Sydney Avey's Blog, page 15
July 16, 2014
Tending our forest
This year, our scraggly apricot tree bore fruit for the first time in 15 years
We forest dwellers have a dilemma tending our forest. The Rim Fire taught us that proper forest management can save our property and our lives.We maydisagreeabout how to manage the forest, but most of us are diligently whacking our weeds and limbing our trees.
The forest is stressed from drought. Trees are conserving what resources they have at their roots, letting their leaves turn brown. Despite the assault of fire...
July 11, 2014
The Lyre and the Lambs cover reveal
Today is the day; the Lyre and the Lambs cover reveal!
Approving a book cover is a highly emotional event for an author. So much is involved; images, fonts, colors. When all is said and done, the cover has to appeal to an audience of varied ages, tastes, and experiences. It has to engage book browsers’ curiosity long enough so they will take the next step; pick up the book and flip it over or click to read the blurb.
Since much of the drama in The Lyre and The Lambs centers on the young people...
July 7, 2014
A soothing refreshment
When your nerves are frazzled and your mood is dark, where do you turn for soothing and refreshment?
A meditative walk in woods?
A steaming cup of fragrant tea?
A meaningful selection from The Good Book?
A hearty laugh with a good friend?
When King Saul was troubled, he would ask David to play his lyre. The lyre is an ancient stringed instrument found in many cultures. You might think of it as a portable harp.
Peter Pringle replicated a Meddigo lyre similar to the one David would have played. Take...
July 3, 2014
About-face and Focus
When life sucks the joy out of you, it may be time to do an about-face, a turn heel, out with the old, in with the new complete change. Such is the call from evangelical pastor Rick Warren and fundamentalist turned Anglican turned Catholic priest Dwight Longenecker. As disparate as their paths seem to be, I highly recommend reading both their books at the same time.
The Romance of Religion, Fighting for Goodness, Truth, and Beauty maintains that “to really see something, you have to see someth...
June 25, 2014
Nature, God’s Primary Text
Tuolumne River in Yosemite
Before we had the written word we had nature, God’s primary text. Welearned about God from the seasons of the year, the stars in the sky, the action of the ocean, and the soil of the earth I ponderedthis as I lay on a rock besidethe Tuolumne River and gazed up through a pine tree at the clouds.
As adults, we understand the physical nature of clouds, but as children, we delighted in spotting familiar shapes in cloud formations.
“Can you see that rabbit chasing a dragon,...
June 17, 2014
Eyes on the Prize
Authors these days are Charlies in the chocolate factory trying to pass a test of resolve to win theprize. The test is how hard we are willing to work to build our writing business. The prize is real estate in desirable neighborhoods bordering authors with stratospheric book sales stats. Resolve is the trump card. Good marketing can sell most any product but a strong product without good marketing hasn’t got much of a prayer—nothing new here, but it’s a painful situation for those of us who a...
June 5, 2014
Morning Read
My morning read is one of the most inviting times of my day. I confess, I check email and Facebook first, make a Words With Friends play against my sister, and record a sentence in my Five Year Diary, but then I reach for inspiration.
This year I’m following our pastor’s sermon series on Jesus in the gospels in the NLT One Year Chronological Bible. Today Jesus told his disciples, “But don’t rejoice because evil spirits obey you: rejoice because your names are registered in heaven.” (Luke 10:20...
May 26, 2014
Discoverability: What’s the buzz?
Discoverability is the latest buzz word in the book biz. Like African killer bees in search of new territory, social media sites are attempting to nest in writer psyches with promises that they will help readers find us. With The Sheep Walker’s Daughter approaching sales that will help validate my publisher faith in me and a second book on the way, I’m looking for ways to make readers’ fingers itch to push the Click Here to Buy button.
Giveaways
I tried a Goodreads giveaway this month and true...
May 20, 2014
The Streets of Home
Mountain View, CA
I walked through the streets of home last weekend, looking for venues where I might hold a book signing. It was not a déjà vu experience.
The Mountain View I cruised on a Friday night after a football game now bustles like the streets of Budapest. In Los Altos, school kids still spill into town after the last bell rings, but town feels more like a print of the original that has been embellished for commercial purposes.
Fifty years ago I floated between these two worlds; one hea...
May 13, 2014
Signing Books at Barnes and Noble
Signing books at Barnes and Noble in Bakersfield on Saturday was not a champagne affair, it was business. The friendly staff prepared a book table for me and told me I could sit behind the table, stand and do a meet and greet (my style) or be more of a barker and grab shoppers as they came through the door (not my style).
I stood by my table feeling very much like the perfume girl at Macy*s, the one who tries to catch your eye in hopes you will offer your wrist for a spritz....
