When I start reading something from an author, I generally like to stick to that author and both collect and read all his or her works, or at least a majority of them.
Last year, I decided to introduce myself to the works of John Irving. The first book I picked up, The Water-Method Man, was probably not a good choice to start with. The beginning got off to a slow start, with lots of minutiae-like details. The book begins with the discussion of a problem the main character has with his penis. His penis ends up being a pretty central theme to the book.
The first 80 pages or so seemed, to me, almost clinical in their boredom, but I kept with it, because once I start a book I like to finish it. Well, the book picked up in both the pace and the subject matter, and I really enjoyed the last one-third of the book.
Next, I picked up A Widow for a Year. This book I liked right away. The language was more conversational and moved at an enjoyable pace. I particularly liked the use of the family photographs in the story. Family photographs are a main theme in this book and the way they are introduced at the beginning and continually weaved throughout the novel are nicely done. There's a balance and almost a poetry to them.
I just finished reading Cider House Rules. Like Water Method Man, this book is tedious in the beginning. There is a lot of discussion of medical procedures, particularly as they pertain to the female genitals.
The main character is geeky and a loner and lives for tiny details. However, this book enthralled me. When I first started reading it, I told a friend who said, "Oh that book is so sad." I thought, "great. I'm voluntarily going to make myself miserable." But in hindsight, I don't think 'sad' was the right way to describe it. Solemn, maybe.
But definitely enthralling. The deeper I got into the book, the deeper I wanted to go. In fact, deep is a good descriptor for this book. The main character, Dr. Wilbur Larch, was very deep in the way he questions life and everything in it. By the time I got to the last 120-plus pages, I no longer felt like I was reading. I felt like I was watching the movie unfold before me. I literally saw those last 120 or so pages with my eyes.
The bottom line is, Cider House Rules is intense. The intensity builds, and I very much enjoyed it.
I am now reading A Prayer for Owen Meany. I'm only on page 8 and I'm finding it very tedious. But then I turn to the back cover, where Stephen King writes "Extraordinary... original... enriching... and a rare creation. Readers will come to the end feeling sorry to leave this richly textured and carefully wrought world." How could I not go on after that?
I know, with complete confidence that I will read page 9, and 109, 209, 309, 409, 509 and all 617 pages of this book.
Waiting for me on my bookshelf is The Hotel New Hampshire. It's the last one I own, for now. If Owen Meany is anything like Cider House Rules and Hotel New Hampshire is anything like Owen Meany, there will be more books up there before long.
If you're an avid fiction reader and you like to read almost anything you can get your hands on, even you would need perseverance and patience to get through the first half of any John Irving book. But in the end, they all will be worth it.
Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon.
Saturday, September 9, 2017
Friday, July 7, 2017
Why Hillary Clinton and I Look up to Nancy Drew
A few days ago I caught Hillary Clinton on C-SPAN's BookTV cable network. Mrs. Clinton was there to promote her book, which is coming out in September.
On a sidenote, the interviewer was Cheryl Strayed -- a fellow author I admire.
At some point in the conversation, Cheryl asked Hillary about childhood books that shaped her. She immediately referred to Nancy Drew. "I read every single book in the series," she said.
I also read every book in the series. My sister received them in the mail, and as soon as she finished reading them, I couldn't get my hands on them fast enough.
But what struck me in kind of a light-bulb-over-my-head fashion was what Hillary remembered about why she admired Nancy Drew and how I could immediately relate to it.
"She was strong and independent," the former first lady and secretary of state said. "She had lost her mother, she had a full-time job, she went to school and she solved crimes."
And I thought, "yeah, strong and independent." I had forgotten all about her, but next to my mom, Nancy Drew was probably one of my early role models. Nobody ever said to Nancy Drew, you can't do that because you're a woman. And I was able to relate to that even at an early age. She was also the quintessential multitasker, and I definitely take after her in that role.
Now, I'm on the other end of the book -- the writing end. And even though I didn't know when I was reading Nancy Drew that I wanted to be a writer, I definitely feel that her strong character played a role in shaping the female characters in my book.
Thanks, Mrs. Clinton, for reminding me about what a great role model Nancy Drew was!
Hillary's new memoir will be out September 26th. I can't wait!
Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon.
On a sidenote, the interviewer was Cheryl Strayed -- a fellow author I admire.
At some point in the conversation, Cheryl asked Hillary about childhood books that shaped her. She immediately referred to Nancy Drew. "I read every single book in the series," she said.
I also read every book in the series. My sister received them in the mail, and as soon as she finished reading them, I couldn't get my hands on them fast enough.
But what struck me in kind of a light-bulb-over-my-head fashion was what Hillary remembered about why she admired Nancy Drew and how I could immediately relate to it.
"She was strong and independent," the former first lady and secretary of state said. "She had lost her mother, she had a full-time job, she went to school and she solved crimes."
And I thought, "yeah, strong and independent." I had forgotten all about her, but next to my mom, Nancy Drew was probably one of my early role models. Nobody ever said to Nancy Drew, you can't do that because you're a woman. And I was able to relate to that even at an early age. She was also the quintessential multitasker, and I definitely take after her in that role.
Now, I'm on the other end of the book -- the writing end. And even though I didn't know when I was reading Nancy Drew that I wanted to be a writer, I definitely feel that her strong character played a role in shaping the female characters in my book.
Thanks, Mrs. Clinton, for reminding me about what a great role model Nancy Drew was!
Hillary's new memoir will be out September 26th. I can't wait!
Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon.
Saturday, May 27, 2017
An Open Letter to Reese Witherspoon
Dear Ms. Witherspoon,
A few months ago, you were featured on one of those entertainment media TV shows such as The Insider, or Entertainment Tonight. It was the 20th anniversary of your career. Congratulations, by the way.
At one point, you were explaining to the interviewer how you got into the film production business. You said that you were having trouble finding a role that fit you at that particular point in your life in and your career. You said that you read the book, Wild by Cheryl Strayed and that you felt such a connection to the role that you bought the movie rights and you produced it. And now you have a production company and you make films.
Then, you turned directly into the camera and you said to the viewing audience, "So send me your books." Those were your exact words. I'm not making this up.
So I sent you my book. And imagine my surprise when I received it back, unopened, marked "Refused" on the front.
I took a lot of time to craft a query letter that had all the information I felt you needed to make a decision about whether to read the book or not, and I left out the fluff. I spoke about the 5-star reviews I have on Amazon and the testimonials that people have written. I tried to keep it tight and to the point so as not to waste your time. You are, after all, a very busy woman.
Now I know that movie production houses don't accept unsolicited books. I've search them on the Internet and they all say the same thing: that I need to be represented by a literary agent. However, you asked for my book. You told me to send it, so I thought, at the very least, you would open the package, read the letter, and review my book. At least if you did that and you turned it down, I would feel like I had had a fair shot.
Ms. Witherspoon, you are one of my favorite actresses. I loved you in Legally Blondes 1 and 2, I loved you in Sweet Home Alabama and Walk the Line. And I really loved you in Wild. But I feel, in this case, since you point blank asked for books, that you're not being fair.
I respectfully request that you at least look at my book, In Fashion's Web. I do think it would make a good Hallmark or Lifetime-style movie. Of course, everyone probably says that.
But under the circumstances, since you invited me to send my book, I would appreciate it if you would at least give it a chance.
Thank you for listening.
Lynn
A few months ago, you were featured on one of those entertainment media TV shows such as The Insider, or Entertainment Tonight. It was the 20th anniversary of your career. Congratulations, by the way.
At one point, you were explaining to the interviewer how you got into the film production business. You said that you were having trouble finding a role that fit you at that particular point in your life in and your career. You said that you read the book, Wild by Cheryl Strayed and that you felt such a connection to the role that you bought the movie rights and you produced it. And now you have a production company and you make films.
Then, you turned directly into the camera and you said to the viewing audience, "So send me your books." Those were your exact words. I'm not making this up.
So I sent you my book. And imagine my surprise when I received it back, unopened, marked "Refused" on the front.
Now I know that movie production houses don't accept unsolicited books. I've search them on the Internet and they all say the same thing: that I need to be represented by a literary agent. However, you asked for my book. You told me to send it, so I thought, at the very least, you would open the package, read the letter, and review my book. At least if you did that and you turned it down, I would feel like I had had a fair shot.
Ms. Witherspoon, you are one of my favorite actresses. I loved you in Legally Blondes 1 and 2, I loved you in Sweet Home Alabama and Walk the Line. And I really loved you in Wild. But I feel, in this case, since you point blank asked for books, that you're not being fair.
I respectfully request that you at least look at my book, In Fashion's Web. I do think it would make a good Hallmark or Lifetime-style movie. Of course, everyone probably says that.
But under the circumstances, since you invited me to send my book, I would appreciate it if you would at least give it a chance.
Thank you for listening.
Lynn
Friday, May 26, 2017
Even with Fiction, it's Good to Teach Readers Something They Don't Already Know
I'm currently reading Message in a Bottle by Nicholas Sparks. I'm about a third of the way through the book, and there's a scene in which a man, Garrett, and a woman, Theresa, are having a conversation. In that conversation, Garrett starts telling a story about the Phoenicians and how, in 600 B.C., they sailed around the entire continent of Africa guided primarily by the North Star. He says they were the first people to do so, but no one believed them, and that they were finally proven right about 2,000 years later.
Theresa and Garrett are in a sailboat when they have this conversation, and Garrett is pointing out the stars, so it is a smooth transition when he starts giving Theresa the history lesson.
The thing is, after I finished reading those few paragraphs, I really enjoyed the fact that I had learned something. And I realized that even as fiction writers, we must teach our readers something they don't already know.
In my book, In Fashion's Web, for example, I have a character who is training as an Olympic ice skater, and during her events and her practices, I describe many skating moves. I also describe the streets of Paris and Milan in some places because some of the scenes take place there.
I think that readers get satisfaction out of these factual tidbits, so it's important to have some areas in your book in which you feel you can impart some wisdom or knowledge. It can be a town, city or neighborhood -- perhaps the place where you grew up. Perhaps your characters are dancing a certain or your soldiers are conducting war-time maneuvers.
Of course, like the Nicholas Sparks example, inserting reality into fiction has to be smoothly done and it has to fit well within your story line.
You can also learn something, and then write about it. For instance, I didn't know anything about the streets of Paris or Milan. I had to research them.
So give this idea some thought as you're writing. What is that you know, that you're good at, that maybe you can breathe into the life of one of your characters?
Happy writing!
Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon.
Theresa and Garrett are in a sailboat when they have this conversation, and Garrett is pointing out the stars, so it is a smooth transition when he starts giving Theresa the history lesson.
The thing is, after I finished reading those few paragraphs, I really enjoyed the fact that I had learned something. And I realized that even as fiction writers, we must teach our readers something they don't already know.
In my book, In Fashion's Web, for example, I have a character who is training as an Olympic ice skater, and during her events and her practices, I describe many skating moves. I also describe the streets of Paris and Milan in some places because some of the scenes take place there.
I think that readers get satisfaction out of these factual tidbits, so it's important to have some areas in your book in which you feel you can impart some wisdom or knowledge. It can be a town, city or neighborhood -- perhaps the place where you grew up. Perhaps your characters are dancing a certain or your soldiers are conducting war-time maneuvers.
Of course, like the Nicholas Sparks example, inserting reality into fiction has to be smoothly done and it has to fit well within your story line.
You can also learn something, and then write about it. For instance, I didn't know anything about the streets of Paris or Milan. I had to research them.
So give this idea some thought as you're writing. What is that you know, that you're good at, that maybe you can breathe into the life of one of your characters?
Happy writing!
Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon.
Sunday, May 21, 2017
"Girl on the Train" Author Knows How to Keep the Reader in Suspence
If you're looking for help in figuring out how to build suspense in your book, I suggest you pick up "The Girl on a Train" by Paula Hawkins.
Perhaps the ominous TV trailer ads were what sets up the suspense. And I can't be sure that I would have felt exactly the same way had I simply read a book description and started reading.
But regardless, this book offers an excellent lesson in how to keep readers in suspense.
What I like best about it is that my anxiety that something was going to happen started with page 1 and kept going -- and building -- throughout the entire book.
But I had no idea what that 'something' was. I mean, I had an assumption, because the movie trailor set me up for that. But I didn't know who, I didn't know how, I didn't know when, and I didn't know why. And the book doesn't reveal any of that until the last quarter of the book, so I was really on the edge of my seat the whole way through.
"Not" revealing everything, I think, is one of the hardest things to do when I'm writing, because, as an author, I have to "think from the end." So I always know, mostly know anyway, how one of my books is going to finish before I commit even one typed character to computer.
For example, with my second book, a story of self-discovery about a woman who hits rock bottom and rebuilds herself to a future of happiness, I wrote the entire book in my head over a period of several months before I even knew it was going to be a book.
Did Paula Hawkins have Girl on a Train completely figured out before she started writing? Did she know who, what when, where, how and why before she committed one character to digital paper? I don't know the answer, but I do know that not every author works that way. Some prefer to "start" and just let the "flow" take them. That happens for me with conversation threads, but not with the direction of the book.
How does it work for you?
In any case, I highly recommend that fiction writers read The Girl on the Train. It's an excellent primer for fostering ideas on how to build suspense in your own book.
Happy writing (and reading) !
If you like suspense, please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon.
Monday, May 1, 2017
Did you know that Singer Jimmy Buffet is also a Six-Time Novelist?
I must confess, I am a parrot-head. A parrot-head is, very simply, a Jimmy Buffett fan. I have been a fan of Jimmy Buffett's music since the 1970s, when he had a small but cultish following.
Anyway, Jimmy is a bit of an extremist. Or maybe he's just not afraid to try things and he knows how to live life to the fullest. He's a pilot, a deep-sea fisherman and a sailor/boater. And he's been all over the world. In this respect, he reminds me of Ernest Hemingway. He has even frequented Key West, a place where Hemingway lived.
But there's one other thing he has in common with Hemingway: He's a novelist. He has written six novels, and according to the bio on the inside back jacket of one of his books, every one of them has sky-rocketed to the New York Times best-seller list. I guess that's what happens when you are famous.
Anyway, I've read three of his books:
Tales from Margaritaville
Where Is Joe Merchant?
And most recently, A Salty Piece of Land
The last one, which was published in 2004, actually came with a CD of a song of the same name as the book, which of course, he wrote just for the book readers. It was very good.
His books are quite enjoyable -- especially this last one, A Salty Piece of Land. I've been struggling with a decision about whether to move south or not, and this book certainly got me excited about the idea of living in the tropics.
One thing about Jimmy's books is they are very representative of who he is. He writes about what he knows. He knows boats, planes, fishing and tropics, and that's what this book is about. What do you write about? Do you pour all your experiences and interests into your writing and character development?
Salty is also about friendships, accomplishing dreams and people who leave an imprint on your heart. And he does a good job of creating characters who do all three in the book.
If you're looking for a simple, feel good book that you can sit in your back yard and read while drinking a beer and catching some rays, try picking up one of Jimmy Buffett's books.
And while you're reading, pay attention to his character development. His characters aren't complicated, but they grow on you as you read, and there's something to be learned from that.
Enjoy!
Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon.
Anyway, Jimmy is a bit of an extremist. Or maybe he's just not afraid to try things and he knows how to live life to the fullest. He's a pilot, a deep-sea fisherman and a sailor/boater. And he's been all over the world. In this respect, he reminds me of Ernest Hemingway. He has even frequented Key West, a place where Hemingway lived.
But there's one other thing he has in common with Hemingway: He's a novelist. He has written six novels, and according to the bio on the inside back jacket of one of his books, every one of them has sky-rocketed to the New York Times best-seller list. I guess that's what happens when you are famous.
Anyway, I've read three of his books:
Tales from Margaritaville
Where Is Joe Merchant?
And most recently, A Salty Piece of Land
The last one, which was published in 2004, actually came with a CD of a song of the same name as the book, which of course, he wrote just for the book readers. It was very good.
His books are quite enjoyable -- especially this last one, A Salty Piece of Land. I've been struggling with a decision about whether to move south or not, and this book certainly got me excited about the idea of living in the tropics.
One thing about Jimmy's books is they are very representative of who he is. He writes about what he knows. He knows boats, planes, fishing and tropics, and that's what this book is about. What do you write about? Do you pour all your experiences and interests into your writing and character development?
Salty is also about friendships, accomplishing dreams and people who leave an imprint on your heart. And he does a good job of creating characters who do all three in the book.
If you're looking for a simple, feel good book that you can sit in your back yard and read while drinking a beer and catching some rays, try picking up one of Jimmy Buffett's books.
And while you're reading, pay attention to his character development. His characters aren't complicated, but they grow on you as you read, and there's something to be learned from that.
Enjoy!
Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon.
Wednesday, March 29, 2017
More about Song-Writing Classes and Resources
Some people, like Taylor Swift, are just prodigies. They just never seem to run out of words to put down on paper, and what ever they write always seems to sound heavenly.
But for most people, a little training in your desired profession can't hurt, even if your desired profession is to be a songwriter, and you've already got six notebooks full of lyrics.
So if you miss the deadline for GRAMMY Camp, or perhaps you're already out of high school and it's too late, don't worry. You still have plenty of options.
First and foremost, there are colleges, like the Berklee College of Music in Boston. Berklee has several online classes that teach songwriting and other forms of creative writing.
Both BMI and ASCAP offer workshops. BMI offers a songwriters' workshop in Nashville, and there is no charge, although it probably fills up well in advance. In New York, they offer a jazz composer's workshop and a musical theater workshop. BMI 101 -- a one-hour overview course that discusses performing rights and other necessary information, is available in Los Angeles and New York.
ASCAP has programs around country music, rhythm and soul, Christian and film scoring.
There also are a variety of independent venues, including The Songwriting School of Los Angeles, Songwriting Lessons Online, SongU.com, and TakeLessons.com.
Remember that classes and workshops are also great places to network. You can meet both experienced professionals as well as other classmates with whom you might find a connection and want to work with.
Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelley met at Belmont University. They started playing together and today they are one of the top acts in country music: Florida Georgia Line. Never underestimate the power of meeting people!
So, if you're interested in making a career out of songwriting, first and foremost, start writing. But secondly, consider taking a course or two. You could come away some very valuable information you would not have gotten otherwise. And you may also come away with some very valuable partnerships that never would have happened if you hadn't been in the right place at the right time.
Good luck!
Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon.
But for most people, a little training in your desired profession can't hurt, even if your desired profession is to be a songwriter, and you've already got six notebooks full of lyrics.
So if you miss the deadline for GRAMMY Camp, or perhaps you're already out of high school and it's too late, don't worry. You still have plenty of options.
First and foremost, there are colleges, like the Berklee College of Music in Boston. Berklee has several online classes that teach songwriting and other forms of creative writing.
Both BMI and ASCAP offer workshops. BMI offers a songwriters' workshop in Nashville, and there is no charge, although it probably fills up well in advance. In New York, they offer a jazz composer's workshop and a musical theater workshop. BMI 101 -- a one-hour overview course that discusses performing rights and other necessary information, is available in Los Angeles and New York.
ASCAP has programs around country music, rhythm and soul, Christian and film scoring.
There also are a variety of independent venues, including The Songwriting School of Los Angeles, Songwriting Lessons Online, SongU.com, and TakeLessons.com.
Remember that classes and workshops are also great places to network. You can meet both experienced professionals as well as other classmates with whom you might find a connection and want to work with.
Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelley met at Belmont University. They started playing together and today they are one of the top acts in country music: Florida Georgia Line. Never underestimate the power of meeting people!
So, if you're interested in making a career out of songwriting, first and foremost, start writing. But secondly, consider taking a course or two. You could come away some very valuable information you would not have gotten otherwise. And you may also come away with some very valuable partnerships that never would have happened if you hadn't been in the right place at the right time.
Good luck!
Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon.
Tuesday, March 28, 2017
The Deadline for Grammy Camp is March 31st!
If you have a high school student -- or if you are a high school student -- who is dedicated to music and is very talented, you might be interested in GRAMMY Camp.
It sounds like a wonderful opportunity. Country singer Maren Morris went to GRAMMY camp and now she is a successful country singer and songwriter!
But the deadline is March 31st for the 2017 summer session so you need to act fast:
Here's the information from their website:
It sounds like a wonderful opportunity. Country singer Maren Morris went to GRAMMY camp and now she is a successful country singer and songwriter!
But the deadline is March 31st for the 2017 summer session so you need to act fast:
Here's the information from their website:
GRAMMY Camp is a 5-day nonresidential summer music industry program for high school students interested in having a career in music. Hosted by Belmont University in Nashville and USC Thornton School of Music in Los Angeles, students from across the country apply for one of the eight offered career tracks. GRAMMY Camp faculty of music professionals as well as guest industry professionals provide valuable insight to give the campers the best chance at achieving success in their chosen career.
Join one of our info sessions where GRAMMY staff will be available to answer your questions on an informational conference call.
Tuesday, March 14 at 4 p.m. PST/7 p.m. EST GRAMMY Camp: General Info and How to Apply
Thursday, March 16 at 5 p.m. PST/8 p.m. EST GRAMMY Camp: A Parent's Perspective
Monday, March 20 at 5 p.m. PST/8 p.m. EST GRAMMY Camp: General Info and How to Apply
Tuesday, March 14 at 4 p.m. PST/7 p.m. EST GRAMMY Camp: General Info and How to Apply
Thursday, March 16 at 5 p.m. PST/8 p.m. EST GRAMMY Camp: A Parent's Perspective
Monday, March 20 at 5 p.m. PST/8 p.m. EST GRAMMY Camp: General Info and How to Apply
RSVP to reserve your spot in the call-in: Email grammycamp@grammy.com
2017 GRAMMY Camp Dates & Locations:
GRAMMY Camp Nashville – Tuesday, May 30 - Saturday, June 3, 2017
GRAMMY Camp Los Angeles – Tuesday, July 18 – Saturday, July 22, 2017
Financial assistance is available for students who need it.
Check out all of the possible career tracks below or download a printable version:
Audio Engineering
Electronic Music Production (LA only)
Songwriting
Performance - Vocal
Music Journalism (LA only)
Video Production & Motion Graphics (LA only)
Music Business (LA only)
Performance - Instrumental
Good luck to all those high schoolers who get in! And for those who don't, don't give up! Keep working at it!
Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon.
Saturday, March 4, 2017
A Must Read: "We Were the Lucky Ones" by Georgia Hunter
Georgia's journey took her to France, Poland and Brazil to speak to relatives first-hand who were able to tell her about family members and the incredible situations they survived.
The entire process, from making the decision to write We Are the Lucky Ones to finishing the manuscript and seeing it published, took her 9 years.
I had the pleasure of hearing Georgia speak recently at the Darien Library.
She chose to weave her story into a novel, so that she could bring past family members to life in a very arresting and colorful way.
This amazing book can be found on Amazon.
Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon.
Friday, February 24, 2017
Writers: Take Time to Mentor the Next Generation
When I was in sixth grade, there was one specific day that I recall very well. Our class had study hall, and once a week during study hall we went to the school library. It was one room of wall-to-wall books.
On this particular occasion, the teacher, Sister Joan Bailey, called me over to her from the other side of the room. I went. As I approached, she pulled a book off the shelf and handed it to me. It was about creative writing. "I think this book would good for you," she said. And then she walked away.
I stood there for a moment in mild surprise. My first thought was, "Wow, she thinks I have writing potential??" Then, my second thought was, "Wow, she thinks I have writing potential!!!"
I had my first story published in the 8th grade newspaper, then another in a high school book. It all went up from there. Today, I am a professional writer. And it all began with a nun who spoke one sentence.
Yesterday, I received an email from my local library announcing a new writing group for girls between grades 5 and 8. It brought me back to that time when I was a girl between grades 5 and 8 and I was just starting to plant the seeds of my future.
And I felt a sense of both hope and wonder. Hope that this new writing club would help open the creative minds of many girls between grades 5 and 8 and plants the seeds of their future. And wonder about whether any of those girls, either here in my home town, or elsewhere throughout the world, would become the next great writer.
I look forward to seeing who that might be, and even to mentoring some of those future writers myself. If you are a successful writer, think about who you might be able to mentor -- high school students, college students, your next door neighbor's kid. Look around you. Reach out and share your gift with the next generation.
The future awaits! And you have a very big role to play in it.
Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon.
On this particular occasion, the teacher, Sister Joan Bailey, called me over to her from the other side of the room. I went. As I approached, she pulled a book off the shelf and handed it to me. It was about creative writing. "I think this book would good for you," she said. And then she walked away.
I stood there for a moment in mild surprise. My first thought was, "Wow, she thinks I have writing potential??" Then, my second thought was, "Wow, she thinks I have writing potential!!!"
I had my first story published in the 8th grade newspaper, then another in a high school book. It all went up from there. Today, I am a professional writer. And it all began with a nun who spoke one sentence.
Yesterday, I received an email from my local library announcing a new writing group for girls between grades 5 and 8. It brought me back to that time when I was a girl between grades 5 and 8 and I was just starting to plant the seeds of my future.
And I felt a sense of both hope and wonder. Hope that this new writing club would help open the creative minds of many girls between grades 5 and 8 and plants the seeds of their future. And wonder about whether any of those girls, either here in my home town, or elsewhere throughout the world, would become the next great writer.
I look forward to seeing who that might be, and even to mentoring some of those future writers myself. If you are a successful writer, think about who you might be able to mentor -- high school students, college students, your next door neighbor's kid. Look around you. Reach out and share your gift with the next generation.
The future awaits! And you have a very big role to play in it.
Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon.
Tuesday, January 31, 2017
I've Just Joined the Self Publishers' Showcase Family!
I'm excited to report that I've just become a member of the Self Publishers' Showcase author family.
Starting tonight, they will be tweeting every other day for me to their database of 196,000. I look forward to the people who will be introduced to my book, In Fashion's Web, and whom I might meet.
Self Publishers' Showcase is a website that highlights indie fiction and nonfiction. They offer author bio pages and conduct author interviews.
The site is published by Dominion Editorial, a publishing, marketing and literary agency which handles ebook formatting, editing, proofreading and book marketing.
My author page (below) showcases my novel, website, blog, and social media links.
If you're interested in hearing more, go to selfpublishersshowcase.com or dominioneditorial.com.
I'm looking forward to the exposure this new venture will give my book!
Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon.
Starting tonight, they will be tweeting every other day for me to their database of 196,000. I look forward to the people who will be introduced to my book, In Fashion's Web, and whom I might meet.
Self Publishers' Showcase is a website that highlights indie fiction and nonfiction. They offer author bio pages and conduct author interviews.
The site is published by Dominion Editorial, a publishing, marketing and literary agency which handles ebook formatting, editing, proofreading and book marketing.
My author page (below) showcases my novel, website, blog, and social media links.
If you're interested in hearing more, go to selfpublishersshowcase.com or dominioneditorial.com.
I'm looking forward to the exposure this new venture will give my book!
Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon.
Saturday, January 21, 2017
The Notebook: A Great Example of How to Use Flashbacks
I recently (finally!) read The Notebook. I got tired of all the buzz about it being referred to as the best love story ever, or the quintessential love story. I wanted to know what all the buzz was about.
So I read it. And oh my God. What a book. It's not a very long book – about 240 pages. But it's long enough for the characters to be deep, and real, and raw, and for readers to fall in love with them.
What I like most about The Notebook though, is Sparks' use of a flashback. Next to A Woman of Substance by Barbara Taylor Bradford, The Notebook is the best use of the technique that I think I have ever read.
Page one starts with an old man shuffling around a nursing home. But the book quickly shifts to that same man at age 31. Then, for the bulk of the book, Noah is 31, and is remembering or flashing back to age 16 when he first met Allie, so it's actually a flashback within a flashback, because he goes from elderly to 31 to 16, then back to 31, then back to elderly, which is where the book ends.
The shifts in time and age are well choreographed, and the flashbacks are easy to follow. I highly recommend reading The Notebook first if you are considering putting a flashback in your book.
Or, if you're not writing a book, but you happen to love good romance stories, The Notebook is one of the best. Enjoy!
Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon.
Hand Out Business Cards for your Book
One of the first things I did after I self-published my novel, In Fashion's Web, on Amazon, is created business cards just for the book.
The card includes:
-a jpeg of the cover
-The name of the book
-The name of the author
-A link to the print version on Amazon
-A link to the Kindle version on Amazon
-A note that says you can also search Amazon by name
-And a note to 'like' the book on Facebook
There is no personal information of mine, such as my email or phone number. I left those off so that I could promote the book with people I meet on the street. Here's what it looks like:
I print these on my home printer, but you could easily have them made up at a place like Vistaprint online or a local retail printer in your home town.
When I meet a woman and I've had a few minutes to speak with her, I ask her, "Do you like to read?" and if she says yes, then I give her my card.
For example, yesterday morning, I was at my mechanic's get the oil changed in my car. There was another woman there also waiting for her car. We struck up a conversation and I asked my usual question. She said yes and I gave her a card.
I've given out cards in supermarkets, parking lots, Dunkin' Donuts, doctors' offices, to women in the hallway of the building I work in, etc. And some have bought the book as a result.
Whether you have a traditional publishing contract or not, you are still responsible for marketing your own work. This is one way to help, especially if you're traveling out of state or even out of the country.
Give out cards in the airport, on the beach, on vacation, on business trips. The farther you can distribute your cards, the better.
Now, I have to go print some cards!
Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon.
The card includes:
-a jpeg of the cover
-The name of the book
-The name of the author
-A link to the print version on Amazon
-A link to the Kindle version on Amazon
-A note that says you can also search Amazon by name
-And a note to 'like' the book on Facebook
There is no personal information of mine, such as my email or phone number. I left those off so that I could promote the book with people I meet on the street. Here's what it looks like:
I print these on my home printer, but you could easily have them made up at a place like Vistaprint online or a local retail printer in your home town.
When I meet a woman and I've had a few minutes to speak with her, I ask her, "Do you like to read?" and if she says yes, then I give her my card.
For example, yesterday morning, I was at my mechanic's get the oil changed in my car. There was another woman there also waiting for her car. We struck up a conversation and I asked my usual question. She said yes and I gave her a card.
I've given out cards in supermarkets, parking lots, Dunkin' Donuts, doctors' offices, to women in the hallway of the building I work in, etc. And some have bought the book as a result.
Whether you have a traditional publishing contract or not, you are still responsible for marketing your own work. This is one way to help, especially if you're traveling out of state or even out of the country.
Give out cards in the airport, on the beach, on vacation, on business trips. The farther you can distribute your cards, the better.
Now, I have to go print some cards!
Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon.
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