Recently, I had a few people tell me they checked out the blog for the first time. And I thought, "wow, I haven't been there in awhile. I'd better get cracking."
Like so many moms I am an expert juggler. If you'd asked me eleven years ago if I was even interested in the art of juggling I would have laughed at you. The problem is some balls stay in the air longer than others which means I don't get my hands on them, like this blog.
I won't bore you with my long list of tasks that require my attention. I'm sure you have a large list of your own, but a day doesn't go by that I don't wonder how I'm going to handle it all. Just writing my new YA novel, looking for representation for the thriller novel, and blogging takes up more time than I can give it. I want my writing career to take off to parts unknown so I want to devote all my time to that, but I can't neglect the three thousand other things I have to do. (It's not quite that many, but close.) So, I toss the writing ball into the air and grab on to one of the others, hopefully it's the right one, but hey, I'm also pretty good at improvising!
How do you juggle all the things needing your attention? Career? Home? Family? Fitness? Friends? Causes? I'm sure all the readers would like some tips. I know I would! Until then, I'll be tossing the writing ball for the day and on to the next one! Talk to you later...
By the way, my next post will include a link to a great site Attacking The Page with an article by my good friend KM Fawcett. Stay tuned. (I promise not to wait so long!) Of course, check out the site for all the fabulous posts about martial arts and action packed fiction.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
A Reader
What makes someone a voracious reader? What makes a child one? Personally, many of my childhood memories include carrying around a book I was reading. I loved the book fair at school the way others loved ice cream on a hot day. I was always a reader. Still am.
So what makes a kid pick up a book, get sucked into the vortex of the world, and not want to come up for air until he's gobbled up every word like a human reading vacuum? Is it character? Plot? Humor? Are they relating to real life situations much like their own? Or do they want to find a place to escape to so they can turn off the activities, the homework, the bullying, the noise of their parents?
When did you become a reader? How about the child in your life? Or maybe you don't read much more than the fliers in the Sunday paper and this blog, of course. Tell us what makes you dive into a book and ask the kids around you. I want to know what makes them read too.
Talk to you later...
So what makes a kid pick up a book, get sucked into the vortex of the world, and not want to come up for air until he's gobbled up every word like a human reading vacuum? Is it character? Plot? Humor? Are they relating to real life situations much like their own? Or do they want to find a place to escape to so they can turn off the activities, the homework, the bullying, the noise of their parents?
When did you become a reader? How about the child in your life? Or maybe you don't read much more than the fliers in the Sunday paper and this blog, of course. Tell us what makes you dive into a book and ask the kids around you. I want to know what makes them read too.
Talk to you later...
Friday, May 20, 2011
Finding an Agent
I'm on a quest to find an agent for my thriller novel, Don't Play With Fire. For those of you who have done this you know what a daunting task it is. I've made my list of at least a hundred agents and from there I begin reading over their websites, provided they have one, to make sure their agency is a good fit for me.
One of the items I check out is the list of clients. If I don't happen to already know of a specific thriller writer represented by this group I want to make sure my style writing would be what they're looking for. Simple enough, right? Not always.
Many agents represent numerous clients. That's a good sign, however, the very last thing I want to do is click on each and every client's name to read about them. First off, why doesn't every agency list their clients in order by genre? They make such a stink about authors doing their research before they query. "Don't waste anyone's time, blah, blah, blah." But they're wasting my time by not categorizing their clients.
Faced with an enormous list of names in alphabetical order, I hover my mouse over each one and click. Hoping to find out what kind of books this person is blessed enough to have other people purchase from them. Do I find this information in a neat, concise paragraph? What do you think?
Nope. Well, I'm exagerating. Sometimes I get lucky. Most times instead of telling me what types of books they write the authors go on and on about how they became a writer, or that they wanted to be a writer most of their lives, what kinds of books they read as a child, how many pets they own, the number of children running around under foot, and where they live. Guess what? I don't care! Just tell me what kind of book you write so I can decide whether or not your agency is a fit for me.
Simple, Neat, Concise. In other words, get to the point! And why doesn't the agency say, "Gee, Miss/Mr. Author, that's all very nice and sweet that fluffy sits in your lap while you pound away at your outdated manual type writer, but you're running off at the mouth." Save that stuff for your jacket cover.
Authors do run off at the mouth. I'm doing it now! But I can, because this is my blog. I'll tell you what, when I finally get a chance to write a cute paragraph for my agent's website I will not tell you how many pets I own (none), that I wanted to be a writer since I was seven, or that I had the chance to sit at Ernest Hemingway's typewriter. I'll just say: Supernatural Thriller Novels. Fantasy/Thriller YA/Middle grade novels. Awesome agent! What else is there?
Talk to you later...
One of the items I check out is the list of clients. If I don't happen to already know of a specific thriller writer represented by this group I want to make sure my style writing would be what they're looking for. Simple enough, right? Not always.
Many agents represent numerous clients. That's a good sign, however, the very last thing I want to do is click on each and every client's name to read about them. First off, why doesn't every agency list their clients in order by genre? They make such a stink about authors doing their research before they query. "Don't waste anyone's time, blah, blah, blah." But they're wasting my time by not categorizing their clients.
Faced with an enormous list of names in alphabetical order, I hover my mouse over each one and click. Hoping to find out what kind of books this person is blessed enough to have other people purchase from them. Do I find this information in a neat, concise paragraph? What do you think?
Nope. Well, I'm exagerating. Sometimes I get lucky. Most times instead of telling me what types of books they write the authors go on and on about how they became a writer, or that they wanted to be a writer most of their lives, what kinds of books they read as a child, how many pets they own, the number of children running around under foot, and where they live. Guess what? I don't care! Just tell me what kind of book you write so I can decide whether or not your agency is a fit for me.
Simple, Neat, Concise. In other words, get to the point! And why doesn't the agency say, "Gee, Miss/Mr. Author, that's all very nice and sweet that fluffy sits in your lap while you pound away at your outdated manual type writer, but you're running off at the mouth." Save that stuff for your jacket cover.
Authors do run off at the mouth. I'm doing it now! But I can, because this is my blog. I'll tell you what, when I finally get a chance to write a cute paragraph for my agent's website I will not tell you how many pets I own (none), that I wanted to be a writer since I was seven, or that I had the chance to sit at Ernest Hemingway's typewriter. I'll just say: Supernatural Thriller Novels. Fantasy/Thriller YA/Middle grade novels. Awesome agent! What else is there?
Talk to you later...
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Missed Opportunities
Recently, my family and I were vacationing in the Florida Keys. We had a great time. Sunny and eighty every day. A blessed experience. But I noticed something and it bothered me. A lot.
More than once I saw a parent sitting with its child and the parent's head was buried in their phone! We had stopped at a local ice cream shop (I had the gelato, yum!) and a father and son were sitting at a table. The young boy, no more than twelve, was eating his ice cream and the father tapped, tapped tapped on his dumb phone! I wanted to go up to the dad, tap on his shoulder and say, "hey, buddy, this might be a good time to talk with your son!" I never understood those commercials telling parents the right times to talk to their kids about drugs. I watch them and think, "what moron doesn't know the best time to talk to their kids?" Imagine me smacking my head in the ice cream store and going, "Now I get it!"
I also watched a mother so engrossed in her game of solitaire she didn't bother to look up and witness her children roasting marshmallows at a bonfire. Sad. Really sad.
It goes on all the time. People who aren't present for the ones they're with because the phone is beeping with what might be someone way more important. What message are we sending?
Not every behavior is okay and I don't think texting and checking emails when you're in the company of others is good behavior. The children are watching and they will do exactly what they see mom and dad do. It doesn't matter how many times you tell them to get off the video games if you're doing it from your Blackberry!
Put your devices down, people! Enjoy the moment that you're in because it won't last and you'll be wondering what happened to that sweet little boy or girl who ate ice cream and toasted marshmallows. They will become sullen, insecure adults the rest of us have to put up with. So do us all a favor and don't miss the opportunity to be present with your children.
Talk to you later...
More than once I saw a parent sitting with its child and the parent's head was buried in their phone! We had stopped at a local ice cream shop (I had the gelato, yum!) and a father and son were sitting at a table. The young boy, no more than twelve, was eating his ice cream and the father tapped, tapped tapped on his dumb phone! I wanted to go up to the dad, tap on his shoulder and say, "hey, buddy, this might be a good time to talk with your son!" I never understood those commercials telling parents the right times to talk to their kids about drugs. I watch them and think, "what moron doesn't know the best time to talk to their kids?" Imagine me smacking my head in the ice cream store and going, "Now I get it!"
I also watched a mother so engrossed in her game of solitaire she didn't bother to look up and witness her children roasting marshmallows at a bonfire. Sad. Really sad.
It goes on all the time. People who aren't present for the ones they're with because the phone is beeping with what might be someone way more important. What message are we sending?
Not every behavior is okay and I don't think texting and checking emails when you're in the company of others is good behavior. The children are watching and they will do exactly what they see mom and dad do. It doesn't matter how many times you tell them to get off the video games if you're doing it from your Blackberry!
Put your devices down, people! Enjoy the moment that you're in because it won't last and you'll be wondering what happened to that sweet little boy or girl who ate ice cream and toasted marshmallows. They will become sullen, insecure adults the rest of us have to put up with. So do us all a favor and don't miss the opportunity to be present with your children.
Talk to you later...
Friday, April 15, 2011
Good Critique Partners
I've spoken before about critique partners, but it's time to do it again. Having good critique partners is very important. It can mean the difference between setting your manuscript on fire or believing in your work enough to find representation. I know, sounds a bit extreme, but go ask someone who has had a bad critique partner. Ask me. I've been down the road to critique partner hell. A dark and scary place. My vertabrae tingle just thinking about it.
How do you find a good CP? The best place to start is by joining a writer's group. There are many national and international ones with local chapters in your area. Go to a meeting and start asking around. Once you put your feelers out get your antenna up.
About three years ago I knew it was time again to look for new CPs. Let's just say the group prior wasn't exactly a good fit. (I'm being nice.) By the advice of a good friend I joined a local chapter of RWA (I was writing women's fiction at the time) and let it be known I was on the hunt for similar experienced writers.
I started getting some emails and calls from other writers also looking for a CP. My stomach performed that little excited flip it does when you think things are going your way. Things weren't going my way. I hung up with one writer thinking she was so bossy and pushy I'd rather read my novels to Jack the Ripper than work with her.
How do you know when you've found the right one? I am a believer your CPs should be roughly at the same place you are in the "know your craft" journey. If they are too far behind you or too far ahead of you the scales won't be balanced. You might be able to help each other out, but overall frustration will fly around like kite caught in a tornado.
This is going to sound very crunchy granola, but you'll feel it when you've found the right CP.
You will have respect for what they've written and they will have the same for you. You will like this person enough to become invested in their success because if you're not invested in their success you might as well take your pencils and go home.
I had received an email from a woman about becoming her CP. Right away I enjoyed the tone of correspondence. She was at the same spot in her journey as I was. I agreed to meet her and another woman. I'll be honest, before I arrived I thought, "Dear Lord, I hope these two aren't nuts." They might've been thinking the same thing about me, but I'll tell you what. I knew in an instant these ladies were put in my path for a reason. By the time our first meeting ended I wanted to hug them I was so overjoyed. I didn't. That would've scared them off.
It's three years later and we're still together. I'm thankful for their support, input, sense of humor, kindness. I could go on and on. They believe in my work, even when it needs improvement, and therefore I believe in myself. I'm one hundred percent invested in their success and they are in mine. They are my beacon of light guiding me home. (Okay, I've gone to the far side of sappy. Sorry.) I stand and applaud Marykate and Shari.
Wherever you are in your writing journey I hope you find the right CPs. If you have more questions post them here and I'll be happy to help you out. In the meantime, Moonlight and Violet by M. Kate Quinn (http://www.mkatequinn.com/) will be released April 22 by The Wild Rose Press. It's a funny, heartfelt story about true love. It would make a great Mother's Day gift. Grab your copy today.
Talk to you later...
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Authors' Day
I attended the Township Of Ocean Intermediate School's Authors' Day. The Language Arts teachers chose roughly 60 sixth grade students who show an interest and ability in writing to participate in a fun filled day. The students are broken into small groups and for 40 minutes they visit with an author and learn something new about writing. Then they rotate to the next author and learn some more. Topics discussed ranged from writing about feelings, to point of view, working with settings, illustrating children's books, and writing in the active voice. Once again I am humbled by the students' enthusiasim and curiousity in what I have to say. I mean, who am I, right? I'm nobody famous. Yet they suck up everything I share with them like the little sponges they are. I relish the opportunity to inspire these young writers to continue on their path. To promote a child's learning is to be a part of something bigger than I am. A blessing, indeed. Talk to you later...
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Favorite Books
I read a lot. On average I'd say I read a book a week. For some that's nothing, for others that's too much. Doesn't matter which category you fall into as long as you're reading. Right? Right!
I updated my profile on the blog adding titles to "Favorite Books." I had to stop. I would have been there forever. I started thinking...scary, I know...What are my readers reading?
So, I ask you, dear reader. What are your favorite books? Tell me which authors get you to turn pages. Whose name do you look for on the new release list? I'm always on the look out for another great read. We could even have an online discussion about your favorite books.
To help you get started here a few of my favorite authors. (Authors I love and I've read more than one book of.)
Stephen King
Brad Meltzer
Jeffrey Deaver
Tess Gerritson
Lisa Scottoline
Suzanne Collins
Ted Dekker
M. Kate Quinn
Jonathon Maberry
Tami Hoag
Mary Higgins Clark
Daphne DeMaurier
I could keep going. Now it's up to you, dear reader. Who are your favorites?
I updated my profile on the blog adding titles to "Favorite Books." I had to stop. I would have been there forever. I started thinking...scary, I know...What are my readers reading?
So, I ask you, dear reader. What are your favorite books? Tell me which authors get you to turn pages. Whose name do you look for on the new release list? I'm always on the look out for another great read. We could even have an online discussion about your favorite books.
To help you get started here a few of my favorite authors. (Authors I love and I've read more than one book of.)
Stephen King
Brad Meltzer
Jeffrey Deaver
Tess Gerritson
Lisa Scottoline
Suzanne Collins
Ted Dekker
M. Kate Quinn
Jonathon Maberry
Tami Hoag
Mary Higgins Clark
Daphne DeMaurier
I could keep going. Now it's up to you, dear reader. Who are your favorites?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)