As I seem to be suffering from A.D.D. these days (a trait common this time of year - especially among writers it seems), I thought I'd share some random, completely unrelated thoughts!
First and foremost, my good news! I signed another contract with The Wild Rose Press! "Wild Wedding Weekend", a full-length contemporary, should be available sometime next year! I am simply thrilled, but have a lot of work ahead of me, as I need to lengthen the story by about 15,000 words. So, you know what I'll be doing with most of my time over the next few weeks!
Yesterday I spent the day at the Des Plaines Library with fellow authors Morgan Mandel, June Sproat, Margot Justes, and Carrie Lofty. We were doing a book signing during their used book sale. Our sales were not brisk (I sold ONE book!), but it was a nice day nonetheless and gave me the chance to catch up with everyone. (I also wrote out and addressed all of my Christmas cards, so that was great....multi-tasking is the way to go!)
And finally, part of my A.D.D. troubles these days is that I'm stuck in the "Twilight" zone. I am completely hooked on Stephenie Meyer's books and the movie that came out last month. I've seen the movie three times (so far), and am contemplating going again this afternoon, even though I really need to finish my Christmas shopping. And I'm on my second time through of reading the books (I'm almost done with the fourth one.) I'm gong to need to forcibly restrain myself from starting all over again when I am done. This obsession (and there's really no other word for it), takes up a ridiculous amount of my time these days. I'm constantly either reading, watching, or surfing the net for "Twilight" buzz. I need to develop some will-power here. (The kind Edward uses to stop himself from biting Bella's neck!)
On that note, I need to run. Next week I'll be blogging on Saturday (instead of Sunday) as part of the Christmas Ride Blog event. Be sure to pop in for the chance to win some cool prizes!
Until next time,
Happy Reading!
Debra
www.debrastjohnromance.com
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Don't Give Up the Day Job by Margot Justes
The holiday season is fast approaching and I noticed in my own every day life that the pressure to finish everything is on. There is the shopping, baking, cooking and cleaning to get the house ready for our annual get together with friends and family, and of course my day job; the one that actually provides a regular pay check.
But there is also the life of the writer and the functions that have be attended to get my name out there-where ever out there is.
Today was just such a day. The early morning saw me at my local Jewel, but before the Jewel, I made coffee, had a few cups while I got ready and of course the coffee made the rest of the day seem possible. At any rate, by eight o’clock I was at the Jewel picking up things I’d need for later this afternoon.
Got back from the Jewel and headed to the author part of my life and the Des Plaines Library for a six hour function with fellow authors June Sproat, Morgan Mandel and Carrie Lofty, then back home, where I made fudge and tasted it several times to make sure it was perfect. It was.
Also rum balls were on the schedule today, now those I had to taste frequently, adding rum is tricky. You have to mix and add more and taste, and mix-well you get the drift. I just had to make sure enough rum was in said balls. Very tricky. And very tasty. There will be another tasting after I post this blob, oops blog…time to post.
Till next Saturday,
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
http://www.mjustes.com/
available on amazon.com
But there is also the life of the writer and the functions that have be attended to get my name out there-where ever out there is.
Today was just such a day. The early morning saw me at my local Jewel, but before the Jewel, I made coffee, had a few cups while I got ready and of course the coffee made the rest of the day seem possible. At any rate, by eight o’clock I was at the Jewel picking up things I’d need for later this afternoon.
Got back from the Jewel and headed to the author part of my life and the Des Plaines Library for a six hour function with fellow authors June Sproat, Morgan Mandel and Carrie Lofty, then back home, where I made fudge and tasted it several times to make sure it was perfect. It was.
Also rum balls were on the schedule today, now those I had to taste frequently, adding rum is tricky. You have to mix and add more and taste, and mix-well you get the drift. I just had to make sure enough rum was in said balls. Very tricky. And very tasty. There will be another tasting after I post this blob, oops blog…time to post.
Till next Saturday,
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
http://www.mjustes.com/
available on amazon.com
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Robert W. Walker reviews Tom Schreck's On the Ropes
TOM SCHRECKRob says: I did this review for Tom Schreck cause he's a great guy and "one of us"
-- I met Tom at LIM last year and hoisted a few with him. I still wonder if readers of a well turned phrase in a review, knowing you are an author, will also want to look into your pages as well as the ones you are touting.
Here's a question -- does doing well crafted reviews of books from other authors get folks reading your work? I should hope that wellturned phrase in a review you put heart and soul into might translate into someone's thinking, hey, I kinda wanna see something from this guy, too.
rob
REVIEW by Rob Walker for Midnight Ink's Tom Schreck's On the Ropes:
On The Ropes By Tom SchreckMidnight Ink Books
326 pgs/13.95/15. 95 Can
ISBN#978-0-7387- 1114-0
Social worker and sometime boxer Duffy Dumbrowski gets it from all sides—from Polish jokes hitting him at every turn to a boss that he wishes death upon to coworkers slamming him onto a desk to make love to the sad reality of those he appears planted on Earth to help—his client list.
The novel has an excellent opportunity to become a series, given that Schreck's character list is ready-made in that Duffy D's client list is a gift that keeps on giving—in short, a list of eccentrics and street people and single mom's in dire trouble, any one of which can and does become Duffy's cross to bear.
When one particularly sad case that Duffy's big heart goes out to is arrested and then killed while behind bars, Duffy seems the only advocate for her, and he goes to dangerous lengths to determine the truth—what happened to Walanda andwho was behind her murder and the all-important why.
Duffy hates an unanswered question. Furthermore, Duffy is a "sucker" in the best tradition of the term, as with Bogey, as he gets saddled with a "dame and a dog" – in this case due to his promise to Walanda to take care of King, her basset hound, and to look in on her grown daughter to keep her out of trouble. All of this while trying desperately to fit into the suit and tie and cubicle world of organized social work, to please an unholy boss, to keep tabs on four drunken friends whose strange brew of advice actually helps.
While I am not a huge fan of many first person narratives, as it is hard to listen to a single POV voice for the length of a novel,sometimes an author's creation of that voice works extremely well, and if you grew up in Chicago, where there is a huge Polish community so that many of your friends were Polish, Duffy is a fresh voice indeed and not a knockoff of the TV voice of Magnum PI. Duffy is not a PI but he must play one.
If Duffy gets to you, as he did this reviewer and author in the first paragraph, you'll find On The Ropes not enough, and you'll be salivating like Pavlov's dog awaiting for the sequel, TKO: Round 2. Even if it is to find out what more trouble Duffy can place at the foot of his onerous and all-too-familiar boss!
Meanwhile, author Schreck manages to slip in—barely noticed—a number of social issues without being as dire or heavy-handed about it as one might expect from a novel with a social worker as hero. A fine novel,well-crafted, and it will leave you laughing and crying in all the right places.
On The Ropes, and I have no doubt TKO: Round 2 are a brilliant mix of the underworld of big city life and boxing perfectly commingled with our modern day social ills, questions, and if not answers, a character whose heart is in the right place.
What's really neat about On The Ropes is that you don't have to be interested in boxing or know anything about what social workers do on a daily basis to thoroughly enjoy Dumbrowski's disorganized Bogey approach to life.
On the Ropes has my highest recommendation for a book with a dog on the cover. No, honestly, I have no reservations about Tom's ability to make you laugh and give you pause. His characterizations of city folk down on their luck is spot on—and I grew up in inner city Chicago, Jackson and Racine—so of this I know from the slumlord to the wino, the merchant to the addict.
On The Ropes is a great ride into the array of events and characters populating a singularly colorful world.Still, I thought Schreck was supposed to be spelled Shrek…
Above Review by Rob Walker, author City of the Absent, PSI Blue, Dead On
http://www.robertwalkerbooks.com/
Other Tom Schreck books:
Tom's website is http://www.tomschreck.com/ where there is now a free audio short story to go along with his other free stories.
FOR MORE ABOUT TOM SCHRECK TODAY, Be sure to check out the blog post at http://thestilettogang.blogspot.com/
Please leave a comment for Tom or Rob, even if it's about their cute dogs - note Rob with Pogo in the right column.
Right From Wrong! by DL Larson
Illinois has made headlines across the nation. And not in a good way. The governor of Illinois stands accused of seeking bribes for the appointment he was to make to the U.S. Senate seat, open due to the election of Obama for President. This state has a long history of political corruption, but this smacks of blatant dishonesting on many levels. It stabs the core of decency.
Blagojevich is a father of two young children. Has he never taught them the basics of right from wrong? Did it ever occur to him his deceitful actions would carry over into their lives? As a parent myself, I wonder how he could look at his children and not be ashamed of himself.
Yet he is accused of much more. Extortion, an ugly word in any dictionary, is part of Blagojevich's bio. He wanted the Chicago Tribune to fire editorial writers for writing unkind words about him. Truthful facts he did not want to hear and certainly must not have wanted the public to be informed about. Extortion grows uglier when light is shed on it. Surely he's learned that lesson by now.
During his first campaign as governor he was called, "Mr. Clean." He promised to clean up state government. Remember his predecessor, George Ryan, is behind bars for his crimes. Blagojevich was going to turn Illinois around, make this state something to be proud of. Instead, he withheld monetary funds to Children's Memorial Hospital because they chose integrity over compliance to him. That action had no political agenda, it was a personal one.
Satisfying his personal agenda and greed are what this man stands for. I refuse to buy into this insanity issue. I'm not willing to let him off so easily. But I would gladly agree to his resignation; I think most of Illinois would agree with me.
Blagojevich has been in politics a long time. Unfortunately that is not a good enough reason to extort or seek bribes. It's time he learned right from wrong!
Til next time ~
DL Larson
PS: What are folks from other states saying about this debacle? Voice your opinion here.
Blagojevich is a father of two young children. Has he never taught them the basics of right from wrong? Did it ever occur to him his deceitful actions would carry over into their lives? As a parent myself, I wonder how he could look at his children and not be ashamed of himself.
Yet he is accused of much more. Extortion, an ugly word in any dictionary, is part of Blagojevich's bio. He wanted the Chicago Tribune to fire editorial writers for writing unkind words about him. Truthful facts he did not want to hear and certainly must not have wanted the public to be informed about. Extortion grows uglier when light is shed on it. Surely he's learned that lesson by now.
During his first campaign as governor he was called, "Mr. Clean." He promised to clean up state government. Remember his predecessor, George Ryan, is behind bars for his crimes. Blagojevich was going to turn Illinois around, make this state something to be proud of. Instead, he withheld monetary funds to Children's Memorial Hospital because they chose integrity over compliance to him. That action had no political agenda, it was a personal one.
Satisfying his personal agenda and greed are what this man stands for. I refuse to buy into this insanity issue. I'm not willing to let him off so easily. But I would gladly agree to his resignation; I think most of Illinois would agree with me.
Blagojevich has been in politics a long time. Unfortunately that is not a good enough reason to extort or seek bribes. It's time he learned right from wrong!
Til next time ~
DL Larson
PS: What are folks from other states saying about this debacle? Voice your opinion here.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
On The Treadmill by Morgan Mandel
Sometimes I feel like I'm on a treadmill. I almost finish one thing when another gets handed to me to get done.
Time is racing by. Deadlines loom. I've got to prioritize. How can I do this?
I've decided to compartmentalize.
For Christmas, I'm removing my everyday decorations in stages and replacing them with holiday items.
I've simplified my Christmas card giving this year. Instead of signing, stuffing cards in envelopes and sealing them with labels, which takes up chunks of time since I have such a huge Christmas card list, this year I'm trying something different.
I'm sending out Christmas postcards with a Christmas scene I captured at our local park, plus a photo of our beloved Rascal, who at the moment is peacefully napping, instead of being her usual mischievous self. This will save time and money, and still show the special people in my and my husband's lives that we care for them.
As far as my writing life is concerned, I work hard at marketing. I've been getting my blogspots into shape, trying to build up readership and figure out what should or shouldn't be included in layouts. I blog daily at my personal blog, Double M, at
http://morganmandel.blogspot.com
I also keep up with my weekly blog here at http://acmeauthorslink.blogspot.com, my semi-monthly blog at http://makeminemystery.blogspot.com
plus a semi-monthly blog at http://bloodredpencil.blogspot.com.
This involves not only writing my own posts, but also hosting guests. Hosting takes up time. I not only gather the needed information, which sometimes comes to me at the last minute, then display it in a pleasing fashion for the readers. The blogs also involve advertising on my many listservs and interacting with other bloggers, authors and readers.
As you can see, I'm very busy with blogs, plus occasional booksignings and other marketing activities, including greeting my new members and keeping the main page and Authors Column current at http://bookplace.ning.com.
This leaves little time for the heart of what drives me, which is writing my novels. I've decided the only way to do this is to compartmentalize my novel writing also. I buckled down and finished my children's story about Rascal, who happens to be deaf, but still lives a normal dog's life. I'll do more edits on her story after a few people have looked it over, but for the most part it's ready to go.
Now that my Rascal book is ready, today I can concentrate on my halfway done thriller, which is aimed at the Boomer generation to which I belong. I hope to have it ready by the beginning of February, so I can pitch it at the Love is Murder Conference. Since Wednesdays are my day off from work, I'll be working on it today.
That means I'm putting the two romance novels I've already started on the backburner for now.
Left to go are housecleaning and exercise. I'm way behind on both. I've got Christmas at our house this year. I'm not the best housekeeper, to put it kindly. To get ready, I'm clearing up small piles of papers and other junk a bit at a time each day.
I can't walk Rascal on the icy sidewalks lately, so that cuts down on my exercise. Also, getting rides to the station each day because of the bad sidewalks and roads doesn't help any, but I have no choice.
Today, instead of going to aerobics, I'm stuck at home. I'm not a great driver in the best of circumstances, so I dare not drive on the icy roads.
The elliptical machine sits in the living room. A few days ago, I got on it for half an hour and worked out. I plan to do that three times a week, while listening to the radio or watching TV at the same time to keep my interest from flagging.
It's not a treadmill, but close enough. It kind of represents the way things are going lately. The difference is I can get off the elliptical machine easier than the treadmill of my chosen writer's life.
It's wild and crazy, but I love it!
Morgan Mandel
Today I'm blogging about Blago at http://morganmandel.blogspot.com
Today I'm also hosting mystery writer, Deb Baker, at http://makeminemystery.blogspot.com
Time is racing by. Deadlines loom. I've got to prioritize. How can I do this?
I've decided to compartmentalize.
For Christmas, I'm removing my everyday decorations in stages and replacing them with holiday items.
I've simplified my Christmas card giving this year. Instead of signing, stuffing cards in envelopes and sealing them with labels, which takes up chunks of time since I have such a huge Christmas card list, this year I'm trying something different.
I'm sending out Christmas postcards with a Christmas scene I captured at our local park, plus a photo of our beloved Rascal, who at the moment is peacefully napping, instead of being her usual mischievous self. This will save time and money, and still show the special people in my and my husband's lives that we care for them.
As far as my writing life is concerned, I work hard at marketing. I've been getting my blogspots into shape, trying to build up readership and figure out what should or shouldn't be included in layouts. I blog daily at my personal blog, Double M, at
http://morganmandel.blogspot.com
I also keep up with my weekly blog here at http://acmeauthorslink.blogspot.com, my semi-monthly blog at http://makeminemystery.blogspot.com
plus a semi-monthly blog at http://bloodredpencil.blogspot.com.
This involves not only writing my own posts, but also hosting guests. Hosting takes up time. I not only gather the needed information, which sometimes comes to me at the last minute, then display it in a pleasing fashion for the readers. The blogs also involve advertising on my many listservs and interacting with other bloggers, authors and readers.
As you can see, I'm very busy with blogs, plus occasional booksignings and other marketing activities, including greeting my new members and keeping the main page and Authors Column current at http://bookplace.ning.com.
This leaves little time for the heart of what drives me, which is writing my novels. I've decided the only way to do this is to compartmentalize my novel writing also. I buckled down and finished my children's story about Rascal, who happens to be deaf, but still lives a normal dog's life. I'll do more edits on her story after a few people have looked it over, but for the most part it's ready to go.
Now that my Rascal book is ready, today I can concentrate on my halfway done thriller, which is aimed at the Boomer generation to which I belong. I hope to have it ready by the beginning of February, so I can pitch it at the Love is Murder Conference. Since Wednesdays are my day off from work, I'll be working on it today.
That means I'm putting the two romance novels I've already started on the backburner for now.
Left to go are housecleaning and exercise. I'm way behind on both. I've got Christmas at our house this year. I'm not the best housekeeper, to put it kindly. To get ready, I'm clearing up small piles of papers and other junk a bit at a time each day.
I can't walk Rascal on the icy sidewalks lately, so that cuts down on my exercise. Also, getting rides to the station each day because of the bad sidewalks and roads doesn't help any, but I have no choice.
Today, instead of going to aerobics, I'm stuck at home. I'm not a great driver in the best of circumstances, so I dare not drive on the icy roads.
The elliptical machine sits in the living room. A few days ago, I got on it for half an hour and worked out. I plan to do that three times a week, while listening to the radio or watching TV at the same time to keep my interest from flagging.
It's not a treadmill, but close enough. It kind of represents the way things are going lately. The difference is I can get off the elliptical machine easier than the treadmill of my chosen writer's life.
It's wild and crazy, but I love it!
Morgan Mandel
Today I'm blogging about Blago at http://morganmandel.blogspot.com
Today I'm also hosting mystery writer, Deb Baker, at http://makeminemystery.blogspot.com
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
The Windy City
Well, it's been an interesting news week for those of us who work and live in the Chicago area. I work in what's called the loop in Chicago - so called because of how public transportation "loops" around an area - mostly the financial district. Here's the wiki definition:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_Loop
It just so also happens that the building I work in is only one block away from where President-Elect Obama has his Chicago transition office. So, lots of law enforcement in the area.
But add to this the recent arrest of the governor and the protest against the Bank of America for calling the loan on a local company and the workers staging a sit-in, and you have a news week dominated by Chicago politics and the local economy.
Now I'm originally from the west coast where seeing movie stars at restaurants and on the street isn't that unusual - at least not when I was living there - but this amount of media attention with the cameras and news crews is somewhat flabbergasting. It really is like living in a circus.
Now interestingly enough, most people think that the name - Windy City - is mostly attributed to the prairie winds, but if we look at cartoons that existed in the late 1800's and into the 1900's, it has has a strong link to the blustery or windy politicians from Chicago. Food for thought in the context of recent events. Once again, here's wiki's take on it:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windy_City,_Origin_of_Name_(Chicago)
It's going to be very interesting to see what happens over the next few weeks let alone the next few days. Stay tuned!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_Loop
It just so also happens that the building I work in is only one block away from where President-Elect Obama has his Chicago transition office. So, lots of law enforcement in the area.
But add to this the recent arrest of the governor and the protest against the Bank of America for calling the loan on a local company and the workers staging a sit-in, and you have a news week dominated by Chicago politics and the local economy.
Now I'm originally from the west coast where seeing movie stars at restaurants and on the street isn't that unusual - at least not when I was living there - but this amount of media attention with the cameras and news crews is somewhat flabbergasting. It really is like living in a circus.
Now interestingly enough, most people think that the name - Windy City - is mostly attributed to the prairie winds, but if we look at cartoons that existed in the late 1800's and into the 1900's, it has has a strong link to the blustery or windy politicians from Chicago. Food for thought in the context of recent events. Once again, here's wiki's take on it:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windy_City,_Origin_of_Name_(Chicago)
It's going to be very interesting to see what happens over the next few weeks let alone the next few days. Stay tuned!
Monday, December 8, 2008
Something else you can do...
If you're a writer, you write, right? Or if you can get past your shyness, maybe arrange some booksignings, too.
Lately, I've been finding myself doing something totally different ... something that some writers might actually enjoy.
And yeah, I'm one of them... I enjoy it.
No, not that.
Anyway, it's speaking.
I like speaking.
Put a microphone in my hand and it's like, well... no, not that ... but not too far off.
I gave a presentation in September for a credit group, and a few of them enjoyed it so much they asked me to do an encore for another group they were in. Then in January, I will do a half day presentation to another large organization.
Then the best one ... in April I will be the keynote speaker for a nine-high school writing contest, plus I get to hold two humor workshops.
Yeah, about the only thing better than speaking is speaking to a bunch of high school kids.
And with my first YA humor/vampire book coming out next year, I'm going to try to arrange as many school events as possible.
Can't wait!
On another front, I finally succeeded in setting up PayPal so that I can sell AUTOGRAPHED books on my website! Just in time for Christmas!!
Woo-hoo!
So if you're looking for fun sci-fi fantasy that reviewers have been comparing to The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, come check 'em out at www.normcowie.com
See ya,
Norm
www.normcowie.com
The Adventures of Guy
The Next Adventures of Guy
The Heat of the Moment
Fang Face (coming August 2009)
Missing (coming February 2009)
Lately, I've been finding myself doing something totally different ... something that some writers might actually enjoy.
And yeah, I'm one of them... I enjoy it.
No, not that.
Anyway, it's speaking.
I like speaking.
Put a microphone in my hand and it's like, well... no, not that ... but not too far off.
I gave a presentation in September for a credit group, and a few of them enjoyed it so much they asked me to do an encore for another group they were in. Then in January, I will do a half day presentation to another large organization.
Then the best one ... in April I will be the keynote speaker for a nine-high school writing contest, plus I get to hold two humor workshops.
Yeah, about the only thing better than speaking is speaking to a bunch of high school kids.
And with my first YA humor/vampire book coming out next year, I'm going to try to arrange as many school events as possible.
Can't wait!
On another front, I finally succeeded in setting up PayPal so that I can sell AUTOGRAPHED books on my website! Just in time for Christmas!!
Woo-hoo!
So if you're looking for fun sci-fi fantasy that reviewers have been comparing to The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, come check 'em out at www.normcowie.com
See ya,
Norm
www.normcowie.com
The Adventures of Guy
The Next Adventures of Guy
The Heat of the Moment
Fang Face (coming August 2009)
Missing (coming February 2009)
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