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It's one of those things you always dream of. At some point in time, everyone wants to be the star of something. I used to want to be the star of the ballet. Then I wanted to be the star of the symphony (yup, I played clarinet).
One day it occurred to me that I wanted to be an author. I wanted to write stories that touched the hearts of readers. That, I accomplished. I wrote several romance novels that earned wonderful reviews. I received letters from readers who loved my characters and my vivid description. I even had two stalkers for a bit. Is that stardom? You can actually still get some of them in print or in eBook formats. You should check me out, I am really am quite good.
After becoming an author, it occurred to me that I might be good at something else. So I became a publisher. Some say I am really good at that. There are days when I sit and wonder if that is even remotely true. Then I look at the stacks of books on the shelves around me, and I visit the Echelon Press warehouse, and I do Google searches on some of the authors affiliated with Echelon Press. Luisa Buehler, Robert Goldsborough, J.A. Konrath, Mary Cunningham, Mary Welk, Tim Broderick, the list goes on. These are exceptional authors and each of them has a unique talent.
Then I get to Jeff Sherratt. Just when I am having one of those days when I wonder why, I get the most simple of e-mails that speaks to me of the relationships that you build when you work with people. The star above was in that e-mail, sent to me by Jeff.
It was a small gesture, but it meant more than all the words in the world could. But this isn't just about Jeff. This is about every author who submits to Echelon. It is about every author who signs a contract with Echelon. And more than that, it is about every reader who picks up an Echelon book from a library or bookstore or even borrows from a friend.
Each of you are the stars on the horizon and I would personally like to thank each of you for lighting up my skies.
Your star reminds me of one of my favorite scenes in recent movies. It's when LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE is crying the day before her contest, asking her grandfather if she is a "loser." He explains that the only "losers" are people who are too afraid to try. You're a person not afraid to try and that helps all of us. Thanks.
Hi Karen, Great post! And I'll send up a general cheer from my corner for all independent publishers. What a lot of work, I can hardly imagine. But if not for folks like you, think of all the wonderful stories that would go untold... You certain deserve that star and more!
Luisa Buehler said, on 1/11/2009 8:12:00 AM
"It may be insane to live in a dream but it's madness to live without one!" You make dreams come true! I am forever grateful.
Let's think about this. How do you make a pickle? The easy answer is that you soak it in vinegar and other seasonings. They are by far my favorite food, followed closely by concord grapes, but that is neither here, nor there. And FYI, the connection with the picture and a pickle is Tink's outfit is green like a pickle.
What in the name of garlic do pickles have to do with promoting? That's easy as well.
To make a pickle, you begin with a cucumber: a simple vegetable that can be used in a variety of ways. Much like a promotional tool. You can start with something basic, say your cover art. This is your most effective tool, but it is basic and alone it may not be as useful as you'd like. Most people don't pay attention to plain cucumbers.
Take your cover art and soak it in something spicy (use your imagination here on my analogies) and you could have an exciting post card. Add a little more seasoning; your blurb, an award you might have won, or an excellent review you earned and it it's just like one of those awesome dills you get at a fair or carnival. Everyone is clamoring to get one, heck that and polish sausage are why some folks go to fairs.
Dill chips, small, easy to pile on a sandwich. Same cover art on a business card, you take a handful (cause no one eats just a few dill chips) and spread them around a room full of readers and savor the tangy taste of success from the sales that will pour in.
Fried pickles (goodness I'm having a craving) are a personal favorite of mine. They are a little more work because you have to consider the breading and the time it takes to deep fry them, but worth every bit of work. Very much like a good e-mail campaign. Now, not everyone likes fried pickles, so you have to find those who are truly interested.
You run a special on your web site, perhaps offer a short story for free to anyone who signs up for your newsletter or e-mail list. You make sure your batter is spiced just right. Prime the pump by making sure your story or whatever you are giving away reminds those registering about you and your story/book. Once you have a good little list going you dip those chips into the batter (tease your readers with snippets, incentives, discounts, whatever.
By now you have the best recipe for success!
I'd like to thank Jonathan E. Quist and Bobbi Hinman for helping me decide what to Blog about today. Didn't think I could do it, eh?
Goes to show you can blog about anything if you put your mind to it.
Just ordered a bunch more postcards and business cards from Vistaprint for Love Is Murder Conference. One variety has all my blogpost links, along with my website. Another has the books, order info, and links.
I love Vistaprint. Maybe I should do a post about them, unless you beat me to it. I've already got a guest lined up for tomorrow and a post lined up for Saturday, then one of those blog awards, where I need to include 15 links. Morgan Mandel http://morganmandel.blogspot.com http://www.morganmandel.com http://bloodredpencil.blogspot.com
You forget "what's in a name"? My favorite pickles are Senf Gurken. Bet you don't know what that is. They'll make your campaign stand out from the rest, and they're not even green! Oh, but they are good.
Gotta tell you, though - deep-fried pickles sound like a dilly of a death to me. :) Does not make me green with envy. I know, I'm a real sour puss. Going now, before I have a jarring experience at your hand.
A good Blog is a wonderful gift. And those of you who know me, know that I love to get gifts. You can see that it started at a young age. Some things never change. I just drove a thousand miles to FL during the holidays to get my gifts from the family. And quite a haul it was.
But that's not what this post is about. I'd like to share a few simple suggestions to those of you who are reading my Blog and have Blogs of your own. I'm not lecturing, and I am definitely not telling you that my way is the right way, but I will tell you what makes me keep going back to t a Blog.
1. Content is key. I know Blogs are basically personal or professional journals, but lets keep in mind who our audience is. If it's personal, okay, but don't overdo it on the "too personal." I went to an author's blog once and she was explaining a very intimate situation that led her to be able to write the best sex scene ever. If I were her spouse, I would have been two steps past irate. Keep in mind that most blogs are public and people of all ages can read them.
2. Ease of subscription. I have noticed that I am RSS challenged. I'd like to say that I am brilliant and can figure anything out, but this is still puzzling me. So I am a big fan of the "Follow me" link. This is a wonderful Blogger tool that allows me to click on a link and automatically be following a particular Blog. This is a gift to your more technically challenged readers and will encourage us to come back. It also allows us to add you to our Blog rolls with a simple click. If I don't have easy access, chances are you will be forgotten.
3. Information is a bonus. For me this is different than content. I love to scour through the Blog rolls and links of interest on other people's Blogs. I have found some of the greatest Blogs and web sites this way. Plus, it allows me the opportunity to netowrk on a much wider scale. Don't be shy about the Blogs and sites you visit. Your surfing habits can tell inquiring minds alot about you.
4. Network, network, network! The most important thing about your Blog is to let people know where to find it. I keep a pretty close eye on how many people visit my Blog and where they come from. If I get a referral from another Blog, I add it to my Blog roll. It's my way of showing my appreciation. Don't be afraid to tell people to stop by. You never know who you will meet or what you will find. Some people say it is rude to put a signature in a comment on someone else's Blog? Why? Who made that rule? You don't have to write a book, but I say, just do it. I always sign my comments with my name and blog address. Straight and to the point.
See, that wasn't too painful, was it?
The Blog gift I got today. Tom Ziglar, the son of Zig Ziglar is now following me on Twitter. I am assuming because he saw my blog link in a comment I posted on his Blog. Now several people from his Blog have visited my Blog. How dang cool is that?!
So if you have a mind to, hop on over and check out Ziglar Pure and Simple. It's a pretty cool place and you can't go wrong with those Ziglars. Feel free to tell him I sent you. heehee
My hubby (and son) would complain that I give too much information in my weekly humor column about them - and I don't go near the bedroom or bathroom for my laughs! Part of the problem with this newfangled world of blogging is trying to think of interesting topics without coming off as self-absorbed. How do you know when you're saying something good and true and useful, and when you're just regurgitating your own ego?
Thanks Karen. I often mentally debate about whether to leave my blog URL. I've done it once or twice, but really not often. I, too, had heard that it was crass to do it. I'm going to try to change. I went to Zig's site (thank you for that) and left a comment along with my URL. One baby step...
Is there an added incentive or attraction if you URL is actually typed out? Most sites will link you back through your name anyway.
I do leave URL links sometimes, but only when I say I wrote a post that disagrees with/supports/elaborates on this point, etc. In that case I give a direct link. Otherwise why leave it?
I try to mix my content between semi-personal and writing, also to give tips when I can.
Today is the 3rd part of my series about the Followers gadget on blogspots. Sunday, I explained how to install it, Monday, I explained how to become a follower, Today, I explain the benefits of being a follower on a blogspot.
I've got some other tips coming up this week. Tomorrow is 7 reasons why you should comment on a blog.
Morgan Mandel http://morganmandel.blogspot.com http://www.morganmandel.com
There is definitely a bonus to typing it out. Sometimes links get broken or don't show write. If you type it out they can find you no matter what. Copy and paste, baby!
As for the reason to leave it just because...you may or may not have anything to say on that particular post, but why shouldn't new viewers be enticed to go back and read your previous posts. My back posts get read as much as my new posts, and new viewers tend to read at least one other post when they first get to my Blog.
It's about networking and you always want people to know how to get to you.
Making it simple for the reader is your gift to them.
#1 is to die for, but I see that sort of thing often, especially on social sites. It's not just too personal - I don't want to know!!!
And I remember you talking about the information one should have in email signatures when we were at Book 'Em. I think I adopted that trick the day I returned!
I think the signature is important. It is your introduction. You've just arrived at a party and no one knows your name, the only way to change that is to tell them.
And if people already know you, it is a reminder of who YOU are because YOU are important.
I adore ZZ and Tom is his son? I must go follow him! It's so true what you say about having followers, and I find about half of my visitors jump over straight from Twitter when I leave a teaser and a link to the blog. But I don't promote the blog unless I'm posting, so it's all linked.
Great post, and wonderful site. I look forward to reading it during the coming months. How do you (we) stay on topic, not sound self-absorbed? I'm very new to this and appreciate the tips. All best, Lucia http://bluestemwriters.wordpress.com
It's hard not to get "blogged under," but I'm learning to embrace it. Also, learning to pace myself so that I don't look up and three DAYS have passed since I first logged on! Thanks, Karen, for once again offering something that will only make our work better & earn higher dividends!
A really neat book about privacy and the internet is "The Future of Reputation" by Daniel Solove. I was guilty of oversharing on web forums when I was a newbie, but once my childen's book career took off I curbed all of that really quickly.
At the beginning of any journey is an idea. It may or may not be a good idea. For the sake of this article, let's assume it was a good one.
Once you accept the idea, you're ready to take the next step. It's time to figure out what you want to accomplish. Your goal. I know, it's a scary word, but it's time. You cannot successfully implement and make your idea successful without solid goals. So let's say you have one short-term goal, one mid-term goal, and one long-term goal. Put it on paper. Goals are much harder to accomplish if they are not written down.
Okay, good. That may be one of the hardest steps you take. Next step.
You need to implement. But wait, do you have any idea what your next step is? What do you do now? A plan.
It might sound easy, but if it's not a good plan you're doomed. In order to make the plan effective, you need to start at point A and map out your journey to point Z. If you aren't sure what order to do things in, put each step on an index card and tape them to the wall on the back of a door. If you have a large corkboard, this is even better, as you can move the steps around as you decide what the best order of execution will be.
Okay, you've got your plan, now you are ready to implement. This is where it gets difficult. There is one more ting you have to have in order to make this plan work to bring your idea to successful fruition. You must have confidence!
You have to believe that your idea is the best one ever and that no one can make it more successful than you. You have to be willing to make any sacrifice in order to effectively accomplish each step. Without this, you will probably spend most of your time second-guessing yourself and trying to decide if your idea was good or if you have a quality plan.
Now, start at point A and get to work. You need to be focused and systematic with your approach. Don't get anxious and skip ahead, take things nice and steady and you will ultimately accomplish your goals with great success.
Looking for a great resource? Check out Dosomething.org. I just discovered it on Twitter and it rocks!
Dang it, I keep hoping for the success fairy to bonk me on the head, but it's all about logic and persistence and work.
I think having manageable little steps is another key to reaching goals - I've stopped myself from trying in the past by not breaking things down into less scary pieces.
"Which is more real? The world you can touch or the one you are responding to?"
This recurring theme is an important part of why I developed mysteryshrink.com. We can decide which world we want to respond to. We decide how far we can go by how we think about ourselves.
The biggest problem with having an idea is what to do with it. That, simply put, relies on having a plan for idea implementation. This was our first goal when I created QuickPlanner Plus... a simple tool for taking an idea from thought to full realization.
Okay, it's been a couple days and I am fairly well rested. I was afraid that I would forget all the important things about Charmed to Death and would not be able to give you a blow by blow of Bouchercon 2008. Then I realized you probably don't want one. So I decided to give a little different view of my experience at the conference this past weekend. To make it a little more interesting and honest, I am going to do a pros and peeves format for my weekend.
Pro:Ruth Jordan and Judy Bobolik are the most awesome conference organizers. This is the best Bouchercon I have been to in a very long time! These women rock! Overall, they picked a GREAT hotel (despite the early morning protestors who think Jon Jordan is Satan-and they are SO wrong!) The staff was great, the facility was great, and the layout of the rooms was great. The organizers made certain that the attendees were taken care of throughout the conference with the hospitality suite to beat all! A nice friendly atmosphere to relax when overwhelmed. Refreshments--for free! I know--I could hardly believe it myself and not just water and bananas. And the volunteers who helped us find bathrooms, book bags, register, panel rooms, and all other things were the best of the best.
Peeve: Not so happy with the Book room. I know these booksellers work hard and they do deserve praise for being there and making books available to the attendees. However, I saw too many mid-list and debut authors walking around during their signing times looking for their books so they could sign. Don't you think it should be required that the booksellers make certain that every panelist and featured author has something to sign during the conference? I was also disappointed to see so many A-list authors' books on the tables at collectible prices when those author's were not even there supporting the conference. I'm just saying.
This was a great panel. The gals spoke openly and at length about so many issues I can't even recall. Since young readers are so important to the future of the industry, I think it could have easily been one of the most important discussions all weekend. The sad thing, I wanted to get a signed copy of Lauren Henderson's Kiss Me Kill Me, and not one single bookseller had it available. Lauren spent most of her signing time looking for it for fans who wanted it. This is one book I will definitely get from Amazon.com. How sad is that?
I was pleased to be able to spend time with some of my favorite authors Evelyn David (Murder Off the Books) Margot Justes (A Hotel in Paris), Austin Camacho (Blood and Bone), Carl Brookins (Bloody Halls)--who is too charming for his own good, and the always on fire Tim Broderick (Cash & Carry). Tim trekked around the hotel on his cane after knee surgery hand selling books in the hallway and blogging like a madman. A sight to behold!
I think one of my favorite things about this weekend though was the progress I made with regard to moving Echelon to the next level of success. My week started on Monday, last, when I had lunch with Teresa Burrell who I met and spoke with at last years San Diego Writer's Conference. I am pleased to announce that Teresa signed her contract with Echelon on Thursday morning! She will see her first novel, tentatively titled AN SOB Story in 2010. We chummed around most of the weekend and it was a delight!
I also got to get hugs from Tom Schreck. If you have not read his Duffy Dumbrowski Mystery series featuring Al the Bassett Hound, you must! Tom represents more progress for Echelon as he recently signed a contract for the third book in the Duffy series with Echelon and he brings with him unbridled enthusiasm, incredible writing skills, and it doesn't hurt that he is easy on the eyes too.
And the highlight for me was meeting The Sex Club author, L.J. Sellers. This gal is pure dynamite! We also spent a huge amount of time together, getting to know each other and talking shop, and I'll tell you right her, right now. I have 100 more pages of her second book left to read and I'm pretty sure I am gonna be begging her to join Echelon as well.
But now I am exhausted from the recap and I must go actually do some business, publishing houses don’t run themselves you know. More tomorrow, and there is plenty!
Karen, I suspected you were a smart woman from the very get-go, but now that you agree with me about LJ Sellers, of course I think you're absolutely brilliant! LOL. You cannot go wrong with that woman, I am convinced, because MY GAWD, she knows how to market, too. Am looking forward to the blog book tour coming up. ;)
Kudos to Karen for all her persistent hard work touting we humble (ahem) authors. Alas, of all the 250+ pictures I made which will appear on my website soon (www.carlbrookins.com) there will be none of Karen. Why? You may well ask. Because every one of her is seriously flawed. I think she did something to my camera whenever I pointed it her way. Awesome woman, this. See y'all down the road at Indianapolis.
Karen, great post! It was lovely to see you, as usual, and you bring up a good point. The book room is always a source of anxiety for new authors - "Will they have my books? Will they have enough of my books?"
I've learned that the only guarantee is if I myself call and ask one of the attending booksellers if they're going to carry my books, and even then, I've learned to bring extra. Booksellers are always happy to sell published authors' books on commission, and the WORST thing is to run out when readers are buying, so why take the chance?
As authors we have to remember that booksellers are having just as hard a time as everyone is (and can you imagine schlepping all those books across the country?). They're going to do what they think is going to net them the most profit, so until we're all bestsellers, too, we need to take a little of the responsibility ourselves. It becomes a habit, not a terrible hassle.
Great event synopsis and sharing, Karen. You made me REALLY wish I had been able to attend. I'm also a new and big fan of LJ, I read her Sex Club book just a few weeks ago and was floored with how well she writes. I figured she was a dynamo in person, I mean anyone who writes mystery books AND does standup comedy has gotta be real load of a person (smile).
Karen- It's a continuing peeve of mine that the booksellers will not carry YA or children's titles - even if the folks are speaking at the conference. In Madison, we had Pete Hautman on a panel, a National Book Award winner - and his books were not there. Painful. Kiss Me Kill Me is excellent. I hated missing the conference this year, but with the new baby, we decided to travel as a family instead to Disney...
My thought on all this politics and financial crisis is that we can make a difference. We MUST make a difference!
What can we do right now to ensure that the youth and children of now are smart enough and prepared enough and willing enough to care about this country like we do and to run it effectively?
Education is the key to our survival. Look around you; look at the average kid walking down the street. Is that who you want running our country in 40 years? Would they even care enough to want to?
By putting more of a focus on the education of this and the next generations we can ensure that our country will be worth the respect of those around us and that we won't have to worry about the next big crisis.
I think that Robert Kiyosaki and Donald Trump have the right idea. In WHY WE WANT YOU TO BE RICH, they talk a lot about financial education. It is crucial to not only teach kids the basics, but to also teach them about the wonders of respect and accomplishment and self-worth. By giving them a financial education, we can increase the chances of them being successfully independent. Part of that education needs to be the analysis of situations like what we face now in the financial sector. I once heard someone say that Wall Street didn't affect them because they owned no stock. I wonder what they are thinking now.
Kids are leaving schools without the basic skills to do simple math or even to know how to read in many cases. I've seen this. It is frightening.
Is it up to government to fix our education problems? Isn't it up to the people? This is no time for pointing fingers and saying "you did it." It is a time to come together and find a solution to the problem. Don't like the schools your kids go to? Home school, give them the level of education you think they require, but be sure you include the things that are important. WE have to make certain that we all begin and master the basic skills before moving on to the "fun" stuff.
Where is the support for our educators. I do believe that a lot of the problem with education lies with the teachers. It is not their fault! But they are tired. They are overworked, they are underpaid, and they are seriously underappreciated. What incentive do they have to even care? Now, don't get me wrong, they chose their career and they had to know going in that it would have its down side, but overpopulated classrooms, lack of financial support for curriculum materials and basic tools? Was this part of the deal? When was the last time you thanked your child's teacher for their efforts. How many teachers actually feel like anyone cares?
Well, I care. I don't have children, but I am educated enough to know that if we, as a people, don't do something to support education in this country, we are all in a lot of trouble, now, and in the future!
Teachers need to be paid more, and they need to be held to certain standards. Government at all levels needs to fund education with more passion and money than it funds incarceration.
I am of the mind that if we spent more time and effort educating kids about the basics and even life skills, we wouldn't HAVE to spend so much time and money on incarceration. We would be developing better, more intellignet, and self-confident people who might just committ less crimes.
Great deal of truth in this post. It is alarming the lack of basic 3R's education young people are getting nowadays. Then again, my generation was a bunch of "tear the system down" Hippies and now they're running the country. Not very well, though.
I so agree with you. I looked at the results of a poll when people were rating what was most/least important to them in this election. Education came in last. I wanted to cry.
Anonymous said, on 9/27/2008 6:40:00 PM
I know that this does not pertain to your blog entry, but I cannot seem to contact you via anything else. Did you ever read the thing I sent you over Yahoo? I sent that a while ago and never got a reply. Did my email never reach you, or did your email never reach me? Please respond right away.
Now to your blog entry. I saw this great sticker that said, "It will be a great day when schools have all the funding they need, and the Air Force must hold bake sales to pay for a bomber." I think that's how it went.
I think you touched on two important issues: one is formal education, and the other is social education--how to 'be' in the world. Teachers are underpaid and, in some parts of the country, under-prepared; schools are over-crowded; and resources are limited for students and teachers. Also, kids are not learning to respect themselves or others, in many instances. (Not all). I think the world is moving way too fast for them and, though I love technology, it's dumbing us down--we don't have to think on our any more.
Every school should utilize Junior Achievement's Fr*e Economics program from kindergarten to high school. There's even a special program for rural schools. I taught the JA program for middle schoolers and it's fantastic. This package is a no-brainer, yet there are schools that do not know about it.
Before you read this article, I want you to take a minute, a few deep breaths, and grab some chocolate. It may begin on a negative note, but I promise you'll be smiling by the time I'm done with you.
If you were to go out into the general public (not SB owners) and poll 100 people on the pros and cons of being the owner of a small business, I would guess more than 75% would be hard-pressed to come up with too many cons. There is a misconception in society. This myth feeds the illusion that owning your own business is "easy," "a piece of cake," or not like a "real job."
Being a woman only increases the negative comments received. One of the most frustrating things for a woman is for anyone to refer to their business or career as "that little thing you do." Or someone at a social event asks what you do, and when you tell them they say, "Oh, how nice." You can almost feel the negativity roll off of them.
Don't let it get you down. You are a WOMAN. You are what keeps the world from ceasing to exist. Women bear the children that ensure the future of our world. So why does that world generally refuse to acknowledge our accomplishments? I have been pondering this question for some time now. I still don't have an answer. What I do have is a way to get back at them all. Yes, I said GET BACK! Never let them see you sweat. Each time you show weakness, there is someone waiting to poke a stick in and make that hole bigger.
When someone targets you for their negativity, the only way to fight it is with your own positive response. When the grey cloud of doubt walks into the room, you push it aside with the brightness of your smile. When someone tackles you with an obstacle, you pull back those strong shoulders and you charge it head on with a bounce in your step. That bounce, born of your heart, will take you over that obstacle with room to spare. When someone say "You can't." You DO!
There is nothing in this world that is strong enough to rob you of the success you deserve if you truly desire it. Lack of money? Work smarter. Not enough time? Re-organize and delegate. Not enough help? Enlist friends who do support you. Let the Real You shine.
Do not deny yourself happiness and success because someone else doesn't think you deserve it. Your dreams are YOUR dreams. Embrace them and live for them. The joy your accomplishments will bring you are the icing on the cake.
Surround yourself with other successful women and draw from their energy. The world is full of women just like you and they deal with the same issues. You want success? You deserve it!
I can always count on you to get me all charged up! I was in vacillating mode, and this pep talk was just what I needed. Lj http://ljraves.blogspot.com
I always told my art students that having your own business was great because you got to work half days. And you get to pick which 12 hours. LOL. Some days are longer, aren't they?
As to negativity from others and lack of approval, I think it goes even deeper. We're an ungrateful society. When was the last time you got a genuine thank-you for something you did? We should all be doling out that kind of "praise" and maybe it would turn the tide. As Meister Eckhart said, "if the only prayer you ever say is thank you, that would suffice". So true. And what we dole out comes back to us ten-fold.
Thank YOU for all the work you do for authors everywhere, not just the ones in your office. In my book, you're definitely in the upper echelon of publishing professionals.
Your posts always inspire me...and this one is especially fine. When I need a shot in the arm, your blog is one of the first places I turn...sometimes even before I dash out for a bag of chips (my guilty pleasure).
I mean, we are talking about a monster under the bed. Perhaps you believe, perhaps not. I've gotta tell you, I've been there. I don't know what variety the little bugger took when he lived under my bed, but for a good long time, I slept with my light on because there was no way I was gonna let any "dumb ol' monster" from under my bed get me.
I'm older now, a little more secure. I no longer sleep with the light on, but that doesn't mean I don't still have issues.
Tomorrow is a big day for us here. We are going to be hosting a special guest to the Blog. You will get to meet TROCKLE. I know, it's an amazing thing…I certainly hope your excitement doesn't keep you awake tonight.
You will also get to meet Holly Jahangiri and Jordan M. Vinyard. They are human, but I hear they are darn nice.
So, hop back over here tomorrow and meet the visitors and maybe you can tell us a little bit about the monsters under your bed!
Trockle is just bouncing off the walls this week with all the attention he's getting! He caught wind of the word "sequel" and has been bugging me non-stop. I crawl into bed, and he pokes the box springs, just under my ribcage. "Ms. Holly, what's a 'sequel'?"
Karen, Thanks so much for doing the interview. It was really fun to see Holly's answers today! I think it is just another example of our "meeting of the minds" as Holly put it.
Enjoyed this post and today's post. This book sounds like a great read for a small child. And the small child in all of us.
All this talk about monsters under the bed reminds me of one of the favorite books my kids wanted read to them, "There's a Monster at the End of This Book." It was a Sesame Street book and featured Ernie and Cookie Monster. It was absolutely hilarious. Especially when someone reading it put a lot of dram into the reading.
Okay, so you want an agent. Okay, so you got an agent. Now what do you do. Well, it appears to me that many authors are sitting back and hoping for the best. Well, let me tell you, hope is NOT a strategy!
This may come across as more of a rant, but it is in fact a warning for you authors/writers who think that ALL agents are created equal and that they all do a good job. Not so, my friend.
At Echelon, recently, we have had a flurry of agent submitted works, and all the agents queries have been rejected. I'll never even read those works. Why you ask? Do I hate agents? Do I have some grudge against them? Absolutely not, except for those who DON'T DO THEIR JOBS!
What is an agents job? I've never had an agent, but this seems like a no brainer for me. If I had an agent I would expect, yes expect, them to find the most suitable publishing houses for my work, to submit my work according to the guidelines (offering it the best chance of consideration), and negotiating the best possible deal for me when it is accepted! The agent does in fact work for the author, since that is how they earn their income. You are paying them, they are not paying you. Simple economics.
Now, my beef with this latest round of agents is that I am getting materials that are NOWHERE close to being acceptable for my line of books--and this is without even reading the work. The agents obviously have NOT looked at what we publish. ALL of the agent submissions have been at least TWICE our acceptable word count. And ALL of them have been for PRINT publication.
Our guidelines page is very specific. You MUST have a referral or invitation to submit for paperback and the only line we are accepting for paperback is Quake, none of these agent submissions were for Quake.
So I ask you, if these were your agents, do you think that they have your best interests in mind? Do you truly think that if your agent does this type of thing it will help your career? If one of these submissions was yours, your agent blew the chance for you to even get READ. Where is the professionalism in this?
Do you know what YOUR agent is doing on your behalf? Do you even ask to read the notices going out on your behalf? Do you know where they are going? Do you approve your agent sending your material to houses that are closed to submissions? Is this in your best interest?
My suggestion to you all, is know what is going on in your career. I'm not teling you to stalk your agent and be a prima donna, but I am telling you to take an active role in your career. If your agent is spending all their time sending your work out to publishers who aren't looking, what good is that for you? Where is your career going?
I've never had an agent give me the time of day, so I can't complain about the "job" they've done - lol. I can empathize with your rant, though. Actually I DID have one agent tell me he wanted to represent my last book, Owen Fiddler, but he moved with all the speed of a glacier on valium - three months of asking him when he was going to send me his contract for me to look over with no action and I figured this guy is out to brunch.
It's like any other career, this recent deluge of less than pro agents you've had won't be around long. The cream rises and the curds sink.
I used to be both incredibly jealous and befuddled during some writer's groups when writers that I considered less than stellar announced that they "had an agent". How could that be, when the work they were reading was, well, not good?
Over the years, I've learned that there are a lot of agents who are willing to take on a client and then do nothing to help them. I've also learned that there are good agents with clients who are good writers and they still can't get the work sold. Most of all, I've learned that saying "I've got an agent" is a pretty benign sentence, and still doesn't sell books.
Great post, Karen. I've always asked agents to keep me informed about who they are sending my work to, but I would have not thought to ask if they followed submission guidelines. It's easy to assume agents know what they're doing, but I will ask more questions in the future . . . if I go that route again. Lj http://ljraves.blogspot.com
Karen I never even thought this would be something I'd have to consider. I thought once I found that illusive agent -- I'd have no more worries. Guess one can never really let go of the reins. Thanks for the insight. Billie
That seems to be the general consensus lately. Jeff Bezos, a true business warrior is obviously in a buying mood. Word on the street is that after his recent purchase of ABE Books, he is not purchasing Shelfari. Soon, he will own the world. And you heard it here first.
What does this mean to us? Well, that depends on how you look at it. If you look at it from a reader's point of view, who cares. It probably won't change anything in the scheme of life. From the author's point of view, it is a whole new ball of wax.
Shelfari is one of those places that readers can keep track of what they read and write reviews and so forth. In my opinion, it is an antiquated version of GoodReads. Shelfari has big clunky images and so forth and I just don't find it to be as nice as GoodReads. This could all change when Bezos' people get in their and start shuffling things around.
I do frequent GoodReads a lot and one of the reasons is because of their relationship with Amazon.com As a publisher, I am a huge fan of Amazon.com. I know there are people out there who think they are out to monopolize the industry, and that may be true. But as long as they keep making my company's books available and selling them, I say, "More power to 'em!"
Back to Shelfari. Now that Amazon.com is going to own this and have a good chunk of control over the program, I am hoping that it increases the exposure of our books to readers in general. That is our goal. I am not a fan of the incestuous relationship many authors have come to rely on inside the book industry. Too many authors are missing the boat by focusing all their attentions on the writing community and fellow writers. Sure, writers also read, but they are at cross-purposes with regard to buying books. Fellow writers are not as much concerned with buying your book as they are with you buying their book! It's a fact, deal with it.
Amazon allows authors a few really good venues for reaching readers. They have their Amazon Shorts. They also have Amazon Connect. If you don't know what these are, you should check them out. Whether you are a writer or a reader, you both stand to benefit.
Readers want great books and stories to read. I hear lots of grumbling at events that some of the "favorites" are starting to lose steam. They have written so many books that their new ones are starting to sound like the old ones with new character names. It's bound to happen eventually. This is why new authors need to focus on gaining the loyalty and respect of readers.
You can find me at Shelfari, GoodReads, FaceBook, Twitter, MySpace, etc. They are all great places to find new authors and to find readers. Don't be shy, get out there and mingle, network, and for the love of all things sacred READ MORE BOOKS!
And readers, authors love to get feedback on their books. A lot of authors make themselves very accessible in Internet forums, as well as at conferences and festivals. Don't be shy, come up and talk to us. We are, after all, human, just like you.
And for you mystery lovers, don't miss your chance to rub elbows with some of the best mystery authors and fans in the world at the Bouchercon World Mystery Convention in Baltimore, MD. You can get more info and register by clicking here.
Very good post and advice. It is true, trying to market your book to other authors is a little like trying to sell your particular brand of ice to eskimos. thanks for the tip (reminder, actually) about amazon shorts and connects. I've been meaning to get going on both those, and your post today was very timely.
I haven't ventured into MySpace or Face Book, but have joined GoodReads and Twitter. I was just on the phone consulting with an author about online promotion. That's where it's at in today's world. But...I'm with you Dana, I sure like meeting authors in person.
Today was a wonderful day at the Decatur Book Festival. Echelon Press debuted a new book for women. WOOF: Women Only Over Fifty by Diana Black, Mary Cunningham, and Melinda Richarz Bailey. Sales were plentiful as the author sold nearly 50 copies to overheated shoppers. I don't know what the temperature got up to, but when we came home at 7:00 pm it was still over 90 degrees. Diana was a wild woman with the sales. She sold WOOF to women of all ages and even a couple men. She was on fire!
Mary Cunningham wowed more than her share of young readers with her Cynthia's Attic series. At one point she had to leave the booth and make a trip to the car to open a new case of THE MISSING LOCKET and bring more because she sold out! What a winner!
Margot Justes, author of the recently released A HOTEL IN PARIS, won over new readers hand over fist with her debut novel. At one point she had so many people in front of her book we couldn't fit anyone else in the tent. She charmed them all, even after her long trip from Chicago.
But as much as I loved the great sales, the high point of the day for me was getting my two Spiderwick books signed by Tony DiTerlizzi. He attended the festival to promote his newest book, KENNY AND THE DRAGON.
I picked up my two books last year in Decatur when Holly Black attended and I was tickled to bits at the announcement of his appearance. He spoke from 5:00 – 5:30 pm and went to his signing table.
During his presentation he was funny and charming and more than a little entertaining. The coolest thing was that he did a quiz with the kids and if they answered questions correctly he did on the spot drawings for them. Kids were so thrilled, some of them were in tears with excitement.
I stood in line carefully holding my books and waiting for my turn and I was amazed. AMAZED! He took the time with each and every person who requested an autograph. He looked up and made eye contact with all of them and he asked their names, even if they only wanted a straight signature. He was an absolute delight. So much so in fact that when I asked for just his signature, he asked was my favorite character was, I said I really liked Spites and right there in my book he drew me a sprite with his autograph. I was THRILLED!
Tony DiTerlizzi was everything I imagine the perfect author to be and for that I sincerely thank him!
Karen, I think it's awesome you can find time to blog with your busy schedule. But, you know what? Reading about a festival event like this, is exactly what makes your blog interesting and a "must return" location. Thanks for giving us a publisher's view of the book biz.
Or is it? I'm not sure how to approach this subject, because I tend to have more authors reading my blog than readers. I would like to reach more readers, but am not altogether sure how.
One thing I do is the book festivals. Like this weekend I am in Georgia for the Decatur Book Festival. This is my second year, and last year was great! I tend to do about 6-10 festivals per year.
Authors, do you participate in festivals? Which one is your favorite?
Readers, do you attend book festivals? Does your area have a book festival?
Are book festivals worth the investment for authors?
Well, let's see. Readers go to festivals because they love books. Most of them are willing to buy books at book festivals. Let's say it costs an author $500 for a booth at a book festival. That is not chump change. I get it. How can you make it more affordable? Well, you can co-op with one or two other authors. You share a couple tables and lower your costs considerably. It also gives you company and support throughout the day. Potty breaks and lunch.
Other benefits? Let's say you only sell 10 books, but 2000 people walk by your booth and half of them stop and look at your book and talk to you. Did you smile? Did you thank them for stopping? Did you send them along their merry way with your PROMO ITEMS in their hands? If you did not answer, "yes" to all three. SHAME ON YOU! If you did all those things, you have increased your potential to sell a book. Don't assume a "No" is a final answer.
The biggest mistake authors make with going to festivals is that they ONLY see it as a chance to sell books on the spot. That is always good, and I try like a crazy woman to sell books to everyone, but not everyone reads your "type" of book. Deal with it. But that doesn't mean they can't be a potential customer or lead you to one. You make not make your money back that day, but don't give up, a sale tomorrow is just as good!
Say you have a man who only reads thrillers and you write mystery. Okay, no problem. You hand him your bookmark and say, "Hey, maybe you could give this to you wife/sister/mother/cousin/librarian who might like a mystery." You thank him and suggest a good thriller you might have read about on line. You have done him a favor and this might make him more open to doing one for you. You would be surprised. And don't roll your eyes at me and say, I don't have time for all that. You better MAKE time.
The second best reason to participate in book festivals is to promote and advertise. Every time you hand someone a piece of promo material that you have printed, consider it advertising, one reader at a time. When you hand them a card with your cover you KNOW they are looking at it. Can you say the same about your $30,000 ad in Publishers Weekly? How many of you actually subscribe to or read PW?
What's the benefit for readers? You get to meet authors. You get an opportunity to talk for a few minutes to someone who devotes most, if not all of their time to doing something for YOU! They write books. Authors don't get published just for the heck of it. They write so that you, the reader, can go to the bookstore or the library, or wherever and get books. Readers are committed and devoted to books, and I beg you not to forget where those books come from.
If you are in the Atlanta area this weekend, stop by and see me and several of my authors (Diana Black, Mary Cunningham, Margot Justes at the Decatur Book Festival. We love to meet readers and we promise to be nice and make you smile.
I never realized book festivals were open to the public (somehow I thought they were trade shows that were closed). How cool. I'll have to watch to see if there are ever any in/near Dallas.
Though bookstores are already financially dangerous for me...
I am in the Chicago suburbs. We used to get a lot up this way, lately I have not noticed any, but then again. Maybe I just missed them recently.
Another thing on which to spend money. You should add there is a sense of obligation on the part of the readers. If I go to a festival I feel have to buy something.
It sounds like book festivals (which I've not yet done) are very much like conventions in terms of yes, it's an outlay of cash we can't always afford, but a real opportunity to meet people, network, and reach more readers.
Well, okay, it's just me. I'm a publisher, and I like for people to call me your highness, and when I was recovering from my heart surgery the gang from Love is Murder in Illinois sent me a fruit basket with a crown, so I'm going with the queen thing.
I am currently perched on the bed in my "suite" of rooms in Villa Rica, GA. My palace is actually the home of author Mary Cunningham. You know her, right? She is the acclaimed author of the Cynthia's Attic juvenile fantasy series. The Missing Locket, The Magic Medallion, and The Curse of the Bayou.
I left Maryland this morning at 5:00 am. That's right, almost an hour before the butt crack of dawn. 11 hours later, I pulled into Mary's driveway. I honked but no one came. So I rang the doorbell like 50 times and still no one came. Okay, I rang it once and Mary came flying down the stairs and flung the door open, her face aglow with the brightness of her smile. That is one of my favorite things about Mary, she is a smiler and it brightens the room. No lie. And a hug! I love hugs.
After lounging about on her heavenly sofa for a bit, I do love her couch, Mary and her dashingly handsome husband treated me to a lovely dinner of Pasta salad and warm bread. It was delish!
Now, back to my suite of rooms. This is how a publisher should always be treated. I love my authors. Each place I stay is like another 5 star hotel. Lots of great food and lots of pillows.
And so you know, I didn't drive all this way just be waited on hand and foot, several of us are in town for the Decatur Book Festival in Decatur, GA. If you are in the area, you should stop by and see us. Echelon is in Booth #12 by the Target Main Stage. Nice spot, huh?
So here is my advice to all you authors out there. If you want to stay on the really good side of your publisher, treat them like royalty. We really do deserve…er, I mean like it, I mean appreciate it.
Blog Book Tour August Challenge #27
(C)Karen L. Syed
7 Comments on The Queen Speaks, last added: 8/28/2008
Geez, from your description, I'd like to stay with Mary, too. You're more than welcome at the Carline house, as long as you're not allergic to dogs, cats, geckos, and 15-year old boys. We don't have a guest suite... we have a guest room. With a bed. And a closet full of horse show clothes. Oh, and pillows. Lots of those.
Karen forgot to mention that she's my chauffeur. I hate driving in Atlanta so she drives to the "ends of the earth" otherwise known as Villa Rica, GA, to escort me to the Decatur Book Festival.
That cat can probably do better than my original editor at the newspaper. Nice woman, I am eternally in her debt for taking me on, but she would actually INTRODUCE typos into my stuff. I'm really a stickler for spelling, so the errors would stick out at me like flashing neon lights.
The second book in Stewart's Hard series follows Lorna back to her hometown after her mother's death. Her only plans are to scatter her mother's ashes and then clean and sell their family home. But as soon as Lorna arrives, a tragedy from her past is dredged up, along with new and even more frightening secrets that nobody in town could have imagined.
When Lorna steps in to help a woman she thinks is being wrongly accused for the crimes, she finds herself part of a select group determined to find the truth and not just a scapegoat.
Mariah Stewart has done an excellent job with bringing these characters to life. Her story is dark and involved, but the personalities of the main characters keep the story from being too deep. Stewart has a great writing style and this one proves her talent, yet again.
My first book, Two Wrongs, also deals with someone wrongfully accused of a murder, but the twist is the innocent guy turns guilty when he's released from prison.
You don't think books signings are worth the effort. You don't think readers pay attention to promotional mailings. You don't have a web site to promote or don't update the one you have. You don't have time to call bookstores to tell them about your book. You don't have time to call libraries to tell them about your book. You don't have time to do speaking engagements. You don't have time to post announcements on the Internet You don't have money to travel to conferences. You don't have money to advertise/market. You don't have copies of your book on hand to sell.
Okay, Karen, most of those things look like laziness or arrogance on the author's part, except for "not enough money to travel..." Any tips for starving yet energetic authors who would like to travel to conferences but don't have the $$? P.S. I'd actually like to be a little bit "starving" - I need to lose a few pounds.
I am doing all of that and still not a best seller. But I will be someday. Gayle, check out JA Konrath's site; he has a section on how to go to a conference on a budget. http://www.jakonrath.com/tips6.html
I agree there's lots to do to get yourself and your books noticed. The more you do, the better.
I also believe that at times it's best to slow down and really concentrate on one particular aspect and learn how to do it well. Right now I'm working on improving my blogging. Morgan Mandel http://morganmandel.blogspot.com www.morganmandel.com
Other than the money issue, I'm happy to say I'm doing okay on the rest of the lsit... I only wish there were MORE speaking opportunities... I loves 'em, I do...
I'm guilty of a couple, mostly as with gayle's case - lack of funds to invest in what I know darn well I should be investing in. Thanks for that article, LJ - got my piggie bank on my desk, see you at a convention next year! lol, but serious.
By no stretch of the imagination should you try to do all these at once. Pick a few that you are confident you can do on a long term basis, and then put 100% into them.
None of them are short term goals. And remember, whatever you choose make sure you will get something in return.
Like conferences. I try to only go to conferences if I am 1. looking for new authors, and 2. can sell books.
I try to pick conferences that have very high attendance rates. Like I will be at Bouchercon World Mystery Conference in October. Surprised at how many of my authors are not going. If you go to the web site you can see that there are many more fans than there are authors. This is a good thing! Higher potential to sell books.
Mailings. You can do just one mailing. You have to do repeat mailings to the same people, otherwise they look, it might be a bad time, and they toss. Once they have seen something a couple times it will stand a better chance of sticking.
You have to be willing to ride the horse down the same road every once in a while and not just keep going in one direction forever.
I do all those things you mentioned except calling book stores.
About conferences though, I will only go if they don't have rules about who publishes you deciding if you can be on a panel or not. Used to always go to Left Coast Crime--no more.
Whether you are on a panel or not you can still network, but your books won't be in the bookstore--and even if they are, without people looking for them you don't have much chance of selling.
How much attention do you, as an author, pay to this aspect of your submission process? Have you ever really thought about the importance of the query letter? Do you ever wonder if editors really read queries? I can't answer for anyone else, but I know I do.
Here are a few quick tips on what "I" think a query letter should be.
1. One page-short and simple. 2. Professional. Don't use fancy papers, fonts, or colors. It is distracting and some editors have called it juvenile. 3. Pristine. It is one page, there is no room for error, so don't rely on spell check. Own your query and ensure that it is the very best it can be before submitting it. As an editor, I won't even look at a manuscript if there are typos and technical errors in the query, it is that first impression you can't take back.
It should include: 1. All of your contact information. 2. A quick paragraph of introduction. 3. A couple of paragraphs summarizing your story; the set up, the conflict, the climax, the resolution. A few simple remarks about each of the key points in your story. 4. A brief summary of your industry accomplishments; writing credits, contest wins, and vision for the submission.
If you aren't sure about your query letter, please feel free to post your questions here and we'll see if we can help.
I completely agree! One page, clean, no errors, intro paragraph that tells me genre and word count, story paragraph or two, and a few marketing ideas, and a bio paragraph. Love it!
Skip the drama and wheedling-type opening "You probably won't like my novel, but I have to ask anyway." I am not going to do a "mercy-read" and I know it sounds snotty, but I don't really care if your friends loved it.
Also, if you try to PEEK my interest, you're dead!
Reading queries (until you find a great one) is pure overhead...you learn to be brutal.
How much bio do you really want? Must a writer drone on if the idea and samples are great? I've read queries with far too much emphasis on the author's laurels, at least (yawn) I thought so. But, maybe you want that.
Get the basics in, make it interesting and an example of your writing ability, keep it simple. When I teach a workshop on the query letter, I tell them: Look, Hook, Book, Cook (in one page). Look -- mention if you have a connection with the agent/editor. Hook -- something interesting to keep them reading. Book -- a bit about your book (mini synopsis). Cook -- your credentials for writing this book.
And I don’t mean the spot remover. Do you ever wonder where you get the continued motivation to write?
You are an aspiring writer with 322 rejections in your file cabinet. No one wants to publish you, but no one wants to tell you why they won't. Just, "No Thank you!"
You are an author who has had a couple books published. You've built a fan base, you've laid the groundwork for your breakout book, but the publisher won't give you the chance. But wait, they want you to write four more books exactly like the one's you've already written different state, different character names. Oy!
Goodness gracious, why bother? Buck up, little soldier, where is your resolve?
In May 1979, Margaret Thatcher became the first woman ever elected prime minister in England. Within a year, she was being touted a failure by many, including her own party. It was all about economics. But she would not be swayed from her mission. She resolved to stay the course and ride it out. Thatcher had faith in her plan and she had faith in her self. In doing so, she is considered one of the world's most influential women leaders in history. Plain and simple, she refused to give up, and she refused to give in.
"No one can defeat us unless we first defeat ourselves." --Dwight Eisenhower
No matter what society says is right or wrong, if you believe in something be true to it. Don't back down once you've made a stand. If you feel strongly about something you have written and you know there is a place for it, then stay the course. Keep submitting, keep trying, everything has its day. Following your heart is not unprofessional, it is healthy.
Be responsible. Own your actions. You've got to depend on yourself no matter what. The things you aspire to are for you and no one can achieve them for you. Be honest, do you want someone else in the driver's seat of your life?
Most importantly, when you resolve to do something, be open-minded. While we must be true to ourselves and our missions, we must be willing to consider changing with the times. Progress is not all bad. But as writers, we know that the only way to fill our work with emotion and integrity is to pull those characteristics from within ourselves.
We are writers because we can't not be writers. To be told what to write and when to write it is difficult, at best. Our industry has set so many unspoken rules in place that it is often unclear if we should actually write. But we do. We have resolved to use our words to touch others and to give that up would be a slow and agonizing death.
So if you are a writer, write first. Once you have done what you have chosen to do, then you take the time to consider the things you must do. I'll save book marketing and promoting for another day.
I'm resolved to get more readers for my blogs and books. Morgan Mandel www.morganmandel.com http://acmeauthorslink.blogspot.com http://morganmandel.blogspot.com http://mysteryturtles.blogspot.com
Excellent Stuff Karen and you are so right. It is hard to keep your resolve when the rejections pour in, until you remember--you are working - at least you are getting the stuff out there. And to not write is unthinkable so keep on keeping on until some editor finds you at the right place at the right time. Somewhere I read not to think of a rejection as anything but a wrong address for the editor you are searching for. Thanks Karen, Cricket www.cricket-sawyer.com http://cricketshearth.blogspot.com
"Buck up, little soldier." Okay, I'm gonna be saying that to myself every time I get depressed about the writing. For whatever reason, that made me laugh and perk right up out of what is definitely an unmotivated blah mood today.
I have to admit I'm learning to love the challenge of writing something that maybe wasn't my first choice, but that someone else thinks I can do well.
A great example of resolve against all odds is the story of Canadian crime-fiction author Howard Engel, who continued to find a way to write even after a rare brain disease removed his ability to read.
Another favorite story is about the late Madeleine l'Engle, who endured two years of rejections from more than two dozen publishers for her ultimately award-winning book, A Wrinkle In Time.
Let's take a moment and do a quick excercise. This is a photo that I took some time ago. When I saw it again it triggered an idea for a story.
On the off chance there are readers out there perusing this Blog, let's give them something to enjoy.
Here is the challenge. I'd like you to write a tiny story about this picture. Any genre, no profanity, nothing sexually explicit. The catch is you only have 300 words. No more!
“Blank – just like my life. Well, maybe not so much. Not as pure – my life is. Too much garbage, too many mistakes. This snow with its absence of muddy tracks, people hurling themselves haphazardly through a life never truly settled into as my own. No slide marks in the perfect snow as I allow others to drag me through my own life as I refused to or was not allowed to make decisions on my own or for myself."
Just snow, as pure and clean as I wished I could be. Snow, burying the mistakes underneath its perfect white façade, what lies beneath will arise as evidence in the spring.”
"Spring, that’s when it all breaks loose for me. But, how would I tell him?"
Ooh, am gonna have to think about this and try when I'm not at work... I'm wretched at shorts so this is no doubt a good exercise for me to try... Dagnabbit...
Wish I had the time to really think about this and give it a try. I like what TL Thomas wrote at the end of her comment. That would be a great opening for a story. Sure intrigued me.
When light flakes turned into a blinding storm, Roger led me off the ski path, saying we’d get down faster by cutting through the trees.
He was gone now. I was alone, lying in the snow. As soon as he was out of sight, I packed ice over the gaping hole in my stomach to stop the blood.
How naïve I’d been to believe Roger when he said we had time for one more trip down. Now, I was slowly bleeding out and freezing to death while Roger was most likely sitting by the fire, drinking his favorite wine, watching his gloves burn – the ones he’d worn when he shot me. I wished I had a glass now. So many times I’d turned it down, worried it would send my blood sugar skyrocketing.
He’d get away with it. No one would notice his blood when there was so much of mine. After he’d shot me, he’d smiled. When he leaned over to kiss my lips, I scratched his face. He’d used a tree limb to break my leg then scraped my fingernails to make sure he got any traces of DNA. But he hadn’t noticed his own blood, dripped on my forearm.
And no one else would either. I eased my hand into my pocket and pulled out the blood sugar meter. His blood was starting to congeal, so I pushed the stick into the tiny pool and let it soak in. Then I emptied the chapstick and driver’s license out of the zip bag and put the stick in. Clutching the sealed evidence in my palm, I stared up at the trees and sky.
So beautiful. So peaceful. I could feel the quiet settling over me, seeping into my bones, my core.
I swear, I did NOT read Helen's before composing this! That was great, Helen! Anyway, here ya go, here's mine.
John lay shivering in the snow, his mangled and bloody foot frozen. It had been three days now, with no food. A solo hunting trip gone bad. Trespassing has its dangers, this property owner sets bear traps. One errant step, one hideous snapping sound, one mighty surge of horrific pain, and suddenly … life is short.
He would not be found, he knew that. No phone, no one knew where he had gone off to. He would die here, amidst all this beauty. Dazzling waves of billions of snowflakes descended their way to the cold soft blankets, joining the lazy drifting banks of frozen water - creating crepuscule flickers of playful light dances to accompany and fascinate his last day, his last few moments on this planet.
It is worth it, he thought. Worth all the pain, all the frustration, all the futility. Just to behold this spectacle, this grand tribute to my God and It’s magnificent creation. I just wish, I wonder … why have I never noticed the splendor to this degree before? Why, when healthy, active and busy, with all my life ahead of me and the world at my command, why was there never beauty to behold such as this?
A sharp stab of pain and a spit up of blood spelled the time is near. Still he focused on the beauty. And he heard a voice, “Because you never really looked. It’s all right. Come on home. I have much, much more to show you.”
June had hesitated as she got off the ski lift, so much so that the chair had almost hit her in the back of the head. One minute she was upright, the next she was eating snow with a large weight on top of her. When she took her face out of the powder she was staring into the deepest greenest eyes she'd ever seen. "You okay?" rumbled from the depths of his broad chest. "More than okay," she answered. cmr
White! Nothing but white as far as she could see. A blank slate. Had she journeyed far enough through time?
That question was answered in a heartbeat. Sensing the blinding light before she saw it, a cold sickness nearly squeezed the breath out of her. He had found her, but how? She’d tried so hard to cover her tracks.
A brief glance over her right shoulder affirmed it. Just as her blazing entrance through the portal had created a blinding snowstorm, so did his. But, even so, his red-hot pupils pierced the blizzard curtain.
Run! She silently screamed. But where? He’d have no trouble following her tracks. She threw up a hand to shield her eyes from the blinding snow and spotted a thick pine grove in the distance. Her only cover for miles. She ran, even though the monster’s huge gait would catch her in a matter of moments...when he spotted her. Still, she ran, the pain in her chest growing with each step.
Ducking under a large branch, she dropped to the frozen earth and nestled under a low-hanging fir, careful not to disturb the branches. She listened. No sound of plodding, angry footsteps. Even more amazing, there was no sign of hers! The smooth, white blanket had remained undisturbed.
SNOW? How long have I been sleeping? And where have I been sleeping, not to mention …with whom?
I’m afraid if I roll out from under his arm, he’ll awaken. And that would not be good. That I do know.
Last I remember Bob and I were having a heated debate when he stopped walking, gathered up a handful of dry leaves and threw them in my face. I took out after him but I was no match for his long stride.
Then…then…I fell. That’s right. I fell off a ledge, but not too far because I landed…and hit my…Yes, my head. I can feel the bump and it, ouch, hurts!
Oh, no…his breathing is… Good. He just snorted a little. Still asleep.
I can’t see his face. It’s really dark in here, except for the light coming through that small opening. Snow…
I suppose if I ever want to see green trees again…
There. I scooted my foot. Now my hip. My other foot. Rolling on my right shoulder. Whoa! Must have injured it as well. Slink out, gurl, so that his arm doesn’t just flop.
Oh, my God. I did it!
Wonder how much trouble it was dragging me in here because this opening is hardly big enough for me to squeeze through.
Oh, thank you, God, I’m out! I’m out!
Wonder which way, other than up, to the lodge?
“Sue! Where are you, Sue?”
“Oh, Tom! Tom! I’m down here! Down here, Tom!!”
Oops, best not to yell. Don’t need him waking cranky…not now.
This is so weird, but I almost wish I’d given him a little goodbye kiss.
But, then, he might have given me a for REAL bear hug.
Not the cloudless night, or a moon like chipped ice wedging the horizon, but the vacuous stare in her pale blue eyes filled Dick Watson with despair.
Ten inches of snow formed a wall around her maltreated corpse. Gusting wind, heralding an approaching storm, dusted her bluish flesh like confectioners' sugar.
Watson squatted to examine the bruises on her slender neck and prominent collarbones, then stood, lifted his hat, and scrubbed his hands through his thinning brown hair.
There was something so brutal about how her remains were disposed as to make him question his decision to join law enforcement in the small upstate farming community forgotten by outsiders.
He had spied a distinct and recently formed footpath through the knee-high snow that was now filling with wind-drifted flakes.
Maybe I'm too damn curious like they say, he thought and turned from the young woman, let the wind claw his back.
The woman had reminded him of his nieces making snow angels, which elicited a deep sense of sorrow. Watson tasted the acid of regret in the back of his mouth, and glanced quickly over his shoulder, eyes filled with a fear of recognition, then relief at the verification that she was indeed a stranger, and finally regret for his selfish response. Using his cellphone, he called in her death.
Forty minutes later, flashing blue and white strobes bounced off the haze of night as two deputies helped an assistant coroner carry her bagged body through the glaring light. Watson waited for them to finish, and then followed their truck in to town, wondering if he'd ever learn who she'd been in life, and if his could ever be the same as before he'd discovered her dumped amongst the trees and the new year's snow.
Freshly dug graves left tell-tale dirt mounds, and there was nothing he could do about that. Peter MacIntosh clapped the dirt off his hands and picked up his shovel, then followed the setting sun back home.
A black car was in the driveway. A few more steps and Pete could see the official insignia on the license plate. Tarnation! How long had they been here? Had they gotten to snooping around?
He set the shovel down underneath an overgrown pine tree and strode to the porch where two gentlemen stood shielding their faces against the sun as they watched him approach.
"Afternoon," one of them said politely.
Pete didn't waste words. "Gotta warrant?"
The two strangers looked at one another, then back at Pete, who glared back at them, his hands itching for his shotgun.
The older one answered carefully, "We didn't think we needed one. We just came to talk."
"Then leave. Now."
They complied, but the younger of the two couldn't resist a parting shot: "We'll be back tomorrow."
And so they would, but in all their weeks and months of watching him, and baiting him, they still hadn't been able to prove a thing. Of course, that meant that they would try harder. The image of the fresh graves came back. He had to admit, this had been a close call, much closer than he liked.
He slept well as he always did, but he'd had a hard time falling asleep. That was unusual. In the gray light of morning, Pete felt troubled. Was this it? The odds said it was. The odds said he'd already gotten away with far too much.
He looked out the window, and saw the snow, the lovely, deep, cleansing, erasing snow.
Peter MacIntosh grinned. Time was once again on his side.
gayle carline said, on 8/18/2008 2:03:00 PM
Here's where my head went:
Gina’s footsteps crunched against the coldness, the dry snow packing under each tread. She took a deep breath and smelled the faint pine odor of the evergreens, dampened under the blanket of white. The cold seeped in through her layers of clothing, stopping at her bones.
She reached down and grabbed a handful of snow with her driving gloves. Wincing, she held it against her cheekbone. The bruise was fresh and the flesh still swollen. She had said the wrong thing again, as usual.
Most people talked about snow as if it was an eraser, making a clean slate of everything it touched. But Gina knew the truth. Underneath the pristine white was dirt. Dirt and mulch, where dogs had peed and animals had died and nature had pulled it all down to its many layers of sleep. It was all still there, just like her bruise would still exist, no matter how much makeup she piled on.
Just like her past would still exist, no matter how high she buttoned her collars, how many hymns she sang, how many AA meetings she attended.
Roger had told her that, many times. She could change her name, run away, get clean, but he knew the real her. He’d find her and tell everyone who she was. She’d never get away from him.
Gina turned around and watched smoke curl from the tailpipe of her dark blue Honda. It had been difficult, but she managed to get two of the tires completely off the road and over the ledge. The car rocked a little in the breeze. Roger sat in the passenger seat, still asleep from the tranquilizer she’d slipped into his coffee.
Tapping another cigarette out of the pack, she waited for him to wake up.
Anonymous said, on 8/18/2008 9:27:00 PM
It's wonderful to be a child and having the day off from school because it's a "snow day." You turn on the TV as soon as you awaken waiting to hear those glorious words - No school today for the following counties - and you wait breathlessly for your school to be announced. Unlike an adult, a teacher perhaps, who hears the same pronouncement and toddles back to bed for some much needed sleep, the child will don heavy snow clothes, gloves, scarf and knitted cap and race out the front door exuberantly waiting to throw snowballs at fellow classmates or inanimate objects or making beautiful, heavenly snow angels.
How wonderful it is to be a child living in a state where winter means snow, not just cold weather but beautiful white stuff that falls lazily and steadily to the ground blanketing everyone and everything in its luxurious delicacy. If you're lucky there will be a lake nearby that has frozen , beckoning all the "wannabe" Olympic skaters to test their mettle and try not to fall, feeling absolutely delirious when a skate around the lake ends triumphantly with nary a bruise to the skin or ego.
They're childhood memories of mine when I cared only for myself and saw the winter snowfall as my big playground. As an adult I now view snow scenes with some sadness, not so much because I regret that those insoucient days are over, but because I now worry about all the little creatures and critters calling these woodlands their home, worrying that their habitat will be destroyed by our ever burgeoning human population and worrying that they won't know comfort and warmth and have full bellies.
Sometimes being an adult is not all it's cracked up to be. But I'll always have my memories.
Not too long ago, L.J. Sellers, author of THE SEX CLUB posted a Blog about Blog etiquette. She questioned whether it is appropriate to leave your name and a link to your site or Blog. Several people seemed offended by the very idea. I have seen on other groups and lists where people call it blatant self-promotion. Well, of course it is!
I would never presume to say why anyone else Blogs. That is a personal choice and no one has to answer to me. I can only tell you why I Blog.
1. Because I have things to say and I want to share my thoughts with others and find out what they think. I am curious by nature.
2. I am promoting my books and my company. No secret there. What kind of businessperson would I be if I didn't.
When people accuse me of blatant self-promotion, or accuse other authors for that matter, I just want to laugh at them. Of course we are self-promoting. We are professionals and we have a job to do. We have written books and if we do not self promote them who will know they even exist. How will you know?
There is a lot of value in self-promotion and the sooner people realize that and stop complaining about it, the better off everyone will be. An author promoting their work is no different than a car dealer promoting their vehicles.
When an author takes on the responsibility of having a book published, they also take on the task of letting readers and the public in general. There is always talk of how an author should be respectful of the readers wishes; don't put useless links on Blogs and posts and such, it is blatant self-promotion.
What about the readers respect for the author? Doesn't the author who toils and sacrifices to write a book deserve the opportunity to promote and share his talent with those he wrote it for? We write so our words can touch readers. How do they do that if they are afraid to self-promote?
We are all readers on some level, and to offer tolerance and understanding to our fellow authors is a small sacrifice. So, I ask you, if you get an announcement from your fellow author, consider the amount of time YOU have put into your last project. If you see a Blog address at the end of a post on your Blog, consider the fact that YOU want more people to read your Blog and the person leaving the address might just lead others back to you. And when you see someone on a list who is mentioning their own book, remember that if YOU mentioned your book instead of complaining about their mention, you might be able to sell another copy.
It's not about right or wrong, or good or bad, it is about giving readers the CHOICE to decide if they want to follow a link, or buy a book that is mentioned. Courtesy and tolerance. Imagine if we each used a little bit each day. The world would be a better place, and not just for blatantly self-promoting authors.
As aspiring "unknown" authors, who's going to promote you if you can't and don't do it yourself? Sheesh, I wouldn't blog, web, twitter, ping, all that networking stuff til I'm blue in the face if I weren't in the business of getting my name and products out there and stirring up business. I suppose some people blog just to spout off opinions. I do that as well, but if a blog offers value and information to the reader, I don't see the harm in letting satisfied readers that you have written books on related subjects they might very well find value it.
I'm never offended or irritated by authors who send me notices about their book (unless they go overboard). But it's good to be reminded that it's also important to follow those links, look at their site, and comment if I can. I have been trying to do more of that. But every time I take on a new avenue of networking, another avenue gets ignored. Never enough time ... Lj http://ljraves.blogspot.com
I think that in this new Information Age, people are used to getting information (including music, videos, and the written word) for free. And once you've gotten something for free, you get a little resentful at the thought of having to pay for it. It's important to remind people that artists have to eat too, and that without art the world would be a very sad place indeed. Gentle, respectful, and entertaining self-promotion can serve as one of those reminders.
I don't mind commenters who leave their URL or authors who email me about their books. I've found some great books that way. It takes a lot of time to visit blogs and leave comments. I appreciate every person who visits my blog and plenty of times I go to someone's blog and read a comment from someone I would like to follow up on, but can't find them. http://straightfromhel.blogspot.com
I'm never offended when someone leaves their link(s) on comments - I love to find new authors and see what they're writing/thinking/etc. It's all about doing it respectfully, me thinks!
The key, of course, is to always leave a little more good stuff than you get. It's not really blatant self-promotion then. It's blatant sharing. Right? The right kind of BS. ;)
Another good post, Karen... Who obviously gives way more than she gets as a way of living.
I believe you are right on target with your comments. I think it's very important that authors, writers, and publishers network more together. Then we all benefit.Thanks for interacting on my book marketing lens. And kindly consider having other authors submit free samples of their work at http://www.bookglutton.com/. Mine is called Positive Life Change Samples. Sincerely, Gary Eby, author and therapist.
I recently discovered a web site called The Quickest Blog Book Tour Guide Ever and from that I joined a really cool Yahoo group (Blog Book Tours) and they have made an huge difference in the way I Blog. Now, as I understand it (I've never researched the history of Blogs) a Blog is something of a personal journal. Okay, I get that. Journaling is very good for the creative spirit. It helps to clear the mind and get the creative juices flowing.
However, like everything else, there are, and should be, exceptions to how much personal information you put up on your Blog. After all, the entire WORLD has access to this information. Do you really want the whole world to know when you have "those kinds of" cramps? I think not. Especially if your Blog in intended for use in a professional capacity.
I have been searching for great Blogs in the publishing/writing industry. I have run across a few, certainly not bad ones. If I like a Blog I add it to my new Blog Roll. I think this is a clever way to network and cross promote. You Roll me and I'll Roll you kinda deal. (What is a Blog Roll?)
One of the Blogs I liketo read on a regular basis is A Newbie's Guide to Publishing by J.A. Konrath. Joe is a pretty out there guy and he speaks his mind no matter what. Joe also has a very powerful personality, but when he posts on his Blog, his words mean something. They offer information, usually in a very entertaining way, and they are relevant to what he is trying to accomplish. Joe offers information to writers. Period. No exclusions, there is information for every level of writer, and he doesn't candy coat. It's a great Blog.
So why is it that I keep running across Author Blogs that are filled with extremely personal info, ranging from bad days to why they are mad at their husbands? Is this relevant to what they are doing?
Okay, let's analyze. Are they personal Blogs or professional Author/Business Blogs? What is the difference?
If you have a Blog and it has your Book cover, your author/business name, and all the other things that you use to promote your books, it is a professional Blog.
If the Blog title indicates that this is a rant Blog and you are using it to speak your mind and let the world know what you think about every little thing, then consider it personal.
I strongly discourage you from combining the two. Why you ask? Simple. Personal preference. If you are Jewish and you are angry about something that the Catholic church has done to a friend and you vent your disgust of the church, you are alienating every single Catholic reader who might have read your cozy mystery that has nothing to do with religion.
If you are homophobic and you complain about gays kissing in public, you will alienate every single gay person who loves to read fantasy novels just like yours!
If you saw a mother breast feeding in the mall and this turned your stomach and you posted that on your Blog, you have just turned a away a HUGE readership of mothers who hoard romance novels just like yours because you are an insensitive dork!
Are you seeing where I am going with this? If your Blog is professional, keep it that way. Talk about why you write, how you write, what you can't write and why. Talk about the books you've read, the books you want to read. Talk about the festivals and conferences you have attended.
Talk about the authors you have met and share your positive thoughts and views on the various aspects of society that relate to your profession. I'm not telling you to be Pollyanna, but I am suggesting that you not be the type of person who no one wants to know or care about.
Readers are sensitive and they deserve to be treated with respect. Pushing your angst off onto them isn't the best way to do that.
Do you have a good Blog? Share your link with us and if I like it, I'll add it to my Blog Roll. Want a FREE Blog critique? I've got an opinion on EVERYTHING. But remember, if you ask, I'll tell you and you can't be mad at me if you don't like what I say.
Blogs started out as personal journals, and still can be, but the business world (startig with newspapers) soon jumped on the bandwagon and discovered blogs were great communication and marketing tools. Now the trend is to get a multi-page blog for your virtual presence and skip a website entirely. The tool is definitely evolving, and so is it's original purpose. All the more reason to think seriously about the practice. More about the whys and wheres later in the week at http://blogbooktours.blogspot.com
I wonder if we suffer from blog overload = ) I have enjoyed your posts every day - you have so much to say and say it so well. Cricket/Billie http://cricketshearth.blogspot.com http://printedwords.blogspot.com
LOVED this post. The comment about 'those kinds of cramps' made me laugh out loud (then I had to read it to my boyfriend).
I think there is definitely a line between interesting personal info that readers will find interesting and entertaining about authors and the darker side of TMI (too much info). I'm becoming more aware of that line now that I have an author blog...although I might have mentioned cramps a while back...
Good post. I'm right now trying to get a solid idea, a central concept, a BRAND, if you will, for my blog. It has been evolving as my career been, and your thoughts and ideas were helpful in sorting out the why and what of a blog's purpose should be.
Marvin D Wilson Blogs at: http://inspiritandtruths.blogspot.com/ Eye Twitter 2 - http://twitter.com/Paize_Fiddler
Good post. And it's good that you're thinking about who you add to your blog roll.
One of the Twitter tips that I wrote for an article on my website included being aware of what you tweet, especially if you have a "Follow Me on Twitter" widget on your website or blog. If you have a professional blog, then you don't want crazy, personal, tweets showing up on that professional blog!
I find that hard to believe. The key, I think, is to pick your topic and then put your personality spin on it. Even when I write a post that is controversial or heavy, my sense of humor tends to leak in.
Don't be afraid to let your voice and individual style shine in your Blogs, that is the part that entertains. When you have a good topic and you entertain, that is what makes you interesting.
And I know you, Mary Cunningham, you are a VERY interesting person!
LJ, your posts are a great blend! They are entertaining, they are interesting, and you pick good topics. That is important!
I think one of the mistakes Bloggers make is to try and Blog about things they know nothing about. This just makes them come across as dorky.
Blogging is like talking. Yon't want to get up in front of a group of people and talk about Rocket Science if you know nothing about it. Same thing with Blogging. Don't edge your way out onto a really thin limb that is hanging over an alligator pit.
You just never know what something is going to be like until you try it. When one of my authors (Cynthia Polansky, author of Remote Control) sent me an e-mail about a new Arts & Crafts festival, I wasn't sure. She reminded me that it is local and reasonably priced, so I said sure. So I sign up and we are good to go.
So I spent the weekend sitting in the sun selling our books. Now, I do this as the publisher. The only author I had with me was Cindy and that was just today, Saturday.
So was it worth the money we spent? Perhaps, yes I quite think so. I passed out quite a bit of my author's promo materials. I sold 50 or so books (keep in mind I was selling my author's books on their behalf). On top of selling books, I met lots of cool readers who were thrilled that we are a local publisher for them. I got to promote our next local event which will be the Annapolis First Sunday Arts Festival in downtown Annapolis, MD. Our booth sat across from a local photographer who has the most incredible pictures, and I was able to make a deal with her to use of of her photos for an upcoming book cover. To give you a hint on the upcoming release, it will be the fourth book in the Snap Malek Mystery series by Nero Wolfe Award-winning author Robert Goldsborough. I think I might like to use some of her other images for other covers. Her web site is City Shapes Photos.
Best of all, a gal came by purchased two of our mysteries, and then let me know that she handles the book club for one of our MD Barnes & Noble stores and she wants to consider the books for their book club. Woo hoo!
So all in all, is it worth it to try a first time arts & crafts festival to sell books? You bet?
Have you got any great festival stories to share? I'd love to read them!
Hi Karen, it sounds like it was a great day. I never had even thought of doing these kind of events until I joined on the bookblogtour list. I'm really going to have to reconsider some of my marketing tactics. Great inspiration.
Teagan Oliver www.TeaganOliver.com www.TeaganOliver.blogspot.com www.ParanormalMaine.blogspot.com
This event was actually three days. Thrus, Fri, and Sat. I did not do Thursday because I had no help and I can't do these alone anymore since the surgery. So I did Fri & Sat. I was there 7 am - 6:30 pm on Fri. and 8 am - 7 on Saturday.
I love these events because generally speaking we are mixed in with a bunch of crafters, so the folks that stop at our tent are readers and are excited to see books. This event was right next to the Amish Market and we had a good crowd. Not a lot of publicity, so it was drop by visitors. They are hoping to do this several times next year, so something to look forward to.
With these types of festivals, you are usually one of very few authors, so you get a better sell thru. And people who go to craft fairs are used to spending money, so it is nice.
I hope to do more of these during the holiday season, I just have to find them and get signed up!
I attended a childhood literary festival last night in Carrollton, GA, along with another local author. We were asked to participate, and there was no charge. Not a lot of books sold, but I passed out tons of info, promoted good will by donating books to the foundation, and got to listen to three hours of authentic Blue Grass music! (Found myself clogging a couple of times)
I also talked to several media specialists in the area who promised to order the books for their schools.
It was three fun-filled hours out of my weekend promoting my books. What could be better?
Hi Karen, Great going. Craft fairs especially in the fall when people are looking for Christmas gifts and Tourist mementos - Local authors signing a book - a Publisher showing up on unexpected turf - You bet! (our local cafe is like that) I'm so glad it went so well for you and those authors whose books sold. Thanks for taking us along with you! Billie/Cricket www.cricket-sawyer.com
It's all about you. That's what I said. It's time you took a good hard look inside yourself and rediscover who you are and where you are going. It sounds simple, but I promise this will be the hardest thing you do all week.
When I read LJ Sellers blog today, it kind of got me to thinking. LJ wrote about her lists and how they keep her going. I made a joke about goofing off. And immediately felt a rush of guilt. While I read a series of Blog posts, I could have been stuffing envelopes with flyers announcing new books or old books or any of our books. I should have been formatting short stories that need to be going up for sale.
I concluded that I need to get more organized. I don't really have a master life list or whatever it is called. I do have a daily task list, but some days I forget to look at it. I tend to fly by the seat of my pants.
Where do you want to be in ten years? I gave this a little thought this afternoon, but didn't come up with anything solid. I guess it's time to stop putting it off and get to work. Will destiny wait forever?
I have given myself a goal. By next Friday I am going to post a list of my short, mid, and long-term goals: one year, five years, and ten years.
Getting back to my opening line. Do you have goals? Do you know what you want to be when you grow up? Have you really given serious thought to what you need to do to reach those goals?
I am a firm believer that life is all about the journey, but it never hurts to have a map in the glove box, just in case. Don't let others take control of your life, you're important and no one can get you where you want to go better than you. All you have to do is figure out where you want to be.
Hmmm, very profetic and deep for a day that is 08/08/08. I like the last few lines of the blog where you talk about it being about the journey, but having a map in the glovebox. Very much the way I live my life. And you gave me some food for thought for my own blog. Once I'm done visiting all you wonderful people I'm going to pop over to my own blog and do some thinking about my own destiny.
Thank you for the inspiration. Teagan Oliver www.TeaganOliver.com www.TeaganOliver.blogspot.com www.paranormalmaine.blogspot.com
Karen, have enjoyed your posts this week. All have been worthy of comment. Today (drum roll please...) you get mine.
Not more than two minutes before reading your post, I saw an article on goal setting. It's called the "SMART" approach.
S=Specific (define goal in detail) M=Measurable (track your progress) A=Achievable (be able to meet the goal) R=Realistic (challenging yet can be accomplished) T=Time limited (long-term & short-term).
This may not be news to some of us, but I was glad to be reminded. Getting more info on the subject has been for some time, uh, one of my goals :>)
I keep a notepad on my desk to make lists of things to do. It's always rewarding to mark things off, even if they're tiny things. But I can't say I have a list of long-term goals.
You've given me something to think about. I think it would be a good idea to set long term goals and track my progress toward them. If I don't have a destination in mind, how will I get there? And if I do, how will I know I've arrived?
I"m a big short term goal list maker - it helps me stay focused during the day and get more accomplished both at work and home. I like the idea of a 'roadmap' for longer term goals as well.
I usually only make lists when I'm overloaded, like today. I've got to pack for a week's vacation in the mountains, run down to San Diego (2 hr drive) to write a 7-10 minute script for the 48 Hour Film Project (a contest), then come back home, hopefully before 4 a.m., finish packing and hit the road around noonish. It feels like I'm juggling chainsaws and apples, and trying to take a bite out of the right one.
But maybe my goals need to be written down as well... ;-)
Great post, Karen. It reminded me to look at my life-quest list and update my goals. And thanks for the mention. You've inspired me and succeeded quite well with our without lists. Lj
After writing non-fiction on stress, doing years of clinical work and research, I believe this issure--how we get in charge of our own lives--is the most important and the one I focus on with mysteryshrink.com.
We grow up chasing prizes, grades, and relationships to direct us, without learning to use our real powers. I like the idea of the map in the glove box, because on speaking tours I often follow a motivational speaker who leaves out that "wanting" something is not enough. Just "wanting" or being "optimistic" is not enough. It's like when I'm seeing someone in marriage counseling and he says that he really loves his wife and he's very optimistic about the future, but has no plans to change anything he's doing.
I'm working on a full website with a special section for writers, because I love writers and we work alone with plenty of real and imagined criticism.
"Which is more real? The world you can touch, or the world you are responding to?"
It's early morning, you've had those first six cups of coffee, and now it is time to write. The sun isn't even up yet, so why should you be expected to be up and creative no less? Because that is what you picked to be. Creative, I mean, not so much up.
How in the blazes are you going to get any stinking words on that page, when you can't even keep your eyes open? Well, there are a few things you might consider. We're going to take a New Age approach to getting the creative juices flowing.
Let's start with a little bit of Aromatherapy. I won't go into much detail on this because there is just so much to be said. You can check the link for yourself, but I suggest two things. First, I love the smell of cinnamon in the morning. It is crisp and yet subtle. For me, it speaks of all things exciting and exotic and this is a definite stimulant to my brain activity. The second thing I like is lemon. Lemon has an invigorating quality that refreshes and is also a great stimulant. Why do you think there are so many cleansers with lemon smell? It makes it not suck quite as much that we need to use them.
Okay, we've got the smells in place. Let's consider the sounds around us. Some people prefer the quiet when working or relaxing. I, on the other hand, need the noise to keep me grounded. Otherwise I am listening for things that aren't happening. No focus. I try to set my music to my task. If I need to write a love scene, I might listen to John Tesh or Kenny G, music with no words. If I am writing something thrilling or an action scene, I might pop in a soundtrack like The Pirates of the Caribbean. Lots of drums and crescendos. Another thing I often use is music that is in another language. Big fan of Andrea Bocelli and Enya.
Finally, there is your setting. Environment is very important to the creative process or simply to a positive state of mind. Whether you write or not, you need to be surrounded by things that make you happy and things that have positive influences on your thoughts. Art, pictures, colors that speak to you. It is impossible for me to be creative in a sterile white environment. My walls are covered with posters on inspiration and success. I have a wall of success with the awards and certificates I have won over the years. I even have a few framed reviews that were particularly good. Make your space your own. If you have to share space with someone else, find things that you can move in easily while it is your time. Fresh flowers, a special quilt or throw over the chair beside you. A few trinkets to make it your own. I feel good when I look at my fluffy Tinker Bell pen on my desk.
Nothing is too silly when it comes to putting yourself into the right frame of mind to create something. Don't be afraid to think outside the box if it will help you write better, create better, or just feel better. After all, you are the most important thing in your life and you deserve the extra little things to make what you do easier and more enjoyable.
Cinnamon! I have to try that. How about cinnamon toast with coffee?
Another reason cinnamon might work for me is that one of my favorite memories is of my dad's cinnamon toast. He'd make it as a special treat. My dad was also my writing inspiration...so there ya go!
Not sure what happened to my first comment, so here it is again.
Love the music idea for writing climax scenes. I would have never thought of it. The thing that get my juices flowing best is an e-mail from a reader saying she loved THE SEX CLUB and asking when my next novel will be out. Nothing like pressure/expectation to motivate. Lj
I tried the vanilla candles/quiet workspace/mood music route... found that I'm much more prolific if I sit in my hubby's recliner with the laptop on my lap (what else is it for?) and an old movie in the background (almost anything black and white, usually TCM).
I've already finished 1 article that way today, and will soon start another.
It occurred to me half way through TWILIGHT by Stephanie Meyers that I am kinda thankful I don't have kids. You may be wondering what my personal life has to do with one of the most popular books of the decade. It's simple. I read this book, I am an adult, and the emotional and physical aspects of this book were intense.The physical longing of the two main characters is nothing short of obsessive. Almost frightening. The level of violence was a bit disturbing as well. This book is written for older teens? Thankfully this book had no violence. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the book, but as I said, I am an adult.
Let's take it down a decade. A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS by Lemony Snickets. I voted for this one as one of the worst books ever. A children's book? The themes in this book are barely masked by the child characters. We read about substance abuse (alcohol), child abuse, neglect, incest, and slavery. Okay, maybe that one is pushing it, but the children are basically slaves to their uncle. This is a kid's book? These are the things we want to influence our children?
The last one I will bring up is ACCELERATION by Graham McNamee. This is the story of a kid who is working off some time in the lost and found of the subway. He finds a journal that turns out to be that of a serial stalker/potential serial killer. I liked this book, it was well written and kept my attention, but I question the logic in placing a kid in the role of stopping a psychotic killer. This book is very graphic and if I were a kid, I might be inclined to think I could do something like this.
Is there the slightest chance that when writers are working out the plots of their books that they are too concerned with selling books and not concerned enough about how their stories will affect young minds? Don't get lathered up, I am not placing any blame on any author…I am simply asking if there isn't some kind of a line that some authors are crossing over into gray area.
Some will argue that this is what kids want. Okay, I might buy this, but what if we are not giving them enough choices? What if we eliminated some of the sex, toned down the violence, and spent less time writing about ids doing drugs? What's the worse that could happen? We give kids stronger, more focused and versatile role models and things to occupy their time?
If the book industry offered up something that was fun, exciting, interesting, etc. and found a way to pull some of the kids away from the gaming world, got them out from in front of the TV, and reading more? Could this be a bad thing?
Our brains are computers. Garbage in, garbage out. I don't know why people can't connect the dots. Karen, I think one of the greatest gifts we can give children is extended innocence. Do adults even try to protect their children from too much inappropriate knowledge? I think some do. It's probably what fuels the home-schooling movement. But to my way of thinking, a lot more kids need a chance to stay young, and that means much greater media oversight. It's a crisis in our society.
I agree, to a certain extent. Adults (most!) are much better at separating fact from fiction. I haven't read Twilight, but it's hugely popular with teens. As is Lemony Snicket with teens and younger.
Would this be in the same category as some parents protesting to ban Harry Potter because children would be exposed to witchcraft and sorcery?
Maybe I'm missing the point, and perhaps this is exactly why kids grow up so much faster these days. I don't think it's solely because of books, though. Look around at the problems kids are facing these days. It's very different from when I grew up (the ice age)
It's one of those things you always dream of. At some point in time, everyone wants to be the star of something. I used to want to be the star of the ballet. Then I wanted to be the star of the symphony (yup, I played clarinet).
, Brenda Chapman 
What a touching post, Karen. I believe you are indeed a star.
This is very sweet, indeed...
Jeff is sure a sweetie, and you deserve that star, Karen!
Good for you, Karen. Keep up the great work, and I wish you much success with Echelon.
Bob Sanchez
http://bobsanchez1.blogspot.com
Your star reminds me of one of my favorite scenes in recent movies. It's when LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE is crying the day before her contest, asking her grandfather if she is a "loser." He explains that the only "losers" are people who are too afraid to try. You're a person not afraid to try and that helps all of us.
Thanks.
Sometimes the little things can mean a lot. Kudos to Jeff for making you feel good.
Morgan Mandel
http://morganmandel.blogspot.com
http://www.morganmandel.com
http://twitter.com/morganmandel
The nice thing is how you help everyone else shine. :>)
I knew you were a star long before I met you. I knew you were someone I wanted to know and emulate. My life is better for knowing you.
Hi Karen,
Great post! And I'll send up a general cheer from my corner for all independent publishers. What a lot of work, I can hardly imagine. But if not for folks like you, think of all the wonderful stories that would go untold...
You certain deserve that star and more!
"It may be insane to live in a dream but it's madness to live without one!"
You make dreams come true! I am forever grateful.
"Ditto" what Luisa said! I'm living my dream.
And, without a doubt, you and Jeff are indeed stars.