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Totally Not 'Zen'

6/29/2018

It’s been the busiest week of the year at work with a deadline, and I’ve been trying to heed the advice “if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.” Well, online at least. I can’t testify that a few irksome comments have flown in the office this week, from all places and directions. You know how it is: things get tense, and people are going be people and complain. Myself included. I won’t even pretend, because I’m totally not ‘zen’ this week. It happens. But I’ve tried to keep a lid on the frustration online, because you don’t want or need to hear about that. So that’s why I haven’t posted as much on social media this week. The day job has zapped me, and I come home so exhausted that it takes all the reserve energy I have left to get the basics done before I collapse in that Lane recliner with Rick and the birds.

Such is life. Perhaps this picture of a pretty rose will help balance my chi (or whatever), since it's so hot here that my own roses aren't budding now. Global warming, folks. It's real. It wasn't 100+ degrees in June when I was a kid. But I'm wandering from the point of this blog, so back on topic ...

I know it’s said that a writer shouldn’t let anything stop them from writing, but life happens to us just like everybody, and the effect on our creativity varies. Last year, I wrote the rough draft of The Tenth Dimension during renewals, and helped Rick build our back deck. The year before, I finished a cross stitch. This year, I’ve done good to keep up with promotions. I did write the final two chapters and epilogue of Domino a couple of weeks ago, and I entered The Earthside Trilogy on BookViral last night (finally), so we’ll see how that goes. But overall, the muse stored up random things this year, and that’s been frustrating. Then again, this year has been the worst yet with this busy time, too. It’s been a lot more demanding and draining for us all.

High activity always feeds the muse, but when it comes varies. Obviously, all these scraps of ideas are going to come together after the high activity ends. That’s ok. I don’t know if I’ll get back to writing next week or the week after, but I will get back to it. Things will drop off at work over the course of the next week, I have some days off coming up, and the creative well will start flowing again. I’ve been writing long enough to know that these writer’s block spells pass, and don’t let them freak me out anymore.

All things pass, from the busy season to the working season of life. Retirement will come and someday, I will be a full time writer. That much is inevitable. But while I’m in this season, the muse will feed from it as it will, and I’m ok with that.

That’s all today. Take care, and have a great weekend.

Bye!

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Lessons From A Rejection Letter

6/20/2018

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I got a rejection email yesterday thanking me for my submission to a short story magazine. They said the story was a good vignette that was “vivid and evocative,” but it didn’t fit with their genre elements. Then the obligatory thanks for my submission.

I had no idea what they were talking about, and briefly wondered if it was spam. The story title didn’t ring a bell, nor did the magazine name. It’s been a few years since I submitted any short stories for publication in magazines. In fact, I stopped a couple of years ago when I decided to combine my best stories into The Eleventh Hour and Lost and Found. I scrolled down, and was alarmed to see the submission date in the original message was February 19, 2012. I actually mentioned the upcoming release of Anywhere But Here in the query (Anywhere was published by Whiskey Creek Press in April 2012).

I didn’t know what to think. My first thought was wow, you sure are behind on your slush pile. Then I noticed that the email was from the magazine editor, and rejections are usually delegated to other staff. Obviously, I assumed the story was rejected and didn’t need confirmation nearly six and a half years later. In the end, I decided to assume the best: it slipped through the cracks, and the editor decided to do the right thing and respond, even though it wasn’t necessary. If I remember correctly, it’s standard to assume that you’ve been rejected after 3-6 months, unless the publisher indicates that a longer wait period applies.

I tell this story for two reasons: first, it’s amusing. Second, it demonstrates the point of being able to let things go and move on. I decided to go fully indie and self publish in 2013 when my self published titles started outselling my books published through epublishers. But this reminded me of a second reason why I made that decision: traditional publishing is slow. I’ve developed relationships with a cover artist, beta readers, and editors who are also indies that will work with your schedule, instead of being bound by a publishers que and contractual obligations on response times and reviews. It’s nice to be able to pick who I work with, and to do it on a collaborative schedule directly with the other person. I’d be a fool to keep knocking on the brass doors of traditional publishing when I’ve found something that works better for me. Obviously I (like many other writers) don’t have the connections, money, or crazy luck to break into that world anyway.

The traditional industry survives, and there are those who wouldn’t consider anything else. If that’s your thing, that’s ok. It’s a big world, and there’s room for us all in it. If you don’t like my work and I know somebody whose writing is more your style, then I’ll be glad to give you a referral. All readers deserve access to what they enjoy, and personal tastes are highly subjective. There really isn’t a right or wrong – just what’s right for you.

I kept that email because it reminds me that there are folks in the traditional publishing industry who want to encourage all writers, and to offer readers the best quality possible. We do share a common love of books and reading. I hope that someday our common ground will widen to end our disparities and expand opportunities for all readers and writers, regardless of publishing choices.

It’s a shame that I didn’t keep that story, as it’s a title that I dismissed as nonpunishable. Geese, it was powerful and evocative. I regret letting that one get away! It just goes to show that you never know what will resonate with readers.

That’s all today. Take care, and have a great rest of the week.

Bye!

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What Self Care Really Means

6/13/2018

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I read an article a few months ago saying that most people have a mistaken idea of what self care really means. Too often, we associate it with spoiling ourselves or taking a time out, when it really means acting in wisdom now so we can reap rewards later. I got a lesson in that today that I'd like to share with you.

I took a couple of hours off work this morning because the pest control person had to come by to treat the house for ants. He showed up early and didn't take long, so I decided to renew my driver's license. That too went quickly, but I noticed that my car was riding rough. I remembered that happened to Rick a few months ago, and it turns out that he had to replace all four tires. I decided what the heck? It's still early and I need an oil change anyway, so why not swing by Jiffy Lube? They'll check everything out and let me know if more is wrong.

More was wrong: two tires were bad, a third was borderline, two brake pads were worn, and one rotor was showing early signs of damage. In short, my car was riding rough for a reason, and I'm lucky that there haven't been problems so far. I'm even luckier that I heeded my intuition about getting the car checked out. Yes, it meant that I was there for three hours, which wasn't the most enjoyable experience. It meant a very late lunch. I didn't make it in to work at all because by the time I got out and ate, there wasn't much point going in for less than two hours. I'm sure I'll pay for it tomorrow with grumpy messages and a heavy workload. But by golly, I'm not sorry because I'd rather deal with those consequences than a breakdown or a wreck later. I didn't intend to take the day off, but the responsible thing was to keep my car in good order so I can continue to fulfill my responsibilities (personally and professionally).

It was tempting to ignore my intuition and go on with my plans, but that's just it: heeding the signs now means I can relax and have an easier time later. Self care is being responsible and doing what you know is right now, so you can reap the rewards and achieve your goals later. Sure, being a responsible adult is a pain in the butt sometimes, but you reap what you sow, and life is a lot better if you keep up rather than catch up. Today was a great example of how self care might not always be fun, but it's the right thing to do and will lead to better times, prevention of problems, peace of mind, and success in the long run. Too many people are focused on "right now" and immediate rewards. Self care looks at the big picture and considers what has the best payoffs overall.

It isn't about a glass of wine, ordering pizza, crashing in front of Netflix, and bubble baths. Sometimes, it's about doing what you'd rather not do now so you can meet your goals and sow good for later. In short, it's about acting in wisdom and looking at the big picture. That's not popular in this day and time, and that's why people who do it are happier and more successful overall than the "instant gratification" crowd. It's something to ponder.

That's all today. Take care, and have a great rest of the week.

Bye!

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Coming Soon - The Roost!

6/10/2018

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I'm embarking on a new blog launching this week, and am pleased to be working with a group of wonderful, talented friends. It's called The Roost, and will be about all things birds. I'm lucky to be part of three communities on social media: the writing community, the reader community, and the bird community. It's fun to mix all three in this new endeavor, and to do it with friends. The mystery newsletter I wrote on a few years ago was good, but it closed when the editor died. We keep in touch on social media, but have pretty much gone our own ways (especially since I switched to scifi!). The two anthologies I worked on in 2014 were disappointing in that I didn't get to interact with the other writers. All interactions were through the editor, so we were in a void until it published and we finally saw what the other writers did. It turned out well, but I wish we had been able to communicate during the writing process instead of after it was done. The Roost is more along the lines of what a collaborative project should be: we each write independently, but we interact regularly to keep up with one another's projects and make sure they "mesh" well. Creative and cooperative.

What is The Roost? It's a blog about the birds, by and for bird lovers. You'll find stories, tips, and advice on the best, fun, and exciting ways to share your life and home with birds. You'll have fun learning and sharing experiences with other bird lovers in a hangout that's gone to the birds! Find us on Twitter at @TheRoost10 and Instagram at theroostonline

So bird-loving friends, watch for it later this week! And all others, The Roost and this blog will be my non-fiction ventures for the time being. I'm out of writing non-fiction books right now, as my fiction is doing much better. Funny thing, it seemed to really spike since Friday! I may write another non-fiction novel someday, but for now the fiction is selling better and gaining traction, so that's where the focus for novels will be.

Speaking of fiction, the beta reads are complete on The Tenth Dimension. I can't thank both beta readers enough for their feedback, as it was valuable advice that already has the muse at work for improvements. They'll definitely get a "thank you" in the acknowledgements! Writers, I can't stress this enough: get beta readers for your manuscript. They're great, and you can find them on Goodreads and Facebook groups. Best of all, they'll usually do it for free, or a reciprocal beta read, because they love books. But don't we all? Isn't that why you're here? To see what's feeding my muse?

Answer: potentially everything. Or nothing. It depends on the nature of life, and the perception of the muse. And mine is certainly a character!

That's all today. Take care, and have a great week.

Bye!

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AudioBooks and Paperbacks

6/7/2018

Today, I’d like to talk about something that I’ve been personally asked about several times: audiobooks and paperback books. I’d like to address each in turn as a writer and a reader.

On audiobooks: I’m actually interested in the audiobook format. The problem is the cost. Smashwords recently started an initiative where the setup is free, but you have to pay around $500 for the reader and production costs. I’m not making enough in book sales to recup those costs, so for now it has to remain a wish until the cost comes down. But I am optimistic, because I see audio books on the same path as ebooks were on ten years ago. It used to be expensive to covert to ebook format (I remember I was asked for $250 to convert my first published book – now you can do it yourself for free). Hopefully, that cost will continue to decrease, and make this a possibility for indie authors like me. I doubt it will ever be free like publishing ebooks, as I’d want to hire a professional voice to do it, but I have my eye on it and am willing to consider it if the cost continues to go down. Of course, if my book sales increased enough to recup the costs at least, then I’d do it now. *Rolls eyes away and whistles innocently.* Of course, that’s the comment that usually elicits nervous chuckles and an excuse to go do something else. It’s funny how pointing out the obvious does that.

As a reader, I’ve never checked out audiobooks. But if my three mile commute from work to home keeps increasing due to insane traffic, lane blockages, wrecks, and fires on the Interstate, then it might become viable to hear several chapters of an audio books while I sit in a sea of brake lights. That admission shouldn’t make anybody squirm. I think we can all agree that traffic is a nightmare on Die-20 in the afternoon, especially on Thursdays. I mean, I-20.

On paperbacks: Blurry, my young adult murder mystery, is available as a paperback on Amazon, but I haven’t sold a paperback copy since 2012. All of my book sales since I switched to fiction have been ebooks, so there’s been no need to look into that option, especially since there are costs involved and I hear from other authors that the formatting issues are a nightmare. These requests are decreasing anyway, so I don’t see the point in going to all of that trouble. Plus, I’m a bit of a tree hugger, if you didn’t know that about me. I prefer to go digital every way I can. Ebooks are my standard for writing and reading. Heck, I use my laptop and my Kindle almost every day.

But I do occasionally read paperbacks, and even hardbacks. I can’t resist the lure of a bookstore, and went by one near my office yesterday called The Book Dispensery. The Book Dispensery is a secondhand bookstore where you can trade in books for credit, and buy books at 40%-70% off (which is a discount if you buy from a traditionally published author, who still charges regular paperback/hardback prices for their ebooks). It’s a good place to check out authors you’ve never read before to decide if you want to read more of their work. I discovered Ben Bova, Kim Stanley Robinson, P.D. James, and J.A. Jance by checking out titles I bought there. Given that the only new bookstores in my area is a Barnes & Noble clear across town and a Books-A-Million in a traffic nightmare location, I pretty much get every paperback or hardback I read at The Book Dispensery. If you live here, I highly recommend checking them out. If you don’t, check your area for secondhand bookstores where you can find some treasures that may lead you to discovering authors you’ll love.

So there are my answers on audiobooks and paperbacks. One’s on the radar, and one fell off. But I’m always open to reconsidering due to changes in the book industry. In fact, I pretty much count on it. The publishing industry, much like everything else in life, is in a constant state of change and development. You never know what might happen to change things in a significant way.

That’s all today. Take care. Have a Happy Friday tomorrow and a wonderful weekend.

Bye!

Do Politics Belong in Sci-Fi?

6/3/2018

We saw Solo: A Star Wars Story yesterday, and I'm happy to say it's a good movie. That's a relief too, considering that I'm in the group of people who hated The Last Jedi. Besides breaking too much from the Star Wars tradition, my main gripe was that it was too focused on making modern political statements, and failed to move the actual story forward in a manner consistent with the current storyline. I know there are those who disagree with me. They feel a good, popular franchise should take a stand on current political events. This is where the real divide came in, as the "traditionalists" like myself believe the Star Wars universe has a fantasy bend that takes it away from our reality, and shouldn't be influenced by politics or current events.

Ironically, I faced the opposite conundrum when I was writing The Earthside Trilogy. I was told during beta-reads that Metamorphosis (Book Two) read more like a political thriller than a sci-fi novel, and I would out rewriting half of the novel to bring it more in line with the other two books. It wasn't possible for me to entirely remove politics from the book, because politics are involved with more parts of life in our world/country now, and I don't believe that will change in the next 81 years. In fact, the government's practical shutdown of our space programs and their scrambling to catch up once it was obvious that they missed the approach of two alien civilizations were a major part of the trilogy - so much so that one of the main characters is a United States Senator. Simply stated, it was impossible for me to remove politics because politics would realistically get involved, and have a hand in shaping the story.

Do politics belong in science fiction? I believe it depends on the basis of the story. If you're looking into the actual future of the planet and/or humanity from this point, then it certainly will have to be a part of it. I had a discussion with somebody on Facebook a few months ago about how political events happening right now do matter to my writing, because the shape of the future I create depends on how things develop from these events. The key is to keep a lid on your personal politics. That's where it gets tricky. Of course an author will shape the future based on their personal ideals, but it must be written it in a way that doesn't obviously lend to one party/ideal or another. In The Earthside Trilogy, I never mention party affiliations for any politician that are in the trilogy. It's simply the character and their actions. It doesn't matter if they're Democrat or Republican.

So what's the answer? I think it depends on the reality base of the fiction. If the story is using the current reality of Earth and humanity as a basis, then you'll have to bring in politics because politics would inevitably get involved. Despite their merits or failings, politicians are our representatives. I believe they see themselves as our protectors and would take up that mantle if there were a threat to humanity. However in a case like Star Wars where the basis is fantasy completely separate from this world, I say the answer is no. You can create whatever reality you want , so what's the point of having debates and statements that have nothing to do with the world you're in? It's hardly an escape to dive into your world if it's trying to break into ours.

It's something to think about. But whether you like it or not, I think it's clear that my high school psychology teacher was absolutely correct when she said that two topics that are guaranteed to get strong reactions are religion and politics!

That's all today. Take care, and have a great week.

Bye!

Totally Not 'Zen'

Lessons From A Rejection Letter

What Self Care Really Means

Coming Soon - The Roost!

AudioBooks and Paperbacks

Do Politics Belong in Sci-Fi?

Escape Reality

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