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Showing posts with label writing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label writing. Show all posts

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

GUEST BLOG - A DAY IN MY WRITING LIFE (SECURITY)

"Autumn Raine is a pop vocalist at the very top of her game. She’s a style icon, the paparazzi’s darling and everyone wants to be her friend. But when her safety is threatened, her whole life starts to unravel.

Enter Nathan Regan, an ex-elite soldier who is assigned to protect her. He’s a good man doing bad things but what drives him? Passion? Madness? Or grief? Demons from his past are threatening to consume him. Can he win the fight alone or will he have to admit he needs help?

As the threat deepens, Autumn starts to find out who she really needs in her life. Is there still room for personal assistant Janey or rapper boyfriend Rockweiler? When everyone around her is feeding her lies, how does she work out the truth? Does her record producer know more than he’s letting on? What is her mother, the British Foreign Secretary’s involvement in the situation? And can Autumn put her faith in a forty-something Jamaican woman who handles an automatic weapon as expertly as she cooks?

Eluding kidnap and trying to stay alive, can Autumn find the strength to be the person she longs to be? And can two people, poles apart, forge something strong enough to survive anything?"


       “I’ve employed someone,” Alison stated, pouring herself a glass of water.
       “What! Someone from MI5?” 
       “Not exactly. Someone they recommended.” Alison’s voice dropped to a whisper. “Someone who’s done work for them before…unofficially you might say.” 
       The whispering in public was very annoying. Almost as annoying as when Alison got out a pad and pen and wrote notes instead of speaking. Autumn always wondered if her mother had to burn the notes after their conversations, or, at the very least, eat them. She hoped the latter. The thought of her mother chewing up Basildon Bond’s finest gave her a secret thrill.
       “Are you completely insane?” Autumn exclaimed.
       “I’m being practical.”
       “You’re being over-the-top. I do not need a bodyguard or whatever this unofficial MI5 psycho is supposed to be.”
       “I would disagree.” A deep, male voice interjected into their conversation.
       Autumn’s purse fell off her knee and onto the floor as she turned to look at the voice’s owner. He smiled at her and picked her purse up, replacing it on her lap. He was tall, with short, glossy, black hair, and he had so much stubble on his face, it was on the verge of being called a beard. Autumn couldn’t help but wonder how he had managed to get so close to their table without their noticing.
       “Do you mind? This is a private conversation,” Autumn said, glaring up at him. 
       He was good-looking, but his clothes were a style disaster. He was wearing an off-the-peg charcoal suit, a white shirt open at the neck, and on his feet were very cheap shoes. He wasn’t the hotel’s usual clientele. He looked like he might be more at home selling mobile phones.
       “Can I join you?” he asked, pulling up a chair and sitting down.
       “No, you most certainly may not. Georgio! We need security over here.” Alison screeched like an irritated parrot.
       “I am security. Nathan Regan.” He offered his hand to Autumn.



A day in my writing life 
by Mandy Baggot

       *sound of a Harley Davidson* It’s 6.50am and it’s my iPhone alarm! *curses and turns over*. 

       As a mom of two school-age girls every day starts off with a made scrambled to get them fed, washed and dressed before school. We leave about 8.20am for the ten minute drive, I drop off and wave goodbye and I’m back at my desk by 8.50am.

       The first thing I do is check my schedule for what’s going on that day. Believe me there is always something going on! I am a member of Loveahappyending Lifestyle – an on-line magazine run by a group of us authors. We write interesting posts on all sorts of topics – I am the trends/pop culture guru. We also support each other in our writing lives so I will schedule up some Facebook posts and some tweets for them as well as a few for me. Then when I visit Twitter later I can chat about food and wine instead of books!
After that I’ll answer emails or messages. There are usually at least fifty a day! I tell myself it’s good to be popular!

       Finally, after messing about on Twitter and seeing what mad things other people are up to I will get down to writing about 11am. I then have three and a half hours to crack on before picking the girls up again. Three and a half hours sounds like a long time doesn’t it? If you factor in doing some exercise, eating some lunch and dipping back in to social media, it just flies by.

       After picking up my girls, I might get a couple of hours of writing in in short bursts of fifteen minutes or so. Sometimes I take a pen and paper (do you remember those?!) and write with the children around if it’s the only way to grind out some words. I will write anywhere!

       That’s a normal writing day but most weeks I also have some meetings on. I belong to a Wiltshire women’s networking group called Women on Wednesday and we meet up once a month. I was the guest speaker back in February.

       As a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association I go up to London for their meetings and functions and  I’m also quite an active member of the Wiltshire business community so I try and attend most functions I get invited to. I also speak at book groups, festivals and conferences which are mainly in the evenings or at weekends. No two weeks are the same!

       I have to say I do love my writer life. I just wish there were a few more hours in the day!





This book and I didn't really see eye to eye, so what I'll do is post the review after the tour. Not all books are liked by everyone.

Friday, April 12, 2013

VIDEO - SEALS ON FIRE & SASSY SEVEN (+BLOOPERS)



Blogging about The Sassy Seven Erotic Romance Authors and reviewing "SEALs on Fire "Anthology! And yes there are outtakes, aka bloopers! Here are the novellas and the sassy women who wrote them: Coyote Heat by Desiree Holt // Dagger's Edge by Brenna Zinn // Jonesin' For Action by Samantha Cayto // Jagger's Moves by Allie Standifer // Melting Ice by Nicole Austin // Touching Ghost by Regina Carlysle // Conquering Zeus by Cerise Deland


You can also find me at:
BLOG
http://niinas-reading-and-reviewing.blogspot.fi/
TWITTER
https://twitter.com/Freywyn
FACEBOOK
https://www.facebook.com/FTLoveOR
INSTAGRAM
niinac / http://instagram.com/niinac
TUMBLR
http://forthe-loveof-life.tumblr.com/
COVER DESIGN WEBSITE
http://niinascoverdesign.weebly.com/

Monday, November 26, 2012

MOVIE REVIEW - MIDNIGHT IN PARIS

"When Inez goes off dancing with her friends, Gil takes a walk at midnight and discovers what could be the ultimate source of inspiration for writing. Gil's daily walks at midnight in Paris could take him closer to the heart of the city but further from the woman he's about to marry."

Author: Woody Allen
Lenght: 1 h 34 minutes
Release time: August 2011
Form: Movie (through Viaplay in Finland)
Genre: Contemporary Romance / Comedy
Buy: Watch / $8.99 (Amazon Instant Video)
Clips: Trailer

"Gil and Inez travel to Paris as a tag-along vacation on her parents' business trip. Gil is a successful Hollywood writer but is struggling on his first novel.

He falls in love with the city and thinks they should move there after they get married, but Inez does not share his romantic notions of the city or the idea that the 1920s was the golden age. When Inez goes off dancing with her friends, Gil takes a walk at midnight and discovers what could be the ultimate source of inspiration for writing.

Gil's daily walks at midnight in Paris could take him closer to the heart of the city but further from the woman he's about to marry."  ~ From Imdbs


Midnight in Paris was genuinely charming, idealistic and fun. I'm usually not into Woody Allen movies, but after seeing a .gif in Tumblr I decided to give this movie a go. And I do have a soft spot of 1920's so this matched me so well. Not once did I feel bored or wanted to do something else, I was completely invested even though I really have never liked Owen Wilson in movies.

I loved the set of characters! Gil's midnight journeys to the golden age of Paris was interesting idea, I loved seeing Scott Fitzgerald, Hemingway, Picasso, Dali and Cole Porter. I also loved Rachel McAdams as Gil's fiancee and her intellectual friends - kudos to Michael Sheen being thoroughly annoying snob. I also loved Gil's inspiration quest through Paris nights to find meaning for his writing, with Parisian music and lit city it was mesmerizingly beautiful and immediately made me want to visit old Paris.

The idea of traveling back to 1920 and beginning to fall in love with the muse of the greatest artist of the time is dreamily romantic and Marion Cotillard is so enchanting to watch  it makes the romance even more etheric.

Now excuse me as I book a plain ticket to Paris and hope to catch that car at Midnight and visit one very fetching looking Fitzgerald, you know, to help with me writing. ;)

Rating :



Sunday, November 4, 2012

GUEST BLOG : QUIRK COMPATIBILITY AMONG COUPLES


Quirk compatibility among Couples
by Judy Reiser

It isn't Mental Cruelty that’s the primary cause of broken marriages. Nor is it Adultery, Abandonment, or Habitual Drunkenness.

The first and foremost cause is Toilet Paper. And the second is Toothpaste. If she likes the toilet paper going “over” and he insists it hang “under” or if he squeezes the tube neatly from the bottom and she messes it up by squeezing in the middle, those are grounds for divorce in my book. What did you think Irreconcilable Differences meant, anyway?

Quirk compatibility is essential among couples.

The next time you’re at a party, instead of asking, “Are you a Leo?,” find out whether he’s a Folder or a Crumpler. It’s a good way to avoid serious problems in a relationship.

Your honeymoon was a big hit with both of you jockeying for the same side of the bed. The marriage vow you took was, “I do—claim the right side for the rest of my life.”

Are you a Blanket Hogger? Someone with an overwhelming but unconscious need to slowly and systematically wind yourself up in the blanket in the middle of the night so there is no hope for your poor half-frozen partner to retrieve even a corner. Worse than having a Blanket Hogger for a spouse is having one who is a Diagonal Sleeper. Don’t plan on getting any sleep if you’re late to bed.

Some of our and our partner’s quirks are very funny, some of them are strange, some are charming, and some are damn good ideas! All of them are very human, intriguing, tasteful, and absolutely true. Quirks transcend gender, age, race, nationality, income, and marital status. Everybody's got 'em!

I should know. I interviewed thousands of people about their outrageous, outlandish and downright ridiculous eccentricities for my books, "Admit It, You're Crazy! Quirks, Idiosyncrasies and Irrational Behavior" and "And I Thought I Was Crazy! Quirks, Idiosyncrasies and Meshugaas". From hilarious bathroom behavior to funny money and unconventional clothing habits to eating and sleeping peculiarities to germ-a-phobia and more. People do the darndest things!

Here are some quirks you may have observed your guy doing:

  • When he gets dressed, he’ll put on his pants, zip up the zipper, button the button and buckle the belt. Then he gets his shirt, unbuckles the belt, unbuttons the button, unzips the zipper, tucks his shirt in and then does the whole thing up again. Why doesn't he put his shirt on first!!!?
  • When he gets home at night, does he remove all the contents of his pockets and stack it on the dresser?
  • And, of course, how many times has he driven miles out of the way rather than ask for directions?

Ladies, don't laugh. We may dress more efficiently, but we’re just as quirky as the guys:

  • In a social situation, women usually go to the ladies' room in pairs or groups. If two couples are out to dinner and one of the women excuses herself to go to the ladies' room, the chances are pretty good the other woman will go with her. Can you imagine a guy doing this? “Hey, Charlie, I'm going to the men’s room. Wanna come?”
  • And for those gals who are fortunate enough to have a housekeeper, I bet you tidy up before the housekeeper is due to arrive!


After reading some of these strange but absolutely true goings-on, you will be amazed that hardly an hour in your life goes by that you don’t witness some of these quirks…either in yourself (who me?) or in others. You’ll finally understand your friends, enemies, bosses and partners a lot better.

My books are not attempting to solve, define, or make excuses for some of the more common or uncommon idiosyncrasies. Its intent is simply to help you recognize them, laugh at them, and breathe a little easier.

Admit it, you're crazy!


About The Author
Judy Reiser began collecting quirks when she divulged something crazy she does (she doesn't remember which one it was–there are so many) and her friend shared something he does. After having a good laugh about it, she soon discovered that everyone has quirks. She has been observing, gathering, marveling at and laughing about quirks ever since and personally interviewed thousands of people for her three acclaimed books: "Admit It, You're Crazy! Quirks, Idiosyncrasies, and Irrational Behavior", "And I Thought I Was Crazy! "and "In a Cell Phone Minute".
Her humorous / human interest books have received much media attention and excellent reviews/excerpts in prestigious publications. Judy has been a guest on numerous radio and television shows. She lives in New York with her husband, who insists that if she had written the quirk books as autobiographies, they would have been much longer!


Sunday, October 28, 2012

GUEST BLOG: RESEARCHING REAL WITCHES

Researching Real Witches 
by Kiki Howell

            I’m often asked, why witches? Why the pagan stories with all the Wiccan spells? Why the paranormal tales with witches who can make things happen with just a thought? How much research do you do? Oh, and are you Wiccan? How do I answer, well, I shrug. As far as the stories go, I ask, why not. Wicca fascinates me, always has. I do a lot of research, for my stories and just because I love to read books on the subject.

            But, to answer these questions truthfully, and I’m not sure I could even to myself. I’m still working on the answer. I could go back through my life, tell you as I child I was obsessed with shows like Bewitched. The idea of wiggling my nose and getting whatever I wanted was a strong dream for an over-active imagination like mine. Now, to wiggle my nose and clean my house, well, I’d just about give my right arm for that ability. LOL Any TV show, movie, book, my whole life that I could get my hands on involving paranormal witches, the ones who could make it storm with just a thought or shoot real fire out of their fingertips, I watched and read, and re-watched and re-read.

            So, obviously Wicca interested me too. But it wasn't until I could call it research that I actually started buying the books. Prior to that, I just read them in Borders when I was alone. Didn't feel like being questioned about something I had no answer about yet. As with any religion, one needs the time to study and think and feel if it is right for them. Yet, once I started reading the non-fiction books on Wicca, mainly those published by http://www.llewellyn.com/, I can now tell you what I do love about the Wiccan religion.

            I've read sooo many good books: Witchcrafting by Phyllis Curott, If You Want to Be a Witch by Edain McCoy, Mindlight by Silver Ravenwolf, The Way of Four by Debroah Lipp, The Caouldron of Memory by Raven Grimassi, The Path of A Christian Witch by Adelina St. Clair, etc. My bookshelves are brimming, and my kids now laugh each time another comes in the mail, “Another witch book, mom.” I’m already a certified Feng Shui Practioner, so working with the elements and energy is no stretch for me. I've even heard it said that Wiccans have been practicing Feng Shui for centuries. It even shows up in their books, especially one’s by say Kitchen Witches.

            I have always had a thing about candles, water, and the moon—feeling the energy from, the power in each. In fact, my ability to read energy is what got me into Feng Shui in the first place, so anything nature-oriented or pagan, is quite familiar.

            Yet, I remember reading one of my first Wiccan books on becoming a solitary witch. In the book it spoke of gaining self-knowledge, self-respect, just simply knowing who you are and then choosing your beliefs. I was blown away. In a household where we celebrate both Christian and Jewish holidays, and tell our kids they don't have to pick, and never have to feel they are picking between mom or dad, it made so much sense.


            I've been lucky enough in the course of my writing career to meet many pagans and witches. I've had the privilege of learning from them.  I've met many wonderful witches along the way. Some I've gotten to personally converse with, and a few I’m privileged to now call friends. As well, I've found many websites and blogs to continue to learn from. Of course, these interactions bring about more book recommendations, like right now I’m reading  Witchcraft: Theory and Practice by LY De Angeles which was recommended to me by a wonderful woman, Magaly Guerrero.

            Anyway, am I a practicing Wiccan? I guess the answer at the moment is no, not officially. Am I getting closer to this practice, adopting more and more of its practices as my own? Yes, definitely. I have learned so much that Wiccan practices, rituals, shows up in my Feng Shui practices. And, I do see it creep into my now more eclectic, more pagan holiday observances. I’m still learning, still researching, and I haven’t made any concrete decisions. I call myself Metaphysical, and leave it at that. I don’t want to be rushed. I’m no longer a religious all or nothing person, spouting back what I was told to, as I was once being taught to be. I am thinking for myself, have a belief in a higher power, in the energy all around me. I pray. I’m spiritual. But, I have no need to define myself right now. Of course, that is too long of an answer than most care to get. For them who just wish to judge me anyway, a shrug will do.

            How does this all connect to my writing. Well, maybe I’m relieving those teen years, I’m only forty, but you know, on a collision path with a mid-life crisis, right? *giggles* Maybe my writing lets me try things on for size, see who I am and who I’m not. I also write for escape, and if a spell or something strikes me, gets me thinking, then it usually gets used in a story. I have given myself the personal challenge over the past few years to write more reality based, Pagan/Wiccan stories. I like the challenge of having to stay in the real world with the spells used, of having to get the research just right.

            What I can say for sure, is that this need to learn of the Wiccan religion is not fading. I will continue to read and study and search. What will come of it? Well, who knows. I've gone far beyond caring what others thing. I will continue to do what I do and ignore the masses who think it their right to lump me into some precise category of their own making so they can stand on their judgment box and look down their noses at me. Sorry, getting down off my own soap box now *grins* I think I’ll go with the advice of Detective Hallet in Practical Magic? “Why don’t you do what you do, and I’ll do what I do, and we will see where we end up.”


Thanks so much for coming over with that Guest Blog Ms. Howell. It's always nice to meet other interested in Wiccan ways. For the longest time I was an Eclectic Wiccan, and still hold all the beliefs dear to my heart but I don't practice anymore. I'm more integral in my spiritual ways now. That said it was very interesting hearing your story. Happy reading! ;)

ALSO don't miss the 4 StarReview of Hidden Salem

Saturday, October 27, 2012

REVIEW - ADMIT IT, YOU'RE CRAZY!

"Quirks, Idiosyncrasies, and Irrational Behavior."

Author: Judy Reiser
Pages: 192 pages
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing on April 2005
Form: E-book (from the author/publisher for an honest review)
Genre: Humorous Non-Fiction
Amazon: Buy / $6.69 (Kindle)( EU price, click to see yours )
Barnes & Noble: Buy / $4.99 (Nook)
Excerpt: Amazon Look Inside

"Judy Reiser gets people to confess to their most bizarre behavior. Judging by the success of her first book, And I Thought I Was Crazy!, it's a good thing she does!

Admit It, You're Crazy! is the follow up book, chock full of outrageous, outlandish, and downright ridiculous things people do. Kids say the darndest things? Adults DO them!!!

Author Judy Reiser offers up more hilarious eccentricities exhibited ( and confessed to ) by otherwise normal people. Everyone has at least one particular oddity in his or her daily way of life. The trick is to get them to admit to it. These side-splitting actions are categorized from hilarious bathroom behavior to funny money and clothing habits to eating and sleeping peculiarities to germ-a-phobia and more."  ~ From Goodreads


For everyone : It's so great to know I'm not crazy! Or that I'm not the only one who is. ;) This book is shockfull of crazy stuff people do, it's hilarious to read about men's bathroom habits, like that they can't use stall next to each other but the furthest only will do - there is coughing involved. It really is interesting seeing other people do crazy stuff and it's even more interesting spotting yourself doing something another person does as well. This book says it's humorous but I find if hilarious! - and not in the laughing at other people's OCD kind, but genuinely just weird and funny.

For authors : Oh you'll love this! This is the golden treasure chest of idiosyncrasies! As a reader and reviewer I'll spill that for me to connect with the main character they have to be a little odd to interesting, so instead of using what you do weird check out this book! There are so many character quirks in there that it's perfect to snatch few for your characters as well. Take a heroine in urban fantasy who whops head of monsters and doesn't mind blood but has the habit of putting on sunglasses when she gets a nights snack so that the fridge light won't bug her out. See! She's instantly more interesting character! Now add someone witnessing this oddity, and you got a whole chapter of  quirkiness.

Here are some of the oddities!

* Flipping through a magazine at a newsstand then reaching for a 
fresh copy to buy because the one they were flipping through is no longer new.

* Enumerating (1, 2, 3...) while urinating and trying to end their peeing on an even number.

* Flossing between their toes with a pair of socks to remove sock fuzz at the end of the day.

* Eating the most expensive part of a meal first, just in case they can't finish everything.

* Ironing the newspaper before reading it to protect them self against germs.

* Leaving sunglasses on top of the fridge so a midnight raid won't blind them by opening it.

* Controlling shedding by vacuuming the cat.

Let's admit it, we're all crazy! And if you don't yet agree read Admit it, you're crazy! and you'll be agreeing in no time!

Rating :


Monday, June 11, 2012

GUEST BLOG: TIPS TO STAY FOCUSED

Tips to Stay Focused
by Sylvia Hubbard

Today’s article is brought to you today by a reader/writer who wrote me a note and I just had to share it with you. I loved the note and I loved the questions. So if you want to ask me one, just hit the contact button at the end of this post.

Writer Question: "i have started a book of my own, i started in 2008 or 2009 i dont have a title for it yet and i’m only on the 11th or 12th chapter. I’m not really sure if i want to finish because my vocabulary is far from good and i know you have to be a wordy person to write books. What do i do?"

AUTHOR’S RESPONSE

I have had the grace of God on my side literally and an insane mother who made me write my lies down that have help trained me to write full length novels before my time ( When I was six and seven, but please if you ever meet my mother, tell her I called her insane. I'll never hear the end of it ). Yet, the majority of writers who are trying to write novel length stories for the first time find it very difficult to just write. They look at 75,000 words and just want to faint at the site of even trying to get to that with a fear of boring the reader to death.

I know writers that have outlined for years and will not put words on paper because they don't feel they can write enough. They'll read all the articles on story plotting, research until it's pouring out of their ears, go to every workshop, class and conference and still not write enough or feel all the time under confident about their writing.

I'd love to invent a placebo pill that's called JUST WRITE. I'd say the results would be to write until your hearts content. I could make millions off of those pills, but since I don't have anything like that, I will suggest two things:

1) Just write and stop worrying about the way you write.

2) Join a writing group in your area and your genre

I can't explain the first one anymore plainly as it's write. Just get a sheet of paper and pen, just get to putting your fingers on the keyboard and typing random words until something comes to you, but JUST WRITE.

We are our own worst enemies and critiques and the greatest challenge is if we get over ourselves and just do what we need to do. I've learned even though I can write full length novels, I still will find ways to stop myself from getting the writing I need done by the criticism and excuses.

I defeat myself and win by concentrating on what good things can happen if I finish up a chapter or a project or even starting the story itself.

So I hope I've given you a "how-to" and some inspiration on writing and getting it done. If I haven't, see me in a couple of years and hopefully, I will have that placebo for you to order.

What do you do to encourage yourself to keep writing, start writing and getting through the hard criticism you give yourself?


Website http://sylviahubbard.com
Blog http://sylviahubbard.com/category/uncategorized/
Facebook http://facebook.com/michigansliteraryworld
Twitter http://twitter.com/sylviahubbard1
Goodreads http://goodreads.com/sylviahubbard



Monday, May 14, 2012

GO PUBLISH YOURSELF: WHY BOOK COVERS ARE SO IMPORTANT?

Hi everyone! Welcome to Monday! It's going to start a great week! Katie Salidas is here today to talk about book covers - a subject close to my heart as I design covers myself! She's going to lay down why  book covers are so important, so without further ado... Katie Salidas!


Why book covers are so important!
by Katie Salidas

Let’s face it: People do judge a book by its cover. Book browsers will only give a book a few seconds’ glance. A good cover can draw potential readers in, whereas a poorly designed cover can send them running for the hills.

This is what drives many people to pay an artist hundreds of dollars to do a cover for them. I’m not saying that’s wrong. Just please remember to keep your budget in mind when hiring an artist or purchasing your artwork.

The cover is the first thing people are going to see when they look at your book. So it goes without saying that your cover needs to be an attention-grabber. It needs to stand out among thousands of other books within its genre.

Your cover should do three things:
Advertise the book
Showcase the author
Set the “feel” of the book 

If your book catches a reader’s eye, it might get them to read the back cover ( in a store ) or product description ( for online shopping ). Beyond that, they may take a chance on a sample ( online ) or decide to buy the book right there. And that’s exactly what you want.

When picking cover art, you need to use something that fits within the "norm" for your genre. Look at other books and see what overall theme or style they use. For example: Urban fantasy. Lately, the trend in urban fantasy is a kick-ass female on the cover. She’s generally in front of part of a city view. How about Romance? Generally romance covers have a man and woman in an intimate setting with a scenic background. Simple enough, right?

These are the standards, and they give you a jumping-off point for searching out your artwork. You want your readers, who expect a certain look or feel, to know that your book fits with their standards. That does not mean you should copy someone else’s cover; it means, rather, that you should use it as a springboard.

*Remember this when thinking of cover design: It’s the most important visual sales tool you have, and it’s worth spending a little extra time and a few extra dollars here. Cover art and editing are the two places where most of your budget will be spent (marketing being the remainder).

Want to learn more about self-publishing? Check out my latest release Go Publish Yourself!


Thursday, May 10, 2012

GUEST BLOG: HOW TO SAY "I WON'T" NICELY?

How to say "I won't" nicely
by Jo Sparkes

How do you say,  "I won't" nicely?

First, be sure of your answer. Then step into your heart, and say it.

When you come from your heart, the answer is honest. They may not like the answer, but they have to respect it.

We can all recall a time when we asked someone for something, maybe help with a project or a ride when our car is in the shop. And we got a 'yes' answer, but knew the other person really did not want to do it. You may have even added, “only if you have the time,” or “I can find someone else.” And you were brushed off with a “oh, it's okay” sort of statement even though it obviously really wasn't. The other person begrudged it, and you felt that 'put upon' feeling the whole time.

Wouldn't you have rather had honesty? Honesty really is a gift.

So when you're asked, take a moment to ponder. Do you really want to do this? Is this a close friend who's helped you many times, and here's a chance to return the favor? Is this someone who is constantly needing a ride, or always wants a shoulder to cry on?

Do you feel good about it or not?

And if not, why not? Are you running ragged at the moment between kids, husband, and work? Maybe this is someone who wants more than he/she is saying. Someone who wants to go to lunch so she can complain about her boyfriend? Is this a male friend who constantly pushes to change the relationship?  Or perhaps your mother wants to needle you into another blind date?

Guilt is very common when we don't want to do something. We tell ourselves that poor Mary is having a rough time with her boyfriend, the least we can do is listen. But if Mary has been having the same problem for six months, with a cheating boyfriend that she won't leave, you're not helping her by allowing yourself to be dragged through it over and over. She may choose to cling to the situation – but you don't have to.

What answer do you truly wish to give? Find that 'mindset', that place in your heart. Not anger at the other person, but that good feeling for allowing yourself to do as YOU choose.

And feeling good, smile and simply be honest. “No, thanks, Mary. I'm just not in the mood for a lunch today.”

“Thanks for the thought, Bob, but you know, we always seem stuck on the one topic. Let's give it a rest.”

“Mom, I love you. But I have nothing in common with your friends' offspring.”

I have found over the years that what is the best thing for one is actually the best thing for all. Honesty is a gift of respect, and it serves both the giver and the receiver.

Answer from you heart. Smile at them, let them know you still care. But let them also know your answer, and you both can move on.


Jo Sparks will be giving away a $50 Amazon Gift Card to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour. Comment here to take part? Can you say I won't nicely?

All the Tour Dates can be found HERE! The more you comment, the better your chances in winning!

Find  Jo Sparks at her Website and Booksite 



"Feedback … a kinder word for criticism, is an organic component to life.


When a toddler learns to walk, he falls. He screams, cries – and persists. What would happen to the human race if he gave up after a few bumps?


Before we could read self-help books, before we could understand a language and sit in a classroom, we learned by trial and error. “Feedback” is the natural teaching process. It’s how the creator set it up. It’s how the world actually works.


Here, at last, is a simple process for getting the most from all the feedback the world offers us."


Saturday, April 21, 2012

OPEN PITCH SESSION AT RUBY LIONESS PRESS

Heads up all authors, untried and pros! Marissa from Ruby Lioness Press is here with an invitation to you, will you take her up on her offer and get your short story or novella published?


Ruby Lioness Press is having an open pitch session. We are mainly looking for short stories and novellas but are open to novel length pitches as well.

Please submit your pitch using this FORM… 

If you have any questions you can contact Marissa Dobson, co-owner of Ruby Lioness Press at marissa@rubylionesspress.com

About Ruby Lioness Press:

Ruby Lioness Press is a semi new publisher, but all of our staff has been in the business for years. We are here to help authors reach their goals. Our release schedule is growing rapidly; be sure to take advantage of this opportunity to be a part of the Ruby Lioness Press family. Our standard royalty percentage is 50% of the sale price of your e-book and 40% for print.



We have a multi-author series ( which you can pitch for also, just please mention that in the post ). For more information on the multi-author series, follow these links:


Thursday, February 16, 2012

"THE CLEARWATER SERIES" - LOOKING FOR YOUR STORIES


The Clearwater multi-author series at Ruby Lioness Press is looking of you. We are doing a pitch session; open to all genres and lengths.

Requirements: Your story must be set in Clearwater, Wyoming. You don’t have to use one of the characters on the blog, but interacting with the other characters is a positive.

You can find more information about the Clearwater, Wyoming multi-author series here… http://clearwaterrlp.wordpress.com/ and https://www.facebook.com/ClearwaterSeries

To submit your pitch please fill out this form https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dGVPTmRlS0dBeklxa1VNRkRPVzhTLXc6MQ or email it to marissa@rubylionesspress.com


Saturday, November 12, 2011

WRITING NOVELS, PLAYS, AND SCREENPLAYS

I have the pleasure to have David Scott Milton the author of Iron City visit For The Love of Reading! today! Milton's agreed to bring with him a Guest Blog, so without more delay here it is!

WRITING NOVELS, PLAYS, AND SCREENPLAYS

I’ve had a fortunate career: I write plays, screenplays, and novels and have had some success in all of those areas. That’s unusual. Generally, novelists specialize in writing novels, playwrights write plays, screenwriters screenplays. Part of my talent has been a kind of literary shape-shifting: I get bored easily and after I would finish a novel, I would yearn to do a play, after a play, a screenplay.

Georges Simenon would write a novel in two weeks and over his lifetime—he lived into his eighties— wrote over 400 novels. He was an extraordinary force in world literature, a genius. Influenced by Simenon, as a young writer I vowed to write a novel, play, and screenplay a year. I never quite fulfilled that vow, but over the years I did turn out scores of novels, plays and screenplays. A good chunk was produced or published. And over the years, shape-shifting, I’ve managed to keep myself from being bored.

How do I approach the work? How do I deal with each form, and how do I decide whether or not a particular project will become a play, screenplay, or novel? Often the material immediately dictates the form: if the work is highly visual, it obviously will tend toward becoming a screenplay. If I hear my voice, the voice of the writer in my head, chances are it’ll be a novel. If the characters seem to speak out, proclaim, then it’s a play. Usually when the piece becomes a play, I see actors on a stage playing out what I’ve imagined. To me they’re real people, but somehow they’ve been set in a world that asks them to speak up. With film, the opposite is true:. I see and hear the characters, but they are talking very softly and they force me to lean forward to hear what they have to say. In plays, the characters go out to an audience. In film, the audience goes into the characters, eavesdrops on them.

The great Italian novelist, Alberto Moravia, (“The Conformist”, “Two Women”, “Contempt”) once said that he felt that the play form is most congenial for a writer, most helpful, most important: if you can master scenes and dialogue, which is what make up a play, then you can write novels and screenplays. He thought of his novels as, in a sense, stage plays put in novel form. And Simenon thought of his novels as films printed and put between book covers. He kept his novels under two hundred pages; he felt that one should be able to read them in the same time that it would take to view a movie.

There is the story of the great British novelist Graham Greene and the film and novel “The Third Man.” He was vacationing on a yacht in the Mediterranean. The film director Carol Reed was also a guest on the yacht. Greene told Reed a story he had heard about some particularly evil financial chicanery in Vienna just after the Second World War. A man had peddled defective antibiotics to a war ravaged, diseased population; thousands had died.

Reed was fascinated by the tale and told Graham Greene that if he wrote it as a screenplay he would produce and direct the film. Greene demurred: he had never written a screenplay, only novels. He had no idea how to write a screenplay. Carol Reed told him to write the story as a novel and he would shoot it exactly as Greene wrote it, which is what occurred. He wrote the novel, which is marvelous. The film is a masterpiece.

My new novel “Iron City,” started out as a play. Later, I decided it should be a screenplay. Eventually, I wrote it as a novel. My last novel, “The Fat Lady Sings”, was written originally as a screenplay. Since there was a great deal of autobiographical material in it, I felt constricted by the screenplay. There were things I wanted to talk about from my life, observations of the world I was involved in; I was teaching murderers in a maximum-security prison and there was much about that world that I could only get into through the medium of a novel, or a non-fiction book had I chosen to write it.

The “Fat Lady Sings” novel is good. The screenplay is good, also, but not as rich in personal detail, not as psychologically acute. It’s a difference in the two forms and I, as the writer, must choose the form that I feel will best serve the material and my vision of the material. I am lucky that I am a writing shape-shifter.

This is what is magical about writing. Writing is an extraordinary combination of reality, fantasy, and dreams. We have a choice of where to go with our material, of how to express it. Some years back I was hired to do a screenplay by Warner Brothers Studio with an Italian writer, Luciano Vincenzoni. Luciano is best known for having been the screenwriter on Sergio Leone’s classic Spaghetti westerns “For a Few Dollars More” and “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.” He is colorful and wise and a writer to the core, a pro’s pro. The film was in English; we worked together on story, structure, and character, but I did the actual writing, getting it down on paper. Whenever we would hit a rough spot in the script and I would ask Luciano what I should do, his answer to me was always this: “David, you are God. You do whatever you want. That is what a writer is—we are God.”

True. True. And so, whether it’s writing plays or novels or screenplays, ultimately we create a world. We decide what will be in that world. And we also decide what form that world will take. Ah, it’s nice being, as Luciano says, God! If we are really God, we must respect the world we create and those for whom we create it. We must be humble in presenting this world, whether novel, play, or screenplay to our readers or audience. We strive to entertain, stimulate, and enlighten. This is what the best writers have always done. And this is what, with varying success, I always try to do.



About the Author:

David Scott Milton (born September 15, 1934) is an American author, playwright, screenwriter, and actor. His plays are known for their theatricality, wild humor, and poetic realism, while his novels and films are darker and more naturalistic. As a novelist, he has been compared to Graham Greene, John Steinbeck, and Nelson Algren. Ben Gazzara’s performance in Milton’s play, Duet, received a Tony nomination. Another play, Skin, won the Neil Simon Playwrights Award. His theater piece, Murderers Are My Life, was nominated as best one-man show by the Valley Theater League of Los Angeles. His second novel, Paradise Road, was given the Mark Twain Journal award “for significant contribution to American literature.


http://www.dsmilton.com/
Learn more about David at 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Scott_Milton
You Tube Video of David reading from Iron City 


 &

Friday, November 11, 2011

WRITE-A-THON REVIEW AND GUEST BLOG WITH A GIVEAWAY

[Giveaway Closed]
I have a real joy of presenting Rochelle Melander a writing coach and the author of Write-A-Thon!
As several hundreds of thousands of people take part in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) this month I was very happy to get Melander to write about NaNo as I'm a participant as well!
Don't forget to take part in The Signed Copy Giveaway at bottom of the blog entry!

From Novice to Novelist
By Rochelle Melander

I look at marathon runners with awe. They have done something I hope to do someday: finish a marathon. When I ask them how they do it, their answer is: train. According to most runners, most anyone who puts in the training time can run a marathon. It reminds me of that old joke: “How do you get to Carnegie Hall?” You practice, practice, practice.

I used to look at authors the same way I look at runners: with a great deal of awe, respect, and wonder: how do they do it? The answer for the runner, musician and writer is always the same: practice. For those of us who aspire to become novelists, we practice by writing a novel during National Novel Writing Month. When you get to the middle of the month and practice seems more like a chore and less like a fun adventure, remember these sayings from wise writers:

1. I learn by going where I have to go. -Theodore Roethke, The Waking
We may be novices right now, but we will learn how to become novelists by writing the novel. Think of this month as training and practice. Doing NaNoWriMo feels a lot like going to school, without the teacher and the tests!

2. We are different, in essence, from other men. If you want to win something, run 100 meters. If you want to experience something, run a marathon. -Emil Zatopek
The experience you are having right now is qualitatively different than writing a poem, short story, or article. If it feels challenging, that’s because it is challenging. But do not worry, challenge is actually good for you. Just think of how proud of yourself you will be when you cross the finish line!

3. Do not assume that you have to have some prescribed conditions to do your best work. Do not wait. -Anne Bogart, theatre director
Okay, so you may be 11 days into this and be so far behind on word count you worry that you will never catch up. You may even be saying to yourself, “I should wait until next year to do this. By then my life will be less chaotic.” Ha! There is never a better time to do this than now. Go for it. Even if you fail to finish in time, you will have tried your best.

4. Writing a novel is like driving a car at night. You can only see as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way. -E. L. Doctorow
Usually about 10 days into National Novel Writing Month, I panic because I have no idea where the story is going. Yeah, I know I was supposed to be plotting this thing in October, but I got distracted. I’ll tell you what I tell myself: Don’t worry. All you need to see is the next scene. You do not need to see the whole book. That will come. For now, focus on what happens next.

5. I'm not a very good writer, but I'm an excellent rewriter. -James Michener
Yup, even the masters wrote rotten first drafts. Knowing that your first draft stinks doesn’t make you less than them it makes you one of them. Don’t get paralyzed by what you think you should know. Just write. Stop comparing your writing to finished books. Put your head down and keep writing—you can revise the whole thing in December!

What words of wisdom are you holding onto this month?



Author Bio
Rochelle Melander is a certified professional coach and the author of 10 books, including a new book to help fiction and nonfiction writers write fast: Write-A-Thon: Write Your Book in 26 Days (And Live to Tell About It) (October 2011). Melander teaches professionals how to get published, establish credibility, and navigate the new world of social media. In 2006, Rochelle founded Dream Keepers Writing Group, a program that teaches writing to at-risk tweens and teens. Visit her online at http://www.writenowcoach.com.




"Everyone has dreamed of writing a book, but so many start writing only to stall out due to writer’s block, mental fatigue, and other challenges. Write-A-Thon helps you overcome those stumbling blocks and complete your book once and for all. And you don’t have to type away for years on end. Here’s a plan that’ll help you write your book—in twenty-six days!"


Author: Rochelle Melander
Pages: 240 pages
Publisher: Writers Digest Books
Published: October, 2011
Form: Paperback (provided by the publisher for an honest review)
Genre: Non-Fiction / How-To
Amazon: Buy / $11.55
Barnes&Noble: Buy / $11.65
Writer's Digest: Buy / $11.55
Excerpt: Avoid Overwhelm

I have never come across book that lets you know how to get a novel out and not dance around it and your writing issues - that as effective as this!

I've got a Project Journal now, and a Story Bible! And I sort of had one before on some loose notes at the back of my drawer... ahem, just call me professional.  But as I read this book it came naturally to get everything out and ready, and I was excited to do it.

Melander gets you excited about writing, and getting in the mind-set to write! The tone isn't condescending or high and mighty but just the perfect amount of "this is what you need", "this is what you can do to change it" and "just do it"!

This is no boring How-To - but a book that gets you excited about writing, prepares you and then lets you know just what to do when you got your rough draw done, in 26 days.

I found the Part One: Training my favorite, it was exactly what I needed, a little kick on the butt. The titles tell so much so I'm going to bring them up so that you can see for yourself that it's all taken care of: ( my favourite chapters are in the ( ) )
Attitude Training: Get Rid of the Excuses ( Take Yourself Seriously )
Writing Training: Learn the Basics ( The Project Journal )
Course Training: Plan Your Novel ( Three More W Guestions )
Course Training: Plan Your Non-Fiction Book ( Find Your Purpose )
Life Training: Schedule The Marathon ( Create a Life Priority List )

Part Two: The Write-A-Thon is all about Melander coaching us readers throughout the 26 days, with almost like pep-talks and inspirations to keep us going for day to day! These aren't just to keep going, but very informative of what you can do while in writing process, one I really liked was the following:
"Want to write better? Get a day job. Or sign-up for a volunteer gig. Just get out of the house and do something! I'm not kidding."

And....
"Don't get it right. Just get it written." ~James Thurber
This is a section I know I'll spend the rest of the month with as I'm writing my NaNo.

Part Three: Recovery, has titles like Why Revise (this about gave me a heart attack as I couldn't even contemplate not revising, as what comes out in the rough draft is just mush), Write It Right: First Lines and How To Get Your Query Rejected. This part has absolutely valuable information that all new novelists should know! And I am glad that I now do!

This book is amazing, I can't tell you how happy I am to have read this! If you have any desire to write, or write a novel then this book is for you - do not miss it! It's one of a kind in the "How To Write Books" sections, if you come across it I highly recommend you get it. A giant thank you to Rochelle Melander for writing this, it might be thanks to you that I get my first novel out.

Rating :


Giveaway!
Win A Signed Copy of Write-A-Thon!
Open till Nov. 17th!
Being an old follower on Twitter or Facebook counts as well. :)






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