The Writing Life with Dorothy Thompson

LOVE IS IN THE AIR - FREE VALENTINE'S DAY EBOOK AVAILABLE NOW!

2007-02-13T00:25:00.001-08:00

It's official!

LOVE IS IN THE AIR, a free Valentine's Day ebook is available!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Give the Gift of Love: LOVE IS IN THE AIR - Free Valentine’s Day eBook!

February 13, 2007 - Just in time for Valentine’s Day, The Writer’s Life Publications announces the release of “Love is in the Air,” a free 65-page downloadable eBook, filled with love stories and love advice for the romantic in you!

“Love is in the Air,” is written by the members of The Writersville Gang, an online Yahoo! writing group, which includes Rebecca Camarena, Sandy Lender, Gale Sparks, Dorothy Thompson, Michael Witherspoon and Jamieson Wolf.

“I’m really excited about this eBook,” says Dorothy Thompson, editor of The Writer’s Life and moderator of the online writing group. “Not only are we giving back to our faithful readers, but we are also learning the ins and outs of self-publishing. It’s been a great learning experience for all of us and has helped us find out what it takes to pump up our own online book promotion by using our free eBooks as guinea pigs. We learn what works and what doesn’t which is highly important because it eliminates the time wasters and shows us how to market our books effectively.”

The Writer’s Life Publications is run and operated by Dorothy Thompson and publishes several free eBooks throughout the year.

To download your free Valentine’s Day eBook, LOVE IS IN THE AIR, visit www.thewriterslife.net/loveisintheair.html.

Press Contact:
Dorothy Thompson
Editor, The Writer’s Life Magazine
P.O. Box 313
Temperanceville, Virginia 23442
thewriterslife@yahoo.com
http://www.thewriterslife.net/

Tags: free Valentine's Day ebook, online book promotion, free ebook, marketing your book, self-publishing, downloadable ebook, love stories, love advice, pump up your online book promotion, The Writer's Life, The Writersville Gang

Announcement: Dorothy Thompson to Appear on Radio Talk Show "Marketing with Fran" Tomorrow!

2007-01-29T09:40:00.001-08:00

Just letting you guys know, for what it’s worth, I’M GOING TO BE ON THE RADIO TOMORROW!!!

Yep, the show is called “Book Marketing with Fran” with Fran Silverman on the Achieve Radio Network. The show airs Tuesday, January 30, 2007, at noon to 1 p.m. (MST); 11 a.m. (CST) and 2 p.m. (EST). The archives are available 10 minutes after the show ends.

The first guest, Ted Demopoulos, author of BLOGGING AND PODCASTING (2007) and BLOGGING FOR BUSINESS (2006) will begin at 2:00 and my segment will air right after his at 2:30.

To listen to the show, go to http://www.achieveradio.com/ and click on the left side under “Shows and Schedules,” then scroll down to Book Marketing with Fran. Click on “Info and Archives.” Once there, click on the appropriate “Listen Live” button on the right (Windows Media Player, Flash or Real Player).

To talk to Fran or her guest, call toll free 800-920-3717 (Phoenix area—623-772-9379). Or to email them, on left side of main page, click “In-Quick Message or Call-In” (In-Quick only works during live shows).

Wish me luck!

The Search for the Million $$$ Ghost Book Trailer!

2007-01-01T19:43:00.000-08:00

Six women. One eccentric millionaire. And a ghost that refuses to be found....

Check out the trailer at www.milliondollarghost.homestead.com/trailer.html!

Happy New Year & A New ROMANCING THE SOUL Book Trailer!

2006-12-31T19:51:00.000-08:00

To all my subscribers and readers, I'd like to wish every one of you the happiest new year! Although it's not officially 2007 for another couple of hours, let's take the time to reflect on what we have accomplished in the past year. Did we meet our goals? Did we try to be the best we can be?

I hope every one of you found your dreams; and if not, let's work even harder at finding what we are looking for and becoming who we want to be in the upcoming year. But, no matter what kind of resolutions you have lined up, the main key is to be happy.

With that in mind, I wish you a Happy New Year and may all your dreams come true!

Also, I'd like to show you a new video I made of my book, ROMANCING THE SOUL. Enjoy!

Virtual Book Tour - Stop # 4 - Nutter's Gang!

2006-11-06T07:17:00.000-08:00

Omg...I have my very first review!

Everyone...hop over to Michelle E. Ellis' blog at http://www.meellis.blogspot.com/ where she's hosting me today and read my very first review! I'm about to have a boomer chick conniption!

What I found really neat is that my eBook, A Complete Guide to Promoting & Selling Your Self-Published eBook, has given Michelle ideas for promoting her already-published eBooks which has given her the confidence to query RT Magazine! Woo-hoo! Go Michelle! Let us know what you find out!

Everyone...pleeeeze, go over to Michelle's blog and leave a comment!

A Complete Guide to Promoting & Selling Your Self-Published eBook

2006-09-17T15:05:00.000-07:00

Okay, gang, it's here! A COMPLETE GUIDE TO PROMOTING & SELLING YOUR SELF-PUBLISHED EBOOK has arrived. If you would like to make money from the comfort of your home with no overhead and 100% profit, it's time to start thinking about writing your own eBook and selling it yourself. Why yourself and not an e-publisher?

Glad you asked.

YOU can do everything they can do, and all the profits are yours alone.

And don't think you can't do it, either. I've done it, and I will continue doing it because while I'm waiting for the royalty checks to come in from my other books and while I'm waiting for a NY contract for yet other books, I'm making money.

How do you make money from a book others have to read over the Internet?

You are so inquisitive!

But, that's what I'm here for. My eBook, A COMPLETE GUIDE TO PROMOTING & SELLING YOUR SELF-PUBLISHED EBOOK, explains it all. It's a 120-page PDF-formatted guide to show you how to promote your ebooks better than an e-publisher can. How?

By implementing the steps I've outlined in the eBook, you are guaranteed sales. While it may take time to complete, you'll be able to sit back and enjoy that added revenue you didn't have before.

I mean, think about it. It's a win-win situation. You can't go wrong.

My eBook, priced at $19.99, is comparable to others selling for hundreds. You read that right. HUNDREDS. And people are buying them.

People love information they can't get over the Internet or other places, and people are buying them because this priceless information is condensed into one easy-to-read and easy-to-follow location. By opening up my ebook and following the directions in each section, you'll find ideas of where to promote your eBook you never thought of before.

Oh, how I wish this information would have been available when my first eBook was published by an e-publisher. The money I have lost can never be regained, but the knowledge I have accumulated since has enabled me to promote my own eBooks with guaranteed sales.

Dan Poynter, marketing guru and author of over 100 self-published eBooks says,
“It does not matter if you sell out to a large (NY) publisher or publish yourself, the author must do the promotion. It does not matter if you publish a pBook (paper) or an eBook, the book must be promoted. Promotion methods are not the same for pBooks and eBooks. You can promote your eBook for little or no cost. A COMPLETE GUIDE TO PROMOTING & SELLING YOUR SELF-PUBLISHED EBOOK shows you how to promote your electronic book.”

If you'd like to find out more about A COMPLETE GUIDE TO PROMOTING & SELLING YOUR SELF-PUBLISHED EBOOK, visit www.thewriterslife.net/promoteebook.html. For more tips on how to sell your eBook, visit my new promoting blog "eBook Promotion for Self-Published Authors" at www.selfpublishedebookpromotion.blogspot.com.

Happy sales to you!

I've Moved...blogwise, that is

2005-09-11T05:36:00.000-07:00

Hi whoever happened to stumble upon my blog today. I have moved to www.overthehillchick.blogspot.com and www.soulmateadvice.blogspot.com.

If you want to read all about my latest publishing journeys, please click the first link.

If you want to read relationship advice, please click the second link.

Thank you!

Dorothy

Are You a Reader or a Collector?

2005-08-01T17:40:00.000-07:00

I love books. I

love buying them, admiring them, and then...they sit. On shelves. In bookcases. In boxes.

I've even put a couple beside the bed hoping I'd take one and read one before I went to sleep. No such luck. By the time I got to bed, I was exhausted and would go to sleep right away. I've even taken them to the bathroom, hoping I'd pick one up. No such luck there either because I'm a fast bathroom user, if you knowwhattamean. I only get through three sentences before I'm flying outta there and back on the computer or running off to work. Always running somewhere.

And then it dawned on me that I'm a collector and not a reader and there's a big difference. I believe people buy books because they plan to read them but that's when the readers/collectors are suddenly identified. The readers can't wait to read them and will dive right in. The collectors admire the cover, open to the first page and go "Wow. I can't wait to read this." And that's as far as it goes.

Oh, the collectors try. They'll throw one in the car if they go on vacation, but does it get read? Hardly. There's too many new things to do besides do something they could do at home.

They'll take them to work, hoping to catch in a few words during break/lunchtime, but does it get read? Hardly. They don't want to mess up the pretty cover with stains from their double cheeseburger and fries.

The collector feels guilty, but proud. "Look at my library," they'll boast.

"Ah...this is fantastic," the people say. "Have you read all these?"

"Hell no. Don't have time."

Now that I've classified the two, which one are you?

Dorothy Thompson to Appear on Cuzin Eddie Show Tomorrow!

2005-07-18T09:51:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone!

Just a note to let you know that if you're going to be in the Illinois area, I will be appearing on the Cuzin Eddie Radio Show with co-host Penny Sansevieri tomorrow morning at 9:30 Central Time. I will be discussing my book, Romancing the Soul, and how you can find the soul mates in your life. Hope to see you there!

Dorothy ThompsonEditor/Co-Author of "Romancing the Soul"
www.dorothythompson.net
Don't forget to check out my new advice column blog at:
www.soulmateadvice.blogspot.com

2005-06-20T13:42:00.000-07:00

It's So Hard to be Published Books

I was over at Jill Elaine Hughes' blog, Throw Novel From the Train II today (first time and lurved it) and in one of her posts, she was discussing just how hard it is to get published and named a few books with titles such as "78 Reasons Why Your Book May Never Be Published and 14 Reasons Why It Just Might" by Pat Walsh and "Some Writers Deserve To Starve: 31 Brutal Truths about the Publishing Industry" by Elaura Niles and it got me to thinking about my own how to book that will be coming out soon on the very same subject.

Walsh's book is described as an insider's blunt, practical, and laugh-out-loud funny guide for the unpublished, filled with advice that may actually help them get into print.

For the hundreds of thousands who buy writers’ guides every year, at last
there’s one that tells the ugly truth: writers who can’t get published are
usually making a lot of mistakes. This honest, often funny, book shows them how
to identify their own missteps, stop listening to bad advice, and get to work.
Drawing on his experience as founding editor of MacAdam/Cage, Pat Walsh gives
writers what they need—specific, straightforward feedback to help them overcome
bad habits and bad luck. He avoids the optimistic, sometimes misleading
directions often found in publishing how-to books and presents the industry as
it is, warts and all. Here is the first guide that tells writers just what the
odds against them are and gives them practical tips for evening them.

Niles' book is described as...

While commitment and craft can take writers to the top, most will fail without
the insider savvy needed to navigate the publishing industry. Not just another
happily-ever-after writing book, this guide provides:-Twenty-seven cold, hard
truths about the realities of getting published, including Nepotism Happens and
Writers Rarely Help Other Writers. -Easy-to-digest, quick lessons that are both
browsable and succinct -A tough love approach to instructing and motivating
writersBoot camp and charm school all in one, this book will toughen up writers
so they can survive and thrive in the publishing world.

I've not read either, but from what I've heard, they are excellent books to help the writer/aspiring author open up her/his eyes and see the industry as it really is. You wouldn't jump in a raging river with your eyes blindfolded, would you? Of course not. The more you know, the more your chances of avoiding the pitfalls along the way.

And this is the very same reason I feel that more books like these should be out on the shelves.

Sometimes we hate to see the writing on the wall, but if we could just take these words of wisdom, and learn from them, I have a funny feeling that not only would be become more prolific, we could avoid all those silly, stupid mistakes that writers like myself have made in the past and become even better writers, and better promotors, too, for that reason.

2005-06-18T16:31:00.000-07:00

Waking Up in a New World Each Day

I did a little cleaning today after I got off work and my computer area was first to get hit.

Scribbled pieces of paper, gum wrappers, cigarette ashes that had found their way from one end to the other were quickly swiped into the trash can below. Bills and letters of importance that were scattered along the top of the computer desk were removed and put where they belonged. Pieces of paper of importance that were taped along the rim of the top of the desk were yanked off and put in another pile in the spare bedroom to be sorted later.

And that's when I came upon a particular quote that I just adored taped where I could see it everytime I got on the computer.

I brought it back out in the living room and read the words again. There was a reason, I suppose, for doing this and it took a couple of minutes to realize the significance of the moment.

It's a silly quote, really, but in the silly little words, there's a mountain of meaning to the words.

The quote goes...

"Daddy used to say that I am like a goose. I wake up in a new world
each day."

My own daddy didn't say this, but someone very special to me did. He's not with us today, but the words were spoken out of his mouth to a good friend of mine when he was a little boy. It is this friend that gave me permission to use it in a book that I've put aside while I wait on word about my hen lit.

I rather liked the quote because it showed how just a few simple words could mean so much.

Just as the book had been put aside, this little piece of paper that was taped up on the computer desk for months became obsolete as it blended in with the other junk on my table. I could have seen it every day for it was right in front of my eyes, but it wasn't until today when I really realized the significance of this man's quote to his little boy many, many years ago.

What my friend's daddy was trying to tell him was that there wasn't a day that went by that the boy (my friend) didn't appreciate life and never took it for granted. Just like a goose, each new day brought new things, new experiences and and a fresh outlook on life. Yesterday was just that. Yesterday. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we all could do this? Wake up each day and see things that weren't there before?

Sometimes writing gets to the best of us and sometimes we need to step outside of the box once in awhile and see things in a whole new light.

2005-06-14T21:53:00.000-07:00

Regrouping Under the Boardwalk

I've been stressed lately. So much going on and I decided to throw caution to the wind and turn my computer off. You know it's serious when that happens.

My twenty-six-year-old daughter had been stressing, too. Guess like Mama, like daughter, she needed a little R&R, so we both took off for Ocean City, Maryland, to walk the boardwalk. Here's what it looks like for those who've never been:

It was sweltering today. And they say the heat index for tomorrow is going to be 110 degrees. As if today wasn't bad enough.

We did have a mission though - and that was to buy each of us a new bathing suit. We've just set up the pool and both of us have outgrown last year's suits, so we headed out to Ocean City - THE place to buy a bathing suit if there ever was one.

We stopped at SunSensations first. My daughter had bought one there last year and knew that we wouldn't have any trouble finding one there. Think again.

As I've grown a little too round in the middle for the latest bikinis and as I had approached the matronly age of fifty - yikes - I thought I'd find a one-piece that would not only be stylish, but hide my growing belly.

I chose two suits - one all black and another black with pink flowers.

The Foreign Lady (why do all the clerks at Ocean City come from foreign countries?)led me to the dressing room where I unclothed and prepared myself for the inevitable. I looked like a beached whale no matter what I put on.

Okay.

I walked out of the dressing room and Foreign Lady wanted to know which one I wanted.

"Too fat," I said and headed back to the bathing suit racks.

I came back with my third choice. It was slightly higher but I was desperate. I was not going to leave that store without a bathing suit.

Foreign Lady let me back in the dressing room where I uncloth again. I went to put the bathing suit on but it was kinda tricky. I finally managed to pull one part over my head and squeeze into it. Now not only did I look like a beached whale, I looked like a beached whale that had their innards sucked out by the seagulls. Yeah, my stomach was sucked in all right but I knew I couldn't hold my breath long enough for a day at the beach in that thing, so I gave it up.

I walked out of the dressing room and Foreign Lady only shook her head. I knew she didn't understand.

I gave it up and my daughter and I headed for the boardwalk. Maybe I'll find something there, I thought.

Now if anyone has ever been to the boardwalk at Ocean City, Maryland, you would know that this is not the place to buy a bathing suit for a beached whale...I mean, over the hill beach mama.

This is the place the youngins go to buy their barely-there bikinis, which leaves people like me out in the cold.

But, I didn't mind. My daughter and I had a fabulous time, despite the fact that our mission was never accomplished.

However, another mission WAS accomplished. I was destressing by the minute.

We went inside one of the pizza places there and had a salad and shared a medium pizza. If I was going to be deprived of a bathing suit, I might as well not worry about what I ate at that point.

We went in the many souvenir places and I bought some things to hang on the fence by the pool. So neat.

We hung out. And laughed. And remembered the old times when we'd think nothing of jumping on one of the amusement park rides and not throwing our dinner up. We watched little kids on the merry-go-round and remembered the times when I used to watch my kids do the very same thing.

We walked and talked and remininced.

It was time to go and we stopped at Dolly's for a tub of their famous caramel popcorn. We sat on the bench and ate it while we watched the crowd pass by.

And then it was time to head to the car when Melissa said, "I don't want to go home."

I turned to her and said, "I don't either."

She smiled. I looked at the crowd one more time, gathered my keys, and we headed back home.

If you'd like to see a live cam view of Ocean City, click here.

2005-06-07T20:48:00.000-07:00

Spring Cleaning in the Ol' Email Box

It rained cats, dogs and elephants last night. I got up and the first sign was the pool of water in my utility room. Forget putting the real pool up...it was right here in my house.

I threw newspapers down and peeked outside and there was practically a river in my driveway. I waded out into the back yard and despite all this drat inconvenience of water everywhere, the sun was out and everything just sparkled. It was beautiful.

I went back inside and started my computer and got a few things done in my house while I waited for the water to recede a little so that I could start putting the pool up. I never got an air pump but my daughter said that she would pick her dad's up on her way home from work tonight. So, that's on my agenda to do tomorrow.

I did get a lot of work done clearing out old email..finding things that were pleasant and not-so-pleasant. Threads of days gone by...some of them were from two years ago and I was surprised at how much I have learned since then.

Have you ever gone in the attic and searched through all that old stuff and memories come rushing back?

Oh, it was just like that. I found the acceptance post from my publisher asking if I would be interested in sending my manuscript (Romancing the Soul) to her. I found emails to the agent I once had. I found emails from friends I'd never replied to. Eek, what they must be thinking.

I also found emails that opened cans of worms and instantly deleted them. Why I kept that negative energy in my box I'll never know.

I found great promotion tips I'd saved from egroups and immediately set up a folder for that. You can never have too many promotion tip emails.

I found text messages from Amanda who left months ago which cut into my heart. I just left them there.

I found emails from friends I forgot I had.

But the one email I found that really touched me so was one in which was dated two years ago. I had posted in a group about the special Valentine's Day present I received from my twin soul who parted from this realm (okay, he died) four years ago. Here it is:

My psychic daughter just gave me a Valentine's present. She handed me
a CD of the song 'I'm AlreadyThere' by Lone Star. Has anybody heard
this? She says it reminded her of Mark. Well, we cried and cried
together. Mark meant a lot to her. She has said all along that he is
her guardian angel. Anyway, after the crying spree, the phone rings.
Then, I hear her crying hysterically. I'm thinking, it must have been a call
from beyond. It was a call from the beyond all right. The car
dealership where she was waiting on an approval for a Cougar called and told her
she had been approved for this car she had her heart on and could now come and
pick up her brand new Cougar.What a Valentine's Day this has turned out to
be...

I know this is dribble to anyone reading this, but I had forgotten all about that Valentine's Day. Melissa always said that Mark was the guiding force in her life and she still believes that.

Well, tomorrow I'll be cleaning the ol' email box out again...who knows what's going to pop up.

2005-06-07T06:17:00.000-07:00

So This is Summer

I am oh so going to have to go to Wally World today.

My daughter and son picked up a pool for me yesterday which weighed a ton, but the one thing we needed and didn't know we needed was an air pump.

Yeah, this is a strange little pool. The top looks like one humungous ring at the top that you have to blow up - only this one you can't even think about blowing up yourself. Like I said, it's humungous.

So, a trip to Wally World again is in store, but I'm going by myself this time.

I didn't think I'd ever say this, but if you want to do something for yourself, go shopping ALONE. Oh man, what fun you'll have!

The last time I went shopping alone was on my son's birthday. Actually, I had just gotten off from work and went over the the store across the street to pick up a card for him. I was going to take the lazy mother's way out and put money in it and then take him out to eat that night.

But, then, after the store, I got to thinking that I should at least buy him a couple of T-shirts so that he can have something to unwrap. Well...

I ended up going on a shopping spree. It wasn't planned and I really don't like going alone, but I had the time of my life.

I bought him the two cool shirts (cost an arm and a leg so he better think it's cool), a really sexy little top for me (to wear at the beach since I'm too darn big to even think about that bikini I used to wear), more plants for my back yard and some Dingos for the doggies.

However, while I was in Walmart buying the plants and the Dingos, I wandered over to the pool section. I stood there, contemplating. Then, I told myself I don't know how many summers I have left on earth and I'm going to for once do something for myself - like as a treat.

I mentally made a note of the pool's price ($219, not too bad), and then I wandered over to the garden section to buy me some plants and I saw this real cool patio set that would look so nice by the pool. Save, save, save!

2005-06-05T19:10:00.000-07:00

Would You Write For Free?

I have a favorite e-group that I absolutely love run by the lovely Diane Newton that I visit once in awhile to check what's going on or to make a post about something that has happened that the group might be interested in.

About a week ago, I decided to go over there and post a call for publishing horror stories for a chapter in my new how to book for first time authors that will be published by Zumaya Publications tentatively next year. Response was great. Not only did I get a few horror stories, but successful publishing stories as well. A well-rounded combination.

I decided to go into the group and check on things a few days ago when I saw that all hell had let loose. Someone had come into the group and flamed me, saying that she was a contributor of my anthology and that her experience was the most horror story of all. This was the first time this gal has posted and I'm pretty sure she found the link to the group on my website.

Her claims were that I was living off of other people's writings and that it "made her feel dirty to even be involved with me at all."

Basically, if you want to read the post, she's got it up at her blog at http://www.livejournal.com/users/katharinakatt/. And, to make matters even worse, she's copied entries from an egroup I am in (complete copyright violation) which you can read here... http://www.livejournal.com/users/katharinakatt/140441.html#cutid1. Smart woman, eh?

Di ended up throwing her out of the group, which I imagine isn't the only group she's been thrown out of, mine included.

I just don't understand that mentality. You submit a story to an anthology, knowing that your payment is a copy of the book and you are fine with that. Once the book comes out, you start complaining about someone getting rich off the book that you agreed to be a part of?

My rebuttal on Di's group states my views on "writing for free":

I have written oodles of articles on this very subject. They have
been included on Absolute Write and other places.

When you write an article and you send it to a publication that does not
pay, does that make you mad because you received no monetary stipend for
doing so? If it did, then writing articles for free isn't for you and you
are missing out on a great opportunity for a free ad for your book or
services.

Whenever I send my articles off, I see a bump in Amazon rankings.
Okay, maybe someone might have bought the book without seeing the
article, but it was a mighty coincidence it coincided with the same time my
articles appeared live, don't you think?
How many people blog? Do
you get paid for making your words live? No? Then, what are you
doing it for then?

Dr. Bob...he's always asking for calls
for his newsletter. Do you send him anything? You do?
Well, don't you expect to be paid for this just as you expect to be paid for
anything else live on the web or in print? No? Well, shame on
you. Don't you know that your words are valuable? Don't you know
that your words have dollar signs written all over them?

How about Fran Silverman's newsletter? Have you ever sent her
something for it? Has she become rich off of your words?

Of course not. The people that are all involved in "using" your words
for their benefit are in fact providing you with a service and a place to
promote your books/services. And why do they do it? They love
it. They absolutely love it. To be able to do this for people
is what they live for.
My writing site takes a lot of work. I pay
almost a hundred bucks a year to host it on Homestead, not to mention what I
have to pay for the domain name. I get no revenue. Absolutely
nothing. No sponsors. Nothing. So, why in the blue blazes
am I doing it? To make money? Forget that one buster. Because
I love it? You betcha.

I absolutely love it. And when someone flames me not only in
private, but on a public list for something they have no idea what they are
talking about, I can only shake my head. It totally befuddles
me.

But that's neither here nor there. The bottom line is you DO get
paid. Have you looked at what ads cost? There's your monetary
value. So when someone comes up to you and asks you why aren't you getting
paid for your article, tell them you are getting paid very well.

The book in question is called Romancing the Soul and was born not to make money off of anyone. It was born so that others might like to know the real truth about soul mates. In fact, before I put it together, I had no idea what soul mates were all about. To read the real story of why I joined forces with my deceased soul mate to write it, follow this link...http://thewriterslife.net/RomancingtheSoulBeginning.html.

2005-06-02T07:40:00.000-07:00

Can You Spot A Book Slut?

I was over at Debbie Ridpath Ohi's blog, Inkygirl, and she posted a link to an entry over at Patricia Storm's literary/illo blog, BookLust. Man, can this woman draw! My favorite - Can You Spot A Book Slut? This would be so perfect for a t-shirt, don't you agree? I know I must have stayed on her blog for hours (when I should get to work!).

I started back in the how to book. I'm not even sure of my word count as this point because I'm rearranging everything, taking stuff out but leaving till I know where to put it. Arggg....

2005-06-01T08:51:00.000-07:00

I'm Quiz Addicted

Okay, so I should be writing, finishing my two books, cleaning the dog poop out of the utility room, but instead I'm taking silly little quizzes like this one.

What Candy Are You?

You're a Caramel!! You are known for your
sweetness. You are comfortable with yourself,
and help others feel the same way about
themselves. You are generally friendly to
everyone, and believe in second chances.

Which kind of candy are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

Sweet, you say? Ask my ex. He'll tell you sweet.
Comfortable with myself? Yeah, got that one on the nose. If I haven't gotten used to my expanding waistline, buttline, boobline (kinda like that one), then I might as well hang it up.
Help others? Yep, do that everyday...love it.
Friendly to everyone? I try. I do. Honest.
Believe in second chances? You bet. And thirds and fourths...

Okay, back to work.

2005-05-30T16:49:00.000-07:00

It's Memorial Day and I've almost spent all day on this blasted machine. My eyes are about to drop out of their sockets, but it's been a pretty productive day. My hen lit is going to end up at least 80,000 words, 10,000 past my goal, so I'm happy with that. Cool ass ending...you ought to read it.

Anyway, I did cook out. I had bought about thirty bucks worth of steaks, then I couldn't get up with my son and my daughter had to work so I just cooked chicken and hot dogs and am going to save the steaks for tomorrow night. Hopefully, I will have caught up with my son by then.

Still no word from Agent #1 or #2. Guess it's still too early to hear from them.

And I really need to get to work on my how to book. Liz is going to shit. I told her she would have it by June. Eeks.

I just don't want my hen lit to end, you know? I keep writing and writing, giving them life support. I just don't want to write "The End" as dumb as that sounds.

Well, gotta go get my sheets off the line. I just love the smell of them when I put them outside to dry. Somehow, the dryer sheets just don't compare.

Hope everyone had a nice Memorial Day!

2005-05-30T12:17:00.000-07:00

Blogger Help!

I'm going absolutely ape-shit. My right hand sidebar is scrunched up
against the body of my posts. I'm going to try keeping this post shorter
and see what happens. Anyone know of any other way to do it? HELP!

2005-05-24T21:51:00.000-07:00

I'm nearing the end of my chick lit book and I just had to take a break.

I took the kids to the mall to go shopping, but the one thing I wanted to check on was where to buy a NEO. I just learned about this neat little toy that enables you to write wherever you are away from the computer. I thought it would be really neat to take to the park or somewhere OUTSIDE for once. Of course, I couldn't find one anywhere, but I did get to drool at the laptops at BestBuy. Maybe one day.

It was nice getting out, though. The kids were in a good mood except Melissa kept complaining she was hungry the entire length of the mall. Now you have to know this girl...she eats all the time and stays pencil thin, but when she's hungry, you have to stop what you're doing and let her eat or she passes out - at least that's what she leaves you to believe.

Now her eating out and my eating out are completely the opposite. I'm a pull up to a take-out window and go type of person where she's a go in and eat a full course meal restaurant type of person.

"Let's eat at Ruby Tuesdays," she suggested. "I can't wait and it's right here in the mall."

Well, I remember the last time I ate at Ruby Tuesdays and the bill was $50 for two people, but as she was about to pass out (her words), I gave in.

My son doesn't care for their food either and wanted to go to Texas Road House where he could dig into some ribs and their rolls are just out of this world, but remember, we're talking about someone who has to eat RIGHT NOW or she'll pass out, so since Ruby Tuesdays was right there in the mall, that's where we had to go.

Can you tell who rules in our family?

We get in there and order three entries plus salads. We go up to the salad bar and there's not a leaf of lettuce in the bowl. I search around for someone to fill it and I don't know why that is, but when you need the salad bar filled, everyone scatters.

So, I put other things on my plate that will hopefully do and go back to the table.

My daughter ordered steak and some kind of coconut shrimp, I ordered the steak, too, sans the shrimp and my son was pleased that he did get his ribs he was dying for.

Well, our dinner is served and Melissa isn't eating her shrimp and I ask why and she says it's sweet. I hold it up to my nose and it smelled horrible but I'm not akin to liking coconut on my shrimp anyway. So, that went untouched. Great, I thought, I've paid extra for her meal and she can't eat it.

So, I'm watching her eat her other food, knowing full well that she's going to leave half of it as she usually does, when she gets this funny look on her face.

"I don't feel good," she says.

I said, "Do you need to go to the bathroom?" and she says, "No, I"ll be all right."

Well, I finish my food, pay the tab of $60 and we leave the restaurant and head over to the video store. My son picks out a couple, but of course I can't find mine, and in the middle of all this, my daughter says, "I'm going to the bathroom," and leaves the store.

My son makes his purchase and I go check on my daughter who is still in the bathroom. As it turned out, she says that something she ate made her sick. So, we have to go home.

Well, now let's look at the situation.

I go to a restaurant I don't want to go in the first place, have to pay the high price of going to the restaurant I didn't want to go in the first place and now have to leave the mall without buying anything for myself? What's wrong with this picture?

I think I'm better off here on the computer. I might not get to see the world, but it sure is a lot cheaper.

2005-05-23T21:07:00.000-07:00

I found the neatest thing tonight. It's a Generator Blog...watch out...it's addictive.

http://generatorblog.blogspot.com/

2005-05-09T22:05:00.000-07:00

I'm still plugging away on this chick lit book - up to 56,000 words - WAHOO - and I came to the part where I needed an Indian name, right. Well, lookee what I found. This is so neat! It's an authentic Indian name generator. Click here to find out your Indian name! Ahhh...don't you just love the internet!

Want to see your authentic Indian name? Click here:

http://www.aspalta.cbc.ca/deaddog_asp/aininfo.asp

I'm now known as Beatrice Early Eagle and don't you forget it.

2005-05-04T05:48:00.000-07:00

Totally insane?

I couldn't sleep. My nerves are fried. I have a hen lit manuscript to finish before an agent gets back to me and a how to book to finish by the end of the month. Let's see - which book do I work on today?

I'm wondering if I am totally insane.

2005-05-03T23:17:00.000-07:00

An Agent Requested My Partial!

I'm dancing in seventh heaven. I got a response today from a literary agency requesting a partial of my book, OVER THE HILL. Can we say happy?

I will be grounded.

I will be grounded.

I will be grounded.

Okay, I'm all right now.

Now that my feet have come back to earth, I must remind myself that this is no guarantee that she will even want the book after reading the partial, but I look at it as getting to first base. I may strike out, I may hit a homer, but I have to try to not let myself get too excited.

I've had successes and I've had failures. The successes last for a few days but the failures - if they're big ones - lasts for days, weeks - heck, sometimes I never get over it. But, let's think positive anyway.

This is the first agent I have submitted this book to. I had another one in mind that was another great literary agency and I still might submit to them, too, just in case - who knows. I just don't like to get a rejection if there's nothing else out there to keep me from sinking.

I have been looking for a good agent that represents hen lit and I think I have found one - that is if she accepts me. One part of me is looking at a fat advance, yet the other part of me is smacking me in the head because I got too excited and looked to forward to something that might not even happen.

Anyway, I grab my frozen marguerita and cheeze whiz sandwich and toast to good things ahead!

The how to book is coming along but I'm still waiting on the questionnaires that I sent to publishers. I think their input is going to really help this book sell. I have a June deadline and I'm getting a little antsy. So much going on and not enough hours in the day.

2005-05-02T20:58:00.000-07:00

Virtual Book Tour?

I read an interesting article at Wired News called Book Promotion Tours, on $0 a Day that explained this new concept that is sweeping the world over. It is basically a book tour done from the comfort of your home where you visit blogs that host this sort of thing. You travel from blog to blog and give interviews and blurbs about your book.

The article goes on to explain how Dennis Hensley did it and it racked up sales by 25%. Although it was exhausting, he enjoyed this new way of promoting his books all from the comfort of his home.

I've never tried it, but it sounds like something I would like to try in the near future. What do you think?

2005-04-13T15:33:00.000-07:00

What I Know About Chick Lit

About a year ago, I was listening to a radio show that featured authors. One of the authors whose name escapes me was talking about a new genre of writing called "chick lit." I wasn't even sure what it was but it sure did sound fun. I went to this author's website and read an excerpt of her latest book and that's when I fell in love with "women's fiction with an attitude."

Oh man, this was the genre for me! It so fit my writing style and fit my own persona with a T!

A few nights later, I walked into our local Wal-Mart and a cover shouted out to me. It was called "Bet Me" by Jennifer Crusie. Man, can that woman write. I read the book from cover to cover and was even more determined that that was what I wanted to write.

So, I started on a manuscript called "I Hope We Dance."

But, after some of my fellow authors gave me a few words of advice, I knew this wasn't quite chick lit, but instead women's fiction. I argued the fact saying my heroine had the attitude that chick lit has, but they persisted in saying that publishers would put it in the women's fiction category.

Later, I knew they were right. My heroine was almost fifty years old and chick lit centered mainly around 20 and 30 somethings.

So, I joined a chick lit group to find out what it was that was missing.

And then I hit a gold mine.

My book wasn't chick lit, but instead was something they were calling "hen lit."

However, there was another book that I was dying to write, so I started on it, but this time with more experience and a fresh new outlook.

Hopefully, one day it will be published but meanwhile I'll learn from the best of my chick lit and hen lit groups, sucking in their invaluable wisdom and tips for getting my books in front of publishers that are willing to take on this brand new phenomenon called chick lit.

2005-04-07T10:46:00.001-07:00

Royal family wrecks a novel?

Excellent, excellent column by one of my chick litters, Lauren Baratz-Logsted, which ended up on the News Time Live website.

Seems the story goes she wrote a novel back in 1997 called “Falling for Prince Charles.” Well, back then, things weren't going hunky dory for our little prince and Lauren's story was a cute romantic comedy about Daisy Silverman, an underachieving, thirtysomething Jewish cleaning lady from Danbury, Connecticut, who wins a million dollars in Lotto and follows her dream to see London, where she meets Prince Charles. Excellent premise and something NY would be interested in, don't you think?

Well, it didn't happen quite that way. Seems the tragic events that followed (the death of Princess Di, for example) turned the book from something cute into something No One Wanted To Talk About or Touch With a Ten-Foot-Pole.

How tragic for Lauren. Here she had an excellent book all written and everything and because of a string of tragic events, the book was put away for good. She was told no one would buy it and there was nothing she could do.

She put it away, thinking one day the world would be ready for it.

Well, along comes Camilla. Not quite our English Rose, but according to soul mate experts (moi), she was the twin soul that was waiting for the right time to become Prince Charles' new wife.

Another setback for Lauren.

Seems that life is one good or bad timing situation after another. While we all want Prince Charles to be happy (we do, don't we?), this is a perfect example of good timing for the soon-to-be-wedded-couple, but bad timing for Lauren.

What's Lauren going to do with a cute little book like that? I'd love to see what you think. Leave your comments in the comment box below...Lauren will be reading, so keep her best interests in mind!

2005-04-04T14:24:00.000-07:00

Author Begs To Sell Book

Well, I've heard everything now. According to this news article, Jonathan Safran Foer went a step beyond trying to keep his book on the New York Times bestseller list. The novelist from New York urged friends to buy his new book EXTREMELY LOUD & INCREDIBLY CLOSE last week and it worked. Last week's sales lifted the novel to No. 13 from No. 15...oh poor baby. To just get on the list, I'd give up rights to my firstborn child.

How did he do it? Email. Emailed everyone in their brother. With some tough reviews behind him, he knew he had to do something assertive and quickly.

In the email, he is quoted to have said, "If you were thinking of buying a book, or know people who haven't bought books but are intending to, this, right now, is the time to do it."

It seems what happened was one of the friends that he had sent the email to sent the same email to the Daily News. When they went to verify the information, Foer didn't stop promoting, adding, "So can I put you down for 1,000? They make fabulous doorstops."

Why didn't I think of doing this????

I mean, I have a great book with lots of potential! What's his about that makes it any different from the thousands of other novels hitting the bookstores right now?

Foer's story, about a young man named Oskar who searches New York for the lock that goes with a key belonging to his father who died on 9/11, not only is embellished with photos and other images, but it is not his only bestseller. His first book, EVERYTHING IS ILLUMINATED, became a bestseller, too, which is rare for a first novel. It is also being turned into a film due this summer.

Is this a good example of promoting or a good way to come off as a scammer? What are your thoughts on this?

2005-04-01T11:05:00.000-08:00

April Fool's Day!

Well, it's April Fool's Day and I haven't pranked a single person. "Hey Dog, come here! You've got a spider on your back!"

Somehow Dog hasn't a clue I'm playing a little trick on him and continues to snore.

Remember those stupid April Fool's Day jokes you used when you were a child? The spider one, I think that was at the top of the list.

Anyone have another one they used as a kid?

Haloscan commenting and trackback have been added to this blog.

2005-03-29T07:23:00.000-08:00

What do you do when the muse takes hold?

I've never taken journalism classes yet I've been published in two of my local papers and have interviewed such celebrities as Bruce Cameron. Okay, he was the only celebrity, but the point I'm trying to make is that once the interviewing bug has bit you, it's hard to make it go away.

So I supposed this was the reason why I got another scatterbrained idea to start on yet another book and the fact that I only have three months to do it makes it even more adventurous. What can I say...I love the challenge.

The new book is a frank look at the authors behind the books...what makes them tick, why they go through extremes to do something that only gives them aggravation. Why they do what they do in the name of the written word.

Years ago, I remember a time when all I had to do was get out of bed, take care of my children, feed my husband and watch Jeopardy and The Gong Show all day long. Oh, I could go outside and tend to my garden or take the kids to the park, that's if I felt I was in the mood to do so.

My whole life was simple. I could have done it blindfolded.

However, there was a passion boiling inside of me. I would write poetry but it wasn't enough. My muse was playing games with my head and confusing the hell out of me.

Fast forward a few more years and I'm a single mom, struggling to put food on the table. More poetry. More muse attacks.

Fast forward to today and I've got two or three books under my belt, a million more on my hard drive and that poetry? The muse died.

But in its place is a stronger muse; one in which I know like the back of my hand, one in which I greet first thing in the morning with a wide hello and one in which I kiss good-night in the wee early hours of the morning.

My muse and I are pretty darn friendly now.

So this is the premise of a new book I've just started on. What makes an author tick? What makes a perfectly sane person stay up all hours of the night just to get a few thousand words in lest they forget and lose the muse?

As an author myself, I can almost answer that question, but the muse stories are varied as the different colored towels lying in the floor of my bathroom (Remind me to get up from here and do some cleaning).

Don't want to give too much away, but this sounds like a book worth reading. Now all I have to do is write the darn thing. Muse, where are you?

Oh, if you're interested in being interviewed, you better hurry up and send me an email asking for the questionnaire...three months will be here before you know it. Email address is thewriterslife@yahoo.com. Please no spamming...I get enough of that from those penis enlargement companies.

2005-03-20T16:34:00.000-08:00

Good-bye Amanda Jane

Five years ago, someone very naive and quiet came into my life. We bonded very fast and I was amazed that the bond ran so deep. Over time, she called me Mom and I considered her my daughter, even though she was not my real daughter.

We went everywhere together. When you saw me, you saw her. We would have the craziest experiences and laugh and cry together.

When a family that she was staying with ran her out of their home, she looked at me with those big brown eyes and I had no choice but to let her come live with me and my family.

That was two years ago.

Today, she is leaving on a new adventure, a new life, and with a new mom.

It's funny how I was taken in by her charm and wonderful personality and loved her just like I loved my own children. Funny how it didn't matter that I didn't actually give birth to her. Everyone considered her my daughter as well as I.

But, something happened and I'm not sure quite what. Did I not give her the attention she crave? Was I a stepping stone on her life's path to find the mother she never had?

I found myself asking me these questions and more to try to figure out the huge ugly mess and I come up with a few answers, although no one will know for sure but her.

But, she won't tell me.

I'm not a perfect mother; ask my kids, they'll verify the fact. I know I have a busy life which keeps me on the computer and maybe I just don't feel like going out to eat at Texas Steak House or watching the latest movie at the mall.

I can go on and on and try to figure out what I did wrong and continue to stay in this suspended state of grief or I can go on.

I never got a chance to say good-bye to her, although I had plenty of chances. I couldn't look at her. When I found out she was calling someone else Mom, my heart broke in a million pieces. I cried for two weeks and threw temper tantrems at work. Then, I let my anger linger until it became a permanent part of me. I did this to protect my heart from breaking into a million trillion shattered pieces.

She wanted to talk to me these last few days and I couldn't. Every time we'd try to talk, they'd turn into verbal outbursts, so I chose to stay silent and avoid her.

My heart still hurts and I don't know how long it will take before I get over this so I can heal, but that's something that will be worked out in time.

Because I never got a chance to say good-bye, I will say it now.

Good-bye Amanda Jane,

I hope your life is a happy one and you find what you are searching for. I'm sorry I could not say good-bye in person, but I just couldn't get the words to come out. I wanted to tell you I still love you with all my heart and that I won't forget you. The few short years I considered myself your mother, I tried to show you the way by telling you that you have a say in things you do and that you don't have to do what others tell you to do for their profit. I tried to instill confidence so that you could go out into the world and never have to rely on anyone ever again, but yourself. I guess I created what you are today and I should be happy with that. I don't know if what I did will haunt me forever, but I only did what I thought was right. For you. I would have done that with all my children and you are no exception.

I will miss your sweet smile, Amanda Jane, and those beautiful haunting brown eyes that cries out for love. I hope you find the mother you are looking for and try not to hurt those in your path along the way. You have to remember that the heart can be broken but so many times and all it takes is one final blow and you're down for the fall.

I have taken that blow and am dealing with it by resorting to anger and I know that is not good for either of us. One day I'll be able to get up in the morning and forget.

May God be on your side, Amanda Jane. It is He who you will have to answer to...follow his lead and, hopefully, you'll come to realize just how important I was in your life. But, more importantly, I hope you will realize that no one will take the place of your mother and when you can come to terms with that, you'll walk down a brighter path and find yourself.

I wish you luck and pray that you are guided in the right direction so that you won't be hurting anymore and I pray that I will see the light and realize that you were like a candle in the wind, always lit and always shining.

This is what I want more than anything for you, Amanda Jane. And remember, I will always love you.

Love, Mom

2005-03-15T22:45:00.000-08:00

Coming Up for Air

It's been a rough two weeks. My "adopted" daughter is flying the coup and I've given myself a deadline of April 1 to have the new and revised version of my writing website, The Writer's Life, el completo. I haven't had time to write a column nor work on my books. It's crazy.

This new and improved version of my website is really looking great. I've added lots of cool stuff such as free banner exchange, a gift shop and I've updated "Writers Speak Out!"

As for my "adopted" daughter, it's a long story. She came into my life just as fast as she's going out. I hope the best for her, but she's put me through a lot of agony and heartbreak at her sudden admission of wanting to leave. I've cried more in the last two weeks than I have in my whole lifetime. It will be a while before I can go back in her room, as empty as it's going to be. Ah well...life goes on.

2005-03-07T09:54:00.000-08:00

WEMS Booksigning....looooong day
Posted by Hello
Okay, this was one of the biggest worse days of my life and does it show or what? My lipstick had worn off and what's up with that sag? Jeez.

Although this signing was months ago, I finally downloaded my pictures from my digital and forgot this was there.

To back up, this was the signing at the NASA base in Wallops, Virginia. Not only was I sitting beside New York authors (as if that didn't unnerve me enough), but I was trying to sell a soul mate book at a military installation. What was I thinking?

Sold two whole books and I consider that quite lucky. More about my experiences can be found here.

I haven't done any signings since because I've been too busy, plus the fact I'm not a winter person. Give me 90 degree heat and a cool pool and I'm there.

2005-03-05T15:55:00.000-08:00

Mr. Romance Viewers' Choice Awards
Posted by Hello

2005-03-05T15:48:00.000-08:00

The Mr. Romance Viewers' Choice Awards

Okay, I'm no spring chicken, so I had to do a little remembering what it was like to be young again when I went to vote for who I think should get Mr. Romance. Whoa...the hunks there! Someone sent me this link today and just for voting, I got free chocolate lips! Contest ends April 11th so hurry and vote to get your free lips!

2005-03-02T21:34:00.000-08:00

Side of House in Boondocks
Posted by Hello

2005-03-02T21:30:00.000-08:00

Pool of Potential House in the Boondocks
Posted by Hello

2005-03-02T21:27:00.000-08:00

Potential House in the Boondocks
Posted by Hello

2005-03-02T20:53:00.000-08:00

House Hunting in the Boondocks

I'm thinking of moving. I'm tired of living on the highway and want to move where I can hear those cute little spring birdies singing out my window. I want a place where I can commute with nature in my pajamas without all the neighbors eyes on me. I want to be able to go to bed at night and not hear cars whizzing by my head.

So, I think I might have found a house. It's in a location where when it snows, you're stuck there for life. It's in what I'd call the boondocks.

The house isn't bad really, only twenty-five more bucks than I'm paying now. Only, it's HUGE.

The house I'm living in now is SMALL. So, this would take some getting used to like what would happen if I were there all by my lonesome? Eek. Anyway, let me try to download a picture or two to show you...

Okay, they're downloaded. So, whatcha think?

2005-02-23T11:57:00.000-08:00

Agents--Foe or Friend?

Agents. Everyone wants one, unless they've been burned, scorched and left hanging by their toes from a Sycamore tree by one, the majority of authors today crave one. Why? Silly question, but since you asked, it's almost a hopeless cause to try to get into a NY house without one. Ask anybody in the industry. Of course, you will have your extremely rare cases, but on the whole, it's better to have one.

So I have learned this over the years that I do want one, even though my first attempt at having an agent didn't quite turn out the way I expected. Yep, I had an agent--about two years ago. I really liked her at first. A friend recommended her and as I saw that she had done good things for my friend, I went wahoo when she agreed to represent me. Visions of my book making bestseller lists and being optioned for films danced in my head. Then...the nightmare began.

Of course, it wasn't really her fault and I can't blame her.

It was for my book, "Romancing the Soul." It was a collection of true soul mate stories that exceeded over 100,000 words, which translated to a little over 300 pages. Perfect, I thought.

Well, the nightmare began with the focus of the book. "This will not sell to NY publishers," she said. "It's too new agey and not what the public wants--normal boy/girl relationships." Hm.

My book, yes, had mostly boy/girl relationships with the exception of a cat story that depicted most perfectly the karmic soul mate relationship. One was the story of a mother's bond with her daughter, a perfect twin soul relationship. Oh, yes and another with a strange bond with a wolf in another life. Okay, not your typical boy/girl relationship stories, but where is the focus here? Are we to mold our stories into what NY pubs want in order to sell a book or do we stick with our convictions?

Well, the nightmare didn't stop there. "Too long," she said. "NY won't take on a book that long from someone new in the business." O....kay.

So, I started snipping. According to her, I had to cut out half the book, which meant I was to tell half of the people who contributed to it that their story wasn't going to appear. I couldn't do it, so I enlisted eight or nine people who I trusted their judgement to help me rate the stories. I got it down to 70,000 words. "Still too long," she said. "Why don't you just divide the book into two books and cut out all the new age stories?"

So, I canned her.

Agents left a bad taste in my mouth after that and I decided to look into print-on-demand publishing to get this book out there. At this point, I was desperate. Self-publishing was out as I didn't have the time nor the knowledge to get it printed myself.

I joined a print-on-demand group and made one introductory post about how I had a book of true soul mate stories and an agent who I canned and I knew the agent was wrong about no one wanting a book like this and I was going to sell the book if I had to put a card table out in my front yard to do it.

A small press publisher, Liz Burton, read my post. I had no idea that there were publishers in there, but after talking to her and knowing that she knew where I was coming from, I knew Zumaya was the answer to my dreams.

Looking back now, I have never regretted my decision. While it takes more effort on my part to get the books out there, I still retained my focus and it has led to other things--relationship columns, spots on talk shows and I'm able to help people find their soul mates.

Now, believe or not, I am in search for an agent again. Why? Because I'm ready to take that next step. I have three novels--a women's fiction, a chick lit and a hen lit. I figure there's no time like now to see if I have the slightest bit of chance to make it big. I'm not getting any younger and I sure as hell want my book plastered on a billboard at Times Square just once in my life.

And I think I'm ready.

2005-02-21T17:39:00.000-08:00

2005 Book'em Book Fair

IT'S OFFICIAL...I'll be appearing at the Book'em Book Fair in Waynesboro, Virginia, on Saturday, October 23 and Sunday, October 24, along with many other wonderful and talented authors. Boy, will I feel out of place! Actually, it's a great event because portions of the sales from our books will go to help stop crime--a worthy cause!

I'm quite psyched as I'll know quite a few authors who will be attending. Among them are Carole Bellacera, author of four award-winning novels, which are sometimes called "relationship novels." Her latest book is Chocolate on a Stick, which she calls her "geriatric Thelma & Louise" story, published in trade paperback by Baycrest Books. It's the story of an elderly Appalachian couple who go on the run in a red Corvette to escape their controlling off-spring. Cool as shit! You really need to read her first chapter...now this is a book I'd want to buy! Carole has agreed to come into TWL Author Talks group on March 25 - April 1...now how cool is that?

Another wonderful lady is Georgie "JawJaw" Richardson, better known as “Queen Jaw Jaw, the Queen of Experiences,” resides in North Alabama. Author of A Funny Thing happened on the way to the Throne, the Queen also writes three monthly humor columns: Shoals Woman Magazine, (online and print publication), The Monthly View (print only) and Penwomanship Magazine, (online and print). Funny lady!

And I can't forget one of the most wonderful girls I know and a close friend of mine, Darlene Zagata, a freelance writer and author. Her work has appeared in numerous electronic and print publications. Ms. Zagata is the New Age Editor at RITRO.com and a monthly columnist for Moon Shadows Magazine. Her two books, Aftertaste: A Collection of Poems and The Choosing were spawned by the untimely and tragic death of her husband.

I'm soooo looking forward to this event. Not only am I contributing to a good cause and get to meet some wonderful friends, but I get another trip to the mountains! Wooooo-hooooo!

2005-02-17T22:32:00.000-08:00

The Urge to Purge

Toss me that puke basin, mama, I've got THE URGE TO PURGE.

Okay, not the most delightful thing in the world, but I've been hit with the nastiest virus known to mankind. Or, at least that's what it feels like.

I get up, try to get a little email answered, try to answer emails that are piling up and try to work on the three manuscripts that are minimized in my browser to remind me to work on them. This lasts for about twenty minutes before I'm back in bed again. How am I supposed to get work done like this?

Typical day for me:

After being up and down all night long, I get up at eight and open up my email. Christine Feehan is winding up her talk in my group, TWL Author Talks. I'm trying to get in last minute questions, but the urge to purge strikes again, PLUS A HORRENDOUS HEADACHE THAT MAKES A MIGRAINE FEEL LIKE A TRIP TO THE BEACH, and I'm back down again.

I did manage to find a real cool website called Blogthings.com. They have the coolest quizzes on there that you can upload to your website or blog. Find out more at my other blog, Unkymoods. The mood of the day is to the right...perfect way of how I feel!

Anyway, I've been up and down all day. Hopefully, tomorrow, I'll feel halfway decent.

Didn't get much work done on all three manuscripts...a little here, a little there. I started on this third manuscript because I soooo love chick lit and that's something that I'm going to try to write. I love the sassy attitude, which describes me to a T.

Well, took a couple of cold pills and I'm starting to get drowsy so I better go before I write something that sounds so ridiculous, I lose all my readers. Night....

2005-02-11T18:56:00.000-08:00

Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles--Soul Mates or Two People Looking for Trouble?

You know I couldn't let this relationship slip by me. Eight years ago, beloved Princess Di, wife of Prince Charles, died a tragic death in an automobile accident in Paris. The world mourned and so did I. No one could replace our English rose, no matter how hard they tried.

However, someone did try to replace her--Camilla Parker Bowles--and has.

When word spread that Charles was carrying on an affair with Camilla, the public was outraged. How could he??? She certainly couldn't hold a flame to our beloved Princess Di. My God, what was he thinking???

Now, it seems that it's all behind Prince Charles and he is about to make Camilla his wife. Does the fact that he's lonely enter into this? His age?

Both Charles and Camilla are into their fifties and, you have to admit, finding someone to share your life with at this age and onward is a tad harder than when you were in your twenties. But does age have anything to do with soul mates?

As hard as it is to believe, love flourishes when you get older. By the time you reach your fifties, you have worked out your innerself to the point where you know what you want and pretty well know how to get it. You're "settled" and are tired of playing dating games and want someone to just nestle up to. You've been through the dating scene more times than you can remember and, frankly, the energy is not there anymore. You're ready to spend your twilight years with someone who you know will be there for you.

That's fine and dandy, but is the Charles/Camilla relationship soul mate material?

The answer is yes. As much as I want to say no because of loyalty to Princess Di, who shall remain in the world's heart forever, I have to say from a professional standpoint that, yes, they are soul mates. And, not only that, I believe them to be twin souls.

To help you understand this, let's look at the three kinds of soul mates.

The karmic soul mate is someone who comes into your life for a reason, just like any other soul mate, but the karmic soul mate comes into your life either to teach you a lesson or to be taught. These relationships usually involve no sex or intimacy.

The companion soul mate comes into your life for intimacy, marriage or for childbearing.

The twin soul is a combination of the two and then some. There are always obstacles in the way which makes this particular soul mate union almost impossible. These are tests to see if the two parties are strong enough in spirit and in mind to make this union happen.

So where does Prince Charles and Camilla fit into this? You take a guess.

You're absolutely right. Twin souls.

Look at the situation. Charles and Di were divided in interests and pleasures, even early on. While they both came from the same social backgrounds, they were different as night and day; which the paparazzi delighted in showing us in black and white. Yes, they bore children--handsome lads we fondly know as Princes William and Harry.

This is a clear cut example of the companion soul mate relationship. While the Charles/Di union was meant to be, it was solely for the purpose of bearing children and whatever wonderful other things they learned along the way.

Camilla had her eye on Charles for a long time, even before he and Di married. When Charles and Di did marry, she was devastated, but being as she was married herself, she tried to devote herself to her husband, although it was pointless. She knew that Charles was her twin soul and that one day they would be able to take down the obstacles and be together.

And, it did happen.

A classic example of the twin soul relationship. They overcame the obstacles and made it happen.

Will this marriage last? Experts are predicting no, but if this is the twin soul relationship that I know it to be, it will last and continue forever, as humbling as that sounds.

Princess Di will remain in our hearts forever, but as a soul mate expert, I have to reassure you that even though Camilla has Charles' heart now, he will never forget the bond he and Di once shared. Di came into his life for a reason and he will never be able to extinquish the flame that lies in his heart for her, whether he admits to it or not.

I predict that Camilla and Charles will be happy, although there will still be a continuance of tests where only the strongest survives. If they both pass these tests, you can look for the Charles/Camilla story to go on forever.

2005-02-11T04:10:00.000-08:00

What is your dream?

I'm sitting here in my loft studio, at the very end of writing my next bestselling novel. I stop to gaze at the moutaintops beyond my bay window and sigh at their brilliance. The smell of bacon and fresh coffee drifts up the stairs and into my little domain and it entices my senses. I open the window to let in the fresh mountain air and catch two fawns playing near their mother. I sit back down and finish my manuscript. Writing "The End," I lean back and wonder if life could ever get better than this. Sounds like what dreams of made of, huh?

I could only be so lucky.

I'm not a bestselling author and I don't have a loft studio in the middle of the mountains. I forgot to buy the bacon and the coffee and have only written "The End" once in my entire life.

However, it's my dreams that keep me going.

I've often thought that what I'd love more than anything in the world is a cabin in the Smokies and a loft studio to write--completely away from anything with two or four legs.

Ahh...total paradise.

My friend, Michael, asked me what I thought heaven was like. I told him about my dream and that this would be heaven to me.

My dreams keep me going, day after day, as I strive for what I want before I go to the "real" heaven. I get up in the morning and feed the cat who is screaming to be fed. I turn on the computer and let it warm up while I throw a load of clothes in the wash. I take the dogs out to pee and pick up last night's clutter. And I sit down to write.

I glance up, wishing there was a window with mountains in the distance, but there is no window in my corner of the living room. I try not to think about that as I start in and try to get things done before I have to go off to work.

But, the dream is there and shall be forever.

What is your dream?

2005-01-25T21:27:00.000-08:00

Writing More Than One Book at a Time

I'm in the middle of two books and what do I do but start another. Actually, the third is a longer version of my ebook, HOW TO FIND AND KEEP YOUR SOUL MATE. It's something I've been wanting to do for a year now and tonight I started writing down possible chapter ideas to add to the ones I've already come up with in the ebook.

The ebook is short, fifty pages, and only five chapters. Short, but to the point. What I want to do with it is lengthen it to about 200 - 300 pages. Quite a bit of work, but I can take my time with it if I want...no deadline. This one will be the print version. So, I've got five chapters and I'll need about twenty more. Let the fun begin.

My first book, I HOPE YOU DANCE, is with an agency right now. I check the post office every day...still no word and I'm biting off whatever fingernails I have left every day. I don't want to jinx things and mention the name but once I find out anything, I'll be sure to let you know. This agency was recommended by one of the contributors in my anthology, ROMANCING THE SOUL. I was searching for agents and happened upon one of them and there was this woman's name in black and white. I had known her for years anyway, so I emailed her and asked her what she thought of them. I could see by their website that the authors they represented went on to NY houses, so that was a step in the right direction. So, I wait.

I did go into it today to try to revise it a bit and I never even got out of the first chapter without making changes. Polishing, they call it.

My second novel, OVER THE HILL, is still going strong. I've gotten to the 30,000 word mark and had to stop to start on the other book in case the agent accepts it. There's so much more I want to add to it and if I were notified tomorrow that she wants it, I'll freak out for sure. I know that the days of playing around in email would come to an abrupt halt and this means more to me than anything.

But, OVER THE HILL is so much fun to write. I call it my old lady chick lit book.

I should be working on one or the other but this soul mate book is calling to me. I need to at least get the chapters down. Writing it will be a cinch...once I have the chapters named.

Well, I need to get off from here and get some work done. I've played around enough tonight and already it's almost time to go to bed. Just one more look in email and I promise I'll get some work done!

Chow, Dorothy

2005-01-23T13:46:00.000-08:00

"HOW TO FIND AND KEEP YOUR SOUL MATE"--MY NEW SELF-PUBLISHED E-BOOK IS A SUCCESS!!!

I just can't keep it inside any longer. I don't know when I've been so excited!

As you know, my book, ROMANCING THE SOUL, is doing real well in print, and because of this, I got this wonderful brainstorm of creating an ebook explaining the soul mate phenomenon--from my viewpoint of course--but more in depth.

I had never done this before and I said to myself, "If it sells, it sells," and went on to other businesses at hand.

Yesterday was Promo Day in my new group, TWL Author Talks, and I decided what the heck, I'll go on and send a promo through about my new ebook, HOW TO FIND AND KEEP YOUR SOUL MATE.

Today, I garnished FOUR sales from just that one blatant promotion.

So, I thought, wait a minute. Do I have something here?

I believe I do. E-books are one of the hardest things to sell to customers who prefer print books, but there are some that are doing really well. They are those that show how to create a better life for themselves and who wouldn't want to know how to find a keep your soul mate?

Sounds real good, but just because four people bought my e-book, does that mean that it's any good? Just because I say it is?

I asked my buyers what they thought of the book and could they give me some feedback to see if it was on to something. I didn't want to promote something that wasn't worth reading, even though I knew in my heart that it was. After all the research I have done on soul mates, plus my personal experiences with my own soul mate background, I felt that I had really gotten across the true meaning of soul mates in this e-book, but I wanted confirmation...from readers and authors in the industry.

Roxanne St. Claire, author of HIT REPLY, emailed me today and I have to say this was one of the best endorsements I could ask for. She says, "I was so intrigued by your ebook that I just stopped everything today and read it. Wonderful! I loved the concept and especially the last two chapters about keeping your soul mate. I am married to my companion soul mate, I have no doubt. And I have a few karmic soul mate girlfriends who have come into my life -- one in particular who is so close to me that it is truly like having a sister. I enjoyed your examples, your brisk writing style and your overall "voice" which was informative without being preachy. Well done! Thank you so much for sharing. You should submit that to magazines! Maybe Redbook would do a three part series on soul mates! It was very well done -- thank you so much for sharing!"

That was just what the doctor ordered. It has encouraged me to keep on with this and see just how far I can make my little ol' ebook go.

I truly feel that price, though, and the fact that buyers can use Paypal to buy the e-book also helped. At $4.99, it's at a price that people can afford and they have all used Paypal. I also accept checks and money orders, but Paypal is fast, convenient, secure and, personally, I prefer using it to pay for online purchases.

So far, everything has been falling in place and I couldn't be happier.

2005-01-21T08:32:00.000-08:00

TWL Author Talks with Roxanne St. Claire!

We've finished up the week with Roxanne (Rocki) St. Claire and I have to say that she was the warmest, friendliest, most wonderful person you would ever want to meet! Rocki is the author of many great books including her latest, "Hit Reply." The group asked her many interesting and thought-provoking questions on her life and her literary adventure. Here are some of the questions that the members of TWL Author Talks asked:

Showing and Not Telling

Maria Ajmd told Rocki that she had a hard time understanding the "show" and not "tell" concept when writing their books. Rocki explained "Maria, I think the number one misstep I see in writing that I judge in contests (and this is, for the most part, the level of work that goes out to editors and agents) is telling, not showing. Slipping in and out of POV is the second most common problem. (Notice I don't call them MISTAKES -- again, because writing is so subjective. Nora Roberts changes POV in scene, in paragraph, in sentence!! And no one is complaining.) But the showing and telling is so subtle, and so easy to forget. You are, after all, TELLING a story.

I would practice some exercises, just to get the hang of it. Write a paragraph (or a page) that would be showing ALL EMOTION, but you can't ever SAY what the emotion is. Write it from the POV of the character who is feeling the emotion (how does her body feel, her heart, her senses, what are her thoughts?) and NEVER use the word "feel" or TELL the reader what she is feeling, just show HOW. Then, write it from the other person's POV, the person she is with. That character cannot know how or what the other one feels, but that character can *observe* certain things: the tone of voice, the coloring, the physical movements. This is a great way to teach yourself how to show emotion and not tell it, from both character's perspective. Try the exericise again, only this time try and show something happening between the two characters without TELLING that it's happening. (Such as, a growing attraction or distrust or a power struggle between two strong characters.) Again, write it from both POVs. Don't worry about plot or story details -- this is about a page of writing. Just try and SHOW without ever TELLING."

Maria also asked, "How do you write such great hooks? That takes a lot of talent and boy is it ever hard. Is there any advice on it?" Rocki answered, "Maria -- There's no secret...just read and write and read and write and write and write and write and submit. :-) I get my ideas from life, from the newspaper, from friends, from my over-active imagination. What it takes more than anything is determination. Of course, you must have talent, the ability to craft and tell a story, and a way with words. But I'd bet everyone in the group has all of those because you wouldn't be here if you didn't. But the secret? Persistence and stamina and raw, ragged determination to realize your dream. Rejection is common and it HURTS. I have a thick file folder filled with rejections, but nobody could take away the thrill in my heart when I visualized my first published book. When I dragged my little self out of bed at 5:00 am to write. When I secretly rehearsed "the call" while driving in the car. (So I knew just what to say when it finally came!) With each rejection, I vowed to continue, to try harder. (Okay, I slugged a few glasses of Kendall Jackson and whined. *Then* I vowed to continue and work harder!! Don't give up. Don't give up. Never give up. The only way you can GUARANTEE that you will NOT be published is to quit."

Book Clubs

I asked Rocki if she had ever thought about getting her books into book clubs as I had read that getting your books in would dramatically increase your sales.

Rocki answered, "I've had several local book clubs (ranging in size from 12 - 30 women) invite me in. Last night, as a matter of fact, I did a book club with a large group of women who'd all read HIT REPLY. That's the most "book club-y" book I've got, with lots of jumping off questions (is it really cheating if it's online? who has googled their ex boyfriend?) and issues about friendship, life, children and marriage. It's a thrill to have people dissect character development, story arcs and plot twists. But...it's time consuming on a local club by club basis. I always have to smile when people mention Oprah -- she HATES the books I write: mainstream commercial fiction with happy endings. Now, Kelly Ripa -- she used to have a book club and THAT would be the one I'd want. You want to ask Carly Phillips about that -- one of her books was chosen and her life CHANGED."

Turning Books Into Movies

I was curious as to whether Rocki had ever thought about making a movie out of her book. She answered, "I can't imagine anything more wonderful and exciting! It does happen, but rarely. My agent has a West Coast film rights subsidiary and that person pitches my books to producers and studios. All of the books I've sold so far have been with my first agent, and she didn't have that capability. The books that come out starting in 2006 will have a film rights agent. Sometimes, it happens serendipitously -- the right person picks up your book and falls in love with it. Fingers crossed for that to happen!"

"Hit Reply"--Mass Appeal

I asked, "Rocki, "Hit Reply" sounds like a fantastic book! Do you find that this type of book is popular because of its mass appeal?" She answered, "HIT REPLY has certainly "hit" a chord. The premise is three women at three different "decades" in life, all connected by emails -- and the men who are also in (and maybe should or shouldn't be) their lives. Each woman has her own journey through a major life-changing event, but the whole book is written in a very fast, funny, breezy style that feels like you've just opened up someone else's computer and are secretly reading their emails. It was a totally different book for me, but one of my heart, and I'm pleased it's doing so well. I recommend it, she said shamelessly!"

Internet Radio Shows

I had always heard that media is who to go to for selling books. I asked Rocki what she thought about them. She said, "I've done a few of these. I think they are GREAT experience for broadcast interviews. You can do them from home, and be relaxed, with your notes in front of you. If you can get one when a book comes out, do it! (But forget promotions...write more books!)"

Ebooks

Maria asked, "What are your thoughts on this and do you have books that are also out in e-book formats?" Rocki answered, "You know, all of my books are available in e-book format. You just have to order them that way from Amazon. I don't read e-books, because I don't like to read books on the computer. I want to go to my "reading space" and I love the the feel, and smell and sound of my book. But I hope e-books take off -- it's a viable market and a great concept. I just am old fashioned that way...I still like paper and spines and ink."

Free PR Sites

I asked Rocki, "Have you or your publisher used those free press release sites and did you get anyone's interest from that? I'm talking about PR Web for instance."

She answered, "No, I've never used those. I don't do much in the way of press releases. I send bookmarks to booksellers, and now have a publicist who is handling a lot of that for me. But I am not a big believer in the PR News or PR Web sites. They don't really generate "ink" or awareness, in my opinion."

Word Counts

I asked Rocki about the general word count for NY houses. She answered, "Most single title houses don't want a book that's less than 90,000 words. The only house that looks at books that are between 50 - 85,000 is Harlequin/Silhouette. The great benefit there is that you can sell to H/S without an agent. And they buy unpublished authors all the time. Visit http://www.eharlequin.com/ and you can find out EVERYTHING."

PR

I asked, "Rocki, someone told me that since my book was geared towards romance, that I should target this audience and mass mail postcards or even email announcements to them. Do you think that this would be a big waste of time or, as they say, any promotion is good promotion?" She answered, "Romance writers read and buy romance novels...so we are a good, specific, target audience. You obviously need to reach more than just 10,000. You'd have to buy the list, which might not even be for sale. I think the smartest "audience" is booksellers. That's who you need to have know your name. RT has a few mailing programs and there are lists available for reasonable fees. Of course, the mailings themselves can get expensive.

I also asked, "Let's say you are a new novelist and you don't have an agent nor a publicist nor a NY house to back you up. And, let's say you heard that getting an interview in a major publication will make you an almost household name. How would you go about doing this? Would you send the publication a press kit and hope for the best? Would you contact one of their in house writers and suggest the idea? Would you bribe them with chocolate chip cookies and dibs on your firstborn? Ha...well, what's the secret, in your opinion?"

She answered, "It's very, very hard to garner national media attention, Dorothy. When I was a PR professional, we charged clients THOUSANDS and THOUSANDS of dollars for *trying* to place stories. You need a hook, a newsworthy item, access to the right reporter and a lot of luck. I would not plan on getting major media as a first time or newer author. A press kit and copy of the book will be LOST -- believe me. You can't bribe them, you can't woo them, you can't do anything but give them a compelling, newsworthy story. I've worked with the national media for years and years and years. There are no guarantees. I recently enjoyed 4 minutes of "fame" on the WB Network, when the Daily Buzz morning show reviewed my book, HIT REPLY. I didn't make this happen, and neither did my publicist. The reviewer was trolling books on Amazon, saw mine and liked it. Sheer serendipity. My amazon #s spiked for a day, then went right back into obscurity. "

I then asked, "What do you think results in more sales...radio, TV or print? I'm talking about interviews. Did you notice a sales increase after doing one or the other? If you had your druthers, and you were new and just starting out in the business, which media outlet should you begin with?" She replied, "I have spent 18 years in PR. Most of my career was with big agencies -- I was Sr. VP at Hill & Knowlton for many years, and then worked for a big Miami shop. When my son was born, I moved into a consulting role so that I could work from home, but in the next nine years or so, I had some of the most fascinating, high-profile, challenging clients in my career. I've done everything from damage control for Sylvester Stallone when he ticked off the runners in Miami by erecting an unwanted fence near his property to promoting "Free Fry Day" at Burger King. My most compelling assignment was as part of a team of professionals who helped Windjammer Barefoot Cruises handle the onslaught of negative press and lawsuits after one of their famed schooners was lost in Hurricane Mitch. That experience gave me the premise for my first published novel, Tropical Getaway.

Now...what works. I have never noticed a huge jump in sales because I don't have access to that information. What I see are royalty statements, and they arrive months and months and months after the fact. I do a workshop on this and the bottom line is that I recommend *strategic* promotions. Meaning, pick ONE audience and slather attention on it. If you go after "readers" -- well, you just won't have the budget to reach them too effectively. But, if you go after booksellers, you might be able to make a bit of headway. If you go after romance writers, you have 10,000 potential buyers and some very specific vehicles to get to them. This is a huge subject, worthy of hours and hours of research and discussion. Promotion is a science and an art...and for the most part, the results are not *easily* measured. A new writer can't afford to do much and publishers don't provide marketing budgets. You have to select your audience and target vehicles very, very carefully, governed by $ and time."

Sitcoms

Rocki had appeared on such hit shows as "Bosom Buddies" and "Laverne and Shirley," much to our surprise. We asked her, "Could you tell us about your appearances on the sitcoms Laverne and Shirley and Bosom Buddies? What parts did you play? Did you enjoy doing them? Are they fun or a lot of hard work? Were the stars nice? I'm going to be looking for you whenever I see a rerun of those shows!" She replied, "They were brief . Bosom Buddies shows up in syndication sometimes -- I don't think L&S is on anywhere anymore. In Bosom Buddies, I played a video date -- young, blond, sexy and celibate. I only appeared once; I was very close to one of the producers (he was my boyfriend for many years) and I got to know all of the stars quite well. Tom Hanks was just a neophyte actor who'd lucked into a cute show -- you would never, ever know the greatness that awaited his future. On L&S, the leads were...self-involved. Imagine everything you've ever read about demands and temper tantrums and childish behavior. Then double it. LOL!!

It was all a long time ago...and I was *much* younger!"

But writers are generally a good target market."

We were all sorry to see her go, but as all good things do, it had to come to an end. I learned so much from her and I know the members did, too.

The winner of "Hit Reply" went to Maria Ajmd!

Next week, we talk to Jennifer Blake! Woo-hoo!!!

2005-01-15T18:18:00.000-08:00

Saturday Night Surfin'

What a wonderful Saturday night. Everyone is working and I'm taking a breather from posting my TWL Author Talks (Talks will resume Monday morning with Roxanne St. Claire!) and I decided to do a little surfing.

One site that caught my interest was http://www.ibiblio.org/wunc_archives/sot/index.php?p=25. Whoa...what a site for media contacts. I'll have to bookmark that one for places to send my press releases.

Another site that I found really neat was Google News. You can find all sorts of neat things about your books if it's been in the news lately. I had posted my latest news release for TWL Author Talks and that came up first when typing in my name. Go PR Leap!

Well, it's back to work on my WIP. Last word count is 27, 326!

2005-01-12T16:40:00.000-08:00

TWL Author Talks chats with Jenna McKnight!

What a wonderful two days we've had in TWL Author Talks. Jenna McKnight, author of "A Date on Cloud Nine" and "A Greek God At The Ladies' Club" spent two glorious days discussing all aspects of the writing life.

I had read some of "A Date on Cloud Nine" and I just loved it. I asked Jenna where she got the idea for her story. She replied, "The general idea probably came from a variety of movies about characters who die and come back for a second chance. Heaven Can Wait. Chances Are. (and others) I was looking for a unique beginning to go with this story when a couple I know returned from Mexico with stories of airport searches. Mm-hm, you know what they were finding in honeymooning couples' luggage. ;-) It just clicked. Not a lightbulb, but darn near. I don't usually write quite so spicy, but I figured, what they hey, just do it. "

Carol asked her what she was working on right now. Jenna replied, "So glad you asked! My suspense/thriller, I call it a psycho-suspense, will be submitted to 6 or 8 publishers this month, with them all committed to answer to my agent a few weeks after that. That's how Greek God sold, so this isn't entirely new to me. That said, many of my romances have a suspense element in them. Greek God certainly did. I find it faster and easier to write, more enjoyable on my end. Many of the Harlequins, too."

Among the discussions, there were many people interested in the publishing part of it, the agents, the publishers involved, and Jenna filled her in with her experiences.

I asked her what Avon was like to work with? Jenna replied, "So far, I'm liking Avon a lot. They want me to stick with light paranormal/romantic comedy. I fought the paranormal part, feeling limited by it, but once I got into the ghost story I'm writing now, I realize I'm having fun with it after all and have gotten ideas for more. They have great covers, too."

I then asked her how she went about acquiring her agent. Jenna answered, "I attended a few conferences in the past, and my current agent was present at those, so I saw him from time to time. Nothing negative there--and believe me, I've listened to some agents talk in workshops and quickly crossed them off my list. He has represented a few of my friends over the years...he returned my calls quickly, knew what he was doing, and was enthusiastic about my work. He doesn't let my mss sit on the editors' desks either. They get time limits." Now that's an agent to die for!

Jenna's stay was way too short and she agreed to come back in a few months. Wahhooo!

The lucky winner of Jenna's book, "A Date on Cloud Nine," went to Linda Rucker! Congratulations, Linda!

Next week, our guest author will be Roxanne St. Claire!

Dorothy Thompson
Moderator, TWL Author Talks
To sign up, go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TWLAuthorTalks/

2005-01-08T16:44:00.000-08:00

TWL Author Talks ends with Karen Kay and my WIP gets some much-needed attention

TWL Author Talks with Karen Kay ended Friday on a great note. I sent her the list of participants and because she couldn't pick two winners, she decided to send them all free books. A generous act on her part, if you ask me. I learned so much from Kay and hope that she'll come back soon! On Tuesday, January 11, Jenna McKnight joins us and I cannot wait!

I love the week-ends. It gives me some time to get away from email and work on my latest WIP, "Over the Hill." It's strange how this book started out as a comedy and is now taking a more serious, but light-hearted, look and feel. I'm straining to keep the laughs while my innerself is fighting to turn this into a documentary of the sixties. I want to include everything about the sixties in flashbacks that the heroine takes while on a cross country trip with her two closest friends from high school. I love Celia. My voice comes out strong in her dialogue. Bunny and Babs are her sidekicks and keeps the laughs coming. But, it is during Celia's flashbacks that I find a need to remember everything that adolescents went through during that era--the draft, the pot parties, the flower children. I want the sixties immortalized through my eyes and it's taking a lot of research to finally get it to words. There's one dramatic part where her crush, Bernie Pearson decides to tell her that he's been drafted...

“Celia! Celia!”

“Leave me alone!” I yelled, running as fast as I could despite the fact that bramble bushes were catching in my feet. How could he do this to me? I cried. Tears fell and all I could think of was getting as far away from the bastard as I could.

I ran across the barren field and stopped short of stumbling down a ravine when a hand caught me around me waist. “Let me go, you two-timing, dirty rotten bastard!” I yelled.

“Celia! Stop this right now!” Bernie ordered. “It’s not what it looks like!”

I shook my head back and forth and tried to wrestle out of his grasp. His strong hands had a tight grip and there was no way he was letting go. “You lying, son-of-a-bitch!” I yelled, slapping him across his face.

Bernie stood there in shock and I thought he was going to cry. I had never smacked anyone before, much less a boy twice my size. Fury had no conscious and I didn’t care at this point. “Bernie, why?” I sobbed.

He took my head and placed it against his adolescent chest. My body shook in convulsions and I couldn’t catch my breath. “There, there now, Celia,” he said in a low voice, “it’s going to be all right.”

I couldn’t do anything but cry. I was powerless. Bernie Pearson had taken my spirit and flung it across the back door stoop and stomped it to smithereens. I released myself from his grips and sat down on an old tire. I could hear the fish dancing in the stream below me. I could hear the traffic in the distance, oblivious to me or Bernie. I could only hear my conscious telling me to toss him off the ravine and be done with it.

All Bernie could do was stare off into the distance. He knew he was guilty and I knew he was trying to think of an alibi. Well, I’m too smart for alibis, buster.

“You didn’t see what you thought you saw, Celia,” he finally spoke.

“Do you think I’m blind, Bernie Pearson? Do you think that you can wriggle out of this one just like you’ve done a million times since we’ve been together?”

“Celia,” he whispered. “You know I love you and you’re my girlfriend. I was just kissing Mary Monica goodbye.”

“Kissing her goodbye?” I was enraged! Kissing her goodbye?

“There’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you, Celia,” he confessed. “I was just trying to find the right time.”

“Great, Bernie Pearson!” I yelled. “Just get it over with. You want her, don’t you? Don’t you???”

“It’s not that, Celia,” he said, smoothing my ponytail. He got up and stared into the Sierras in the distance. “What I have to tell you is…”

I knew this was serious. I had known Bernie for near about three years and I knew his serious look just like I knew the back of my hand. I grew nervous and looked him in his eyes. Nothing could prepare me for what he was about to say.

“I’ve been drafted.”

Of course, Celia is devastated but as all young girls do, she cries on the shoulder of a new boy. Ah...what a girl goes through in the name of love.

So far, I'm up to chapter eleven and 22,520 words.

Well, I'm off to catch up on email.

2005-01-05T13:31:00.000-08:00

TWL Author Talks Continues--Day Three with Karen Kay

Another wonderful day of conversing with our guest author, Karen Kay. A wonderful woman so full of insight! The topics of the day included press kits, trends and mistakes, and other wonderful tidbits of information about the publishing world.

I started off by asking her about press kits. I was wondering if she had to send them out herself or did her publishers handle them all. She responded:

"Hi Dorothy and good morning -- it is morning here in LA and believe it or not, the sun is shining today -- we've been getting a little soaked here.

Ah, press kits. A subject of an entire lecture or series probably. Truth is, I'm so new to Berkley, I don't know how they do this, but at AVON I was used to doing them myself, and so I do have some experience with this.

Again, there are some general rules to follow that can help -- this is in regard to writing a Press Release.

1) Never be untruthful in a Press Release -- if you aren't, it will come back to haunt you

2) Keep it to one page.

3) Pick one thing to talk about an punch that up well.

4) newspapers thrive on conflict, and so if you can think up some truthful conflict to say in your press release, you may get more attention -- be sure to make the conflict something besides yourself."

Cheryl Pereira asked an interesting question, "What in your oppinion and the in the current market that exists is the single most common mistake a newcomer who has researched the industry make?"

Kay answered, "The biggest common mistake? Wow, let's see. I think one of the biggest mistakes a newcomer makes is not valuing her work as much as she should -- and being willing to work for almost nothing. Your work is valuable and one should be compensated in a manner that makes it possible to fashion a career doing that which you love.

And the marketplace. Boy, I wish I could see into the future. If I were to use what's going on at present, and without any change, I would say that chick lit will continue to rise -- mostly because the publishers have invested so much money into it, that they will continue to push it, and so I think it's sales will pick up. I believe that it may become another part of women's fiction, and not become part of the romance field, as the audiences are so very different, I think.

I do believe that, as the world around us changes, so, too, will our likes become different. If things in this country continue much as they are now, I think that mysteries and suspense will become bigger and bigger. If, however, the country takes a dive into a depression -- heaven forbid -- I think we might see more soothing books, more historicals, more uplifting stories, finding a place in the marketplace.

But of course, the future can always be changed. Nothing is ever set in stone, I believe, and so these are just conjectures on my part."

These were but two of the wonderful things we learned from Kay today. Tomorrow will wind up things and I will be sending the list of participants to Kay to pick from. I will release the names of the two lucky winners of Kay's books on Friday.

2005-01-04T20:12:00.000-08:00

TWL Author Talks Continues--Day Two

Karen Kay continues to talk to the TWL Author Talk group and enliven us with her wisdom and knowledge of the publishing world with her experiences in sending off proposals, booksignings, and her methods of revising and editing.

Avie Townsend asked, "When you have a proposal, do you give it to the agent who then presents it to an editor, or because you've been so prolific, do you just submit to the publisher/editor first, and if they say okay have the agent submit the finished manuscript?"

Kay responded with "It's been my experience that once my agent has negotiated that contract, most things like synopsis and manuscripts and such are between me and my editor. I will usually send my agent a copy of our correspondence -- not always, though. I always send my agent a copy of the new synopsis, but not the manuscript. That goes from me to editor."

Sylvia S.W. Stoddard asked her what the average amount of books she sells at signings. Kay responded with, "I'm sorry to say that I don't sell that many books at a signing usually -- probably the average is between 15 - 20 -- and even that's hard work for a 1 1/2 hour time period. What I find valuable about booksignings is meeting people and booksellers. That, to me, is important."

Jen Nipps asked her if she edited and revised as she wrote or did she save that until after the first draft was done. Kay answered, "Actually I edit as I go so that my first draft is usually my final draft. We all work differently, however. A good friend of mine writes as many as three drafts -- and she's a very fast writer. So this is only how I write."

Stay tuned for Day Three of TWL Author Talks with Karen Kay!

2005-01-03T13:59:00.000-08:00

TWL Author Talks Debuts Today!

I didn't get a bit of work done today (now, does that surprise you?), but instead I had a blast with the opening of my new group, TWL Author Talks. It was a blast! Our very first guest to start us off was best selling author Karen Kay (www.novels-by-karenkay.com). Kay will be with us for a solid week and already we're bombarding her with questions. I'm filled with information about agents, publishers, publicists, what have you. What have I learned from her?

One of the most interesting things I learned from her is when I asked her the question, "Did you ever consider going the vanity, electronic or POD route? I know a lot of authors get frustrated with the system and hate to wait, even if it means having to pay to be published. Do you think that it's worth the wait to get into the traditional markets? What do you see are the advantages of waiting for a traditional market?"

She responded quite well with, "No, I never considered going any other route, simply because when I became published these other routes weren't available. Writing is my job and how I earn my living, and so I knew that if I wanted to continue to write, it had to be an avenue that would make it possible to also pay the bills. In this particular genre, I don't think the vanity presses and such could earn an author a good living. I know that I've been wrong as far as computer books and such -- something that can't be bought elsewhere -- but with romance as a genre, it was either get a New York Publisher or continue doing something else for a living."

On plotting, Lori Soard asked the question, "Have you noticed any tricks that really make editors sit up and take notice of your fiction proposals?"

Her answer: "When one writes a proposal, one starts the proposal out with what the story is about -- one sentence. Get the conflict of the story -- that's what sells the proposal -- and put that into one sentence. Like, my story, THE ANGEL AND THE WARRIOR is about a warrior and his woman who, despite the Thunderer's anomosity and the Creator's curse, must undo the spell that enslaves his people."

Janet Elaine Smith asked her how long her books from Avon stays available before they go out of print and how long do they hold her rights. "When I first started publishing with AVON, my books would stay on the shelf about 6-7 months," Kay told her. "Now, in Waldenbooks, they are taken down after about 1-2 months -- about the same at B. Dalton. Borders keeps stock of my books so that there's always something there on the shelf -- but not so Barnes & Noble. Books-A-Million also keeps a good stock of my books on hand. As far as rights go, it depends upon what kind of rights you're talking about -- it's different contract by contract, I think."

Avie Townsend asked, "When you first began, before you found your niche, did you write short stories, books, or articles? Did you find yourself submitting to various markets, or did you stick with one or two?"

Kay answered, "As far as what you write, if I might be so bold as to offer a suggestion, I would write what comes to me at the time -- since you are not bound right now by any sort of genre. Non-fiction is a good field, too -- I'm constantly reading non-fiction and am thoroughly entertained by it. But if you haven't yet found your "calling" so to speak, I would just keep writing what inspires you -- no matter what genre it is in. Doing that often enough, you'll probably work through this yourself."

It's interesting how much we don't know and Kay gave us great insight into the traditional publishing world. Another subject was stirring in my mind that I had to ask her and that was about her experiences with agents. I asked her if her agent was the one who helped her get into Avon or did she have previous great sales to influence Avon to take her on. I know that if you are not agent-represented, another way to get publisher's attention is a great track record in sales. Her response to my question: "I think having an agent really helped. I had no previous sales before AVON took me on as their author. Like I said, most editors rely on others going through the manuscript and giving it an OK before they want to invest the time in reading it. Remember, they have to read in their own time, and that includes all the editing they do."

All in all, it was a great day. I got nothing else done, but the information was priceless. We meet with Kay again tomorrow and I'll let you in on the details.

Chow amigos,

Dorothy

2004-12-25T20:54:00.000-08:00

It's Christmas!!!

It's finally over. The presents are unwrapped, the food has been devoured and it's time to call it a night. I've had such a wonderful Christmas. I have my health, my kids are great and life just can't get any better.

Well, there is one thing that could get better and that is my cooking. There is a joke amongst the members of my family and it is that I cook three times a year--Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas. And all of them have been disasters.

Take tonight for instance. I don't know why these kids trust me in the kitchen. I don't think they have one iota of an idea what goes on before their plates are put in front of them. I don't tell them, but I'd like to get it off my chest. After all, I openly confess, I am no Betty Crocker.

For beginners, I don't think and plan ahead. That's why, two days before Christmas, I'm standing in the meat section staring at the empty case of what was turkeys. After much deliberation, I choose what is left--a turkey without legs or wings commonly called turkey breasts. I'm thinking...I don't eat anything but breast anyway, so this actually would be perfect.

I take the breast home and put it in the refrigerator to thaw. So, two days later, on Christmas Day, I pull the breast out of the refrigerator and it's still harder than a rock. I throw the breast in the tub with hot water. That's exactly when my daughter says she needs to take a shower.

So, out with the breast and in with the child for another half hour. Meanwhile, I'm puttering around the kitchen cooking up stuff ahead of time. According to the baked corn recipe, it takes exactly one hour and ten minutes to cook. Hm...I'm thinking that that would give the breast enough time to thaw, once I get it back in the tub, that is.

I go to put the ingredients together and I discover that the recipe only calls for enough for 4 servings and I need 8, so I double it. I'm on a roll, I figure.

Well, to make a long story short, if you double a recipe that calls for cooking time of one hour, that means 2 hours of cooking time. I was never good at math, but this one was pretty easy to figure out. I look at the clock and that means the breast should go in the oven about 4:00.

About 4:00, I check the corn and it is done. Remarkably, the breast is good to go, too. I'm really surprising myself at how well I'm timing everything. That is until I realize that the macaroni and cheese needs a half hour cooking time, time. So, out with the breast and in with the macaroni. By 4:30, the macaroni is done and the breast goes in. Now, I know I'm not the brightest person in the world, but I figure that if I'm cooking a turkey without legs or wings, the cooking time should be shortened. Not.

I don't understand the reality of this. But, who is to argue with those Betty Crockers who went before me? To make a long story short, we ate dinner at 9:30 tonight. Which isn't bad, actually, considering the mistakes I made along the way. For example, while making the gravy, I put in confectioner's sugar for the cornstarch. Hey, they look alike.

And the potato soup was supposed to be mashed potatos.

I'm not sure what happens to me when I'm in the kitchen. I think it's a matter of pretending I should be in there when in reality I should be where I belong--right here on the computer.

Well, I hope you had a wonderful Christmas. All I know is, next year, I'm going to let someone else do the cooking.

2004-12-21T20:35:00.000-08:00

So This is Christmas...

This song has stayed in my mind for days, so I thought it a perfect title for the blog today. What's Christmas like for me? I'll tell you how I am spending my days during this joyous and not-so-joyous holiday season.

First of all, I believe in artificial trees. I don't want a tree that is going to shed all over the place. I have dogs who do that just fine. No, I want a good, sturdy artificial tree that I can put up at Halloween and take down at Easter if I want to. I want one, good, sturdy artificial tree that I buy one time and one time only. Is this too much to ask?

Well, I've had my good, sturdy artificial tree since '93, the year my husband decided that he'd rather live with someone else who had a good, sturdy artificial tree. So, the tree has meaning...in with the tree, out with the hubbie. Fair exchange.

Now, for the last two years, my good, sturdy artificial tree decided that it didn't like the four legs it stood on and decided to stand on just three legs. I gave in to her because, after all, she was a symbol of my independence. So, I propped her up on books where the fourth leg should be. All was fine.

She still looked brilliant, spectacular, and everything a good, sturdy Christmas tree should look like. After all, covering up the fourth missing leg with a Christmas skirt and she looked as good as she did when I first bought her. When you get old, you cover up your bad points and no one is the wiser!

However, this year, someone offered me another good, sturdy Christmas tree. Only this one was bigger and more beautiful than my other tree. I pondered whether I should take it and I decided that I would because getting my other tree down from the attic would have been too much trouble. Climbing up a six foot ladder and hoisting myself into my attic didn't sound like much fun, so I accepted the tree and started to put it up.

When I pulled the tree out of the bag, I noticed that setting up this tree required a little more patience than my other tree, who was quietly tucked away in my attic wondering why in the heck she was up there and this new one was in her place. I was so busy putting this new tree together that I didn't hear her sobs from the attic above me. Perhaps my inexplicit language while I was inserting branch A into slot A muffled her cries, who knows.

After two days, I finally had figured out which branch went in which slot and I stood back to admire her. Ten seconds later, I was flat on my back with the tree on top of me. Did I hear laughter from the attic above me?

I know the new tree was trying to conform to my wishes, but it was stubborn. I tried hoisting the tree up and leaning it against the wall and she still refused to stand up. I even thought about tying her somehow, but I nixed that idea, too. Somehow, this new addition to my family just didn't fit. I know that she was trying, but sometimes, no matter how hard you try, you just don't fit in. A misfit, she was. She could have been beautiful, but somehow I figured that she missed her old home and her old family.

I thought of my good, sturdy, 3-legged tree upstairs in the cold of the attic and I wanted her beside me. I wanted her here with me, to remind me that just because you're old and decrepid, it doesn't mean that you are not wanted. I looked up at the attic and I knew what I had to do.

I shipped the tree back to its original owner, came back home and grabbed the ladder. I hoisted myself up into the attic and there she was. If a tree could smile, I knew that she had the biggest grin on her face. I walked over to her and picked her up. The fragrance of past Christmases drifted by my nose and I had to ask myself why in the world did I ever think she could be replaced.

I hoisted her down from the attic and stuck her in the corner. I placed the book under her broken leg and put the skirt around her base. She was beautiful.

I thought I would do something a little different with her this year. Instead of colored lights, I'd put white lights on her...something to celebrate her newfound youth. She was spectacular.

The moral of the story is....

Just because you're a relic of the past, it doesn't mean you're not as beautiful as the day you were born.

2004-12-15T19:45:00.000-08:00

Break Free From the Binds that Tie You--A Domestic Violence Story

She stood before me with two black eyes. Once a gregariously happy woman, she was now reduced to a shadow of the woman I used to know. Her name is Kelly. Everyone knows a Kelly at least once in their lifetime. Or, the Kelly could be you.

Here is Kelly's story...

Kelly is in her early thirties with three young children. She just gave birth to her last child a few months ago. What should be a time of happiness is instead a time of hurt and pain. For, you see, Kelly is at the mercy of her husband, a drug user, who reminds her that she is worthless and should be dead.

I don't know much about Kelly's life before she started working with me about a year ago, but I liked Kelly right off the bat. She was so full of energy and just lit up the room when she walked in. However, today, even the brightest light couldn't have covered up the shadows that loomed. I knew before going to work that she had been hit in the face and was wearing two black eyes. I knew, too, that she had to work so that her children could eat and that was why she had to force herself to be there today.

I walked in and saw her. I wanted to hug her and tell her that everything was going to be all right, but you could tell that Kelly wanted to be alone. I watched her work, slowly and methodically, as if she were in a trance and deep in thought. She was deep in thought, all right...they call it depression.

There are millions of women who wear the same shoes as Kelly. The horrid fact is that most of them will continue this downward spiral until they finally give up or until they hit the lowest point they can and what happens after that, well, you don't want to know.

I wasn't about to let this happen to Kelly. So, I had a talk with her.

She was outside smoking during break and I just couldn't take it anymore. I wanted the old Kelly back and I just had to see if I could make a difference--but not just any difference, I wanted to see if I could touch on the Kelly I used to know. She was deep down there, but I knew I could reach her...I felt I had to...before it was too late.

My daughter had told me that Kelly had called the cops that night, but there was nothing they could do. And that triggered a mechanism in me and where it came from, I don't know, but it put fury in me so bad and so hard, that I knew I had to get through to Kelly before she gave up the fight.

I flew in the back, threw open the door and stood outside in the cold with Kelly for a half hour telling her that she can do something and that the cops are very wrong. I told her to go to the sheriff's department and get them to take pictures...that she might need it for when they separate and he retaliates by trying to take the children from her. She will need it in court. I told her that she could get child support and you know what she said? He gets paid "under the table" and isn't in the system. I felt like I was helping Kelly, but there were so many odds against her.

The bad part is, she is being evicted right at Christmas. She has no place to go and no money. It's such a sad story and the bad part about it is, this is the sort of thing that happens every minute of every day to at least somebody in the world today.

The bottom line is, how can we prevent from becoming a statistic? What can we do as women to protect ourselves from this kind of treatment?

The answer lies within ourselves, but we can't find the answers nor the strength if we are constantly told that we are worthless. What we have to do is get away from the source of critisism and envelope ourselves with love from others. With this outpouring of love will come nothing but encouragement. And what happens is, your brain is tricked into thinking that you are good, you are great, you are strong, until you finally have tackled the biggest obstacle--finding out that you are worthy of being treated as a queen. For, you are a queen. Once your brain registers this, you slowly climb out of the mindset that no one will love you or you're good for nothing.

It's a hard pill to swallow and will take work, but once you realize that, you will find that no one will ever touch you again. Allowing this kind of behavior will become unacceptable and those around you will realize this, too. Your mannerisms, the way you hold your head high, all of this helps you to realize your full potential. You are a queen in your own right and no one can take that from you.

2004-12-04T17:22:00.000-08:00

Sometimes Things Happen For a Reason

Two days ago, I had a booksigning for "Romancing the Soul." I sold two books. The fact that I was trying to sell a "romance-type" book at a government installation didn't help things, but as the average sales at booksignings is three books, I really didn't pay it any mind. What I learned is to take my books to places that are more geared to romantic things. And that's what being a successful marketer is all about...hey...I'm learning as I go.

However, even knowing that, you would think that the low sales would depress me, but after what happened today, I knew that the day wasn't wasted...it was meant for me to be there.

One of the two books that I sold was sold to a lady by the name of Rev. Patricia Julia Dworske. However, I didn't know it at the time. We were sitting there, my two daughters and I, watching the other authors selling books when my daughter had a brainstorm. She said to me, "Watch this." When someone walked over, she turned to me and said, "Did you get the email from Richard Gere yesterday?" I knew what she was doing. I said, "Yeah, isn't he the sweetest thing?" She said, "And they want to put your book in one of his movies???" Well, I played along with her for the sake of being bored and my other daughter said that she was watching this woman nearby. She was listening to what we were saying, or so she thought. Well, about five minutes later, she walks over and buys my book! "See, Mom? That's what you have to do," my other daughter said.

Well, I know it was devious, but it sold a book...or so I thought.

Today, I saw the same woman. She told me that she knew my book wouldn't sell on the government instillation and that I needed to sell it at New Age-style places. She said she just returned from this New Age store and it would do very well there. I couldn't help myself, but I had to ask, "Do you read New Age literature?" She smiled and said, "I'm Rev. Patricia Julia Dworske and I'm a spiritual science minister...yes, I read all that stuff."

Well, I was floored. This woman was the first woman that I have ever met face-to-face who had the same beliefs as I do. "I'm a spiritualist, too!" I exclaimed. I was so excited. We must have talked for an hour about our beliefs, psychic phenomenon, spirits...everything. It was the neatest thing to be standing beside someone who had the same beliefs that I do! We promised to email each other to stay in touch, and I firmly believe that this is going to be a wonderful friendship ahead!

To find someone who you can "connect" with on a spiritual plane is just like finding your soul mate. I truly believe that it was meant for her to come into my life. For what? We'll learn that further down the road, but I know it has a meaning and I can't wait to find out!

2004-12-01T19:26:00.000-08:00

Booksigning Anxiety Pains

Tomorrow morning at 10:00 sharp, I will be joining local authors and other craftspersons at the WEMA Christmas Extravaganza. Right exciting? Not. I'll tell you why....

For starters, I've gotten...ahem...frumpy. Seriously. All those years of wishing I weren't skinny and finally the Gods answered my prayers. Only, they just didn't know when to stop. I want to say, "Hey, hold on there! Okay! Thank you, but I've had enough!" Are they listening? Not on your life. Just goes to show you, watch what you wish for.

So, I'm shopping in the mall, the day before the signing, trying to find something less...um...frumpy. Anything with a waist is out. Those cute little tops...forget it. Frustrated, I decide to just find something in my closet. I pull out my red silk shirt which would be perfect for Christmastime, put on my black jacket that was getting a little tight around the shoulder blades and my black skirt that I had to suck in to get on and...well...I looked...frumpy.

Frustrated, I figured I'd have the answer to what to wear in the morning and sat down to make my bookmarks. I bought some really nice ribbon and gold balls that I was going to attach to the end of them. Way cool. That is until I started putting them together. I didn't realize that the ribbon had wire in it which made my bookmarks look like they had antennas. I put the balls at the end and now they look like antennas with eyes. So now I have martian bookmarks. Which would be okay if I had a sci-fi book, but I don't.

Oh, I forgot this one. I don't know whether they are going to supply me with a tablecloth, so I'm searching all over Wally World looking for a dang tablecloth and the only white one they had had holes all in it. I know this is the Victorian look, whatever, but it would look more suitable for a dining room table than a table at a craft show. I bought it anyway...if I get desperate, I'll use it and ignore everyone snickering around me.

So, I'm sitting here like I have nothing to do. I have so much to do! I just don't want 10:00 to come....I know I'll be the only frumpy one sitting there with a tablecloth full of holes selling books with martian bookmarks. Wish me luck.

2004-11-27T22:51:00.000-08:00

I have a confession. I do something other for a living than write. I know, I know...hard to fathom. But, unfortunately, the bills have to be paid and I kinda like that car that's parked out in the driveway, so "outside" work is a must.

The truth is, I am a server. Yeah, yeah, I'm the one who stands in front of your table (unless I know you and then I'm sitting there beside you) taking your order. I really like my job most times and it's not the reason you'd think. The money bulging out of my apron (wishful thinking) is kind of nice, but that's not the main reason I do this. And, actually, I never knew this would be my main reason until I became a published author.

The reason? Hold yer horses, I'm getting to it.

Every published author looks for ways to sell their books. Especially authors who use print-on-demand publishing, which I happen to use. We are scrutinized by the bricks-and-mortar stores on account of they look at us like "self-publishers" and in some cases, we are.

But, I'm not. My book is published by a top-notch small press publisher who just happens to use POD technology to print their books. Our books are edited thoroughly and the final product is one of upmost excellence. However, try to tell Barnes & Noble that. They won't listen. Could be that they have but so much space on the bookshelves, but we are like the black sheep of the writing industry and this is sad, sometimes.

So, we have to look for alternative ways to sell our books. Some of us have come up with the most ingenius ways to sell their books and while my way may not be ingenius, nor uncommon, but it works for me and I will continue to do this.

My alternative way? Okay, here's what I have been leading up to. I've decided to turn my job into an excellent outlet to sell books. Think about it. You have the customers and no overhead. It's a win-win situation.

Here's my "ingenius" way for selling books in my workplace:

1.) First of all, my car is billboard on wheels. I have printed out the cover of my book with my website underneath and taped this "poster" on the inside of my rear side window. No one laughs like you'd think they would. I often catch people standing around my car reading my poster. Does it amount to sales? Sure does! I had one customer go to my website and find my email address to ask me how they can buy my book after seeing my car in the driveway.

2.) Another neat thing I do is wear a "button" with my book cover on it and wear it on my apron in full view where my customers can see it. I went to a craft store and bought cheap buttons that let you put whatever you want in them. I printed out small pictures of my book cover, inserted it, and away I go. How does this method amount to sales? Well, all I can say is, it's sure made interesting conversation! One customer asked me how they could buy my book and I'd tell them I have a copy in the car (I always carry copies in my car for "emergency sales") if they wanted one, autographed, of course.

3.) One of the reasons I love being a server is having a steady supply of "regulars." These are the people that ask for me to wait on them. Of course, they know already that I'm a published author and are always asking me when my next book is coming out. Chi-ching...instant sales. In fact, today, I had a "regular" come in and as soon as I saw her, I told her my book had finally come out. "I'll take two!" she says. I'm averaging about five a week so far from regular customers and that's not too shabby.

4.) Of course, there will be customers coming in who I do not know. How do I sell my books to perfect strangers? Often, one of them will come in with book in hand. I, of course, will ask them what they're reading and try to turn the topic to my book. The looks on their faces make up for when they don't buy the book, but you would be surprised at how many I have sold this way.

While not all professions will allow you to sell your books on the job, my boss loves the fact that she has a published author on the payroll. As a matter of fact, one of my "regular" customers was in the middle of buying my book yesterday when the manager walked over to say hi to her. "You don't mind if she sells me her book on the job, do you?" she asked her. "Of course not" was the reply. So, not only do I have the approval of the management, I'm happily making money from my job, and making money from my books, too!

If I were sitting at home, all these sales wouldn't have happened and I would be trying to think of other ways of selling my book, I presume. But, as long as I have to do my "time," at least I know when I get dressed to go into work every night, I have the possibility of selling my book, too. Like I said, it's a win-win situation and probably one of the most ingenius ways to sell my book that I can think of!

2004-11-25T22:24:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is finally over and now I can start putting my Christmas buying into full swing. Not too much more to go...just hope the funds hold out!

I do have an interesting story to tell. I was lying down, watching a little T.V., which is so unusual for me, and I happened upon the last episode of "The Bachelor." Of course, the girl I thought he was going to end up with wasn't chosen, but it made me really think about soul mates and if these two people were, in fact, of the soul mate persuasion. I thought about it and came to the conclusion that they just weren't twin souls anyway...companion soul mates, maybe. It's so hard to tell from a reality show just how much is hype for the ratings and what isn't.

Anyway, I wandered over to the "The Bachelor" message boards and made a post: "Do you think Byron and Mary are soul mates?" It was a very fun and interesting thread. If you want to catch it, go to http://forums.go.com/abc/thread?threadID=126453. I've racked up quite a bit responses from "What is a soul mate?" to "They are definitely soul mates...I even saw their pink auras!" Quite a fun thread. I want to mention my book, but I know that would be advertising, so I am waiting for someone to ask me how I know what I do...heh.

Well, I finally figured out how to make my own bookmarks, so I've been printing, cutting and signing them to send off to those who have bought autographed copies of my book. I have so many stacks to send off, it's crazy. But, hey, I'm not knocking it! See you next time!

2004-11-16T06:52:00.000-08:00

What a week--a radio interview, booksigning, and another radio interview lined up!

Nov. 11, I was on Lifetime Radio talking to Donna Britt about "Romancing the Soul." The talk aimed more on soul mates than writing, which is the one subject I can't stop talking about! To end the interview, she asked me "Why would people want to buy your book?" Easy. I told her to show everyone that not only do they have one soul mate, but many soul mates and to realize that each one comes into their lives for a reason. Donna was an excellent host and I hope to have future interviews with her.

I have my first booksigning for "Romancing the Soul" lined up on December 2, 2004, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the WEMA Christmas Extravaganza at the NASA base at Wallops, Virginia. Those who live nearby...I'd love to meet you! Eastern Shore authors are invited to sell their books, plus leave a stock in the exchange...wooohooo! That's a bargain I can't refuse. I'm trying to keep an inventory of books here so that I'll have enough to sell, but they're going fast as jackrabbits...must be the gift-buying season! Not complaining there....

I also have lined up another radio interview for August 2005! Wowzers...talk about a popular radio show! It's called "Jewel's Way" and her website address is www.jewelsway.com. More details later.

2004-11-09T18:48:00.000-08:00

Romancing the Soul arrived!!! I was at work and my daughter phoned me..."Mom, there's a big box sitting outside the door. Did you know about that?" I flipped! "MY BOOKS!!!!" I've not been the same since.

I drove home as fast as my little Sunfire could take me...granted I shouldn't be doing it because my inspection sticker ran out a few days ago (DON'T TELL!). There she was...a big beautiful box of nothing but books after books!

I know the contributors will be mighty happy. I'll send them to them on Friday and sell the rest. I've already gotten many pre-sales right there at work, so I'm taking them in with me tomorrow!

I have an interesting story to tell. There's two women who work with me. They just started a few weeks ago and had no idea I was a writer, much less an author. Well, when I got the phone call, they of course wanted to know what all the excitement was about and I told them. After I explained soul mates to them--explaining the karmic soul mate in particular--they looked at one another and said, "That's what we are! We have people coming up to us all the time saying when they see one of us, they see the other...now I know why! We're karmic soul mates! We each want a copy!" Chi-ching!!!

I don't think life can get much better than this...sigh....;o)

2004-10-20T16:35:00.000-07:00

Romancing the Soul has just gone up at Amazon! Why is this the most wonderful thing to me??? I don't know, but it is! If you'd like to see it, go to http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/155410095X/qid=1098279827/sr=1-4/ref=sr_1_4/102-2803723-6834558?v=glance&s=books.

I've already received orders for the autographed book, which really is a good deal. It's no more expensive, plus you get my John Hancock and a free copy of my new ebook, "How to Find and Keep Your Soul Mate," which is full of my professional wisdom, lol. AND, a free personalized bookmark, too! You just can't beat this bargain.

To buy an autographed copy, go to http://www.dorothythompson.net to find out how you can find out how to find and keep your soul mate, too!

2004-10-12T19:39:00.000-07:00

I'm getting ready to order the contributor's copies. I know they will be happy to see the finished book in their hands! Finally, they can see their story in print and that makes me so satisfied.

I've been doing a lot of promotional research this past week...trying to figure out the best ways to promote "Romancing the Soul". I've already created a web presence, although I will continue with that.

I've also looked into getting the book in book clubs and catalogues. My publisher suggests new age shops, health food stores, psychic fairs...that sort of thing. I really think she has the right idea!

As for book clubs, getting your book into one would mean tremendous sales!

After my books get to me, I'm going to pound the pavement and hit every store I can possibly think of to inquire on whether they'd take the book on consignment. There's a couple bridal shops near me that might be interested. One is in a moderately-heavy volume store and the other is off the beaten path, but they still would be excellent places to get my books in. Also, hospital gift shops. I've never talked to anyone who has gone this route and I'm not sure how receptive they are, but it's worth a shot.

I'm way behind ordering promo material. I'll have to make my own bookmarks until revenue comes in, but I'll have to order postcards. Marketing with postcards can be very advantageous. In future blogs, I'll tell you how it's going as for just how advantageous.

2004-10-08T13:51:00.000-07:00

Romancing the Soul is released!!!! October 1, 2004 was the official release date and I've been going crazy doing this and that and had plumb forgot about putting it up on my blog! Between Amanda having strep throat and pulling doubles at work to make up for her absence, it's been crazy!

I will be ordering the book (among the other sixty I have to order for the contributors) on Monday. I can't wait to hold my baby in my hands. What a wonderful feeling that is going to be.

I've started announcing the book on all my groups and am going to go through my address books in all my email boxes and let everyone know that the book is ready to order. I'm a little late--well, a lot late!--in ordering promotional materials and that will be taken care of next week, too.

I'm fixing me up a press release to go with my publisher's press release and am going to send it out to all the newspapers and periodicals.

As for booksignings, I'm in the process of lining them up and trying to figure out which ones I can fit in in time for holiday buying.

This book is going to be the book to change everyone's view on soul mates. There is a message and I hope the message is understood and changes the world for the better. With approximate sixty beautiful and compelling stories from people all over the world who have found their soul mates through real-life miracles and chance encounters, how can it not? By the time you have finished the book, you will believe!

To buy the book, go to http://www.booksurge.com/product.php3?bookID=ZUMA00001-00114.

I have revamped the book's page and if you'd like to see it, go to http://www.dorothythompson.net/Romancing_the_Soul.html.

I'm getting rave reviews and it's all great!

2004-09-27T14:09:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe it's the end of September already! Very, very soon, Romancing the Soul will be released! It's hard to believe it took three years to compile and publish the book, but now that it's almost time to see my "baby" released, I can see where all the hard work was worth it! The electronic version is out and if you'd like to buy a copy, go to http://www.ebookad.com/eb.php3?ebookid=20071. It's so exciting just to have it up as an ebook, plus it qualifies me to enter the EPPIES this year! I haven't checked Booksurge yet, but it should be any day that the print version will be out. Once that happens, the work really begins! It will be time to put my marketing plan in full swing! My pre-marketing plan went in full swing with the debut of my first live radio interview with Delores Thornton on her show "Around2It" at Artist First Radio Network. It was a blast! Where it was my first live radio interview, I was soooo nervous beforehand. My stomach was churning and it was all I could do to keep my heart from beating out of my chest! But, once the interview started, I surprised myself and couldn't stop talking. Delores was a wonderful host and made me feel so at ease. And, she even invited me back! WAHOO!

2004-01-05T20:06:00.000-08:00

Ahh..the beginning of a brand new year...gotta love it. I feel there is going to be so much change in my life for 2004...bigger and better things.

I was granted an early Christmas present by my publisher...a spanking brand new cover for my Romancing the Soul book. You can see it at http://www.thewriterslife.net/romancingthesoul.html . I was so pleased.

I've begun the new year by sending articles and stories off to about ten publications since about two days ago. Here's hoping they all get published!

I've also been scouring around for endorsements for the soul mate book...got some great leads. Stay tuned for further announcements.

The Preditors & Editors Readers Poll has opened with another week and a half left. So far, The Writer's Life is in the top ten of four categories!

2003-11-06T10:16:00.000-08:00

Okay, so I'm bad at keeping up with things. What with playing on the internet and staring ominously at that last moon pie sitting on the counter, I find it hard to do everything I'm supposed to get done. I should hit that exercise bike, also staring ominously at me, but it can wait.

Fall has now descended upon me and I find that Christmas will come faster than I want it to, so I've decided that this Christmas is going to be a little different from the last forty-eight Christmases that I would like to forget. Well, maybe not all of them, but most.

I have decided to forgo Christmas this year. Not entirely, but I figured out why I hate Christmas.

It's the same old thing, year after year. Worry about buying presents and then worrying about how you're going to pay for them. Dragging the Christmas tree down from the attic, only to find that the stand is broken and propping it up on a book sounds easier than rushing out and buying another one. Baking dozens of cookies only to find them uneaten and moldy months later.

This year is going to be different. The kids and I are going to head out to the Great Smokey Mountains in Tennessee. AND RELAX.

Believe it or not, the kids are thrilled at this idea. A quiet little cabin tucked away on a mountainside with a log fire blazing. Holiday bliss, here I come!

2003-07-14T10:57:00.000-07:00

Has three months gone by so fast since the last time I posted???

Today is rather dreary...rain clouds hovering overhead and I wanted to get off this computer to go to Ocean City for awhile tonight. I love Ocean City. There's a huge boardwalk where you can see all sorts of oddities...purpled-hair tatooed earthlings walking amongst the crowd...and this is not even the strangest I've seen. I know I'm about to approach the senior years..god forbid...but if you want to get a taste of the younger generation, stroll about or better yet...have a sit on one of the many benches they strategically put there just for this. They should erect signs: SIT HERE TO STARE AT PEOPLE. I hadn't meant to sit on one, but I was tired and I needed a smoke. I couldn't help but join in on the stare-athon. Educational, to say the least. Two young chicks were standing there talking to two hormonal young guys. It was obvious what they were doing. You couldn't help to eavesdrop.

"I'm sorry...I don't carry them," one of the girls told the boys.

Now...it could have been perfectly innocent. They could have been asking for a pack of matches or something to light their bombs they planned to light later for the fun of it, but my guess at this point was condoms.

The reason I came to this conclusion is that once those words were out of their mouth, their faces dropped and they were scrambling through their pockets. Not one of them had one. Now...I decided to stay there a while longer to see if they were going to have unprotected sex or not. The girls flirted and the boys thought they were going to get lucky, but in the end, they all walked their separate ways. I was relieved, as I'm not one to condone the act of unprotected sex. Which reminds me of a story about this one guy who was about to get lucky in the back seat of a car and all he had was a baggie and a rubber band...I won't get into it further...but I don't think it worked, although the thought of using a baggie and a rubber band sounded very ingenue.

My stare-athon was dampened by my weakening bladder and I had to go (more ways than one), but everyone should try this once in awhile. You'll see a lot of older people doing this...do me a favor...the next time you pass one, give'em a show. It'll give'em stories to write home about and memories that will last a lifetime.

2003-04-10T08:16:00.000-07:00

I've been feeling rather terrible the past few days...think it's some sort of sinus infection. Anyhoo...

I was supposed to speak at the local Wal-Mart for Literacy Day this Saturday but have decided to cancel. This was a hard decision for me; for I feel I have let a lot of people down. Illness triggered the cancellation, but I’ve been getting negative posts in different groups about how bad this is being run. Honestly, I don’t think the organizers were prepared for such a big turn-out.

Instead, I will concentrate on my upcoming appearance on a cable talk show for Lauretta Ali next month. I am to talk about e-books and whatever else they may ask me. I’m really looking forward to that.

I’ve got a pile of work ahead of me including revising the Romancing the Soul anthology and finishing the ‘ghost book’. I’ve also queried our local paper about a humor column, still haven’t heard word on that yet.

It’s dreary here in Virginia, raining again for the umpteenth time. The rain matches my mood and I feel if I don’t get better, I’ll not get a thing done.

I do have some good news…ENZM.com ( http://www.enzm.com ) has accepted my shortened version of my Bruce Cameron interview and I have queried a print mag for the longer version. Crossing my fingers!

Keep on writing!

2003-03-10T17:49:00.000-08:00

I didn’t get much writing done today. Had to go to the eye doctor for a new pair of glasses, then he socked it to me with my bill—over $400! What a writer has to go through to see. He told me last time I saw him, four years ago, incidentally, that I would need, god forbid, BIFOCALS. I mean, come on now. I know I’m not a spring chicken anymore, but BIFOCALS? I told him that I was too young for them, but thank you anyway.

Well, it seemed the ol’ Doc put a curse on me the minute I walked out the door. He just had to have the last word, didn’t he? I found that every time I needed to read something up close, I had to raise my glasses. And the print on the back of aspirin bottles…weren’t they getting smaller nowadays?

So, this time, I gave in and let him have his way with me. He gave me the eye exam, I gave him the right answers; then was ushered into the waiting room where I was to choose from millions of frames. My daughter was there to give her opinions, but she was of no help. She told me that I should get smaller lens, that that was the style. I tried on these miniscule little things and wondered how in the heck you could see out of them. I relented, as I did respect her opinions on most things and who was I to argue?

I took them to the counter and the receptionist took a look at them and shook her head. “I’m sorry, Ms. Thompson, but in order to have BIFOCALS, they must be a little larger than this.”

So, there was another half-hour wasted going through the millions of frames again.

I finally settled on a pair that suited me and took them back to the receptionist and was relieved the receptionist gave me her golden nod of approval.

I then told her that I wanted them without the little lines so as not to let anybody know they were BIFOCALS, plus I wanted them to be able to turn dark when I go outside.

She did a little calculating and gave me the verdict…

After they picked me up off the floor, I wrote out the check with my daughter in the background going, “Mom, did you have to have all those things on them?”

Yes, I did. If I have to wear BIFOCALS, I still wanted to look chic.

Being chic has its advantages. After all, I am an author and must look the part. It gives new meaning to starving writers. I won’t eat for a month.