Category: Publication

Rising Above Mediocrity

6/12/2014

I believe the world would be a better place if more places operated like the publishing industry. They don’t deal with crap. When you submit to the publishing industry, whether traditionally or epublishers, then:

1.       You follow the directions to the letter or you’re rejected. They won’t even read it if you don’t follow the guidelines exactly.

2.       No is no forever. There are no redos , try again, or second chances. Once you’re rejected, you’re rejected – and they’ll let you know if you try to sneak in another way that they’ve already rejected it and won’t be looking at it again.

3.       You don’t pester them with questions (especially if they’re addressed in the guidelines), or you’re pegged a pest and you’re out of there.

4.       If you do get accepted, you do what they say, when they say, or you’re contract is null and void.

5.       If you “don’t mess with computers” then don’t expect a reply. This is the 21st century. If you’re technologically illiterate, they won’t make time for you. It’s straight to the recycle bin and on to the next.

I’ve heard a lot of people squawk about how anal they are, but the truth of the matter is this: people are begging for their attention, all day, every day. Holding to these stringent criteria screens what they take to only the best, and to working with people that are willing to do what it takes to create and publish the best novel possible. They don’t have time for drama and half hearted attempts, and they won’t tolerate it.

Growing up, I thought everybody operated like this. You certainly didn’t do anything half handed in college, or you don’t pass the class and you had no shot at graduating. They proudly tell you in freshman year that only 1 in 3 will make it to graduation, and this is about right. At the University of South Carolina, you have to get at least a “C” in the class or you don’t get credit and have to retake it. You can argue that a “D” is passing all day, and they’ll tell you it’s below average and you have to perform at a level that’s at least get credit, so retake the course or be on your way. Imagine my surprise when I entered the workforce and discovered how many people are completely fine with just getting by and settling for mediocrity. It still confounds me, even after sixteen and a half years of experience in the workforce.

I know people cry “you have to grant people some grace!” but there’s a place where it’s detrimental to the overall good. I know others argue that “you could be shutting out perfectly good people by being so anal,” but is someone too headstrong to follow the rules likely to be successful in the long run? Anything worth having takes hard work and dedication. Sure, setting stringent criteria creates an attrition rate. It culls out the ones that aren’t in it to win it – so is it really a loss? Even Proverbs says that laziness is destructive. A little sleep, a little rest, a little folding of the hands, and your doom is upon you. It’s true that you’re only as strong as your weakest link, and I see no problem with making sure that every chain on that link is solid, at least. Allow too much mediocrity in the system, and it can destroy everything. That’s not being pessimistic, it’s reality. Have you ever watched any of those TV shows where people go in to remake hotels, or bars, or other establishments? The first thing they look at is the quality of the employees and in every episode I’ve seen, that’s been what makes it or breaks it. If everybody pulls together and does their best, they remake themselves into success. If they don’t, they fail. It’s that simple.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned between my career and being an independent author, it’s that people will only rise to the highest standard expected of them. Internal motivation is a serious problem in our society, and we don’t help it by settling for mediocrity or slackness. Demand excellence, and that’s what you get. It’s certainly true in the publishing industry. You may think they’re tyrants for being so strict, but I can tell you from working with both of my epublishers that they’re some of the best people to work with. They’re hard working, dedicated, loyal, and will do whatever it takes to help you create and publish the best novel possible. People who self publish are encouraged to submit themselves to similar standards by hiring out proofreading and cover art design, and readers can tell who actually does it. I’ve seen the importance of high standards in just my first few weeks of being an editor at ReadWave. Seeing it from the other side is an eye opener. I better understand why it has to be this way in order to make sure readers are getting the best. It inspires me to do my best not only at my writing and my job, but at everything that’s set before me. I’m dedicated to living the best life possible, and I refuse to sabotage myself.

We need to make excellence a standard everywhere. Believe me, a little “try harder” never killed anybody. If anything, it brought them to life and helped them to succeed. One thing I’ve seen over and over, both in writing and in my career, is that if it means that much to people then they will rise to it. The excuses crumble when you replace “can’t” with “won’t” and stop accepting it.

That’s all today. Have a Happy Friday tomorrow and a great weekend.

Bye!

Must Read Books for Writers

9/15/2013

In this final installment of "must read" books, I'd like to offer suggestions that have helped me in my own writing and publishing experiences. There are a lot of books out there to tell you how to write better and get published, and a lot of the information is redundant. Save yourself some time and start with these suggestions to give you the basics that you need to get going:

Writing: Grammar, Usage, and Style (Jean Eggenschwiler, M.A. and Emily Dotson Biggs). The first and foremost thing you must know as a writer is proper grammar and spelling. If your writing is mechanically correct, you don't stand a chance. I know that reading should be about the overall enjoyment of the story, but improper use of the English language mars even the best of prose. This quick guide is a great refresher on the basics that will tighten up your writing and keep the "grammar police" quiet.

The First Five Pages - A Writer's Guide to Staying Out of the Rejection Pile (Noah Lukeman). This is the best treasure I picked out of the Barnes & Noble discount bin ever. Written by a literary agent, Lukeman tells you what it takes to write a manuscript that hooks readers from the start and won't let them go until they finish the manuscript. No, it won't guarantee that you capture a publisher or agent, but it will greatly increase your chances of being read and getting your foot in the door. It's good, sound, solid advice that will improve your storytelling exponentially.

The Essential Guide to Getting Your Book Published (Arielle Eckstut and David Henry Sterry). Skip the other "how to get published" guides and get this one, because it has all you need. They tell you This book is a treasure trove of information on the publishing process and even includes the field of e-publishing, which is growing (and you would be wise to get up on) and using social media. It's a comprehensive guide that gives you all of the information you need on the publishing process, publicity, marketing, and book sales. In fact, I credit this book with helping me break into e-publishing. It's that good.

The Author's Guide to Building an Online Platform - Leveraging the Internet to Sell More Books (Stephanie Chandler). And I credit this book with helping me to build my online presence for my writing. This short guide gives you great pointers for getting set up online to sell more books and finding opportunities to promote yourself. It's valuable advice, because more books are sold online than in stores, and the Internet is always open, so it can always be working for you.

Writer's Market (Robert Lee Brewer). This annual guide is a master list of all book publishers and tells you everything you need to know about them: what they publish, how to submit, where to find them, and their requirements and guidelines. Of course, you still need to check the websites, as this information can change (and publishers frequently open and close to submissions), but this is a great index. If you find this master guide too overwhelming, you can also buy shorter versions that are broken down by specific genres. For example, I write fiction, so I find the Novel & Short Story Market Guide most helpful. The guides are updated annually and they also have a companion website to keep up with updated throughout the year (if you have a subscription). But the book alone is very helpful and can save you hours of research in finding places to submit your work.

In addition to these books, I'd also suggest that you read a book on how to write in the area that you specialize in. For example, if you write novels, then find a guide on writing better novels. If you prefer short stories or poetry, look for a guide on writing better short stories or poetry. There are many out there and a good reference guide on how to structure your writing for the particular type that you prefer helps greatly in creating a great story and becoming a better writer.

So there you have it - my "must read list." I hope you've enjoyed this short series of blog entries on what I think are "must haves" for your library.

Take care all, and have a great week.

Bye!

Paradigm Shifts

8/26/2013

On this, my 38th birthday, I find my self pondering the progress of the past year. I suppose this is a natural thing to do on a birthday. On first glance it could seem disappointing, as there are no "major" changes to report, but that's actually deceptive. There have been changes in the past year, but they've been more in the way of "shifts" instead of what could be clearly defined as "changed." I suppose this sounds somewhat elusive, so of course I'm going to explain.

The progress of the past year has actually been more in the way of building on things that have already been in motion. While it doesn't seem that much has changed - after all, life is progressing along very much the same today as it was a year ago - I can't say that I think about or feel the way that I did about life as I did one, two, or five years ago. In fact, as I ponder it, I notice that my paradigm has shifted quite a bit in the last 4 years. I suppose this is natural. My job changed and I finally broke into publication with my writing in 2010 - 2011, and while these things are "the norm" in my life right now, I see how incorporating those changes into my life has changed my view of life and the world. My basic morals haven't changed. That's not something that's likely to change. But the way you see the world around you and apply those morals can change, and I'm starting to see the evidence that it's happened. When you walk in faith long enough, you delve deeper into things, and that's certainly what's happened to me.

So how have I changed? For one, I'm seeing a whole new application of the concept of "reaping and sowing," as described in Galatians 6:7. You all know that this is one thing that my grandfather was a big believer in, and I took it to heart. But this verse applies to more than just relationships with other people and how you treat them - it also applies to progress and purpose in life. In fact, if you shift two more verses you'll read that "in due season we shall reap, if we do not lose heart." (Galatians 6:9) After several years of hard work to re-establish myself professionally in my current workplace and to get my writing established, I see the value of patience in all that we do. If life really is a series of ups and downs, reaping and sowing, then that has big implications for all of life. If we choose to only allow ourselves to be happy on the mountaintop, when we're reaping the rewards of our labors, then we're guaranteed to be miserable (or at least, withholding our own happiness) at least 50% of our life. Folks, that just isn't acceptable to me. That's not going to do it. Sure, there are some people that enjoy being miserable and whining and complaining to get attention, but that's not the way I choose.

I know from experience that there are blessings in every day because I've been through the major life changes when I looked back and realized that there were little blessings that I took for granted, and I was sorry for it. An example: before my writing was published, I used to do counted cross stitching and wrote short stories. Much to my surprise, I find that I have very little time for that now, between promoting my published works and creating new ones. I love my writing and pray daily that it will continue to grow and reach more people - in fact, I'm prayerfully striving to make a break into science fiction with Splinter this fall - but there are some days when I miss having the time to cross stitch, or to goof off on Writing.com with short story contests. I didn't realize how much time these things filled in my life until my writing grew to the point where I had to make decisions about what stayed and what went. I still stitch occasionally, but large projects are out now. And as for short stories, they take me longer to write, prepare, and complete than they once did. And ditto for the work move. I was glad to make it and still believe it was the best, but I didn't realize the little things I took for granted, like talking to a couple of my friends when things got slow, the great walking paths on the State House grounds, a covered parking spot or those outstanding subs for a great price on Tuesdays and Fridays. Yes, I've gained a lot through both changes. I wouldn't undo either of them or the world because I gained a lot more than I lost. But I did learn to not despise the small things, and to appreciate the small blessings that go with each day as well as the big things we work so hard to cultivate and grow in our lives.

Some people say this means to "enjoy the journey on the way to where you go," but I think there's a deeper meaning than that. A devotion I read recently said, "God doesn't want you to be happy. He wants you to do what's right." That really hit me and helped me to get a grasp on my own paradigm shift. I used to think that the point was about being happy, and I actually worried for a little while, wondering if I'd ever be happy like I was before. I see now that I won't, because happy is a side effect. The purpose of life is not to serve our feelings, but to do what we're supposed to be doing and work hard to do what's right for our purpose in life. If you are faithful in well doing and obedient to the spirit, there's a contentment to your life that nothing - situations, circumstances, or other people and their attitudes (because that really reflects on them more than anything else, but that's a pondering for another entry) - can affect. You can rest in knowing that you're doing all you can, and that allows you to enjoy the blessings of every day, large or small. And contentment is better than happiness. It's more stable, because you can still see the blessing in what you have even if a thousand aggravations are bleeding out of them. It's built on a firmer foundation that gives you the patience to hold out for the "bigger picture" even if you don't understand what the point is (as is often the case). It's built on a trust between you and the Lord and nobody else can put their hands on it. And that can give you the courage to do what's right, even in the face of ridicule, opposition, or doubt. Happiness is transient and comes and goes with circumstances. Contentment is faith in action.

No, the earth hasn't moved in the last year. Things look much the same today as they do every other day. But I know they aren't. I see how the work at the everyday levels is building to something new and better. I might not know what yet, but when it is revealed then I'll reap a reward in due season, and be glad I didn't lose heart.

That's all today. I hope you have a great week.

Bye!

The Shapeshifter Amongst Us

6/15/2013

In my last entry, I made the comment that it's impossible to know what the modern workplace is like because of the tremendous power of change. I'd like to expand on this comment in this entry, and muse over how this trend has the potential to leak out of the workplace and into other areas of life now.

It started with technology. Computers revolutionized the workplace, and there's no denying that it made drastic improvements. Frankly, I can't imagine how people of previous generations ran an effective office with things as archaic as file cabinets and typewriters. They managed, but now we're moving at the speed of light, at least in offices. I remember a colleague once saying "remember when we sent out notification letters? It would take a week or more for people to reply to them now. Now it's notification emails and thanks to smartphones, our own phones blow up within seconds of hitting "send." It's true. Things move faster now, and they have more ways in than ever. Is it a good thing? All in all, probably so. Things get done faster and have the potential to get done more efficiently. But notice the adjective that's more active than the actual verb in that sentence: potential. Because efficiency depends largely on effective and (most importantly) wise implementation. And this requires having people that make sound decisions and are willing to learn and grow with the changes this improvement brings.

Yes, technology is ever changing, and it requires people in the workforce to keep changing with it. Nothing stays the same, and now we're morphing with the speed of development. You always have to be willing to grow and learn, to embrace new things and let go of old things that might be comforting, but are no longer effective. The good new is that this change, when done with pure motives and right intentions, is the path to progress. You learn, you grow, and hopefully you take those lessons into your personal life and see what you gained continue to bless your life.

Ah, but there's another side to this, and here's the catch. This is where the shapeshifter comes into play, because the constant change in the workplace started with technology, but it oozed it's hand into other aspects of the workplace as well. Changes in how things are done require changes in management, changes in staff, changes in operations. It doesn't stop with the machines. Integrating the machines changes the people, and the way people operate. It means that we must not only adapt to how the machines help us to do our work better, but we also must embrace how the machines change the human element of the workplace. And this, folks, is where we run into issues, because machines don't have a mind and will of their own, but people do, and they aren't afraid to use it. For better or for worse, and sadly, the tendency to react rather than reflect and act in faith means that this element is subject to lots of rash decisions and acts that aren't always conductive to progress.

I've come to realize that there are two kinds of change. The first kind is the progressive kind that I discussed above. An opportunity opens and it's given thoughtful deliberation and consideration. People take advantage of that opportunity and more opportunities arise from it. Yes, it's hard and it requires change, learning new things, and forging into new areas, but the hard work is worth it and beyond the growning pains come progress that lead to a "golden age" of productivity and success. This is the kind of change we should always embrace, and that we shouldn't fear. Yes, it takes hard work to do new things, but the work of laying that solid foundation pays off when you build something that's stronger and better for a new day. Often, the things you learn from these "hard seasons of growth" can be implemented into other areas of life which spurs more growth and more blessing. It can have a chain reaction. One example of this: My office move 3 years ago gave me the courage and strength to start the process of becoming an independent author. The trials I went through getting those programs moved opened my eyes to every area of life, and I realized that I had spent a lot of years submitting my writing to traditional publishers in a sinking economy that had bolted their doors closed to new authors and weren't listening. "If they stop listening, stop talking," someone advised me around that time (of a different situation, but ...) and one day I stumbled upon a CNN article about how ebooks were outselling hardbacks and the light went off. I dug in to edit and revamp my approach, submitted to epublishers and mixed in some self publishing, and now 3 years and 7 books later, I finally have the foundation laid that I was waiting for someone else to do for far too long. I lost my fear of taking chances, I found the courage to make bold moves of faith on my own, and I finally got the ball rolling on the progress I had prayed for. That success gave me the courage to stand firm, to learn what I needed to learn, and to work with others to make the move successful, and it was. Progressive change at work had a 2 for 1 special in my life: the work move was successful despite setbacks and challenges along the way, and I got established as an independent author.

Ah, but there's another kind of change, and sadly I see it in my life now. It's change born of fear, and this is almost always detrimental. Sadly, progressive change usually gives way to this. Things move along well and people are happy with how it's going, but then something happens that changes some element that everybody was comfortable with. Usually, it has to do with setbacks, challenges, changes in leadership, or an unexpected loss of some sort. People get scared and react. Instead of asking "okay, what can we do to stabilize the situation and are there any opportunities from this, no matter how small, that we can seize and use to rebuild?" they ask "how do we protect ourselves." The motives shift from purity (doing better) to selfish (save me!), and that's the road to destruction. Change is not about progress, but about re-establishing control, protecting the "status quo," and preventing more damage. This is where you run into trouble, because damage control is never productive and that's looking at the situation from the wrong end. I think we all remember Yoda's logic in Star Wars Episode 1 - "fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to the dark side." That's not fiction; it's face. People get scared and they react. Then they get mad because things aren't working out. Then the anger replaces all semblance of reason, and it becomes a battle. As Loki so eloquently put it in The Avengers, freedom leads to a mad scramble of power. Yep, he had a grain of truth there too. It's scary.

Take it from one that's seeing it unfold. There are changes afoot in an area of my life now, and I find myself surrounded by a lot of fear. It's disturbing. I find myself pondering a lot of things, but foremost amongst them is protecting the progress I've worked so hard to achieve over the past few years. An emerging culture of fear could well do that, at least in this one area, and that means that a fight is on. It might already be on, because these spiritual things are a whole different battlefield. That's one song I do not want to sing another verse of in my life. I pray over it a lot, because I don't want to become another soldier of fear. I'm determined to stand firm and to protect the progress I've made. Fear is the devil's best tool, and by the power of Christ I will stand. I pray such courage will spread to others as well. That's a good infection that we desperately need.

Change will happen, and it can be tough to discern whether you're seeing the progressive or the destructive kind. All change is scary because it usually means challenges, hard work, sacrifice, and learning. Growth is hard because it stretches us to new places, but in the end it's good. And destruction also hurts because, well, it's supposed to hurt. There's nothing good about it and being torn down is a catalyst to find some courage and fight against whatever is trying to undo the progress you've done. In the end, you have to keep your head about you and discern the motives for the change. Pray, meditate, dig deep, ask questions, ponder the situation, and find out if the motive is pure. If it is, then you're being called upon to grow and it's a challenge and an opportunity to accept. If it's born of fear, sharpen your sword and get ready to fight because it's on like Donkey Kong, and you better be ready to stand firm or you'll get smashed by barrels of defeat.

And with that dated and somewhat lame analogy, I will call the point made and the entry done. I hope you have a great weekend and that all of you dad's out there have a Happy Father's Day tomorrow.

Bye!

Why The World Needs Self-Publishing

6/8/2013

People often ask me why I decided to publish my writing through ebooks rather than in the more traditional format of paperback. The reason I give is that there’s no demand for my books in paperback, but the true reason is that a little thing called the printing press helped along The Protestant Revolution, and I believe the Internet is bringing about a similar revolution in our society. No, I don’t think you’ll see new religious practices rise out of the rise of the Internet, but it’s certainly impacting our entertainment options. More books are bought online than in bookstores and ebook sales are steadily rising. Frankly, I believe a new day is coming not only to the world of reading, but to the entire entertainment world, and I want to be on the front end of it.

It’s an undeniable truth that the traditional publishing industry is floundering, even if they don’t realize it, and the reason is the power of e-publishing and self-publishing. Agents and traditional publishers have long been plagued by the problem of trying to guess what people want to read, and making their selection on what to accept based on that. They rely on their “tried and true” authors to keep cranking out work that will appeal to audiences and almost never take a chance on a new author, even if their work is interesting. It’s just too risky to take a chance on making an investment that might not pay off, even though they do it with their regular list all the time and still lose. At least epublishing and self publishing allow new authors a chance to get their work in front of a niche audience and gauge their interest in the work so they can adapt, adjust, and improve their skills. You can’t do that if you’re being rejected by big or mid-list publishers every day. It leaves you in the same situation they’re in – guessing what a moving target wants. And yes, it’s a moving target because trends change all the time, and what’s popular today might be the thing they’re spoofing and making fun of tomorrow while they embrace “the next new thing” which, unfortunately, we only see in retrospect.

I read a blog article Thursday named 5 Reasons to Admire Self-Publishing, by Alison Baverstock, and it turns out that most of those things are what all authors should be doing anyway. The only difference is that self-published authors direct all of their hard work and effort into a productive effort of putting their work out there instead of constantly knocking on doors that may never open for them. They take a chance and put it in front of the readers instead of begging “the experts” for a chance. Because whether you’re self published or traditionally published, the burden of producing work, capturing the interest of readers, and promoting your published work falls on you, the author. Even big publishers will only do a limited amount of publicity around your release date. Keeping interest up in the responsibility of the author.

I often hear people say that we still need the traditional publishing industry because self publishing allows anybody and everybody to publish a book, and there’s a lot of crap out there because there’s no quality control. I can’t deny that yes, you see a wide gamut of talent through self publishing, but I don’t think there’s a complete lack of quality control. The quality control is where it’s supposed to be – between the readers and the writers. Writers are tasked with putting their best work out there for the public to enjoy, and readers can help improve the quality by rating and reviewing the work they read. Believe it or not, writers rely heavily on good, constructive reviews so they know what the reader wants and how to adjust to deliver it, either through edits to their current work or to developing new work. Even if you don’t like it, you can help the author by articulating exactly what it was that kept you from entering the “suspension of belief” phase with their work so they know how to fix it. “I hated it” isn’t helpful, but a “the characters were good but I didn’t believe they would react to such and such situation the way they did given their personality quirks” is constructive advice that the writer can use to improve. And if the reader likes it, then such reviews are also helpful. We all like “I loved it!” but what’s helpful is “I liked it because I could relate to how the character reacted to such and such situation and appreciated how it affected his/her perspective on their life situation.” Reviews help tremendously, and if readers will engage more by posting them, then I believe the quality of self-published work that you see on the market will improve drastically over time.

That’s not to say that the traditional publishing industry is broken, or that it’s demise is imminent. Certainly it isn’t, and I don’t forsee a day when it won’t exist, but a new day is upon us. I believe that the Internet has opened up the world to allow people to enjoy entertainment by independent artists that would otherwise be denied by the traditional industry. Traditional publishers and institutions would be wise to keep an eye on trends in the indie world to see what people really want, and to adjust accordingly. After all, the niche markets shouldn’t be underestimated. That’s where the trends are born, and that’s where the “next big thing” is taking shape, perhaps this very minute.

That’s all today. I hope you have a great weekend.

Bye!

Progress With My Writing

8/22/2012

Many people have asked me recently about how things are going with my writing, so I thought I'd update you through a blog entry. I've stay very busy with it between promoting work that's already published and writing new work. Here's a rundown of where things are at:

As you probably know, I'm in the middle of an Author Feature Week on The Edible Bookshelf. DelSheree Gladden read my young adult novel, Blurry, and is doing a feature on me that's focused on this book on Monday - Friday of this week. Today's entry is the best so far with an author interview on Blurry. You can check it out at http://www.theediblebookshelf.blogspot.com/2012/08/interview-with-sherri-fulmer-moorer.html . Be sure to drop by http://www.theediblebookshelf.blogspot.com tomorrow and Friday too to see the remaining entries in the feature week. I'd like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to DelSheree Gladden for reading Blurry and giving me this wonderful opportunity to reach readers through her outstanding blog!

I was also surprised to get a very flattering review of Anywhere But Here today. It was so encouraging to see that this story touched someone and that they recommended it because they believed that others could relate to it too - even with the twist ending! (Folks, this book has a BIG twist in the end!). Dealing with personal setbacks and depression are the major themes of this fictionalized novel about a young woman whose life falls apart in the weeks after college graduation, and it was my hope that others would read this tale and find hope to face their own challenges. I'm glad people are relating to this story. That is, after all, why writers do write in the first place - so their stories can entertain and inspire others. I'd like to thank Goodreads for their support of indie authors and for helping people to find me and my work. If you love reading, this is a great site! You can check them out at www.goodreads.com .

I have several book reviews for Blurry and Anywhere But Here pending, and I have my fingers crossed that they continue to get good reviews! I'm also planning to pick up promotion for Quarantine, my mystery novella, and Resonance, my horror long story, in September and October. Both of these stories take place in October. In fact, Resonance is a Halloween tale. I believe these are good, quick reads that people will find interesting as a fall read. Plus, they're cheap - only a dollar!

On the publication front, I signed a contract with Whiskey Creek Press to publish Splinter, my sci-fi novel that I wrote for National Novel Writing Month in 2010, in late May. I should get more information from them on a publication schedule in October or November, and it should be out sometime in mid to late 2013. I'll let you know when I get a timeline for publication. In the meantime, here's a synopsis:

The end of the world is just the beginning.

Dr. Leigh Lorene Lybrand, a thirty-three year old geophysicist, is content with her humble life on Earth.  She has good work studying the reversal of Earth’s magnetosphere, a loving fiancé, and a supportative family. It’s a life most people would be happy with, until she’s offered a chance to make history. Developing interstellar habitats in the Jovan system will make her famous and financially secure for the rest of her life. She’s willing to put aside life on Earth for two years to have a chance to establish humanity in outer space.


History takes a critical turn when Earth is destroyed by a solar flare, and the crew of Jovan I are responsible for the survival of humanity. As they explore ways to survive in space, dark matter starts to rip open the fabric of
space and time, allowing Leigh and one of her colleagues to see parallel universes. When the visions take a sinister turn to reveal that a radical religious group planned Earth’s destruction, Leigh must make a choice: Accept her fate or use what she’s learned to save humanity; even if it means sacrificing herself in this universe.

I obviously need to clean that up into a more intriguing back cover blurb, but I beleive you get the point. And let me tell you, I'm super excited about this book! It's the most work I've ever done to write a novel - it's my longest book to date at 50 chapters and took over six months of research just to plan the plot! But the work was worth it, because I believe this is my best book so far.

On the writing front, I have two books in progress right now. That's right, two! The first is a mystery novel titled Move. The tagline - be careful what you wish for. I don't nave a formal synopsis for it because it isn't complete, but it's about a woman that's stuck in a rut that unknowingly makes a deal with a djinn to help her with people that are getting in the way of her progress. Unfortunately, the djinn isn't really good with the whole wish-granting thing, and he makes a bigger mess of things than she ever imagined. And I'll be honest with you - I love working on this book. This is the most fun I've had writing a book since Blurry! It's just a good, intriguing story and I love the characters I work with. Well, except one of the villians, but I'm having fun helping things bite her in the butt. These are the experiences writers live for - to get absorbed in our work and fall into the world we've created. This is why I love writing. To create new work and share it with the world. I think the only thing better than reading a great story is writing one. Well, one that you think is great anyway.

The other book is a short non-fiction book titled Feathered Frenzy! A Quick Guide to Adapting Birds Into Your Life. I'm writing this book as a way to share what I've learned from over twenty five years of bird ownership with others that have birds for pets. I might not have advanced degrees, but I believe that a lifetime of having birds for pets gives me plenty of advice to share, and I have picked up quite a few tips, tricks and lessons throughout the years that I beleive will be helpful to other bird owners. When I say this is a short book, I'm not kidding - I started it last week, and I've written 8 of the 10 chapters already. Hopefully, I'll complete the rough draft in the next couple of days. I plan to self publish this book. In the meantime, I posted a sample chapter in this blog last week, and I've posted another snippet on the bird blog over at Conure Corner at http://conurecorner.weebly.com tonight.

So that's what's going on with my writing. Thanks to all of you for your continued support and interest in it! I'll return to my usual musings and shenanagins next time. Until then, I hope the end of your week goes well.

Bye!

Summer's Over Already?

9/4/2011

I cant' believe tomorrow is Labor Day and the summer will be over. Well, summer isn't "officially" over for a few more weeks - maybe a month or more based solely on the weather - but Labor Day is the end of the summer season. Wow, where did it go?

If I had to sum up this summer, I'd call it a perfect reflection of real life. There have been highs - like publishing a book, and lows - like 2 friends dying of cancer. And everything in between. It hasn't been perfect, but I honestly can't call it bad either. And I feel I must add that there were so many great movies out this summer too - the DVD's coming out this fall are going to be awesome!

I know a lot of people say it's been a long, hot summer. I'll agree with hot, but long? No. It seems we were just having our spring free thrift day at the church - but that was in mid May. It doesn't seem like over 3 months ago but it was. Time flies. Granddaddy always warned me to not wish my life away, but I suppose it's equally futile to cling to the past. Best to live in the present.

Am I ready for fall? Doesn't seem to matter - it's coming at the speed of time and it is what it is. I suppose one thing I do need to accomplish this fall is finishing up Splinter. That's the novel I was working on before the contracts for Blurry and Anywhere But Here came along. I suppose I better get that wrapped up before Anywhere But Here goes into pre-production in early 2012 if I want to submit it for publication next spring.

Well, that's my musing for the day. Enjoy your Labor Day. It's supposed to be a rainy one here, but that's ok. The summer came in with some vicious storms (and power outages at interesting times and under interesting circumstances too). I suppose it's natural it should go out that way.

Goodbye, Summer 2011! It's been real.

Still Alive

7/28/2011

Hi folks; I hope you're doing well and having a great week. It's been busy!
On top of trying to catch up with the work I didn't get done last weekend,
the galley came back for Blurry, so I have to go through that to check for typos
and formatting errors. Dull, dry work, but necessary. But Blurry is in book
format now, and will be released soon. I'm excited!

So yes, I'm still alive and no, I'm not missing. I haven't been
abducted by aliens. I haven't been held hostage by angry parrots (although that
could happen if I run out of peanuts!). I haven't fallen off the edge of the
earth. Just working, and cleaning house, and updating the website, and now
reviewing my book one last time before publication.

I hope you're doing well. God willing, I'll return to the land of the living
this weekend.

Happy Friday to you tomorrow and I hope you have a great start to the
weekend.

Bye!

Publication News

7/6/2011

Well, I suspected it would happen: Just before the long weekend, publishers for both of my novels sent informationto complete. Fortunately, they gave some time and I got everything done. I suspected there would be times like this when I signed that second contract, but I still think it's worth it.

I have (relative) publication dates for both novels now. Blurry, the young adult novel, will be released in August 2011. It's been edited and now I'm waiting on the copy editing, cover art, and website setup at Wings ePress. Anywhere But Here, the supernatural mystery, will be released in April 2012. I just turned in the pre-publication information to Whiskey Creek Press and it's going to the editor and the cover artist next.

It's been a lot of work these past few days, but I've been glad to do it. Both books are in motion now, so I wait to hear back on the next steps. It's exciting! I'll be sure to keep you posted as they progress through the publication process. And now, I also pray for wisdom (and luck) in promotion and sales.

Since I've been busy with returning to work and on the novels, there's not much else to report. I am looking forward to some time away from the computer, though. Maybe I'll get back to reading, if I don't get caught up on the Star Trek episodes that Netflix has on streaming video now.

That's all for now. Here's hoping you have a good rest of the week.

Bye!

My First Flash Fiction Piece Published!

6/27/2011

Finally, some success with short stories! My flash fiction piece titled "One Day" is the featured paragraph at Paragraph Planet today. You can read it today at http://www.paragraphplanet.com/index.htm . After today, you can go to http://www.paragraphplanet.com/archive.htm and look up the feature paragraph for June 27, 2011.

I know it's just a 75 word story, but after a four year dry spell anything is welcome!

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