Sweet Sorrows

 Alas, the time has come.

To give up this blog.

To move onto other uses for my time.

The sad fact is few people read blogs anymore- people have progressed to Instagram and TikTok. This blog is a dinosaur. And while I loved writing it, there are better uses of my time. Being in a graduate writing program takes a LOT of time. I'm currently in two classes and each one demands at least 15 hours a week (only more with me because I'm paranoid about being out of school and want to make sure I have done everything possible to complete my assignments). Plus, I have so many writing projects:

    1. Finish book I started writing.

    2. Write book which will become my thesis.

    3. Find an editor to help polish the other books I've written which have kind of languished.

    4. Independently publish my novels (traditional takes too long, it's a draining process where I have no control over any aspect, and there are fewer publishing houses for hundreds of thousands of writers).

    5. Create a new website and social media platform (which means I have to learn more of that stuff).

To those who've stuck around, thanks. I'll post when I have my new website up. I'm hoping to recapture those who've left and draw in new readers. For now, I'm leaving this blog site up. Just one other announcement: I'll be here! Come out and say hello! I'm so excited about getting back to normal! 

I'm hoping to hear about another festival in Bucks County, PA. If I'm accepted, I'll post those details here, on FB, Twitter, and Instagram. 

So thanks for the memories... Being seeing you around, kid. 

Char

Clearing Out and Cleaning Up

 This time of year is special to me- 

Here's one reason why; flowers are blooming and they cheer me up after a hard, dreary winter. Spring is here and it means warmer weather and getting outside. It means, especially this year, of being with people (socially distanced, of course). It means a new start. Honestly, I think we should celebrate New Year's on the first day of Spring. Who thinks of doing anything in the middle of winter except hunkering down?

Because of flowers, warm weather, and longer days of sunshine, I'm energized. Sometimes I feel like a solar panel; in the dark I'm listless. When the sun hits, I'm all full of energy and raring to go into action. Unfortunately I can't work in my gardens because the fallen leaves are still protecting precious insects and small animals. (Once it stays above 50 degrees F, they can be cleared.) It's too soon to open the pool and outdoor bar. But there is plenty more I can do. 

1- I replaced the curtain rods in my dining room because I took down the heavy valances. More light filters through and the room feels bigger and brighter. That should make my plants grow like monsters too. 

2- I spent four hours at my church cleaning the grounds, mulching gardens, and planting pansies. We will have outdoor services from Easter on, until hopefully by September the church can be opened. Meeting fellow members and working (socially distanced, of course) gave my spirit such a lift. The hardest part of the epidemic has been the isolation. I got to catch up with church members while I got my hands into the soil and the church looked so welcoming. 

3- I bought a monitor for my laptop. I don't use a pc because I don't want to juggle and transfer stuff between two computers. The problem is my laptop, when it sits on my desk, is too low for comfortable viewing. The screen isn't high enough and my neck gets a crick after a few hours. Plus, the keyboard is not at an optimal level either. I'm tall with long arms and it's like being in a cramped airplane seat. Most things are meant for the average, shorter person. This monitor can be adjusted by heighth and angle of tilt. And yes, the larger screen is easier on the eyes. The new keyboard makes it so I don't have to have my laptop right next to me, causing cricks because I'm turned partway, trying to type and view the screen.  

4- 

I've been decluttering slowly. Last year I had a yard sale but didn't get everything sold and I've put more on the 'For Sale' pile. In the meantime, I'm listing things on Facebook's Marketplace and Neighborhood pages. It takes at least a month or longer to make a sale, but every sale means more free space in my basement or garage, and more money for the kids. (Most of the stuff I sell are their toys and sports equipment or old twin bedroom sets, so I'm dividing the money between them.) And in case you're interested, the above Christmas Poinsettia and Ribbons set has complete service for 12, with extras like a gravy boat, two salt/pepper sets, 2 extra dessert plates, 8 juice glasses, 11 cocktail glasses, all perfect condition, $75.

5- I've been throwing away old versions of manuscripts. Since some of my published books are out of print, there's no sense keeping the previous copies. Almost everything is stored on my computer and extra hard drive, and I have the bound books, so I don't need the paper copies. (I kept them in case there was ever a claim by someone that I stole their work- I could show a clear chain of creation.) Into the recycle pile and I have another clear shelf.

6- I've made a list of all my unpubbed manuscripts and am slowly going through either marking for revision, total overhaul, or to be set aside until a better time while I rethink it. I will send the revised manuscripts out on revision. And if I decide to, I can always Indie publish within a month. Either way, I'm not letting them gather dust any longer. I put a lot of hard work in them and it's time for the words to work for me.

7- My husband and I plan to eventually downsize, so I'm making (another) list of things that need to be done to get top dollar for our house. As each child moves out on their own, I'm painting the rooms and refinishing the floors. (Plus, since they're taking their stuff with them, more space!) I'm simplifying the gardens and addressing jobs like spackling a bumpy wall. It's not so overwhelming when you tackle one task at a time rather than thinking about all the jobs to be done. And, I like the satisfaction of crossing something off my list. 

Looking at all the things I want to accomplish seems a bit daunting, but I'm only looking at one or two at a time. Today, my blog is done (on time...!). Next, I'm finishing typing in the final revisions on a requested R&R (revise and resubmit for non-authors) so it's ready to go April 1st. Later I'll hike about 3 miles. Maybe I'll vacuum the family room too. So while I have four things on my list, it's okay if I don't get to the vacuuming until tomorrow. (It's not like we can have visitors....yet.) 

Hope you're feeling the renewed energy and motivation to do things that need or you want to get done-

Char

Top Five Reasons Not to Indie Publish

 You're thinking about going the Indie route. I hear ya; traditional publishing is almost completely closed without an agent, especially since all the writers conferences have been cancelled. Before you get all giddy about finally becoming a published author, here are the five reasons YOU SHOULDN'T INDIE PUBLISH:

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels

1.  Crappy cover art. If you're not a tech whiz, or know anyone who can create an amazing ORIGINAL cover, then don't bother. Covers generate interest before the story, before any queries, before your name. Spend the time and/or money to get a great cover. Remember, if it was done by someone for free, generally it looks it. 

2.  Not enough or no editing. I've seen bestsellers from giant publishing houses with the occasional typo, wrong tense, time flub, etc. It happens. When these mistakes run all through your manuscript, it looks like you simply slapped that puppy on Amazon as soon as you could. If you did that with your manuscript when you were submitting to agents and/or editors, no wonder you're considering Indie publishing.

3.  "I'm going to make sooo much money!" Yeah. No. Does it happen? Once in a while, yes. I'm sure people can give me two or three names of mega successful Indie authors; I can show you ten thousand who didn't. Don't be fooled into thinking if you throw something up for $.99, that people won't care if it's not perfect and you'll make thousands because people want cheap. Hint: they don't care if they spend under a dollar or over $30; the book better be good or no one's buying it.

4. Your tagline (the 1-2 sentences giving the reader a short preview about your book) is better than the actual book. Anyone can write a sentence about a story- you have to live up to it. And if you don't, even if you give the book away for a promo, word will get around and no one will want it, even if it is free. Crap is crap and no one thinks it's a deal to get it for nothing.

5. It's soooo easy! Again, yeah, no. It's not. One simply doesn't write the story, pop on a cover, and put it up for sale (or at least, one shouldn't). Selling an Indie book is harder than a traditionally published book. While publishing houses are demanding more marketing by authors and cutting down what publicity they will help with (unless of course you're already famous), an Indie author-publisher has nothing. You will have to foot the bill for the free books you send to reviewers, to bloggers, as a promo, etc. You have to figure out how to get into book festivals and stores who generally want nothing to do with Indie authors. Indie authors are still pretty much the ugly, unwanted stepchild. There is nothing easy about going it alone so don't listen to anyone (especially a 'publisher' that will 'help' you for a fee....).

As a hybrid author (4 books with traditional publishers: Sirenz, Sirenz Back in Fashion, Blonde OPS, Beware the Little White Rabbit - anthology, 3 Indie pubbed)- Evolution Revolution trilogy: Simple Machines, Simple Plans, Simple Lessons) I can definitely tell you that traditional may be demanding as far as pleasing an editor who has a 'vision' for the book that you may not totally agree with, and a crazy deadline schedule, but more doors open for a traditionally pubbed author. I don't want to discourage you, but see above. If any of these apply to you, maybe you want to consider dental school.

I wrote this post because I got a free download of a book from an ad on Facebook. Indie book- she's doing her own marketing, good for her! Part of #5 is taken care of. The cover looked amazing. Yay! she conquered #1, I'm really interested! If I like the first one, I'll pay for the rest of the series! I don't know her motivation, so I can't speak for #3, but since she's done well so far, let's assume she's not just thinking moolah, but is dedicated to her creativity. Uh oh, snag. I hit problems with #2. The tagline drew me to the story, and initially, the manuscript lived up to the hype- for about half a chapter. With all the errors: spelling, grammar, timeline, and format (missing or misplaced words, sentences ending in the middle of the line and continuing on the next line), it just killed me. I liked the premise and I think this writer could have a good story if only she had spent the time reviewing, revising, and getting someone to give her honest advice. It would help considerably if she previewed the ebook before okaying it to go live. The mistakes were so frequent that I honestly can't finish the book. I'd like to know what happened to the characters, but not enough to waste my time grinding my teeth over all the mistakes. So she lost the sale of every sequel because of the first sloppy book.   

Do I feel bad? Not particularly. I spent so much time getting my illustrations and words and format on my Evolution Revolution series as perfect as I could (and still a few mistakes got through...) that I have no patience for anyone that lets that many mistakes go, brushing it off as possibly unimportant because it's 'about the story.' Don't kid yourself, it's about the total package. Maybe someone will review it and tell her and she'll get it. And no, I'm not going to name the book for the same reason I don't do reviews; no one thanks the messenger.

Char

A Good Book is a Good Book- No Matter Who Publishes It

I've read a few Indie books that were just awful. Likewise, I've read some books that were traditionally published and I didn't get beyond several chapters; one I could read no more than a paragraph, yet a big name publisher spent millions to pub it. When all is said and done, it's not only that a book is well-written; it's about commercial, editorial, and market appeal. Before you (*looks at industry and rest of the world) turn your nose up at Indie publishers/books, here's a list of books that were self-pubbed:

Photo courtesy of Suzy Hazelwood, Pexels. 

Christopher Paolini. The creator of the Eragon dragon series was initially self-published by his parents. You know the rest of the story.

Richard Kiyosaki. Rich Dad, Poor Dad sales for this must-have personal finances have been astronomical.

Beatrix Potter. The Tale of Peter Rabbit is perhaps one of the top classic children's stories.

Richard Bolles. What Color is Your Parachute. A career and employment-seeking breakthrough work.

James Redfield. The Celestine Prophecy. This psychological and spiritual adventure made it from being sold out of his trunk to Hollywood screen.

Walt Whitman. One of the premiere and successful American poets, he published Leaves of Grass and its many subsequent revisions.

Irma S. Rombauer.  Still popular today, The Joy of Cooking was originally published by Irma herself.

Marcel Proust. Swann's Way was a part memoir, part fiction story told by two narrators. It has since become an institution.

Mark Twain. Who doesn't know The Adventures of Huck Finn. Both controversial and classic, this tale of the South was published by Twain and his nephew under their own publishing company.

Other books: Margaret Atwood. Yes, the author of The Handmaid's Tale and other phenomenal books self-published one of her books of poems. e.e.cummings. This great and innovative American poet self-published his third book of poems. Edgar Allen Poe. Now it's one of the rarest books (actually, a pamphlet and under a pseudonym) in American literature, Tamerlane and Other Poems. William Strunk, The Elements of Style, which is a must have for any writer, was originally written by Prof. Struck for his Cornell University students. After he died, E.B. White revised it for Macmillan.

So yes, there are successful Indie writers, some, like the above, which have moved over to traditional publishing, although these cases are extremely rare when one considers the total amount of books published each year. Not all Indie books are bad (hence, above) and not all traditional books are good (we can each cite a book we thought was horrendous and wondered why anyone would publish it). As a hybrid author having both traditionally and Indie published books, all we want is for readers (and agents and editors) to keep an open mind. Don't just automatically turn up your nose. Publishing is highly selective and personal to editors and agents, it doesn't mean that automatically an Indie book is bad and a traditional book is great. As Charles Dickens said,

There are books of which the backs and the covers are by far the best parts.  (Charles Dickens)

Try to be open-minded. 

Char

Tech Update...

Okay, I was ranting about Amazon and the VAT (value added tax) certificate, which is just another form of taxation. Connecticut has it in that they tax your car every year.

Turns out, it was a spoof- made to look like Amazon Britain was sending this, along with Amazon Germany. (Those countries have even more taxes than we do- so not like it looked suspicious right away).

Being so-so on tech savvy (ok, maybe a little less than so-so), I knew enough not to give out any personal info or passwords. From now on, whenever I get anything that asks me to do something, I'm going to double check with the company directly.

Lesson learned.

Now, I'm busy with getting ready for a party for the hub's work associates, working on my YA revisions, doing physical therapy, and so much other stuff. But here's a nice picture of a squirrel. Because I love squirrels...

Photo courtesy of Pixabay, Pexels Inc.

Enjoy the rest of summer.

Winter is coming...

Char

The Pirate's Life

The bastards. As a children's writer, I don't put down those words without serious consideration. When it comes to pirates though- the kind that give away illegal copies of an author's book, a photographer's photos, a musician's CD, I don't need more than a millionth of a nanosecond to call them the scum they are.

Picture courtesy of Pexels, Inc.

Artists of all genres work hard, and long, and most of the time, without making any money. We're lucky (some of us) to break even. Yet, these pirates, and their equally scummy friends who believe 'art should be free' ignore that we have bills to pay, we like to eat, and we hope to keep the heat on in the house over the winter. They automatically 'ass-ume' that once you write a book, you make as much money as Madonna did on hers. Or that you rake in the concert dough like Springsteen. You're a total idiot and a waste of cytoplasm if you believe that.

I'm tired of having to report these lower-than-ebola-virus lifeforms, but it's my duty. Here are several ways for authors, both traditionally and Indie published, to fight those who shouldn't be allowed to breathe.... (do I sound a bit vicious? Oh wait, I'm just warming up....)

1- Sign up for Talkwalker Alerts. They are a free service in which you put key words, like the title, genre of your book, your name, etc. and whenever a mention is made somewhere out 'there' (points to www), you'll get a notice. You can get daily alerts (best if you're fighting pirates), weekly, or less often. Google alerts does the same, but it's not as effective. Use both! It may give you more email than you want, but isn't beating these guys worth it? Here is the link: Talkwalker Alerts. Since they are a free service, it would help if you throw a few dollars $5, $10, to keep this lifesaver afloat.

2. If you find a thieving pirate, go to the site (but be careful!). Just see if what they are offering- your book, unlawfully- is there. DON'T CLICK ON ANYTHING. Many times these sites have malware to boot, and then the curses will abound in great color and depth. All you have to do is make sure it's your book/music/art.

3. The first place to go is your publisher if you're traditionally pubbed. I went to St. Martin's Press and clicked Contact Us, and chose the option Company Piracy Report. They have an easy-to-use form and boom, takes 2 minutes. Now the publisher is aware of the situation and they have a company which handles piracy with Takedown Notices (a legal "Stop giving my book away for free, you flea-bearing, smelly-pit degenerate pirate!"). Plus, they will work with Google and such to get the sites themselves taken down.

4. If you are self-pubbed, go to Indies Unlimited. They have a link to a form for Google. You can use this for both traditional and Indie books. If traditional, make sure you list the publisher (Add publisher's name and email). As the author, even though the publisher may hold the copyright, you are a viable representative to report piracy. For Indie authors, you would click the button that says 'self' under representative. Indies Unlimited walks you through the process, so don't worry if it sounds a bit confusing here. The link: Indies Unlimited

5. Other places to go: Bing Notices of Infringement Page. You'll have to wade through basic stuff and search for what you need, but you'll learn more in the process. Also try Google Legal Help. I haven't been through the process on this page (yet). In order to stop free copies of your works, you have to be diligent. For further resources and information, search How To Remove Pirate Sites From Google. Again, there is a lot of information out there and you have to take the time to slog through it. Some sites will advertise they can do it-for a monthly fee. There are enough free resources to check first.

Go get the bastards...

Char

It's Here!

The final book in my Evolution Revolution series, Simple Lessons, is out! (ebook available on the 20th).

It's been a long journey (actually, a little less than a year, but it feels like sooooo long). Thanks to everyone for sharing this adventure. Sometimes it's brought me such joy, sometimes I wanted to cry. This was truly a project of passion.

Jack's adventures won't end (I don't know what that squirrel is up to at this moment, but I'm sure he'll stop by to tell me a story which I'll share with you-). While he's learned a lot: science, machines, and STEAM principles, like me, there's still so much more to be learned.

Thanks to all the people who've been with me for the journey- my illustrator, Cathy Daniels, my publicist Rebecca Grose of SoCal PR, my family, and my friends who've kept up with Jack and shown him book love. Thanks to those who've given me blurbs- author Darlene Beck-Jacobson and educator/consultant Elena Migliaccio. To those who reviewed Jack: Michael Gettel-Gilmartin from Project Mayhem, Feathered Quill blog, Critical Blast, Log Cabin Library, YA Central, Semicolon Blog, The Entertainment Report, and the numerous radio shows like WOCA Ocala Live!, WEOL in Ohio, Haystack Broadcasting Cover to Cover in Oregon, and Culture News Radio in NYC. Indie books must fight harder for recognition and I can't thank these people and organizations enough.

It's my hope that these books will get they attention as a professional product they deserve. So please, help a girl-and a squirrel out- leave a review, mark it as 'to read' and pass the word. And encourage the squirrels, and animals, in your yard, to trust you.

Char

Exercise in Futility

Can't get an agent or editor to offer for your book? Thinking of Indie publishing?

Think long and hard and then rethink again.

I've been on a journey to Indie publish my middle grade novel, Evolution Revolution:Simple Machines. There six planned books in the series. (Originally it was 4.) My agent loved it- and shopped it around. But there were no takers. So while she and I are working on other novels (mg historical fiction, contemporary mg sci fi, etc.), I decided to Indie publish Evolution Revolution.

To quote Marissa Tomei from My Cousin Vinny: (close your eyes, Mom):

"Oh my god, what a fucking nightmare!"

Indie publishing is not for the fainthearted. It will test the patience and intestinal fortitude of even the most stalwart author. This is what I've learned:

1. When outfits like CreateSpace and Smashwords tell you "It's easy! It's simple!" Don't believe them. Not a word. Here's why: when you see those words about how easy it is, those lies were written by marketing people. They have no idea if it's easy, hard, or psychosis-inducing. They're paid to write anything that makes the product look good.
2. You have 'customer service'! - which means you have to wait for service. Okay, one business day for a reply to their emails. Sounds good? But when they answer, it's the same gobbledy-gook that's on their website (which means you won't understand it until the fourth time you ask the question). But what about the "Call us! We're here 24/7!" Well, maybe, but you have to wait for them to call you. They don't list a phone number (it's super secret and you probably have to be 007 to get it), so that means you're glued to your phone having to wait. Suppose you have to work? Sleep? Take care of kids? Have surgery? Go to the bathroom? You have no idea when they're going to call and you know it's going to be at the worst possible time.
3. Step by step instructions! They're perfect! IF you have a computer science and engineering degree, a graphics design background, and insane knowledge of coding. Pages and pages and pages... and you still don't know what the hell they're talking about. (I've been to that hell...)
4. We have design services! Yep, for a hefty price. Everything costs- design, cover, etc. So don't expect anything for free (except the marketing guides which are ABC. You can get more detailed info scouting around the net.
5. Oh yes, you must be a tax professional to understand all the ramifications. I have a CPA, I'll let him tell me what to do because I won't know, and I doubt the IRS even knows.
6. It takes hours to do all the author profile, short and long synopses, upload the cover (good luck with that one!), fill in a thousand blanks. (But they do have a service, starting at $400). And write everything down because if you don't finish, you lose all that input then have to spend hours more re-entering it.
7. Are you having fun yet? There's more. They ask you questions that include math (# of text pages times .0002475 or some such number to determine how big your book will be, but without illustrations, so then you have to us formula.... Yep. It's a horror story. I'd rather sit through college pre-Calc again.
8. You do know that stores like Barnes and Noble and indies don't really want to carry Indie pubbed novels, right? Sure, they'll do some- but probably not yours. You have to figure out how to get sales some other way.
9. There's still a stigma- and not without good reason. Yes, I've seen traditionally pubbed novels with some goofs that should have gotten picked up by the proofreader, but it's a very small amount. Some of the Indie pubbed novels give me heart palpitations they are sooo bad that the stigma is not wholly unjustified. Don't be one of these people. Hey, I hate proofing and revising a thousand times just as much as anybody; but I do it. Your final product has to be as close to divine as you can get. If you put out crap, you hurt the rest of us who are trying to do a professional job.
10. I don't know if this is true, by I figure by the time I learn all this stuff for book two, they're going to change the programs and I'll have to learn it all over again. (You can expect a new rant when that happens.) Technology changes so fast.

I just want to write. But sometimes to make your dreams come true, you have to do dirty, nasty, cringe-worthy tasks. But my book is worth it.

I'll be checking in-- *checks for stomach ache medication, tissues for crying, shoulder to cry on.

Char

Between the Covers...

Most people outside the publishing biz don't realize that authors generally don't get a say in their covers. And sometimes if a cover is beta tested and gets a meh response, the publisher will change the cover. That happened with Sirenz. Here's the original cover:

It seems that it looked too evil (sorry Hades, guess your bad rep isn't bad enough), and people couldn't understand that the heel was the 'i' in Sirenz. I didn't think it was that difficult a concept, but apparently it was.  So the cover was changed to this:

Booksellers were less than thrilled, which made it hard to find the book in stock. (It generally wasn't. Alms for the poor....)

The same thing happened with Blonde OPS. This is the first cover (which I hated but mom said if you can't say anything nice...)

It looked too much like Brittany Spears advertising a better known author's books... Plus I thought it didn't do the book justice; our girl was more edgy, less 'Legally Blonde' -ish. The one thing I did like about it was the architecture in the background- very Italian.

So it changed to this:

The Vespa is a factor in the story (cool car chase through Rome, but read it because I won't tell you any more). Although originally the Vespa was neon green, it was easier to change the text than the photo. And with the red shoes, it felt like a 'karmic 'connection' to Sirenz.

Which brings me to Evolution Revolution: Simple Machines. I gave my illustrator, Cathy Thole-Daniels, free rein. She was the artist, she obviously had an eye for design; it was best I didn't get in her way. This is the rough draft:

Jack, the squirrel in the center, is the main character (and he is quite the character). The other animals play a decent part in the novel too which is why she put them on there. I wasn't thrilled with the font for the title because I thought it was not in keeping with the 'scientific' aspects of the book (you'll have to read it, no spoilers!). She went back to the drawing board, and after talking with her artists' critique group (I didn't know they had them too!), this is the revised cover draft:

Still, I didn't like the title font (hint: 'simple machines'), it looked too forestry. Another revision, and this came up:

She focused more on Jack and the other characters slid off center to the sides. Plus, you can see the details of the wheel (which is important in the story). Next was color. At first there was a lot of green (forest, woods?) so I asked for a complimentary color- like orange and red and yellow because it's autumn when the book takes place, She felt the next version looked too red; "like he's in Hell."

And with the tweaks, here is the final cover:

It's more muted than the previous one (which was deleted), Jack is highlighted just a bit more, the title and text are easier to read, and it captures what I didn't know I wanted. That's the value of a professional artist. If you're thinking of Indie publishing, don't scrimp on the cover art, it will show. Nothing worse than a tacky, cheap, or obviously home-made cover. Every time I look at this cover, knowing that this is the book of my heart (I wrote it over 10 years ago), I'm left breathless. It's also reaffirming when people see the cover and gush over it. I have no doubt it will help the book become a success (and feed both author and illustrator, so bear that in mind).

The next in the series, Evolution Revolution: Simple Plans will be out next year. I had planned on December, but this is a difficult learning process; it's not simply uploading your text into a program. It's going to take a while to become proficient. My agent started this one, but the agency no longer handles Indie published works, so I'm on my own for the rest of the series. I'm still writing and submitting other books to my agent and am ever hopeful that a traditional publisher will pick one up because man, this is a lot of work, stress, expense, and time. (And frustration, but that's another blog post).)

So stay tuned for the launch. Jack and I will be appearing at signing venues like the Collingswood Book Festival, the NJ School Librarians conference, and other events.

Char