hart, Natalie Damschroder, Vicki Smith, Dee Tenorio, Sherry Thomas, Kimber Chin

3. Every time you win, it unlocks another story

4. It's Free!!!

5. It's a great way to relax and get rid of some stress.

Enjoy.

Are you serious?

2009-12-14T19:17:00.002-05:00

When you work in a position where you must answer questions and help customers, you get some interesting queries. The following fall into the category of "are you kidding me?" These are real queries from real customers. Thought you might enjoy a few chuckles.

Today in the bookstore where I work:
Customer: I'm looking for a book. It came out about two years ago. It had horses running across the front of it. (The customer knew neither title or author - just the horses). Unfortunately, I was not able to help her.

At a car repair shop: A young woman who actually worked at the repair shop called in late one day because her car had a flat and she needed to wait for help. When she finally got to work, she brought the flat in. When told she would need a new tire, her comment was that it was only flat on the bottom.

At a toy store:
Clerk (very late, Christmas week): May I help you?
Customer: I'm looking for a toy.
Clerk: Can you tell me about it?
Customer: I saw it on TV. It takes batteries and does stuff.
I'm happy to say both clerk and customer survived the encounter.

At a University library:
Customer: I'm looking for a book.
Clerk: Can you give the title or author?
Customer: I don't know either of those, but I know it was green.
Clerk: sigh.

At another bookstore:
Customer: I'm looking for a book I saw in here a couple of weeks ago.
Clerk: Do you know the title or author? Or subject?
Customer: Not. but you had it on one of these tables here a few weeks ago.
Clerk (trying to be nice): Was it a hardback or paperback?
Customer: I don't know. I didn't pick it up.
Clerk (with smile pasted on face): Do you remember anything about it?
Customer: No. But I was in here looking at it, you saw me.
Clerk: I saw you?
Customer: Yes. You asked if you could help me and I said no. But now you can.
Believe it or not, but the clerk actually found the book - only because she figured out what books were on the sale table over the previous few weeks.

From a Computer Help Desk:
Caller: My computer's not working.
Help Desk: Is it plugged in?
Caller: Yes.
HD: Are there any lightls flashing?
Caller: I don't think so. It's kind of hard to see.
HD (getting a bad feeling): Why is it hard to see?
Caller: Because the power is out.
HD: Okay, tell you what. Wait for the power to come back on and see if it's working then. If not, then call me back, okay?
Caller: I have to wait until then?
HD (who's not above a little revenge): I'm afraid so. Once the power is on, we'll send a repair program over the lines that should fix everything for you.
Caller: Oh. You can do that? Thanks!

There are more, but I think I'll save them for another time. In the meantime, should you ever go into a bookstore or library looking for a specific book, please do the poor clerk a favor and at least have a title or author to go by! Thank you!

Feeling the Season

2009-12-13T19:49:00.002-05:00

There's been so much difficult stuff happening in my life right now that it's been hard for me to get into the spirit of the season. Usually, I love this time of year. The excitement, the anticipation, family (at least some of them) coming home, the little ones... but this year, it's been a challenge to feel that same sense of peace and joy. Until today.

Today, I put on some holiday music and I finished a project I've been working on for my daughter. I'm happy with the way it turned out. Then I baked chocolate raspberry meringues and other goodies, packed up boxes for my daughter and son so they're ready to go out in the mail tomorrow. I wrapped gifts for the little ones. I turned on the tree lights.

And, for a little while, I found that happy place. I imagined the surprise and joy on the two of my childrens' faces when they open their packages. I will miss them, but am comfortable that they have their own lives to live, though far away. The other two will be here, as will other family. We will eat too much, laugh, play, and enjoy our time together.

Which is good.

With all the busyness coming up in the next couple of weeks, I don't know if I'll get back to the blog. If I don't, I'll take this time to wish you all a Merry Christmas. May you find that spot of peace and joy and love that will keep us going through the coming year.

Working in a bookstore

2009-12-05T16:31:00.002-05:00

Darkness is falling, as is the snow outside. Inside, we have hot tea and books. Lots of books. Thousands of books. Fiction, non-fiction, old, new, big, little, hardback and paperback. I sit here, surrounded by books and can't choose what to read.

Do I read a classic like Mark Twain? Probably not. I've read all of them and want to find something new.

How about a cozy mystery? Love them. And romances. And thrillers. And have even been known to read a western or two. Science fiction and fantasy? Oh yes.

Admittedly, I don't read many non-fiction unless I'm doing so for a particular reason - research or a particular interest in the subject.

I've read a lot of the children's books - they are so wonderful. Sitting here at my desk, I can see copies of ones that I read to my children when they were little and now they read to theirs. I love it when people come in and say "Oh! I remember reading this as a kid."

The "teen" books are good too, though most of them are so full of darkness and angst, they're often difficult to read. But I guess that fits with those years.

So what should I read? What would you read if you had your choice of anything in the store?

Where do you find your ideas?

2009-12-01T20:36:00.002-05:00

Where do you get your ideas from?

What writer hasn't been asked this question? So what's your answer? A simple one is "Everywhere." The more complicated one is "Everywhere."

For a writer, ideas may come to them from a snippet of conversation overheard, from a headline in the news, from a dream, from reading the back of a cereal box. There is no book, no reference work or website (okay, there may be - but I haven't looked) where we go to get our ideas. Ideas come from our daily lives. I have a friend who is an ex-cop, ex-city council member, and now writes computer security manuals - she'll probably end up in one of my stories somewhere. Not her exactly - I would never do that to anyone - but parts of her. Several years ago, I took a fall and shattered my ankle. Another time, I fell while rollerblading and hurt my shoulder (yes, I'm a klutz). Both of these events have figured in stories I've worked on.

Writer's are thieves. We steal personalities, styles, houses, looks, everything and anything and throw them in a bag, mix them up, and come out with characters and settings that are uniquely ours. The trick is to keep them around so we'll have them when we need them. For me, I keep notes on both the computer and in a huge three-ring binder. When I need a story idea, I've got dozens there just waiting for me.

Everything is fodder for a story - and I can't wait to find the next one.

Today's Thought: "We will go to the moon. We will go to the moon and do other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard." - John F. Kennedy

Today's Teaser: Where do you get your ideas? And once you have them, how do you keep them so you can use them at a future date?

Where to Begin

2009-11-26T18:58:00.002-05:00

I was looking over my most recent projects and trying to figure out where I want to go. I've got two manuscripts about a third done, one done, but needs heavy editing (as in a complete rewrite) and three others that need lighter editing. I've also got at least four other manuscripts I should look at to see if I can do anything with them. And three short stories that are done and ready to go, but I've had trouble finding a home for them.

So where do I begin?

Which one do I work on first?

Maybe I'll assign each of them a number and leave it to a turn of the cards? Or throw them out on the floor and see which one comes out on top? Or do it alphabetically by title? Or by date finished? Or...

Yeah, I know. Silly. The point is not which one to start, but just to start.

I'll let you know which one gets my attention.

Today's challenge: Use the word "hornswoggle" in a contemporary scene between two best friends.

Something to be thankful for

2009-11-25T16:44:00.001-05:00

Here in the states, we are getting ready for the celebration of overeating and family gatherings tomorrow, also known as Thanksgiving.

For this year, I've been having trouble finding things to be thankful for this year. My husband and eldest son will shortly be out of jobs as their company was bought out by one who is cutting nearly 300 positions in our small town. My son-in-law lost his job. My mother-in-law struggles with dementia which is causing my husband (only child) and myself no end of stress. My brother called last night to inform me that the pain he's been having in his shoulder is due to cracked vertebrae in his neck and he's now possibly looking at surgery. My last two manuscripts have yet to find a home. And I've been fighting bronchitis for the last two weeks.

Great, yes?

No. BUT....

I also know I do have things to be grateful for, and I am. I have a wonderful husband who supports my dreams and does what he can to help me reach them. I have four wonderful kids and two incredible grandkids who are the lights of my life. I have a warm house and friends and food to eat. Yes, I'm coughing my lungs out, but I have a good doctor and medication to help. I have books with my name on them and an editor who is wonderful to work with.

There is more, but that's enough for now. So I leave you with this... every day in our lives, we face challenges and problems. It is how we face those challenges that shows who and what we are.

To bring this around to writing... as writers, we must challenge our characters. We must throw everything at them, and see how they react. Hopefully, with honor, if they are our heroes and heroines. Or even villains, because every good villain should have a shred of good in him somewhere. :)

So to all of you, if you are celebrating the day tomorrow, have a great day. And even if you aren't, make it a day to be grateful for.

Words, words, words, words...

2009-11-24T10:58:00.004-05:00

I am reading a book entitled "Reading the OED" by Ammon Shea. Its' about a man who took one year to read the Oxford English Dictionary. All 21,730 pages of it, "from a to zyzzogeton (a large South American leaf hopper)" For those who don't know, the OED is *the* dictionary. I saw a set one time - and was awed by the sheer volume of words and their etymology. But to read the entire set?

Wow. While I have always had a love of words, and attempted at various times in my life to read a dictionary or even encyclopedia, I never got all the way to the end. But Ammon Shea did. And the OED is not some little novel you can hold in your hand. It is 20 large volumes. I am envious (and I'm certain there is a better word, but this one works for me!) but not so much that I would undertake such an onerous endeavor.

But it is fun reading the new words - most of which are actually old words no longer in use. And if you are any kind of wordsmith, or you just enjoy words, take a look at this book. It could turn you into a vocabularian. Or not.

Today's challenge: Use the word artolater (a worshipper of bread) in a scene

Science Fiction Lives

2009-11-18T18:46:00.002-05:00

I just finished watching the Star Trek movie that originally came out last spring. I don't do theaters so had to wait for it to come out on DVD. I have been a huge fan of ST since the first series hit TV (yes, I've been around that long). But then, I was a huge fan of anything science fiction. I have been since I read my first science fiction book. Until then, I was hard core into Nancy Drew (and other young girl mysteries) as well as books about horses (Black Beauty, Black Stallion, Misty, etc.).

While I continued to read mysteries - and still do - as well as other genres, science fiction became my first love. And when I could watch the stories unfold on television and in the movies, I was in heaven.

Today, that love affair continues. I love anything to do with looking to things that might be. To imagine the future, or return to the past. To fly to the stars. To meet other beings. To create gadgets that may one day really exist. Or to dream up things that may never be, but are just fun to think up. Can there be anything better?

Today, I read just about anything. Part of my job working at a bookstore is to read books (hard job that!). The large majority of ARCs we get in are literary novels - not my first choice. Or even my fifth. But I do read them, and have read some very good ones that I've enjoyed immensely. But my first love, and the ones I gravitate to first, will always be science fiction and fantasy books.

So, thank you Jules Verne and Ray Bradbury and, especially, Gene Roddenberry. You, and many others, have given me many hours of enjoyment. And, I'm happy to say, I've passed the legacy on to my offspring.

Today's Challenge: Use these in a scene: jogger, electrician, statue of a sphinx

Switching Stories

2009-11-17T08:06:00.002-05:00

Several times, I've read about other writers who hit a wall, also known as writer's block. They're stuck. They don't know where the story is going. The plot isn't working out. The characters are all wrong. They're not sure what is wrong, but something is and they can't write. So they don't.

Uh-oh. Therein lies the slippery slope that can lead to disaster.

I've hit that wall several times myself. But rather than quit writing, I switch stories. Sometimes, I switch entire genres. I go from writing fiction to non-fiction. From full novel to short story. From romance to fantasy. Or even just from one story to another - though admittedly, I don't do this often. It's too easy to get similar stories mixed up.

The point is, to not quit writing. To write something every day. Even if it's only the fifty words I wrote about yesterday. But to really jumpstart your brain, it should be something totally different. You might be surprised at what you come up with. And then you can go back to your blocked story with a fresh perspective.

Today's challenge: Your friend talks you into going to see a palm reader. At first, she smiles, then gasps and backs away from you. What is wrong?

Setting Goals

2009-11-16T08:03:00.004-05:00

I was at a writer's workshop yesterday and, while the speaker was interesting, most of the workshop was mostly useless for me as all the other participants had never written anything and needed the basics. Which is fine - we all have to start somewhere. I wish I'd known about things like this when I started. And, although a large portion of the class was repeating what I already know, sometimes that's not a bad thing. It reminds you of things you might have forgotten or shuffled off to one side.

One of those things was that writers need to set goals. This is something we stress at my monthly writer's group meetings. And it is echoed at many other groups and loops I belong to. And it is the one thing many of us fail to do.

What does a goal do for you? It gives you something concrete to aim for. It forces you to take responsibility for something - whether it is writing, or something to do with another aspect of your life. My local writer's group just finished a challenge we called 50/50 - the goal was to write a minimum of fifty words a day for fifty days. You were allowed to take two days a week off, but no more. We posted our word counts each day and one of the members put them in a spreadsheet to be tallied at the end of the fifty days. It was interesting to listen to the word counts reached. Though we were aiming for a minimum of 2500 words, almost every person participating more than doubled that. And several came in at more than ten times the count.

The goal wasn't to see who could write the most, but to get us writing on a daily basis. And we did. So many times, I and others would sit down, just not in the mindset to write - but the challenge - and the goal - was there. Write the fifty words. Then fifty became 100. And 200. And more.

So, to you I present this challenge: what are your goals? Post one of them here. Since this is a writing column, I'd prefer it to be writing related, but I'll take what I can get. And I'll even start you off. My goal is to blog, or tweet every day for the next month.

Happy Birthday Sesame Street

2009-11-10T18:57:00.002-05:00

Happy 40th birthday to Sesame Street - a show that has taught millions of children, and their parents, about the alphabet, number, different cultures and languages, and so much more. I watched it with my children, and now get to see it with my grandchildren. And sometimes, I even watch it without a kid around.

I remember giggling when Big Bird was trying to convince everyone that Snuffleupagus existed. And crying when Mr. Hooper died. I still sing "Rubber Ducky" and "Ladybug Picnic", but I admit, I've never gotten The Count's laugh right - though my son has. :)

Like everything that has endured, the show has gone through many evolutions. Characters have come and gone, though some of the originals still are there. And like anyone who has been with something from the beginning, there are things I miss, new aspects I don't care for, and others that I love. One thing I do love is that Sesame Street is still there. Still teaching the alphabet and numbers and other cultures and more.

So here's to you, Sesame Street. May you continue for another 40 years... and longer.

author Marta Perry

2009-11-02T20:04:00.002-05:00

I just got home from a booksigning by Marta Perry for her new book "Leah's Choice" - I admit, I have not yet read the book, but I will be. As well as any others by this wonderful lady. She was a good speaker and so nice. If you read Amish based or Inspirational books, I recommend you pick up something of hers. And if you get the chance to meet her, or attend a book talk/signing, do so. You won't be disappointed.

A Fun Book - Hot Flash by Kathy Carmichael

2009-10-26T18:39:00.002-04:00

I just finished reading a different type of romance book. Instead of a twenty-something, skinny miss, the heroine of this story is forty - and pre-menopausal - and plagued with hot flashes, a teenage son, a horrible ex, a flighty mother and a father in jail. In other words, a normal life.

Jill Morgan Storm, a chef, is searching for the man of her dreams, but so far, she hasn't had much luck. So she writes to couples who have been married for a long time in order to figure out the secret. In the meantime, she keeps looking.

The one man who keeps cropping up is Davin Wesley, who was her son's third grade teacher many years ago. He is so what she doesn't want. Isn't he? But somehow, the school teacher creeps under her radar, and shows her that heat isn't all from kitchen fires or hot flashes.

This story is a fun read. It's so nice to read about someone closer to my own age and who's life is spinning out of control, but in a normal, hilarious way. There are no evil stalkers, no paranormal beasts (though I do love both), no secret baby she's keeping from the real father. Just a real (albeit fictional) story that had me giggling and nodding in agreement, and empathy.

If you love romance books but want something a little different, give this one a try: Hot Flash by Kathy Carmichael from Medallion Press.

Birthdays

2009-10-25T08:20:00.000-04:00

Today is my birthday and, no, I won't tell you which one! :)

But I love birthdays. The excitement of the day - all centered on you. For me, it's a day of celebration, no matter if you're one or one hundred; no matter if you're with a crowd, or sitting by yourself. Celebrate.

Like the new year, it is, for me, a day of reflection. Of looking back over the past year to see what I've done and consider what changes I need to make, or what was right that I can rejoice in. It is also a day to look forward to the coming year, the challenges I will face and how to use my experience to cope with them. It is a day of quiet contemplation, and celebration.

As I look over the past years, I can remember the best and worst presents I received. The best was a surprise trip to the nearby RenFaire. Though I was feeling lousy, the day was lovely and I had a grand time. The worst? A bag of rice cakes from someone who knew I was trying to lose a little weight. The person's heart was in the right place, but come on. Really? For a birthday? :)

So celebrate with me. Tell me about your best and worst birthdays. And what is your fondest wish for your next one?

Being Thankful

2009-10-17T08:08:00.001-04:00

Over the past few weeks, life has tossed my family some lemons. We are attempting to make lemonade, but as anyone who has ever made it from scratch knows, the real stuff takes a lot more time than the instant. Then I received an email from the newsletter editor for my local writer's group.

Each month, she sends a question to the group for us to answer for the newsletter. Usually, they are something like "How did you get started writing?" or "How long have you been writing?" or something like that. Something dealing directly with writing. Something I can usually dash off a couple of sentences for in a minute or two. But this month's question was different. This month's question has made me stop and think. And it's not even an involved question. It's actually quite simple. It's: "What are you thankful for?"

Five words. Only five simple words. And yet they carry so much power. They have made me look at the way I've been looking at life of late. Almost like I've been sucking on the lemon slices without benefit of water or sugar. Palatable, but barely.

So, I will answer her question.

I am thankful that I have a warm, dry, comfortable little house. I am thankful that I have a wonderful family who love me and each other and will help each other in times of need. I am thankful I have friends who stand behind me and nudge me or hug me when either is needed. I am thankful I have food on my table. I am thankful for the ability to read - and the books to read. I am thankful I have the ability to tell a decent tale and that people actually pay me for this privilege.

I am thankful for a lot more. But this is a start.

What about you? What are you thankful for?

Books to be Read

2009-10-02T08:28:00.001-04:00

When I'm not writing, I work at a small independent book store. Part of my job is to read books. I know, the horror of it all. But it does create a problem. There are just too many books out there that I want to read and there are only so many hours in the day. As I sit here in my office at home looking at my shelves, I now have over 300 books on my "to-be-read" shelves. Yes, you read that right - not piles, shelves. My husband put up bookshelves so the huge stacks wouldn't crowd the floor.

I try to go at the shelves logically - by starting at the beginning. But then another one comes into the store and it looks soooooo good! And then another. And another.... you get the picture. :)

To alleviate this massive pile up, I could do several things:
1. I could quit my job - but I kind of need the paycheck and, besides, where would I then get free books? Not an option.
2. I could quit writing. Definitely not an option.
3. I could quit doing promo. But if I do that, then my books wouldn't get "out there" - it's a necessary evil. So, unfortunately, not an option.
4. I could quit spending time with my family. No, guess I shouldn't do that.
5. I could quit sleeping. As a person with chronic insomnia, I already do enough of that. Not an option.
6. I could quit reading. Like writing, definitely NOT an option.
7. I could quit adding books until I read the ones I have. But the ones that came in yesterday look so good! I can't do that.

You see my problem? So I guess my shelves will keep growing and I'll keep reading during my free moments.

Sorry this blog is so short. But I have a book to read! :)

A children's book for adults

2009-09-22T16:21:00.002-04:00

I just finished reading an incredibly fun book called "43 Old Cemetery Road: Over my Dead Body" by Kate Klise and illustrated by M. Sarah Klise. It's partially a graphic novel, partly a straight reading novel, but all fun. It is so tongue-in-cheek hilarious, I couldn't put it down. The story basically concerns an eleven-year-old boy,Seymour Hope, a 62 year-old-man, Ignatius B. Grumply, and a ghost, Olive B. Spense. They are thrown together and have to fight city hall to continue to stay together as a family. The evil Dick Tater (who looks an awful lot like Hitler), head of IMSPOOKY, wants to do everything he can to split them apart. The book touches on serious issues with a sense of humor that doesn't fail to get the point across.

Kids will love love it because of the quirky, fun story. Adults will love the Big Brother satire - and because it's a quirky, fun story. At 116 pages, it's a quick, fun read that will appeal to anyone who loves books, hates book burning and censorship, and believes in hope for the future.

I highly recommend the book to anyone and everyone, especially if you love ghost stories, libraries, and the freedom to read what you want.

Coming out for Romance

2009-09-12T19:05:00.002-04:00

In my non-writing life, I work at a small, independent bookstore called Aaron's Books. My one boss, Sam, and I are always discussing books - what sells and what doesn't in our area and how to figure out what she should order for the store. Romance books are not huge sellers - it seems nobody wants to admit they actually read them. This past week, in passing, she said she needed to blog but didn't know what to blog about. I challenged her to blog about romance. Her blog is here:

http://www.aaronsbookslititz.blogspot.co

Take a look and see what challenges she faces in deciding what to purchase.

As for me, I am very much a romance reader. But it is not the only genre I read. I also love science fiction, fantasy, and mysteries. And if they happen to have a little romance in them, so much the better. It's probably why I adore paranormal, futuristic or romantic suspense - everything I like all in one.

What I don't like is people who look down on the romance genre. Over the years, I've found some of the best reading I've ever enjoyed in this area. Yes, there have been a few here and there that I felt like tossing in the trash, but for the most part, they have been well-loved tomes. I find it interesting that the people who usually put them down the most have never read one. With the wide variety of sub-genres out there, you really should pick one up and read it. Don't like fantasy? Then try a contemporary. Or inspirational. Or suspense. Or futuristic. Or paranormal. And they come in every heat level from sweet (barely more than a chaste kiss) to extreme heat (graphic physicality). There's something for every taste.

Why not take a look? You might be surprised.

Booksignings

2009-08-19T17:35:00.003-04:00

Last Saturday's booksigning went well. There were a lot of authors there but also quite a few buyers. I think everyone managed to sell at least one book, and many sold several.

My writer friends and I got to sit together and, during the lulls, we talked about a lot of things, including writing. It was great to be with them and to laugh and talk, and sell books.

Would I do it again? Probably. We had a good time. I just wish I'd had more of my books available, but that is the problem with e-books - not available through brick-and-mortar stores, and not much to sign. But I was able to sign the anthology I did with my friends and that made the day worthwhile.

Book Signing!

2009-08-10T19:31:00.002-04:00

Waldenbooks Lebanon Valley Mall, Lebanon, PA

20% of the proceeds to benefit the Lebanon Library.

SATURDAY AUGUST 15TH MULTI-AUTHOR BOOKSIGNING

10-11 a.m. discussion panel on how to become an author with a publishing contract with Megan Hart, Savannah Russe, Jeri Smith-Ready, Mindy Klasky and Maria V. Snyder

11 a.m.-4 p.m. Author Signings
Angela Ginnetto Romance
Vicky Burkholder Romance
Arthur Ford Fiction
Victoria Smith Romance
T.K. Marion Civil War
Natalie Damschroder Erotic Romance
Brian Keene Horror
Savannah Russe paranormal Romance
Byron N. Morrison Fantasy
Sandy Asher Children 11-2 only
Charlene Haines young adult
Kelly Ann Butterbaugh children’s history
Doris Washington poetry
Robert Vogel Fiction
Dr. Dewey Shaak Memoir
Richard Curtin Military fiction
Dr. Laszlo Geder Memoir
Mindy Klasky Fiction
Frank Bittinger Horror
J.F. Gonzalez Horror
Maria V. Snyder Fantasy
Misty Simon Romance
Joan Landis Self Help
Megan Hart Erotic Romance til 12
Lucy Finn Romance
Andy Pete Fantasy
David Boyle Horror
Jeri Smith-Ready Fantasy
Diane Troup Autobiography

List subject to change without notice
Raffles to be held throughout the day for items donated by various merchants in the mall.
Other items to be raffled are: Gift basket from Megan Hart
U.K. signed versions of Maria V. Snyder’s Study series

To Be Read

2009-08-04T07:31:00.003-04:00

I work at a small new & used bookstore. Last Saturday, in preparation for putting in new shelving, my boss was weeding one section and I was helping. As she went through, she got rid of nearly a hundred books that were not selling. I was the lucky recipient as I plan on donating them to my local writer's group.

Since I had a little free time yesterday, I decided to go through the books. They are historical romances, a genre I used to read - make that, devour - on a regular basis. It was not unusual for me to have three or four going at the same time in various spots in the house and I read those three or four in less than a week or two. But as I sat there going through them, I realized how much my tastes have changed over the years as not a single one of them tempted me beyond reading the back blurb. No longer do I drool over whether the dark duke gets his just desserts and the young, innocent femme fatale meets her true love.

Have I lost my taste for romance? Nope. Not a bit. But I have lost my taste for wimpy heroines who can't exist without a man at their side. These days, I prefer a strong woman who can take care of herself - the man who she ends up with sees her as a partner, to be cherished, but to also work with her, not dictate to her. And I realize many of those historicals do this today, but I also find I am more drawn to the paranormal, the futuristic, the fantastic and the suspenseful.

Maybe it's because my mundane world is just too...mundane. Maybe it's because escaping to the fantastical is a way of escaping reality and I know that historically, reality wasn't much better than it is now. Maybe it's just because my tastes have changed over the years and I need something different. I will always love the historicals I have read over the years, but now, I need more.

And more I have. In a flurry of life imitating work, I went through my own shelves and did some weeding. And have more to do. But I also found that I have over 300 books on my "to be read" pile - make that shelves. Because the ones to be read now take up more room than the ones I have read and kept.

And yet, I keep getting more. Because, after all, what is life without a good book to read?

I remember...

2009-07-18T18:54:00.002-04:00

Forty years ago, the summer of '69 - was a momentous time. The thing I most remember is the lunar orbit and landing. My family was on a camping trip and the owner of the campground hauled out lines of extension cords so they could put a small black-and-white portable TV on a picnic table in the middle of a clearing. All of us there gathered around and watched the momentous occasion through snow and static. But we saw man land on the moon. Although I'd always been a fan of science fiction stories, that experience solidified my fascination with all things dealing with space.

That was the highlight of that year for me. But in addition to this, there were other newsworthy events taking place that . For instance:

August - Woodstock. Need I say more? No, I wasn't there, but I knew people who were.

November - SESAME STREET is born.

There were more things, of course. Many of them horrendous(Charles Manson) or disturbing (Kennedy and Chappaquiddick), but Sesame Street and the moon shot are the ones that will forever hold a place in my heart.

R.I.P. - And through all those times and more, I remember the voice of Walter Cronkite. The world has lost a great newsman.

A Good Cozy Mystery

2009-07-10T07:52:00.003-04:00

I just finished reading a really good book. "Homicide in Harcover" by Kate Carlisle is a nice little cozy mystery - and I loved it. Were I to give it a grade, it would be an A+.

Her characters are quirky and funny and real, the plot well thought out, the mystery keeps you guessing and the setting (San Francisco) vivid without being overbearing. There was even a little romance, and family issues that would have been enough for some books, but Kate took them, blended them in and came up with complete and complex characters. For all those things, I would have enjoyed the book. But what really got me hooked was that I "got" the background.

The story centers around bookbinders and restorers. People who love old books, yet tear them apart in order to repair and restore ancient masterpieces. As a librarian and someone who has done a little binding and restoration, this is actually something I know. The author was speaking my language. And I loved it.

Okay, I know some people might find this boring, but I loved it. I loved the way she blended the terminology in with the story so it's not overdone. I loved that I understood what they were doing and why. I loved that there was a nice juicy mystery to solve while reading about something I knew.

In case you didn't get it yet, I loved this book.

Thank you Kate! And I hope there are more to come.

Guest Blogger - Delilah Marvelle

2009-07-06T13:47:00.004-04:00

When I was in high school, I had a dream. I was going to be the next Stephen King. Heh. Yeah. Stay with me. Please. I knew my ideas were fabulous and I knew all it would take is for an editor to look at it and they would offer me up the moon and the stars and best of all, a contract. I had my girlfriends read everything I wrote. And they kept telling me, “This is fabulous! It's SO funny! Hilarious!” Seeing it really wasn't supposed to BE funny, I immediately changed course realizing I actually had a better handle on being funny than scary. I also figured adding a romance into it would even make it better since that is what I loved to read.

I then entered college as an English major. I was going to be teacher and write during the summers. Even then I was a smart girl who knew I wasn't going to make jack and that I needed a job to support the “creative” one. Throughout all of college I wrote historical romances. One right after another. And kept submitting. And submitting. And submitting. And kept getting rejected and rejected and rejected. In the meantime, I got married. I had two kids. I joined RWA. I got critique partners. I did honed and honed and honed the crap out of my writing. And kept writing and getting rejected. I eventually racked up over 200 rejections and had written over 40 books in those 11 years of trying to get published.

When I finally sold my first historical romance, MISTRESS OF PLEASURE, and my second book, LORD OF PLEASURE, I was beside myself. It didn't feel real. To FINALLY arrive at a destination I had been traveling toward for 11 long years seemed like a mirage. Which fortunately, I quickly snapped out of. Because after all, most of my friends are all published and unpublished writers and the stories they all have told me throughout the years made me realize I had to fight with fists up for myself every step of the way. I knew publishers did little to no promotion for their authors, so I spearheaded my own promo, ready to be more than just an author. And even though I was budgeting very well and spending countless hours networking and promoting on websites and blogs, doing tons for free, I still ended up spending $7,000 on my first book. Which was way more than my advance. But hey, every business starts in the red. Right?

Then the reviews started coming in about my series set in 1830 London England about a school that educates men on the topic of love and seduction. People loved it! Wow. It got nominated for awards. Wow. Readers are e-mailing me raving. Wow. Readers from France, Austria, Poland, South Africa and from all over the U.S and the world.. Wow. It just kept getting better and better. I was beginning to feel as if every penny I spent was all worth it (even though my family and I weren't going on any vacations and were eating out of cans). Because all that mattered was that my publisher loved me and my readers loved my series.

Come contract time, I'm ready for whatever they wanna throw at me. Or so I thought. Mistress of Pleasure, though completely sold out and unavailable anywhere (unless it's a used copy, some going for a ridiculous amount of $40.00), hadn't done as well as my publisher had hoped. So without waiting for the second book to come out to see if the series was even worth saving, I get a rejection from my own editor citing lack of sales.

I have to say this rejection felt more personal than any of the other two hundred and some rejections I'd received. Because it was no longer “Your book isn't good enough” it became “Your sales aren't good enough.” Since when is an author supposed to be a market guru AND a fabulous writer? Eck.

I love this series. The men in it make me laugh and it broke my heart to think that my readers will never get a chance to read about Lord Brayton, my glorious male virgin. The only alpha virgin I've ever written about. Then I realized something, why I am letting a publisher decide what is worth holding on to? Shouldn't that be a reader's job?

Ah. Herein lies the purpose of my post. I am challenging everyone, be they readers or writers to help me do something that's never been done before. Save a series from a death sentence given by a publisher. Can it be done? Who knows. But I eat challenges for breakfast and I hope you do to. Please join me in saving my series. Come August 4th, tell everyone you know (yes, even you're 72 year old grandfather) to buy the book, Lord of Pleasure. In doing so, you'll have a chance to win one of three $50 Visa Gift Cards. How? Check out my website for details at www.DelilahMarvelle.com

That said, thank you for all the support and love everyone has already shown me by allowing me to blog about this. Feel free to post and repost this to everyone under the moon and the stars. To all you readers out there, thank you for supporting us writers. To all you writers out there, don't ever give up on your writing. The moment you do, you give up on yourself. Which is why I'm not giving up on my series.

Cheers and much love,
Delilah Marvelle

Writer's Block

2009-07-05T15:48:00.002-04:00

One of the lists I belong to has been having a discussion of late about writer's block and ways to deal with it. I can't say that it's a problem I've ever had to deal with, though at times I've been stuck on a particular story, I've always had something else to jump to.

I find it interesting all the different ways people have of dealing with it. Many of them use music - picking songs that inspire, excite, or calm them. Many others put music on that reflects what they are currently reading - exciting music for action scenes, love ballads for bedroom scenes, and so on.

Others go for walks, or go shopping, or to a coffee shop...a change of scenery can jumpstart their brains so they can get back to work.

For some, like me, changing projects seems to help. If you're stuck on one, go to another and work on that until you can return with a new perspective on the first.

Basically, each individual finds what works for him or her and uses that to inspire their writing.

so what do you use when you're blocked? How do you deal with "stuckitis?"

Author Talk

2009-06-29T18:35:00.002-04:00

I'm at work - and listening to the author of the book "Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen" - Susan Gilmore - great book about a southern girl growing up in the 60's. Yes, a coming of age book - but so very much worth the read.

More later - I want to hear her talk. :)

Sunday Rain

2009-06-28T16:17:00.002-04:00

It's June and that usually means hot, humid days, but not today. It is overcast, cool with a gentle rain falling. As I sit here in the living room, in front of my open window (the porch outside allows me to do this in the rain), a light breeze blows the sheers. It smells cool and clean. This is a day to be enjoyed, even if from the inside.

With the coolness comes new ideas - brought in by the freshness. I type away, noting down stray thoughts, hoping they come together into some sort of cohesive solid. Something with form that I can fill out and add to.

In the meantime, I have web pages to work on, books to read, stories to write - and nice cool temperatures to do so.

May you have a good day full of ideas.

Father's Day

2009-06-21T11:38:00.002-04:00

My dad was many things in his life: a soldier, a cook, a cop, a lineman, a farmer, a janitor, a lay minister, a guide, and much more. But to me he was always a teacher. One thing he taught me about was books. Dad was a voracious reader who read everything from Shakespeare to Zane Grey. He loved westerns and mysteries, history and biographies, poetry and drama, and silly little "bathroom" joke books.

He taught me to enjoy words. Anytime we were waiting in a parking lot, he would point out a word on a sign and challenge my brother and me to find as many words in that one word as we could. He made learning how to spell fun. I remember the games of Scrabble we used to play, though we stopped when I went to college. He said I knew too much for him. Hah.

It is because of him and his love of the written word that I am able to follow my dream of being a writer. Thank you, Dad.

Another thing Dad taught me was the gift of time. To all the fathers (and anyone who is in that role), give your children your time. Spend time with them. Teach them what you can. The lessons you give them will last a lifetime and beyond.

Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there.

I want a book

2009-06-09T17:56:00.002-04:00

I was at work this afternoon and had to paste a smile on my face and be the perfect salesperson to a mother I wanted to say not so nice words to. She was in with a young boy and a teen girl. The kids immediately went to their various areas and started searching for books while the mom sat in one of our comfy chairs to wait. Shortly, the boy came out with two used books, about $5.00 in total. The girl picked out one for about the same amount. The mother put the boy's books up on the counter. The girl looked at her, asked if she could have the book. Her mother said "Not today." The look on the girl's face was one of complete and utter disappointment.

In listening to the conversation, the mother wasn't denying because of content or any other reason, just a 'not today.'

Now granted, I don't know if anything else went on in the family that day. There may have been other reasons why she didn't want the girl to have a book this day. Maybe she'd spent money on the girl earlier, or anything. But the hurt on the teen's face when her brother walked out with his books and she couldn't was very telling. There are few enough teens willing to pick up a book to read and I am a firm believer in encouraging reading whenever possible. I hope that girl does get a chance to come in and get her book.

In the meantime, I love being surrounded by books. And I'm finding all sorts of new authors to read. I can think of no better way to pass a quiet day than with a book in hand.

New Book Catalogs

2009-06-02T18:23:00.002-04:00

I went into work today (I work very part time at a small, independent book store) to find my boss digging through a huge box of catalogs. She was just back from BEA (Book Expo of America) and had brought back a lot of "stuff". Since business was slow, we sat there and started looking through all the publisher catalogs. We were looking specifically for materials for the store to purchase for sales, but we couldn't avoid having some fun for ourselves.

There were a lot of books that we would have loved to get, but knew they would never sell in the store for one reason or another. In most cases, it was price. We know how much people are willing to spend in our area. Note to publishers: $28.00 hardback novels aren't it.

In some cases, it was geography/sociology. As a former librarian, I do not and cannot condone censorship. But by the same token, as a salesperson in a small book store in a small town in a very conservative area, my boss and I are keenly aware of what will not sell. Erotica is not it.

But for the rest, we had a good time, pointing out good buys to each other, marking them for possible inclusion on the list, showing each other what we'd personally like, but wouldn't buy (the cookbook showing decadent chocolate desserts looked wonderful, but at almost $50.00? No.) Favorite authors and best sellers were debated. Children's books looked over and carefully considered.

In the hour we spent, we got through most, but not all, of the catalogs and I can't wait for the orders to go in, and the books to arrive because looking through the actual books is a whole lot more fun than just reading about it in a catalog.

And one of these days, my books will be in those catalogs for someone to consider. Someday soon, I hope! :)

Guest Blogger - Emily Bryan - and a contest!

2009-05-31T15:40:00.000-04:00

STROKE OF GENIUS CONTEST
Want to see your name on the acknowledgment page of Emily Bryan's next
book? Here's your chance! Emily is giving her readers a chance to name
an important secondary character in her upcoming STROKE OF GENIUS. The
winner will receive signed copies of Emily Bryan's entire backlist
(including A CHRISTMAS BALL anthology, due out Sept 29th). PLUS you'll
be mentioned on the acknowledgment page of STROKE OF GENIUS. The contest
begins June 1st and entries close July 1st. For more information, visit
Emily's Website.

New Writers

2009-05-26T17:52:00.002-04:00

I recently read two different partials from two different new writers - one from a class I was in, another from a friend who wanted a quick critique. Neither one of these are published writers. Both are new and just starting out, just learning. And yet, their abilities are worlds apart.

The first one, the classmate, had misspellings, bad punctuation, multiple repetitions, no concept of tenses, and even mis-used words. The second one not only had a sense of character, plot, and grammar and spelling, but she captured me with her words and her writing. Of the two, I am sure the second will eventually be published. The first may be, but not without a lot of work.

I felt a little sorry for the instructor in the class as she was forced to make comments that pointed out the problems while not discouraging the new writer. And that's the hardest thing to do sometimes. How do you encourage while still showing problems? Having been in that position more than a few times, I do not envy the teacher.

And yet, this position also gives me a new respect for often overworked and overwhelmed editors and agents. Their jobs require them to read hundreds of submissions, some of which are in desperate need of help. Though I don't like them, I can almost understand those dreaded "form" rejections that many writers receive. Not only does one save the agent or editor valuable time, but in sending such an impersonal missive, they are sidestepping having to make specific comments on the manuscript. As a writer, I hate these forms, but as a reader, I can understand them.

So my suggestion to all writers out there is this: no matter where you are in your career, never stop learning, never stop improving, never stop working on the craft of writing. And should you ever be in the position of having to comment on someone's work, never forget you were once new at this too.

What makes a book a keeper?

2009-05-24T08:23:00.000-04:00

I work at a small, independent new/used bookstore in my hometown. We get a lot of people bringing in books, hoping we'll take them off their hands. Many times, the boss has to turn a lot of them away because he knows he won't be able to sell what they have and there simply isn't the room to hold unsaleable books. I can understand the donor's frustration, though. They can't just throw a book away. That would be wrong. But what do you do when the library won't take them? Or the used bookstore?

I sit here and look at my shelves of books. I've started paring them down, but somehow, I keep accumulating more than I purge. Several years ago, I started a system with the books I read. If I love the book and it's one I want to keep, it gets a gold star. If it's a blah book, but there's a reason I want to keep it (I know the author, etc.), it gets a silver one. If it's something I don't ever want to read again and really don't want cluttering up my shelves, it gets a red star. Thus, I can see instantly what books I want to keep or get rid of. And there's been a lot of that of late.

So what makes a book a keeper? For me, it's both characters and the story. I call it the "put-downable" factor. If I lose myself in the story and don't want to put it down and can't stop reading it, that's a keeper. If I'd rather clean, do dishes, or some other chore than pick up the book again, that's an instant red star and I will probably not even finish the story. I simply don't have the time to waste on a book that doesn't draw me in right away.

So what is your reason for keeping a book? What puts it on your shelves instead of at the used book store?

A new kind of solitaire

2009-05-19T21:22:00.002-04:00

Okay, so be honest now. We all spend way too much time playing games on our computers. One of my weaknesses is solitaire - all kinds of solitaire.

A few months ago, I was asked to try out a new solitaire game - and I fell immediately in love. Though I don't have as much time as I'd like to play it, I can honestly recommend it. It's called "Heartwild Solitaire" from Orchid Games.

If you get a chance, take a look. The graphics are beautiful, the music goes well with the pictures and it's just plain fun to play.

And yes, this is a blatant commercial. :)

Another Retreat Gone

2009-05-18T08:01:00.003-04:00

The annual writer's retreat is over - well, all but the tiredness! But it's a good tired.

For four days, we did nothing but work on our writing. Well, nothing that is except eat, play, go for walks, haunt the local cemetery, have dance parties, etc. Hey, everyone needs a break now and then, right? :)

Most of us arrived at the grounds on Thursday. We found our rooms, unpacked, looked around, then got to work. Though it was a low production day for me, I did get some editing done. It was mostly my set up and plan day.

Friday, after a wonderful breakfast that was great for my soul, but definitely not for the waistline or cholesterol count, we got down to serious work. The remaining retreaters straggled in throughout the morning. We broke for lunch and dinner (again, great food, if not exactly healthy) at specified times, but other than that, it was mostly steady work. I managed to finish the edits on my current WIP - over 200 pages done. Friday evening was break time. While some went out for "refreshment" and to see the Star Trek movie, others of us stayed in and spent the evening chatting or continuing our work. I enjoyed getting to know a couple of my fellow members a little better as we talked about our lives, our work, our writing.

Saturday was similar to Friday - great food, great conversation when together, hard work. I mapped out my next two stories and got to work writing one of them. I managed 15 pages of solid writing after all the plotting details were done, so a really good day for me. After dinner, several of us wanted to go exploring the grounds, but the weather didn't cooperate, so Megan Hart, one of our members, set up her online camera and did interviews with several of us for her upcoming blog. I'll let you know when it's up and running. After a couple of those, the rain stopped and we went out for a walk. Across a narrow, two-lane country road from the retreat center is an ancient cemetery which we visited. Most of the stones there date from the early 1800's. Since most of us are huge Harry Potter fans, we got a laugh from one stone for "James Potter". After that, we wandered back to the grounds. By then, the sky had darkened and thunder rumbled in the distance. Since I am the ultimate coward when it comes to storms, I headed back to the hotel while the others continued their playing.

Later Saturday evening was our annual retreat party where we all get together and play silly games that have us laughing so hard, tears run and our cheeks hurt. It's loud, raucous, completely inane - and so much fun. It's the highlight of the weekend. Afterwards, we drifted back to our rooms, not necessarily to work, though. I know some tried, but others set up iPods in the hallway and we had an impromptu dance party. The revelry lasted well into the night - or dare I say morning?

Sunday morning, we straggle into breakfast, most of us grasping our caffeinated beverages like lifelines. Though some do stay until later in the day, breakfast is the last meal the center serves us. My travel mate and I packed up and hit the road shortly after breakfast for our two hour drive home. I was tired beyond thinking, sporting a pounding headache from lack of sleep, and my tummy was rumbling unhappily (good food, but definitely not what I'm accustomed to).

But I'm already marking my calendar for next year. I can't wait. :)

At the Retreat

2009-05-15T18:04:00.002-04:00

The second day of the retreat is almost over. We've all been typing our little fingers to the bone, editing, writing, re-writing...

From the time we arrived yesterday morning, you could feel the energy surrounding you. There are fifteen of us here, all of us writers, all at different stages in our careers. We have best-selling multi-published authors and newbies who have yet to make that first sale. Most of us fall somewhere in between. But we are all enthusiastic about our work.

Our retreat venue is like a hotel, but without television or phones. Though we do have the internet. We'd all be going through withdraw without that. Our meals are served buffet style on the lowest level of the complex. We are surrounded by woods and streams and yet are close enough to a town for those who need "civilization" to make a run for it.

We hole up in our rooms typing away with occasional breaks to chat, go for walks to clear the brain, eat, and chat some more.

So far for me, I've done almost two hundred pages of edits. Forty to go to finish my work-in-progress. Then I get to start fleshing out my next project.

For anyone who has a chance to do something like this, I highly recommend it. You don't even need to go with a group - though that has a certain energetic dynamic all its own. It gives you a chance to focus strictly on the writing. Something many of don't have time to do in lives already too busy.

I am definitely glad I came this year and am already looking forward to next year.

She's Back

2009-05-09T16:23:00.002-04:00

Okay, I know it's been too long, but really, does anyone read these notes? Well, just in case you are... thought I'd talk about making contact.

The writing profession is a solitary one. Yes, there are writing jobs where you sit in an office with other writers - but novelists tend to be on the extreme edge of being alone. We sit at our computers or with other writing implement in hand and live in our own little worlds. We may not necessarily be alone - after all, our characters keep us company - but we are not out there either. Not when we're writing. Yes, many writers have day jobs that keep them in the mainstream. But I'm talking about the writers who plot away day and night with no other contact beyond what they get through the internet. And that's not necessarily a good thing.

Don't get me wrong. I adore my computers and the internet and all it has to offer, but the touch of a keyboard can't replace the touch of a good friend. "LOL" doesn't convey the same intensity of emotion as a hearty in-person laugh from someone who "gets" you.

I spent Thursday with several writer friends and in a few weeks, I'll be going to a writer's retreat where a whole group of us will spend four days writing, laughing, writing, eating, writing, chatting with each other, and writing. We do this on a yearly basis and always come away exhausted but also empowered. We have recharged our writing batteries. It works so well because we understand each other.

When someone complains about their hero not behaving the way he should, we can commiserate because we've all been there. When someone runs into the hall yelling "I need a word", a dozen helpers pop out of rooms to offer suggestions. When a plot point doesn't work, we're there to help brainstorm.

We connect.

I'm not saying you need to do something as drastic as go away for a long weekend to a retreat, but do try to get together in person with other writers on a regular basis. I believe you'll find yourself a much better writer for it. If nothing else, it may recharge your muse and garner some new ideas.

Dot...dot...dot...

2009-04-07T15:47:00.003-04:00

The other evening, my husband and I got together with our son and his family for a family dinner. While we were getting things together, my five-year-old grandson kept running around saying "but dot dot dot." Or "and then dot dot dot." I finally asked what he was talking about and was informed that he was learning about ellipses and how they mean you have to wait.

dot dot dot - as in: but... or: and then...

ellipses

From a five-year-old. And he knew exactly what they meant. I know over-aged adults who don't know what an ellipsis is. I probably didn't know what they were until I was in college. And even now, I get confused at times whether to use an ellipsis or dash. (Please don't email me about the difference - my grandson has made the lesson quite clear to me!) :)

His intelligence continually astounds me and his grasp of concepts that many adults can't comprehend. And yet, five minutes later, he was teasing his baby sister and being the little imp that he can be. Like any five-year-old.

dot dot dot

Frustrations

2009-04-06T11:11:00.002-04:00

Everyone gets frustrated. It is part and parcel of life, especially of late. Today is one of "those" days for me - nothing seems to be going right, I'm making mistakes that are costing me time, and I've gotten nothing but rejections of late, I have bills to pay and taxes to confront. Plus it's Monday. And it's raining. And... you get the idea.

So, I guess I have a choice. I can sit here and wallow in my misery and grouch at the world in general, or I can figure out a way to overcome the blues and get something done. So... time to flip a coin:
heads = wallow
tails = do something else

(flipping)....

Tails (honest! I threw the nickle up in the air and it came down tails) so... time to get off my duff and do something positive.

So to that end, I am going to spend some time today reading a good book and doing an agent search for my new WIP. And look for the spots of sunshine in between the clouds.

In the big city

2009-03-24T18:07:00.002-04:00

I'm still in recovery mode from the big PASIC conference in New York this past weekend. So many new experiences... train ride, cabbies, huge buildings, crowds....

Here are the top ten things I got from my weekend:
1. If a taxi driver asks for directions, you're in trouble. Never get into a cab unless you know exactly where you want to go and how to get there.

2. Lines on the road are suggestions. And only light ones at that. If there's a six inch space, a cabby - or a bus! - will take it.

3. there are almost as many bikes and rickshaws in the streets as there are cars and buses - and they go places cars and buses don't so watch your feet!

4. It can be snowing like crazy outside the 35th floor, but it's rain by the time it gets to the ground.

5. If you go out with someone else, make sure at least one of you is tall so you can spot them when you get separated - and you will.

6. Ignore the guy on the corner who swears his purses are gen-u-ine Gucci. He swears on his mother's grave. The woman standing nearby is probably his mother!

7. There weren't as many sirens as I expected, but there was definitely a lot of noise.

8. You can often get places faster on foot than in a cab. Five of us left a restaurant, three took a cab, two walked (and no, they weren't wearing jogging suits). They beat us back to the hotel - and we even jumped out of the cab a half-block away from the hotel. (refer to # 1)

9. Always carry small bills for tips. Everyone expects it. And they don't like to change 20's. Or 10's.

10. Everyone should go to New York at least once in their lives. Did I want to go? No. I was scared to death. But I am glad I went. It was an experience I'll never forget.

More on my trip later. :)

Body Language Tags

2009-03-06T08:33:00.003-05:00

I've been watching a show on TV called "Lie To Me". It's all about people giving off body language tags that reveal their inner truth. The shows aren't all that exciting, but they are fascinating - which is why I continue to watch. The science behind the concept is intriguing.

What is interesting in a coincidental way, is that the class I'm currently taking is also talking about this. About how we reveal ourselves through body language. The class is not a psychology class - exactly - but a class about revealing character emotions in our writing.

According to the instructor (Margie Lawson), most writers use the same tags: running hands through hair, arching an eyebrow, chewing lips, rubbing jaw, narrowing gaze, crossing arms across chest, shrugging, and a couple of others.

I have to admit, I do use these. The why is not easy to answer. Probably because they are easy gestures. But to really do my characters justice, I should be doing more.

All we have to do is watch someone - anyone - at any point in our day and see what their body language is. In that meeting - do you see the woman playing with her pen? Endlessly twirling it between her fingers? Or the man who keeps tugging at his mustache or lip? Do you see someone walking with their shoulders back, head held high? Or slumped over, as if they carry the weight of the world on their shoulders? These are all indications of inner emotions.

It's one of the big problems with communicating over the internet. We do not get to see the other person's body language and we miss so much. That's why emoticons were invented. :) So we have a visual tag to go with our words.

As you go about your day, watch out for the various tags people use. If you're a writer - jot them down so you can use them in a future story.

First or Third

2009-02-28T15:35:00.002-05:00

I recently finished a manuscript unlike anything I've ever written. It's contemporary Urban fantasy - which isn't that odd for me. What's odd is that it's written in first person. I've never written first person before, but for some reason, this story just wanted to come out that way.

But I've been struggling with the rewrites. There are areas where it just seemed right to write third person, but I kept to the style I'd started with. I finished the story, and, according to my crit partners, it's one of the best I've ever written.

But the story is slow. First person is too much telling. The character tends to "talk" too much - she's telling the story, but it slows the action down.

At the same time, I'm taking an advanced writing class and my instructor believes it would move faster if I rewrote it all in third person.

An intriguing idea, but completely rewriting a 300 page book from first to third? Ouch. I'm not sure I'm ready to do that.

And yet...

Ah, the challenges of being a writer.

An Interview

2009-02-24T08:06:00.002-05:00

I've been challenged. :) My d-i-l challenged me to an interview. She chose the questions, I have to answer them and post them in my blog. So, here goes:

If you could relive one day of your life over (making no changes) which would it be and why?My wedding day. It was a perfect day - I made a promise to spend the rest of my life with the man I loved - and so did he. And so far, so good. :)
Which of the characters that you've created in your fiction is most like you and which is least like you (and why)?Most like me? There's a little bit of me in all my heroines. They're all stubborn and a little naive. If I *had* to pick one, though, I'd probably pick Riordan from my unpublished "Blood Harp" or Rowan from "Akashan'te". I'm least like my villains. ;) Or Ali from Danger on Xy-One - she's a lot stronger than me.
If you had one day to do whatever you wanted, and money and responsibility were no option, what would you do?Probably what I already do. I really do like my life. But... if I was a better traveler, I'd travel. Go see some place I've never seen. Or just spend the day at a spa with my friends and family, relaxing and enjoying life.
Who do you admire the most and why?My kids - they grew up to be good people. In the world, I admire anyone who has the strength to face their problems with serenity and conviction, the courage to stick to their beliefs, the open-mindedness to accept others as they are. It is not so much a specific person I admire as much as it is the way one lives their life.
Who, from your past, would you most want your grandchildren to have met?My father. I am saddened every day that they never met.

Now if anyone is into this and wants to be interviewed, let me know:

Leave me a comment saying, "Interview me."
I will pick FIVE questions to send to you by email for you to answer.
You will update your blog (or FB note) with the answers to the questions.
You will include this explanation & offer to interview someone else in the same post.
When others comment asking to be interviewed, you choose five questions for them to answer.

I'm getting there....

2009-02-23T14:11:00.002-05:00

I've been working on a new web presence - over at Wordpress. I'd appreciate it if you're around here, if you'd go take a look. The link is to the left of this or here:

My Wordpress Space

Thanks!

I'll probably continue to blog here and keep that space for pages, contests, notes and more. But time will tell. :)

Vicky

Rewriting again...and again....and....

2009-02-21T16:06:00.002-05:00

I have a manuscript I've been working on for the better part of a year. I love the story, even though it's a complete change for me. But it's too short. It's only about 55,000 words and, if I want to sell it, I need to make it longer.

I ran the first couple of chapters past my critique partners and got some ideas on how to make it better. So I started rewriting - and made some major changes which, I believe, made it better.

Then I started taking an advanced writing class and I'm starting to cringe just a little. We're talking about goals, motivation, conflict, scenes, sequels... all the lovely stuff that makes a good story better. And I can definitely see where I need to rewrite entire sections - again.

Then I started talking to my family about some issues I was having with a section... and they told me some things that I should do to make the section better - which means, yet again, major changes.

So the outcome of this all is that I should either stop talking to people about my work - or get to work because, although this is a good story - it can be better. And I intend to make it the best it can be.

Back to work.

The Gift of Books

2009-02-11T08:18:00.003-05:00

I was sitting here thinking about my father this morning. Last Saturday (the 7th) would have been his 83 birthday. Though I miss him, he is still with me. Or, at least, his gifts are. You see, although my father gave me a lot of things in my life, the most enduring, and most loved, was his love of books. It was a love that he passed on to me.

My father was an intelligent man, but not highly educated. Somehow, he knew how to get things done. When I was in the early years of school, I had problems. I was labeled as "slow". Reading was not high on my list of activities. This lasted through third grade. What changed? Two things. A teacher who cared. And a father who figured out what would work for me. The two of them opened up a whole new world - or, rather, worlds - for me. I don't remember much about what the teacher did - other than not belittling me - but I do remember what my dad did. He made learning the written word fun. We turned spelling into games - any time we had to wait in the car, he'd pick out a word on a sign somewhere and challenge me to find other words within that word. My spelling and vocabulary prowess improved immensely.

He also loved crossword puzzles and when he was home in the evenings, would take me up on his lap to help him solve the puzzles. To this day, crossword puzzles are one thing I can't be without.

He also played Scrabble (insert all the requisite copyright stuff here) with me. Right up until I left for college and he declared I had outgrown him. I miss those games.

The other thing he did for me was to buy me books. Books on things I was interested in - horses, mysteries, other animals, etc. By getting me books on things I already had a love for, he fostered the love further through the written word. And I prospered in my reading. When I finally understood, I started reading everything I could. I went from "slow" to "advanced reader" in just a few short years. And I never stopped reading. Each fall, when we received our English lit books in school, I would spend the first week reading the entire tome from cover to cover. I couldn't get enough.

As I sit here in my personal library, surrounded by hundreds of books, I can think of no better legacy my father left me than his love of the written word. And I am more grateful to him for that inheritance than he can ever know. And the love endures as I see my children and grandchildren enjoying their own books. May they continue to do so.

Thanks, Dad.

The Good, the bad, and the not so pretty

2009-02-09T08:02:00.003-05:00

On one of my lists, one of the writers is lamenting about a bad review she got for her latest book. This is one bad one among several dozen good ones. And yet, it is the bad one that haunts her.

Another writer friend is down because her latest manuscript needs a lot of work. So much that she thinks it - and therefore she - is worthless.

Another is fretting because she spent a month on revisions to a single chapter - ones her agent wanted - but they have been difficult for her.

Another is morose because the books she wants to write aren't selling. The ones that are, are not what she wants to write. They aren't the books of her heart.

I could go on about the troubles I and my writer friends are having, but what would be the point? They all say basically the same thing. Our sense of self-value is wrapped up in our writing. Yes, all the advice mongers out there tell you that what others think about your writing shouldn't reflect on how you feel, but it does. When you spend months - even years - on a single manuscript. You work on it. You pour your heart into it. And then people tell you it's not good enough... it does affect your psyche. There's no way around that.

And yet, we keep writing. We keep submitting. We keep trying. There is no lower low than receiving multiple rejections or bad reviews. But there is no higher high than receiving that acceptance call or getting a good review, or seeing your sales numbers climb.

This is not a business where you will reach an even keel. This is a roller coaster ride and you'd better hang on because it's a wild one.

And since I can't ride the real ones, I think I'll stay on this one for another trip. And another. And another. Because the thing that makes one a writer is the act of writing. As Ray Bradbury once said: "If you write a hundred stories and they're all bad, it doesn't mean you're a failure. You only fail when you stop writing."

And I refuse to join that group. I am a writer.

Life Goes On

2009-02-01T15:36:00.002-05:00

I just looked at the date of my last entry. Oops. Okay, that was an auspicious day, but that's no excuse for not blogging since then. Yes, there have been extenuating circumstances. Illnesses, family emergencies, work... I can give you lots of them. But they are just excuses. I could have done this - well, not every day - but most of those missing days.

In the meantime, I am happy to announce that I finished my latest WIP - an urban fantasy. I finished it last weekend and then took the week off from writing to work on paring down some of my to be read pile. I have to say, I'm not impressed so far. I've picked up - and put down - five books this week. They're not bad books. And one of them, I will probably go back and actually finish. But the others just didn't grab me. Not like the Jim Butcher "Dresden File" book I just finished did.

I think part of the problem is the language. These books are supposed to be paranormal romances - a genre I absolutely love. But less than a dozen pages into the one book and I was hit with graphic language and sex that was actually quite a turn-off for me. The book was not promoted as "Erotic" or even "Hot", and yet there it was, in my face. And before you think me close-minded about this type of writing, I myself, have written this type of story. And it was published by Ellora's Cave, one of the premier erotic publishers in the industry.

So why was I put off? Because I wasn't expecting it. I picked up the book, read the blurb, and thought I was getting a regular paranormal romance story. I was looking for action, adventure, romance, and a little paranormal activity. Not in the bedroom specifics. And yet, there it was, in great detail. I put the book down. It may be a great story. And maybe some day I will pick it up again. But not right now. Right now, I want a story that will entertain me. Sexual tension is fine, but for the moment, please close the bedroom door.

And I know I'm not the only one feeling this way. I see a lot of emails from people who are disgruntled by the explicit language and activities in many of today's romance stories. There has to be a happy medium somewhere.

Publishers - are you listening? There is a huge market out there for stories that aren't so explicit. And not just in historical or inspirationals. Those of us - and we are many - who enjoy science fiction, fantasy, paranormal, and things that go bump in the night, are looking for books we can really enjoy outside the bedroom. You supply it and we will buy it.

History in the Making

2009-01-20T09:23:00.003-05:00

Today is not about writing. It is about what is going on in our nation today. A historical day, certainly, but more importantly, a day of new beginnings. A hope for a better future.

But I believe the only way that can happen is if the attitude of politicians change. Instead of being out for themselves and their friends, why not do what they are there to do and be a voice for all the people? They are our elected representatives. They work for us. I pray they can drop the chains of greed and avarice and become a beacon of light for the good of all.

I pray for them to be leaders, bringing in an era of peace and prosperity. I pray for them to remember that, though it may be the rich who line their pockets, it is the work-a-day person who keeps the business going. It is the voice of the many they need to listen to.

I pray for them to think of the people who are without food, clothing, shelter, hope. Give them hope. Give them a reason to believe in our leaders.

I pray for them to give us all a reason to trust in them, for we have lost that. Too often we see the reports of those who use their position to line their own pockets and forget about those who need their help.

I pray for the man who will stand at our head, for like Atlas, the weight of the world will be upon his shoulders. May he be a true leader and take us into a new era, one where fear is not the prevalent emotion, but hope.

May today truly be a day of change. For the better.

Books, books, and more books

2009-01-14T16:29:00.002-05:00

I just received seven books in the mail today - books I will be reading as part of my duty as a judge in a contest. If any of them come even close to the one I just finished, I will have a winner.

I just finished reading "A Small Favor" by Jim Butcher. It's one of his tales from the Harry Dresden files. I haven't read any of them before, but you can be sure, I will read more of them. The writing is witty, droll, packed with action, full of the paranormal, and even has a little romance tied in. Everything I love in a book.

He made me want to start reading again. I've not been doing much of that of late. I, who used to read at least one or two full-length (re: 400 pages plus) novels a week. Now I barely read one a month. Which is funny considering how much I love to read - and write. But I've become so discouraged by the poor editing and writing that seems to be the norm in today's publishing world.

But it's nice to know there are still some gems out there, and I was lucky enough to get one. I'm hoping there are more of them in my to-be-read pile. I'll let you know.

In the meantime, I continue to work on my own little stories and dream of the day I can maybe join the ranks of someone like Butcher.

Hey, what can I say? I'm a writer of fantasy after all. :)

Strange friends, and even stranger relatives

2009-01-08T13:44:00.003-05:00

I should never have said I wanted to kill off a character in my last post. I'm getting too many suggestions. But it's all good. Which is very strange.

But then, the life of a writer is strange. We are always creating stories in our minds. Gathering fodder from daily life. And everything is fodder.

For instance, an acquaintance on one of my many loops was recently at a funeral for a close relative. While she was in the midst of her own mourning, she was also studying the others there - cataloging their emotions, how they looked, how they acted, what they said. She commented on the loop about how this was all so very strange, and yet, we all understood instantly what she was talking about. Somewhere down the road, she will probably use some of that in a book somewhere.

We writers gather things - bits of life - and store them. The better (or worse, depending on what you're writing) bits become parts of scenes in stories, poems and books. The way sunlight sparkles on ice hanging from a tree becomes a poem about winter. A friend's reaction in a funeral becomes a character in a mystery story. The way someone handles numbers and data with untoward ease becomes an android in a science fiction story. Everything is fuel for our imagination.

Including friends and family who give me ideas on how to kill off a character. ;)

New Year, New Beginnings, Same Old Stuff

2009-01-07T10:54:00.004-05:00

I was incredibly happy to see all the wonderful responses to Emily's guest post. Thank you to those who took the time to comment.

Well, we are seven days into the new year. Can't say that's much changed. The family started off the new year with a variety of illnesses - bronchitis, strep, stomach flu, etc. - that had (and still has) all of us down. And we've got sleet and freezing rain. Not an auspicious beginning.

And yet, I managed to work on my new urban fantasy the last few days and am excited about it again. Well, sort of. I figured out where the ending was going to go last night - I mean, I knew where it was going to end, but not the exact way. Unfortunately, I have to kill off a character I really like. Not sure how I feel about that. It's not something I normally do. But then, there's not a lot about this story that is normal for me. It's edgier. Contemporary. And in first person. But I'm having more fun writing this one than I have in a long time. Guess I'll have to keep writing to see what happens. I'm 200 pages into it and it's not slowing down yet.

And thus the new year begins. New stories to tell.

Now if my family would all just recover. Then it will be a good new year for me.

A Guest Blogger - Welcome Emily!

2009-01-04T13:48:00.002-05:00

Thanks for letting me guestblog, Vicky!

I was thinking about your recent post about paranormal romance not selling well in your town. I’m sure there are pockets of resistance, but romance is still a best seller in most bookstores.

According to Romance Writers of America, the romance genre generated $1.375 billion in sales in 2007, claiming the largest share of the fiction sales market. Even in this weird post-WallStreetApocalypse economy, romance accounts for a huge percentage of all paperback books sold. And for that, we must thank the devoted, loyal romance readership!

However, romance is more popular in some parts of the country than others. The South rises again with 29% of the population as romance readers, followed by 27% in the western states and 26% in the highly literate Midwest (my native region!) In contrast, in the northeast, where I currently hang my hat, only 12.9% of the reading public will admit to having a taste for romance. (Clearly, my work is not done here!)

But we’re busily winning over readers one heart at a time. In a world of uncertainty, where heroes are scarce, why wouldn’t we want the promise of “happily ever after” in our escapist fiction?

I enjoy paranormals, but my personal favorite subgenre is historical. My newest release, Vexing the Viscount, is set in Georgian England. 1731 to be exact. If you’ve seen the movie THE DUCHESS, you have an idea about the ornate costumes, the wigs, and the extreme courtly manners of the period. If you’d like to know more, please visit my Courtesan’s Club at http://www.emilybryan.com/Viscount%20Intro.htm. Detra Fitch of The Huntress Reviews calls Vexing the Viscount a “wickedly fun read.”

Thanks for letting me stop by, Vicky! I’m tickled to be able to give away a copy of Vexing the Viscount to one lucky commenter. Just post a comment or question to enter the drawing and check back tomorrow. I’ll post the winner in the comment section. Good luck!
Emily

Happy New Year

2009-01-01T08:36:00.002-05:00

Wow. A new year. A new slate to start clean with. So how was your old one? Did you accomplish what you wanted? Over all, was it a good year? Or not so much?

In looking over my past year, I saw it was mostly a good one. I had a book and two novella's published, my daughter got married, my niece got engaged, I had a chance to see almost all of my family at daughter's wedding (missing one niece), and my mom got a new boyfriend. Though, like any family, we had our ups and downs, it was mostly a good year.

I'm starting this one off by fighting bronchitis and strep so I figure things can only get better from here. I'll have a new story coming out in a few months - another paranormal anthology from Draumr Publishing, and I've been working on other new stuff that I hope to market and sell. And my other books and stories are receiving good reviews so I am happy about that.

So here's to a great new year. May the economy take an upward swing. May we all see prosperity and good health. And may you and your family know peace and comfort in the coming times.

Happy New Year everyone.

Looking Back

2008-12-29T15:56:00.002-05:00

As part of one of my New Year's resolutions, I vowed to become more organized. I can hear my family laughing now. They already believe I am already far down that road - but about the "more" aspect. Okay, can I help it if I like things to be where they belong? Sigh.

Anyway, one of the things I am doing is going through all my files on my computer(s) and cleaning out some of the dust that has collected over the years. What I'm finding is an interesting look back at several years of correspondence, ideas filed for future use, recipes that I will probably never use, and tons of other stuff. I'm also finding articles I wrote over the years that involve the writing life. I'd like to share one of them with you now. This one was written in 2002.

Wasted Time

From the time I was old enough to hold a pencil, I knew I wanted to be a writer. I was always jotting down little stories and poems. Labeled as a slow reader, I garnered no encouragement from teachers, but rather from my father who would sit with me on his lap and do crossword puzzles or play word games with me. My dad taught me more about writing than anyone else. It was thanks to him that I learned to love reading and writing and once I did, there was no stopping me.

He also taught me another lesson: that no matter your age, if you have a dream, go for it. Dad published his first book of poetry when he was in his sixties. The thousand copies he had printed sold out in the first month. But, somewhere along the way, I let life get in the way of my dreams.

It has taken me more than thirty years to realize my dreams. At times, I feel as if I wasted all those years in not writing. If I had only started sooner, I’d have more books published, more articles written, more… you get the picture.

Yet, those years weren’t wasted. I raised a wonderful family and learned a lot along the way. Thanks to those years, I know how to keep four children from killing each other on a thousand mile trip. I can whip up an acceptable Halloween costume from odds-and-ends in the five minutes between being told they need it today and when the bus comes. I know how to weave cloth, use dyes that I gather from the yard or my cupboards and make that cloth into clothing that I am proud to wear. I can make soap and candles from scratch, build simple furniture, and erect a simple structure to survive. I can weave a basket and do needlepoint, knit, crochet and embroider. I can create a stained glass window and bake a passable soufflé, cook for two or two hundred. Am I an expert in these things? Not by a long shot. But I know the basics and where to find more information.

Over the years, I’ve held a variety of jobs including radio disc jockey, short-order cook, teacher, librarian, computer specialist, inventory specialist and secretary. I know people who can fly planes, are landscape artists, health professionals, people who work with nuclear reactors, college professors, cops, a naturalist and a judge. In my current job, I am able to gather nuances of characterizations from a wide cross-section of the population. Some day, the woman whose face makes you think she’s mad at the world may appear in one of my stories. What makes her so interesting is that, in spite of her look, you should see her with her husband of sixty-some years. They laugh and tease each other like a couple newly married and their joy spills over to others, unlike the woman who has everything going for her and yet manages to drain the joy from everyone as soon as she enters the room. I have gathered enough characters to fill several books.

While I may not have been writing during those years, I did not waste my time. The years were spent in gathering information and research. I have files full of story ideas and can write realistically about many subjects - things I wouldn’t have been able to do thirty years ago. Very few of us have the time that we would like to spend writing, but our time is not wasted. Use that time to gather information. Maybe the trials of getting your children to their various practices and meets can be used in a future story. Everything you do is fodder for the imagination. Store it, file it, remember it - and then use it.

Signings and Sales

2008-12-20T16:40:00.002-05:00

I just returned from a book signing held at a small independent bookstore in my town. The author, Gregory Frost, has gotten a lot of good buzz on his two new books - "Shadowbridge" and "Lord Tophet". Though I'm not familiar with his work, I am a huge fan of fantasy and science fiction, so of course, I bought both of them.

While there, I spoke with the owner of the store and we discussed my own works and the possibility of a signing or putting my books there on their "local writer" shelf. I declined the honor. Why would I do such a thing? Reality.

I know the area where I live and know what sells well here and paranormal romance isn't it. Maybe when I have more books published, it will be a possibility, but not now. Not with only one in print and the others only available as ebooks.

So, in the meantime, I will promote my work online where my audience is and look forward to the day when I can sit in that honored spot and have strangers buy my book and ask for my autograph.

Ah, a girl can dream, can't she? :)

Have a great weekend everyone and may you have a wonderful coming week, no matter what holiday you celebrate.

A CONTEST!!!

2008-12-14T18:03:00.005-05:00

The IWOFA (Infinite Worlds of Fantasy Authors) is having a contest starting tomorrow, December 15. There are lots of great prizes - books, downloads, gift certificates. Be sure to enter! You can find rules and information at:

http://www.iwofa.net/2008WinterHolidayContest.htm

Publishing Gnome

2008-12-12T07:48:00.004-05:00

Several weeks ago, I received a visit from the Draumr Publishing Gnome. While I had anticipated his visit, I was also a little concerned. You see, I'd heard stories about him. That he was demanding, particular, and liked the ladies. I was afraid our quiet little town would be, well, too quiet for him. Especially after what happened the first day.

He was lounging around my office, watching our routine and playing stare down with my cat, Pixel. When I mentioned I was going to get some rosemary, he perked up and declared he wouldn't mind getting some of Rosemary for himself. He was a bit put out when he discovered my rosemary was a plant.

He calmed down eventually and spent the rest of the day browsing my library and looking over my shoulder as I tried to write, even gave me some hints as to plot line. The next day was even more interesting as he accompanied me to a booksigning. Since it was also my birthday, he declared he'd behave - well, as much as possible for him.

He snoozed through the hour drive to get there and did some browsing while Misty and I got set up. Our signing took place at "One Good Woman" - a gourmet tea and coffee shop in Camp Hill, PA. The gnome did enjoy the pumpkin muffins, the variety of teas, and other goodies we had that day. And he even managed to behave himself for the most part - though I did catch him eyeing the younger clerk from time to time. We had to keep reminding him she had a boyfriend, but I know I heard him muttering something that sounded suspiciously like "boyfriend/smoyfriend".

He left that day with fellow Draumr writer, Misty Simon. I kind of miss the little guy. He was fun, even with his odd little "quirks".
Last I heard, he was on his way home to Draumr Publishing to visit with some of the other authors there. Drop around and see him sometime: http://www.draumrpublishing.com

Holiday Traditions

2008-12-09T16:36:00.002-05:00

I know this is a blog aimed at the writing life, but all writers need sustenance on occasion, so for the next few days/weeks/whatever happens, I am going to devote this column to cookie recipes. I mean, it is that time of year when thoughts turn to baking and goodies and all sorts of decadent joys of eating. Unfortunately, due to dietary restrictions and the lack of little ones being underfoot anymore, I don't bake nearly as much as I used to. So I hope you enjoy. And if you have a recipe or two to share, please do. After all, that's what Christmas is all about - sharing the love.

Please note, all measurements and temperatures are in American. You'll need to convert for metric/centigrade.

First up - Grandma R's Crisp Lemon Sugar Cookies

Combine and beat thoroughly:
1/2 cup shortening, 1/2 tsp. salt, 2 1/2 tsp. grated lemon rind, 1/2 tsp. nutmeg, 1 cup granulated sugar, 2 unbeaten eggs

Sift together: 2 cups sifted all purpose flour, 1 tsp. baking powder, 1/2 tsp. baking soda

Add this to the first mixture and blend both together well.
Add 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice and mix well.

Measure out level tablespoons of dough onto greased baking sheet. Flatten cookie slightly. Sprinkle with granulated sugar.

Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes or until golden. (if the brown too quickly, lower temp to 350 or shorten time)

IWOFA Coming Attractions

2008-12-07T16:07:00.004-05:00

Check out the IWOFA (Infinite Worlds of Fantasy Author's) page for an incredible look at what's out there in fantasy, paranormal and science fiction with a touch of romance.

And keep checking back here. Seventy-two of the IWOFA authors (myself included) will be holding a scavenger hunt from Dec. 15-31st with incredible prizes. More information to come as the time gets closer. :)

IWOFA web site

Journaling

2008-12-05T08:21:00.003-05:00

Every morning, I get up, feed the cat, turn on the computer, and sit down with my notebook and write. Usually, I detail what I did the day before, and make notes on what I want to accomplish this day. It's a quiet time for me to reflect on things going on in my life, my feelings, issues I'm dealing with. All the little things that go into making a life. But sometimes, little pieces of other things creep in.

Like the other morning when I had this great idea for a new story and wrote out five pages of notes, snippets of dialogue, ideas for settings and scenes. Stuff I actually remembered from a vivid dream I had the night before and managed to get down before I forgot it. The story has been simmering since then. When I have time, I will go back to it, type the notes up and see what I can do with the story.

Journaling is like that for me. It's bits and pieces of my life. My thoughts. Events that affect me. It's a place for me to rant without fear of recriminations. I can be myself there. And it's a good thing. I've tried keeping a journal at other times, but it never really worked for me until recently. But I find the more I do it, the better it works for me.

I also find that using pen and paper instead of the computer works better for me. There's something much more intimate about the words flowing over the paper. Looking back over pages, my writing changes with my moods. Something you can't do on a computer.

If you've never tried keeping a journal, you might want to give it a chance. The medium doesn't matter, nor does the length or subject. Just sit down and write. And see what comes out.

I miss my manuals

2008-11-28T10:15:00.002-05:00

I used to consider myself pretty savvy when it came to electronic gadgets, but no more. Case in point, this morning I was having some trouble with my new iPod Nano and could not figure out what I was doing wrong. So I ended up calling my d-i-l for help. She gave me a suggestion (which didn't work, but it set me on the right path and I did eventually figure out what I was doing wrong.) still, I was rather frustrated. At one time, I'd have flipped open a manual and read through it to figure things out, but no more. Now we have "help" screens.

I hate that. Yes, the entire manual is there. Yes, you can "flip" through it and read it. But it's not the same. In the past, when I got a new gadget, one of the first things I did was open the manual and read it. (Yes, I'm one of *those* people.) I love manuals. I love paging through them and finding new nuggets of information. I love being able to solve things on my own. Now I have to figure out what I don't know so I can enter the question in the "search" box. Half the time, I don't know what I don't know so I ask the wrong question - or the search engine comes up with stuff that isn't even close to what I need.

Yes, I know online manuals are better for the environment. They are more available, supposedly easier to use, and save the cost of printing, paper, shipping, etc. And I do try to be as green as possible in my consumer driven life so I know they are better all around.

But I miss my manuals.

Promo Overkill

2008-11-25T15:31:00.002-05:00

I am on several promotional type loops - 63 at last count. These are places where you can promote your books, but also stick around and chat, exchange ideas, all sorts of things. They like to have authors join in and talk about their books, but also stay and join in the discussions. What they don't like is someone who stops in only when they have a book coming out. And I can understand that to a point.

But as a writer, I don't have unlimited stretches of time to devote to these sites. If I spent all my time chatting on the loops, I'd never get any writing done - and that's what I am. A writer. Not a chatter. So I participate as much as I can to stay active while not being the sole provider.

Then there are those authors who go overboard. There is one author who is apparently on many of the same loops I'm on (which is not unusual). And I am so sick of seeing her promos that even if I was interested in her books (and I was at one point), I wouldn't buy them now. I'm getting at least two promos a day from each of the lists we share and that's way too many. One day, I counted five on one list alone - for the same book. And before you ask, no it was not separate blurbs or excerpts. It was the same "Look at what this reviewer said about my book" over and over again. My delete key got ample exercise.

It was kind of like the recent political commercials and the mute button on my remote. I am just so sick of this promo that I don't even open them anymore. I just hit the delete key. There's a promotion company out there that's doing the same thing. They are flooding all the lists with their client's stuff - which is may sound like a good thing if you're their client - but I know a lot of people who as soon as they see the name of this promotion company, they hit the delete key. So their methods are not working as far as I'm concerned. I know I'd never use them because of that.

So how do you find that balance between lurking and overkill? What makes a good promotion? And what turns you off so much, you hit the delete key without even thinking?

Coming Out

2008-11-21T10:49:00.004-05:00

My new work is now on the "New Arrivals" page at Ellora's Cave. "Anticipation" is a contemporary erotic Quickie - less than 60 pages of hot, hot, hot. But don't look for my name on the cover. This one was done by my alter-ego - Victoria Allen.
Blurb (and if you click on the title below, it will take you to the "buy" page):

Anticipation By Victoria Allen
While growing up, Marielle Jameson's best friend was her neighbor Ben Carson. But Mari ran with the popular crowd and Ben was a nerd. Then life intervened and they lost touch. Now Ben is back, and he is most definitely not a nerd. Their reunion is hot, heavy and full of promise. Can Ben pull Mari out of the slump she's fallen into? And can Mari trust Ben not to break her heart? The answer to both is yes, although figuring out their future will take some work. But, as Ben says, "Anticipation is half the fun.

Best Laid Plans, Part II

2008-11-17T08:04:00.004-05:00

So, the long weekend is over. Hubby is back from his trip and now life can get back to normal. I got a bunch of cleaning done, went to my dentist appointment (on the right day), sat with d-i-l a little just because we both needed it, went to the family outing, and even managed to get some actual writing work done.

Over a hundred pages of editing and rewriting to be exact. When I complained to one of my friends that I was having a difficult time taking the "journey" out of the story, she told me to be extreme. Take the whole thing out and rewrite from there. Except that means going back to chapter one in a 400 page story. But I tried. Unfortunately, it wasn't going well. And now I think I figured out why. I am trying to force this story into a genre it wasn't originally intended for. I wrote it as a fantasy with romantic elements. The publisher wants it to be a romantic fantasy.
What's the difference, you ask? A lot. In the first, the story is about the heroine and her journey, both the physical one and the emotional/psychic one. It is about her learning how to use her powers for the good of all and how not to fall into the abuse of power that is a slip over to the (if you'll forgive me, Mr. Lucas) dark side. A romantic fantasy focuses on the relationship between the hero and heroine. It is more about "them" than "her" and the fantasy part of the story is secondary.

So now, I go back and rewrite again. And if that means missing the sale, so be it. The story is what it is - a fantasy first and foremost.

Does that make me a diva? Some would say so because I'm not writing what the publisher wanted me to. In actuality, I am more than willing to make changes. I'll make changes all over the place. But I am unwilling to completely rewrite all 400 pages into a different genre. Why?

Because that's another story. And I've already got ideas for that one. :)

The best laid plans...

2008-11-14T19:16:00.003-05:00

Several months ago, my husband signed up to go to a conference this weekend. Three and a half days away from home. I'd have gone along, except he was going with a friend so I stayed home.

I then figured my writing buddies and I could have a mini-retreat here at my place. The five of us with nothing to do all weekend but eat, write, eat, have fun, write, watch TV and enjoy ourselves. All four were gung ho and we made plans. Then life stepped in. The economy forced looking for jobs or school activities for those with children. The upshot was, it all fell apart and we had to cancel the retreat weekend.

So all that was left was that I make the best of it by myself. Three and a half days to do nothing but write. Wow. All that time. I could get so much done.

Except that I ended up spending most of yesterday on promos for my new quickie coming out with Ellora's Cave next week. And today was taken up by appointments and family issues that had to be taken care of. And tomorrow, I just found out on Wednesday, will be taken up with more family stuff (as in my brother throwing a birthday party for my mother - if I don't go, the guilt trip will last into my next three lifetimes). Which leaves tonight and Sunday.

So I've been working. And making headway. But it is interesting how a weekend that was going to be totally devoted to working is half over and I've barely gotten anything done. Good thing there's no deadline on this manuscript! Though, if there were, it wouldn't be a problem. I've never missed a deadline in my life and, hopefully, never will. That would go against everything I am and believe in.

But, as I've seen this weekend, the best laid plans often change with little or no notice.

It pays to be flexible.