"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated." ~Mahatma Ghandi
I'm slowly but surely making progress on my revisions of One Night in Napa...just about halfway through now, and the word count is close to 68K. My goal is between 70 and 75, so I have a bit still to go. I'm trying oh-so-hard to be better at adding dialogue rather than inner thought (one of my constant areas in need of improvement), though I just finished a long section in which the hero is by himself, so that's a challenge sometimes!
***
In other news, I'd love for you to help me collect votes for the animal shelter where I volunteer...they're participating in a contest where the grand prize is $10,000 - and all you have to do is click this link and vote for them. Could you vote? And then help spread the word? Thanks!
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Friday, September 26, 2008
Book Signings Tips
Those of you who are regular blog readers here know that I've talked pretty extensively about my experiences at book signings over the summer. But Samhain author Maria Zannini is hosting a special event today at her blog: she has a collection of tips from many different authors, and so we hope people are blog-hopping today to peek into new blog corners and perhaps gain some book-signing experience.
So...in no particular order, here are my top tips for throwing yourself a successful book signing ('cause you are going to have to do it yourself, you know, unless you're Stephenie Meyer or Nicholas Sparks...)
1. Choose your venue carefully. It can be exciting to plan your first book signing. But consider the where and when first, and be a little choosy. I’ve attended signings where I’ve sold 20+ books, and I’ve attended others where I didn’t sell any at all. Think about the cost-effectiveness: is it worth it to travel a long distance to a signing, where few people might know you? Or will you do better locally? If you go somewhere far from home, make sure you have a “hook,” or a connection to that location. Are you scheduling your signing for the opening night of a popular movie? (I learned this one the hard way, unknowingly trying to compete with the premiere of “Sex and the City”). Will the store do enough publicity to draw people in? What is their publicity plan?
2. Contact your venues well in advance. Three months is good; they need time to plan and publicize, and so do you!
3. Send promo items to help the bookseller publicize. Bookmarks, a poster, flyers…all are good things they can put on a desk or near the cash register, for customers to pick up. ASk them if they'd like you to send a press release they can use, too. And of course, make sure you’re doing your own share of getting the word out. Post notices on your website and blog, send out an announcement if you have a Yahoo group or newsletter, tell people at work, mail postcards to the people on your holiday card list…you get the idea!
4. Find out whether the bookstore can order your books, or whether you will have to carry them in yourself. Sometimes if you’re published with a small press, stores won’t be able to order them from your distributor. Make sure you know this ahead of time.
Be courteous to your host(ess). Both in the early planning stages, and while you’re there, be kind. Bring a small gift to show appreciation. Write a thank-you note after you leave.
5. Have something to say. If you have the opportunity, consider holding a question and answer session. Or a general discussion of your book. Even better: read from your book, and leave customers hanging. This was one of the most successful things I did to entice readers to buy my book.
6. Things to bring: promo items (bookmarks, magnets, business cards, etc), a good pen for signing your books, water to drink, book stands to prop up your books, and chocolate. No one can pass up chocolate!
So...in no particular order, here are my top tips for throwing yourself a successful book signing ('cause you are going to have to do it yourself, you know, unless you're Stephenie Meyer or Nicholas Sparks...)
1. Choose your venue carefully. It can be exciting to plan your first book signing. But consider the where and when first, and be a little choosy. I’ve attended signings where I’ve sold 20+ books, and I’ve attended others where I didn’t sell any at all. Think about the cost-effectiveness: is it worth it to travel a long distance to a signing, where few people might know you? Or will you do better locally? If you go somewhere far from home, make sure you have a “hook,” or a connection to that location. Are you scheduling your signing for the opening night of a popular movie? (I learned this one the hard way, unknowingly trying to compete with the premiere of “Sex and the City”). Will the store do enough publicity to draw people in? What is their publicity plan?
2. Contact your venues well in advance. Three months is good; they need time to plan and publicize, and so do you!
3. Send promo items to help the bookseller publicize. Bookmarks, a poster, flyers…all are good things they can put on a desk or near the cash register, for customers to pick up. ASk them if they'd like you to send a press release they can use, too. And of course, make sure you’re doing your own share of getting the word out. Post notices on your website and blog, send out an announcement if you have a Yahoo group or newsletter, tell people at work, mail postcards to the people on your holiday card list…you get the idea!
4. Find out whether the bookstore can order your books, or whether you will have to carry them in yourself. Sometimes if you’re published with a small press, stores won’t be able to order them from your distributor. Make sure you know this ahead of time.
Be courteous to your host(ess). Both in the early planning stages, and while you’re there, be kind. Bring a small gift to show appreciation. Write a thank-you note after you leave.
5. Have something to say. If you have the opportunity, consider holding a question and answer session. Or a general discussion of your book. Even better: read from your book, and leave customers hanging. This was one of the most successful things I did to entice readers to buy my book.
6. Things to bring: promo items (bookmarks, magnets, business cards, etc), a good pen for signing your books, water to drink, book stands to prop up your books, and chocolate. No one can pass up chocolate!
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Where Would You Go?
"Vacation is what you take when you can't take what you've been taking any longer." ~Anonymous
Well, the inevitable has happened: school has started, and I'm already looking at our calendar to see when the vacations fall and where I might like to go...
My question to you is this: if you could vacation anywhere in the world, where would it be, and why?
I have my favorite spots, of course, and a list of ones I'd still like to see (plus I keep thinking if this "One Night..." book gig works out, I might be able to write off trips in the name of "research." You know, like One Night in Paris, One Night in Madrid...)
So where would you go? I'd love to know. Back to a place you've already been? Or to someplace new you've been dying to see?
Well, the inevitable has happened: school has started, and I'm already looking at our calendar to see when the vacations fall and where I might like to go...
My question to you is this: if you could vacation anywhere in the world, where would it be, and why?
I have my favorite spots, of course, and a list of ones I'd still like to see (plus I keep thinking if this "One Night..." book gig works out, I might be able to write off trips in the name of "research." You know, like One Night in Paris, One Night in Madrid...)
So where would you go? I'd love to know. Back to a place you've already been? Or to someplace new you've been dying to see?
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Writers' Wednesday: An Interview with Anthony Barnett
Welcome to another Writers' Wednesday! Today I'm pleased to host author Anthony Barnett. Enjoy...
Welcome to my blog, Anthony! Can you tell us a little about your background?
Hi, Allie, I’ve been a published writer since 1994. My stuff has been mostly aimed at women’s magazines and summer specials, although I’ve also been lucky enough to have stories published in international competitions, recorded for ‘Talking Newspapers’ and broadcast on primetime radio.
Tell us about your latest writing project or published title.
The title of my novel is ‘WITHOUT REPROACH’ – Working class Jenny, from middle England, inherits a share in a finca (hacienda) from Spanish aristocrat, Juan García. However, she’s never heard of him, is not related to him and has never been to his hacienda. The problem is she finds a nude painting of herself in the entrance hall.
I wrote WITHOUT REPROACH as a mystery, but it’s been hi-jacked by the media as a ‘steamy novel’, and Amazon have classed it as a ‘contemporary romance’, so what do I know?
Wow - sounds like a great story. So how do you go about developing your characters?
I make a full dossier on each character before I begin to write. I draw up every facet, not only physical, but mental, to better understand how they’ll react in a given situation. I cut out pictures from magazines to suit my characters and pin them on my wall so I’ll not forget how they look. I also build an inventory of clothes and fashions taken from adverts in magazines.
What advice would you give to new writers just starting out?
Well, I generally advise new writers to not only read as much as they can, but to purchase a textbook on creative writing, so they’ll understand techniques behind writing. My philosophy is, artists, dancers, actors, all spend years studying and perfecting their craft. Why should writers be different?
Describe your writing space for us...
I use a spare room, but also work with my laptop in the lounge or even in a bar if my wife is at the hairdresser. I’m afraid my actual space is always cluttered. I’m not a tidy person, yet I always know where to find things. The worst is when my wife decides to ‘tidy’. I can find nothing after.
Hah...I think many of us could relate to that! Now, when you write, do you use the computer or compose by hand, oral dictation, or some other method?
I always write directly onto computer. I can’t handle writing stuff out twice. Editing becomes a pain if it’s not on computer. I’ve promised myself a recording device, but haven’t got around to it yet.
Great interview, Anthony. Anything else you’d like to mention?
Just that WITHOUT REPROACH magically made the Amazon.ca best selling list for just a few hours of ONE day a while ago. I don’t know how or why. But thank you Canada. It’s sinking rapidly, but at least I made it once.
That's terrific! Readers, if you'd like to know more about Anthony and his work, visit his website or his blog. And have a wonderful Wednesday!
Welcome to my blog, Anthony! Can you tell us a little about your background?
Hi, Allie, I’ve been a published writer since 1994. My stuff has been mostly aimed at women’s magazines and summer specials, although I’ve also been lucky enough to have stories published in international competitions, recorded for ‘Talking Newspapers’ and broadcast on primetime radio.
Tell us about your latest writing project or published title.
The title of my novel is ‘WITHOUT REPROACH’ – Working class Jenny, from middle England, inherits a share in a finca (hacienda) from Spanish aristocrat, Juan García. However, she’s never heard of him, is not related to him and has never been to his hacienda. The problem is she finds a nude painting of herself in the entrance hall.
I wrote WITHOUT REPROACH as a mystery, but it’s been hi-jacked by the media as a ‘steamy novel’, and Amazon have classed it as a ‘contemporary romance’, so what do I know?
Wow - sounds like a great story. So how do you go about developing your characters?
I make a full dossier on each character before I begin to write. I draw up every facet, not only physical, but mental, to better understand how they’ll react in a given situation. I cut out pictures from magazines to suit my characters and pin them on my wall so I’ll not forget how they look. I also build an inventory of clothes and fashions taken from adverts in magazines.
What advice would you give to new writers just starting out?
Well, I generally advise new writers to not only read as much as they can, but to purchase a textbook on creative writing, so they’ll understand techniques behind writing. My philosophy is, artists, dancers, actors, all spend years studying and perfecting their craft. Why should writers be different?
Describe your writing space for us...
I use a spare room, but also work with my laptop in the lounge or even in a bar if my wife is at the hairdresser. I’m afraid my actual space is always cluttered. I’m not a tidy person, yet I always know where to find things. The worst is when my wife decides to ‘tidy’. I can find nothing after.
Hah...I think many of us could relate to that! Now, when you write, do you use the computer or compose by hand, oral dictation, or some other method?
I always write directly onto computer. I can’t handle writing stuff out twice. Editing becomes a pain if it’s not on computer. I’ve promised myself a recording device, but haven’t got around to it yet.
Great interview, Anthony. Anything else you’d like to mention?
Just that WITHOUT REPROACH magically made the Amazon.ca best selling list for just a few hours of ONE day a while ago. I don’t know how or why. But thank you Canada. It’s sinking rapidly, but at least I made it once.
That's terrific! Readers, if you'd like to know more about Anthony and his work, visit his website or his blog. And have a wonderful Wednesday!
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Cool Things about Life on the Web
"The Internet is just a world passing around notes in a classroom." ~Jon Stewart
It's interesting, the online world. Here are a couple of quirky things I've noticed recently:
1. My trailer for One Night in Boston is in the top 6 "Most Watched Previews Today" on Preview the Book nearly every day I check. Considering that the number of trailers there must top 100, I find that both thrilling and odd. I can't figure out where people might be linking to the trailer, other than the obvious places I've put it, to keep watching it. Of course, when something's on a "Top Whatever" list, I suppose people are more likely to be intrigued and watch it, rather than fish around in the general list of trailers. But even when it falls off the list for a day, it's almost always back up 24 or 48 hours later. Strange.
2. Random people from the writing world have found me through my blog and contacted me. Oh sure, there are the various crazies I don't know who want to friend me on Facebook, and the advertising loonies who want me to spend $2000+ a month for a banner and a link on their site. But I've had a couple of New York print authors' publicists contact me about link exchanges too (mostly if they're trying to come out of the dark age and set up a website for the first time). And yesterday, a publicist for the book Naughty Paris emailed to ask if I'd be interested in reading and reviewing her book on my blog. Heck, why not? A free book? So that's rather cool as well.
3. Speaking of advertising, Smart Bitches-Trashy Books offers a nice deal for a banner on their site (plus the girls there are really, really nice to work with). One month prices are under $100 depending on size, and what I like best is that they send you a report each week about how many impressions it's had (mine's a revolving ad, switching out with other authors), and how many people have clicked through to my website from the banner. It's a great way to have concrete results about whether people look and then act on your ad.
That's all the wisdom for today...see you here tomorrow for Writers' Wednesday!
It's interesting, the online world. Here are a couple of quirky things I've noticed recently:
1. My trailer for One Night in Boston is in the top 6 "Most Watched Previews Today" on Preview the Book nearly every day I check. Considering that the number of trailers there must top 100, I find that both thrilling and odd. I can't figure out where people might be linking to the trailer, other than the obvious places I've put it, to keep watching it. Of course, when something's on a "Top Whatever" list, I suppose people are more likely to be intrigued and watch it, rather than fish around in the general list of trailers. But even when it falls off the list for a day, it's almost always back up 24 or 48 hours later. Strange.
2. Random people from the writing world have found me through my blog and contacted me. Oh sure, there are the various crazies I don't know who want to friend me on Facebook, and the advertising loonies who want me to spend $2000+ a month for a banner and a link on their site. But I've had a couple of New York print authors' publicists contact me about link exchanges too (mostly if they're trying to come out of the dark age and set up a website for the first time). And yesterday, a publicist for the book Naughty Paris emailed to ask if I'd be interested in reading and reviewing her book on my blog. Heck, why not? A free book? So that's rather cool as well.
3. Speaking of advertising, Smart Bitches-Trashy Books offers a nice deal for a banner on their site (plus the girls there are really, really nice to work with). One month prices are under $100 depending on size, and what I like best is that they send you a report each week about how many impressions it's had (mine's a revolving ad, switching out with other authors), and how many people have clicked through to my website from the banner. It's a great way to have concrete results about whether people look and then act on your ad.
That's all the wisdom for today...see you here tomorrow for Writers' Wednesday!
Monday, September 22, 2008
How to Make Bookmarks
"Today the greatest single source of wealth is between your ears." ~Brian Tracy
I promised a quick "how to" for anyone out there interested in making bookmarks using VistaPrint's oversized postcards. I've ordered from them several times and been really pleased with the results, so while the design process might be a little labor-intensive, for me it's worth it to save $$.
Now, there are many sites that offer bookmarks, so I encourage you to look around a bit and compare prices before you order. I arrange 3 bookmarks per oversized postcard and then cut them on a papercutter myself, which means I'm getting 150 bookmarks for every 50-postcard order. (Staples will also cut them for you, I've been told). If you've ordered from VistaPrint before, you know you get email specials about every other day. 50 free oversized postcards is ALWAYS one of the specials, so you'll only pay shipping. If you choose slow shipping, it will cost you roughly $7.00 - 9.00 for 150 bookmarks. Note: you can order these special deals as many times you want in a single day, to get the best price (in other words, if you order more than 50 at one time, larger quantities aren't free).
One other word of warning: as of yet, I haven't figured out how to rotate the postcards while I'm designing them, which means I have to proofread the darn things sideways. No matter; I've always been happy with the way they turned out.
I choose the blank template, and my design looks like this (I made double One Night in Boston for this order because my book signings at the time focused on that book):
I upload my book cover (ask your editor or cover artist for a 300 dpi version of your cover; they're the sharpest in quality). One nice thing about VistaPrint is that once you've uploaded a graphic, it's in your collection forever, so you only pay to upload once. Beneath that goes a brief blurb about the book. Beneath that go 2 or 3 reviews, whatever I have room for. At the bottom I put my tagline and my website:
On the backside (choose gray scale unless there's a special for free black and white glossy or color) I put my name, tagline, and website address again:
And that's it! The quality is good, heavy duty with good, clear color on the graphics. If you have more questions, or if you've never ordered from VistaPrint before and would like a link to their freebie specials, drop me an email at allieb@allieboniface.com. And if you have other tips for making bookmarks, including other websites you really like, let me know. One of the best parts of the industry is sharing ideas, as far as I'm concerned :)
I promised a quick "how to" for anyone out there interested in making bookmarks using VistaPrint's oversized postcards. I've ordered from them several times and been really pleased with the results, so while the design process might be a little labor-intensive, for me it's worth it to save $$.
Now, there are many sites that offer bookmarks, so I encourage you to look around a bit and compare prices before you order. I arrange 3 bookmarks per oversized postcard and then cut them on a papercutter myself, which means I'm getting 150 bookmarks for every 50-postcard order. (Staples will also cut them for you, I've been told). If you've ordered from VistaPrint before, you know you get email specials about every other day. 50 free oversized postcards is ALWAYS one of the specials, so you'll only pay shipping. If you choose slow shipping, it will cost you roughly $7.00 - 9.00 for 150 bookmarks. Note: you can order these special deals as many times you want in a single day, to get the best price (in other words, if you order more than 50 at one time, larger quantities aren't free).
One other word of warning: as of yet, I haven't figured out how to rotate the postcards while I'm designing them, which means I have to proofread the darn things sideways. No matter; I've always been happy with the way they turned out.
I choose the blank template, and my design looks like this (I made double One Night in Boston for this order because my book signings at the time focused on that book):
I upload my book cover (ask your editor or cover artist for a 300 dpi version of your cover; they're the sharpest in quality). One nice thing about VistaPrint is that once you've uploaded a graphic, it's in your collection forever, so you only pay to upload once. Beneath that goes a brief blurb about the book. Beneath that go 2 or 3 reviews, whatever I have room for. At the bottom I put my tagline and my website:
On the backside (choose gray scale unless there's a special for free black and white glossy or color) I put my name, tagline, and website address again:
And that's it! The quality is good, heavy duty with good, clear color on the graphics. If you have more questions, or if you've never ordered from VistaPrint before and would like a link to their freebie specials, drop me an email at allieb@allieboniface.com. And if you have other tips for making bookmarks, including other websites you really like, let me know. One of the best parts of the industry is sharing ideas, as far as I'm concerned :)
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Sunday News
"I cannot endure to waste anything as precious as autumn sunshine by staying in the house. So I spend almost all the daylight hours in the open air." ~ Nathaniel Hawthorne
Quick promo today: my author friend Dayana Knight is sponsoring a very cool contest on her blog for the month of October, so go on over and check it out! Also, a heads-up: I'm participating in the Raven Halloween Hunt again this year, which will also begin October 1st. Many cool prizes to be given away (and mine is a free download of One Night in Memphis + an Amazon gift certificate. How can you lose??)
(Nope, the link isn't live yet...but isn't that a cool graphic?)
Today: writing (short teacher story to submit to anthology), revising (One Night in Napa), and grading (lots and lots of English papers).
Tomorrow: a brief "how to" blog post on making bookmarks using VistaPrint's oversized postcards. See you back here then!
Quick promo today: my author friend Dayana Knight is sponsoring a very cool contest on her blog for the month of October, so go on over and check it out! Also, a heads-up: I'm participating in the Raven Halloween Hunt again this year, which will also begin October 1st. Many cool prizes to be given away (and mine is a free download of One Night in Memphis + an Amazon gift certificate. How can you lose??)
(Nope, the link isn't live yet...but isn't that a cool graphic?)
Today: writing (short teacher story to submit to anthology), revising (One Night in Napa), and grading (lots and lots of English papers).
Tomorrow: a brief "how to" blog post on making bookmarks using VistaPrint's oversized postcards. See you back here then!
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Ah, Reviews...
"It takes many good deeds to build a good reputation, and only one bad one to lose it." ~Benjamin Franklin
Busy, busy weekend ahead! I'm writing as much as I can, thanks in part to my very good friend who saved me from yesterday's dilemma and scanned my hard copy to a Word document that I can play with to my heart's content! Thank goodness for technology.
And I should probably order some new bookmarks from VistaPrint, now that I have some good reviews back for One Night in Memphis. Speaking of which, how much do you consider reviews before you buy a book? In the past, I never *really* read them, until I became a published author. Now I see that good reviews seem to be one of the best things to have in your back pocket when it comes to promotions. In fact, I met an author a few months back who went into her local Borders to ask about doing a signing there - she was told to come back when she had some reviews they could use to promote her and her book.
Having said that, I know that many review sites are so backed up with requests that many authors (yours truly included) wait months upon months for them. It's amazing.
Oh! But speaking of which, Writers and Readers of Distinctive Fiction is a relatively new site and has a pretty good turn-around time. They've reviewed all 3 of my books, each one in under a month. So if you're an author looking for another review, send them an email. I've found them to be quite friendly and professional.
Enjoy your Saturday!
Busy, busy weekend ahead! I'm writing as much as I can, thanks in part to my very good friend who saved me from yesterday's dilemma and scanned my hard copy to a Word document that I can play with to my heart's content! Thank goodness for technology.
And I should probably order some new bookmarks from VistaPrint, now that I have some good reviews back for One Night in Memphis. Speaking of which, how much do you consider reviews before you buy a book? In the past, I never *really* read them, until I became a published author. Now I see that good reviews seem to be one of the best things to have in your back pocket when it comes to promotions. In fact, I met an author a few months back who went into her local Borders to ask about doing a signing there - she was told to come back when she had some reviews they could use to promote her and her book.
Having said that, I know that many review sites are so backed up with requests that many authors (yours truly included) wait months upon months for them. It's amazing.
Oh! But speaking of which, Writers and Readers of Distinctive Fiction is a relatively new site and has a pretty good turn-around time. They've reviewed all 3 of my books, each one in under a month. So if you're an author looking for another review, send them an email. I've found them to be quite friendly and professional.
Enjoy your Saturday!
Friday, September 19, 2008
The Story of a Story
"If computers get too powerful, we can organize them into a committee -- that will do them in." ~Bradley's Bromide
One of the projects floating around my periphery, when I'm not revising One Night in Napa, is writing up a teaching story or two to submit for this anthology.
Interestingly, about 10 years ago, I wrote about 30,000 words on this topic, a collection of stories/vignettes from my early teaching days in Cleveland. Last weekend I went looking for it--and actually found a complete hard copy I'd printed out at some point. (Gotta love the forward-thinking moments we have every once in a while.)
Finding any kind of computer file that I could actually revise was a different story, though. I do still have about a dozen floppy disks sitting in an old case on my desk. Of course, my newest computer, and my laptop, both just have USB ports, no place for a disk at all. I have another, older laptop that DOES have a disk drive, so I checked out the files on those old disks. Lots and lots of stuff for school, lesson plans and handouts and such, but no story.
Sigh.
I do have the hard copy, which is good. But now I'll have to retype everything in (or I guess I could scan it...might give that a try first).
Of course, the deadline for this submission is less than 2 weeks away, which means this weekend I need to put in some serious time if I want to send something.
It was fun, though, rereading what I'd written all those years ago. Some good stuff, some horrible stuff, and a lot in-between. I hope I can salvage some and turn out a good story.
In the meantime, back up those files on USB drives...until the next storage device comes out and makes them obsolete as well!
One of the projects floating around my periphery, when I'm not revising One Night in Napa, is writing up a teaching story or two to submit for this anthology.
Interestingly, about 10 years ago, I wrote about 30,000 words on this topic, a collection of stories/vignettes from my early teaching days in Cleveland. Last weekend I went looking for it--and actually found a complete hard copy I'd printed out at some point. (Gotta love the forward-thinking moments we have every once in a while.)
Finding any kind of computer file that I could actually revise was a different story, though. I do still have about a dozen floppy disks sitting in an old case on my desk. Of course, my newest computer, and my laptop, both just have USB ports, no place for a disk at all. I have another, older laptop that DOES have a disk drive, so I checked out the files on those old disks. Lots and lots of stuff for school, lesson plans and handouts and such, but no story.
Sigh.
I do have the hard copy, which is good. But now I'll have to retype everything in (or I guess I could scan it...might give that a try first).
Of course, the deadline for this submission is less than 2 weeks away, which means this weekend I need to put in some serious time if I want to send something.
It was fun, though, rereading what I'd written all those years ago. Some good stuff, some horrible stuff, and a lot in-between. I hope I can salvage some and turn out a good story.
In the meantime, back up those files on USB drives...until the next storage device comes out and makes them obsolete as well!
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Check out The Samhellion
"No matter how busy you may think you are, you must find time for reading, or surrender yourself to self-chosen ignorance." ~Confucius
A bit of a cop-out today, since my life seems to be busier than ever:
Go on over and read The Samhellion, Samhain's monthly newsletter. This month's theme is "What I Did Last Summer" - and yes, I have an article in there!
So go forth and enjoy. I'll see you back here tomorrow...
A bit of a cop-out today, since my life seems to be busier than ever:
Go on over and read The Samhellion, Samhain's monthly newsletter. This month's theme is "What I Did Last Summer" - and yes, I have an article in there!
So go forth and enjoy. I'll see you back here tomorrow...
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Writers' Wednesday: An Interview with Toni Sweeney
Welcome to Writers' Wednesday! Today I'm chatting with author Toni Sweeney...enjoy!
Thanks for being here today, Toni! Can you tell us a little about your background?
I was born in the State of Georgia, some time after the War Between the States but before the Vietnam War, lived in the Midwest for the rest of the Millennium, and decided to start a new century in South Orange County, California. I had wanted to be a professional student but ended up graduating in spite of everything, with a Bachelor's in art, English literature, drama, and music--which has sometimes come in very handy in my writing. I aspired to be a stage actor but didn't have the voice projection-capacity and ended up playing dead bodies or "crowds" or part of the dance ensemble. I studied dance for 13 years and actually did it professionally for a brief time, until an auto accident ended that career choice. Somewhere in all this mishmash, I married, had a son--and that was the happiest day of my life--and divorced. My son has supplied me with a grandson and a granddaughter whom I adore.
Sounds like some great adventures! So when did you first begin writing?
This is a round-about answer. I wrote my first novel when I was 9. My parents bought me a portable Smith-Corona for my birthday. I loved to read, and still have some of the books my parents bought me when I was an infant, cloth books which have been gummed until most of the pictures have dissolved. From ages 8-12, I was totally horse-crazy and wrote horse stories. Since I had no idea how to do it, I folded the paper into the size of a book page and typed on each side--front and back--then made a cover for the book, copying the ones I owned. I also wrote and drew comic books. During high school, being a writer got one laughed at, so I down-played it. After I graduated, I worked in the English Department at the college and the chairman was working on a novel, so I used his manuscript as a model on how to format everything. My cousin liked to read also and I asked her to read whatever I had written. Then, I got married and writing got packed away for a while.
Was there an event or moment in your life that triggered your desire to write?
I can't pinpoint one actual thing. I just read and thought, I wish I could do that, and decided to try. Usually, I didn't let anyone know what I was doing. I was very shy and my family had a habit of laughing at things I did and I didn't want something I really cared about laughed at. It took a lot of courage for me to finally ask my cousin to read what I'd written. Luckily, she was kind.
There was a time in my life, however, after my auto accident and my divorce, when finances got tight. There was barely enough money for food much less for buying books. During that time, I started writing again, just for myself, so I'd have something to read. I shared my manuscripts with co-workers who also liked to read and one of them me to send one to a publisher. I did. It was rejected, but I was hooked. Several of the books wrote during that time have now been published, 30 years later.
Tell us about your latest writing project or published title.
My latest published book is Sinbad's Last Voyage, which came out in late 2007. It's another of the manuscripts I wrote back in the '70s. I would say that Sinbad is my favorite of all my heroes--he's tall, handsome, brave, tragic, and madly in love with the heroine (and loves kids). I've got lots of titles coming out soon: Three Moon Station, to be released by The Wild Rose Press in December. It's written under one of my pseudonyms, Icy Snow Blackstone, and is a futuristic romance. A witness to a murder hides out in a group of women being transported to another planet to work as Domestics. She thinks she's hired by a rancher to be his housekeeper. Then she discovers the paper she signed wasn't an Employment Agreement but a Marriage Contract and the rancher expects full marital benefits!
I also have a sequel to Sinbad's Last Voyage--Sinbad's Wife--which will be out this summer from Double Dragon Publications. That one is a space opera, but it has a lot of romance. With a title like that, it would have to have, wouldn't it? There are two black rosettes--"Love, Vampire Style" (September 24) and "Demon in Blue Jeans" (October 29) which will be coming out soon from The Wild Rose Press, also. I recently signed contracts with Lyrical Press for three novels--Earthman's Bride, one tentatively titled When the Condor Returned, and Jericho Road. These will also be Blackstone novels. I also recently learned that I finalled in the paranormal division of the Maryland Romance Writers "Reveal Your Inner Vixen" contest. Wow--didn't see that coming!
Congrats - what a wonderful, growing career. Now, how do you go about developing your characters?
Good Question--difficult to answer. Sometimes, they emerge full-grown--like Minerva came from Zeus' brain. Sometimes, I have the bare outline and after the character is on paper, it begins to grow. I've gone back and edited stories I wrote when I was younger in which the characters aged and I've put more depth into them because I'm now at the same age they are. When I wrote them, I was too young to understand how someone older would feel about certain things. A few characters started out in one form and after I began writing, changed altogether. Riven kan Ingan in Blood Seek(the Chronicles of Riven the Heretic, Book One) started out as a Boba Fett-type outer space bounty hunter. He ended up as a heretical knight in a sword-and-sorcery series. Aric in Blood Sin (the kan Ingan Archives) was originally a Spock-like character with emotions so tightly controlled, he was like an android. He evolved into a womanizing, hard-drinking, ne'er-do-well who ends up getting exiled for having an affair with his uncle's life--quite a departure from the way I first envisioned him!
What advice would you give to new writers just starting out?
Be patient; be persistent; don't take the rejections personally, unless they specifically say, "You are a terrible writer!" or words like that. Then, show them you aren't! I've only gotten one rejection which was intentionally nasty and I've always wanted to write that editor and inform him that the story he dissed so vilely was later bought by Amazon.com!
What do you find most difficult about writing?
Finding time to write. I have this weird habit of wanting to have a roof over my head--food isn't as important to me--so I have to do what's laughing called a "day job." That takes up a lot of time.
How do you balance writing with the rest of your life?
I started writing seriously about 1976. I'd come home from work, make dinner, set my son at the table and disappear into my "office." From the other room, I'd get this plaintive, "Mom, when are you going to be finished?" until my son fell asleep. That was the way it went until he left for college. Afterward, it was just me and the poodles and they didn't complain, so I just kept on typing. Needless to say, I don't have much social life. Presently, I have cataracts and can't see to drive at night and don't go out much anyway, so it balances out.
Describe your writing space (or include a picture!)
I rent a room in a private home. It has a bed, a TV and a space for my computer desk and computer. I have an e-machine with a 16" LCD screen, a scanner, a digital camera for teleconferences, a wireless printer, and wireless keyboard and mouse. Everything in the world a writer could need--reference books, notes, scribbled pieces of manuscript, pens, pencils, a can of pop, a half-eaten jar of unsalted dry roasted peanuts, several folders with research information, and a headset--are piled onto that computer stand. My reference books and reading books are in 7 bookcases which my landlady lets me keep in her garage so I run out there with a flashlight if I need to check something.
What do you like to do when you're not writing?
Because of that auto accident so many years ago, I'm a very sedentary person. I like to read and watch TV, do a little gardening. When my granddaughter lived nearby, she and I used to go shopping together and we always cooked dinner together on Saturday nights (she's 6 so you can imagine she was a lot of help!) Before my accident, I was very active--horseback riding, swimming, hiking, laying tennis...and the aforementioned dancing.
What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your book(s)?
That the characters can take over a story if you don't watch it. I learned that when I was writing the Sinbad series. One of the main characters ran away from home as a teenager, lived a dissolute light, contracted a terminal disease. I planned to have him as a dying adult, come home, make his peace with his parents, be told there was a cure for his illness, and live happily ever after, just like the Prodigal. So...I got him home, the parents took him back, told him he needn't have run away, they understood, etc, and then...he died. The minute I wrote that he walked through the door to his parents home, I knew there was no way he was going to survive. I sat down and cried, and yelled out, "But I don't want to kill him off!" Did it anyway. I realized that was the way it'd happen in real life. Shook me up just a little. Sometimes, you have to use a whip and chair on the characters to make them behave.
Anything else you’d like to mention?
When I was hospitalized after my auto accident, I couldn't walk, couldn't even sit up. I was so sedated I couldn't watch television, but I was able to read. If I hadn't loved books so, I don't know how I would've managed being bedridden for nearly a year. If I didn't write, I don't know how I could survive...at all!
Toni, thanks so much for giving us a peek into your writing world today. Readers, check out her website if you'd like to know more!
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Still Thinking About NaNoWriMo
"Write only if you cannot live without writing." ~Elie Wiesel
I was interested by yesterday's blog responses, especially those that said, "Yes, do NaNoWriMo, but make sure you plot a little bit first." Actually, I didn't know plotting was allowed! I thought you were supposed to do *everything* within the month of November: character charts, outlining, thinking, writing... I do have a rough scene guide of the story I want to tackle, so I might give it a try. Still thinking, though.
***
The Long and the Short of It runs a weekly contest - did you know? And today's featured trailer, which you can see right here (no personal promo or anything), can lead you to an extra entry in the contest. Or, if you're an author, you can contact them about having your own trailer featured on their site. Hey, extra promo is extra promo!
I was interested by yesterday's blog responses, especially those that said, "Yes, do NaNoWriMo, but make sure you plot a little bit first." Actually, I didn't know plotting was allowed! I thought you were supposed to do *everything* within the month of November: character charts, outlining, thinking, writing... I do have a rough scene guide of the story I want to tackle, so I might give it a try. Still thinking, though.
***
The Long and the Short of It runs a weekly contest - did you know? And today's featured trailer, which you can see right here (no personal promo or anything), can lead you to an extra entry in the contest. Or, if you're an author, you can contact them about having your own trailer featured on their site. Hey, extra promo is extra promo!
Monday, September 15, 2008
A Good Chuckle for Monday
Well, if you didn't catch the skit parodying Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton on SNL this past Saturday, you missed out. Say what you will about its political commentary (and many already have), Tina Fey's resemblance to Palin is downright eerie, and her timing and delivery, along with Amy Poehler's, is perfect. I thought the script writers lampooned both women pretty equally, too. Take a look by clicking here.
***
So I'm considering attempting National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo for short). It's basically a challenge to write a 50,000-word novel during the month of November - to let control and serious editing go and just write for 30 days. I have a book I'd like to tackle, so it might be good to jump in and see what happens. As they say on the website, you'll probably end up with a lot of crap, considering there's no time for true editing (or even conscious thought), but you also might produce the kind of raw, unique stuff that shows up in situations like that too.
I know other writers out there have done it...any words of advice??
***
So I'm considering attempting National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo for short). It's basically a challenge to write a 50,000-word novel during the month of November - to let control and serious editing go and just write for 30 days. I have a book I'd like to tackle, so it might be good to jump in and see what happens. As they say on the website, you'll probably end up with a lot of crap, considering there's no time for true editing (or even conscious thought), but you also might produce the kind of raw, unique stuff that shows up in situations like that too.
I know other writers out there have done it...any words of advice??
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Update on Book Signing...
"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." ~Mark Twain
Hooray! Good day at Borders yesterday: I sold 12 books in the 3 hours we were there. It was so nice to be in my hometown bookstore and have friends come in to see and support me (a couple of students, too!). It also made me anxious to come home and write - something I haven't done enough of since school began.
***
Trailer I recently finished for Devon Gray's upcoming release:
Hooray! Good day at Borders yesterday: I sold 12 books in the 3 hours we were there. It was so nice to be in my hometown bookstore and have friends come in to see and support me (a couple of students, too!). It also made me anxious to come home and write - something I haven't done enough of since school began.
***
Trailer I recently finished for Devon Gray's upcoming release:
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Fingers Crossed for Sales!
"In the case of good books, the point is not to see how many of them you can get through, but how many can get through to you." ~Mortimer Adler
Booksigning today at Borders ~ wish me luck!
Booksigning today at Borders ~ wish me luck!
Friday, September 12, 2008
Random Friday Thoughts
Some random musings on this Friday morning...
There's a great independent book store in Port Clinton, Ohio, that welcomes author's bookmarks and will promote you and your website link on theirs: The Book Exchange. If you're an author and you'd like their contact info, email me and I'll pass it along.
***
A hearty congrats to my fellow writer Chandler Marie Craig, who right now is tossing around not one but TWO offers of representation from literary agents. Way to go Chandler!!
***
Brand new author Kimberly Huff is celebrating the release of her really funny chick lit novel, Tall Skinny Cappuccino (and I can say that 'cause I got to read + review the ARC).
***
I'm finishing up a trailer for Devon Gray's upcoming release, Playing for Keeps, and a freelance article for WOW- Women on Writing about the Price Sisters, who write via IM and email though they live on different continents.
***
And I'm trying to revise One Night in Napa for the NJRW Conference at the end of October...it's going well but not fast enough!!
There's a great independent book store in Port Clinton, Ohio, that welcomes author's bookmarks and will promote you and your website link on theirs: The Book Exchange. If you're an author and you'd like their contact info, email me and I'll pass it along.
***
A hearty congrats to my fellow writer Chandler Marie Craig, who right now is tossing around not one but TWO offers of representation from literary agents. Way to go Chandler!!
***
Brand new author Kimberly Huff is celebrating the release of her really funny chick lit novel, Tall Skinny Cappuccino (and I can say that 'cause I got to read + review the ARC).
***
I'm finishing up a trailer for Devon Gray's upcoming release, Playing for Keeps, and a freelance article for WOW- Women on Writing about the Price Sisters, who write via IM and email though they live on different continents.
***
And I'm trying to revise One Night in Napa for the NJRW Conference at the end of October...it's going well but not fast enough!!
Thursday, September 11, 2008
In Memoriam
“I fear that all I have done is awakened a sleeping giant and filled him with a terrible resolve.”~Admiral Yamamoto after the Pearl Harbor attack, December 7, 1941
Just a quick post today...mostly to say that I'm cheating and sending you to read my Samhain Blog post instead of writing anything intellectual or witty or profound here.
It won't be up there 'til after 3:00 pm (EST) today, but please check back and comment. The post actually means a lot to me.
Please take a moment and remember:
Just a quick post today...mostly to say that I'm cheating and sending you to read my Samhain Blog post instead of writing anything intellectual or witty or profound here.
It won't be up there 'til after 3:00 pm (EST) today, but please check back and comment. The post actually means a lot to me.
Please take a moment and remember:
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Writers' Wednesday: An Interview with Maria Zannini
Welcome to Writers' Wednesday! Today I'm thrilled to have fellow Samhain author Maria Zannini join me. Her debut novel, Touch of Fire, recently released, so I'm happy to have her here, celebrating and sharing her experiences. Enjoy!
Hi Maria! Can you tell us a little about your background?
If you were to list all the things I've done in my life you'd think me a Jill of all trades. I have been an artist, graphic designer, homesteader, vet technician, and art director. I've raised dogs, ratites, and blood pressure.
Not necessarily in that order.
When did you first begin writing? Was there an event or moment in your life that triggered your desire to write?
It was an accident! I sent a letter to the editor of a country living magazine and he tracked me down and called me. By the end of our phone visit, he asked if I'd be interested in writing an article for his magazine.
I was.
It got a big response from the readership and realized I might be on to something. It would be several more years before I got into fiction, but I was definitely hooked.
That's such a great "discovery" story! OK, now tell us about your latest writing project or published title.
Touch Of Fire is out now! It's a fantasy set 1200 years in a future Earth where technology has been replaced with Elemental magic. An ancient alchemist's book has surfaced and threatens to bring weapons of mass destruction back into their society. Leda, a young Elemental mage is ordered to find it and return it to her elders. Her search leads her to Greyhawke Tams, an ex-soldier turned scavenger who will do whatever it takes to keep her from completing her mission. But it isn't long before they discover someone wants them both dead.
There's sex, adventure, huge obstacles and great sacrifices. And there's sex. Did I mention that? I love this book! It was great fun to extrapolate the roles of common, everyday things and ideas and show how they would be perceived in the future.
Congrats on your release. So how do you balance writing with the rest of your life?
You mean I had to balance them both? Rats! I don't think I got that memo. :o)
I will give one piece of advice to anyone who is not published yet. Get your blog and website in order BEFORE you sign that first contract. I mean it! You will not have time once that ball starts rolling. You want to build your internet presence long before there's a book out there. Trust me on this. I am still playing catch-up.
Absolutely true; I agree 100%. Now, describe your writing space for us...
[This is where I live most of the time. The painting above the desk is one I did of two of my babies, Isis and Nacho, when they were alive.]
I suffer from sciatica and cannot sit for long periods of time, so I use a balance ball as my office chair, both here and at work. And I think I've started a trend. Several of my friends at work are now using one too.
Since I still do artwork, my desk is also set up with a Wacom tablet and a scanner.What do you like to do when you're not writing?
I am a garage sale junkie! I love to haunt tag sales and have been known to scrounge interesting "junk" from back alleys and dumpsters. Many of the antiques in my home have been lovingly restored and saved from the landfill:
[The desk, chair, even the pillow roll were found objects that were refurbished.]People tell me I have very eclectic tastes. I think that's code for eccentric. And that sounds about right.
Maria, thanks so much for being here today. Readers, don't forget to check out Touch of Fire and visit Maria's website and blog as well!
Thanks for having me on your blog, Allie!Tuesday, September 09, 2008
Why I Love my Small Press
"Everything in the world exists in order to end up as a book." Stephan Mallarme
So this-coming Saturday, I'm doing a group book signing at the local Borders. I was really looking forward to this one, since it's my local Borders and a decent amount of my friends are planning on coming by.
Then I get an email yesterday afternoon from the author who set up the signing, saying that Borders waited until the last minute and won't have any of our books in stock. Thus, we should carry in our own books for sale. Now, this would normally not be a problem...if I had known ahead of time. I have exactly 4 copies of one book, and 0 copies of the other, in my house right now. And again, this would normally not be a problem if it weren't my local store and my friends weren't planning on coming.
So at 5:30 in the afternoon, I send a semi-crazed email to the women at Samhain in charge of ordering, with a plea to look into rush shipping if it's available. I figure, I won't hear a thing 'til the next day at least, considering it's well after 5.
Ten minutes later, I get a call at home from the Marketing Director, telling me exactly how much $$ 20 copies of One Night in Boston, ordered on a rush job and shipped 2-day air, will cost me. Then she spends another 10 minutes on the phone with me trying to figure out how to lower that $$. Finally, she puts in the order for what seems to us both to make the most sense and also promises to call the woman at the printer tomorrow morning to tell her how desperate I am.
And that is why I love my small press.
So this-coming Saturday, I'm doing a group book signing at the local Borders. I was really looking forward to this one, since it's my local Borders and a decent amount of my friends are planning on coming by.
Then I get an email yesterday afternoon from the author who set up the signing, saying that Borders waited until the last minute and won't have any of our books in stock. Thus, we should carry in our own books for sale. Now, this would normally not be a problem...if I had known ahead of time. I have exactly 4 copies of one book, and 0 copies of the other, in my house right now. And again, this would normally not be a problem if it weren't my local store and my friends weren't planning on coming.
So at 5:30 in the afternoon, I send a semi-crazed email to the women at Samhain in charge of ordering, with a plea to look into rush shipping if it's available. I figure, I won't hear a thing 'til the next day at least, considering it's well after 5.
Ten minutes later, I get a call at home from the Marketing Director, telling me exactly how much $$ 20 copies of One Night in Boston, ordered on a rush job and shipped 2-day air, will cost me. Then she spends another 10 minutes on the phone with me trying to figure out how to lower that $$. Finally, she puts in the order for what seems to us both to make the most sense and also promises to call the woman at the printer tomorrow morning to tell her how desperate I am.
And that is why I love my small press.
Monday, September 08, 2008
Royalty Statements
"Money is the root of all evil, and yet it is such a useful root that we cannot get on without it any more than we can without potatoes." ~Louisa May Alcott
So over the weekend I received my royalty statement for the month of August - and while I can't quit my day job yet, at least I'm out of the red. You might recall that last month's numbers were nothing to cheer about, and since Samhain gives its authors an advance, until you "sell out" your advance, you get nothing except a red number of how much you still owe them at the bottom.
Thankfully, this statement included some print sales of One Night in Boston, which bumped me into the black column (I'm still not sure exactly how that works, since I thought I only saw print sale numbers twice a year...I'm hoping Diane will drop by and enlighten me). The ebook numbers for One Night in Memphis still aren't terrific by any means, but I've come to terms with the fact that my readers are going to buy my books in print much more than they're going to buy the electronic versions.
Anyway, I can put gas in my car this week, thanks to this royalty statement. So onwards and upwards!
So over the weekend I received my royalty statement for the month of August - and while I can't quit my day job yet, at least I'm out of the red. You might recall that last month's numbers were nothing to cheer about, and since Samhain gives its authors an advance, until you "sell out" your advance, you get nothing except a red number of how much you still owe them at the bottom.
Thankfully, this statement included some print sales of One Night in Boston, which bumped me into the black column (I'm still not sure exactly how that works, since I thought I only saw print sale numbers twice a year...I'm hoping Diane will drop by and enlighten me). The ebook numbers for One Night in Memphis still aren't terrific by any means, but I've come to terms with the fact that my readers are going to buy my books in print much more than they're going to buy the electronic versions.
Anyway, I can put gas in my car this week, thanks to this royalty statement. So onwards and upwards!
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