We’re leaving Zuri with our daughter and her husband over Thanksgiving. This morning I received a message from my son-in-law. Thought you’d like to see how my poor dog will be roughing it. *********************************************************************************** Hey kiddo. I know it’s late, but I was hoping I could get you to answer a few Zuri care related […] [ ... ]
This week a cousin called and asked some questions about her mother, my mother’s only sibling. We talked a bit about what I remembered, and then I recalled that my mother had written her memoirs back around 1990. I thought that might have some information of interest to my cousin, but I wasn’t sure where […] [ ... ]
Today I spent three hours at a friend’s house learning how to use Photoshop. Well, let’s be honest. He showed me how to use the program, but I’m still at the lowest level of the learning curve. Dave has had a book on photography published and has taught at the university level, whereas I took […] [ ... ]
Considering all of the changes that have occurred along our eastern seaboard, change seemed an appropriate topic today. Change is a problem writers of contemporary fiction must always consider. Of course you want your characters to change during the course of a story, and you want a change in the situation—villains caught, lovers united, and […] [ ... ]
Thursday night my presentation for the class I’m “teaching” on Publication will include promotion ideas. I’m listing the usual: a website, business cards, joining social groups, press releases, etc., but as I looked over the list, I started wondering how many are worth the time and effort. The website, yes. I believe every writer needs […] [ ... ]
This month I’m teaching a continuing education class for writers who want their work published. I say teach, but I’m really more of a guide. I see my job as two-fold: one part is to warn these writers of the ways they can be taken by unscrupulous agents and publishers; the other is to make […] [ ... ]
Saturday morning found us on the buses again at 7:30 a.m. We were told when we arrived at Guilford Technical Community College not to enter the building but to wait outside. As a group we were herded to a grassy knoll overlooking two parking lots which had been blocked off. The ATF officer then arrived […] [ ... ]
What a fantastic four days. The Writers’ Police Academy started Thursday afternoon with registration. At that time I picked up my official T-shirt. We looked like Castle with WRITER on our backs. At 5:30 p.m. those who were lucky enough to have had their names drawn from the lottery met for the orientation for the […] [ ... ]
I was going to write a long blog about my 4 days at Writers’ Police Academy, but it’s already past 9:00 p.m., so this will be short. I promise I’ll write more next week. I flew out of Grand Rapids Wednesday afternoon and after a plane change in Cincinnati, I arrived in Greensboro, North Carolina […] [ ... ]
Today I’m heading to Greensboro, North Carolina for the Writers’ Police Academy (http://www.writerspoliceacademy.com/) which starts Thursday afternoon. If you go to the web site and click on the schedule, you’ll see all the fantastic activities that I’m going to have to choose between. I am scheduled to participate in the simulated driving, but, alas, I […] [ ... ]
Which is best, to self-publish your book or go with a traditional publisher? My answer is always: “Depends.” (And no, I don’t mean those undergarments for the elderly.) IMO it depends on the type of book and the writer. Over the years I’ve run into many men and women who have written a memoir. The […] [ ... ]
Today I was in Walmart looking at pregnancy tests. Now anyone who knows me understands how strange that is. I have two grown children and enough white in my hair to make me bald if I plucked all those hairs. I think the young gal who came up next to me (while I was reading […] [ ... ]
Lately I’ve been reading several comments about an article that appeared in the New York Times regarding paid-for reviews. (http://finance.yahoo.com/news/best-book-reviews-money-buy-131408538.html?page=1) If you’ve already read the article and formed an opinion, you can skip reading my blog. If you’re someone who doesn’t like to click on URLs, I’ll try to quickly summarize the article. Basically a […] [ ... ]
I believe in setting goals, and I believe in meeting those goals, if at all possible. I try to set goals that I’m sure I can achieve. Oh, there’s always that “dream” goal of making the New York Times list, but I really have my doubts that will ever occur. No, my “real” goals aren’t […] [ ... ]
My daughter recently asked how she or her brother would know where to find important papers if both my husband and I should die. She has the right to ask this since we made her the executor of our estate, but hey, this is me we’re talking about, not my parents (whose estate I had […] [ ... ]
I’m sure I’ve blogged about networking before. I know many other writers have tackled the subject. With good reason. For a writer, networking is an important part of the job. Maybe not as important as actually sitting down and writing, but right up there on the list. Basically networking is getting out and mingling, letting […] [ ... ]
I believe most writers are manic/depressive. Maybe not in the clinical sense, but emotionally. For me it would explain my wide mood swings. I get a good review, and I’m on the moon. Get a rejection (or a bad review) and I’m in the dumps. The euphoria and depression can be short term or long, […] [ ... ]
“I’m looking for a distinctive voice.” Writers often hear agents and editors say the above, but what do they mean? What is voice? We all know what an audible voice is. When I receive a phone call, I can usually tell within seconds which of my friends is on the line. It’s a combination of […] [ ... ]
Over the years I’ve written for four different publishers. You would think that would mean I’ve had four different editors, or maybe five since I wrote for two different lines for one publisher. In truth, I can’t even remember how many editors I’ve had. I think it might be fourteen. Why so many? No, I’m […] [ ... ]
Last week (June 6th) my dog turned eleven. Zuri has lived the longest of any of my Rhodesian Ridgebacks, and so far he seems to be in pretty good health. He did start getting fatty tumors (non-cancerous) when he was around four. Now he has them all over his body. And he has trouble moving when he first […] [ ... ]