Okay, I'm not ashamed to admit it. I'm one of those "Twilight" people.
Yesterday was a great day. The DVD came out! My girlfriend and I have been counting down to this day for months...well, more acurately I've been e-mailing her "Twilight" tidbits everyday since January...she doesn't seem to mind though.
I don't know what it is about this series of books and now movies. But I am hooked. Completely hooked. As Edward says, they're like my own personal brand of heroine. And just as addictive.
Maybe it's the vampire aspect. I've always listed vampire stories among my favorites. Maybe it's that reading/watching/obsessing makes me feel like a teenager again. Nothing wrong with that.
Whatever it is, I'm totally devoted. (Although I did skip all of the 'midnight release madness' Friday night. I learned my lesson on that with a couple of the Harry Potter books several years ago.)
I've read the books, and the unfinished mss on the author's website (www.stepheniemeyer.com) three times. And I started on the fourth round last night. When the movie was in the theatres last fall, my girlfriend and I saw it four times. Last night we watched it twice. Plus all of the special features. We made a night of it, complete with "Twilight" candy hearts, ravioli for dinner, and her life-sized cut out of Edward standing in my living room. And I plan to watch it several more times this week.
Do you remember the movie "Dirty Dancing?" When that came out about twenty years ago, my mom watched it every night for like a month. She loved the dancing. And she loved Patrick Swayze as Johnny Castle. She was just a bit older than I am now.
I have the feeling "Twilight" is going to be my "Dirty Dancing". There's no dancing -well, a little bit at prom at the end, but that doesn't really count. But I do think Rob Pattinson plays a VERY fine (and hot and sexy) vampire. (*sigh*, I love Edward.)
My wonderful husband is fabulous about all of this. Whenever I talk about Edward or "Twilight" he simply gives a very tolerant and amused eye roll. He always says there are worse things I could be obsessed with.
How long will my obession last? I don't know. But "New Moon" has started filming, so I have that to look foward to this fall. (I think I sense another countdown coming...)
So, what do you obsess about? What books and/or movies pull you in and won't let you go? And what is it about them?
Until next time,
Happy Reading! (You know what I'll be reading!!)
Debra
P.S. On an unrelated note, don't forget to hop over to the New Covey Cover Awards and vote for THIS TIME FOR ALWAYS. (Entry #9)
www.debrastjohnromance.com
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Saturday, March 21, 2009
The Louvre by Margot Justes
The Louvre. The one and only. One of the most-if not-the most renowned museum in the world. A ‘must see’ for every tourist visiting Paris.
Yes, it is magnificent, colossal and overwhelming. It is one of those museums where you stand in the center and breathlessly say where do I go first? What must I see this visit? For you cannot possibly see everything. The rush is on. And what a rush it is.
Set in the glorious Tuilerie gardens, the massive Romanesque structure beckons you in. But wait, before you even go inside-look around you-you’re standing in front of I.M. Pei’s fantastic glass pyramid that serves as the entrance to the museum. Stunning. A work of art in itself.
Pose for a few minutes, savor and admire-the juxtaposition of the old and the new. It shouldn’t work-but it does, the striking contrast gives an impression of openness and seems to magnify the size of the structure. An illusion to be sure, that adds to the already gigantic size of the museum.
Most tourists visit a well known friend - the Mona Lisa. Her visitors have increased (if that is possible-it is) since the Dan Brown book came out. She has been overwhelmed by admirers. Step back and listen to the ooh’s and aah’s as the tourists stand in front and marvel at the masterpiece. Maybe like many others you have a copy of the Da Vinci Code with you and are trying to find the clues. Imagine the possibilities.
And here I go…I have seen the painting quite a few times and have read, heard lectures about her hands, the enigmatic smile, the eyes, the mystery, the total encapsulating image.
The painting is a masterpiece to be sure, an elegant portrait. I’m probably the only one who doesn’t see the mystery. The only one who sees a forced smile. The only one who sees hands that have not seen hard work. I do not see a mystery. I see a classic portrait of a well to do woman. Passive. Removed. And maybe that is part of the mystery. Visit and you decide.
For me that is what art is all about. I’m not expert-just an admirer of the talent involved in putting an idea on canvas and making it work. Startle the viewer. Discuss. Become creative in what and how the viewer sees. Make me think. Wonder. So many endless possibilities…
Of course there is more, you’ll meet Venus De Milo, standing poised, ready to be admired. And there is much to admire. You’ll see Delacroix’s Liberty Leading the People, a magnificent painting. Stirring. Hair raising bravery. A Must see.
Next week, I’ll let write about my favorite piece. You knew there would be a favorite, didn’t you?
Till next Time,
Margot Justes
A Hotel in Paris ISBN 978-1-59080-534-3
Art brought her to Paris, then a stranger’s death changes her life.
Missing ISBN 978-1-59080-611 1
Heat of the Moment ISBN 978-1-59080-596-1
www.mjustes.com
available on amazon.com
Yes, it is magnificent, colossal and overwhelming. It is one of those museums where you stand in the center and breathlessly say where do I go first? What must I see this visit? For you cannot possibly see everything. The rush is on. And what a rush it is.
Set in the glorious Tuilerie gardens, the massive Romanesque structure beckons you in. But wait, before you even go inside-look around you-you’re standing in front of I.M. Pei’s fantastic glass pyramid that serves as the entrance to the museum. Stunning. A work of art in itself.
Pose for a few minutes, savor and admire-the juxtaposition of the old and the new. It shouldn’t work-but it does, the striking contrast gives an impression of openness and seems to magnify the size of the structure. An illusion to be sure, that adds to the already gigantic size of the museum.
Most tourists visit a well known friend - the Mona Lisa. Her visitors have increased (if that is possible-it is) since the Dan Brown book came out. She has been overwhelmed by admirers. Step back and listen to the ooh’s and aah’s as the tourists stand in front and marvel at the masterpiece. Maybe like many others you have a copy of the Da Vinci Code with you and are trying to find the clues. Imagine the possibilities.
And here I go…I have seen the painting quite a few times and have read, heard lectures about her hands, the enigmatic smile, the eyes, the mystery, the total encapsulating image.
The painting is a masterpiece to be sure, an elegant portrait. I’m probably the only one who doesn’t see the mystery. The only one who sees a forced smile. The only one who sees hands that have not seen hard work. I do not see a mystery. I see a classic portrait of a well to do woman. Passive. Removed. And maybe that is part of the mystery. Visit and you decide.
For me that is what art is all about. I’m not expert-just an admirer of the talent involved in putting an idea on canvas and making it work. Startle the viewer. Discuss. Become creative in what and how the viewer sees. Make me think. Wonder. So many endless possibilities…
Of course there is more, you’ll meet Venus De Milo, standing poised, ready to be admired. And there is much to admire. You’ll see Delacroix’s Liberty Leading the People, a magnificent painting. Stirring. Hair raising bravery. A Must see.
Next week, I’ll let write about my favorite piece. You knew there would be a favorite, didn’t you?
Till next Time,
Margot Justes
A Hotel in Paris ISBN 978-1-59080-534-3
Art brought her to Paris, then a stranger’s death changes her life.
Missing ISBN 978-1-59080-611 1
Heat of the Moment ISBN 978-1-59080-596-1
www.mjustes.com
available on amazon.com
Friday, March 20, 2009
Damn Good Advice to Newbie Writers In the Write-to-Sell Workship by Professor Robert "PEDANTRY" Walker
It's like this for just about everyone. Very hard for a writer so close to his own work (including a professional like myself) to see items and bothersome analytical needs and stuff like missing commas—or worse too many commas or semi-colons jammed in where commas need go—when the creative side sees and often fills in whole words even where they may be missing. (Whew! Take a breath . . . Jot notes on the blackboard).
As far as the grammar rules go, if you have problems with these— as so many people do these days thanks to our screen-on-generation now, wherein if it isn't on a screen but coming out of a classroom or on a blackboard, it isn't worthy of anyone’s attention, well then join the crowd.
Could you follow that compound complex on top of complex last sentence? In a novel, if your reader gets lost, you have committed the number one writing sin of all—being unclear. Bringing your reader to a confusion at the cellular level of the sentence that cannot be followed. If you can’t make it sing, at least make it clear –great bumper sticker advice that. Call for Claritin. If it’s fuzzy and hard to follow, you’re in violation and ought be arrested for the biggest of the ten deadly sins of writing.
Yes, a question from the foor? I am asked by a young writer in all seriousness why some people—and he was naming no names—were such PEDANTS when it came to sentence structure and such thingies or thingys as the rules of grammar. My response (being an English and writing teacher) came fast and furiously as the question irritated me to no end. The question reminded me of the student who has no sense of history and does not want any either when we all know that what we do today determines our outcome for tomorrow—history! Okay back to the constraints and restraints of rules of the road in writing: There are some ways to work around comma issues and semi-colon gaffs as in pay a professional, someone like myself who does freelance editing at cut rate prices to "fix" whatever issues a person has with grammatical "stuff" –and or find an instructor who really knows how to put it across (not all teachers can do it as well as they should, and most think they have but haven’t). Or . . . or find a friend or acquaintance who LOVES to edit stuff and will happily do it for you.
My young protégé’s response is immediate, and he says that's been done—50 times over—so that's not working (by the way if it is under 100 spell it out—fifty!)
So I take the young man aside and I say, “You know, son, there really are only like TEN deadly sins in writing, and most of us are committing only two or three of these offenses, and if someone can point out the pattern errors—serial killer errors—of the type that keep coming back at you, then once you SEE the connectedness of the error(s) and that it is the same error repeating itself like a recurrent nightmare, then and only then do you begin to feel a darn sight better about your single (or two or three issues).
At such an aha moment, when the writer himself realizes that he is not making every error in the fat English Grammar text, but rather less than a handful—then he Learns with a capital L. People learn when they see the patterns and connections between and among things, and there are many such patterns and connects in the rules of the road in English and writing.
That does something for you, learning that your errors are not so enormous and not so terribly many that you can’t defeat them. For instance, you learn that commas travel with "fragmentary" lines like pilot fish shadow sharks. Remember fragments? Early each day—comma!—followed by a whole thought as in: I climb out of bed.) The three-legged dog of a sentence is the fragment ending in a period as in Early each day. Or it’s a two-legged stool of a sentence, which we fictionalists use handily and heavily in story writing since characters often TALK and THINK in fragments. You learn the converse is true that periods travel with complete, whole sentences or thoughts. You learn that a semi-colon is a comma that calls in its cousin the period because a comma alone can’t go with a whole sentence/thought.
This is what is meant when they say, "You must know the rules before you go around breaking them." And I would add to that that if you know you are breaking them, and it is obvious that the reader knows that you know that he knows, and everyone knows then you have tacitly agreed that you are breaking them with the reader’s understanding. Then it legitimizes breaking them. Perfect example: the great fantastic Richard Matheson's short-short story Born of Man and Woman. Breaks every grammar rule and spelling rule but it all works! Why? Because it is a story narrated from the point of view of a totally illiterate, abused yet intelligent and compassionate child (written in 1960). Matheson like the fabulous Robert Bloch—pure genius. Matheson wrote I am Legend by the way and Stir of Echoes. Bloch wrote Psycho and American Gothic and many wonderful short stories.
One final word to my students is to read, read, and read in the field or genre you wish to write in, and also read widely in all areas, and to read as a writer reads—noting how a Matheson or a Bloch moves you. The more you read fiction, the more you pick up the cadence and the music of this unusual art form, the more your grammar will simply fall into grace . . . ah place.
I did not free myself of the "fear" of grammar and what is right and wrong until I sat myself down and shouted, "If it sounds good to my ear, and it makes sense to my mind, then I will use it." This does not preclude revisions and self-editing and having friends edit your work, and then more revisions, but it is a great place to call your springboard—Sound and Sense. I got that idea from a poetry book I came across—stumbled on rather serendipitously—when a freshman in college, a book entitled: Sound and Sense.
Next question comes from a poet in the class who insists that anything can be poetry, and that poetry did not need any rules or to take any form or shape . . . Ohmygod! (Now there’s a poem in a single word—OhMyGod!) This young man states that a single word such as IT can be a poem. But who’d want to read IT? How much enjoyment can one get from IT, and hasn’t IT been done to death by Stephen Kingit?
I grit my teeth and smile with lips pursed so no one can see my grinding molars.
For those of you who want to groove on grammar, check out a book entitled The Transitive Vampire. For anyone who wants a thorough going over with a kick in the teeth take my corrections in the spirit in which they are given—for the betterment of the story, not your ego. If that does not work, check out my “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap” at The Knife Editing Services at my website below.
For those who want to read a FREE suspense-filled moonlighting-styled modern thriller set in Atlanta, GA and learn the lesson of reading like a writer, check out the book I wrote for and dedicated to one of my heroes, Ed Gorman. This is my DEAD ON found at my website – www.robertwalkerbooks.com See if I practice what I preach. . . and when and where and how I move you, take some notes, reread that scene, and ask how’d Walker pull that off? How’d he make me laugh, how’d he get me to choke up with emotion, and how’d he so completely surprise me with that twist? It’s how I learned from Matheson, Bloch, and many another “master”.
Happy Writing –
Rob Walker
As far as the grammar rules go, if you have problems with these— as so many people do these days thanks to our screen-on-generation now, wherein if it isn't on a screen but coming out of a classroom or on a blackboard, it isn't worthy of anyone’s attention, well then join the crowd.
Could you follow that compound complex on top of complex last sentence? In a novel, if your reader gets lost, you have committed the number one writing sin of all—being unclear. Bringing your reader to a confusion at the cellular level of the sentence that cannot be followed. If you can’t make it sing, at least make it clear –great bumper sticker advice that. Call for Claritin. If it’s fuzzy and hard to follow, you’re in violation and ought be arrested for the biggest of the ten deadly sins of writing.
Yes, a question from the foor? I am asked by a young writer in all seriousness why some people—and he was naming no names—were such PEDANTS when it came to sentence structure and such thingies or thingys as the rules of grammar. My response (being an English and writing teacher) came fast and furiously as the question irritated me to no end. The question reminded me of the student who has no sense of history and does not want any either when we all know that what we do today determines our outcome for tomorrow—history! Okay back to the constraints and restraints of rules of the road in writing: There are some ways to work around comma issues and semi-colon gaffs as in pay a professional, someone like myself who does freelance editing at cut rate prices to "fix" whatever issues a person has with grammatical "stuff" –and or find an instructor who really knows how to put it across (not all teachers can do it as well as they should, and most think they have but haven’t). Or . . . or find a friend or acquaintance who LOVES to edit stuff and will happily do it for you.
My young protégé’s response is immediate, and he says that's been done—50 times over—so that's not working (by the way if it is under 100 spell it out—fifty!)
So I take the young man aside and I say, “You know, son, there really are only like TEN deadly sins in writing, and most of us are committing only two or three of these offenses, and if someone can point out the pattern errors—serial killer errors—of the type that keep coming back at you, then once you SEE the connectedness of the error(s) and that it is the same error repeating itself like a recurrent nightmare, then and only then do you begin to feel a darn sight better about your single (or two or three issues).
At such an aha moment, when the writer himself realizes that he is not making every error in the fat English Grammar text, but rather less than a handful—then he Learns with a capital L. People learn when they see the patterns and connections between and among things, and there are many such patterns and connects in the rules of the road in English and writing.
That does something for you, learning that your errors are not so enormous and not so terribly many that you can’t defeat them. For instance, you learn that commas travel with "fragmentary" lines like pilot fish shadow sharks. Remember fragments? Early each day—comma!—followed by a whole thought as in: I climb out of bed.) The three-legged dog of a sentence is the fragment ending in a period as in Early each day. Or it’s a two-legged stool of a sentence, which we fictionalists use handily and heavily in story writing since characters often TALK and THINK in fragments. You learn the converse is true that periods travel with complete, whole sentences or thoughts. You learn that a semi-colon is a comma that calls in its cousin the period because a comma alone can’t go with a whole sentence/thought.
This is what is meant when they say, "You must know the rules before you go around breaking them." And I would add to that that if you know you are breaking them, and it is obvious that the reader knows that you know that he knows, and everyone knows then you have tacitly agreed that you are breaking them with the reader’s understanding. Then it legitimizes breaking them. Perfect example: the great fantastic Richard Matheson's short-short story Born of Man and Woman. Breaks every grammar rule and spelling rule but it all works! Why? Because it is a story narrated from the point of view of a totally illiterate, abused yet intelligent and compassionate child (written in 1960). Matheson like the fabulous Robert Bloch—pure genius. Matheson wrote I am Legend by the way and Stir of Echoes. Bloch wrote Psycho and American Gothic and many wonderful short stories.
One final word to my students is to read, read, and read in the field or genre you wish to write in, and also read widely in all areas, and to read as a writer reads—noting how a Matheson or a Bloch moves you. The more you read fiction, the more you pick up the cadence and the music of this unusual art form, the more your grammar will simply fall into grace . . . ah place.
I did not free myself of the "fear" of grammar and what is right and wrong until I sat myself down and shouted, "If it sounds good to my ear, and it makes sense to my mind, then I will use it." This does not preclude revisions and self-editing and having friends edit your work, and then more revisions, but it is a great place to call your springboard—Sound and Sense. I got that idea from a poetry book I came across—stumbled on rather serendipitously—when a freshman in college, a book entitled: Sound and Sense.
Next question comes from a poet in the class who insists that anything can be poetry, and that poetry did not need any rules or to take any form or shape . . . Ohmygod! (Now there’s a poem in a single word—OhMyGod!) This young man states that a single word such as IT can be a poem. But who’d want to read IT? How much enjoyment can one get from IT, and hasn’t IT been done to death by Stephen Kingit?
I grit my teeth and smile with lips pursed so no one can see my grinding molars.
For those of you who want to groove on grammar, check out a book entitled The Transitive Vampire. For anyone who wants a thorough going over with a kick in the teeth take my corrections in the spirit in which they are given—for the betterment of the story, not your ego. If that does not work, check out my “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap” at The Knife Editing Services at my website below.
For those who want to read a FREE suspense-filled moonlighting-styled modern thriller set in Atlanta, GA and learn the lesson of reading like a writer, check out the book I wrote for and dedicated to one of my heroes, Ed Gorman. This is my DEAD ON found at my website – www.robertwalkerbooks.com See if I practice what I preach. . . and when and where and how I move you, take some notes, reread that scene, and ask how’d Walker pull that off? How’d he make me laugh, how’d he get me to choke up with emotion, and how’d he so completely surprise me with that twist? It’s how I learned from Matheson, Bloch, and many another “master”.
Happy Writing –
Rob Walker
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Upcoming HNS Writer's Conference in Chicago area! by DL Larson
With all the talk about conferences and conventions, speaking with editors and agents, I want to remind everyone of the upcoming Historical Novel Society (North American) Conference in the Chicago area, June 12-14. Hyatt Regency Woodfield in Schaumburg IL is the convention site. There is still time to register.
Keynote speakers are Edward Rutherfurd, author of London, Russka, Ireland Awakening, along with Margaret George, author of Autobiography of Henry VIII, Mary Queen of Scotland and the Isles, Memoirs of Cleopatra and most recently, Helen of Troy. Diana Gabaldon, author of her bestselling Outlander novels and Kate Forsyth, author of The Gypsy Crown, The Witches of Eileanan and many others, will also be presenting. Check out the website by typing in: Historical Novel Society. A whole list of presenters will be making an appearance and be helping out with the many and varied workshops.
The workshops are for all stages of writers, from working on POV to character settings, to selling historical fiction. The schedule includes such topics as research methods, writing about biographical figures, to does size matter?
Now that I have your attention, I want to mention this conference is also offering appointments to talk to editors and agents. As many of the other bloggers mentioned this week, making contact with others is essential in advancing your career as a writer.
I attended this conference a few years ago in Salt Lake City and thoroughly enjoyed being with other historical writers. All conferences are rewarding, but when topics are fine-tuned to your era, it's positively thrilling. I know the Albany New York Conference was a great hit and I'm sad I missed it, which makes me all the more determined to attend this one.
If you are a published author there is also a book selling time on Saturday. It's a great opportunity to promote your work and visit with other authors. The HNS Bookstore can obtain your books through whatever venue you tell them, or you can work on consignment by bringing your own to the conference.
Sarah Johnson is the coordinator of this event and can be reached at sarah.johnson@historicalnovelsociety.org She's a great gal, dedicated to the Historical Novel Society and will help you with any questions you might have.
This is the conference I look forward to like nothing else. If historical writing is your genre, give serious thought to joining other writers at this conference, June 12-14th, in Schaumburg IL.
Has anyone else attended this conference? Let us know about your experiences.
Til next time ~
DL Larson
Keynote speakers are Edward Rutherfurd, author of London, Russka, Ireland Awakening, along with Margaret George, author of Autobiography of Henry VIII, Mary Queen of Scotland and the Isles, Memoirs of Cleopatra and most recently, Helen of Troy. Diana Gabaldon, author of her bestselling Outlander novels and Kate Forsyth, author of The Gypsy Crown, The Witches of Eileanan and many others, will also be presenting. Check out the website by typing in: Historical Novel Society. A whole list of presenters will be making an appearance and be helping out with the many and varied workshops.
The workshops are for all stages of writers, from working on POV to character settings, to selling historical fiction. The schedule includes such topics as research methods, writing about biographical figures, to does size matter?
Now that I have your attention, I want to mention this conference is also offering appointments to talk to editors and agents. As many of the other bloggers mentioned this week, making contact with others is essential in advancing your career as a writer.
I attended this conference a few years ago in Salt Lake City and thoroughly enjoyed being with other historical writers. All conferences are rewarding, but when topics are fine-tuned to your era, it's positively thrilling. I know the Albany New York Conference was a great hit and I'm sad I missed it, which makes me all the more determined to attend this one.
If you are a published author there is also a book selling time on Saturday. It's a great opportunity to promote your work and visit with other authors. The HNS Bookstore can obtain your books through whatever venue you tell them, or you can work on consignment by bringing your own to the conference.
Sarah Johnson is the coordinator of this event and can be reached at sarah.johnson@historicalnovelsociety.org She's a great gal, dedicated to the Historical Novel Society and will help you with any questions you might have.
This is the conference I look forward to like nothing else. If historical writing is your genre, give serious thought to joining other writers at this conference, June 12-14th, in Schaumburg IL.
Has anyone else attended this conference? Let us know about your experiences.
Til next time ~
DL Larson
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Please Welcome My Guest, Mystery Author Marilyn Meredith
Under the name of F.M. Meredith, Marilyn Meredith writes the Rocky Bluff P.D. series. The latest is No Sanctuary from Oak Tree Press. She is also the author of award winning Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery series as well as over twenty published novels. The latest is, Kindred Spirits, from Mundania Press.
She is a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, EPIC and on the board of the Public Safety Writers of America. She was an instructor for Writer’s Digest School for ten years, served as an instructor at the Maui Writer’s Retreat and many other writer’s conferences. She makes her home in Springville, much like Bear Creek where Deputy Tempe Crabtree lives. Visit her at http://fictionforyou.com/
Blog Address: http://marilynmeredith.blogspot.com/
She is a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, EPIC and on the board of the Public Safety Writers of America. She was an instructor for Writer’s Digest School for ten years, served as an instructor at the Maui Writer’s Retreat and many other writer’s conferences. She makes her home in Springville, much like Bear Creek where Deputy Tempe Crabtree lives. Visit her at http://fictionforyou.com/
Blog Address: http://marilynmeredith.blogspot.com/
First on the scene of a traffic accident that turns out to be murder, Officer Stacey Wilbur calls Detective Doug Milligan. Despite her former vow to never date anyone on the Rocky Bluff P.D., she and Milligan are romantically involved. Finding time to be alone together isn’t easy.
The murder victim is the wife of a popular Rocky Bluff minister, and several suspects immediately come to the forefront, the minister himself, his nosy secretary, the choir director, and a nerdy stalker. Stacey helps Doug with the murder investigation, but the Chief asks her to go undercover as a prostitute to expose a pedophile which leads to a surprising job offer.
Stacey must make two major decisions that will change her life forever, and a third that nearly causes her to lose her life.
Here's What Marilyn has to say today:
ABOUT GOING TO MYSTERY CONFERENCES OR CONVENTIONS
Probably everyone who reads this will know the difference, but just in case, here’s my explanation. Conferences are more of the “how to” variety, how to write a mystery, how to create convincing characters, how to make sure you get your forensics right, how to kill someone off in a new and innovative manner, and so on. A mystery convention is geared to fans, those wonderful readers who love to read (and buy) mysteries and actually enjoy listening to authors talk about how they came to write their mystery, or how they did the research for it, or how they created their characters, and so on.
Most mystery writers attend both. At a mystery conference they may be one of the presenters telling how they do all of the above mentioned how-tos and of course, they will figure out how to talk about their own book in a subtle manner so those listening will be curious and want to buy their books.
At the convention, the mystery writer hopes to sparkle and entertain in the hopes that those listening will be eager to buy his or her book.
I’ve gone to lots of both types of mystery confabs. The biggest of course is Bouchercon. This one is held all over the country and has the biggest attendance of both fans and mystery writers. This is the place to see some of the biggest and most popular mystery writers in the business. It can be pretty overwhelming at times too, you might make a new friend and never be able to find them again among the throngs of people.
Left Coast Crime is the second largest mystery con and always held on the left coast (though once that left coast was in Britain and another time in El Paso TX—this year it’s being held as left coast as possible—in Hawaii. It’s a bit smaller than Bouchercon, though many big name authors are always in attendance and lots of wonderful fans.
Then there are other smaller cons and conferences like Love is Murder which is always in Chicago. Some big names attend this one too—just not quite as many because there just aren’t as many people who go. It is also a writers conference as there are lots of opportunities to learn about writing mysteries and there are usually a few publishers and agents in attendance.
Mayhem in the Midlands is one of my favorites—this one is a mystery con put on by librarians, and it’s always in Omaha. This is not a how-to—but a how it was done convention, with a few big name authors and more not as well-known and lots of wonderful fans. What I love about this con is how friendly the fans are. At all the cons I’ve made a lot of author friends, but at this con I’ve made many life-long reader fans. Fans who I look forward to seeing every year.
A new writing conference that is rather unique is the Public Safety Writers Association. The organization was started by a law enforcement officer for law enforcement officers who write or want to write. Over the years it has embraced other public safety fields and people who write fiction and non-fiction about any of the public safety fields and have included mystery writers.
This is the smallest of all the cons that I’ve mentioned, but it has top-notch experts in forensics and all aspects of law enforcement as well as publishers and editors on hand. Because it’s small, there is ample opportunity to network. Anyone who wants to be on a panel is welcomed. To learn more about the PSWA conference go to: http://www.publicsafetywriter.com/
My advice to anyone wanting to go to any convention or conference, if you’re a writer register early. Plan to get to the conference a day ahead of time if possible, so you don’t miss anything. While at the conference, be friendly, talk to everyone. This is the best way to meet people. If you don’t have anyone to go to dinner with, ask someone to go with you. If they already have plans, ask the next person. Hand out your business card to everyone. If you’re fortunate enough to be on a panel, smile a lot, be funny, tell about your book but don’t go on and on about it, and don’t hog the panel.
Go to the panels that interest you the most. Hang out in the bar in the evenings—you don’t have to drink—just get acquainted with folks. And again, talk to people. Find out why they’re at the con—are they a writer, find out what they write, are they a reader? Tell them about your book.
Because I have a new book out, No Sanctuary, I’m heading out to several cons this year: Epicon, which is for electronically published authors—all my books are e-books as well as trade paperback; Mayhem in the Midlands, California Crime Writers (brand new writers’ con), and of course, PSWA. Hope to see some of you at one or more of these conferences. Be sure to say “hello.”
F.M. Meredith a.k.a. Marilyn Meredith
No Sanctuary is number 5 in the Rocky Bluff P.D. series
To learn more about the series visit http://rockybluffpd.blogspot.com/
No Sanctuary by F.M. Meredith is available at http://www.oaktreebooks.com/, Amazon, or an autographed copy from the author’s website: http://fictionforyou.com
Probably everyone who reads this will know the difference, but just in case, here’s my explanation. Conferences are more of the “how to” variety, how to write a mystery, how to create convincing characters, how to make sure you get your forensics right, how to kill someone off in a new and innovative manner, and so on. A mystery convention is geared to fans, those wonderful readers who love to read (and buy) mysteries and actually enjoy listening to authors talk about how they came to write their mystery, or how they did the research for it, or how they created their characters, and so on.
Most mystery writers attend both. At a mystery conference they may be one of the presenters telling how they do all of the above mentioned how-tos and of course, they will figure out how to talk about their own book in a subtle manner so those listening will be curious and want to buy their books.
At the convention, the mystery writer hopes to sparkle and entertain in the hopes that those listening will be eager to buy his or her book.
I’ve gone to lots of both types of mystery confabs. The biggest of course is Bouchercon. This one is held all over the country and has the biggest attendance of both fans and mystery writers. This is the place to see some of the biggest and most popular mystery writers in the business. It can be pretty overwhelming at times too, you might make a new friend and never be able to find them again among the throngs of people.
Left Coast Crime is the second largest mystery con and always held on the left coast (though once that left coast was in Britain and another time in El Paso TX—this year it’s being held as left coast as possible—in Hawaii. It’s a bit smaller than Bouchercon, though many big name authors are always in attendance and lots of wonderful fans.
Then there are other smaller cons and conferences like Love is Murder which is always in Chicago. Some big names attend this one too—just not quite as many because there just aren’t as many people who go. It is also a writers conference as there are lots of opportunities to learn about writing mysteries and there are usually a few publishers and agents in attendance.
Mayhem in the Midlands is one of my favorites—this one is a mystery con put on by librarians, and it’s always in Omaha. This is not a how-to—but a how it was done convention, with a few big name authors and more not as well-known and lots of wonderful fans. What I love about this con is how friendly the fans are. At all the cons I’ve made a lot of author friends, but at this con I’ve made many life-long reader fans. Fans who I look forward to seeing every year.
A new writing conference that is rather unique is the Public Safety Writers Association. The organization was started by a law enforcement officer for law enforcement officers who write or want to write. Over the years it has embraced other public safety fields and people who write fiction and non-fiction about any of the public safety fields and have included mystery writers.
This is the smallest of all the cons that I’ve mentioned, but it has top-notch experts in forensics and all aspects of law enforcement as well as publishers and editors on hand. Because it’s small, there is ample opportunity to network. Anyone who wants to be on a panel is welcomed. To learn more about the PSWA conference go to: http://www.publicsafetywriter.com/
My advice to anyone wanting to go to any convention or conference, if you’re a writer register early. Plan to get to the conference a day ahead of time if possible, so you don’t miss anything. While at the conference, be friendly, talk to everyone. This is the best way to meet people. If you don’t have anyone to go to dinner with, ask someone to go with you. If they already have plans, ask the next person. Hand out your business card to everyone. If you’re fortunate enough to be on a panel, smile a lot, be funny, tell about your book but don’t go on and on about it, and don’t hog the panel.
Go to the panels that interest you the most. Hang out in the bar in the evenings—you don’t have to drink—just get acquainted with folks. And again, talk to people. Find out why they’re at the con—are they a writer, find out what they write, are they a reader? Tell them about your book.
Because I have a new book out, No Sanctuary, I’m heading out to several cons this year: Epicon, which is for electronically published authors—all my books are e-books as well as trade paperback; Mayhem in the Midlands, California Crime Writers (brand new writers’ con), and of course, PSWA. Hope to see some of you at one or more of these conferences. Be sure to say “hello.”
F.M. Meredith a.k.a. Marilyn Meredith
No Sanctuary is number 5 in the Rocky Bluff P.D. series
To learn more about the series visit http://rockybluffpd.blogspot.com/
No Sanctuary by F.M. Meredith is available at http://www.oaktreebooks.com/, Amazon, or an autographed copy from the author’s website: http://fictionforyou.com
Please welcome Marilyn by leaving a comment below.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
When to call in an expert
Last week I posted that my basement flooded because my sump pump failed and of course it happened on a day of record-breaking rain levels. Just call me Noah.
I knew the pump was failing but I thought I had a little more time and was working on getting a professional in the following weekend but the rain and the sump pump had other ideas. (I know in a rational world that inanimate objects allegedly can’t think but at times like these - when your basement is flooding, the world is anything but rational.)
I diligently researched the makings and installation of a sump pump and not because I wanted to do it myself but because I wanted to understand the process. The previous install was not done by a professional and that’s part of the reason there were problems, plus as the technicians who helped me this past week commented, it was a bit of a mess. So, I now have two brand new sump pumps and I rest much easier at night - two because I decided to replace the other aging one so I didn’t have to go through the water cleanup again; and hey, the guys were there already. They drove a white truck and I told them they were my knights in shining armor - okay fading jeans. One was older and the other younger and the younger one was being expertly trained and guided by the older more experienced one.
So, what can writers learn from this? Well, sometimes you have to get help from professionals, or at least folks in your field who have more experience than you do. BUT, how do you know who to contact? After all, it’s not like there are certified, state approved writing coaches like there are certified and registered plumbers? Or are there? Then, what about cost? How much do you spend and how do you know if you’re getting ripped off? I received several types of warranties on my new sump pumps and the labor and I’ll definitely know if they stop working because my basement will flood again - or hopefully, I will notice that the sump holes are filling up first and call before you have to call me Noah again.
Well, as writers we do have some choices, not all expensive but not all of that affordable either. The choices range from a writing partner, critique group, writing contests, writer’s group - preferably in your chosen genre, writer’s conferences, online courses, all the way to high-priced professional editors sometimes called book doctors. So, how do you know which one is right for you, or even which one to start with?
My first choice would be to join a writer’s group if you can, particularly one in the genre in which you write such as mystery, romance, etc. The reason for this is that a group gives you a chance to network and find out what other, more experienced writers are doing. Depending on how much writing you have already accomplished and what your skill level is, a critique group would also be one of my first choices of things to do, coupled with entering writing contests sponsored by organizations and/or publishers in your particular genre. All of these choices tend to be more affordable, especially in these slow economic times.
Writer’s conferences, especially ones that represent your type of writing, in my opinion are invaluable. Yes, they cost a little more, but depending on how organized and realistic about your writing goals you are, you can obtain a significant return on investment by attending a writer’s conference. Often you have a chance to network with agents, editors and publishers and often have a chance to pitch to all of the above. So, the money you spend may actually open the door to your first book contract. Again, you have to be organized and realistic and above all else, have a completed manuscript! You’d be surprised how many people go to conferences where they pitch and the agent, editor or publisher asks for them to submit and then they never follow through. A recent and informal query of agents, editors and publishers who asked for submissions indicates that only about 30% of writers followup with the actual submission.
Professional editors have a mixed reputation and rightfully so. It’s not a regulated field and there are no guarantees. He/she can’t promise you that your book will be accepted by a mainstream publisher or sale in the six figures - in fact if they do, that’s the first indication you should run. Depending on their experience and credentials, they will give you their insights to your written product and hopefully help you improve it on whatever level you’ve contracted them to do such as grammar, sentence structure, flow of ideas, etc. The right professional editor can provide you with an invaluable service and feedback but my advice is to first check their references and credentials carefully. Then send a sample chapter and see what kind of response you receive before committing to a large sum of money.
Writing is notoriously lonely and isolated, but every now and then we need to pull ourselves away from our writing to actually experience life and get perspective. After all, isn’t that what writers are trying to pass onto their readers?
For more information on writer’s groups in your area or online go to:
goolge or yahoo and type in writer’s groups + “your area”
www.meetup.com and sign up for this free service that let’s you know all types of events in your area to include writer’s groups.
I knew the pump was failing but I thought I had a little more time and was working on getting a professional in the following weekend but the rain and the sump pump had other ideas. (I know in a rational world that inanimate objects allegedly can’t think but at times like these - when your basement is flooding, the world is anything but rational.)
I diligently researched the makings and installation of a sump pump and not because I wanted to do it myself but because I wanted to understand the process. The previous install was not done by a professional and that’s part of the reason there were problems, plus as the technicians who helped me this past week commented, it was a bit of a mess. So, I now have two brand new sump pumps and I rest much easier at night - two because I decided to replace the other aging one so I didn’t have to go through the water cleanup again; and hey, the guys were there already. They drove a white truck and I told them they were my knights in shining armor - okay fading jeans. One was older and the other younger and the younger one was being expertly trained and guided by the older more experienced one.
So, what can writers learn from this? Well, sometimes you have to get help from professionals, or at least folks in your field who have more experience than you do. BUT, how do you know who to contact? After all, it’s not like there are certified, state approved writing coaches like there are certified and registered plumbers? Or are there? Then, what about cost? How much do you spend and how do you know if you’re getting ripped off? I received several types of warranties on my new sump pumps and the labor and I’ll definitely know if they stop working because my basement will flood again - or hopefully, I will notice that the sump holes are filling up first and call before you have to call me Noah again.
Well, as writers we do have some choices, not all expensive but not all of that affordable either. The choices range from a writing partner, critique group, writing contests, writer’s group - preferably in your chosen genre, writer’s conferences, online courses, all the way to high-priced professional editors sometimes called book doctors. So, how do you know which one is right for you, or even which one to start with?
My first choice would be to join a writer’s group if you can, particularly one in the genre in which you write such as mystery, romance, etc. The reason for this is that a group gives you a chance to network and find out what other, more experienced writers are doing. Depending on how much writing you have already accomplished and what your skill level is, a critique group would also be one of my first choices of things to do, coupled with entering writing contests sponsored by organizations and/or publishers in your particular genre. All of these choices tend to be more affordable, especially in these slow economic times.
Writer’s conferences, especially ones that represent your type of writing, in my opinion are invaluable. Yes, they cost a little more, but depending on how organized and realistic about your writing goals you are, you can obtain a significant return on investment by attending a writer’s conference. Often you have a chance to network with agents, editors and publishers and often have a chance to pitch to all of the above. So, the money you spend may actually open the door to your first book contract. Again, you have to be organized and realistic and above all else, have a completed manuscript! You’d be surprised how many people go to conferences where they pitch and the agent, editor or publisher asks for them to submit and then they never follow through. A recent and informal query of agents, editors and publishers who asked for submissions indicates that only about 30% of writers followup with the actual submission.
Professional editors have a mixed reputation and rightfully so. It’s not a regulated field and there are no guarantees. He/she can’t promise you that your book will be accepted by a mainstream publisher or sale in the six figures - in fact if they do, that’s the first indication you should run. Depending on their experience and credentials, they will give you their insights to your written product and hopefully help you improve it on whatever level you’ve contracted them to do such as grammar, sentence structure, flow of ideas, etc. The right professional editor can provide you with an invaluable service and feedback but my advice is to first check their references and credentials carefully. Then send a sample chapter and see what kind of response you receive before committing to a large sum of money.
Writing is notoriously lonely and isolated, but every now and then we need to pull ourselves away from our writing to actually experience life and get perspective. After all, isn’t that what writers are trying to pass onto their readers?
For more information on writer’s groups in your area or online go to:
goolge or yahoo and type in writer’s groups + “your area”
www.meetup.com and sign up for this free service that let’s you know all types of events in your area to include writer’s groups.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Monday Puzzle Fun!
Happy Monday!
Here's a little puzzle fun to start your week! Click on the puzzle below and give it a try!
Enjoy!
Here's a little puzzle fun to start your week! Click on the puzzle below and give it a try!
Enjoy!
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