Laura Roberts's Blog, page 44

A musical Valentine’s Day giveaway

Today’s the day! My newest book, Everything I Need to Know About Love I Learned From Pop Songs, is now available from all your favorite ebook retailers.

You can grab a copy here.

-OR-

You can tell me the name of your favorite love song to win a free copy of the ebook!

That’s right: no strings attached, no signup for my mailing list required (although that would be delightful if you’re so inclined, and that link is here).

Just tell me which song makes you most think about love, on this holiday (Hallmark or no) dedicated to LOVE.

Happy Valentine’s Day, lovers. XOXO

Related PostsSongs that have shaped my love life: Pearl Jam, Better ManSongs that have shaped my love life: Postal Service, Brand New ColonySongs that have shaped my love life: Liz Phair, “Fuck and Run”Zemanta

Venus prequel, Yelp reviews and POP SONGS: 365K Club, Week 6

It’s the end of Week 6, and time for another installment of my 365K Club roundup posts. Word counts, please!

February 6, Day 37: 433 words

February 7, Day 38: 495 words

February 8, Day 39: 1,357 words (my daily high for the year thus far, smashing my previous high of 1,236 words from January 19th)

February 9, Day 40: 850 words

February 10, Day 41: 352 words

February 11, Day 42: 452 words

February 12, Day 43: 1,343 words (two 1K-busting days this week, woohoo!)

That’s a grand total of 5,290 words for the week, and an overall total of 23,301 words for the year thus far.

Did I beat last week’s total?

Last week’s total of 2,481 words was utterly demolished by this week’s total. In fact, it was more than doubled! How sweet is that? And my highest daily word count was, in fact, on a day when I finally started writing the Venus Delmar prequel story I mentioned in last week’s goals, so the victory is quadruply sweet.

Goals for next week?

I’ve been editing the print proof for my latest book, Everything I Need to Know I Learned From Pop Songs, this week so I’m hoping to actually have that mofo available for sale by the end of the week. The ebook is already for sale at all of your favorite online retailers here!

I also want to keep pounding away on my Venus story, and get that finished up.

And I was, oddly enough, inspired by a feature story in Chicago Magazine about top-rated Yelpers to write some more Yelp reviews about places I’ve visited in San Diego, so I think I may have to write a few more of those next week too. (Also, you guys, now I really want to visit that King Spa Sauna place noted as one of the “Yelpiest” places in Chicago. It looks totally nuts, but in a super great way. Has anyone reading this actually been there? Is it Vegas-style cheesy or just straight-up awesome?)

Related Posts365K Club: Reflections on a month’s worth of writing365K Club Week 2: Please stop killing my idols, 2016365K Club: Week 5Zemanta

Q&A with Literary Agent Jennifer Chen Tran

Did you know that the Nonfiction Authors Association offers two free monthly teleseminars to help members learn more about writing, publishing and marketing their books?

Well guess what? They do!

Today’s teleseminar featured a Q&A with Literary Agent Jennifer Chen Tran.

Social Media and Traditional Publishing

Jennifer had a lot of interesting insights into the world of traditional publishing. One of the most important things that came up in the discussion was the topic of platform, and specifically the kinds of social media numbers that agents and publishers are looking for.

Jennifer noted that different kinds of books require different platform numbers, but suggested that, for example, a parenting book would require a minimum of high five-figures across all social media platforms (total of all platforms combined). Memoirs, on the other hand, would require high five-figures to low six-figures, as a minimum, in order to reach the author’s intended audience.

Craft Your Query Letter

There were some funny things that came up, too, particularly concerning the all-important query letter. I’ve previously written about some of the weird and/or scammy emails I receive as an author and publisher, including poorly written queries, but Jen’s may take the cake. She said that in the past, she’s actually received queries written in iambic pentameter – pitches in poetry!

Do not do this, she says. In fact, if your query is getting too “cute,” you should definitely reconsider.

Instead, keep it simple and include the basics:

A plot synopsis, for fiction. “The hook, the book, and the cook,” as she put it.
If you have an “in” with the agent, like you met them recently at a conference, don’t forget to include that!
Be sure to include a brief author bio, and…
Your manuscript’s word count.

Want to learn more?

Sign up for an Authority Membership at the Nonfiction Authors Association for access to the recording of this teleseminar! It’s just $19 a month, and if you live in San Diego – or anywhere else with a local chapter – you’ll also gain free access to our monthly meetings.

Related PostsStephanie Chandler on monetizing your book marketing to make more moneyPatrick Schwerdtfeger on How to Become a Keynote Speaker#SanDiego: Start 2016 right with the Nonfiction Authors AssociationZemanta

Why even a white chick like me digs Beyoncé’s “Formation”

I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve never really been a Beyoncé fan. It’s not that I think her songs are bad, or that I actively dislike her. It’s more a case of figuring her for a pop singer I just didn’t connect with. (And, believe me, there are plenty of those, despite the fact that I am an unabashed pop music fan.)

So when the media started going nuts about her Super Bowl performance, and the Black Panther-esque get-ups her backup dancers were wearing, I didn’t think much of it. After all, I don’t watch the Super Bowl, either – not even for the commercials or halftime performances.

But when a friend of mine posted an image from Beyoncé’s new video, “Formation,” on Facebook – and a link to Bitter Gertrude’s post “White People: Shut Up About Beyoncé” – I became very interested. What on earth could have white people so riled?

Could it be this picture?

Yep, that’s the one.

The image in question is one of defiance: Beyoncé stands, shrouded in black, eyes concealed beneath the wide brim of her hat, middle fingers on both hands raised skyward.

In short, Beyoncé flipping the bird drew me in. Her giving no fucks made me give several. I wanted to know more. I liked this rebellious attitude of hers. Bring it, I thought.

So I looked up the video.

NPR has published the “clean” version, where Beyoncé’s middle fingers are blurred out, along with some commentary from dream hampton. Funny Or Die has the “dirty” version, if you prefer, along with some moderately humorous commentary on all the hubbub. (I prefer the dirty version, and dream’s comments, personally.)

Before reading any commentary, I watched the video. The images you’ll find there are stark. They are visually stunning. And they may even offend you.

Here’s why: With this video, Beyoncé is no longer simply an entertainer. Her video is a call to action, a call to power.

Black power.

Sound scary? Maybe it’s because you’re on the wrong side of history.

Suddenly, the Black Panther dancers at the halftime show make a whole lot more sense. During the Super Bowl show, you might have wondered about the meaning of the dancers’ attire, given the fact that the performance seems to be more a musical battle between Beyoncé and Bruno Mars – it’s boys vs. girls, a toned-down, family-friendly take on “Formation.”

But that’s not what the video is about. That’s not what the song is about. Not at all.

“Okay, ladies, now let’s get in formation,” Beyoncé sings.

She’s not talking about a pep squad cheering at halftime. She’s talking about a squadron of beautiful black women, taking back their power.

Now I see exactly what’s got the Internet haters so upset. This song is loud and proud. It’s #BlackLivesMatter writ large. It shows plenty of images of black southern lives, and the only white folks in the video are cops in riot gear.

That ought to tell you something, right there.

But Beyoncé is not content to leave it with a tagged wall that says “Stop shooting us.” Instead, she envisions a future where a black boy can dance in the street before a phalanx of cops, batons itchy for a beating, and disarm them with nothing more than his dope moves.

That, alone, is awesome.

And that police car swallowed up by the floodwaters at the very end of the song?

I take it to mean this: you sank us during Katrina, and now we’re gonna sink YOU.

Right the fuck on. America should still be ashamed of itself for what happened in New Orleans. Especially when dumb assholes go around saying things like “Thanks, Obama!” when it was George Dubya Bush at the wheel for that one. Kids, this is why you must learn your history. (But I digress.)

So, should white people be scared of this song? It’s a dumb question, but let’s humor it for one hot second.

The obvious answer is HELL NO.

Not if we’re not all a bunch of racist motherfuckers. (Fuck you, Donald Trump.)

Not if we’re not all a bunch of black life-taking murderers. (Fuck you, George Zimmerman.)

Not if we’re not all a part of that Thin Blue Line that shields thugs, rapists and murderers from punishment. (Fuck you, Daniel Holtzclaw. Fuck you, Brian Encinia. And fuck you to the hundreds of cops who have shot first and asked questions later.)

Not if Black Lives Really Fucking Do Matter.

In short, not if we’re on the right side of history.

If you’re white and you’re mad about this video, you’ve missed the point. It’s not about you. Shut up.

So one final thought: This video has made me love Beyoncé. I can’t stop watching it. There’s just so much to see.

Thank you, Beyoncé, for making this song. For sharing this video. For sharing your vision. I know you don’t need my support or my props, but I get it. I see you. I feel you. You slay.

Related PostsCheck out this video! Rosemary Clooney – Punky Punkin (The Happy Pumpkin) (Halloween Song)Watch this! Three Ways to Prioritize Writing (featuring the Word Nerds!)Watch this! The Party – (What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love, and UnderstandingZemanta

Top 5 places for reading and writing in San Diego

Inspired by this list of the Top 10 Places to Read and Write in Chicago, I’ve decided to uncover the best places to read and write in San Diego.

Here’s what I’ve got so far…

The Beach. Which beach? Any beach. Dude, it’s the beach. Get all your light, fluffy reading done here while you work on your tan, or use your people-watching skills to pen the next beach read!

“tan” image by Flickr user Brian Box

The new Central Library. The dome’s got great views, whether you’re indoors or outside; the Main Reading Room is spacious and modern; and the Rare Books Room looks exactly like a room full of rare books should.

“Trolley going in front of the new San Diego Central Library” by Flickr user Nathan Rupert

Any rooftop lounge. It’s San Diego, and the weather is great nearly all-year round. So why not enjoy it? Better than the beach, a rooftop lounge lets you tan and enjoy a cocktail or two – all without the hassle of washing off that salty sea spray and clingy sand when the day is done. And, when the day turns into night, you can usually find a miniature fire on the rooftop, along with the temptation of s’mores.

“Float at Hard Rock Hotel San Diego” image by Flickr user Maggie Not Margaret

Lestat’s Coffee House. It’s named after a vampire, and it’s open 24/7. What more reason do you really need?

“Lestat’s on Park” image by Flickr user P.D. Magnus

Japanese Friendship Garden, Balboa Park. The $8 entry fee keeps most of the riffraff out, so you’ll be able to soak up the peaceful, Zen vibe as you read or write near the koi pond. But, if you’re a true cheapskate, you can also enjoy koi for free next to the pond just outside of the Botanical Building.

“koi pond” image by Flickr user Antone Kom

BONUS

On a train to and from LA. Some might ask, “Why would you go to LA?” I dunno, to grab lunch? To pitch a script to a Hollywood producer? Or maybe just to get some uninterrupted reading and writing time on a train, for $21 round-trip? Or, you know, for this view as you sit back and dream:

“Surfliner” image by Flickr user Nick Chill

What about you?

What are some of your favorite places to read and write – in San Diego, or elsewhere in the world?

Related PostsBalboa Park inspired haiku: Stunt Writing day 8Blogging from A to Z Challenge theme reveal 2015 (hint: it’s sexy!)Self-publishing is the only wayZemanta

365K Club: Week 5

It’s the end of Week 5, and time for another installment of my 365K Club roundup posts. Word counts, please!

January 30, Day 30: 0 words

January 31, Day 31: 135 words

February 1, Day 32: 540 words

February 2, Day 33: 357 words

February 3, Day 34: 0 words

February 4, Day 35: 776 words

February 5, Day 36: 673 words

That’s a grand total of 2,481 words for the week! (Though only 2,346 for the month, since January 30th and 31st were obviously included in January’s count… man, these stats are getting confusing, aren’t they?)

Did I beat last week’s total?

Thanks to this blog post, I managed to pull ahead with my numbers. Wait! No, I didn’t… 2,444 is still just a hair behind 2,461. I need 17 more words to break even, or 18 more words to surpass it… and having written this sentence, I’ve completed the task. (Hooray once more for check-in blog posts!)

Badges of honor

I received not one but two badges this week!

The first was the “Paint A Portrait” badge, for artfully describing my main character in one sentence.

The second was the deeply sought-after “Bullseye!” badge, for hitting my word count target for the month of January.

Woohoo!

Goals for next week?

I still haven’t gotten around to penning the Venus Delmar prequels I put forth as my goal for last week, so let’s renew that goal for week 6. Maybe I’ll actually accomplish it this week. Right after I do my taxes, ugh!

Related Posts365K Club: Reflections on a month’s worth of writing365K Club: Another week, another recordThe first rule of 365K Club is…Zemanta

Songs that have shaped my love life: David Bowie, “Heroes”

Weren’t we all part of Ziggy’s band?

I honestly have no idea how I was first introduced to David Bowie. It feels like he’s just always been there in my pop-culture consciousness, in some form or another, putting together tunes that spoke for so many generations.

But since I grew up in the 80s, I probably first discovered him while watching Labyrinth, playing the Goblin King, Jareth.

This incarnation of David Bowie was beautiful but arrogant, intent on making Sarah his slave – just like everyone else around him. In his final speech of the movie, he pleads “Just let me rule you, and you can have everything that you want.” He suggests that if she does everything he says, he will be her slave.

Naturally, Sarah replies: “You have no power over me.”

A perfect feminist rallying cry, and a line that those who have survived abusive relationships can surely relate to as well.

For a long time, this was the David Bowie I knew and loved – seductive, but controlling. A sorcerer. Someone who could rearrange time or turn the world upside-down at a woman’s whim, yet a man who still insisted that mastery over this woman’s entire life was equivalent to love.

I knew better.

But I guess it makes sense that one of his most memorable musical creations of the 1970s was Ziggy Stardust, a precursor egomaniac who appealed to the masses:

Ziggy’s song describes him as “well hung and snow-white tan,” someone who could “lick ’em by smiling.”

But even his bandmates contemplate destroying him. (“So we bitched about his fans and should we crush his sweet hands?”)

An ex-boyfriend took to playing Ziggy’s song with his bar band. I think he fancied himself a tastemaker and trendsetter like Bowie – at least in his own mind. (The band also ironically covered OutKast’s “Hey Ya!”, and this song proved more popular with their “fans” – i.e. two female friends who attended every performance, cheering loudly while the rest of the bar ignored the band entirely. This is at least partially why I really enjoyed reading Sally Basmajian’s “Hey Ya!” story for my forthcoming anthology, Everything I Need to Know About Love I Learned From Pop Songs.)

Another ex loved Queen, so the Bowie/Freddy Mercury duet “Under Pressure” was in heavy rotation in his bedroom. I always wondered whether this counted more as a Bowie song or a Queen song, since the tune appeared on albums from both musicians.

But one of my personal favorite Bowie periods is his Berlin collaboration with Brian Eno. Particularly “Heroes,” a song so passionate that it comes complete with its own scare quotes.

Who doesn’t love this song, with its rousing chorus of “We can be heroes, just for one day”?

Hell, it’s even been turned into a mishmash music video by Baz Luhrman’s Moulin Rouge, so if you ever hear some fool trying to tell you that art-rock doesn’t mean anything to the masses, just cite this song as a counter-argument.

Bowie has been a little bit of everything to everyone, which is why I think we’ve all taken his death so hard. He inspired the freaks to be themselves, encouragement we can all use from time to time. He showed musicians that taking chances could lead to huge success. And he showed true artists that while not every artistic choice might turn out to be commercially successful, it’s always important to remain true to yourself.

After all, you can’t give everything away…

Today Amanda Palmer has released Strung Out in Heaven: A Bowie String Quartet Tribute, which I highly recommend procuring if you’ve ever loved David Bowie. Although the tunes picked for this album are certainly the saddest ones in Bowie’s catalog (including a mournful take on “Heroes”), and are likely to move you to tears, they’re beautifully arranged and performed by Palmer and her musical partners in crime.

Bonus: part of the proceeds go towards cancer research (the cancer research ward of Tufts Medical Center, to be specific), so we can all, really and truly, be heroes – just with one play.

P is for Pop Songs

Read about more of the songs that have shaped my love life.

Now it’s your turn

What pop songs make you think about love? How have pop songs influenced your relationships? Tell me a story, and you could be featured in the second volume of Everything I Need to Know About Love I Learned From Pop Songs. Click this link for details on how to submit, and stay tuned for the launch of the first volume on February 12.

Related PostsSongs that have shaped my love life: Liz Phair, “Fuck and Run”Songs that have shaped my love life: Postal Service, Brand New ColonySongs that have shaped my love life: Pearl Jam, Better ManZemanta

The Reluctant Romantic: Falling in love with a new genre

This month, Doing Dewey is hosting “The Reluctant Romantic,” a chance for readers to fall in love with a new genre!

This reading challenge seems totally apt, given both that Valentine’s Day is coming up and the entire month of February is known as Black History Month here in the US. As such, and given my already strong desire to read more nonfiction this year, I’ve decided to read nonfiction books by or about black Americans and historic figures.

I know that’s not actually a genre, but the rules of this challenge are loose, so deal with it. (If pressed, I guess the genres I’m focusing on would actually be Personal Essays and Biographies.)

So what am I going to read?

I’ve already read many of the usual suspects suggested for February reading, like The Autobiography of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King’s “I Have A Dream” speech (both are, of course, excellent reads and highly recommended). But I’m actually interested in reading more about current-day racial issues, since I feel like the way (white) people use the term “black history” tends to suggest that black history is only about the distant past – and clearly we are still living in a world where black and white views of history continue to divide us. Not to mention the whole Black Lives Matter movement, which revolves around problems within the justice system and assorted social issues facing black Americans.

We all need to get educated about these issues, and not just congratulate ourselves on being “post-racial” when, clearly, we are not.

Here’s the list of books I plan to read for this month:

Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay (perpetually on my To Read list, so I’m bumping it up to the top)
Black Cool: One Thousand Streams of Blackness by Rebecca Walker
How to Slowly Kill Yourself and Others in America by Kiese Laymon (read the titular essay on Gawker)


The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot (interesting aside: this book is shelved under “B LACKS” at my local library)
White Girls by Hilton Als

(Possibly random aside: Has anyone else wondered why most of these books have no images on the cover, just the title of the book and the name of the author? Is this a conceit of personal essay books generally, or an issue surrounding books by black authors? The exception here is White Girls which, indeed, features an image of white girls on the cover… although the lone biography here, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, does feature an image of Lacks on the cover. Hmm.)

If you’ve got additional suggestions for me, I’d love to hear them!

And here’s the schedule for the month, if you’d like to pick a genre and play along:

Feb 6 – Genre Speed Dating – What genre are you getting to know this month? Why do you want to give it a chance?

Feb 13 – It’s Complicated – Is there anything that keeps you from reading this genre more?

Feb 20 – Young Love – Have you read the genre you’re trying before? How was your first experience with that genre this month?

Feb 27 – Relationship Status – Where is your relationship with the genre you tried? Will you read more of this genre in the future?

Tentatively Feb 28 – Twitter Chat – 7 pm EST

Related Posts15 minutes to write: GO!Nonfiction November – Nontraditional NonfictionNonfiction November: A book pairing for the young at heartZemanta

365K Club: Reflections on a month’s worth of writing

We’ve reached the end of January, and thus it’s time for an extra-special monthly round-up edition of the 365K Club. Word counts, please!

January 23, Day 23: 690 words

January 24, Day 24: 0 words

January 25, Day 25: 0 words

January 26, Day 26: 484 words

January 27, Day 27: 334 words

January 28, Day 28: 390 words

January 29, Day 29: 563 words

January 30, Day 30: 0 words (but about 2 hours worth of critiques, for my Nonfiction Read & Critique group)

January 31, Day 31: 135 words

That’s a grand total of 2,483 words for the week (through January 29) and 14,665 words for the month!

My monthly stats, in bar graph form

Did I beat last week’s total?

This was definitely my laziest writing week so far, taking two days off in a row, which made me feel a bit weird. I’ve really been getting into the habit of writing on a daily basis, even if it hasn’t always been at the same time each day. I have noticed that I do an awful lot of procrastinating in the mornings… which is time that would be better spent writing than playing Hay Day and/or Monkey Wrench – two ridiculous addictive iPad games that I try to reserve as rewards for having done my work (but which I also usually mess around with in the mornings while I’m drinking my coffee).

So, no, I did not manage to beat my awesome high score from week 3 of 4,101 words in a week. Damn!

But I’ve also been doing a lot more editing this week, both for my own works – including a new anthology, Everything I Need to Know About Love I Learned From Pop Songs, which debuts February 14 – and for fellow indie author, Norm Schriever, whose new book is called The Queens of Dragon Town. Highly recommended!

A badge of honor

For my participation in the 365K Club’s Poe group on Facebook, I managed to earn a weekly badge: the highly coveted Weirdest Writing Ritual badge!

Pretty cool, right?

And what was my weird writing ritual? I said that rather than donning a particular type of “thinking cap,” I actually like to dress the part of the pro author by putting on a writing-related t-shirt. My favorite is, of course, the magical “Art Harder, Motherfucker” shirt from Chuck Wendig’s merch mart. (And, yes, I got it on sale, ’cause I’m also a thrifty motherfucker!)

Have you got any Weird Writing Rituals?

How did I do for the month?

Overall, I think I really kicked ass this month. I’m proud of my word count (and the fact that I’m 15% of the way to my total!), and I can already see how much tracking my daily progress (or lack thereof) has been helping me build momentum. The days when I don’t write anything are starting to feel weird again, as they did when I wrote on a much more daily basis, and that’s a good feeling.

How many days do they say it takes to psychologically build a habit? I believe it’s 30, so I’m off to a good start. As the days and weeks continue to go by, I look forward to keeping this habit rolling.

Now if I could just work in a bit more time for exercise…

Goals for next week? Next month?

My goals for next week include doing some of the writing exercises from Writing and Selling Your Mystery Novel and, hopefully, turning them into some “prequel” types of stories about my stripper-turned-sleuth, Venus Delmar.

My goal for next month? To demolish my January word count, of course.

See you next week for another 365K Club check-in!

Related Posts365K Club: Another week, another record365K Club Week 2: Please stop killing my idols, 2016The first rule of 365K Club is…Zemanta

Patrick Schwerdtfeger on How to Become a Keynote Speaker

Did you know that the Nonfiction Authors Association offers two free monthly teleseminars to help members learn more about writing, publishing and marketing their books?

Well guess what? They do!

Today’s teleseminar featured Patrick Schwerdtfeger on How to Become a Keynote Speaker.

Patrick said that he’d wanted to become a speaker since he was 10 years old, and he’s been speaking professionally (full-time) since 2007.

Obviously, he’s got a lot of experience!

One of the most interesting things he said in today’s event was that there are actually two different types of speakers: Keynote vs. Platform.

Platform speakers are the kind that speak to a group in an effort to promote their products and services. The end goal of their speech is, ultimately, to push a sale. This is the type of speaker you will find in many webinars and face-to-face seminars. There’s nothing wrong with promoting your products and services, of course, but that’s the goal of all of their speeches.

Keynote speakers, however, command large fees because their goals are totally different. Instead of trying to sell you a product, a keynote speaker is trying to get you fired up about a message. Think of motivational speakers, who want you to invest in yourself, or believe that anything is possible.

And the most important thing to remember? If you try to sell anything as a keynote speaker you will never be invited back.

That’s a pretty important distinction to make!

In addition to sharing tips on how to get involved in the keynote speaking game, Patrick also shared some of the pros and cons of signing up with speakers bureaus, targeting the right people with your marketing, and speaking for free.

Want to learn more?

Sign up for an Authority Membership at the Nonfiction Authors Association for access to the recording of this teleseminar! It’s just $19 a month, and if you live in San Diego – or anywhere else with a local chapter – you’ll also gain free access to our monthly meetings.

Related PostsStephanie Chandler on monetizing your book marketing to make more money#SanDiego: Start 2016 right with the Nonfiction Authors AssociationBloggiesta mini challenge: My To Do List!Zemanta