Barbara G. Tarn's Blog, page 167

Happiness is…

 

Writer Wisdom Sunday

Every Sunday until December and unless I have a guest, I will share words of wisdom from writers on writing. Enjoy!

So write what you want, but consider your reasons carefully. Are you writing for a paycheck? Are you writing to fulfill a primal need? Are you writing to win awards or fame? Figure out what you’re trying to accomplish, and then look at how you can best reach that goal.

No matter why you’re writing, keep writing!

- David Farland

That was my big lesson. I had to redefine success and success was getting better at my craft and finding my voice as opposed to selling a script, getting an agent and making a lot of money.

- Allan Loeb, screenwriter

And by the way, everything in life is writable about if you have the outgoing guts to do it, and the imagination to improvise. The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.

- Sylvia Plath

The creative is the place where no one else has ever been. You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition. What you’ll discover will be wonderful. What you’ll discover is yourself.

- Alan Alda, screenwriter

I think every writer needs privacy surrounding the way they write. It’s great to share some of the knowledge we have, but much of the magic which happens during the writing process can’t be explained or shared. I think that’s how it should be. Sometimes I read posts about rules and processes and I get so overwhelmed with all the noise. It’s good to learn these things and understand them, but the only thing that’s going to make your writing truly amazing is to find the place where you forget everything else and trust yourself. Nobody can tell you how to do that but you.

- Michelle Davisdon Argyle, writer and blogger

Random Friday

OK, it’s “live” from Chicon, but not as live as I wanted it to be. My wi-fi worked fine in New York, and when I got to Chicago, some firewall doesn’t allow me to connect to the wi-fi network. John at the info boot kindly tried to work around it, but no way – my borrowed computer has Windows XP and is in Italian, so… the business center wants 7$ for 15 minutes. I need to take down the firewall to upload this, so I’m writing it as word.doc to copy and paste on the WP dashboard as fast as possible.

So it’s going to be a little more random than expected… New York. Sunday I went with Jen to the RenFaire and managed to film the joust. Probably not my best video, and not only because it wasn’t my video camera, but the normal digital camera, LOL! Anyway, it was fun, got my hair braided (pics next week, it’s too complicated to do that now) and the sun shone on us all day.

Monday we went to Manhattan and got showered as soon as we got out of the subway, so when we met my friend Tom we were soaked! We had a coffee with him, then headed back downtown and stopped at Forbidden Planet – luckily by then it had stopped raining.

Tuesday we stayed in Long Island, going through some business and shopping stuff. I found a very nice lady at a Bollywood DVD shop who managed to give me 4 DVDs that were NOT on my list – what a good seller she was! I came out with two mags and 14 DVDs and her email so next time I come I can email her ahead of time so I can find everything I need…

Then I met with the Bollywood Addict who took us to Bombay Theater to watch Ek Tha Tiger – sorry, no links on this post for the reason stated above. It would take too long to search them all and add them. It was great meeting her in person (and I’ll email you when I get back, Ina, sorry…) and the movie… OK, Salman is still NOT my favorite Khan, LOL! But Katrina Kaif is always most beautiful. Would I recommend it to western viewers? Not really. Jen wasn’t impressed, so probably neither would you!

Then I flew to Chicago on Wednesday, met my roomie Rebecca and even Judith, the culprit who put me in this mess – hugs to you, Judith! I managed to have lunch with Dirk, my friend from the area.

I met Luigi, Debora and Mike Resnick shortly before the first panel, which wasn’t too bad, although the mic intimidated me. Then I had one hour and a half and I went to see the art show. Then the second panel with Luigi and Debora in a much smaller room, so it felt more like a conversation. Haven’t been to anyone’s panel (but I hope to remedy this soon, LOL) yet, and skipped the Adler Planetarium opening night – wrong time of the month, what can I say… Just stayed in my room and read on my Kindle!

Now let me see if I can find a way to put this online… have a great weekend and more next week, promised!

 

Fiction Wednesday

Records of the Varian Empire

A new emperor

Blondsun was lost in a book of magic spells when his friend Sunray distracted him from a very convoluted passage. Blondsun was relieved for the interruption, as concentration was giving him a headache.

He was twenty-five, but geing Genn he was barely out of adolescence. Although his innocence had ended three years earlier when he had stolen the Varian Emperor’s life with a spell.

He had been considered an adult since, also because his family had all moved to Issanda. The Governor of Jinxie had welcomed him into his household and he had become a good friend of Sunray, but sometimes he felt he was living a second life. Locked in the ghetto that was the last Genn city, able to see his adoptive brother only because he was a magic user and could travel without Human means.

“Not the same reading experience of Benedetto Black’s novel, right?” Sunray commented as Blondsun stretched his limbs and closed the book of spells. “Is it true you personally know the author?”

“Yes,” Blondsun grinned getting up from his desk and following Sunray out of the room. “Busy writing the second book.”

“Hmm… why do you hide pronouns when you talk about him?” Sunray asked as they walked towards the Governor’s office. “He’s good for a Human, he has a wild imagination, but also did some thorough research…”

Blondsun guffawed. “Yes, and she’s actually a woman,” he said, unable to keep the secret from his best friend anymore.

Stunned, Sunray stopped in his track as he processed the information, then groaned. “I should have known!” He shook his head, resuming his walk towards his father’s office. “Why does she use a male pen-name?”

Blondsun chuckled. “Because she’s Human, she’s a woman and her family thinks she’s dead.”

“She’s proven smarter than many of her peers, even if your adoptive brother had to save her in the end,” Sunray said, amused. “Anyway, I’m curious to read her latest fantasy.”

“Keep her real identity a secret, though, we’re too close to Havenstock to let it leak,” Blondsun said, serious.

Sunray nodded as they entered the Governor’s office.

“Did something happen?” Blondsun asked, worried.

The Governor – Sunray’s father – looked at them, serious, and signaled them to sit down. His desk was covered with manuscripts and parchments, both sealed and unsealed.

“Prince Vario turns sixteen,” he said. “He will be crowned Emperor.”

So?” Twenty-nine-year-old Sunray stared at his father, puzzled. “He won’t lift the ban, Father! And we can’t go to him.”

“No, but the Sila can,” the old Genn said patiently.

The Sila had always been closer to the Genn than the Humans. Yes, they worked for the Varian Emperor, but they were of a Magical Race, like the Genn, and preferred dealing with their pointed-eared brethen than with Humans.

“Is Winged Liam here?” Blondsun asked.

The Governor smiled. “No, he’s flown to Xendaria and looks forward to your meeting with your adoptive brother.”

Blondsun grinned. “Thank you, Skydreamer.”

Kurt Allistairson was the only Human friend the Genn had left in the Empire. Kurt, his wife Beth, and their children – at the moment a little girl called Penelope who was almost two. They lived in Xendaria because Jinxie was too close to Havenstock, Beth’s hometown.

“Why has he gone to pick up Kurt?” Sunray asked.

“He can be our ambassador too,” his father answered. “He’s Human, he can travel freely – unlike us.”

“But he refused to serve Vario X;” Blondsun said, frowning again. “Why should he serve his son?”

“We all hope he’s different, better,” Governor Skydreamer replied. “I think he should really pay homage to the new emperor, even for his own good.”

“Yeah, so Vario XI can outlaw him as well,” Blondsun muttered, knowing his adoptive brother’s temper.

“Is he still such a poor diplomat?” Sunray teased. “He should have learned something – he’s an adult Human, isn’t he?”

“Of course, but he’s also a warrior, even if he now lives as a merchant.”

“Maybe his life could go with him?” the Governor suggested.

“Beth is pregnant.” Blondsun shrugged. “They didn’t even go to the Gladius Games this year.”

“Empress Reika knows him as Gladius Champion.” Governor Skydreamer pondered. “She could receive him. He’s been Champion twice already.”

“The first time with Vario X,” Sunray observed.

The second time the Imperial grandstand hadn’t seen an Emperor, only the Regent Empress and the underage heir. Prince Vario had commended Kurt’s prowess, but hadn’t asked him to join the Imperial Guard.

“Prince Vario admires the left-handed warrior,” the old Genn said. “He would probably listen to him.”

Blondsun wasn’t sure his adoptive brother had acquired any diplomatic skills, but promised to talk to him before he went to the Capital to meet the new Emperor.

 ***

Kurt reached the Capital the day after Vario XI’s coronation, transported by Winged Liam who deposited him directly in the gardens of the Imperial Palace.

Both requested to meet the newly crowned Emperor and the presence of the young Sila probably helped them to go through the many levels faster than any common Human visitor.

Kurt had already met the Emperor when he was still prince heir. Vario was blond like his father, but more good-looking. Even if he was only sixteen, he was aware of his personal charm and the fact he had become the most powerful man of the world.

“Your Highness.” Kurt bowed to the boy who was merely eight years younger than him. He didn’t envy the responsibility that had just landed on those still frail shoulders.

“Rise, Champion,” the Emperor answered, his eyes bright. “I hoped to see you again at the Gladius Games this year.”

“My wife is pregnant and we couldn’t afford the journey,” Kurt explained.

“But you’re here, the day after my coronation,” Vario said, sounding like the excited teen he indeed was. “Did you come to pay homage?”

“Of course.” Kurt bowed again with a smile. “And I hope your reign will be better and longer than all your predecessors’.”

“I wish to follow in my father’s footsteps and keep the peace in the Empire,” the boy announced gravely.

“Your Highness, I’m here on behalf of the Jinxie’s Governor.” Kurt decided it was useless to postpone his message. “The Genn request to be admitted back to the Empire, or at least to lift the ban and allow them to travel freely without being killed on sight.”

For a moment Vario looked just like his father as his eyes narrowed and his lips thinned in anger – an Emperor with an angel face capable of genocide.

“Right, you’re the Genn’s friend,” the boy said coldly, his enthusiasm for the Champion gone.

“Your Highness, the Genn saved my life more than once,” Kurt tried to reason with him.

“And now you want to return the favor,” Vario said. “But I’m not going back. The Genn have no more rights on these lands and I will not revoke my father’s edict.”

“Why?” Kurt asked, nonplussed. It couldn’t be a teenager’s tantrum, Vario sounded way too serious and determined.

“Because I think, no, I know one of them took my father’s life,” the young Emperor said, staring at Kurt who was stunned into silence.

He couldn’t tell Vario that he was right, that his adoptive brother Blondsun had indeed killed Vario X to avenge the unfair death of Silverstar and Penny. Only him, his wife and Governor Skydreamer knew that secret. How Vario could suspect the truth was anyone’s guess.

“Have you ever had a Genn friend, Your Highness?” Kurt managed to say at last. “Have you ever read their books or studied their culture?”

“No,” Vario snapped, frowning at him.

“Of course not, your father wouldn’t let you,” Kurt said. “How about the Sila?”

“I like Winged Liam.” Vario smiled briefly at the Sila who stood one step behind Kurt with a worried look on his face. “And he likes me. I know Genn and Sila are very close, they’re both Magical Races, but nobody will convince me the Genn are not demons. If this is what you came for, Kurt Allistairson, you might as well leave.”

Kurt sighed. Damned boy, he was more stubborn than his father! How could he convince Vario to revoke the anti-Genn edict?

“Your Highness, allow me to spend a few days with you to tell you about the wonderful family who raised me,” he begged. “I’m from Xendaria, I had never seen a Genn until the day I was orphaned and Sunriver’s family saved me from death…”

“No,” Vario said, determined. “I don’t want to hear about the Genn! I told Winged Liam already – keep your stories, the Genn are doomed!”

Kurt left, frustrated by his failure. He doubted Beth could have done better.

“He’s stubborn, huh?” Winged Liam said. “I didn’t dare telling Skydreamer, but I knew your trip would be useless.”

“You’re his friend, right?” Kurt asked.

“Yes, he’s a good boy, with some limits,” the Sila shrugged. “He was raised into hating the Genn, Kurt, he won’t forget. Reika never really liked them, and Vario adores his mother.”

“Will you do your best to change his mind?” Kurt asked, depressed.

“Of course, but I doubt I’ll succeed.”

***

“Thanks anyway.” Governor Skydreamer couldn’t refrain from sighing.

“How long can you go on?” Kurt asked, feeling a complete failure for not convincing the young Emperor. The Varian pride was already too strong in the sixteen-year-old.

“Until they chase us from here. We do have a place to go if things go too much down the hill for us.”

“It’s time you go back to Xendaria,” Blondsun added. “Your second born is on its way. Give a kiss from me to Beth and little Penny.”

Kurt hugged his adoptive brother, then Winged Liam brought him back home. His wife welcomed him with a serious expression. She expected the son to be as ruthless as the father and confirmed she couldn’t have done any better. But little Penelope was oblivious of the politics of the Empire, and she rushed in her father’s arms with a squeal of delight. Kurt relaxed as he cuddled his daughter, happy to be at home.

A few days later Sarah was born. Master Kurt’s shop was still heirless, but the young merchant was very happy to be surrounded by women. The left-handed warrior had been buried after his wedding, when he had gone back to his father’s trade for the safety of his family. Sometimes he missed his few adventurous years traveling the Empire with Blondsun – and smiled when in his wife’s book he found autobiographical events masked as fiction.

Beth had managed to write that novel she had had in her head for years – although to circulate it she had to sign it Benedetto Black – and was now writing another, while nursing her daughters, cooking and keeping the house and shop clean and loving Kurt more and more.

They were a happy family. Kurt hoped soon Blondsun could be happy too.

end of part 1 – continues next Wednesday

Happiness is…

Sunday interview – Cara McKenna

I read excerpts of Curio during Six Sentence Sunday last year and was so intrigued by those short excerpts I ended up downloading the book from Amazon. It’s sweet and funny and hot and I couldn’t put it down… where can I find a Didier? I even learned a new word (I thought Curio was a name, LOL) and when I finished it, I had to interview the author. And she’s even having a giveaway (what a generous author!), so skip to the end of the post if you want that! But then come back and read the interview…

Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Cara McKenna! 

1. Where do you live and write from?

I live just north of Boston on the coast, in a condo comprised of the slopey-ceilinged top floor of a very old house. When I moved in with my now husband, I took over the front room and painted it chartreuse and turned it into my office. I do ninety-five percent of my writing here, sitting on a yoga ball chair as I am now, typing on a desktop Mac. My front window looks out onto the cove, and on a lucky summer day I’ll see egrets and herons, or in the winter, legions of hardy bufflehead ducks.

2. When did you start writing?

I started writing seriously on July 4, 2008. I was up in Maine visiting my parents for the holiday when I first opened a blank Word document and decided to start writing a romance novel. I finished it about four months later—writing on weekends and in the morning before work, and during my lunch breaks at the office where I did graphic design. I was possessed, madly in love with this new hobby and the thought I might one day be able to do it professionally—get paid to be creative on my own terms, which wasn’t something I was getting from design. I joined RWA in August, I believe, using the Golden Heart as my very first deadline. I didn’t final that year, but I did the next. That first book was never published, and with good reason, but it was the book I used to put all the writing advice I’d absorbed into practice, the book that both taught me to write and proved I could finish a 100,000-word manuscript. I realize now that it kind of sucked, but I’ll always treasure it. That’s my advice for people who tell me they want to write a novel. “Write a shitty one first. It’ll teach you everything you need to know.”

3. What genre(s) do you write?

Contemporary steamy romance, erotic romance, and straight-up erotica. My erotica typically promises a happy-for-now ending or better, but not always. I’ve written vanilla stuff and kinky stuff, menage and male/male and rape role-play, all kinds.

4. Where do you find your inspiration? Do you put yourself in your stories?

Usually, the hero comes first. Either a face will spring to mind, or a personality, or even something as simple as his job. Once I know who he is, I ponder what kind of woman would be both the best and worst partner for him, to make him confront his myriad issues (my heroes usually have a lot of issues, some of them clinically diagnosable.) Occasionally I’ll come up with the heroine first, but not typically. I don’t put myself in my stories…not consciously. I’m sure all of my heroines have a healthy dose of me in them, in their worldview or their sense of humor or their quirks and biases, and some more than others. But I’ve never modeled a heroine on myself, or anyone I’ve met, or someone else’s fictional character. They just show up on their own, chuck full of opinions.

5. Do you have a specific writing routine?

I do. I’ve been writing full-time for the past three years. Typically I try to sit down at the computer by 7:30, and unless I’m mired in editorial revisions, I write until lunchtime (with a break to go running, most days), banking 2,000 or 3,000 new words and smoothing over the previous session’s work. I self-edit as I go. I wish I could write straight through at break-neck speed as some authors can, but that’s not my process. Creatively I’m useless after about 1:00, so I switch to admin tasks or freelance design or real-life chores in the afternoon. Or sometimes I get sucked into a vortex of reality TV and wind up watching Hoarders on Netflix Instant Watcher until it’s time to make dinner.

6. Outliner or improviser? Fast or slow writer?

My answer is the same for either question—both. When I start a book, especially if it’s for Harlequin Blaze, a line with reader expectations I have to be mindful of meeting, I usually latch on to a basic story idea, figure out how the hero and heroine meet, and get writing. By the third or fourth chapter, I have to hit pause and figure out where the story is going to go, so I can get myself on track to wrap things up within the given word count. I hammer out how the book needs to end—who needs to be redeemed and how, what the essence of the black moment should be, how the characters need to change and what complications could spur that change—and then I get back to writing, with a bit more of a map. But I never know exactly what will happen. Finding out is half the fun, and it keeps me going, wanting to know what’s coming next. As for speed, it depends on the day. Some rare mornings I can bang out 4,000 words by ten o’clock without breaking a sweat. Other days I have to tweeze each and every word out of my brain like a splinter, and flick them onto the page in a nonsensical pile. Days like those, I’m lucky if I get 500 words written, and even luckier if half are salvageable. But most days are somewhere in between. Decent flow, moderate count, neither euphoric nor torturous, just enjoyable and challenging and steady.

7. Tell us about your latest book

The next book I have coming out, on August 29, is called Coercion.  It’s the first of the five Curio Vignettes, a series of short, follow-up novellas to my 2011 book Curio, which is about a virgin heroine and a Parisian male prostitute hero. This first sequel is a little kinky, and has the characters experimenting with forced seduction role-playing. Sort of quirky and atmospheric, romantic and filthy at once. I love writing those two characters. I’m in the middle of the fifth and final Vignette, and I’ll be sad when I say goodbye to Didier and Caroly. They have such interesting, off-beat views of sex and love and the world at large. It’s fun visiting inside their heads. And beds.

8. Indie publishing or traditional publishing – and why?

A mix of both. My first sale was to Ellora’s Cave, and I’ve now sold them about fifteen original books, plus some anthologies. I’ve had a great experience with them, and they let me write just about anything I want, theme-wise. Lots of creative freedom. I also write romance for Samhain, and enjoy a healthy combination of freedom and structure there, since romance has more boundaries than straight-up erotica. And Harlequin is the most challenging of all, as series romances need to conform enough to make good on the promises each line makes to its readership. But I enjoy the challenge. There’s still plenty of room to play within the line’s structure, and it makes me a more controlled, disciplined writer, coloring (mostly) inside the lines.

9. Any other projects in the pipeline?

Yes, lots! Between August and December, I’ll have a new Curio Vignette out each month. I also have a stand-alone Blaze out in January called The Wedding Fling, which is about a runaway B-list Hollywood bride and the unscrupulous pilot who flies her to a tropical island for her honeymoon getaway, sans groom. Then I have three more Blazes releasing as a series, with the first book, Making Him Sweat, out in March. Those take place between a matchmaking franchise and the boxing and MMA gym located right beneath it, in Boston’s Chinatown. Hopeless romantics and bruised, sweaty fighters in endless, unlikely combinations. In April I have a romantic novella out with Samhain, part of five-book series on the theme of “Strangers on a Train” with four of my favorite author friends. My story strands its heroine and hero in a subway station overnight in the dead of winter—romantic, huh? And I also have some other top-secret stuff in the works, but I can’t talk about it as of the time of this interview. Maybe by the time it posts, the cat will be out of the bag

10. What is your goal as a writer and what are you doing to achieve it?

Just to keep writing, keep getting better, keep evolving, and keep exploring new kinds of characters and stories and avoid boredom. It’s beyond my control to plan that I’ll make this list or that, or earn a certain amount as an advance, or be the next so-and-so. I can only control what stories I write, and whether or not I sit down each morning and get the words on the page… Though I would like to keep making enough money for this to stay a viable day job, since I’ve never been happier. Thank goodness I opened that blank Word doc, four years ago! I didn’t know what I was missing.

If you’d like a chance to win a copy of both Curio and Coercion, just say so in the comments, by noon EST on August 29! I’ll pick a random winner that afternoon. And if you’ve already read Curio, I’m happy to send it to a friend of your choosing instead, if you win.

Random Friday

Total randomness today. Wednesday was a hot and damp morning at 8am already and when I got on the bus to work, my legs started itching – darn tiger mosquitoes that had spared me all summer had had a feast on my legs while I waited for the bus! When I got to the office I threw cold water on both my legs and the itching eased a little. I have learned by now not to touch those mosquito bites or they become biiiiig red patches – still yesterday morning I could count them as they started itching again: 8 on the right leg, 2 on the left leg (some of each were brand new…ARGH!). Sigh. Will have to ignore them, but that’s another reason to hate the summer!

Before leaving for my vacation (I’ll be flying to NY tomorrow) I watched KANK again after a few years. That was my first Bollywood love, but busy discovering new titles, I hadn’t watched it in a while. But I remembered it being set in NY, so I decided it was worth another look. So, the rediscovery of KANK: oooh, at least 2 songs from other Karan Johar movies I hadn’t noticed when I first saw it (until I bought those movies, that is, LOL)! Oooh, Arjun Rampal – how could I NOT notice hottie him? OK, maybe I noticed him, but the appearance was too short to look up his name! And John Abraham and Kajol as guests!  I’m not saying it was a different movie, but it was kinda fun rediscovering it!

Now, I know I said I’d put the artworks on DeviantART from now on, but as this latest Caran d’Ache took me 4 hours (the longest in ages), I thought I’d parade it here. I usually do these in a couple of hours, depending on the size. But in this case I spent over one hour on the shirt and it took me way longer than usual to do the rest as well – because of those two details that never come out right because I never really learned to draw them: ears and teeth. Meh.

Anyway, I thought I’d reach the 100 “deviations” before my b-day, so I added a few more drawings. I put the illustrations I did for BoI – Air (most of which ended up in the book trailer) and tried to find recent works that fit the bill. I mean, some of those portraits are 30 years old, some took me way more than 4 hours (this was my record, 13 hours in 1985), and I put them there only in the hope of selling the art book. But I’d rather upload more recent works (new millennium).

Now I might add a few more when I get back, but I thought it was a little early to start showing off my science fantasy characters. I was thinking of using a cover artist, but maybe the project is going another way, so those drawings might be needed as covers – useless to show them off too early, know what I mean? So I added portraits just to reach that nice number 100. More illustrations to come before the end of the year!

One last bit – a post on piracy. OK, this refers to video games, but it applies to books and e-books as well. That’s why I don’t think piracy is a big problem. Whoever pirates everything would never pay for it and like Justin says, whoever does this is a thief, not a pirate.  Same for those who download free e-books, they’re not readers, they’re downloaders, hence the uselessness of too many free titles. They won’t bring you readers and attract the wrong kind of people…

I’m off for a couple of weeks, so replies to comments will be discontinued… don’t forget to check back on Sunday when I have a guest and a giveaway (I’ll try to moderate the comments while I’m away) and I hope next Friday to be able to do a post live from Chicon7! Have a great weekend!

Writer Wednesday

First announcement: new story up – actually new extended version with new cover. So if you already had bought the 99cents version (one copy sold, so one lucky person), you can now download the novella for the same price from Smashwords. If you’ve never done that, just go to the purchased book page and download the latest version!

Best of Friends is also available on Kindle and as it was pre-approved for Premium Distribution, you might find the updated version also on B&N (OK, maybe not yet – if you see the 99cents version, that’s the old one). As for Kobo, Sony and Apple, I’ve just requested the ISBN, so it’s still making its way there through the Smashwords distribution – my short stories don’t have an ISBN, but now that it’s a longer work I’ve added one.

Now, for the next two Wednesdays I won’t really be able to post, as I’ll be traveling, therefore I’m thinking of posting a short story in two parts. I guess it’s too late to ask for guest posts, so you’ll have to stick with my fiction! I’ll probably post one “Record of the Varian Empire” unedited – haven’t posted a free read in ages. But that’s also because I’m not sure if anyone is interested, LOL!

Another announcement… apparently Amazon India is live at last! I thought it was supposed to start last January… so there you have it, my Desi friends, go and buy BoI-Air and TSK 1 & 2! Just kidding… but I was looking forward to its opening. Although I’m afraid buying DVDs from there will cost me (mailing expenses) even more than from the US! OK, back to Amazon UK for those…

About interesting links – before I head off and skip reading blogs for 10 days or so. Blood Red Pencil on showing visceral reactions first. When I think of myself, I don’t think I’m immediately aware of my own visceral reactions to anything, but I understand what they mean. Will have to work those in more often.

More about what editors are for, and a fun post on LOTR written with other authors’ voices. Can’t say I appreciate them all, cause I haven’t read LOTR and have no idea of who many of those people are (but I did recognize the Gene Roddenberry style before reading the name, LOL! And of course George Lucas – that’s sci-fi to me…).

Two articles on publishing – Kris Rusch on royalty statements and Forbes about this brand new world of publishing. Now, next week I’ll happen to be in NY and I’ll spend one day in Manhattan… I really want to check that espresso book machine! Then I’ll be off to Chicon7 – and don’t forget I’ll be making a fool of myself at a couple of panels, so if you’re there, check the program for Barbara G.Tarn appearances.

I’ll probably go to the stroll with the stars as I love walking in the morning, and definitely the opening night at the Planetarium – which I already visited last time I was in Chicago, but I’d love to see it again on such a special night. So if you come to the con, you know where to find me!

Now back to writing! And drawing – as I’ll have to do without both for 10 days, YIKES! Just kidding, I won’t be drawing this week, so the latest artworks are from last weekend. See DeviantART gallery for details… Have a great week!

Happiness is…

Writer Wisdom Sunday

Every Sunday until December and unless I have a guest, I will share words of wisdom from writers on writing. Enjoy!

I’m relearning how to spit out the words and not care about self editing in the first draft. I’m relearning the joy of actually telling a story instead of fretting over sentence structure and description and pacing all before I even have the entire thing on paper once.

- author/blogger Loralee Hall

Everyone’s different. Don’t accept a process or technique just because someone tells you that you should, or because you think there’s one “right” way to be a writer.

Experiment, try different methods, but remember: Don’t try to be someone else. Just be you. Because after all, you’re the only you there is.

- Rachelle Gardner, literary agent

“Writing makes a person very vulnerable. It opens you to public criticism, to ridicule, to rejection. But it also opens conversation and thought. It stirs minds, and touches hearts. It brings us into contact with our souls. So how can it possibly be a waste of time, an idle act, a mistake, a betrayal of truth? Who can possibly tell us not to do it?”

~Joan Chittister, Order of Saint Benedict

What sick mixed messages this ambivalence about material success sends to creators. They are constantly told they are fools for being artists, doing work for the love. Then they are told they are fools for doing art for money. They are fools for not managing money well. Then they are told that artists are constitutionally incapable of handling money because they are foolish artists.

They are scorned for seeking out people they can trust to help them with that money, especially if they get robbed later. Robbed of money they should never have had in the first place, for if they were real artists, they wouldn’t have money. (…)

Creators are deified for dying broke and demonized for being successful.

Their worth as people and as artists has absolutely nothing to do with their money.

- Colleen Doran

To be an artist is to be brave. To be an artist is to have an idea or two and to pursue those ideas and to not be frightened by the possibility that people will think you’re an idiot. God knows that Picasso, Joyce, Beckett, Murdoch, Oates, Burroughs, Coatzee, Eliot, Lawrence, Naipul, Woolf, Faulkner, Porter, Stein, et alia have all been subject to ridicule but produced what they produced despite the criticism. So be brave, that’s all. Look inside for your inspiration, not at the bookshelves. Be brave and mighty enough to be yourself.

- author and blogger Scott G.F.Bailey at Literary Lab