Laura Lee's Blog, page 3
February 22, 2013
Is Angel on Your "To Read" List?
More than 400 people have Angel on their "to read" lists. If you have been meaning to read it, or thought about reading it back when you clicked "to read," and you have a blog, why not take part in the March virtual book tour?
Follow the link above to sign up for a slot. Read the book for free, share your thoughts with the world and get a little bit of exposure for your blog.
Follow the link above to sign up for a slot. Read the book for free, share your thoughts with the world and get a little bit of exposure for your blog.
January 1, 2013
Free Poetry Ebook: Where Souls Grow Warm
"After finishing a long, difficult novel, I always enter a phase of poetry.”-Joyce Carol Oates
Back in 1996, I published my first collection of poetry, "Invited to Sound." It was a mix of poems generally on the themes of meditation and unrequited love.
Since then, between books and when inspiration struck, I have written poems and tucked them away.
Now that e-publishing is a reality, I’ve decided to compile a collection of poems from my files. I’m calling it “Where Souls Grow Warm.”
The poems in the collection span a 17-year period of my life, including some from the print only "Invited to Sound." Because of this, it is much broader in scope and theme. My Eastern influence and poems of unrequited love are there, there is also some nostalgia, observations of things that exist outside my skull, some further musings on God, mature love, absurdity and some love songs to dead poets.
I have decided to make it available for free for a limited time in pdf format, right now only through my blog.
If you like poems, liked "Angel" or like free ebooks, please help yourself.
Back in 1996, I published my first collection of poetry, "Invited to Sound." It was a mix of poems generally on the themes of meditation and unrequited love.
Since then, between books and when inspiration struck, I have written poems and tucked them away.
Now that e-publishing is a reality, I’ve decided to compile a collection of poems from my files. I’m calling it “Where Souls Grow Warm.”
The poems in the collection span a 17-year period of my life, including some from the print only "Invited to Sound." Because of this, it is much broader in scope and theme. My Eastern influence and poems of unrequited love are there, there is also some nostalgia, observations of things that exist outside my skull, some further musings on God, mature love, absurdity and some love songs to dead poets.
I have decided to make it available for free for a limited time in pdf format, right now only through my blog.
If you like poems, liked "Angel" or like free ebooks, please help yourself.
December 6, 2012
Do you miss Ian and Paul? They're both speaking today.
Recently I had the opportunity to complete two "character interviews." One, on my blog, is an interview with Paul as part of the Snowy Reading Blog Hop.
The second on The Readdicts is Ian's first opportunity to speak for himself (instead of from Paul's perspective.)
If you've missed the characters since you closed the book, visit these sites and check out their interviews.
The second on The Readdicts is Ian's first opportunity to speak for himself (instead of from Paul's perspective.)
If you've missed the characters since you closed the book, visit these sites and check out their interviews.
October 6, 2012
Books, Glorious Books
I just finished scanning the barcodes of the big glut of books I got at my church rummage sale into Goodreads and putting them into my "To Read" list. Book covers and blurbs are thrilling. They invite you to think about all of the things you can know and imagine. After coming home with an armload of treasures, the existential crisis kicks in. So much to read, so little time.
September 19, 2012
Interview on Twitter this Saturday
I am going to be doing a "Twitterview" this Saturday, September 22 at 4 PM. I hope you will join in. This is a new experience for me. The answers will be short and sweet. All you have to do is go to Twitter and follow the hashtag “#emlyn”
They you can see the questions, my answers and at the end you will be able to ask a few questions of your own.
They you can see the questions, my answers and at the end you will be able to ask a few questions of your own.
August 26, 2012
Where To Find Me
I have been reorganizing my online presence a bit. I now have a Word Press Blog.
The new blog will focus primarily on posts related to my fiction writing and its themes as well as some of my personal observations that don't fall under the categories of my non-fiction books.
So far the blog contains material that I previously published on my Tumblr blog.
I will continue to update my Tumblr with quotes, links, images and other short pieces and to post excerpts and links to my longer pieces there, but I have decided that the Tumblr format is best suited for more compact items.
I also have a blog related to my non-fiction book Broke is Beautiful. If you go back far enough it also talks about my previous book Schadenfreude, Baby. I have recently completed a new non-fiction book for Reader's Digest and when it comes out, anything related to its topic will go over there (and the name of the blog might be updated to reflect its new focus.)
To get notifications of all of my blog posts as well as other observations and links of interest you can follow me on Twitter at @LauraLeeAuthor.
Finally, I have a new web page for the novel Angel with its own URL: angelthenovel.com. The page features reviewers' quotes and interview excerpts.
The new blog will focus primarily on posts related to my fiction writing and its themes as well as some of my personal observations that don't fall under the categories of my non-fiction books.
So far the blog contains material that I previously published on my Tumblr blog.
I will continue to update my Tumblr with quotes, links, images and other short pieces and to post excerpts and links to my longer pieces there, but I have decided that the Tumblr format is best suited for more compact items.
I also have a blog related to my non-fiction book Broke is Beautiful. If you go back far enough it also talks about my previous book Schadenfreude, Baby. I have recently completed a new non-fiction book for Reader's Digest and when it comes out, anything related to its topic will go over there (and the name of the blog might be updated to reflect its new focus.)
To get notifications of all of my blog posts as well as other observations and links of interest you can follow me on Twitter at @LauraLeeAuthor.
Finally, I have a new web page for the novel Angel with its own URL: angelthenovel.com. The page features reviewers' quotes and interview excerpts.
May 4, 2012
Latest Projects and News
My social media posting is going to drop off substantially this month as I work on a new non-fiction book for Reader's Digest on a short deadline. I'm not sure how much I'm supposed to say about the project yet. Just that I should know just about everything in the world by the time I've finished the book, and in due time (don't know yet when it's supposed to come out) I will tell you more.
Meanwhile, I have learned about many international editions of my books. I learned, when I was contacted for an interview for a Chinese publication, about the Chinese edition of Broke is Beautiful. The interview for the magazine went well, and if it is posted on line, I'll share a link even though you and I can probably not read it.
Last week I was contacted by a reporter in Brazil about the Portuguese edition of A Child's Introduction to Ballet. Further investigation revealed that the book is now available in Italian and Chinese and will soon, I'm told, be available in Russian.
These are the kind of interesting things you find out by accident from time to time when you've written a lot of books.
Meanwhile, I have learned about many international editions of my books. I learned, when I was contacted for an interview for a Chinese publication, about the Chinese edition of Broke is Beautiful. The interview for the magazine went well, and if it is posted on line, I'll share a link even though you and I can probably not read it.
Last week I was contacted by a reporter in Brazil about the Portuguese edition of A Child's Introduction to Ballet. Further investigation revealed that the book is now available in Italian and Chinese and will soon, I'm told, be available in Russian.
These are the kind of interesting things you find out by accident from time to time when you've written a lot of books.
April 17, 2012
Book Clubbing On Line
Last night I took part in an online discussion of the novel Angel in a chat room set up at the Author's Info site.
Conducting a book club meeting in a chat room has its plusses and minuses. The biggest advantage is the ability for geographically diverse readers to get together.
The discussions are a bit more fragmented due to the way chatroom conversations work. It is an experiment I am anxious to try again.
If you are an author, you should visit the Author's Info site. They do a lot to help writers promote themselves. Also, they are looking for someone to act as a regular moderator for online book club chats, a feature they've not yet implemented. So if that interests you, head over and contact the administrator.
Unfortunately, some people had trouble finding their way into the chatroom and couldn't take part in the discussion. The Author's Info site is notoriously difficult to navigate in some ways. They are working to improve it. We've talked about rescheduling and making the instructions to get in the room clearer. If that happens, I will let all who couldn't manage to get in know.
There were four of us in the discussion, which veered off into mysticism and whether there is such a thing as a devil and if bad energy can inhabit furniture.
The main theme that emerged, if I can point to one, would be aspects of the novel Angel that some people love and others hate. This includes just about all of the aspects of the novel from the cover design to the appearance of the character of Ian as an Angel to the chapter heading epigrams.
The character of Ian and his mysteries was the second theme of the night. Because much of this relates to his actions at the end of the book, I won't elaborate to much. We talked a bit about Ian's alcoholism and how the fact that he is in his first year of recovery might have affected his relationship with Paul. This is an aspect of the book that I have not been asked about much in interviews.
In all, although not everyone who planned to attend was able to, it was a successful night and worth the effort. I hope to have more opportunities to join with groups of people and discuss the book in the future.
Conducting a book club meeting in a chat room has its plusses and minuses. The biggest advantage is the ability for geographically diverse readers to get together.
The discussions are a bit more fragmented due to the way chatroom conversations work. It is an experiment I am anxious to try again.
If you are an author, you should visit the Author's Info site. They do a lot to help writers promote themselves. Also, they are looking for someone to act as a regular moderator for online book club chats, a feature they've not yet implemented. So if that interests you, head over and contact the administrator.
Unfortunately, some people had trouble finding their way into the chatroom and couldn't take part in the discussion. The Author's Info site is notoriously difficult to navigate in some ways. They are working to improve it. We've talked about rescheduling and making the instructions to get in the room clearer. If that happens, I will let all who couldn't manage to get in know.
There were four of us in the discussion, which veered off into mysticism and whether there is such a thing as a devil and if bad energy can inhabit furniture.
The main theme that emerged, if I can point to one, would be aspects of the novel Angel that some people love and others hate. This includes just about all of the aspects of the novel from the cover design to the appearance of the character of Ian as an Angel to the chapter heading epigrams.
The character of Ian and his mysteries was the second theme of the night. Because much of this relates to his actions at the end of the book, I won't elaborate to much. We talked a bit about Ian's alcoholism and how the fact that he is in his first year of recovery might have affected his relationship with Paul. This is an aspect of the book that I have not been asked about much in interviews.
In all, although not everyone who planned to attend was able to, it was a successful night and worth the effort. I hope to have more opportunities to join with groups of people and discuss the book in the future.
April 5, 2012
Virtual Book Club Discussion of Angel
If you have read the novel Angel, I hope you will join us on April 16 at 9 PM eastern for an online book discussion at the Author's Info web site.
April 3, 2012
But What Are We Growing For?
Thank you to Parvati Tyler at Fighting Monkey Press for posting my guest article today. What Are We Growing For? questions the assumption that bigger is better and explores why we make that assumption in the first place.
