Barbara Fradkin's Blog, page 5

Dan Baldwin on Publishing Agreements

 Donis here. My friend Dan Baldwin is a writer extraordinaire. He writes fiction and non-fiction, self publishes and publishes traditionally, ghost-writes, and co-writes. He does podcasts and YouTube appearances and puts out an incredibly informative blog blast. Safe to say that when it comes to writing, Dan's been there and done that. I found last Sunday's blog particularly interesting, so

You Can't Go Home Again

by Thomas KiesThomas Wolfe wrote the novel You Can’t Go Home Again. I saw just how true that is when, a few weeks ago, I went back to where I spent most of my formative years.  I’ve been aching to go back to see the places where I grew up, places where many of my fondest memories originated, places that made me smile. Well, I did that. First of all, it’s not easy to get from here

Messages From The Cosmos

 I'm not a woo-woo type of a person. But sometimes, things that defy explanation cause me to acknowledge a realm beyond our physical reality. The veil between our world and the supernatural lifts briefly, though enough, to make me wonder. When I'm asked to speak on this subject of weird occurrences, the first example I share involves Kathy Krouse, the girl in the circle of the B&W

Deadlines and Short Stories

 by Sybil JohnsonI have a love/hate relationship with deadlines. Having one gets me writing more consistently, but it also stresses me out. Doesn’t matter if it’s a self-imposed deadline or one that comes from a contract.Currently, I am trying to get a short story finished to submit to the Malice Domestic anthology, Murder Most Senior. Deadline is the end of August. I have an idea that I

How Far?

 by Charlotte HingerThe job market is changing. More than a few friends and family have been beating the bushes for jobs. This includes people with degrees and an awesome work ethic. One I especially admire was a young woman who was let go very unexpectedly from a job she had held for 10 years. She wasn't particularly treasured at this place. She was a (token)woman in a STEM field. For

Why this mystery writer also works as a private investigator

I want to write incredible stories about interesting peoplein wild, dramatic situations with deep thoughts and insight, and flash action scenes. But I'm a writer sitting in a basement room. Just me. Where can I get workableideas? From my books and references, from the internet, from messages, yes.But, there's NOTHING like the real world. The real world isn't crazier than you imagine.

Big Fish, Little Pond

Oklahoma Promotin' Donis here. Since my fellow Type M-ers are musing about promotion, allow me to share an excellent  piece of advice I received many years ago. When my first book, The Old Buzzard Had It Coming, was just about to come out in 2005, I asked my beloved editor Barbara Peters what she thought would be the most effective actions I could take to publicize my work. (Keep in

DIY Experimentation

by Catherine DiltsI’ve noticed clever graphicson social media by fellow authors. I wondered whether they were developed bytheir publishers. Or if they were making so much money, they’d gone and hiredpublicists.I’m a save-a-buck kind of gal,modeled after my cheapskate mother. I was certain an intrepid person could DIYthe heck out of their own promo graphics. But the thought of taking

Point of Sale

 by Thomas KiesMost of us have been there.  You go to a planned book signing at a library or a bookstore where nobody has heard of you and you- and maybe your spouse- are the only ones there.  Where it’s so quiet you can literally hear the clock ticking in the next room.  Where everyone avoids making eye contact with the author. Or at a book event or authors’ fest where

Novella Finished and Out With Beta Readers

By Shelley BurbankHappy Friday, Friends! How's your summer going so far? Have you written all the words, read all the books, soaked up all the sun, splashed in the lake or ocean, cooked up some burgers or portobellos on the ol' grill while fireflies danced and sparkled in the long grass on the side of the road? For me, this past month has