Wow, today was a loooooong day. After church I joined several members from my RWA chapter to prepare goodie bags and raffle baskets for our conference. You wouldn't believe how many promo items we received!
Spent 3-1/2 hours stuffing bags. Oh, my aching back.
But, I'm so excited about our conference. Our keynote speaker is New York Times Best Selling Author, Lori Foster.
Anyone in the Columbus, OH area, please come for the booksigning on Friday night (28th). It will be nice to see some familiar faces in the crowd.
Thanks for reading!
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Friday, September 21, 2007
Who Am I Contest
Have you ever tried to define who you are? It's really hard to step back and take an objective look at oneself. Well, that is if you aren't the world's biggest egomaniac. What one thing defines you? What makes you different from all others?
Frank Sinatra will always be "Old Blue Eyes"
Elvis Presley will always be "The King [of Rock and Roll]"
Lorretta Lynn will always be "The Coal Miner's Daughter"
There are tons of others I'm sure you could come up with.
So if you had to write who you are in just a few words, what would it be?
Me? I'm not sure. I've been working on this, and it's tough. Since I'm a cat lover who is caretaker for fourteen feral cats, and I love to read and write romances, I've been toying with a "purr"petual romantic.
So...who are you?
Tell me who you are and why in a comment to this blog and I'll enter you in a drawing to win a Sandalwood Home Fragrance Set.
Winner will be announced right here on October 1st!
Frank Sinatra will always be "Old Blue Eyes"
Elvis Presley will always be "The King [of Rock and Roll]"
Lorretta Lynn will always be "The Coal Miner's Daughter"
There are tons of others I'm sure you could come up with.
So if you had to write who you are in just a few words, what would it be?
Me? I'm not sure. I've been working on this, and it's tough. Since I'm a cat lover who is caretaker for fourteen feral cats, and I love to read and write romances, I've been toying with a "purr"petual romantic.
So...who are you?
Tell me who you are and why in a comment to this blog and I'll enter you in a drawing to win a Sandalwood Home Fragrance Set.
Winner will be announced right here on October 1st!
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Author Interview with Karen Anne Webb
The Blog Studio Band is playing a haunting version of the Star Wars theme as the curtains part and Carol Ann walks out. She's holding a handkerchief and wiping her eyes. The audience quiets as she loudly blows her nose. "Hey, how are you all doing? I'm having a bad morning. First, these allergies of mine have flared up and I'm feeling kind of low because I received a rejection from Steeple Hill on Josua's Hope."
The audience "oooohs" in sympathy. "Thanks. But," she throws her hands up in the air, "I'm not going to stress over it. It's just one rejection, and I'm sure I'll find the right publisher."
The audience claps. "Thank you!" Carol Ann smiles. "I have a very interesting author who will take center stage with me in just a few minutes. She's a fantasy writer, and I've had so much fun talking to her backstage and getting acquainted." Carol Ann holds up a book. Here is her book, and it sounds so intriguing."
The camera pans in.
"Please give a rousing Blog Studio welcome to my guest, author Karen Anne Webb!"
Karen comes onstage amidst audience applause and whistles. She sits in the chair opposite Carol Ann.
CAROL ANN: Karen, thank you for dropping by today. The audience is anxious to know more about THE CHALLICE OF LIFE. Tell us a little about the book, the characters, and the plotline."
KAREN: Boy, that’s a book in itself! My book is called The Chalice of Life, and it’s the first in an eight-book series entitled Adventurers of the Carotian Union. It was my attempt to write an engaging, lengthy quest fantasy. My aim was to make it distinctive in several ways. The people singled out to go on this massive quest are from a bunch of different walks of life, and I tried very hard to develop both their personal backstories and the cultural underpinnings of the worlds they come from. This meant delving deeply into the characters’ personal spirituality and into the theology and cosmology of the different cultures. I went for gender balance—half of the questing party are strong females. And I deliberately went for an upbeat tone and humor as well as (dare I say it?) pathos. You can’t avoid some darkness and conflict with fantasy or you don’t have a story, but I wanted people to get to the end of the book and feel hopeful about the future instead of suicidal! Also, I wanted to show people from all these different cultures working together to surmount their differences and achieve their common goal. It has Arthurian overtones in that the figure the quest is meant to rescue is a king-that-was-and-will-be. It’s not allegorical, but I’m hoping people may draw from it some lessons about today’s world and how we need to understand one another and cooperate. I think what I’m doing here is trying to create a new genre—Fantasy for the New Millennium.
CAROL ANN: Is this your first book? Are you working on anything new right now?
KAREN: I started writing about the Carotian Union way back in graduate school in the 80's as a result of four very vivid dreams I had about the worlds and the people who populate them. That’s my “interesting background story”—I’m not a teen like Christopher Paolini and not a mother of two on the dole like JK Rowling, I just have very vivid dreams. When I had four almost in a row about this place, I figured the Universe was trying to tell me something. So I finished the original novel and then found the characters just wouldn’t let me alone! I grabbed a minor character from the original novel and developed a bunch of time-travel oriented short stories with her, then ended those by having her recalled to the Union to be the central figure in this lengthy quest, which is the Adventurers series. They still wouldn’t leave me alone, so I was writing the sequel even as I was getting Chalice and the other novels typed, edited, and prepped for submission. I do have a true young adult fantasy series that grew out of a bunch of bedtime stories my son and I developed together when he was younger. My publisher has just asked for the next book in the Adventurers series (hooray!), so that and doing the publicity for Chalice (I publish with a small Canadian house called Dragon Moon Press, and you do a decent amount of marketing leg work with a small press) have taken precedence. But some day, I hope The Zayn Chronicles will see the light of day.
CAROL ANN: Staying positive will see you through to that goal. Tell me, what do you find is the hardest thing about being an author?
KAREN: Making a living! Seriously, when I’m not being a fantasy author, I’m a book editor for a small house and a freelance journalist, so I kind of have to hustle to generate income. On the other hand, it’s such a wonderfully flexible schedule that I’m able to stay home with my son, whom we adopted as an infant. I was our breadwinner for quite a while, but now that job has (fortunately!) shifted to my husband!
CAROL ANN: If we were to tour your house, where would we find your "office." What does it look like?
KAREN: Er– don’t want to get in trouble with the IRS here! We have one bedroom dedicated as an office (and it really looks like one, since three of us share it). We were able to jury rig a very nice room-length desk with a kitchen countertop and three kitchen cabinets from a home improvement place (plus keyboard trays). But I also have a kitchen nook with a second phone, and I do a lot of long-hand writing and hard-copy editing just sitting on my couch.
CAROL ANN: While we're talking about your house, do you collect anything?
KAREN: It’s informal, but I have an interesting collection of dance books and programs (largely ballet but a little of everything—my entree into the world of journalism was being a dance critic, which I do very, very well, since I have a strong dance background). My other big outside interest is comparative religion and mythology, and I have a big bookshelf that’s just overflowing with multiple translations of the Bible and Qur’an, texts on Native American legends and practices, theTao Te Jing, texts from the Buddhist, Hindu and Baha’i faiths and a whole bunch of stuff on mythology (you can definitely see the influence when you read the book!) I despised history in school, but when I got older, studying religious history became extremely interesting to me, probably as an outgrowth of my interest in the oneness of humanity and wanting to understand people—we have so much to learn from one another and our different cultures!
CAROL ANN: If you were speaking to the world on live television...wait, you are speaking on live television. Tell us one thing about you that isn't related to your writing.
KAREN: I believe that we must surmount our differences globally to find peaceful solutions to our problems, and I believe that a world commonwealth is not only in humanity’s best interests but is inevitable. And I feel the basis of that global commonwealth will not begin with the efforts of man but will be based on spiritual principles, or those of renewed religion (see where studying comparative religion and Arnold Toynbee got me?)
CAROL ANN: Heavy, stuff! I came on here today being a little depressed, but the audience helped me to put a smile on my face. Who is the one person you can always depend on to make you smile?
KAREN: My husband Paul, although if I got to name more I would include our dear son and our kitties (and, let’s face it, Terry Pratchett, whom I idolize).
CAROL ANN: I'm a cat person, too. What are your kitties' names?
KAREN: We have two cats called Bastet (after the Egyptian cat-headed goddess because she looks like a temple statue) and Princess (you can make the inference about her behavior). We lost one to old age this past summer—his name was Pepper, and he would have been 19 in August. I tell people I feel a little like George Bailey in the movie It’s a Wonderful Life when it comes to my kitties—he had great plans but kept getting pulled in by the daily realities. In my case, I’ve always wanted a purebred animal (Persian, Birman, Himalayan — something pretty and fluffy) but keep getting pulled in by the reality that there are so many homeless animals out there. We found Bastet and her nursing kitten in our garage, and I wasn’t about to turn out a nursing mother! And all the others (Princess is #5) have been shelter animals.
CAROL ANN: We'll have to talk about rescues back stage. I'm currently caring for fourteen outdoor cats that are considered "feral," although over the past two years some of them have tamed. I guess I'm a romantic at heart. What does the word romance mean to you?
KAREN: Hmm... Stuck between saying roses and chocolates and being realistic! I think true love (which, I guess, is or should be at the heart of romance) ends up being the result of a deep spiritual connection with another person that finally finds expression in the physical realm. But the roses and chocolates are nice—in a long-term relationship, no one should be taking anyone for granted.
**The band strikes up the Star Wars theme again.**
CAROL ANN: Oh, no! I can't believe our time is up already! **Carol Ann waves her hand at the band leader.** Stop, for just a minute. We have time for one more question. Do you believe the pen is mightier than the sword? Why?
KAREN: Absolutely! The pen is capable of spiritualizing the entire planet, of bringing hope to people and enriching their lifes with humor and visions of a better world. That’s why I’m fond of the fantasy and science fiction genres (and why I’m not fond of the darker or post-apocalptic veins of either). Where else can you let your imagination roam free and actually build the world of tomorrow? Where else can you create a vision of a world where diversity is embraced and there is social justice for everyone? All the sword (or the light saber?) can do is keep people in line for a little while!
CAROL ANN: Thank you! I've enjoyed having you as my guest today.
KAREN: Thank you for having me!
Both ladies stand and bow, then walk off stage while the band plays the Blog Studio theme song.
The camera pans in on the credits:
Author's website: www.chaliceoflife.com
Author's blog on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Chalice-Life-Karen-Anne-Webb/dp/1896944337/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/105-3438352-0433254?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1173153197&sr=8-1
Virtual Tales Editor's Page: http://www.virtualtales.com/editors.html
The audience "oooohs" in sympathy. "Thanks. But," she throws her hands up in the air, "I'm not going to stress over it. It's just one rejection, and I'm sure I'll find the right publisher."
The audience claps. "Thank you!" Carol Ann smiles. "I have a very interesting author who will take center stage with me in just a few minutes. She's a fantasy writer, and I've had so much fun talking to her backstage and getting acquainted." Carol Ann holds up a book. Here is her book, and it sounds so intriguing."
The camera pans in.
"Please give a rousing Blog Studio welcome to my guest, author Karen Anne Webb!"
Karen comes onstage amidst audience applause and whistles. She sits in the chair opposite Carol Ann.
CAROL ANN: Karen, thank you for dropping by today. The audience is anxious to know more about THE CHALLICE OF LIFE. Tell us a little about the book, the characters, and the plotline."
KAREN: Boy, that’s a book in itself! My book is called The Chalice of Life, and it’s the first in an eight-book series entitled Adventurers of the Carotian Union. It was my attempt to write an engaging, lengthy quest fantasy. My aim was to make it distinctive in several ways. The people singled out to go on this massive quest are from a bunch of different walks of life, and I tried very hard to develop both their personal backstories and the cultural underpinnings of the worlds they come from. This meant delving deeply into the characters’ personal spirituality and into the theology and cosmology of the different cultures. I went for gender balance—half of the questing party are strong females. And I deliberately went for an upbeat tone and humor as well as (dare I say it?) pathos. You can’t avoid some darkness and conflict with fantasy or you don’t have a story, but I wanted people to get to the end of the book and feel hopeful about the future instead of suicidal! Also, I wanted to show people from all these different cultures working together to surmount their differences and achieve their common goal. It has Arthurian overtones in that the figure the quest is meant to rescue is a king-that-was-and-will-be. It’s not allegorical, but I’m hoping people may draw from it some lessons about today’s world and how we need to understand one another and cooperate. I think what I’m doing here is trying to create a new genre—Fantasy for the New Millennium.
CAROL ANN: Is this your first book? Are you working on anything new right now?
KAREN: I started writing about the Carotian Union way back in graduate school in the 80's as a result of four very vivid dreams I had about the worlds and the people who populate them. That’s my “interesting background story”—I’m not a teen like Christopher Paolini and not a mother of two on the dole like JK Rowling, I just have very vivid dreams. When I had four almost in a row about this place, I figured the Universe was trying to tell me something. So I finished the original novel and then found the characters just wouldn’t let me alone! I grabbed a minor character from the original novel and developed a bunch of time-travel oriented short stories with her, then ended those by having her recalled to the Union to be the central figure in this lengthy quest, which is the Adventurers series. They still wouldn’t leave me alone, so I was writing the sequel even as I was getting Chalice and the other novels typed, edited, and prepped for submission. I do have a true young adult fantasy series that grew out of a bunch of bedtime stories my son and I developed together when he was younger. My publisher has just asked for the next book in the Adventurers series (hooray!), so that and doing the publicity for Chalice (I publish with a small Canadian house called Dragon Moon Press, and you do a decent amount of marketing leg work with a small press) have taken precedence. But some day, I hope The Zayn Chronicles will see the light of day.
CAROL ANN: Staying positive will see you through to that goal. Tell me, what do you find is the hardest thing about being an author?
KAREN: Making a living! Seriously, when I’m not being a fantasy author, I’m a book editor for a small house and a freelance journalist, so I kind of have to hustle to generate income. On the other hand, it’s such a wonderfully flexible schedule that I’m able to stay home with my son, whom we adopted as an infant. I was our breadwinner for quite a while, but now that job has (fortunately!) shifted to my husband!
CAROL ANN: If we were to tour your house, where would we find your "office." What does it look like?
KAREN: Er– don’t want to get in trouble with the IRS here! We have one bedroom dedicated as an office (and it really looks like one, since three of us share it). We were able to jury rig a very nice room-length desk with a kitchen countertop and three kitchen cabinets from a home improvement place (plus keyboard trays). But I also have a kitchen nook with a second phone, and I do a lot of long-hand writing and hard-copy editing just sitting on my couch.
CAROL ANN: While we're talking about your house, do you collect anything?
KAREN: It’s informal, but I have an interesting collection of dance books and programs (largely ballet but a little of everything—my entree into the world of journalism was being a dance critic, which I do very, very well, since I have a strong dance background). My other big outside interest is comparative religion and mythology, and I have a big bookshelf that’s just overflowing with multiple translations of the Bible and Qur’an, texts on Native American legends and practices, theTao Te Jing, texts from the Buddhist, Hindu and Baha’i faiths and a whole bunch of stuff on mythology (you can definitely see the influence when you read the book!) I despised history in school, but when I got older, studying religious history became extremely interesting to me, probably as an outgrowth of my interest in the oneness of humanity and wanting to understand people—we have so much to learn from one another and our different cultures!
CAROL ANN: If you were speaking to the world on live television...wait, you are speaking on live television. Tell us one thing about you that isn't related to your writing.
KAREN: I believe that we must surmount our differences globally to find peaceful solutions to our problems, and I believe that a world commonwealth is not only in humanity’s best interests but is inevitable. And I feel the basis of that global commonwealth will not begin with the efforts of man but will be based on spiritual principles, or those of renewed religion (see where studying comparative religion and Arnold Toynbee got me?)
CAROL ANN: Heavy, stuff! I came on here today being a little depressed, but the audience helped me to put a smile on my face. Who is the one person you can always depend on to make you smile?
KAREN: My husband Paul, although if I got to name more I would include our dear son and our kitties (and, let’s face it, Terry Pratchett, whom I idolize).
CAROL ANN: I'm a cat person, too. What are your kitties' names?
KAREN: We have two cats called Bastet (after the Egyptian cat-headed goddess because she looks like a temple statue) and Princess (you can make the inference about her behavior). We lost one to old age this past summer—his name was Pepper, and he would have been 19 in August. I tell people I feel a little like George Bailey in the movie It’s a Wonderful Life when it comes to my kitties—he had great plans but kept getting pulled in by the daily realities. In my case, I’ve always wanted a purebred animal (Persian, Birman, Himalayan — something pretty and fluffy) but keep getting pulled in by the reality that there are so many homeless animals out there. We found Bastet and her nursing kitten in our garage, and I wasn’t about to turn out a nursing mother! And all the others (Princess is #5) have been shelter animals.
CAROL ANN: We'll have to talk about rescues back stage. I'm currently caring for fourteen outdoor cats that are considered "feral," although over the past two years some of them have tamed. I guess I'm a romantic at heart. What does the word romance mean to you?
KAREN: Hmm... Stuck between saying roses and chocolates and being realistic! I think true love (which, I guess, is or should be at the heart of romance) ends up being the result of a deep spiritual connection with another person that finally finds expression in the physical realm. But the roses and chocolates are nice—in a long-term relationship, no one should be taking anyone for granted.
**The band strikes up the Star Wars theme again.**
CAROL ANN: Oh, no! I can't believe our time is up already! **Carol Ann waves her hand at the band leader.** Stop, for just a minute. We have time for one more question. Do you believe the pen is mightier than the sword? Why?
KAREN: Absolutely! The pen is capable of spiritualizing the entire planet, of bringing hope to people and enriching their lifes with humor and visions of a better world. That’s why I’m fond of the fantasy and science fiction genres (and why I’m not fond of the darker or post-apocalptic veins of either). Where else can you let your imagination roam free and actually build the world of tomorrow? Where else can you create a vision of a world where diversity is embraced and there is social justice for everyone? All the sword (or the light saber?) can do is keep people in line for a little while!
CAROL ANN: Thank you! I've enjoyed having you as my guest today.
KAREN: Thank you for having me!
Both ladies stand and bow, then walk off stage while the band plays the Blog Studio theme song.
The camera pans in on the credits:
Author's website: www.chaliceoflife.com
Author's blog on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Chalice-Life-Karen-Anne-Webb/dp/1896944337/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/105-3438352-0433254?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1173153197&sr=8-1
Virtual Tales Editor's Page: http://www.virtualtales.com/editors.html
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Wacky Wednesday
Close friends and family know I can get pretty "wacky" from time to time. All it takes is one little thing to get something really funny and far out going. For instance, at a recent family gathering, one of my daughters and I were talking about exercise and she mentioned something about a "butt-master". Um, she really meant to say "thigh master", so that got us going. I won't go into the gritty details, but it was pretty "wacky." But that's not what the title of my blog is about. People who work with me see me as a kind of reserved, classy woman. I'm fairly quiet, smile a lot, and with closer associates we find things to bond with and laught about. However, this has been a horrid week at work. What happened today?
I work for a wine distributor and I coordinate four huge holiday wine shows for our state. Last week I handed off the list of inventory to be pulled by the warehouse. It should have been completely picked by today, but the person in charge hasn't been given the help he needs. He was grumbling about having to do this before our physical inventory on Friday, and went to a director, who is totally clueless, and who shall remain annonymous, and told him he needed to cancel the orders and reissue them after inventory. This totally clueless director told him he didn't care. Argh!!! I found out when the manager who keyed the orders came to me. I immediately placed a call to the warehouse manager and left a rather heated message on voicemail. Then another Director came to me holding out his cell phone for me to hear a message from the warehouse driver manager stating they were going to cancel the holiday show orders for now. I freaked out!!! I actually said a few cuss words, mild ones, and picked up the phone and called him. To make a long story short, the director in my office kind of quietly left and the manager on the telephone apologized and said they would definitely pull all the inventory required for the shows by tomorrow afternoon.
I received a few "atta-girl" phone calls, and some surprised expressions that I was able to "rattle somebody's cage."
I'm pausing to take a deep breath now. Sometimes it pays to "stand up" to those in authority. Take it from me, the Administrative Assistant to the President of our company, that even those lower on the totem pole can make heads roll.
Thanks for stopping by!
I work for a wine distributor and I coordinate four huge holiday wine shows for our state. Last week I handed off the list of inventory to be pulled by the warehouse. It should have been completely picked by today, but the person in charge hasn't been given the help he needs. He was grumbling about having to do this before our physical inventory on Friday, and went to a director, who is totally clueless, and who shall remain annonymous, and told him he needed to cancel the orders and reissue them after inventory. This totally clueless director told him he didn't care. Argh!!! I found out when the manager who keyed the orders came to me. I immediately placed a call to the warehouse manager and left a rather heated message on voicemail. Then another Director came to me holding out his cell phone for me to hear a message from the warehouse driver manager stating they were going to cancel the holiday show orders for now. I freaked out!!! I actually said a few cuss words, mild ones, and picked up the phone and called him. To make a long story short, the director in my office kind of quietly left and the manager on the telephone apologized and said they would definitely pull all the inventory required for the shows by tomorrow afternoon.
I received a few "atta-girl" phone calls, and some surprised expressions that I was able to "rattle somebody's cage."
I'm pausing to take a deep breath now. Sometimes it pays to "stand up" to those in authority. Take it from me, the Administrative Assistant to the President of our company, that even those lower on the totem pole can make heads roll.
Thanks for stopping by!
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Flirting Pays Off
RWA ran a contest called Libraries Love Romance. I participated in an author panel and booksigining at the Muskingum Public Library in Zanesville, OH on June 30th. Their romance promotion was called "Flirting with Romance." The library entered their promotion in the contest and they are one of six finalists! Woo hoo!
All participating libraries have contributed to bringing in new romance authors.
Check it out and if you are so inclined, and if you are a member of RWA, it would be so cool if you'd vote for the Muskingum Library. After reading the entries you'll see a link to vote. It will take you to a "survey" page. The survey is only 3 questions.
Click here to read the entries
This was almost as good as seeing my name in lights. **grin**
Thanks for stopping by.
All participating libraries have contributed to bringing in new romance authors.
Check it out and if you are so inclined, and if you are a member of RWA, it would be so cool if you'd vote for the Muskingum Library. After reading the entries you'll see a link to vote. It will take you to a "survey" page. The survey is only 3 questions.
Click here to read the entries
This was almost as good as seeing my name in lights. **grin**
Thanks for stopping by.
Monday, September 17, 2007
Monday - Not a Good Day
What a bummer of a day! I can't believe I'm still smiling. Here are the events in order that they happened.
1. Couldn't sleep last night, just like Saturday night. Woke up at 2am and gave up. Sat at the computer and stared at the screen. Couldn't think of anything to write. Finally went back to bed at 3:30am. Alarm went off at 6am. Slept until 6:45am. Had to rush getting ready and to work. Clocked in 5 minutes late.
2. The office was freezing cold. Even the men were running around with heavy wool sweaters and fleece jackets. I shut myself in my office and turned on my heater to meal the icicles forming from my runny nose.
3. Since I'm on the South Beach diet, I brought a small container of tuna--one of those new no drain 2.8 oz containers. Drove to Wendy's to buy a Caesar side salad to go with it. Parked in the back of our parking lot at work because the long walk is good exercise. My purse flew open and I heard my Mary Kay compact hit the door. Looked at the floor and saw all my "stuff" that had fallen out. Leaned over to pick it up--and pressed my midsection across the top of the diet cola drink I'd purchased. Soaked the front of my top. Dried it with napkins. Sat it on the floor and picked up my stuff and stuffed it back in my purse.
4. Opened the Wendy's bag and found they had not given me a straw.
5. Opened my salad and sat it on my lap. Reached for the salad dressing. Spilled my salad across my lap and onto the console.
6. Had to walk out to the will call area toward the end of the day. No smoking building. Guy pulling product was walking around puffing on a cigarette. Since my allergies are so bad right now, smoke sticks in my nose and throat and I can't quit coughing and tasting tobacco. And I don't smoke. Those who smoke won't understand this, but those who do will get it. Coughed all the way home.
7. Opened the mail box and found my manuscript from Steeple Hill returned with a short rejection letter. It's been three weeks!! No way was that manuscript read. Even though I put "requested manuscript" on the envelope, I'm sure an associate opened the envelope and ignored that information. The pages are pristine, nothing out of place and the entire packet of information exactly as I had packaged it. Paperclip on the synopis, rubber band around the entire thing. **sigh**
8. Hubby had a piece of mail from GMAC. We paid off his truck a few weeks ago. I called and got the payoff. Made sure it was sent before the cut off date, and the check posted a couple of days earlier than the cut-off. Received the title and released paid in full loan papers. Well, today's mail was...a refund check for five cents!!! LOL!! Is that supposed to be the good news for today?
Hope I get some sleep tonight or I might have to do something drastic. Thanks for reading!
1. Couldn't sleep last night, just like Saturday night. Woke up at 2am and gave up. Sat at the computer and stared at the screen. Couldn't think of anything to write. Finally went back to bed at 3:30am. Alarm went off at 6am. Slept until 6:45am. Had to rush getting ready and to work. Clocked in 5 minutes late.
2. The office was freezing cold. Even the men were running around with heavy wool sweaters and fleece jackets. I shut myself in my office and turned on my heater to meal the icicles forming from my runny nose.
3. Since I'm on the South Beach diet, I brought a small container of tuna--one of those new no drain 2.8 oz containers. Drove to Wendy's to buy a Caesar side salad to go with it. Parked in the back of our parking lot at work because the long walk is good exercise. My purse flew open and I heard my Mary Kay compact hit the door. Looked at the floor and saw all my "stuff" that had fallen out. Leaned over to pick it up--and pressed my midsection across the top of the diet cola drink I'd purchased. Soaked the front of my top. Dried it with napkins. Sat it on the floor and picked up my stuff and stuffed it back in my purse.
4. Opened the Wendy's bag and found they had not given me a straw.
5. Opened my salad and sat it on my lap. Reached for the salad dressing. Spilled my salad across my lap and onto the console.
6. Had to walk out to the will call area toward the end of the day. No smoking building. Guy pulling product was walking around puffing on a cigarette. Since my allergies are so bad right now, smoke sticks in my nose and throat and I can't quit coughing and tasting tobacco. And I don't smoke. Those who smoke won't understand this, but those who do will get it. Coughed all the way home.
7. Opened the mail box and found my manuscript from Steeple Hill returned with a short rejection letter. It's been three weeks!! No way was that manuscript read. Even though I put "requested manuscript" on the envelope, I'm sure an associate opened the envelope and ignored that information. The pages are pristine, nothing out of place and the entire packet of information exactly as I had packaged it. Paperclip on the synopis, rubber band around the entire thing. **sigh**
8. Hubby had a piece of mail from GMAC. We paid off his truck a few weeks ago. I called and got the payoff. Made sure it was sent before the cut off date, and the check posted a couple of days earlier than the cut-off. Received the title and released paid in full loan papers. Well, today's mail was...a refund check for five cents!!! LOL!! Is that supposed to be the good news for today?
Hope I get some sleep tonight or I might have to do something drastic. Thanks for reading!
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Sunday Reflection - Things That Made Me Smile
My week in review:
* Someone's cell phone going off during Pastor Dave's sermon.
* Finding the perfect drapes for my office windows.
* My cat watching and studying the sewing machine in action.
* My 'fraidy cat sitting on the stairs and watching me vacuum instead of hiding.
* Finishing a good book by Karen Harper, INFERNO.
* Sticking to my diet.
* Exercising with Richard Simmons.
* Talking to my "adopted" daughter in NC.
* Talking to my mother.
* Getting my Mary Kay order.
* Revamping my website.
* Changing my living room.
* Reaching the 62% completion on my novel.
* The sunny but cool weekend.
* Enjoying the beauty of the trees on my way to and from work.
Hope you found lots of things to smile about, too! Thanks for stopping by!
* Someone's cell phone going off during Pastor Dave's sermon.
* Finding the perfect drapes for my office windows.
* My cat watching and studying the sewing machine in action.
* My 'fraidy cat sitting on the stairs and watching me vacuum instead of hiding.
* Finishing a good book by Karen Harper, INFERNO.
* Sticking to my diet.
* Exercising with Richard Simmons.
* Talking to my "adopted" daughter in NC.
* Talking to my mother.
* Getting my Mary Kay order.
* Revamping my website.
* Changing my living room.
* Reaching the 62% completion on my novel.
* The sunny but cool weekend.
* Enjoying the beauty of the trees on my way to and from work.
Hope you found lots of things to smile about, too! Thanks for stopping by!
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Changes Coming...
This past year, I signed up authors to interview on my blog and in two weeks, I will conclude my last Blog Studio interview. This has been a hard decision, because they are such fun, but I have to be realistic. I have writing goals to accomplish, and these interviews take hours of my time. I want to thank all the wonderful authors I've had the pleasure of interviewing.
Beginning October 1, my blog will be centering around other things. The tentative schedule is:
Sunday: Reflections
Monday: Something to Smile About
Tuesday: Something to Gripe About
Wednesday: Wishing on a Star
Thursday: Real Characters
Friday: Bookshelf
Saturday: Accomplishments
I'm excited about this new venture. Oh, I'm also posting a newsletter each month on my website. The first one will be up on October 1. Just click on the "news" button to view it.
On the homefront, I purchased a new Dyson vacuum cleaner. I've used it for two weeks now and I love it! Unbelievable how much dust and hair accumulate on the floors over the week. Yeah, I'm a Saturday morning cleaner. I keep things picked up, but my heavy cleaning day is Saturday. And then I do my grocery shopping...whoops, guess I'd better grab my list and run. It's getting late.
Thanks for stopping by!
Beginning October 1, my blog will be centering around other things. The tentative schedule is:
Sunday: Reflections
Monday: Something to Smile About
Tuesday: Something to Gripe About
Wednesday: Wishing on a Star
Thursday: Real Characters
Friday: Bookshelf
Saturday: Accomplishments
I'm excited about this new venture. Oh, I'm also posting a newsletter each month on my website. The first one will be up on October 1. Just click on the "news" button to view it.
On the homefront, I purchased a new Dyson vacuum cleaner. I've used it for two weeks now and I love it! Unbelievable how much dust and hair accumulate on the floors over the week. Yeah, I'm a Saturday morning cleaner. I keep things picked up, but my heavy cleaning day is Saturday. And then I do my grocery shopping...whoops, guess I'd better grab my list and run. It's getting late.
Thanks for stopping by!
Friday, September 14, 2007
Remodeling - Take a Tour
I spent the last few days remodeling my website.
I am a big fan of Moon and Back Graphics and I purchased a webset from the company for my new look. The cabin reminded me of the cabins in my two novels set in The Great Smoky Mountains.
This blog has been remodeled to reflect the new colors of my website.
I'd love to have some comments on the new design. If you have a chance please stop by and check it out. Leave me a comment on my blog or in my guestbook on my site if you have time.
I am a big fan of Moon and Back Graphics and I purchased a webset from the company for my new look. The cabin reminded me of the cabins in my two novels set in The Great Smoky Mountains.
This blog has been remodeled to reflect the new colors of my website.
I'd love to have some comments on the new design. If you have a chance please stop by and check it out. Leave me a comment on my blog or in my guestbook on my site if you have time.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Author Interview with Saralee Etter
The camera pans the beautiful Ohio morning where the sun is shining, but the air is cool, a foretelling or the coming autumn. As the camera pans closer, a figure in red is seen hustling into the studio. She waves at the cameraman, smiles, and...walks onstage.
"Good morning, Blog Studio audience!"
The band plays a short intro, the crowd applauds, and Carol Ann smiles and takes a seat on the set.
"It was so beautiful today, that I just had to walk here. I haven't had a chance yet to say hello backstage to my very special guest for today. Saralee Etter is also a resident of Ohio, in a small town outside Columbus. She's going to be telling us about her very first release, A LIMITED ENGAGEMENT. Saralee has been making news here in Ohio with her radio and newspaper interviews. So, I'm delighted to be the very first to interview her on national television."
Carol Ann picks up a book and shows it to the audience. "This is Saralee's book. It is a perfectly delightful romance...but I'll let her tell you all about it."
Camera pans in on the book.
"Ladies and gentlemen, please put your hands together for a fantastic author, my friend, Saralee Etter!"
Audience gives a standing ovation as Saralee walks onstage.
CAROL ANN: Saralee, welcome to the Blog Studio. I'm so thrilled that you finally made it to our show.
SARALEE: Thank you, Carol Ann. I'm just as thrilled to be here.
CAROL ANN: I've been teasing the audience about your novel. I think they've been in suspense long enough. Won't you please share what this wonderful story is about?
SARALEE: I'm happy to. My book, A LIMITED ENGAGEMENT, is the story of a young actress named Miranda Luce, and the dashing nobleman, Lord Justin Devereux, who hires her to play the role of his fiancée at a family dinner party. She needs the money she will earn to free her brother-in-law, the theater manager, from debtors prison; He needs to convince his family that he’s willing to settle down, so they will let him have his inheritance. When they fall in love, it’s just the first tangle in the web they are weaving—they are just no good at deceiving!
Theater is one of my favorite things. I’ve acted in a lot of high school plays and community theater and those memories hold a special place in my heart. Recently, I became fascinated by Georgian and Regency theater—and it was a treat to learn all about the lives of famous performers of the day.
I’m also a big fan of Georgette Heyer’s novels—she invented the Regency romance as we know it, and I love to re-read her stories. They’re so lively and charming, so full of love and laughter! So of course I wanted to write a novel that would take me back to that world and give me that same feeling of delight.
When Cerridwen Press announced that they were launching a revival of the traditional Regency romance with their Cotillion line, I was thrilled. And the Cotillions are a wonderful bunch of stories.
As an extra treat for people who love the Regency period and stories set during that time, I’m currently running a contest through Author Island. Anyone who is interested in entering a drawing for a DVD of the 2005 movie “Pride and Prejudice” plus some popcorn and other munchies can do so by reading an excerpt of my book and answering the secret question. Just visit Author Island , or my website, to find out how.
CAROL ANN: Great. My audience loves contests. **Audience applauds loudly** Saralee, can you share a bit about your radio and newspaper interviews?
SARALEE: One of the nice things about interviews is that local media people are all such fun to talk to. I think you really have to be a “people person” to do this type of reporting, because you’re really approaching it as one neighbor to another.
And I’ve done both types of interviews. The Pataskala Post reporter chatted with me over the phone, the reporter from ThisWeek in Licking County and I met for lunch, and the reporter for The Pataskala Standard came over to the house.
My radio interview was done at the station, too—it was fun being in a real recording studio and watching how it’s all done. The interviewer was great, and really made me feel comfortable. I almost forgot that there were a lot more people listening in to our conversation.
CAROL ANN: How great! Kind of hard to do that here in the television studio though. **Audience laughs** When you did the interviews were you nervous?
SARALEE: Well, the radio interview was the most unusual experience to me. Even though the host was really nice, I was still out of my element, so to speak. One of the things I like about writing is that I get to re-write! I have time to think about what I’m saying, and maybe tweak it a little here and there. Words come out a lot smoother when I’m writing than when I’m speaking—guess I’m not really a glib talker.
I know I stumbled a bit, but I didn’t say anything I wanted to take back. I didn’t feel too stressed either, but afterwards all I could think about was how much I craved a doughnut!
I found out later that after you have an adrenaline rush, your sugar can get really depleted, so maybe that’s what happened to me.
CAROL ANN: Are you nervous now?
SARALEE: Who, me? **Saralee's voice rises to high pitch and breaks. Audience laughs**
CAROL ANN: I know you're kidding, of course. So, tell me what you're currently working on.
SARALEE: Well, I’ve got a couple of projects in the works. One is a Georgian romance in which a theater manager and actress join forces to unmask a spy who has infiltrated their theater troupe in order to assassinate King George II, and the other is a Victorian murder mystery.
CAROL ANN: How cool! I love the fact that you can depict history so vividly. It takes a special talent to do that without losing the essence of romance, but you pull it off.
SARALEE: Thank you.
CAROL ANN: Speaking of romance. What does the romance mean to you?
SARALEE: I like the old definition of a romance novel—it was an adventure, full of heroism and excitement and the thrill of finding true love. The stories I love to read are the bigger-than-life tales that show people at their best, facing overwhelming odds and meeting the challenge with determination and cleverness, and triumphing in the end.
CAROL ANN: What do you find is the hardest part of being a published author?
SARALEE: Finding time to write! I know it’s a matter of balancing all of the claims on our time, but sometimes that can be challenging.
CAROL ANN: Amen to that! Now, you didn't think I'd let you off without asking you at least one offbeat question, did you?
SARALEE: **laughs** One can only hope.
CAROL ANN: Sorry! Here's the question. If you inherited an uninhabited island in the South Seas, what would you do with it?
SARALEE: Swap it for a spacious vacation home on the shores of Lake Michigan, or on a lake in the Adirondacks, where I could write in a room that looks out over the water. Well, I wouldn’t say “no” to a lovely place in England or France!
But I’m not a tropical-weather girl—I lived in Florida too long. Give me seasons, and give me rolling, tree-covered hills and tranquil little lakes. To me the finest season is fall, with the richness of the harvest, the crunchy leaves and crisp air.
CAROL ANN: You did so well with that one, that I have another one for you. Let's pretend this is a serious program and you are the only celebrity present. You have to make a speech about yourself, not your writing. Go!
SARALEE: “Pay no attention to that woman behind the curtain!” No, just kidding.
I’d want to share with everyone the most important lesson I’ve learned—that the most important thing in life is to figure out what makes you happy, and do that.
Don’t waste time doing something you don’t like just because it’s a sensible career move, make sure you’re doing what makes you feel good. For so many years I didn’t know what made me happy, and I assumed that I couldn’t have what I really wanted because it wasn’t practical. The lesson I’ve learned is, “do what you love, and the success and stability you want will follow.”
CAROL ANN: You're a natural! **audience applauds** Now to get down and personal. Do you have any collections?
SARALEE: The one thing that I’ve always collected is—books! When I find an author I like, I buy all their books and keep them. I’ve got every book that Georgette Heyer ever wrote, except one. It was one of her earliest books, called “The Great Roxhythe.” It’s out of my price range right now.
I also have most of Charlotte MacLeod’s books, and all of Elizabeth Peters, Barbara Hambly, Robin Paige, Jayne Ann Krentz (in all her incarnations), Ellis Peters, Barry Hughart, Esther Friesner, Joan Hess, as well as lots of humor by S. J. Perelman, and C. S. Lewis’ novels as well as his Christian philosophy. I fall in love with new writers all the time, too.
I collect other things, too. For a while I collected fans—the ladies’ accessories—and the ones I have are mostly paper mounted on wood sticks, but some are made of celluloid, carved wood, or fabric.
Currently, I’m collecting Fenton Silvercrest—it’s a type of milk glass that has a wide ruffle all around, and the ruffle is edged with clear glass (which looks silver in comparison to the rest of the piece). I’ve got vases and candy-dishes and cake-stands. I’m fascinated by glass.
CAROL ANN: Oh, the fan collection sounds really cool. I adore those old fashioned fans. A friend made me some fans for my wall using the leftover wallpaper from my family room. I love them. I have a few glass pieces, but they are locked in my curio cabinet because I have three very curious and rambunctious cats. They are more destructive than a houseful of toddlers. **the band plays a quick scale" Oh, no! Not the dreaded "we're out of time" tune! Saralee, it's been such fun having you here today. Once again, I thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule. We've got time for one last question...the one I ask all my guests. Do you believe the pen is mightier than the sword?
SARALEE: The pen is mightier, because with words you can change a person’s mind. Then they will act willingly to support their new beliefs, rather than having to be forced by the sword to act against their will.
It’s like the parable of the wind and the sun. You remember that? The wind and the sun make a bet to see who can remove the heavy overcoat from this man who’s walking along.
The wind blows wildly, tearing at the man’s coat and trying to rip it right off him. But the man just hangs on tight, wrapping his coat around himself for warmth and safety.
Then it’s the sun’s turn. The sun comes out and shines on the man. That’s all. Soon, the man takes off his coat of his own accord, because he feels warm and safe.
CAROL ANN: Beautifully, said. Audience, what do you think?
**The audience stands and applauds, the band strikes up a lively tune, and Saralee and Carol Ann exit the stage**
"Good morning, Blog Studio audience!"
The band plays a short intro, the crowd applauds, and Carol Ann smiles and takes a seat on the set.
"It was so beautiful today, that I just had to walk here. I haven't had a chance yet to say hello backstage to my very special guest for today. Saralee Etter is also a resident of Ohio, in a small town outside Columbus. She's going to be telling us about her very first release, A LIMITED ENGAGEMENT. Saralee has been making news here in Ohio with her radio and newspaper interviews. So, I'm delighted to be the very first to interview her on national television."
Carol Ann picks up a book and shows it to the audience. "This is Saralee's book. It is a perfectly delightful romance...but I'll let her tell you all about it."
Camera pans in on the book.
"Ladies and gentlemen, please put your hands together for a fantastic author, my friend, Saralee Etter!"
Audience gives a standing ovation as Saralee walks onstage.
CAROL ANN: Saralee, welcome to the Blog Studio. I'm so thrilled that you finally made it to our show.
SARALEE: Thank you, Carol Ann. I'm just as thrilled to be here.
CAROL ANN: I've been teasing the audience about your novel. I think they've been in suspense long enough. Won't you please share what this wonderful story is about?
SARALEE: I'm happy to. My book, A LIMITED ENGAGEMENT, is the story of a young actress named Miranda Luce, and the dashing nobleman, Lord Justin Devereux, who hires her to play the role of his fiancée at a family dinner party. She needs the money she will earn to free her brother-in-law, the theater manager, from debtors prison; He needs to convince his family that he’s willing to settle down, so they will let him have his inheritance. When they fall in love, it’s just the first tangle in the web they are weaving—they are just no good at deceiving!
Theater is one of my favorite things. I’ve acted in a lot of high school plays and community theater and those memories hold a special place in my heart. Recently, I became fascinated by Georgian and Regency theater—and it was a treat to learn all about the lives of famous performers of the day.
I’m also a big fan of Georgette Heyer’s novels—she invented the Regency romance as we know it, and I love to re-read her stories. They’re so lively and charming, so full of love and laughter! So of course I wanted to write a novel that would take me back to that world and give me that same feeling of delight.
When Cerridwen Press announced that they were launching a revival of the traditional Regency romance with their Cotillion line, I was thrilled. And the Cotillions are a wonderful bunch of stories.
As an extra treat for people who love the Regency period and stories set during that time, I’m currently running a contest through Author Island. Anyone who is interested in entering a drawing for a DVD of the 2005 movie “Pride and Prejudice” plus some popcorn and other munchies can do so by reading an excerpt of my book and answering the secret question. Just visit Author Island , or my website, to find out how.
CAROL ANN: Great. My audience loves contests. **Audience applauds loudly** Saralee, can you share a bit about your radio and newspaper interviews?
SARALEE: One of the nice things about interviews is that local media people are all such fun to talk to. I think you really have to be a “people person” to do this type of reporting, because you’re really approaching it as one neighbor to another.
And I’ve done both types of interviews. The Pataskala Post reporter chatted with me over the phone, the reporter from ThisWeek in Licking County and I met for lunch, and the reporter for The Pataskala Standard came over to the house.
My radio interview was done at the station, too—it was fun being in a real recording studio and watching how it’s all done. The interviewer was great, and really made me feel comfortable. I almost forgot that there were a lot more people listening in to our conversation.
CAROL ANN: How great! Kind of hard to do that here in the television studio though. **Audience laughs** When you did the interviews were you nervous?
SARALEE: Well, the radio interview was the most unusual experience to me. Even though the host was really nice, I was still out of my element, so to speak. One of the things I like about writing is that I get to re-write! I have time to think about what I’m saying, and maybe tweak it a little here and there. Words come out a lot smoother when I’m writing than when I’m speaking—guess I’m not really a glib talker.
I know I stumbled a bit, but I didn’t say anything I wanted to take back. I didn’t feel too stressed either, but afterwards all I could think about was how much I craved a doughnut!
I found out later that after you have an adrenaline rush, your sugar can get really depleted, so maybe that’s what happened to me.
CAROL ANN: Are you nervous now?
SARALEE: Who, me? **Saralee's voice rises to high pitch and breaks. Audience laughs**
CAROL ANN: I know you're kidding, of course. So, tell me what you're currently working on.
SARALEE: Well, I’ve got a couple of projects in the works. One is a Georgian romance in which a theater manager and actress join forces to unmask a spy who has infiltrated their theater troupe in order to assassinate King George II, and the other is a Victorian murder mystery.
CAROL ANN: How cool! I love the fact that you can depict history so vividly. It takes a special talent to do that without losing the essence of romance, but you pull it off.
SARALEE: Thank you.
CAROL ANN: Speaking of romance. What does the romance mean to you?
SARALEE: I like the old definition of a romance novel—it was an adventure, full of heroism and excitement and the thrill of finding true love. The stories I love to read are the bigger-than-life tales that show people at their best, facing overwhelming odds and meeting the challenge with determination and cleverness, and triumphing in the end.
CAROL ANN: What do you find is the hardest part of being a published author?
SARALEE: Finding time to write! I know it’s a matter of balancing all of the claims on our time, but sometimes that can be challenging.
CAROL ANN: Amen to that! Now, you didn't think I'd let you off without asking you at least one offbeat question, did you?
SARALEE: **laughs** One can only hope.
CAROL ANN: Sorry! Here's the question. If you inherited an uninhabited island in the South Seas, what would you do with it?
SARALEE: Swap it for a spacious vacation home on the shores of Lake Michigan, or on a lake in the Adirondacks, where I could write in a room that looks out over the water. Well, I wouldn’t say “no” to a lovely place in England or France!
But I’m not a tropical-weather girl—I lived in Florida too long. Give me seasons, and give me rolling, tree-covered hills and tranquil little lakes. To me the finest season is fall, with the richness of the harvest, the crunchy leaves and crisp air.
CAROL ANN: You did so well with that one, that I have another one for you. Let's pretend this is a serious program and you are the only celebrity present. You have to make a speech about yourself, not your writing. Go!
SARALEE: “Pay no attention to that woman behind the curtain!” No, just kidding.
I’d want to share with everyone the most important lesson I’ve learned—that the most important thing in life is to figure out what makes you happy, and do that.
Don’t waste time doing something you don’t like just because it’s a sensible career move, make sure you’re doing what makes you feel good. For so many years I didn’t know what made me happy, and I assumed that I couldn’t have what I really wanted because it wasn’t practical. The lesson I’ve learned is, “do what you love, and the success and stability you want will follow.”
CAROL ANN: You're a natural! **audience applauds** Now to get down and personal. Do you have any collections?
SARALEE: The one thing that I’ve always collected is—books! When I find an author I like, I buy all their books and keep them. I’ve got every book that Georgette Heyer ever wrote, except one. It was one of her earliest books, called “The Great Roxhythe.” It’s out of my price range right now.
I also have most of Charlotte MacLeod’s books, and all of Elizabeth Peters, Barbara Hambly, Robin Paige, Jayne Ann Krentz (in all her incarnations), Ellis Peters, Barry Hughart, Esther Friesner, Joan Hess, as well as lots of humor by S. J. Perelman, and C. S. Lewis’ novels as well as his Christian philosophy. I fall in love with new writers all the time, too.
I collect other things, too. For a while I collected fans—the ladies’ accessories—and the ones I have are mostly paper mounted on wood sticks, but some are made of celluloid, carved wood, or fabric.
Currently, I’m collecting Fenton Silvercrest—it’s a type of milk glass that has a wide ruffle all around, and the ruffle is edged with clear glass (which looks silver in comparison to the rest of the piece). I’ve got vases and candy-dishes and cake-stands. I’m fascinated by glass.
CAROL ANN: Oh, the fan collection sounds really cool. I adore those old fashioned fans. A friend made me some fans for my wall using the leftover wallpaper from my family room. I love them. I have a few glass pieces, but they are locked in my curio cabinet because I have three very curious and rambunctious cats. They are more destructive than a houseful of toddlers. **the band plays a quick scale" Oh, no! Not the dreaded "we're out of time" tune! Saralee, it's been such fun having you here today. Once again, I thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule. We've got time for one last question...the one I ask all my guests. Do you believe the pen is mightier than the sword?
SARALEE: The pen is mightier, because with words you can change a person’s mind. Then they will act willingly to support their new beliefs, rather than having to be forced by the sword to act against their will.
It’s like the parable of the wind and the sun. You remember that? The wind and the sun make a bet to see who can remove the heavy overcoat from this man who’s walking along.
The wind blows wildly, tearing at the man’s coat and trying to rip it right off him. But the man just hangs on tight, wrapping his coat around himself for warmth and safety.
Then it’s the sun’s turn. The sun comes out and shines on the man. That’s all. Soon, the man takes off his coat of his own accord, because he feels warm and safe.
CAROL ANN: Beautifully, said. Audience, what do you think?
**The audience stands and applauds, the band strikes up a lively tune, and Saralee and Carol Ann exit the stage**
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Reflections - 2007 Goals
It's time for a check against what I planned to do and how I'm faring. Not a pretty picture, but there is hope.
Goal 1: Write/finish 2 full length manuscripts
I have completed one and submitted it to Steeple Hill. The second is a little over half finished. Still on track.
Goal 2: Write 4 short stories.
Zilch so far. Maybe I'll have time to squeeze them in after finishing my current full.
Goal 3: Read the entire Bible.
On track with this one.
Goal 4: Exercise and get healthy.
Nada. I've started exercising and quit. I did manage to give up my sweet tooth, so that's a major accomplishment. But now I must get down to focusing internally on my body. I hereby make a pledge, in front of the entire cyber-world, that I will follow a regular exercise regime. And beginning today, I will go on the South Beach Diet and stick to it.
How about you? Have you done a check-up on your yearly goals lately?
Tune in tomorrow for another "live" Blog Studio interview with author, Saralee Etter.
Goal 1: Write/finish 2 full length manuscripts
I have completed one and submitted it to Steeple Hill. The second is a little over half finished. Still on track.
Goal 2: Write 4 short stories.
Zilch so far. Maybe I'll have time to squeeze them in after finishing my current full.
Goal 3: Read the entire Bible.
On track with this one.
Goal 4: Exercise and get healthy.
Nada. I've started exercising and quit. I did manage to give up my sweet tooth, so that's a major accomplishment. But now I must get down to focusing internally on my body. I hereby make a pledge, in front of the entire cyber-world, that I will follow a regular exercise regime. And beginning today, I will go on the South Beach Diet and stick to it.
How about you? Have you done a check-up on your yearly goals lately?
Tune in tomorrow for another "live" Blog Studio interview with author, Saralee Etter.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Author Interview with Lauren Delaney
The crowd is getting wound up with the lively music anticipating another author interview. Clapping to the beat, they animatedly talk to their neighbors. Everyone is smiling or laughing. The music fades. The crowd quiets. The curtains part and Carol Ann runs center stage. The audience goes wild!
"Thank you! I know you are excited to learn who our guest author is for today. What a surprise that we will have not just one, but two interviews this week!"
Crowd hoots and claps. They sure do love books!
"Without making you wait, let me introduce a very dear friend and a wonderful author, who has traveled all the way from Kingston, Ontario, fantasy romance author Lauren Delaney!"
Crowd gives a standing ovation as Lauren walks onstage with a big smile, her long dark hair shining in the spotlights. She bows and takes a seat across from Carol Ann.
CAROL ANN: Lauren, thank you so much for coming into the Blog Studio today. I've been so looking forward to interviewing you. I'm glad we could finally get together.
LAUREN: Thank you for having me.
CAROL ANN: I have your book here. I love the cover.
Camera pans to the book Carol Ann is holding.
CAROL ANN: Tell me about Dark Encounters.
LAUREN: Dark Encounter, available as part of the Black Rose line at The Wild Rose Press, is about a chance meeting one night at a company sponsored fund raising gala – that goes both wrong, and in the end, very right - for two people, Criss and Rafe.
Rafe has admired Criss from afar but he has a terrible secret and has given up hope of finding a woman who could love him as he is. He is the victim of a long ago curse that changed him into a black panther shape shifter. The night of the gala is filled with surprises and it’s Criss’s courage and recognition of the good within Rafe that ultimately brings them together.
The story of Chris and Rafe is about two people who are destined to meet, though neither of them realizes it until it happens. It’s about being willing to take a chance on love and the acceptance of each other's flaws and secrets – all of the things that make a relationship real.
CAROL ANN: Sounds really intriguing. I assume the Black Rose Line is for paranormal romances at The Wild Rose Press, your publisher's website?
LAUREN: Yes, that's correct.
CAROL ANN: Being a romance writer, what does the word "romance" mean to you personally?
LAUREN: I think romance means that, despite place and circumstance, there is truth in the knowledge that love changes everything.
CAROL ANN: Spoken like a true romantic! **both laugh** Lauren, what are you working on now?
LAUREN: I have several new works in progress – two of which are almost complete – and of course, I think that Criss and Rafe’s story isn’t over yet. At least, that’s what they keep telling me. **Lauren grins**
CAROL ANN: People are always asking me a question that I now ask you. Where do you get your ideas and what process do you go through to turn that idea into a story?
LAUREN: I have lots of ideas and have to make sure that I capture them – at least in a rough outline – so that I can flesh them out later. I am by nature a ‘pantser’ in my writing, but have been working hard to discipline myself so that I work through at least a rough outline/synopsis at the beginning of the process.
Creating a rough story outline/synopsis has proven helpful in many ways, but especially when one gets temporarily waylaid from writing, by Real Life. That’s when the outline allows you to more quickly find a jumping off point from which to get back into the story.
CAROL ANN: Ah, the real life dilemma. It's so true that when you get your thought processess going full steam reality comes in and drops a hammer. Can you share a "typical" day in your life?
LAUREN: Sure – it’s rather dull, though. **Lauren gives a soft laugh** No matter what I’m doing, I’m usually thinking about the story that I’m currently working on and often jot down ideas or snatches of dialogue throughout the day. I find that the writing seems to come best for me first thing in the morning – but really I think that like most writers, as the story percolates, you’re mentally writing it throughout the day. I’m up early with my family anyways, and so I will often get up even earlier so as to have a few hours of quiet writing time before the day officially begins.
CAROL ANN: Oh, I wish I had your discipline. I try. I really do. I set the alarm for an hour earlier than I need to wake up, but I shut it off and go back to sleep. I'm more of a daytime person than a morning person. I'm crabby in the morning. **Carol Ann and Lauren laugh** Tell me, Lauren, how would you describe your personality?
LAUREN: I am an upbeat and friendly person, and I try to keep a positive attitude about whatever the day may bring.
CAROL ANN: I'm sure though that you have times when you feel down, not quite so positive. Who can turn things around when that happens to you?
LAUREN: I have been blessed with a wonderful family and friends – they, and my faith, are the cornerstones of my support.
CAROL ANN: That's wonderful. You couldn't ask for better support than that. What would you say is the hardest thing for you as an author?
LAUREN: I think that overcoming one’s internal editor is difficult for every author. Being a perfectionist doesn’t help either. **Lauren smiles** I think that it is important to train oneself to write no matter what the day may bring – everyone experiences good days and bad in their lives. There is a lot of joy to be found in writing, despite the fact that it is hard work and often lonely, and that is a great gift.
CAROL ANN: I know you like to read. How many books do you find time to read in a month?
LAUREN: I read a lot, although not as much as I used to – probably four or five books a month. Lately I have been reading Neil Gaiman. After reading American Gods and Anansi Boys, I’ve begun Neverwhere. In between, I’ve also enjoyed the older historical romance, Lion’s Lady by Suzanne Barclay, as well as the paranormal romance Master of Swords by Angela Knight. I have a very long To Be Read list.
CAROL ANN: How long have you been writing and what are your other published works?
LAUREN: I’ve always been a writer and a storyteller, but for many years I focused on the visual arts and it has only been in the past four or five years that I have sought publication for my writing. I currently have three stories published – Dark Encounter - a paranormal romance with The Wild Rose Press - and two stories, a police procedural and a fantasy, that were included in an anthology sold as a fund-raiser in support of a local hospital.
CAROL ANN: That's different! A police procedural as part of an anthology. And how great that the anthology was to raise funds for such a wonderful cause. Oh, fiddle, I see our time is running out. Just when things get fun, they give me the old hand slice across the neck. Okay, my last question. Do you believe the pen is mightier than the sword?
LAUREN: Always. A violent act has horrible and swift repercussions – and not for good. A powerfully written book has the power to change people’s lives – hopefully for the good - for generations. Even simple stories can bring us joy for a few hours, and that too, is a gift. **Lauren smiles, as the audience stands and applauds**
CAROL ANN: Lauren, thanks again for coming all the way to Ohio for the interview. It's been a pleasure to have you on stage with me today.
LAUREN: Thank you for doing me the honor of interviewing me, Carol Ann. It has been my great pleasure, and I wish you much success in your own writing endeavors in the future.
CAROL ANN: And to you, too! Ladies and Gentlemen, my friend, Lauren Delaney!
Lauren waves to the audience. Everyone hoots and applauds as she walks off stage.
Camera pans to credits:
Lauren Delaney
Romance that knows one true thing. Love changes everything.
http://laurendela.tripod.com
~Dark Encounter~ available as part of the Black Rose line at the Wild Rose Press. http://www.thewildrosepress.com
"Thank you! I know you are excited to learn who our guest author is for today. What a surprise that we will have not just one, but two interviews this week!"
Crowd hoots and claps. They sure do love books!
"Without making you wait, let me introduce a very dear friend and a wonderful author, who has traveled all the way from Kingston, Ontario, fantasy romance author Lauren Delaney!"
Crowd gives a standing ovation as Lauren walks onstage with a big smile, her long dark hair shining in the spotlights. She bows and takes a seat across from Carol Ann.
CAROL ANN: Lauren, thank you so much for coming into the Blog Studio today. I've been so looking forward to interviewing you. I'm glad we could finally get together.
LAUREN: Thank you for having me.
CAROL ANN: I have your book here. I love the cover.
Camera pans to the book Carol Ann is holding.
CAROL ANN: Tell me about Dark Encounters.
LAUREN: Dark Encounter, available as part of the Black Rose line at The Wild Rose Press, is about a chance meeting one night at a company sponsored fund raising gala – that goes both wrong, and in the end, very right - for two people, Criss and Rafe.
Rafe has admired Criss from afar but he has a terrible secret and has given up hope of finding a woman who could love him as he is. He is the victim of a long ago curse that changed him into a black panther shape shifter. The night of the gala is filled with surprises and it’s Criss’s courage and recognition of the good within Rafe that ultimately brings them together.
The story of Chris and Rafe is about two people who are destined to meet, though neither of them realizes it until it happens. It’s about being willing to take a chance on love and the acceptance of each other's flaws and secrets – all of the things that make a relationship real.
CAROL ANN: Sounds really intriguing. I assume the Black Rose Line is for paranormal romances at The Wild Rose Press, your publisher's website?
LAUREN: Yes, that's correct.
CAROL ANN: Being a romance writer, what does the word "romance" mean to you personally?
LAUREN: I think romance means that, despite place and circumstance, there is truth in the knowledge that love changes everything.
CAROL ANN: Spoken like a true romantic! **both laugh** Lauren, what are you working on now?
LAUREN: I have several new works in progress – two of which are almost complete – and of course, I think that Criss and Rafe’s story isn’t over yet. At least, that’s what they keep telling me. **Lauren grins**
CAROL ANN: People are always asking me a question that I now ask you. Where do you get your ideas and what process do you go through to turn that idea into a story?
LAUREN: I have lots of ideas and have to make sure that I capture them – at least in a rough outline – so that I can flesh them out later. I am by nature a ‘pantser’ in my writing, but have been working hard to discipline myself so that I work through at least a rough outline/synopsis at the beginning of the process.
Creating a rough story outline/synopsis has proven helpful in many ways, but especially when one gets temporarily waylaid from writing, by Real Life. That’s when the outline allows you to more quickly find a jumping off point from which to get back into the story.
CAROL ANN: Ah, the real life dilemma. It's so true that when you get your thought processess going full steam reality comes in and drops a hammer. Can you share a "typical" day in your life?
LAUREN: Sure – it’s rather dull, though. **Lauren gives a soft laugh** No matter what I’m doing, I’m usually thinking about the story that I’m currently working on and often jot down ideas or snatches of dialogue throughout the day. I find that the writing seems to come best for me first thing in the morning – but really I think that like most writers, as the story percolates, you’re mentally writing it throughout the day. I’m up early with my family anyways, and so I will often get up even earlier so as to have a few hours of quiet writing time before the day officially begins.
CAROL ANN: Oh, I wish I had your discipline. I try. I really do. I set the alarm for an hour earlier than I need to wake up, but I shut it off and go back to sleep. I'm more of a daytime person than a morning person. I'm crabby in the morning. **Carol Ann and Lauren laugh** Tell me, Lauren, how would you describe your personality?
LAUREN: I am an upbeat and friendly person, and I try to keep a positive attitude about whatever the day may bring.
CAROL ANN: I'm sure though that you have times when you feel down, not quite so positive. Who can turn things around when that happens to you?
LAUREN: I have been blessed with a wonderful family and friends – they, and my faith, are the cornerstones of my support.
CAROL ANN: That's wonderful. You couldn't ask for better support than that. What would you say is the hardest thing for you as an author?
LAUREN: I think that overcoming one’s internal editor is difficult for every author. Being a perfectionist doesn’t help either. **Lauren smiles** I think that it is important to train oneself to write no matter what the day may bring – everyone experiences good days and bad in their lives. There is a lot of joy to be found in writing, despite the fact that it is hard work and often lonely, and that is a great gift.
CAROL ANN: I know you like to read. How many books do you find time to read in a month?
LAUREN: I read a lot, although not as much as I used to – probably four or five books a month. Lately I have been reading Neil Gaiman. After reading American Gods and Anansi Boys, I’ve begun Neverwhere. In between, I’ve also enjoyed the older historical romance, Lion’s Lady by Suzanne Barclay, as well as the paranormal romance Master of Swords by Angela Knight. I have a very long To Be Read list.
CAROL ANN: How long have you been writing and what are your other published works?
LAUREN: I’ve always been a writer and a storyteller, but for many years I focused on the visual arts and it has only been in the past four or five years that I have sought publication for my writing. I currently have three stories published – Dark Encounter - a paranormal romance with The Wild Rose Press - and two stories, a police procedural and a fantasy, that were included in an anthology sold as a fund-raiser in support of a local hospital.
CAROL ANN: That's different! A police procedural as part of an anthology. And how great that the anthology was to raise funds for such a wonderful cause. Oh, fiddle, I see our time is running out. Just when things get fun, they give me the old hand slice across the neck. Okay, my last question. Do you believe the pen is mightier than the sword?
LAUREN: Always. A violent act has horrible and swift repercussions – and not for good. A powerfully written book has the power to change people’s lives – hopefully for the good - for generations. Even simple stories can bring us joy for a few hours, and that too, is a gift. **Lauren smiles, as the audience stands and applauds**
CAROL ANN: Lauren, thanks again for coming all the way to Ohio for the interview. It's been a pleasure to have you on stage with me today.
LAUREN: Thank you for doing me the honor of interviewing me, Carol Ann. It has been my great pleasure, and I wish you much success in your own writing endeavors in the future.
CAROL ANN: And to you, too! Ladies and Gentlemen, my friend, Lauren Delaney!
Lauren waves to the audience. Everyone hoots and applauds as she walks off stage.
Camera pans to credits:
Lauren Delaney
Romance that knows one true thing. Love changes everything.
http://laurendela.tripod.com
~Dark Encounter~ available as part of the Black Rose line at the Wild Rose Press. http://www.thewildrosepress.com
Monday, September 10, 2007
Aftermath of 9-11
As I ponder the coming anniversary of one of the most horrible dates in the history of the USA, I think back to what happened that day.
I was on my way to jury duty when I turned on the news and heard the tragic news that one of the twin towers was on fire. In shock, I listened as the announcer stated that a plane had crashed into the tower and also another one into the second tower.
Unable to believe what I was hearing, I parked and hurried to the jury waiting room. The huge television screen showed the devastation. All of us sat in shocked silence, tears running down our faces. One of the judges came into the room and told us that all trials had been cancelled for the day, but that the building was in lockdown. We could not leave. I wanted to go home and hug my family. Instead we sat there for hours staring at the television, watching all the horror play out as if it were a movie with spectacular special effects. But it wasn't a movie. It was real.
For days after, everyone drove the speed limit on the roads, even the freeways, and motorists were kind to each other. We waved and smiled when someone let us in line. And we spoke to our neighbors. Everyone seemed to be shell shocked.
I'm not sure when the change began to take place, but it did. Soon no one would let anyone into a line of traffic. Most people were out for themselves. Cars would cut others off, give lewd hand signals, or yell obscenities. Neighbors turned their heads without meeting eyes. Few people returned my smile in stores. Clerks were rude. America had returned to its former "it's all about me" state.
Why? Perhaps this attitude is what causes terrorists to target us. When did we lose our respect for ourselves and our fellow Americans? Will it take another tragedy to bring us close again? I pray not.
I was on my way to jury duty when I turned on the news and heard the tragic news that one of the twin towers was on fire. In shock, I listened as the announcer stated that a plane had crashed into the tower and also another one into the second tower.
Unable to believe what I was hearing, I parked and hurried to the jury waiting room. The huge television screen showed the devastation. All of us sat in shocked silence, tears running down our faces. One of the judges came into the room and told us that all trials had been cancelled for the day, but that the building was in lockdown. We could not leave. I wanted to go home and hug my family. Instead we sat there for hours staring at the television, watching all the horror play out as if it were a movie with spectacular special effects. But it wasn't a movie. It was real.
For days after, everyone drove the speed limit on the roads, even the freeways, and motorists were kind to each other. We waved and smiled when someone let us in line. And we spoke to our neighbors. Everyone seemed to be shell shocked.
I'm not sure when the change began to take place, but it did. Soon no one would let anyone into a line of traffic. Most people were out for themselves. Cars would cut others off, give lewd hand signals, or yell obscenities. Neighbors turned their heads without meeting eyes. Few people returned my smile in stores. Clerks were rude. America had returned to its former "it's all about me" state.
Why? Perhaps this attitude is what causes terrorists to target us. When did we lose our respect for ourselves and our fellow Americans? Will it take another tragedy to bring us close again? I pray not.
Sunday, September 09, 2007
Faith and Trust--Sunday Reflection
In our Sunday School class we are studying Genesis. Today's class focused on the creation of humanity--in God's image. We discussed what that meant in our lives today. We focused on the word "dominion" and that it meant being a servant of the land and people, not a dictator. In our lives today, we run across many people who believe that being "in charge" means "bossing," "controlling," and "domineering." Come on, you all know someone who is like that, or perhaps you see it in yourself. We all act and react differently according to the situation. As servants of God's creation, we should be taking care of the land, taking care of each other, and leading by example rather than domineering others. We are all responsible for each other and the world around us.
I had another discussion this week about faith and trust. An analogy was given on a child standing on the side of a swimming pool, the parent in the water with arms opened, and that child's complete faith and trust that the parent would catch them when the child jumped. A child is born with the trust that the person caring for them will nurture them, love them, and protect them. Where do we lose that faith and trust?
As a vision for our church, we are being tasked to reach out to those who don't know Jesus, show them that Jesus loves them, and to pray for them. As christians, we tend to flock to other christians because we are comfortable with them. We all seek comfort in the "known" and "safe" zones of our lives. Why can't we be like that little child at the swimming pool and trust in God? In our society today, to try and befriend a stranger could mean putting our lives in danger. Do we trust God to bring us through that fire?
I would like to. I am created in God's image. He blessed me with the ability to think and to make decisions. He would like me to walk in the path He envisioned when He created me. But I fail. Daily I fail. I know that to do honor to Him, I need to walk the walk as well as talk the talk. I know, I care, I desire to do this. But I am not as strong in faith and trust as that little child.
How about you?
I had another discussion this week about faith and trust. An analogy was given on a child standing on the side of a swimming pool, the parent in the water with arms opened, and that child's complete faith and trust that the parent would catch them when the child jumped. A child is born with the trust that the person caring for them will nurture them, love them, and protect them. Where do we lose that faith and trust?
As a vision for our church, we are being tasked to reach out to those who don't know Jesus, show them that Jesus loves them, and to pray for them. As christians, we tend to flock to other christians because we are comfortable with them. We all seek comfort in the "known" and "safe" zones of our lives. Why can't we be like that little child at the swimming pool and trust in God? In our society today, to try and befriend a stranger could mean putting our lives in danger. Do we trust God to bring us through that fire?
I would like to. I am created in God's image. He blessed me with the ability to think and to make decisions. He would like me to walk in the path He envisioned when He created me. But I fail. Daily I fail. I know that to do honor to Him, I need to walk the walk as well as talk the talk. I know, I care, I desire to do this. But I am not as strong in faith and trust as that little child.
How about you?
Wednesday, September 05, 2007
Branding Buzz
One of my writing groups has decided to focus on branding. Each of us is to focus on trying to find a "brand" for ourselves. For this blog, I've used "Inside the Writer's Mind" and I think it's fairly unique. For my website I chose to use "Love, Suspense and Happy Endings." However, the group believes this is "too generic" to be a brand.
I know branding is supposed to be something unique to each of us, something that differentiates us from the rest of the pack. Every day in commercials there's a new catch phrase that is picked up and suddenly everyone is saying it. I still believe that if a writer "brands" with something "off the wall" and "catchy", it won't mean a hill of beans if you aren't a best-selling author with a broad fan base. Who else is going to know about you unless they stumble upon your website by chance (or by brand?).
So, I've been tossing around this whole branding thing and the only thing I can find about myself that is different from a lot of people, but not all, is my love for cats. I care for fourteen feral cats, have three indoor cats, and derive great enjoyment from their personalities and "quirks." With a few brushstrokes, I can turn an ordinary rock into a gorgeous cat. So, with that in mind how does one brand with this in mind? "Crazy Cat Lady?" I don't think so!
Some people brand around a book, but I don't want to do that. Books come and go, names stay the same.
I tossed around using "Purr-fect" Romances, or "Purrfectly" Page Turning Romances,
or my favorite: "Purr-pet-ual" Romantic. I think this fits my image since I always write an animal into each of my romances. What do you think?
I'd be interested to know what you think of branding in general. Do you have a brand?
Thanks for hanging with me!
I know branding is supposed to be something unique to each of us, something that differentiates us from the rest of the pack. Every day in commercials there's a new catch phrase that is picked up and suddenly everyone is saying it. I still believe that if a writer "brands" with something "off the wall" and "catchy", it won't mean a hill of beans if you aren't a best-selling author with a broad fan base. Who else is going to know about you unless they stumble upon your website by chance (or by brand?).
So, I've been tossing around this whole branding thing and the only thing I can find about myself that is different from a lot of people, but not all, is my love for cats. I care for fourteen feral cats, have three indoor cats, and derive great enjoyment from their personalities and "quirks." With a few brushstrokes, I can turn an ordinary rock into a gorgeous cat. So, with that in mind how does one brand with this in mind? "Crazy Cat Lady?" I don't think so!
Some people brand around a book, but I don't want to do that. Books come and go, names stay the same.
I tossed around using "Purr-fect" Romances, or "Purrfectly" Page Turning Romances,
or my favorite: "Purr-pet-ual" Romantic. I think this fits my image since I always write an animal into each of my romances. What do you think?
I'd be interested to know what you think of branding in general. Do you have a brand?
Thanks for hanging with me!
Saturday, September 01, 2007
Oldie but Goodie
Yesterday, hubby and I went to the Millersport Corn Festival. Had some great junk food and enjoyed a free concert.
Since I was raised on country music and it's still my favorite genre for fun listening, we were thrilled to see that Mel Tillis would be giving a free concert that evening. We put up our lawn chairs to stake out our spots and wandered the food booths. Settled on a Bahama Mama sandwich with a diet coke. But before taking our seats for the show, I made hubby stand in line to get some of those fair french fries. You know, the skinny kind in a round cardboard cup that you can cover with vinegar and salt? Yummy!
Great deal. They had cups for $3.00 or buckets for $5.00. Hubby said he didn't want that many so he was going to order a cup unless we wanted to share a bucket. Share??? What??? No way! I had him buy me a bucket all for moi! I must admit that I was feeling VERY STUFFED before I finished that thing, but I had to make a good showing. I ate all but a very small handful in the bottom. I told hubby I could have eaten those, too, if I had vinegar and salt, but they were bland. (They were, but that wasn't the reason I didn't finish!)
Then Mel Tillis came on stage. Couldn't believe he is actually 75!! But man can he sing. He can croon with the best of them and rock the stage as well. I was impressed, and so was hubby. All in all a great show. He was supposed to be on stage for an hour and a half. Now that surprised me! I figured maybe 45 minutes to an hour, but believe it or not, he actually continued belting out the great songs until he'd been singing for nearly two hours! Great show. And it gave me goosebumps when his last song was "How Great Thou Art" and the entire audience, which believe me was enormous all sang along. I thought there might a a couple hundred, but there had to be thousands. From one side of the stage all the way to the food court all you could see was a sea of heads.
What a wonderful vacation I'm having just hanging around home and doing local things. Tonight we are taking two grandsons to see Tecumseh, an outdoor drama with live horses, guns, and indians. They are so psyched and I can't wait to see it with the boys!
Thanks for reading!
Since I was raised on country music and it's still my favorite genre for fun listening, we were thrilled to see that Mel Tillis would be giving a free concert that evening. We put up our lawn chairs to stake out our spots and wandered the food booths. Settled on a Bahama Mama sandwich with a diet coke. But before taking our seats for the show, I made hubby stand in line to get some of those fair french fries. You know, the skinny kind in a round cardboard cup that you can cover with vinegar and salt? Yummy!
Great deal. They had cups for $3.00 or buckets for $5.00. Hubby said he didn't want that many so he was going to order a cup unless we wanted to share a bucket. Share??? What??? No way! I had him buy me a bucket all for moi! I must admit that I was feeling VERY STUFFED before I finished that thing, but I had to make a good showing. I ate all but a very small handful in the bottom. I told hubby I could have eaten those, too, if I had vinegar and salt, but they were bland. (They were, but that wasn't the reason I didn't finish!)
Then Mel Tillis came on stage. Couldn't believe he is actually 75!! But man can he sing. He can croon with the best of them and rock the stage as well. I was impressed, and so was hubby. All in all a great show. He was supposed to be on stage for an hour and a half. Now that surprised me! I figured maybe 45 minutes to an hour, but believe it or not, he actually continued belting out the great songs until he'd been singing for nearly two hours! Great show. And it gave me goosebumps when his last song was "How Great Thou Art" and the entire audience, which believe me was enormous all sang along. I thought there might a a couple hundred, but there had to be thousands. From one side of the stage all the way to the food court all you could see was a sea of heads.
What a wonderful vacation I'm having just hanging around home and doing local things. Tonight we are taking two grandsons to see Tecumseh, an outdoor drama with live horses, guns, and indians. They are so psyched and I can't wait to see it with the boys!
Thanks for reading!
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Mark Your Calendars!!!
Please come join me and my other published author friends for a party and booksigning on Friday September 28 at 6PM at the University Plaza Hotel on Olentangy Road in Columbus, Ohio. I'm looking forward to touching base with all my friends, meeting new friends, making new fans, and having a BLAST!! I'll have my two books, FOXFIRE and HIT AND RUN for sale, which I'll be happy to autograph. I'm so excited about this event. It is the prequel to our annual COFW Writer's Conference on Saturday with our keynote speaker, New York Times Bestselling Author, Lori Foster.
FREE TO THE PUBLIC
"Celebration of Romance Writers & Readers"
Launch Parties & Book Signing
23 authors in attendance (see list below)
Refreshments - Door Prizes - Up Close & Personal with the Authors
University Plaza Hotel on September 28 from 6 - 8 p.m.
3110 Olentangy River Road, Columbus, Ohio
614-267-7461 or website for directions
http://www.universityplazaosu.com
Attending Authors:
Becky Barker
Julia Bennett
Jacki Bentley
Mary Campisi
Dianne Castell
Billy Chai
Susan Charnley
Debby Conrad
Carol Ann Erhardt
Lori Foster
Tabitha Gibson
Marcia James
Michelle Levigne
Melissa Lopez
Donna MacMeans
Erin McCarthy
LuAnn McLane
Jenna Petersen
Patricia Rasey
Patricia Sargeant
Kay Stockham
Kathleen Wells
Sandra Wickersham-McWhorter
FREE TO THE PUBLIC
"Celebration of Romance Writers & Readers"
Launch Parties & Book Signing
23 authors in attendance (see list below)
Refreshments - Door Prizes - Up Close & Personal with the Authors
University Plaza Hotel on September 28 from 6 - 8 p.m.
3110 Olentangy River Road, Columbus, Ohio
614-267-7461 or website for directions
http://www.universityplazaosu.com
Attending Authors:
Becky Barker
Julia Bennett
Jacki Bentley
Mary Campisi
Dianne Castell
Billy Chai
Susan Charnley
Debby Conrad
Carol Ann Erhardt
Lori Foster
Tabitha Gibson
Marcia James
Michelle Levigne
Melissa Lopez
Donna MacMeans
Erin McCarthy
LuAnn McLane
Jenna Petersen
Patricia Rasey
Patricia Sargeant
Kay Stockham
Kathleen Wells
Sandra Wickersham-McWhorter
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Have You Read....
Obsession, by Karen Robards?
I picked this one up Sunday and began reading. It's hard to put the book down! What a page turner! I love Karen Robards work, but I haven't read anything recently, so when I saw this available through my book club I snatched it up.
The story begins with Katherine Lawrence and her college friend being bound and gagged in Katherine's apartment by two masked gunmen. They search her house trying to find something, but she doesn't know what they're after. All they do is ask her where it is, and with each answer of "I Don't Know", she's threatened, beaten, and tortured. The evening ends with the murder of her college friend. From there the story races, while Kathryn is trying to find out why she's a target, and even if she actually is Katherine.
Trust me, if you like fast paced thrillers, you'll love this book.
***************
Today I finished writing nine new pages on my new untitled manuscript.
Hop over to Sweeter Romantic Notions Blog and leave a comment on my blog for today and you will be entered to win a free download of THE FADED PHOTOGRAPH. www.sweeterromanticnotions.com/blog/
Thanks for stopping by!
Carol Ann
I picked this one up Sunday and began reading. It's hard to put the book down! What a page turner! I love Karen Robards work, but I haven't read anything recently, so when I saw this available through my book club I snatched it up.
The story begins with Katherine Lawrence and her college friend being bound and gagged in Katherine's apartment by two masked gunmen. They search her house trying to find something, but she doesn't know what they're after. All they do is ask her where it is, and with each answer of "I Don't Know", she's threatened, beaten, and tortured. The evening ends with the murder of her college friend. From there the story races, while Kathryn is trying to find out why she's a target, and even if she actually is Katherine.
Trust me, if you like fast paced thrillers, you'll love this book.
***************
Today I finished writing nine new pages on my new untitled manuscript.
Hop over to Sweeter Romantic Notions Blog and leave a comment on my blog for today and you will be entered to win a free download of THE FADED PHOTOGRAPH. www.sweeterromanticnotions.com/blog/
Thanks for stopping by!
Carol Ann
Saturday, August 25, 2007
It's Officially In The Mail
I'm doing a happy dance. Today I mailed the manuscript package to Steeple Hill!!
I feel as if a huge burden has been lifted from my shoulders. I'm rewarding myself with doing absolutely nothing this weekend (besides my house cleaning and laundry). I have spent the majority of the day on the sofa reading my newest Dean Koontz book, THE GOOD GUY.
I love this author's method of writing things in a very fresh way. No one can weave words together like this man. Sure wish I could write like him.
On Tuesday, I'll be blogging on Sweeter Romantic Notions, so if you have time stop by and say hi.
Have a great rest of the weekend. Thanks for reading!
I feel as if a huge burden has been lifted from my shoulders. I'm rewarding myself with doing absolutely nothing this weekend (besides my house cleaning and laundry). I have spent the majority of the day on the sofa reading my newest Dean Koontz book, THE GOOD GUY.
I love this author's method of writing things in a very fresh way. No one can weave words together like this man. Sure wish I could write like him.
On Tuesday, I'll be blogging on Sweeter Romantic Notions, so if you have time stop by and say hi.
Have a great rest of the weekend. Thanks for reading!
Friday, August 24, 2007
On the Far Side....
Have you ever seen any of the Far Side cartoons? I'm not a huge fan, but I have seen some totally ridiculously funny ones.
Today, one of my friends at work told me this incredibly hilarious story about her sister...a true story...that has had me giggling about all afternoon and evening. I swear I can picture this on a Far Side cartoon.
Okay, this lady's sister isn't able to work for a few weeks after having surgery on her foot. So, she's bored. REALLY bored.
She has one of those new above ground pools in her back yard, but she doesn't have a vacuum to clean the bottom or one of those long-handled screen things to scoop debris from the top. This very creative lady has a unique way of keeping the pool clean, nevertheless.
Picture this:
To clean the bottom she uses...are you ready for this????
A turkey baster!!! Now can you picture this? I wonder how long it took her to get the bottom clean? LOL!!!
And to remove the debris from the top?
You probably know the answer...yep, she uses a strainer!!! Not only that, but the strainer handle is broken!!!
**snicker, snort**
Bet someone will see this on my blog and one day these will be on a Far Side calendar.
Thanks to my friend and her sister for the laugh!!
Today, one of my friends at work told me this incredibly hilarious story about her sister...a true story...that has had me giggling about all afternoon and evening. I swear I can picture this on a Far Side cartoon.
Okay, this lady's sister isn't able to work for a few weeks after having surgery on her foot. So, she's bored. REALLY bored.
She has one of those new above ground pools in her back yard, but she doesn't have a vacuum to clean the bottom or one of those long-handled screen things to scoop debris from the top. This very creative lady has a unique way of keeping the pool clean, nevertheless.
Picture this:
To clean the bottom she uses...are you ready for this????
A turkey baster!!! Now can you picture this? I wonder how long it took her to get the bottom clean? LOL!!!
And to remove the debris from the top?
You probably know the answer...yep, she uses a strainer!!! Not only that, but the strainer handle is broken!!!
**snicker, snort**
Bet someone will see this on my blog and one day these will be on a Far Side calendar.
Thanks to my friend and her sister for the laugh!!
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Author Interview with Marcia James
The band finished playing a lively tune which the audience has been clapping along with..."Hound Dog".
Carol Ann comes on stage clapping. "How appropriate, you guys! How about it, audience, aren't they great?"
Audience applauds and hoots.
"Well, we do have a special guest in the studio who will be spending the next half hour with us talking about her latest book. How do I prepare you for this woman? She's funny, she's gorgeous, she's talented, and she's one of my good friends! Her logo is a cute little dog. You're gonna love it. It's a Chinese Crested hairless dog. If you've never seen one, you are in for a real treat, because my guest has brought one with her! Please make welcome, one of my favorite people to hang out with, Marcia James!!!"
Audience stomps, hoots, and hollers. The band takes up playing "Houng Dog" and Marcia walks out from between the center curtains.
CAROL ANN: Welcome, Marcia, and friend. Tell me about your cute logo. **Carol Ann pets the darling dog** Oh, it feels strange to feel just skin on a dog.
MARCIA: **laugh** In my debut comic romantic suspense, AT HER COMMAND, the DEA heroine has a canine partner, a Chinese Crested hairless dog named Smokey. This mini crime-fighter is a drug-sniffing dog who plays an important role in the book’s suspense and romance plots. I had a caricaturist make a drawing of a Chinese Crested to use as my logo, and the dog has become so popular, I now put a “crestie” in each of my books.
CAROL ANN: Audience, I have to tell you I had the pleasure of listening to Marcia talk about her book to a group at a library panel we participated in. **Carol Ann holds up a book and the camera pans in**
Isnt' that the cutest cover? Oh, and that's her logo holding the book. **laugh** Marcia, please tell the blog studio audience all about your book.
MARCIA: Gladly! AT HER COMMAND pokes fun at the alphabet soup of D.C. law enforcement agencies. As the book blurb reads, “When the DEA, the FBI and the DC police unknowingly put operatives undercover at the same club, sexy sparks fly.” The novel is rated R for Risqué, and there’s a more detailed blurb and an excerpt on my Web site (www.MarciaJames.net) that is definitely for adults only.
CAROL ANN: Rumor has it that you like to write about sex. Now this is a PG blog studio, but I'm sure you can give us some insight into exactly what you're talking about with this!
MARCIA: **Marcia avoids a doggie kiss** I know so many authors who cringe when it’s time to write the love scenes in their books. But I enjoy writing those sections and often do so before penning the rest of the book! ;-) To me, that’s when the hero and heroine are laid bare – figuratively and literally. Those scenes, at least in my books, are vital to my protagonists’ inner development. They don’t have sex until they’ve made an emotional commitment to each other, which means the book’s subsequent Dark Moment is so much more devastating. I also think many things about sex are humorous, and how my hero and heroine handle the ups and downs of lovemaking (no pun intended!) shows a lot about their personality and character.
CAROL ANN: Where did you come up with the idea for your book?
MARCIA: I lived in the Washington, D.C. area for over 20 years, where I witnessed how uncooperative the different federal and local agencies could be. So I thought, “What if several of these agencies decided to investigate the same sex club, but didn’t bother telling each other their plans?” I could see the comic possibilities inherent in the idea, especially when the hero and heroine (and the secondary hero and heroine) fall in love, but can’t believe they’d be attracted to someone who either works in or frequents such a hedonistic establishment. They’re very relieved to discover they’re all in law enforcement! I’m pleased to report that AT HER COMMAND has received great reviews, and I’ve had requests for a sequel.
CAROL ANN: **Marcia's dog crawls across the table and onto Carol Ann's lap** What makes your book so different from any other? **Carol Ann avoids a doggie kiss**
MARCIA: AT HER COMMAND straddles the line between a hot romance and an erotic one. It has a traditional (aka “non-kinky”) hero and heroine who find themselves fish-out-of-water in their undercover location. But since that location is a sex club, there’s detailed information about the types of things that happen in a place like that, which makes the book more risqué than your average sexy romance. I believe the book appeals to a wide-range of people, including those who are curious about alternative practices, such as the viewers who tune into the CSI TV shows when they have a kinky storyline. One author of “sweet” romances emailed me to say she enjoyed my book and received “quite an education” while she was being entertained. ;-D
CAROL ANN: Do you have any collections? Um besides dogs? **Carol Ann hands the dog back to Marcia**
MARCIA: I collect snails – not the real ones, but glass figurines, garden statues, etc. It started when I was very young and used to doodle in circles that resembled snail shells. Since snails have the reputation for being VERY slow, I don’t use a snail as my logo. ;-D But there is a caricature of a snail on my Web site’s “Contact Me” page.
CAROL ANN: Thank goodness, you don't collect the real ones! I think they're kind of creepy. Say, wouldn't it be funny to have a snail in one of your books? You know, like maybe it gets loose and crawls up...no! Shame on me!! **Marcia and Carol Ann laugh** Okay, I'm sorry. Let's be serious. Who keeps you inspired to continue writing?
MARCIA: It’s a three-way tie between my wonderful husband, my great critique partner (Kensington author Patricia Sargeant), and myself. I enjoy fiction writing so much, that I’d continue to write romance novels even if I wasn’t selling my manuscripts. But nothing can beat the support of family and friends.
CAROL ANN: How do you come up with the titles for your books?
MARCIA: The title AT HER COMMAND comes from the premise of that book and foreshadows the Dark Moment. But I’m also a big fan of alliteration and have been using it to name the manuscripts in my as-yet-unsold comic mystery series, which is currently with three publishers. The series features a sex therapist heroine who solves murders as an amateur sleuth. The first in the series is SEX & THE SINGLE THERAPIST, followed by DEATH & THE DOUBLE ENTENDRE and MURDER & THE MENAGE A TROIS. I also like the idea that there’s a hint in the titles to help readers know the order of the books in the series: “single”, “double”, and “trois”.
CAROL ANN: I love it! You are a guru at promoting yourself. Can you give us less knowledgeable writers a few hints?
MARCIA: Thanks for the compliment! ;-) My background is in PR and marketing, so I’ve been applying what I know to author promotion. That said, I continue to learn all I can from established authors and creative newbies on my Romance Writers of America email loops. I’m co-presenting a PR workshop at September’s Central Ohio Fiction Writers’ conference and at the April 2008 Chicago “Spring Fling” conference. For those events, I’ve developed a “living document” on author PR, which I give freely to any author who’d like it as a seed file to start their own. Just go through my Web site and request it.
Other than that, here’s some suggestions: Lock in your author domain name and create your Web site (at least on paper) BEFORE you sell. Brand yourself and promote your brand as much or more than you promote your individual books. Google your proposed slogan (mine is “Hot, Humorous Romances”) before you commit to it to make sure it’s unique. Take advantage of the many free PR opportunities for authors out there – especially the chance to be interviewed (like this!), guest-blog, and participate in online chats. If you have the time, post comments on other authors’ blogs. All of these things increase the number of hits you’ll get when Googled. Come up with a creative idea for bringing people to your Web site. An example of this is author Paige Cuccaro’s “Writer’s Cave” Web site pages. (http://www.paigecuccaro.com/html/the_cave.html) She puts photos of authors’ offices on her site for free and has pages of them now. Readers love to see where their favorite authors work. The Writer’s Cave is a great PR idea! Depending on your finances, you can check into the many online sites that will promote an author for a fee. I haven’t tried any of these, but I wouldn’t rule it out for the future. And don’t forget to promote to the general public, not just to established romance readers. You can send press releases to your college’s alumni association and to your home town newspaper, as well as to trade publications and newsletters of associations that would have an interest in your book. For example, since I have a crestie dog in my books, I have posted on a Chinese Crested message board. You can also come up with a creative tie-in to your books for your promotional giveaways and on your Web site. I give away thumbcuff keychains that relate to the law enforcement protagonists in my books and also remind the reader that my books contain some kinky elements. On my Web site, instead of a blog, I have a funny sex advice column “written” by my sex therapist heroine.
CAROL ANN: Wow, you've given me so great ideas, and I'm sure the blog studio as well. Thanks for being so generous. Most authors I interview are romance authors, and you are no exception. There are all kinds of romance novels, just as there are all kinds of romances. Our world is made up of romance. You can find it everywhere. Tell me, what does the word “romance” mean to you?
MARCIA: “Romance” means unconditional love, respect, commitment, and trust. Trust is an ongoing theme in my books. Many of my protagonists have been hurt in the past and have trust issues. When they finally let down their defenses, they are hurt again by a loved one who either didn’t return their trust and/or lied to them. My law enforcement heroes in particular have an unfortunate habit of putting their jobs before their personal lives and withholding information from (or misleading) the heroines, in the name of doing their undercover work. But they learn their lesson in the end. ;-)
CAROL ANN: Do you believe the pen is mightier than the sword? Why?
MARCIA: Yes, because the written word can be incredibly persuasive and empowering, can be disseminated easily and widely, and can live on long after the writer’s death.
CAROL ANN: That is so true. Marcia, I have truly enjoyed having you in the studio today. And my, look how fast the time passed. Oh, my, what is that dog doing? Does it have to...you know?
MARCIA: Whoops! Yes, I think I'd better get the dog to the nearest fire hydrant. Thanks for having me. **Marcia waves at the audience as she runs off stage. A strange wet trail is left in her wake**The audience laughs and the camera rolls over the credits
Visit Marcia and learn more at:www.MarciaJames.net
AT HER COMMAND is now available in print as well as e-book!!
To order the paperback (ISBN: 9781419956201), go to Cerridwen Press Print
Or order a paperback copy from Amazon here.
To order the e-book(ISBN: 1-4199-0704-2), go toCerridwen Press E-book
Carol Ann comes on stage clapping. "How appropriate, you guys! How about it, audience, aren't they great?"
Audience applauds and hoots.
"Well, we do have a special guest in the studio who will be spending the next half hour with us talking about her latest book. How do I prepare you for this woman? She's funny, she's gorgeous, she's talented, and she's one of my good friends! Her logo is a cute little dog. You're gonna love it. It's a Chinese Crested hairless dog. If you've never seen one, you are in for a real treat, because my guest has brought one with her! Please make welcome, one of my favorite people to hang out with, Marcia James!!!"
Audience stomps, hoots, and hollers. The band takes up playing "Houng Dog" and Marcia walks out from between the center curtains.
CAROL ANN: Welcome, Marcia, and friend. Tell me about your cute logo. **Carol Ann pets the darling dog** Oh, it feels strange to feel just skin on a dog.
MARCIA: **laugh** In my debut comic romantic suspense, AT HER COMMAND, the DEA heroine has a canine partner, a Chinese Crested hairless dog named Smokey. This mini crime-fighter is a drug-sniffing dog who plays an important role in the book’s suspense and romance plots. I had a caricaturist make a drawing of a Chinese Crested to use as my logo, and the dog has become so popular, I now put a “crestie” in each of my books.
CAROL ANN: Audience, I have to tell you I had the pleasure of listening to Marcia talk about her book to a group at a library panel we participated in. **Carol Ann holds up a book and the camera pans in**
Isnt' that the cutest cover? Oh, and that's her logo holding the book. **laugh** Marcia, please tell the blog studio audience all about your book.
MARCIA: Gladly! AT HER COMMAND pokes fun at the alphabet soup of D.C. law enforcement agencies. As the book blurb reads, “When the DEA, the FBI and the DC police unknowingly put operatives undercover at the same club, sexy sparks fly.” The novel is rated R for Risqué, and there’s a more detailed blurb and an excerpt on my Web site (www.MarciaJames.net) that is definitely for adults only.
CAROL ANN: Rumor has it that you like to write about sex. Now this is a PG blog studio, but I'm sure you can give us some insight into exactly what you're talking about with this!
MARCIA: **Marcia avoids a doggie kiss** I know so many authors who cringe when it’s time to write the love scenes in their books. But I enjoy writing those sections and often do so before penning the rest of the book! ;-) To me, that’s when the hero and heroine are laid bare – figuratively and literally. Those scenes, at least in my books, are vital to my protagonists’ inner development. They don’t have sex until they’ve made an emotional commitment to each other, which means the book’s subsequent Dark Moment is so much more devastating. I also think many things about sex are humorous, and how my hero and heroine handle the ups and downs of lovemaking (no pun intended!) shows a lot about their personality and character.
CAROL ANN: Where did you come up with the idea for your book?
MARCIA: I lived in the Washington, D.C. area for over 20 years, where I witnessed how uncooperative the different federal and local agencies could be. So I thought, “What if several of these agencies decided to investigate the same sex club, but didn’t bother telling each other their plans?” I could see the comic possibilities inherent in the idea, especially when the hero and heroine (and the secondary hero and heroine) fall in love, but can’t believe they’d be attracted to someone who either works in or frequents such a hedonistic establishment. They’re very relieved to discover they’re all in law enforcement! I’m pleased to report that AT HER COMMAND has received great reviews, and I’ve had requests for a sequel.
CAROL ANN: **Marcia's dog crawls across the table and onto Carol Ann's lap** What makes your book so different from any other? **Carol Ann avoids a doggie kiss**
MARCIA: AT HER COMMAND straddles the line between a hot romance and an erotic one. It has a traditional (aka “non-kinky”) hero and heroine who find themselves fish-out-of-water in their undercover location. But since that location is a sex club, there’s detailed information about the types of things that happen in a place like that, which makes the book more risqué than your average sexy romance. I believe the book appeals to a wide-range of people, including those who are curious about alternative practices, such as the viewers who tune into the CSI TV shows when they have a kinky storyline. One author of “sweet” romances emailed me to say she enjoyed my book and received “quite an education” while she was being entertained. ;-D
CAROL ANN: Do you have any collections? Um besides dogs? **Carol Ann hands the dog back to Marcia**
MARCIA: I collect snails – not the real ones, but glass figurines, garden statues, etc. It started when I was very young and used to doodle in circles that resembled snail shells. Since snails have the reputation for being VERY slow, I don’t use a snail as my logo. ;-D But there is a caricature of a snail on my Web site’s “Contact Me” page.
CAROL ANN: Thank goodness, you don't collect the real ones! I think they're kind of creepy. Say, wouldn't it be funny to have a snail in one of your books? You know, like maybe it gets loose and crawls up...no! Shame on me!! **Marcia and Carol Ann laugh** Okay, I'm sorry. Let's be serious. Who keeps you inspired to continue writing?
MARCIA: It’s a three-way tie between my wonderful husband, my great critique partner (Kensington author Patricia Sargeant), and myself. I enjoy fiction writing so much, that I’d continue to write romance novels even if I wasn’t selling my manuscripts. But nothing can beat the support of family and friends.
CAROL ANN: How do you come up with the titles for your books?
MARCIA: The title AT HER COMMAND comes from the premise of that book and foreshadows the Dark Moment. But I’m also a big fan of alliteration and have been using it to name the manuscripts in my as-yet-unsold comic mystery series, which is currently with three publishers. The series features a sex therapist heroine who solves murders as an amateur sleuth. The first in the series is SEX & THE SINGLE THERAPIST, followed by DEATH & THE DOUBLE ENTENDRE and MURDER & THE MENAGE A TROIS. I also like the idea that there’s a hint in the titles to help readers know the order of the books in the series: “single”, “double”, and “trois”.
CAROL ANN: I love it! You are a guru at promoting yourself. Can you give us less knowledgeable writers a few hints?
MARCIA: Thanks for the compliment! ;-) My background is in PR and marketing, so I’ve been applying what I know to author promotion. That said, I continue to learn all I can from established authors and creative newbies on my Romance Writers of America email loops. I’m co-presenting a PR workshop at September’s Central Ohio Fiction Writers’ conference and at the April 2008 Chicago “Spring Fling” conference. For those events, I’ve developed a “living document” on author PR, which I give freely to any author who’d like it as a seed file to start their own. Just go through my Web site and request it.
Other than that, here’s some suggestions: Lock in your author domain name and create your Web site (at least on paper) BEFORE you sell. Brand yourself and promote your brand as much or more than you promote your individual books. Google your proposed slogan (mine is “Hot, Humorous Romances”) before you commit to it to make sure it’s unique. Take advantage of the many free PR opportunities for authors out there – especially the chance to be interviewed (like this!), guest-blog, and participate in online chats. If you have the time, post comments on other authors’ blogs. All of these things increase the number of hits you’ll get when Googled. Come up with a creative idea for bringing people to your Web site. An example of this is author Paige Cuccaro’s “Writer’s Cave” Web site pages. (http://www.paigecuccaro.com/html/the_cave.html) She puts photos of authors’ offices on her site for free and has pages of them now. Readers love to see where their favorite authors work. The Writer’s Cave is a great PR idea! Depending on your finances, you can check into the many online sites that will promote an author for a fee. I haven’t tried any of these, but I wouldn’t rule it out for the future. And don’t forget to promote to the general public, not just to established romance readers. You can send press releases to your college’s alumni association and to your home town newspaper, as well as to trade publications and newsletters of associations that would have an interest in your book. For example, since I have a crestie dog in my books, I have posted on a Chinese Crested message board. You can also come up with a creative tie-in to your books for your promotional giveaways and on your Web site. I give away thumbcuff keychains that relate to the law enforcement protagonists in my books and also remind the reader that my books contain some kinky elements. On my Web site, instead of a blog, I have a funny sex advice column “written” by my sex therapist heroine.
CAROL ANN: Wow, you've given me so great ideas, and I'm sure the blog studio as well. Thanks for being so generous. Most authors I interview are romance authors, and you are no exception. There are all kinds of romance novels, just as there are all kinds of romances. Our world is made up of romance. You can find it everywhere. Tell me, what does the word “romance” mean to you?
MARCIA: “Romance” means unconditional love, respect, commitment, and trust. Trust is an ongoing theme in my books. Many of my protagonists have been hurt in the past and have trust issues. When they finally let down their defenses, they are hurt again by a loved one who either didn’t return their trust and/or lied to them. My law enforcement heroes in particular have an unfortunate habit of putting their jobs before their personal lives and withholding information from (or misleading) the heroines, in the name of doing their undercover work. But they learn their lesson in the end. ;-)
CAROL ANN: Do you believe the pen is mightier than the sword? Why?
MARCIA: Yes, because the written word can be incredibly persuasive and empowering, can be disseminated easily and widely, and can live on long after the writer’s death.
CAROL ANN: That is so true. Marcia, I have truly enjoyed having you in the studio today. And my, look how fast the time passed. Oh, my, what is that dog doing? Does it have to...you know?
MARCIA: Whoops! Yes, I think I'd better get the dog to the nearest fire hydrant. Thanks for having me. **Marcia waves at the audience as she runs off stage. A strange wet trail is left in her wake**The audience laughs and the camera rolls over the credits
Visit Marcia and learn more at:www.MarciaJames.net
AT HER COMMAND is now available in print as well as e-book!!
To order the paperback (ISBN: 9781419956201), go to Cerridwen Press Print
Or order a paperback copy from Amazon here.
To order the e-book(ISBN: 1-4199-0704-2), go toCerridwen Press E-book
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
A Day in This Writer's Life
This is one day that I'd like to forget!
8:00AM - arrive at work and ensure everything is arranged for the big high-level meeting with members from our corporate headquarters.
8:15AM - boss calls. He didn't receive itinerary for one leg of his flight for September 25th.
9:00AM - travel agency opens. Call and get message that the agency isn't open yet.
9:15AM - call travel agency and get put on hold. Five minutes later, bounce back to operator, who puts me in priority queue. Ten minutes later get connected with someone named Debbie. She tells me that they didn't have an email address to send the e-ticket to. Funny...we use this agency for all our corporate travel, and both my boss and I have always received our e-tickets via email before. But, I give her my email address, she assures me she will send it immediately.
10:00AM - still haven't received email. Boss comes in. Says "we" will need to get lunches brought in for everyone in meeting.
10:10AM - I knock on conference room door and interrupt with list of sandwich choices.
10:12AM - Take coffee, cups, sugar, cream, and stirrers into meeting and set up. Collect lunch orders.
10:20AM - call to place pick up order for box lunches. Ask if I can pick them up at 11:15. Nope. Won't be able to have them ready until 11:30. Okay. Place order.
10:30AM - still haven't received email.
10:45AM - receive email from office manager. The vending machines are being removed. If anyone wants anything now is the time to get it! Nice to get advance notice. WHEN are they being removed and WHY? Well, the man isn't making enough money off us, so he's in the process of removing the machines right now in the warehouse, so he'll be in the office next. GREAT! I have big-wigs from our Dallas corporate office in here for a meeting, they are expecting to get drinks from the machine for lunch...and instead they will see a man REPOSSESSING THE MACHINES!!!!
11:00AM - go to Marketing manager and beg for samples of FIJI water for corporate lunch. Got lucky. Put 12 bottles in refrigerator to cool.
11:15AM - leave to pick up lunches. It has been raining and I have on shoes with no backs and toes out. Wade through puddles and enter restaurant. Glasses fog up. Wave them in the air until they clear and I can walk without bumping into things. Go to pick up counter - clearly marked as such. Several minutes later, clerk working register on my left says there is no drawer in the register at the pick up. Walk to end of long line of people waiting to place their lunch orders. Two minutes later another clerk inserts a drawer in the register for pick ups. I leave line and go back to register just in time for this person to walk away. Nope, I'm not moving again! Same gal that questioned me the first time now asks, "Are you here to pick up an order?" Well, duh! No, I'm here to see how long it takes to get annoyed enough to get arrested for battery. Here's your sign!!! So I tell her yes, give her my name and finally she brings my two huge shopping bags full of box lunches. I hand her my boss' credit card, forge his signature and leave. Okay, now I've got both hands loaded down with these heavy bags, my purse, and my keys hanging on one finger. I can't sit the bags down because it's wet and the bottoms will come out. I step back, my shoe comes off and my foot is in a puddle. Great! Finally I get the car unlocked and put the bags in the back seat...and realize both bags seem to be even. Umm, I ordered eleven lunches. Take a count. Sure enough only ten lunches. Gather bags, walk back into store, fuming. Same clerk: "Is something wrong?" Duh! "Nope, I'm just practicing my model runway walk. Here's your sign!" So, I tell her that I ordered 11 lunches and only have ten. She gets the recept and waves it in my face. Nope, see "she" wrote ten lunches. Me: I don't care what she wrote. I ordered eleven lunches and I NEED eleven lunches. I grab the receipt and look at the written order. I point out the vegetarian sandwich, which is not in my bags nor on the ring up sheet. She reads it and says "I'll go check." CHECK WHAT????? Just get me a vegetarian box lunch!!! Seven minutes later I get a vegetarian box lunch. Clerk rings up the additional order. I forge my boss' signature again. Stomp out of the restaurant, forgetting about the wet puddles until the water begins to seep into my stockings. Finally get the bags back in the car. Drive to work. Park. Get out. It begins to rain. Time now: 12:20.
12:20 - Set up lunches in lunch room. Receptionist tells me that our office vending machines aren't being removed after all. **sigh** Get bottled water from fridge and put on tables with lunches.
12:22 - One of the corporate bigwigs stops me in lunch room to tell me that when he arrived at the Hilton late, tired, and ready to crash they had given away his "guaranteed" room because someone had called to cancel it because his plane was cancelled!!! He raised a big ruckus, and got the general manager involved. They offered him a smoking room. Not acceptable. Finally they put him up at the Marriott and paid for the room. He just wanted me to know. **sigh**
12:30 - still haven't received email. Call the Hilton to complain. Accounting asks ME if I figured out who cancelled the room. Well, duh! Yeah. I figured it out. Someone in YOUR organization gave the room away for no earthly reason, or one of your incredible dumb reservation clerks cancelled the wrong freaking room!! Just make sure we receive NO charges on the credit card I used to guarantee the room.
Go to lunch.
1:30 - still haven't received email. Man walks into my office and introduces himself. He begins to talk about the products he wants to have on his table at our holiday shows (which I'm neck deep in coordinating). I pleasantly smile and give him the forms to fill out. The first form is the one which was due to me on JUNE 15 to reserve space!!! Now I have to go back to the venues and change my contract to add a table.
2:00 - still haven't received email. Spend the next two hours frustrated with trying to work out all the details on the holiday show late responses. By now, I'm starting to lose my hair. My feet are killing me. I'm thirsty and in too much pain to hobble to the vending machine which is still standing in the lunch room.
4:00 - still haven't receive email. Call travel agency again. Get put on hold for five minutes. Bounce back to receptionist. Put in priority queue. Five minutes later am connected with a rep, not the one I spoke with earlier. Repeat my quest for an email confirmation and e-ticket. "We received a message that your email came back with an invalid address." Okay, so they left the "t" off my name. Fix. It.
4:30 - FINALLY RECEIVE EMAIL. Forward it to my boss.
4:45 - Chat with marketing manager about lack of response from two of his vendors. Receive multiple excuses. I insist that if I don't get the list of wines, then I'm giving their table to the new guy. Hah! Then I won't have to change that contract.
4:55 - Receive the list of wines from the two vendors. Still have to change that contract. Also receive a nice bottle of Cylcel Gladiator Rose Wine.
5:00 - Leave work determined to come home and drink the entire bottle of wine.
But I didn't. I did take a picture of this cute little piggy bank I got from my RWA writing group on Saturday. Isnt' it cute!!
And that's about when I'll have the funding to actually retire...when pigs fly!!!
So, how was your day???
8:00AM - arrive at work and ensure everything is arranged for the big high-level meeting with members from our corporate headquarters.
8:15AM - boss calls. He didn't receive itinerary for one leg of his flight for September 25th.
9:00AM - travel agency opens. Call and get message that the agency isn't open yet.
9:15AM - call travel agency and get put on hold. Five minutes later, bounce back to operator, who puts me in priority queue. Ten minutes later get connected with someone named Debbie. She tells me that they didn't have an email address to send the e-ticket to. Funny...we use this agency for all our corporate travel, and both my boss and I have always received our e-tickets via email before. But, I give her my email address, she assures me she will send it immediately.
10:00AM - still haven't received email. Boss comes in. Says "we" will need to get lunches brought in for everyone in meeting.
10:10AM - I knock on conference room door and interrupt with list of sandwich choices.
10:12AM - Take coffee, cups, sugar, cream, and stirrers into meeting and set up. Collect lunch orders.
10:20AM - call to place pick up order for box lunches. Ask if I can pick them up at 11:15. Nope. Won't be able to have them ready until 11:30. Okay. Place order.
10:30AM - still haven't received email.
10:45AM - receive email from office manager. The vending machines are being removed. If anyone wants anything now is the time to get it! Nice to get advance notice. WHEN are they being removed and WHY? Well, the man isn't making enough money off us, so he's in the process of removing the machines right now in the warehouse, so he'll be in the office next. GREAT! I have big-wigs from our Dallas corporate office in here for a meeting, they are expecting to get drinks from the machine for lunch...and instead they will see a man REPOSSESSING THE MACHINES!!!!
11:00AM - go to Marketing manager and beg for samples of FIJI water for corporate lunch. Got lucky. Put 12 bottles in refrigerator to cool.
11:15AM - leave to pick up lunches. It has been raining and I have on shoes with no backs and toes out. Wade through puddles and enter restaurant. Glasses fog up. Wave them in the air until they clear and I can walk without bumping into things. Go to pick up counter - clearly marked as such. Several minutes later, clerk working register on my left says there is no drawer in the register at the pick up. Walk to end of long line of people waiting to place their lunch orders. Two minutes later another clerk inserts a drawer in the register for pick ups. I leave line and go back to register just in time for this person to walk away. Nope, I'm not moving again! Same gal that questioned me the first time now asks, "Are you here to pick up an order?" Well, duh! No, I'm here to see how long it takes to get annoyed enough to get arrested for battery. Here's your sign!!! So I tell her yes, give her my name and finally she brings my two huge shopping bags full of box lunches. I hand her my boss' credit card, forge his signature and leave. Okay, now I've got both hands loaded down with these heavy bags, my purse, and my keys hanging on one finger. I can't sit the bags down because it's wet and the bottoms will come out. I step back, my shoe comes off and my foot is in a puddle. Great! Finally I get the car unlocked and put the bags in the back seat...and realize both bags seem to be even. Umm, I ordered eleven lunches. Take a count. Sure enough only ten lunches. Gather bags, walk back into store, fuming. Same clerk: "Is something wrong?" Duh! "Nope, I'm just practicing my model runway walk. Here's your sign!" So, I tell her that I ordered 11 lunches and only have ten. She gets the recept and waves it in my face. Nope, see "she" wrote ten lunches. Me: I don't care what she wrote. I ordered eleven lunches and I NEED eleven lunches. I grab the receipt and look at the written order. I point out the vegetarian sandwich, which is not in my bags nor on the ring up sheet. She reads it and says "I'll go check." CHECK WHAT????? Just get me a vegetarian box lunch!!! Seven minutes later I get a vegetarian box lunch. Clerk rings up the additional order. I forge my boss' signature again. Stomp out of the restaurant, forgetting about the wet puddles until the water begins to seep into my stockings. Finally get the bags back in the car. Drive to work. Park. Get out. It begins to rain. Time now: 12:20.
12:20 - Set up lunches in lunch room. Receptionist tells me that our office vending machines aren't being removed after all. **sigh** Get bottled water from fridge and put on tables with lunches.
12:22 - One of the corporate bigwigs stops me in lunch room to tell me that when he arrived at the Hilton late, tired, and ready to crash they had given away his "guaranteed" room because someone had called to cancel it because his plane was cancelled!!! He raised a big ruckus, and got the general manager involved. They offered him a smoking room. Not acceptable. Finally they put him up at the Marriott and paid for the room. He just wanted me to know. **sigh**
12:30 - still haven't received email. Call the Hilton to complain. Accounting asks ME if I figured out who cancelled the room. Well, duh! Yeah. I figured it out. Someone in YOUR organization gave the room away for no earthly reason, or one of your incredible dumb reservation clerks cancelled the wrong freaking room!! Just make sure we receive NO charges on the credit card I used to guarantee the room.
Go to lunch.
1:30 - still haven't received email. Man walks into my office and introduces himself. He begins to talk about the products he wants to have on his table at our holiday shows (which I'm neck deep in coordinating). I pleasantly smile and give him the forms to fill out. The first form is the one which was due to me on JUNE 15 to reserve space!!! Now I have to go back to the venues and change my contract to add a table.
2:00 - still haven't received email. Spend the next two hours frustrated with trying to work out all the details on the holiday show late responses. By now, I'm starting to lose my hair. My feet are killing me. I'm thirsty and in too much pain to hobble to the vending machine which is still standing in the lunch room.
4:00 - still haven't receive email. Call travel agency again. Get put on hold for five minutes. Bounce back to receptionist. Put in priority queue. Five minutes later am connected with a rep, not the one I spoke with earlier. Repeat my quest for an email confirmation and e-ticket. "We received a message that your email came back with an invalid address." Okay, so they left the "t" off my name. Fix. It.
4:30 - FINALLY RECEIVE EMAIL. Forward it to my boss.
4:45 - Chat with marketing manager about lack of response from two of his vendors. Receive multiple excuses. I insist that if I don't get the list of wines, then I'm giving their table to the new guy. Hah! Then I won't have to change that contract.
4:55 - Receive the list of wines from the two vendors. Still have to change that contract. Also receive a nice bottle of Cylcel Gladiator Rose Wine.
5:00 - Leave work determined to come home and drink the entire bottle of wine.
But I didn't. I did take a picture of this cute little piggy bank I got from my RWA writing group on Saturday. Isnt' it cute!!
And that's about when I'll have the funding to actually retire...when pigs fly!!!
So, how was your day???
Sunday, August 19, 2007
The End Again
Nose to the grindstone, I made a goal to finish editing and writing this novel today. Last night I stayed up until all I had to write was the very last chapter...the ending. I knew what I wanted to happen, but not quite how I'd begin the chapter, so I went to bed thinking about it.
Got up at 6:30am to get ready for church and didn't have time to do any work on it beforehand. Got home around noon, went grocery shopping. Finally at 3pm I sat in front of the computer and began to write. I love when I don't really know what my characters are going to do or say. The story just seems to come out somehow. And the whole chapter did just that. I haven't gone back to read it, because when I finished I thought it was a bunch of garbage. I suppose all writers have that tendency to think their work is substandard. But I did it! It's finished.
Um, that is until I print it out and read it all again. **sigh** I'm already sick to death of the story. And, I'm sure there will be some pages where I missed a few things that will have to be corrected and then printed again...and I still have to expand upon the synopsis. My goal is to finish reading it by bedtime tomorrow night. And I will have the synopsis finished by Tuesday night. Wednesday is my deadline for mailing the whole kit and kaboodle to Steeple Hill.
And...the waiting will begin again. I'm sure it won't be a quick three week turnaround like the request was.
I plan to take a week off and read my latest Dean Koontz novel. Then I'll go back to the WIP which is nearly at the half way point.
There is never rest for an author...especially one who has to work a full-time day job besides.
Oh, before I go...yesterday afternoon I attended my RWA local chapter meeting. Had a great presentation by Lori Foster and Dianne Castell. It was how to write when your whole world has gone to hell. I came away very inspired. I think that's why I managed to finish JOSHUA'S HOPE today. But...here's the fun part. At our meetings, if we have bad news (i.e. rejections), or good news (requests, or we submit something) then we get to "dive" into a goody basket. Since I had a request for my full, I dove in and got the cutest piggy bank. It's hard rubber and the piggy has cute black eyes and...WINGS!!! Yep, and on it's back are the words: Writer's Retirement Fund. Very appropriate, I think.
Good night, and thanks for reading!
Got up at 6:30am to get ready for church and didn't have time to do any work on it beforehand. Got home around noon, went grocery shopping. Finally at 3pm I sat in front of the computer and began to write. I love when I don't really know what my characters are going to do or say. The story just seems to come out somehow. And the whole chapter did just that. I haven't gone back to read it, because when I finished I thought it was a bunch of garbage. I suppose all writers have that tendency to think their work is substandard. But I did it! It's finished.
Um, that is until I print it out and read it all again. **sigh** I'm already sick to death of the story. And, I'm sure there will be some pages where I missed a few things that will have to be corrected and then printed again...and I still have to expand upon the synopsis. My goal is to finish reading it by bedtime tomorrow night. And I will have the synopsis finished by Tuesday night. Wednesday is my deadline for mailing the whole kit and kaboodle to Steeple Hill.
And...the waiting will begin again. I'm sure it won't be a quick three week turnaround like the request was.
I plan to take a week off and read my latest Dean Koontz novel. Then I'll go back to the WIP which is nearly at the half way point.
There is never rest for an author...especially one who has to work a full-time day job besides.
Oh, before I go...yesterday afternoon I attended my RWA local chapter meeting. Had a great presentation by Lori Foster and Dianne Castell. It was how to write when your whole world has gone to hell. I came away very inspired. I think that's why I managed to finish JOSHUA'S HOPE today. But...here's the fun part. At our meetings, if we have bad news (i.e. rejections), or good news (requests, or we submit something) then we get to "dive" into a goody basket. Since I had a request for my full, I dove in and got the cutest piggy bank. It's hard rubber and the piggy has cute black eyes and...WINGS!!! Yep, and on it's back are the words: Writer's Retirement Fund. Very appropriate, I think.
Good night, and thanks for reading!
Friday, August 17, 2007
The Joy of Editing
Non writers just don't get it. They believe that a book is written and instantly should be available for purchase. No one understands all the long hours spent AFTER the book is written.
I was fortunate enough to receive some great advice from advance readers for JOSHUA'S HOPE. Now I've been immersed in taking that advice and making my story stronger. That required a complete read through and a jotting of notes in the margins with ideas for rewriting passages, and in some cases entire chapters.
I'm nearing the end and it is all going to be fresh new writing to incorporate all the changes I've made in the first three quarters of the book. For me that is exciting. Why?
I have a much deeper knowledge of my characters and their motivations. I'm psyched up to carry them through the brightest hour, the darkest moment, and the uplifting ending. Writing endings is my favorite part of being an author.
I would encourage everyone who is beginning their writing journey to consider finding readers to help them with strengthening their stories. What we as an author feel is a perfect manuscript may fall short in a reader's eyes. Don't rely on your friends or your family to give you constructive criticism. Most of them won't want to hurt your feelings. And if you are the type whose feelings are easily hurt, then don't consider being a writer. In order to succeed, you do have to grow a thick alligator skin and also be able to know what to keep and what to throw away when it comes to advice.
Then you, too, will find the joy in editing.
Have a great day and thanks for reading.
I was fortunate enough to receive some great advice from advance readers for JOSHUA'S HOPE. Now I've been immersed in taking that advice and making my story stronger. That required a complete read through and a jotting of notes in the margins with ideas for rewriting passages, and in some cases entire chapters.
I'm nearing the end and it is all going to be fresh new writing to incorporate all the changes I've made in the first three quarters of the book. For me that is exciting. Why?
I have a much deeper knowledge of my characters and their motivations. I'm psyched up to carry them through the brightest hour, the darkest moment, and the uplifting ending. Writing endings is my favorite part of being an author.
I would encourage everyone who is beginning their writing journey to consider finding readers to help them with strengthening their stories. What we as an author feel is a perfect manuscript may fall short in a reader's eyes. Don't rely on your friends or your family to give you constructive criticism. Most of them won't want to hurt your feelings. And if you are the type whose feelings are easily hurt, then don't consider being a writer. In order to succeed, you do have to grow a thick alligator skin and also be able to know what to keep and what to throw away when it comes to advice.
Then you, too, will find the joy in editing.
Have a great day and thanks for reading.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Author Interview with Dr. Barbara Holstein
As the audience applauds, the curtain raises and Carol Ann walks on stage, bows, and smiles. "Hello, everyone! I'm so happy to be back with you today. This past week has been very hectic. I visited a dear friend in North Carolina, and just got back into town. Everything about my trip was wonderful. The scenery was spectacular, but I have to confess that I have a phobia about driving across bridges that have those metal frames above them. You know the ones I'm talking about? I freeze whenever I start driving over them. Had to cross two of them on the way, and darn if those same two weren't waiting for me on the way back!"
AUDIENCE LAUGHS
"Today we have another very special guest in the blog studio. This lady is making a virtual book tour and I'm looking forward to meeting her. How about you?"
AUDIENCE APPLAUDS
"All right, then! Let's get her out here. Blog studio audience please make welcome Dr. Barbara Becker Holstein--Psychologist, Happiness Coach & Author!"
AUDIENCE WHOOPS AND APPLAUDS ASDR. HOLSTEIN WALKS FROM BEHIND THE CURTAINS.
CAROL ANN: Welcome to the Blog Studio, Dr. Holstein.
BARBARA: Please call me Barbara, Carol Ann.
(Picture of Dr. Barbara Holstein and her book cover)
BOTH WOMEN WALK TO THE FACING LOVESEATS ANGLED SLIGHTLY TOWARD THE AUDIENCE.
CAROL ANN: Barbara, Please tell me about your book. It looks so interesting and everything I've read makes me want to rush out and buy a copy.
BARBARA: The Truth, I'm Ten, I'm Smart and I Know Everything is a book I'm so proud of. It is a brand new way to help women and girls focus on what is right and heroic and wonderful about themselves. What if we could carry THE TRUTH from girlhood to adulthood? That priceless "truth" that we all recognize as kids? adulthood?What if we could pass the gift of our early wisdom and brilliance along to our children, giving them permission to hold on to their most precious jewels?I think I've found a way in THE TRUTH, I'm Ten, I'm Smart and I Know Everything. The Truth is a delightful, humorous secret diary, written by a girl who is 10-11 years of age. She is wise and yet so innocent. She makes us cry and laugh and remember ourselves. Behind this very easy read is the psychological message to the women reading THE TRUTH that they can and must recapture the fire and passion of their girlhoods not only for themselves to flourish and be happy, but for the next generation to also have the gifts of good emotional and spiritual health.
CAROL ANN: Where did you come up with the idea for this book?
BARBARA: As a positive psychologist I have always been determined to share and teach positive psychological concepts in a self help manner that truly works. I did that in all my previous books, starting with THE ENCHANTED SELF, A Positive Therapy and later with Recipes for Enchantment, The Secret Ingredient is YOU! The question was how continue to do that and not be dry or tedious. How could I pass on the wisdom I have the privilege of understanding and using in a way that women would enjoy the read and still use the inspiration from my book to integrate more fully all the positive parts of themselves and not shy away from their own powers to create a fabulous life for themselves? How also could I create a read that would help women and their daughters communicate more openly and honestly so that girl would be able to trust that as they grew up they would come into their own and not have to 'sell out.'
The answer to my question was to let the 'girl' come alive. The 'girl' is the ten, soon to be 11 year old who began to emerge as I started to draft this book. The more she came alive, the easier it was for my message to come through. I soon saw that I needed to let go of her and allow her to more away from me- become her own character who knew exactly the book she wanted to write. And she wrote it!
CAROL ANN: I can relate to that. It's true that our characters really do write their stories. Tell me, who is the target audience for your book?
BARBARA: My primary target audience with this edition of THE TRUTH is women. My secondary market with this edition is girls, ages 10-14. However, there will be a special girl's edition of THE TRUTH with a different introduction and questions out later this fall.
CAROL ANN: What do you hope your readers gain from reading this book?
BARBARA: I hope women will get back in touch with their earlier passions and wisdom. I hope they will laugh aloud and remember themselves in a new, favorable light as they join energies with the girl. I also hope they will feel an appreciation of their daughters that will result in more open sharing and loving between mom and daughter. I hope girls will rejoice in finding a soulmate and feel more courageous to approach their mother's for open conversation and also have more courage to hold on to what is most precious about themselves.
CAROL ANN: As a writer, not a psychologist, what does the word romance mean to you?
BARBARA: Romance means enchantment with life and with oneself. It means finding mystery, newness, adventure and contentment in what happens next to ourselves or to another. It means having lots of available energy and passion! We can romance life, or a meal, a wonderful sleep or a lover! The possibilities are endless.
CAROL ANN: You probably thought you'd appear on this show and just talk about your book, but we do things differently here. I like to show the audience more about the guests I interview. You know, kind of let them know that we are just people, too. So, my first "off the wall" question is this. Your life is about to become a movie. What will the title be?
AUDIENCE LAUGHS
"Today we have another very special guest in the blog studio. This lady is making a virtual book tour and I'm looking forward to meeting her. How about you?"
AUDIENCE APPLAUDS
"All right, then! Let's get her out here. Blog studio audience please make welcome Dr. Barbara Becker Holstein--Psychologist, Happiness Coach & Author!"
AUDIENCE WHOOPS AND APPLAUDS ASDR. HOLSTEIN WALKS FROM BEHIND THE CURTAINS.
CAROL ANN: Welcome to the Blog Studio, Dr. Holstein.
BARBARA: Please call me Barbara, Carol Ann.
(Picture of Dr. Barbara Holstein and her book cover)
BOTH WOMEN WALK TO THE FACING LOVESEATS ANGLED SLIGHTLY TOWARD THE AUDIENCE.
CAROL ANN: Barbara, Please tell me about your book. It looks so interesting and everything I've read makes me want to rush out and buy a copy.
BARBARA: The Truth, I'm Ten, I'm Smart and I Know Everything is a book I'm so proud of. It is a brand new way to help women and girls focus on what is right and heroic and wonderful about themselves. What if we could carry THE TRUTH from girlhood to adulthood? That priceless "truth" that we all recognize as kids? adulthood?What if we could pass the gift of our early wisdom and brilliance along to our children, giving them permission to hold on to their most precious jewels?I think I've found a way in THE TRUTH, I'm Ten, I'm Smart and I Know Everything. The Truth is a delightful, humorous secret diary, written by a girl who is 10-11 years of age. She is wise and yet so innocent. She makes us cry and laugh and remember ourselves. Behind this very easy read is the psychological message to the women reading THE TRUTH that they can and must recapture the fire and passion of their girlhoods not only for themselves to flourish and be happy, but for the next generation to also have the gifts of good emotional and spiritual health.
CAROL ANN: Where did you come up with the idea for this book?
BARBARA: As a positive psychologist I have always been determined to share and teach positive psychological concepts in a self help manner that truly works. I did that in all my previous books, starting with THE ENCHANTED SELF, A Positive Therapy and later with Recipes for Enchantment, The Secret Ingredient is YOU! The question was how continue to do that and not be dry or tedious. How could I pass on the wisdom I have the privilege of understanding and using in a way that women would enjoy the read and still use the inspiration from my book to integrate more fully all the positive parts of themselves and not shy away from their own powers to create a fabulous life for themselves? How also could I create a read that would help women and their daughters communicate more openly and honestly so that girl would be able to trust that as they grew up they would come into their own and not have to 'sell out.'
The answer to my question was to let the 'girl' come alive. The 'girl' is the ten, soon to be 11 year old who began to emerge as I started to draft this book. The more she came alive, the easier it was for my message to come through. I soon saw that I needed to let go of her and allow her to more away from me- become her own character who knew exactly the book she wanted to write. And she wrote it!
CAROL ANN: I can relate to that. It's true that our characters really do write their stories. Tell me, who is the target audience for your book?
BARBARA: My primary target audience with this edition of THE TRUTH is women. My secondary market with this edition is girls, ages 10-14. However, there will be a special girl's edition of THE TRUTH with a different introduction and questions out later this fall.
CAROL ANN: What do you hope your readers gain from reading this book?
BARBARA: I hope women will get back in touch with their earlier passions and wisdom. I hope they will laugh aloud and remember themselves in a new, favorable light as they join energies with the girl. I also hope they will feel an appreciation of their daughters that will result in more open sharing and loving between mom and daughter. I hope girls will rejoice in finding a soulmate and feel more courageous to approach their mother's for open conversation and also have more courage to hold on to what is most precious about themselves.
CAROL ANN: As a writer, not a psychologist, what does the word romance mean to you?
BARBARA: Romance means enchantment with life and with oneself. It means finding mystery, newness, adventure and contentment in what happens next to ourselves or to another. It means having lots of available energy and passion! We can romance life, or a meal, a wonderful sleep or a lover! The possibilities are endless.
CAROL ANN: You probably thought you'd appear on this show and just talk about your book, but we do things differently here. I like to show the audience more about the guests I interview. You know, kind of let them know that we are just people, too. So, my first "off the wall" question is this. Your life is about to become a movie. What will the title be?
BARBARA: Wow-let's see. I would say, Romancing The Truth.
CAROL ANN: What is a normal day for you?
BARBARA: I see clients and/or write, take care of all the usual family chores, take care of myself, spend time with my husband and/or family and grandkids. I like to have some time to myself but I also crave to be with people I care about. When I travel I love to shop and see what people like to eat and wear, read, etc. in a new place.
CAROL ANN: When you are down, who can make you laugh?
BARBARA: Some of my friends, my husband, my grandkids and good news.
CAROL ANN: Do you collect anything?
BARBARA: We used to collect antiques but we have too many! I collect my writings and my impressions about life. I collect information that I think will be useful. I collect ways to stay healthy, herbs to fight off food poisoning, etc.
CAROL ANN: Those sound like great collections. You don't have to dust them off! **both laugh** Oh, Barbara, the time has flown by. See that guy over there? He's been giving me the hand slicing gesture across the neck. Guess that means, we need to wrap up the interview. One last question. Do you believe the pen is mightier than the sword?
BARBARA: Of course-words are our treasure-they set us apart from other living creatures and give us a way to create new world and to solve problems.
CAROL ANN: Thanks so much for stopping by on your tour. I've really enjoyed having you. before you leave, will you please tell the audience where can we purchase your book?
BARBARA: On my website, http://www.enchantedself.com/ and of course on http://www.amazon.com/. I am selling THE TRUTH, I'm Ten, I'm Smart and I Know Everything! on sale now at my site.
CAROL ANN: Thanks again.
AUDIENCE APPLAUDS AS CAROL ANN AND BARBARA LEAVE THE STAGE.
CAMERA ROLLS OVER THE FOLLOWING CREDITS WHERE THE AUDIENCE CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT DR. HOLSTEIN AND HER BOOKS.
Monday, August 06, 2007
Great News in My Mailbox Tonight...
The query letter and synopsis which I mailed on July 10 to Steeple Hill for JOSHUA'S HOPE has already received a response!! They want me to submit the entire manuscript.
I am so excited! I didn't expect to hear so soon and when I saw that letter from Harlequin, I cringed. Didn't want to open it. Wanted to open it. Heart pounding I told myself it was just another rejection letter. Especially when I noticed only two short lines for the body of the letter. But it wasn't a rejection!! Very simply stated, the letter thanked me for my query and asked for the full manuscript and a synopsis.
This is the publisher I have been targeting for six years and I'm praying this will be my foot in the door, so to speak. If they buy this manuscript, it will be a dream come true for me.
Okay, nose to the grindstone now. I must, must, must do a thorough edit and make several revisions based on feedback from advance readers.
Taking a deep breath, and preparing for the dive.....
Later, my friends. Wish me luck!!
I am so excited! I didn't expect to hear so soon and when I saw that letter from Harlequin, I cringed. Didn't want to open it. Wanted to open it. Heart pounding I told myself it was just another rejection letter. Especially when I noticed only two short lines for the body of the letter. But it wasn't a rejection!! Very simply stated, the letter thanked me for my query and asked for the full manuscript and a synopsis.
This is the publisher I have been targeting for six years and I'm praying this will be my foot in the door, so to speak. If they buy this manuscript, it will be a dream come true for me.
Okay, nose to the grindstone now. I must, must, must do a thorough edit and make several revisions based on feedback from advance readers.
Taking a deep breath, and preparing for the dive.....
Later, my friends. Wish me luck!!
Thursday, August 02, 2007
Author Interview with Lisa Logan
The camera pans over the Blog Studio audience as the show begins. Today, we see several country music artists in the group (everyone knows Carol Ann loves country music). First waving and smiling is the beautiful and very talented Martina McBride. The camera continues to pan while the audience is yelling and clapping and we see another great country star...no, two country stars...Faith Hill and Tim McGraw!! The band begins to play and the camera pans to the stage where we see a tall, lanky man, wearing a white hat, a sport coat, and ragged knee jeans. Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome country music superstar Alan Jackson. Alan begins to sing, "A Woman's Love".
The audience goes wild. Carol Ann enters from stage right, applauding and grinning.
Alan takes a bow. Carol Ann shakes his hand and thanks him for opening the show.
"Wow! Alan Jackson, ladies and gentlemen. Wasn't he great?"
When the audience applause lessens, Carol Ann takes her seat in the blog studio interview area.
CAROL ANN: Now that's what I call a wonderful opening. I love country music. Oh, hi Faith! Hi Tim! Oh, and Martina! Hello. I'm so honored to have all of you in the audience today. We have another guest who is just backstage waiting to come out and tell us all about her first full length novel, VISIONS. Please put your hands together and make welcome, author Lisa Logan!
Audience applauds. Carol Ann holds up a book and the camera pans in.
The audience goes wild. Carol Ann enters from stage right, applauding and grinning.
Alan takes a bow. Carol Ann shakes his hand and thanks him for opening the show.
"Wow! Alan Jackson, ladies and gentlemen. Wasn't he great?"
When the audience applause lessens, Carol Ann takes her seat in the blog studio interview area.
CAROL ANN: Now that's what I call a wonderful opening. I love country music. Oh, hi Faith! Hi Tim! Oh, and Martina! Hello. I'm so honored to have all of you in the audience today. We have another guest who is just backstage waiting to come out and tell us all about her first full length novel, VISIONS. Please put your hands together and make welcome, author Lisa Logan!
Audience applauds. Carol Ann holds up a book and the camera pans in.
CAROL ANN: Welcome, Lisa. So glad you could be with us today. This is a gorgeous cover. The audience is as eager as I am to hear more about your story. Please tell us about it.
LISA: VISIONS is the tale of a movie star turned real-life hero, when he bumps into a stranger and somehow acquires her psychic abilities. Can he use his newfound powers to find his mysterious benefactor in time to fulfill their romantic destiny--and save her from certain danger?
CAROL ANN: Oooh, you are good. You tell us just enough to get us intrigued enough to want more. **laugh** Guess we'll have to buy the book to learn all about those psychic abilities and the romance.
How did the idea for this book generate?
LISA: From a dream, actually! I dreamt someone touched a psychic and was suddenly imbued with their powers. The idea, though I could find no factual basis for it, intrigued me...and before long this had sprouted into the premise for my book.
CAROL ANN: That's fascinating. I've never been able to remember enough about my dreams to turn them into a story. Of course my dreams always seem to feature me in some weird kind of twisted video flash. **grin** How many novels did you write before becoming published?
LISA: VISIONS was my first full-length novel, though it took me nearly a year and a half to beat the challenge of moving from short fiction work to novel.
CAROL ANN: What do you have planned in the near future?
LISA: I have two books under consideration right now: a murder mystery titled TWELVE STEPS TO MURDER, and the first of a series of red hot novellas called SUITE SEDUCTION. I also just signed a contract for the lead story in a Twisted Fayry Tales anthology.
CAROL ANN: Sounds like you are on the path to many more successes. A lot of Blog Studio fans want to know if I have a place of my own in which I write. What does your writing space look like?
LISA: Our dining area has been converted into a nook, where a large desk houses my entire writing universe. I utilize Feng Shui in my writing space, though clutter tends to make it less ideal than I'd like.
CAROL ANN: I can relate to that. It's so hard to keep a writing desk uncluttered! I have to confess that my writing office is the most cluttered room in our house. I'm currently working on a manuscript and I'm close to the half way point, but I still don't have a title for it. How do you decide on a title for your books?
LISA: Usually they just come to me--sometimes before the idea for the book itself. Such was the case with TWELVE STEPS TO MURDER: the titled popped into my head, then I started wondering what that book would be about. So far I've been at a loss only once, and my husband saved the day by coming up with SUITE SEDUCTION.
CAROL ANN: Ah, a supportive spouse. That's always a plus. Here's a question I love asking my guests. What does the word romance mean to you?
LISA: As a life concept or a genre? Hmm, then again, I imagine my definition is the same either way: both are rather confusing to figure out at times, but offer the wildest ride of one's life. I highly recommend it.
CAROL ANN: Lisa, do you have any pets? I've heard it said that people resemble their pets. Is that true for you?
LISA: I've had no pets for close to ten years now, though I've had the usual menagerie before then: cats, dogs, fish, birds, hamsters. Right now we have a preschooler to chase after, and she's plenty!
CAROL ANN: Do you collect anything? If so, tell me about your collection and how you got started.
LISA: I've collected many things in the past, but we've moved down to a small apartment where I've adopted a no-nonsense approach. Besides, if I tried to collect anything there'd be no room for my husband's massive collection of movie costumes and props!
CAROL ANN: Ah ha! So, tell us about this collection of your husband's. Is this collection what prompted your character in VISIONS to be a movie star?
LISA: My husband is an actor, costumer, and prop maker who has worked in the film industry. His love of movies and acting has much to do with this hobby, which he began as a teenager and is now a large part of his livelihood as well. While none of this is why Trenton Dane a movie star, his character is a complex blend of actors I know personally, as well those I've seen in the media. As such, my husband might just show up as a glimmer in Trenton's eye.
CAROL ANN: I'll just bet it does! Carol Ann holds up the book VISIONS again. Audience, please be sure to visit Lisa's website to learn more about her book and future work. I hope you are as intrigued as I am to buy Lisa's book. Lisa, final question. Do you believe the pen is mightier than the sword? Why?
LISA: The pen is mightier than the sword, and the tongue can cleave a sword in two. Words are powerful, and can be used to soothe, to heal, to love, to encourage--and to wound more deeply than any steel blade. What sword can boast all that?
CAROL ANN: What sword, indeed! Thank you again, Lisa for taking time out of your busy schedule to join us in the Blog Studio today.
The television screen marquees info for Lisa Logan.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)