Mary Castillo's Blog: News from Mary Castillo, page 26
September 23, 2011
How to Run a Bookstore – BusinessWeek
"So if you really want to sell something, jumble it up and pitch it on the floor."
via How to Run a Bookstore – BusinessWeek.
Dear Authors:
I first learned this principle from Rueben Martinez when I signed Hot Tamara in the Libreria Martinez tent at the LA Times Books Festival. If you really want to sell your signed books, make a mess of them and readers can't resist.
Cheers,
Mary
Filed under: Mary's Not-so-secret Diary, The Biz
September 12, 2011
September 8, 2011
In My Face
Image via Wikipedia
I arranged my day so that I could watch Oprah on Facebook Live during my lunch. Never mind that I had two press releases, a byline and a media plan on all burners; its been too long since I had my Oprah time!
After getting my fix – she's a great mimic, isn't she? – I went back to work on a press release that frankly was putting me to sleep. But then I had an aha moment. I realized it was putting me to sleep because I wasn't paying attention to it. Rather, I was paying to attention to my thoughts about how boring it was, how no reporter would care, blah blah blah.
And its not just press releases that inspire this distraction; I do this when I'm writing or editing my books, playing with my kid or making out with my husband. Rather than paying attention to what is literally right in front of me, I'm paying attention to the thoughts that the writing sucks, I don't have time to play and I've been making out with my husband since we were kids in college.
Karen Maezen Miller wrote, "Attention is the most concrete expression of love. What you pay attention to thrives. What you do not pay attention to withers and dies."
If you ever attend one of her retreats, she likes to have us hold out our hands in front of us and wiggle our fingers. The first time I did this I wondered if this is what Buddhists did instead of standing up, kneeling down, sitting and then doing it all over again during mass. But it's just a Karen thing and a very wise thing since I've now attended two of her retreats and even dragged my bestie along.
Wiggling my fingers before my face is a reminder to pay attention to what is, rather than what should or what could or what might happen.
As I wonder how to end this, all I can think of is to thank my teachers, Oprah and Karen and even the boring press release because all of these encounters woke me up to the necessity of attention.
Filed under: News
Reading: Why I Broke Up With My Best Friend
All of my books – especially Switchcraft in which Nely & Aggie literally walk in each other's shoes – explore this idea we have of best friends. We go through life arm-in-arm with that one special person who knows your secrets and likes you in spite of them. Your best friend always takes your side with evil bosses, bad-for-you boyfriends and mean girls. Your best friend is the family member you got to pick when we seem to be saddled with our biological relations.
But the reality is that so few of us have or get to keep that person. Many of us find that friendship is like not Sex and the City where the fab four meet for breakfast to dish about sexcapades and fashion.
Elin Hilderbrand writes a truthful and poignant essay about breaking up with her best friend and the hope she has of rekindling that friendship.
Do you think the idea of the best friend is possible? Or is it a fantasy? My conclusion at this time is that friendship is just like life in that it is always changing. As long as there is no anger or judgment, then there is always possibility.
Filed under: News, Reading
September 7, 2011
eBookNewser – The First Word on Digital Publishing
"According to a new report from Simba Information, physical bookstores help drive eBook sales."
eBookNewser – The First Word on Digital Publishing.
Filed under: eBook News
September 6, 2011
Reading: Creative Writing Now Editing Fiction
It's cool when someone says something or I find an article that speaks to what I'm doing.
"…focus on being genuine and pulling out the best from yourself. Of course, you're also writing for your reader, but you will serve your reader best by writing for yourself."
Check out this great article on Creative Writing Now
Filed under: News
August 4, 2011
It's National Book Week!
from Art.com
It's National Book Week! The rules: Grab the closest book to you. Go to page 56. Copy the 5th sentence as your status. Don't mention the book. Also post these rules as part of your status.
"And as the Master poured, I would be reminded
That all I know of life and myself is that
We are just a midair flight of golden wine
Between His Pitcher and His Cup"
Filed under: News
August 2, 2011
Who would win: Copperfield vs Potter?
Now that I think about it, J.K. could whip the two of them into their time-out chairs.
David Copperfield vs Harry Potter
Filed under: News
June 28, 2011
15 Ways to Practice Good Citizenry at a Writer's Conference
from Art.com
This list was inspired by Karen Maezen Miller.
Say hello to the person seated next to you at a workshop. Wish them a great conference at the end of the session.
Hold open the door for others. Smile as they pass through.
Do not comment on someone's weird outfit or unkept hair.
Do not judge the unpleasant, grumpy lady in the third row who hogs up the Q&A with obvious questions. The reaction she gets from the agent or editor on the panel may tell you whether you want to work with that person or not.
Be patient with the volunteers working at the conference. Look them in the eye and thank them.
Breathe while you wait in the long, slow line for your favorite author. Send patience to the one complaining.
Strike up a conversation with a random stranger. Offer to listen to their pitch and wish them well and then say a prayer for their good fortune.
When you sit down for your pitch appointment, look the agent or editor in the eye and smile. It might be the first genuine smile she or he has seen at the conference.
Ask her or him about their trip, tell them how much you enjoyed their author's book (if you truly did) and thank them for their time.
Welcome your nervousness and fear. Embrace it like a child who woke up from a bad dream.
Do not envy the best selling author in the Armani suit and glittering diamonds. She's probably hauling a heavy burden.
At the booksigning, go to the author no one has ever heard of and everyone walks by. Buy her book, read it and email her a congratulations.
Do not let competition and jealousy into your head. They make terrible guests.
Thank the award winners and don't think you deserved it more than she or he did.
Write thank you's to the conference committee, the people you met and the presenters you enjoyed.
Filed under: Mary's Not-so-secret Diary
May 30, 2011
A writer's life for me!
This is the current state of my WIP, The Guy Upstairs.
Most of these chapters are from various incarnations of the book. Some have been edited and put aside; while others have yet to be spell-checked. Many have reached a dead end and will be hacked into pieces and dispersed to other parts of the story. Maybe one will be copied and pasted but I highly doubt it.
Whereas my husband sees a mess (he's a screenwriter and doesn't have to worry about prose or internal monologues that slow the pacing – that's what soundtracks and actors are for), I see hope that there will be a finished manuscript with a logical, three-act structure and a satisfying ending. Although there might not be any room left for a sexy scene. Sorry Grandma.
Filed under: Mary's Books, The Guy Upstairs
