Judgement Days

Photo by Nataliya Vaitkevich from Pexels 

The controversy surrounding Simone Biles' decision to withdraw from several events at the Tokyo Olympics has shown all too clearly how many judge her. Without discussing any merits (or lack thereof), Simone and other public figures face the same thing authors do- constant judgement. 

In no way am I equating the difficulty of her position nor the harshness of public commentary to what other authors and myself receive, but it's akin. Authors are constantly judged: by editors, agents, bloggers, libraries, booksellers, review organizations, readers, other authors, and even family and friends, to say nothing of our own judgements. Too many people say "toughen up" to athletes, artists, authors, and others in the spotlight because we "chose" to be in the spotlight. 

Um, not necessarily. Like Simone, I want to use my talent. She does impossible, death-defying leaps and flips, I write stories. Just because we exercise our talents and the world views them, doesn't mean that we should be open to any and all criticisms. Yes, it comes with the job, but no, that's not a free license. While most of the criticism and judgement I've received as an author has been constructive and made me a better writer, not all of it was, even by industry 'experts.' Sometimes it felt patronizing, condescending, even cruel. Kind of like a middle-aged broadcaster sitting on his butt who never excelled in anything athletic telling Simone that she's weak and an embarrassment and she needs to toughen up mentally because he doesn't understand the sport or the situation. Armchair gymnast. But she has shown herself to be graceful, poised, and defiant. A class act all the way. That's the lesson, hard as it is to bear (trust me, I know), that authors, especially beginning ones, need to learn. We are creating an entertainment and as such, it opens us up to criticism from all sides. Some can deal with it, others can't. Even with a bestseller, there's always commentary from those who don't write about the next success, the next achievement, and how long till then, and what the public expects. One can study and memorize all the moves a gymnast makes, but in the end, without having performed them, the person criticizing is not a total expert. Likewise, one can read all the books, write critical essays and point out flaws, but if it's from the perspective of someone who doesn't write, well, it's not the absolute. I've been given bad advice from experts, but the thing to remember is the perspective- it's theirs and it won't necessarily be the best from my perspective. 

I'm not going to tell anyone to get a 'thick skin' which new writers are constantly advised. Take from the criticisms what you will, what you agree with, what works. In the end, it's your journey and sometimes you have to ignore the noise from the crowd and do your own thing. 

Keep writing- and believing in yourself. Be a Simone Biles.

Char

Super Let Down

 Let's just say at least the game made me happy.

My fave player won. (7th SB win, 5th SB MVP) History.

As for creativity in the Super Bowl commercials- most were like the Kansas City Chiefs- a surprising big WTH? If the commercials weren't boring or pedantic, they were maudlin. Have we lost our humor? Yes, thank healthcare workers but we've been doing that since March of last year. After everything we've been through, we NEED humor and levity (especially if you were a Chiefs fan). Out of all the commercials, these were my top 5, but even they were okay, really not worth remembering past today.

#1 - The Tracy Morgan spot with Rocket Mortgage and the 'I'm pretty sure...' scenarios, like 'these are parachutes' and a family jumps out of plane with kiddie backpacks. He tells the family not to worry, and of course the worst happens. I found my first smile here.

#2 - The 'Stand In' aspect of State Farms Insurance where Paul Rudd is supposed to be Patrick Mahomes' double or stand in for a commercial. And the chunky cheesehead guy to stand in for Aaron Rodgers? Even funnier.

#3 - The Tide commercial with Jason Alexander's face on a sweatshirt that changes with the situation: a scrunched up face when the shirt is sat on, or stares back in horror when stuffed in a sweaty gym bag, or scowls when food is splattered on it had it's funny moments. 

#4 - The Samuel Adams beer commercial where a guy "From Boston" let's a familiar looking team of Clydesdales rampage through the city. 

#5 - and it didn't air during the SB (pre- SB) but I thought was The Funniest was the Tom Brady and Gronkowski T Mobile ad which features Gronk telling Brady to retire and enjoy retirement but it gets lost in translation because of dropped coverage, and Brady only hears bits about coming down to Florida and winning another SB championship. It's even funnier because he won another SB. 

We all know we're in this reality together, and there are lots of heroes, and we need social justice, but the ad agencies smothered us with 'message' commercials. I felt like we were constantly being lectured. We wait all year to see these commercials and it was such a big let down. I could have been in the kitchen, heaping my plate with food. Next year I hope that the pandemic has been shut down and we can get back to so many things that we enjoy, and that our humor, love of fun, and happiness return.

Back to revising, writing, subbing, and agent searching.... 

Char

One Helluva Week

 

Photo by cottonbro from Pexels

Been a rough week, right? I'm not getting political because no one cares what my views are, I don't want to hear criticisms for my views, and I don't care what anyone else thinks; how I vote is private. All I'm going to say is that I'm exhausted from the turmoil and tuning into the news through the day to see what tragedy has now happened or is expected to happen. 

With all that, it's hard to think of what to blog about, so let's take current events in contemporary books. I wonder how many authors are writing, or will write, about the Covid-19 pandemic. Not me. Nor will I read any books about it because I'm living it and really, going on a year of lockdown and/or limited movement in public spaces, dealing with selfish people hoarding, the foot dragging of officials, and the devastating economic results, I want to forget this as soon as possible. It's like writing off a losing season when I was on my high school track team. Or my beloved Patriots missing the playoffs- I just want to put it in the rearview mirror. Now I did write a book (FYI looking for an editor or agent...) called the Frankenstein Vendetta which has a scene where the monster comes across a town dying from the plague- but it's set in the 1700's when those things happened more frequently, and I wrote this before the Covid pandemic.

I'm not going to read or write about coups either because I don't write politically based novels anyway, and I'm still scared/angry/disgusted/shocked etc. over the treasonous events in our Capitol. I can't imagine any story line in this whole nightmare of death, destruction, treason, and upheaval that would make me want to write or read about it. No doubt someone can, but this is too close to home for me. It's different when it's Tom Cruise taking on shadowy government figures because that's fake.

Honestly, I rarely write novels based on current events. A lot of my friends do, whether fiction or non-fiction. By the time the books come out in droves, I've already noted and moved on. If vampires are the hottest thing, I write anti-vampire or avoid it all completely. I like going against the grain, the expected.

In general I don't write about a lot of 'hot button' contemporary issues because either I don't feel I'm in a position to, i.e. diversity, gender, or social justice, and being white, straight, and middle class, I feel that there would be outrage. And if you know me, you know I don't do hand-wringing or angsty novels, I'm more of a humourous or snarky writer, although I do have non-humorous novels. I don't even write about issues that my family has faced- death by cancer, mental illness, alcoholism, bullying, etc., preferring to choose historical, mythical, fantastical, or romantic subjects which are far removed from my life.

So I hope you're safe, taking care of yourself, and taking a break from the stress and strain of these days.

Char

Skip the Year End Review

Photo by Olya Kobruseva from Pexels

 

It's that time when we review the past year. For most of us, the few bright spots were dim in 2020. I don't know anyone who wants a repeat of this year. Everyone is hoping for health, financial recovery/success and a return to the life most of us took for granted. 

I'm not reviewing the year- I just want to forget it and move on. Like Patriot's coach Bill Belichick says after a loss: "We're onto (next game)." That means no dwelling on the loss- learn the lessons and move on. The only reviewing I'm doing is to the several manuscripts I've written and/or subbed. One of my few happy moments is a publisher expressing interest in one manuscript, pending some revisions and a resubmit. 

So I leave you with wishes, hopes, prayers, and pleas for the universe and each other to treat us better.

Peace-

Char

Relax, Imagine, Believe

This quarantine and the state of the country is a tough situation.

1. We can't go anywhere, like meet up with critique groups, or take classes or go shopping.
2. Book events and conferences are cancelled.
3. Social media is a minefield that is tearing apart friendships, casting suspicions, and making a tense situation worse.
4. I think the stress of confinement and the uncertainty of everything are making people angry and act out.
5. My agent is dealing with personal issues so I'm subbing- and not getting very far.

I could make a list with 100 points to complain. It's looking grim. I'm usually an optimist but yes, 2020 is taxing my supply of silver linings. It's time to stop and regroup.

 I have to (and I do) try to live by the above. So I'm going to relax, and the best way is to wander through my garden. New flowers are blooming:

Now that I'm relaxed, the next part is to imagine. While it's easy enough to imagine getting a book deal, it's not as easy to imagine that this quarantine will be over soon, or that we will find the answers to social injustice, or that we can soothe the festering anger. As writers, imagining is what we do. What would the world be like if we imagined a more perfect world?

“I believe that imagination is stronger than knowledge. That myth is more potent than history. That dreams are more powerful than facts. That hope always triumphs over experience. That laughter is the only cure for grief. And I believe that love is stronger than death.”
― Robert Fulghum, All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten: Uncommon Thoughts On Common Things

And because we can imagine, we can believe.

I can imagine these brown-eyed Susans in full bloom. They will be beautiful. I believe they will bloom (especially since I put up a wire fence to keep the deer from munching on the buds). A part of believing in our imagination is doing the work to make it a reality.  For stunning blooms, I had to put up the fence. For a book deal, I have to do the writing, revising, and submitting. For social justice, we have to look deep at what's wrong and make hard changes. For a kinder world, we must be kind. For anger, we must imagine ourselves at peace, and strive for it. 

"It isn't enough to talk about peace. One must believe in it. And it isn't enough to believe in it. One must work at it." - Eleanor Roosevelt

So let's get started.

Char

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Day 2 million and..? Who Knows How Long...

No more insults.

The boys are officially tired of the poetic insults on the fridge game. After... how many days? in #StayHome. I can't blame them. The game might have been more fun if there were more variety. Whoever selected the words clearly was NOT a writer- there were few adjectives, NO adverbs (I don't care what anybody says, adverbs are essential), and no pronouns. Verbs and nouns were seriously limited. I could have added some words, making them out of the fridge magnets from the dentist, the appliance repair guy, the old school numbers one, etc. But I think the time has come for something new.

As this isolation drags on (I'm not questioning the need for it, only lamenting how long), a lot of us are realizing that you can only read so many books, only write so many words (my butt gets tired from sitting so long), only watch so much TV. For some people, this is wonderful (my introvert friends are living la vida loca). But even though I'm not a wild party gal, I'm beginning to feel the strain. This means I need to find different ways to spend the time. Every day, I try to complete something on a list that I constantly update. Today I have two things already accomplished: I've posted on the Kidlit Authors Club social media, thanking library workers, and I'm writing this blog. Before I start on going over where I can possibly submit manuscripts while my agent isn't feeling well, I'm going to make the bed, put away the dishes, and then go outside for a bit. I'm sure I can find a few weeds to pull, clean up the sticks all over the yard, etc. I find I feel less restless, less anxious, if I break up the monotony and do a variety of things. We all need coping mechanisms and finding new ones as the others lose their luster.

I hope this post finds you well and safe. And boy is there going to be one big fat celebration (I foresee a pool party, ice cream from my favorite place, Polar Cub, and LOTS of pina coladas around the pool bar with friends and family) when this is over.

Till then, be seeing you- via Zoom, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, from across the street, etc.

Char

Beware the Hole!

I was relaxing, in my jammies, with a cup of tea and a cat on my lap, watching one of my favorite Hallmark movies. In the first 10 minutes.... Plot hole!

Photo courtesy of Anthony DeRosa, Pexels.

And it wasn't the only one. By the time I got to the end, there were 8 plot/situation holes. How did all of them get past:

author

agent

editor

copy/film editor

producer

director?

Here they are:

1- A minor character, a soldier, tells main character that he and girlfriend set wedding date. He immediately gets killed. Main character gives dog tags to 'widow.'

2- As the camera pans through the picturesque town, sometimes there is snow, sometimes not- and sometimes it's the same place, like a main character's home, on the same day. (not a plot hole, but a situational/filming hole. Still, someone missed it.)

3- Main female character's hair is perfect when she is in the office. She goes outside for a brief scene, hair gets wet from falling snow and looks droopy. Yet, walks into the office and wa-la! hair is perfect again!

4- A supporting character has a horse drawn sleigh, and mentions he wants to put wheels on it. Camera pans across sleigh, and... it has wheels.

5- It's a Christmas movie, so there shouldn't be little green buds on the trees....

6- This is more an acting thing, but director should have caught it- female lead doesn't close her eyes when kissing the hot male character, so I'm not convinced of the attraction. (I would have offered to take her place.)

7- People in the church are singing (really pretending) and their mouth movements don't match the words to the songs. At least the main characters seem to know the words. (The others have hymnals so they should have been able to fake it better....)

8- In the end scene, the main female character is chasing after the main male character, who's had a head start leaving town. And yet, she had time to run to a diner and get a chicken salad club with extra crispy curly fries to go, and bring it to him.

Don't get me wrong, I still love the movie, but careful editing is essential. I've read books where I stop and say, "Wait! That can't be!" It's even WORSE when it's my own book.

So Hallmark, call me, I'll be happy to watch and suggest edits. And, maybe, you could take a look at my manuscript....  ;)

Char

No Middle Ground to be Found...

I'll admit when I'm confused- and I'm confused.

I write middle grade novels. Like with any classification, there is always a murky middle ground; when something fits in between two categories, like middle grade books. What age is it for? I had always heard, and thought, that it was for grades 3-5ish. Young adult was for 6-12 depending on subject matter and student's reading level. But when I submitted my 'middle grade' series Evolution Revolution (Simple Machines, Simple Plans, Simple Lessons) which is based on the 3rd or 4th grade science curriculum (simple machines), I've been told that my books are "too young for middle grade." It seems publishers and editors have a different view of what middle grade reading is; they consider 6th-8th grade as middle grade, and 9th-12th as young adult. So where does that leave 3rd-5th graders? This group is past picture books, but not quite ready for a heftier novel. We need a new classification; maybe 'elementary reader'? While my books can be enjoyed by any age (hey, animals outsmarting humans without radioactive potions to make them super ninja turtles, so maybe it could happen...?) editors, agents, booksellers, publishers, distributors, schools, libraries, and even parents want an age classification.

I don't see any changes forthcoming, and opinions are so diverse that I guess I'm going to have to start the 'evolution' of book classification. Whenever anyone asks me what ages I write for, I'm going to say new adult, young adult and elementary. 

Let the evolution, or revolution, begin.

Char

Ooops, I Did It Again...

I missed my last Monday blog post. I have several good excuses. Don't I always? Choose your favorite from the list below:

1.  Snow day!

2.  Tired of people spamming my blog comments with their stupid stuff. (You know I'm only going to block you and remove it, right?)

3.  Book proposal to finish to send to agent. And like everything else, it took longer than I expected. I had to change the ending from the previous one back to the one I liked.

4.  Lazy.

5.  I haven't been able to increase my followers so I'm feeling a little 'why bother?'

6.  Wondering if anyone noticed....

7.  Procrastinated.

8. Yesterday was #NationalNappingDay (although I didn't get any nap, I sure felt like I needed one).

9. The outdoor temperature was in the 50's yesterday and I had to make some vitamin D (I raked the fallen twigs and branches in the front yard).

10. Pre-spring fever. I/m tired of being indoors and cooped up. It's hard to sit down and write (although I'm doing it now), especially when there are long stretches looming in front of me...

I think I'll stop there.

They all are true, and valid, and still no excuse.

But now it's done, although I still have so much more on the To Do list....

Catch you later.

Char

Reality vs. Fantasy

The fantasy was to complete everything on my list for January. The items on my list were:

1. Do the critique for my group.
2. Do two revisions for Sirenz 3: A New Trend.
3. Revise my Island Girl manuscript.
4. Outline the third book in my twisted classics series.
5. Outline a new romance.
6. Set up some advertising for the Evolution Revolution series.

I knew it was ambitious, and I didn't really expect to get everything done. 

The reality: I didn't even get half done. But to be fair, I got other things done.

This is what I accomplished in my writing:

1. The critique for my group.
2. One revision for Sirenz 3.
3. Made notes for a 4th book in the Evolution Revolution series.

Here's what I accomplished elsewhere:

Um... 

1. Time with family and friends.
2. Resting up after the holidays.
3. Cleaning up after the holidays.

I know, not very impressive. And I won't finish the list in February either. (But I have a good excuse! Actually, several.) I hosted a Super Bowl party, with my mom I cleaned out and organized every closet and most of the drawers in the house (except for my sons', they can do their own), I spent a week at my parent's house, helping with my stepdad who had knee replacement surgery, and worked on preparing my sci fi for my agent to send on submission (which required a great deal of swearing at Microsoft for glitches). 

Phew!

There are still a few days left, but I'm working on another manuscript revision (my Faery tale) so it can get sent out. I've booked two book events, wrote a few blogs, and did some book research. 

Sometimes, a list is a good reminder, and other times it's a pain in the butt because it shows how much I haven't accomplished. But, as my example above showed, tasks get accomplished which aren't on the list. And most importantly, some things take priority- like taking care of family, spending quality time with them, and sometimes, just getting away from the grind of writing to do mundane things to give the brain a break. 

So what I didn't accomplish in January and February will go on the list of To Do for March, no doubt with several other tasks added onto the list. And I know I won't get them all done (I still foolishly hope I will, but I'm not holding my breath or taking bets that I will.) I've learned not to get frustrated (well, mostly). Eventually everything gets done. As the saying goes, "Don't sweat the small stuff." 

Photo courtesy of Pixaby

And I can be happy all my closets look this neat. :) 

Char

What I Hate About Writing

Yep, I'm going to rant. You know, writing's not the glamorous job people think it is. Here are the 5 Things I Hate Most About Writing:

Photo courtesy of Pexels, Mohamed Abdelgaffar

1. Microsoft Word and every other word processing program. They are written by geeks, and therefore, there are always glitches, or rather, stupid things that makes writers and other non-geeky people yank out their hair because IT MAKES NO SENSE. Take headers. You can insert them, but it isn't that simple if you want page numbers in a certain place and a different first page and a title. I have spent the last half hour trying to get the page numbers on my sci fi manuscript to make sense. Why does it stop halfway through the document and then start over? I did not click on a box for that. Grrrrrr. And EVERY PROGRAM IS DIFFERENT. I don't want to learn another stupid, doesn't-make-sense program. I won't live long enough.

2.  I hate when critiques give you completely opposite advice. "Cut this character." "I love this character!" "Less dialog." "More dialog." How can I reconcile all this? Granted, some opinions hold more weight, like from an editor or agent, versus someone who hasn't published their first book...but readers know good stuff (it's why only editors and academics like James Joyce....).

3.  I hate when I make revisions- and the manuscript is WORSE. Do I throw out both manuscripts and start over? Do I try to fix one of them? Uggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

4.  I hate when I have an idea, and I get the story written, but someone (i.e. editor, agent, crit group) says "I loved the premise sooooo much! But not the rest of the story."  *Bangs head against wall.

5.  When I have too many ideas to ever write them all in my lifetime because I'm busy fighting with the damn word processing software or revisions. You really don't know what you're going to miss...

Okay. Rant over. But I still haven't figured out the stupid headers.

Char

Time Is A Farce

In case you didn't hear, I had intestinal surgery on August 10th. My doctor said that most people felt good after a week and by six weeks, were basically back to bungee jumping normalcy. I downloaded two ebooks, packed a notebook to jot down some ideas for my next project, and added my tablet with games on it, into my hospital bag.

No, that's not me on the table; this is a stock photo courtesy of Pexels, Inc.

Not only did I not have the energy, strength, or ambition to touch any of them the three days I was in the hospital (I don't count surgery day- everyone's comatose all that day), but here it is over a week and a half later and I just answered emails, and started this post.

What happened to one week?

It's what I based my return to my routine on. Oh sure, I didn't think I could vacuum (oh, horror.) or work in my garden (oh well), and definitely not paint my office (darn). I could barely shuffle a hundred yards down the street. Nighttime was a blur of pain and sleeplessness. My stomach, boasting 4 incisions, throbbed with pain.

One week? I wanted to laugh, cry, and scream.

Writing is like that. You think ok, this book is going to be tough, but I'll power through and all will be well. Until you hit a glitch (like the complications during my surgery that delayed my healing). Maybe you went off on a tangent, don't know where, and have to start over. Or an editor, agent, or crit partner is saying there's a problem with the voice. Possibly you don't know how it ends. Whatever the issue, you feel off your game and getting back into the grind is the last thing you want to do. I hear you.

Something needs to prod you into action. For me, getting back into the pool, back to yoga, back to playing bells, back to writing/submitting/agent hunting motivated me, but it took a variety of pain and other medications to get me through that dark time. What gets you through a dark time? A Netflix binge with your cat and some Ben & Jerry's? A brisk jog in the park? Reading how many rejections Dr Suess got? Whatever you can tap into, use it. You have to be in the game in order to be a player.

I'm prepared (resigned?) to the fact that the six week window my doctor gave will prevail, rather than the week I'd planned on. I'm a fast healer, but even with my determination, time takes ts own sweet time. Just gotta hang in there.

See ya next week,

Char

The task of querying agents is not only onerous, but it's almost soul-destroying; where else does a person set themselves up for multiple rejections- or just being ignored? Every artist, whether writer, illustrator, songwriter, singer, etc. faces this. It's hard keeping that stiff upper lip.

Just this past week though, I had the nicest rejection- (yes, you read that - rejection). Not only did the head of this literary agency write back to tell me no thank you and good luck (getting that much of response is rare. Nowadays it's "If you don't hear back from us, that's a no." Yeah, like we couldn't guess that), but she offered her thoughts. First she told me what she liked: the concept and the series potential. Then she told me what she didn't like: it moves too fast into the main premise, not giving her enough time to identify with my character, and that affected the voice. While it always hurts when either agents or editors say they don't like the 'voice' of the character, at least it gives me something to look at, to consider where I might make changes. The problem of moving too fast into the concept was the result of another professional telling me to 'get right into it.' Clearly these two have vastly different opinions. I'm going to go with the second opinion, and ease into the storyline. The concept of having that opening BANG! and the story starts, I believe, is wearing out. Readers, and industry professionals, seem to want more information about the character before we see their struggle. They kind of want to be friends first. While I have the issue of the voice to think over, I don't see a radical change. The character is a 14-year-old boy and their voice is generally different from girls (I have 3 boys so I know their mindset. Generally they are not drama queens or angsty, and not being either one myself, I can't write that voice. People like that usually annoy me anyway.).

So instead of licking my wounds over yet another rejection, I'm going to look at it that this senior agent saw the potential and that with some work (which I've already started), there's a future for this series.

In that spirit, I sent a personal thank you to the agent. It makes me wonder how often authors respond to her (or others) with a thank you for the sharing of their time and expertise. If an agent (or an editor) takes the time to do that for you, SEND a THANK YOU!

Now I'm off to read my character the riot act and get him in line-

Photo courtesy of Pexels/Pixaby

Keep writing and believing!

Char

Clear Your Desk!

Monday was National Clean Your Desk Day.

I wasn't totally successful.

Things I didn't clear/put/throw away:

1. My trusty thesaurus (it's the blue book on the corner). While my laptop has a built-in thesaurus, it's not as comprehensive. My laptop version gives a few examples, my worn paperback gives more than I can use, but the right word is always there. Since I'm in the middle of revisions on two middle grade novels, that precious baby is staying right there.

2. That pile of magazines stacked next to my laptop. I want to read them, have to read them, need to read them. But... I'm reading several novels, writing, revising, outlining... I don't want to take time from them to read articles on PR, etc. The perfect opportunity to go through and read is during the commercial breaks of a TV show or the NFL playoffs. If my beloved Patriots don't make it through to the Super Bowl, there will be no excuse on a Sunday not to read those mags, take the useful info, and toss the rest.

3.  That little red can.... of chocolate. As part of my New Year's goal is to work smarter, I've allocated myself one piece when I finish something on my to do list. And it can't be just anything, like washing the kitchen floor (done) because that's not important or related to my writing. Finish the blog post and query two agents? Score! Nothing like a little cocoa bean incentive.

4.  Various papers (scattered). They are bits of novel notes that need to be filed or tossed once I've incorporated them into the respective novels. Another is an outline for a romance novel I want to write. One is my darn To Do List. I need to deal with them one at a time. I'm determined to clear my desk by the end of the month.

5.  Old agendas (under that stack of white paper which is the latest mg novel). I go through my old agendas and transfer any important info into my new agenda. Things like birthdays, book festivals, conferences and awards submission dates, contact info I've scribbled down, and again, more novel notes. I don't rely solely on my phone calendar because that's crowded with stuff like doctor, dentist, music practice, volunteer, etc. appointments. And if I lose my phone (as I have been known to do), and don't have a backup, well, I'm just in a really bad place. Always have a backup!

I've made the deadline to have my desk cleared not in one day (that's just too crazy and impractical and stress-inducing), so by the end of the month is completely doable. That's the secret to writing or anything else- be practical, know or try to anticipate limitations, and work smarter.

Char

I'm going to cheat a bit- I'm recovering from a stomach bug and I really need another nap so this is going to be easy and quick.

Photo courtesy of Pexels

I'm working on a new manuscript (my NaNo project) and these are the things I'm discovering about it:

1- I need to fill out the details. What time of day is it? What is the main character wearing? What shade of dingy is that white wall?

2- I figured out the element that runs through all three books (did I tell you it's a trilogy?) And it fits together sooo nicely.

3- For a time I was stumped about the third book- the hook that worked with the other two. (No, I'm not telling you because the idea is too new. Some things I don't share.) But, then, Eureka! I found it! I know where I'm going with the third book after this second one is done.

4- I know it's a great concept; a nice twist on something traditional, which will appeal to boys and girls, and it's a bit sci-fi, a bit fantasy, a bit contemporary. (No aliens, wizards, time travel, space craft, zombies, magic, or vampires, werewolves, or shapeshifters. What's left? Ah, that's the secret.)

5- Surprisingly, I'm hitting road blocks with editors and agents. Hmmmm. But, I believe in the concept and hope I can get it polished and contracted before someone else beats me to the finish line.

Next Monday will be a year-in-review as I look back on my successes and... unsuccesses.

Till then,

Wishing you Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, Happy Channukah, and a Happy New Year!

Char

I.C.E. for Authors and Artists

Like the Ghost of Christmas Future, the specter of death will someday visit us. I know, gruesome thought, but we are all of this mortal coil. And no, this is not an attempt to sell you life insurance, or donate your body to science (although that would be cool).

Everyone should have an ICE folder; In Case of Emergency. Many people, including me, have a folder I can grab as I exit. I've notified everyone in the immediate family where it is (not that they'll remember). It contains the necessary vital info: financials, important documents, phone numbers of family, doctor, schools, accountant, lawyer, pastor.

If you died, or became incapacitated, you may have set guidelines for your physical body, but what about your body of work? Here are 6 things you need to consider:

Who will contact your agent in the event of the worst kind? Whoever will be handling your affairs needs to know the name, address, phone number and agency (in case the agent has moved on). Keep this important info with your other legal documents. The same holds true for a publicist.,

What about your editor? If you're in the midst of a rewrite, or launch, they need to be notified so they can take the appropriate action. (You might want to check your contract to see what it says- it's possible that any advance might have to be repaid if the book isn't finished. Leave a copy with the other legal documents for reference.)

Authors have many business contacts- conference/workshop/store hosts, etc. who will need to be contacted immediately that you won't be attending. Always leave numbers and names of contacts for such events in a handy place (on the refrigerator?). And don't forget, that if you're going the Indie route by CreateSpace, Smashwords, or other vehicle, they will need to be notified. However, a death certificate and possibly a Power of Attorney or other legal document giving you authorization may be required to cancel or access accounts.

Your actual works- have you decided what is to become of them? Will they die with you? Even if you aren't published, that doesn't mean that they never can be. You could leave them to someone to publish after your death. I made my sister my 'artistic' beneficiary, with the expressed hopes that even if she went Indie just for the family, that certain manuscripts would be published (notably my Evolution Revolution series, but that's pubbed now, so I have to update my 'wish list.') Or, you could designate that they remain part of the estate and stay within the family to pass down. Just make a provision for your work like you would your jewelry. No matter what, put it in writing; it's best if it's part of a legal Will, with a copy of any provisions about your works, sent to whomever will handle  your artistic matters. You should consult a lawyer about specifics; this is only an advisory to seek proper legal protection.

Maybe someone shares your passion for literature. They might be the perfect person to handle your author affairs. Again, I designated my sister not only because she's one of my biggest fans, but because she understands the importance of my wishes for my works. Lawyers won't get involved in that unless there is a contract for a film, TV series, licensing, etc.

Finally, (and I shouldn't even have to mention it), but make sure there are copies of your work in secure places. What good is it if everything is on a flash drive, but it's in your desk drawer and your house burns down? What good if you have multiple copies on your laptop, but it's stolen? You could store it in the cloud (after the leaking of Hollywood celeb pics, I'm not too sold on cloud security), but there are other formats to save your work, rather than bulky, vulnerable paper copies. (One cheap way is to email it to at least 2 accounts. Make sure someone you trust has the password, or you leave it with your other important documents.) A list of where all your works are will ensure that they are protected.

As a former paralegal specializing in Estates and Trusts, I've seen too many examples (even in my own family) of messy estates where assets were fought over, stolen, or neglected because there were no binding legal guidelines. People felt uncomfortable talking about final disposition of their assets. If you don't decide what happens with your property, the state will (and each state is different, so don't depend on a verbal discussion you had with someone at some time, in another state, etc. See how confusing it can become?). Even if you make a simple list and make the direct people involved aware of your wishes, it can go a long way toward guaranteeing that your manuscript babies are provided for.

Photo courtesy of Pexels.com

Char

Blurb, Blurb, Blurb...

Congratulations! Someone asked you to write a blurb for their novel.

After reading the book, it doesn't feel like an honor anymore, it feels like a trap.

Because you don't like the book.

You don't want to insult the author/friend with an honest "I didn't like it" tag, nor do you want to lie "I loved it!"

Sticky situation, yes, but it doesn't have to be, you're getting yourself worked up for nothing. You don't have to say you loved it, or even liked it. You are not required to mention the love triangle would bore your 90-year-old Puritan grandmother, or the over-description slowed the pace so much a snail was Indy 500 worthy in comparison. Nowhere are there rules for writing blurbs- except one: it has to come from the heart. Seems like a conundrum?

Consider this: "Fashion, witty prose, intrigue, and action- Blonde OPS has it all!" Author/publisher/ friend Shannon Delany wrote this blurb. Does it tell you if she absolutely adored it? No. Couldn't put it down? Nope. Had to create a fan club or she'd die? No way. What Delany does is tell you what the novel has: fashion, witty prose, intrigue, and action (all true). Those key words alone should help the reader decide if they want to read it. Using my own books as illustration (lest there be any misunderstanding about how wonderful everyone else's book is), here is the review for Sirenz Back in Fashion from Booklist: "The experiences of this sartorial odd couple are funny and entertaining... Bennardo and Zaman are bringing the gods into the twenty-first century." What a great review, right?

Well, kind of. Booklist was middle of the road; it liked some aspects, didn't like others. Those ellipses means there are other words in between the quotes. When using a not-starred review, authors, publishers, agents, and publicists put a positive spin on it by kind of hopping over the not-so-nice parts.

That's how you have to think- compartmentalize. List what you liked about the story; it could be that it's sci fi, that it has a dragon, that there is a tender romance. A few choice words are all that is needed. If I was asked to blurb Game of Thrones, which after three years I still haven't finished the first book because it's so dense, here's what I would say: "Rich and vivid description, deadly royal intrigue, and a diverse cast of villainy, Game of Thrones will keep you wondering who's next to die..." All that is true. And really, I constantly wondered who was the next corpse. Nowhere do I say I love it, or that you should spend your money on the books. Readers have to decide that for themselves. Perusing a few pages will tell them if it's something they would like.

So don't fret if someone asks you to do a blurb. You won't commit a mortal sin by helping an author out with a few words, even if you don't like the story. Blurbs are important because it may draw a potential reader in when they glance at the back cover. With so many books out there, decisions have to be made where to spend limited money. Books without a blurb may leave the impression that they aren't 'good' because no one will endorse them. Celebrities and well-known authors have no trouble getting blurbs. For a mid-list or debut author without connections, it's a struggle. I have seven books (soon eight) with my name on them and getting blurbs from the writing community is a nightmare (and I don't know any celebs) because they are afraid to commit.

Blurbs are an important starting point to book success. If you can help bring a reader to a book, it's the author's job to keep them in. Please say yes and gift the author with a few well-chosen words.

Char

There's Always Room For Improvement...

I'm pressed for time this week, so I'm going to admit my 5 biggest flaws; my writing flaws that is.

1.  I hate to revise. I don't mind once, maybe three times, but I hate doing it over and over and over. That's the business though; revise until you, the agent, or the editor are satisfied.

2.  Once I've worked on a novel for about a year, I'm done. I want to move onto something else. Of course I polish and revise and rework, but sometimes I take little breaks in between to work on a new shiny. I'm not one of those people who re-read a certain book every year.

3.  It bothers me when I'm told to cut some aspect of my work-by editor, agent, critique group, etc. that I absolutely love. I rave, rant, clean the house like a crazy person, and procrastinate. Then, I calm down and make the changes. Mostly. Some, I just can't bring myself to do.

4.  I keep writing down new ideas, even though I have so many projects in various states of progress. I have files full of ideas. I want to write them all, but unless I could just write them and let someone else edit them, they won't get written...

5.  If I could, I would just write and sign books at events. I hate doing the PR footwork. A personal assistant would be a dream come true. Would also keep my office clean.

I'm sure I have other faults, but I'm pressed for time. And I don't want to admit to anything else.

Now I have to go back to finishing those hated edits.

Char

On My "To Do" List

I like lists. They help me feel organized and almost like I have control of my day and life. (Ha.) Here is today's list of Thing To Do (which may run for well over a month before I get them done):

1. Write this blog post (guess I can cross it off my list as soon as I post).

2. Upload 15 pages of manuscript for critique at NJ SCBWI annual conference.

3. Pack up books and supplies for the Pennsylvania State Local Authors book festival (at Hershey, PA. Details on my 'What's Up?' page).

4. Pack up books and supplies for the Barnes and Noble Educator's event at Marlton. (yep, details on my events page).

5. Follow up with agents who requested a partial or full manuscript. Keep fingers crossed.

6. Draft presentation for NJ SCBWI conference (cyber security and hacking).

7.  Drop off NJ SCBWI paperwork on Critique Day in Princeton to our Reg. Adv, Cathy.

8. Get in a swim.

9. Start revisions on MG ms requested by another agent.

10. Continue work on YA thriller.

I've already gone through emails (I have to monitor 3 accounts- family, my old yahoo one, and my author one on gmail), Facebook and Twitter updates, and checked in with my publicist. And, I fed the cats. Twice.

The writer's life- it's not all glorious writing.

I'll let you know how much I got done by next week...

Char

The Fight for Independents!

We Americans love our independence.

We love independent realtors.

Independent business owners.

Independent political parties.

Independent thoughts.

Independent bookstores.

Independent farmers.

Independent filmmakers.

But not independent authors.

We are treated like the weird relative at Thanksgiving. Publishing people smile nervously when approached by them- and sit with the 'regular people' at the other end of the table.

As a hybrid author (books published by both traditional publishers and Indie), I'm understanding the struggle of Indie authors so much more clearly.

The disdain.
The rolling of the eyes.
The dismissing of the validity of my work.
The "we don't want your kind here" at stores, events, and festivals.

Never mind that my book (Evolution Revolution: Simple Machines) was honed over ten years and edited by peer and professional. Ignore that I spent money hiring a professional illustrator (Cathy Thole-Daniels). Skip over the four previous books published by traditional publishers (St. Martins/Thomas Dunne, Flux, Leap).

Some Indie published books are awful- I've read them. One book was so bad, I put a Post-It on every mistake (grammar, spelling, POV, etc.) and it looked like a George R.R. Martin Game of Thrones book where people flag when a character gets killed (yes, that many). I used it in a writing what-not-to-do presentation.

But I've read some great ones (I'm going by content, not sales, so Fifty Shades of Grey doesn't meet my qualifications). Sometimes, the author then goes on to a traditional contract, but the publishers didn't see the potential at first- until the public did and the bucks started coming in.

I understand that there are sooo many books out there and the traditional publishers can't print them all. (Hence, Indie pubbing helps with that...) But traditional publishers have also chosen so many I-can't-believe-you-published-this-crap books; like If I Did It by OJ Simpson. What the hell were they thinking- oh yes, celebrities bring in money, even when the book is awful.

So it all comes down to money (except for those coffee table books people publish/buy just to look chic and sophisticated). If an Indie author is trying to sell their book, they want to make money, same as Indie bookstores. (Gotta pay for the illustrator, travel to book events, PR.) It seems to me both sides could work out an arrangement which gives them each profits and happiness.

It's a hard road, but I'm not giving up. I believe in this project too much.

And yes, there are successes, but many more that aren't. It's okay, I'm not discouraged.

And I'm not going away...

Char