Penelope Crowe's Blog, page 9
January 12, 2012
Can Reading Ever Be Bad?
Can we get so involved in books that our normal lives are compromised? Is reading always a good thing?
I'm not talking about getting hooked on a good title now and then, I'm wondering about people who read one book after another and sit home while others are out experiencing life.
Ahhh, you say, books ARE an experience. They take you places you may never see like the moon or Antarctica, let you experience things you don't want to like murders or disease or even the zombie apocalypse, and let you live a vicarious life that could otherwise get you in heaps of trouble.
But can we spend too much time in these other worlds? Does our everyday life pale in comparison to what we read, and does this make us less content? Or is every book an enhancement, a gorgeous distraction to an otherwise mundane existance.
I am interested in the fact that many doctors and psychotherapists say we are better off spending time outside and interacting with others to keep our spirits up. Physical activity works just as well at curing depression as anti-depresant medication. When people are blue they are told to accept invitations even if they do not want to get out and get involved with the world.
Reading is easy, and if we are feeling a bit sad or blue maybe we need to catch ourselves and put the books away for a while and get out of the house. (I am not trying to trivialize depression at ALL or imply that reading can cause depression.)
Please know I am not suggesting reading is bad, just playing devil's advocate because it is generally stated that reading is wonderful, and I usually agree.
I just keep thinking about the other side of the coin.
Physical activity and feeling good:
http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/mentalhealthinfo/treatments/exerciseandmentalhealth.aspx
Reading and feeling good:
http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/5-simple-yet-effective-feel-good-factors/
I'm not talking about getting hooked on a good title now and then, I'm wondering about people who read one book after another and sit home while others are out experiencing life.
Ahhh, you say, books ARE an experience. They take you places you may never see like the moon or Antarctica, let you experience things you don't want to like murders or disease or even the zombie apocalypse, and let you live a vicarious life that could otherwise get you in heaps of trouble.
But can we spend too much time in these other worlds? Does our everyday life pale in comparison to what we read, and does this make us less content? Or is every book an enhancement, a gorgeous distraction to an otherwise mundane existance.
I am interested in the fact that many doctors and psychotherapists say we are better off spending time outside and interacting with others to keep our spirits up. Physical activity works just as well at curing depression as anti-depresant medication. When people are blue they are told to accept invitations even if they do not want to get out and get involved with the world.
Reading is easy, and if we are feeling a bit sad or blue maybe we need to catch ourselves and put the books away for a while and get out of the house. (I am not trying to trivialize depression at ALL or imply that reading can cause depression.)
Please know I am not suggesting reading is bad, just playing devil's advocate because it is generally stated that reading is wonderful, and I usually agree.
I just keep thinking about the other side of the coin.
Physical activity and feeling good:
http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/mentalhealthinfo/treatments/exerciseandmentalhealth.aspx
Reading and feeling good:
http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/5-simple-yet-effective-feel-good-factors/
January 6, 2012
The Gorey Details
A friend recently asked me to draw a picture to be included in her book. The original drawing was a bit light, so I added some crosshatching to make it a bit more detailed and darker.
Happily she liked the results, and so did I.
The drawing reminded me of something, but I could not put my finger on it. I walked away to get the phone and when I came back it hit me...it reminded me of Edward Gorey.
Please do not think I am comparing my skills to the incredible skills of Mr. Gorey, but it was neat to see a bit of similarity in style. His work fascinated me since I was a kid when my Aunt Annie got his book AMPHIGOREY for Christmas one year. I was especially intrigued by the cartoons that were captioned in French thinking they must be especially terrible. I read that he has been compared to Poe and Tim Burton, or a combination of the two.
His work is dark, beautiful, and disturbing, and my parents worried that I liked him and the group KISS. The Bug Book was written just for kids, but lacked his dark edge, so it was not my favorite.
A favorite of mine was his alphabet book. These books were traditionally a happy and cheerful way for children to learn their A,B,C's. Gorey's version was dark and macabre and so far away from child-appropriate that it was glorious. Here is a sample:
A is for Amy who fell down the stairs--
B is for Basil assaulted by bears--
C is for Clara who wasted away--
D is for Desmond thrown out of a sleigh...
Bloody and dismal pictures graced every page.
You get the idea.
The aforementioned Amphigorey contains fifteen of his works, and is worthy of any library.
http://www.amazon.com/Amphigorey-Fifteen-Books-Edward-Gorey/dp/0399504338
So if you like dark, dismal, creepy, disturbing and wonderful--look for Edward Gorey. I am so glad I thought of him today. :)
A very nice blog that features Gorey's pictures up-close and creepy:
http://beyondtheblackgate.blogspot.com/2011/07/lazy-blog-post-edward-gorey.html
Goreyography:
http://www.goreyography.com/default.html
Happily she liked the results, and so did I.
The drawing reminded me of something, but I could not put my finger on it. I walked away to get the phone and when I came back it hit me...it reminded me of Edward Gorey.
Please do not think I am comparing my skills to the incredible skills of Mr. Gorey, but it was neat to see a bit of similarity in style. His work fascinated me since I was a kid when my Aunt Annie got his book AMPHIGOREY for Christmas one year. I was especially intrigued by the cartoons that were captioned in French thinking they must be especially terrible. I read that he has been compared to Poe and Tim Burton, or a combination of the two.
His work is dark, beautiful, and disturbing, and my parents worried that I liked him and the group KISS. The Bug Book was written just for kids, but lacked his dark edge, so it was not my favorite.
A favorite of mine was his alphabet book. These books were traditionally a happy and cheerful way for children to learn their A,B,C's. Gorey's version was dark and macabre and so far away from child-appropriate that it was glorious. Here is a sample:
A is for Amy who fell down the stairs--
B is for Basil assaulted by bears--
C is for Clara who wasted away--
D is for Desmond thrown out of a sleigh...
Bloody and dismal pictures graced every page.
You get the idea.
The aforementioned Amphigorey contains fifteen of his works, and is worthy of any library.
http://www.amazon.com/Amphigorey-Fifteen-Books-Edward-Gorey/dp/0399504338
So if you like dark, dismal, creepy, disturbing and wonderful--look for Edward Gorey. I am so glad I thought of him today. :)
A very nice blog that features Gorey's pictures up-close and creepy:
http://beyondtheblackgate.blogspot.com/2011/07/lazy-blog-post-edward-gorey.html
Goreyography:
http://www.goreyography.com/default.html
January 4, 2012
Day 10 of 100 Unfortunate Days
The narrator of 100 Unfortunate Days is on the verge of a breakthrough--or breakdown. She is opinionated, overwhelmed, and angry. She also has some very bright ideas. You can be the judge about her ideas on Day 10...
You can tell what kind of person someone is by the kind of pet they have. It is almost as accurate as a horoscope.Dogs—Anyone who likes dogs is a nice person. Anyone who likes owning a dog is an idiot. They also like things like cooking and having people over for Thanksgiving. They don't mind cleaning up and have a stronger stomach than others. They are afraid of the dark and of being alone. They believe in God and the Devil. They do not think much. They are matter-of-fact. They are dull.Cat—Cat people are selfish. They are either interesting or crazy. The more cats you have, the crazier you are. Unless you have outside mousers. They can also see different colors than your average person. They are either interested in fashion or witchcraft. They have a hidden affinity for the occult. Anyone who owns a cat is slightly influenced by the devil because cats are familiars of evil. If you wake up a cat-lover unexpectedly their eyes will glow.Fish—Fish owners are technical and possibly engineers or scientists. Or kids. Adults do not have fish unless they have a poor sex life. They can also be hard to figure out and slippery characters. Doctor's and dentist's offices do not apply here.Lizards—People who like lizards like guns—and maybe knives. They may have or want to get tattoos. They think they're special and do not care much about getting sick. They are loners and have good hearing. They may have more facial hair than average. They may drive a truck.Birds—Bird owners either have no feelings or feel too much. Men who like birds that talk have the same type of issues as men who like ventriloquist dummies. Women who like birds like flowers and fancy themselves as better than everyone else. Sometimes they are right. Bird owners have a higher IQ than the general public.Hamsters, gerbils and mice—These pets are usually for kids. No comment on the kids that own them. Adults that own them are weird.Rats—People who own rats think they are very interesting. They think people look at them in awe and wonder how they can make their rat act so nice—even if the rat is not nice. They usually have some piercings or tattoos, like lizard people, and like heavy metal music and dress in black.Ferrets—Owning a ferret usually means you are devious and a bit snippy. Sometimes very snippy. You are a bit of an oddball. You don't like to read very much. You like TV. And you get the TV Guide delivered to your house—that kind of counts as a book.Horses—People that own horses think they are free spirits and in touch with the earth. They may be rich, or are trying to act rich. They like to be the center of attention and may have big teeth and big smiles. They own too many cars and don't mind traveling a far distance to get a good cup of coffee.Snakes—There is just something wrong with people who have snakes for pets. Especially poisonous ones. And now you are going to read this and get mad that I said there is something wrong with you. If there wasn't anything wrong with you, you would just ignore that statement.Bugs, spiders, cockroaches and the like—Just like snakes. Something wrong with you.There are people with no pets at all. They are probably the smartest people.
(Please know these are not my true opinions. I actually love animals, and usually, their owners...)
You can tell what kind of person someone is by the kind of pet they have. It is almost as accurate as a horoscope.Dogs—Anyone who likes dogs is a nice person. Anyone who likes owning a dog is an idiot. They also like things like cooking and having people over for Thanksgiving. They don't mind cleaning up and have a stronger stomach than others. They are afraid of the dark and of being alone. They believe in God and the Devil. They do not think much. They are matter-of-fact. They are dull.Cat—Cat people are selfish. They are either interesting or crazy. The more cats you have, the crazier you are. Unless you have outside mousers. They can also see different colors than your average person. They are either interested in fashion or witchcraft. They have a hidden affinity for the occult. Anyone who owns a cat is slightly influenced by the devil because cats are familiars of evil. If you wake up a cat-lover unexpectedly their eyes will glow.Fish—Fish owners are technical and possibly engineers or scientists. Or kids. Adults do not have fish unless they have a poor sex life. They can also be hard to figure out and slippery characters. Doctor's and dentist's offices do not apply here.Lizards—People who like lizards like guns—and maybe knives. They may have or want to get tattoos. They think they're special and do not care much about getting sick. They are loners and have good hearing. They may have more facial hair than average. They may drive a truck.Birds—Bird owners either have no feelings or feel too much. Men who like birds that talk have the same type of issues as men who like ventriloquist dummies. Women who like birds like flowers and fancy themselves as better than everyone else. Sometimes they are right. Bird owners have a higher IQ than the general public.Hamsters, gerbils and mice—These pets are usually for kids. No comment on the kids that own them. Adults that own them are weird.Rats—People who own rats think they are very interesting. They think people look at them in awe and wonder how they can make their rat act so nice—even if the rat is not nice. They usually have some piercings or tattoos, like lizard people, and like heavy metal music and dress in black.Ferrets—Owning a ferret usually means you are devious and a bit snippy. Sometimes very snippy. You are a bit of an oddball. You don't like to read very much. You like TV. And you get the TV Guide delivered to your house—that kind of counts as a book.Horses—People that own horses think they are free spirits and in touch with the earth. They may be rich, or are trying to act rich. They like to be the center of attention and may have big teeth and big smiles. They own too many cars and don't mind traveling a far distance to get a good cup of coffee.Snakes—There is just something wrong with people who have snakes for pets. Especially poisonous ones. And now you are going to read this and get mad that I said there is something wrong with you. If there wasn't anything wrong with you, you would just ignore that statement.Bugs, spiders, cockroaches and the like—Just like snakes. Something wrong with you.There are people with no pets at all. They are probably the smartest people.
(Please know these are not my true opinions. I actually love animals, and usually, their owners...)
January 2, 2012
Selfish or Not? My Own Wishes
I was thinking of my New Year's resolutions and things I would like to do differently in 2012. I was thinking how I could be a better person and what I could do for others. I was also thinking what I would wish for in 2012.
Of course I would like world peace, and an end to disease and hunger. I wish for those things without even thinking any more.
But I found myself thinking in a new direction this New Year's eve. I had my eyes screwed shut and I was wishing like a five year old right before blowing out the candles on a birthday cake. I wanted stuff for ME.
I thought of a bigger house, a very sparkly pair of diamond hoop earrings, and a never-ending pass to a spa for pedicures and massages. I want my son to do wonderfully in school, to have a peaceful relationship with my husband, to have a successful writing career, and my pets to vanish. While we are at it, I would love someone to cook for me.
I am not a terrible person, it just felt so good to think about myself for a change. And I let myself revel about this without feeling guilty. It was great.
I pondered this for a while. I still want the bigger picture--no more war and hunger and pain, but maybe I will put my own wishes back in the picture just a little bit. I think it is OK to conjure up some of that five year old magic for ourselves sometimes.
What would be your three wishes?
Of course I would like world peace, and an end to disease and hunger. I wish for those things without even thinking any more.
But I found myself thinking in a new direction this New Year's eve. I had my eyes screwed shut and I was wishing like a five year old right before blowing out the candles on a birthday cake. I wanted stuff for ME.
I thought of a bigger house, a very sparkly pair of diamond hoop earrings, and a never-ending pass to a spa for pedicures and massages. I want my son to do wonderfully in school, to have a peaceful relationship with my husband, to have a successful writing career, and my pets to vanish. While we are at it, I would love someone to cook for me.
I am not a terrible person, it just felt so good to think about myself for a change. And I let myself revel about this without feeling guilty. It was great.
I pondered this for a while. I still want the bigger picture--no more war and hunger and pain, but maybe I will put my own wishes back in the picture just a little bit. I think it is OK to conjure up some of that five year old magic for ourselves sometimes.
What would be your three wishes?
December 31, 2011
Just a New Year's Wish
I hope that everyone has a happy, safe, and healthy New Year.
I hope all your wishes come true.
Love,
Penelope
I hope all your wishes come true.
Love,
Penelope
December 29, 2011
Mr. Kris, My Dad, and First Editions--A True Story
My short story, Henry and Greta, is a modern take on Hansel and Gretel, with a Christmas twist thrown in for Kim Koning's Holiday Hop contest.
I wanted to write a modern fairy tale...I wanted it to be magic.
In the story the mysterious Mr. Kris with his eight barking dogs has a book store in the Waldorf Astoria. He has a journal from DaVinci, and the first editions of Dracula by Bram Stoker and Animal Farm by George Orwell. Ahhhh...to have such a bookstore...
And back to real life...
The day after Christmas my doorbell rang. I told my smiling dad to come in. He handed me a bag. I removed two carefully wrapped books--Dracula by Bram Stoker and Animal Farm by George Orwell. Touched that he read my story, I thanked him. Then he told me they were both first editions...
Really?! Come on...
I asked him where he got them, and when. He told me he has had them for a while, and thought I would like them...
I LOVE them.
I think the story DOES have a little magic...
Please read my story, Henry and Greta at Kim Koning's blog.
http://dragonflyscrolls.wordpress.com/2011/12/25/holidayhop-welcomes-penelope-crowe-last-chance-to-win-some-prizesenter-now/
Thanks Dad :)
I wanted to write a modern fairy tale...I wanted it to be magic.
In the story the mysterious Mr. Kris with his eight barking dogs has a book store in the Waldorf Astoria. He has a journal from DaVinci, and the first editions of Dracula by Bram Stoker and Animal Farm by George Orwell. Ahhhh...to have such a bookstore...
And back to real life...
The day after Christmas my doorbell rang. I told my smiling dad to come in. He handed me a bag. I removed two carefully wrapped books--Dracula by Bram Stoker and Animal Farm by George Orwell. Touched that he read my story, I thanked him. Then he told me they were both first editions...
Really?! Come on...
I asked him where he got them, and when. He told me he has had them for a while, and thought I would like them...
I LOVE them.
I think the story DOES have a little magic...
Please read my story, Henry and Greta at Kim Koning's blog.
http://dragonflyscrolls.wordpress.com/2011/12/25/holidayhop-welcomes-penelope-crowe-last-chance-to-win-some-prizesenter-now/
Thanks Dad :)
December 27, 2011
WINNERS!
Thank you for all the funny, amazing, creative, and just great entries to the contest here at As the Crowe Flies for the Holiday Hop!
First--Santa's Backup reindeer.
The winning name was given by Barbara Battaglia. She chose BRUCE. Why? She said, "I just picture this massive, muscular, bad ass..."Hey, someone call for a backup..." and then Bruce walks out through a haze of smoke to save the...night." Too fun! That changes things up a bit!
The new Christmas classic will be written by Shannon J. for her story titled:
COOKIES FOR KRIS KRINGLE and would feature "a spunky baker who's lucky in business but not so lucky in love. Until she becomes infatuated with a young, hunky shopping center Santa and starts baking cookies for him, delivered anonymously by a mall runner. Can she find love during the hectic holiday season? And then there is a zombie outbreak and baker chick being holed up in the mall fighting the undead with bags of flour and metal spatulas."
Congratulations! Hope you enjoy your $25 gift cards!
I also want to send copies of the book Vampires! to the runners-up:
Jessica McHugh for her story idea: "North Pole Soul", and it would be about a band of Elves who play the blues and long to be world famous musicians.
Meghan Page for naming Santa's backup reindeer Control S. (Get it?)
And because I love all things dark, even during Christmas, I have some dark honorable mentions:
jersey girl for her story "Slashing through the Snow" - about a family that is hijacked by an evil serial killer while en route to visit grandma for the holidays.
Anthony J Rapino for his "dark Christmas classic entitled, *Night of the Pine* wherein all evergreens pull themselves free of their root systems and lead an attack on the North Pole. That jolly tyrant Santa Claus must be punished for heading the largest conifer genocide in the history of the world!"
Julie Jansen would write "Frosty Frankenstein" about a snow-monster constructed by an evil child scientist.
And last but not least, Craig Smith would write "Toe Smashers, about renegade elves that go around smashing people's toes with little hammers if they are naughty." Weird I know! It was great to know there are others around who share my penchant for all things dark. :)
Thank you, thank you for your entries! Congratulations to all the winners! :) I wish you all the best during this holiday season and the New Year! XO
First--Santa's Backup reindeer.
The winning name was given by Barbara Battaglia. She chose BRUCE. Why? She said, "I just picture this massive, muscular, bad ass..."Hey, someone call for a backup..." and then Bruce walks out through a haze of smoke to save the...night." Too fun! That changes things up a bit!
The new Christmas classic will be written by Shannon J. for her story titled:
COOKIES FOR KRIS KRINGLE and would feature "a spunky baker who's lucky in business but not so lucky in love. Until she becomes infatuated with a young, hunky shopping center Santa and starts baking cookies for him, delivered anonymously by a mall runner. Can she find love during the hectic holiday season? And then there is a zombie outbreak and baker chick being holed up in the mall fighting the undead with bags of flour and metal spatulas."
Congratulations! Hope you enjoy your $25 gift cards!
I also want to send copies of the book Vampires! to the runners-up:
Jessica McHugh for her story idea: "North Pole Soul", and it would be about a band of Elves who play the blues and long to be world famous musicians.
Meghan Page for naming Santa's backup reindeer Control S. (Get it?)
And because I love all things dark, even during Christmas, I have some dark honorable mentions:
jersey girl for her story "Slashing through the Snow" - about a family that is hijacked by an evil serial killer while en route to visit grandma for the holidays.
Anthony J Rapino for his "dark Christmas classic entitled, *Night of the Pine* wherein all evergreens pull themselves free of their root systems and lead an attack on the North Pole. That jolly tyrant Santa Claus must be punished for heading the largest conifer genocide in the history of the world!"
Julie Jansen would write "Frosty Frankenstein" about a snow-monster constructed by an evil child scientist.
And last but not least, Craig Smith would write "Toe Smashers, about renegade elves that go around smashing people's toes with little hammers if they are naughty." Weird I know! It was great to know there are others around who share my penchant for all things dark. :)
Thank you, thank you for your entries! Congratulations to all the winners! :) I wish you all the best during this holiday season and the New Year! XO
December 26, 2011
The Day After
*Sigh*
Christmas is one day behind us, and the fun of family, food and presents a joyful memory.
BUT! Today I will choose the winners of the As the Crowe Flies contests--and it will not be easy. The entires were amazing, and I wish I could put them in Random.org to figure the winner, or ask someone else to choose for me--but alas, the task is mine. I wish I had more prizes to give.
I will the announce the two winners this afternoon and enter the names to the grand prize drawing for the Kindle Fire. :) Thanks again everyone--reading all the entries made my holiday even more special, they were wonderful.
Christmas is one day behind us, and the fun of family, food and presents a joyful memory.
BUT! Today I will choose the winners of the As the Crowe Flies contests--and it will not be easy. The entires were amazing, and I wish I could put them in Random.org to figure the winner, or ask someone else to choose for me--but alas, the task is mine. I wish I had more prizes to give.
I will the announce the two winners this afternoon and enter the names to the grand prize drawing for the Kindle Fire. :) Thanks again everyone--reading all the entries made my holiday even more special, they were wonderful.
December 19, 2011
Holiday Hop Fun!
Happy Holidays everyone, and welcome to the Holiday Hop!
During this magical time of year it is lovely to visit with dear ones, and make some new friends along the way. :) After your visit here, make sure you click the HOP BUTTON---------------------------------> and stop by and see other author's blogs for wonderful holiday prizes, fun contests, and of course some good reading.
I have two simple contests. Please answer questions in comments below:
1. If Santa had a back-up reindeer in case one needed a break, what would he or she be named, and-
2. If you could write the next Christmas or holiday classic, what would be the title, and briefly, what would it be about?
One winner will get a $25 Amazon card and the other a $25 Barnes and Nobel card. You can enter either contest or both! These two winners will then be put in a grand prize drawing for a KINDLE FIRE!
If you would like a copy of one of my books, 100 Unfortunate Days, the very dark memoir, The Moon is No Place for a Ghost, fun kid's book or short bloody story Absorbed, please tell me what title you prefer in the comments, and leave me your email address.
Have a delightful holiday and Happy Hopping!!
During this magical time of year it is lovely to visit with dear ones, and make some new friends along the way. :) After your visit here, make sure you click the HOP BUTTON---------------------------------> and stop by and see other author's blogs for wonderful holiday prizes, fun contests, and of course some good reading.
I have two simple contests. Please answer questions in comments below:
1. If Santa had a back-up reindeer in case one needed a break, what would he or she be named, and-
2. If you could write the next Christmas or holiday classic, what would be the title, and briefly, what would it be about?
One winner will get a $25 Amazon card and the other a $25 Barnes and Nobel card. You can enter either contest or both! These two winners will then be put in a grand prize drawing for a KINDLE FIRE!
If you would like a copy of one of my books, 100 Unfortunate Days, the very dark memoir, The Moon is No Place for a Ghost, fun kid's book or short bloody story Absorbed, please tell me what title you prefer in the comments, and leave me your email address.
Have a delightful holiday and Happy Hopping!!
December 18, 2011
Welcome Ashley Fontainne!
Please welcome Ashley Fontainne to As the Crowe Flies!
Please tell me about your book.Accountable to None is a classic tale of revenge with a modern twist. Full of suspense and intrigue, you journey with the heroine, Audra Tanner, as she seeks out and finds personal justice against everyone that has hurt her.When and why did you start writing?Every since I was young, I found solace in writing, mostly through poems and short stories. These, of course, were only shared with friends and family members. However, after taking a Creative Writing course in college, I found my passion!What inspires you?Human behavior, good and bad, when faced with monumental decisions.Are you working on anything now?Yes, I am currently working on the sequel to Accountable to None, entitled "Zero Balance." It begins nine months later where Accountable to None left off.Is there anything you do NOT like about being a writer?The only wish I have right now is that it could be my fulltime career!What do you think of the ebook revolution?It has been a wonderful journey for me! Initially, I went the traditional route and sent out dozens of query letters to literary agents and publishing houses and grew tired of the cookie-cutter rejections, so I did a bit of research into Amazon's Kindle publishing program and decided to try that route. That was in April of 2011 and since then, I signed with World Castle Publishing. Accountable to None will be re-released in paperback in 2012 worldwide through them.How do you see your writing career in five years?In five years, I hope to be a household name!Is there anything you will NOT write about?I enjoy reading suspense/thriller novels, which is probably why I tend to write that way. The only genre I don't see myself ever penning a novel in is SciFi.
Please tell us about any ups and downs in your writing career so far.Writing the novel was the easy part. Marketing it, not so much. That has proven to be my biggest challenge as I still hold a fulltime job and attend college fulltime. My poor husband (bless his soul, he is a Godsend!) must watch me Tweet, Blog and Facebook at night!Do you have any suggestions to people who might be considering writing as a career?If writing is your passion, then DO IT! Don't let the big publishing houses drag you down. In today's world through the ebook revolution, you can do it on your own!
Facebook personal page:
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002323213303&ref=tn_tnmn
Facebook fan page - ATN:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Accountable-to-None/199466916762750
Twitter: @AshleyFontainne
Website: www.ashleyfontainne.com
Blog: http://ramblingsofamadsouthernwoman.blogspot.com/
Book trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHEYq5hCSl0
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Accountable-None-Ms-Ashley-Fontainne/dp/1466453281/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1323182266&sr=8-1
Barnes&Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/accountable-to-none-ashley-fontainne/1103738587?ean=2940012946683&itm=1&usri=accountable+to+none
Please tell me about your book.Accountable to None is a classic tale of revenge with a modern twist. Full of suspense and intrigue, you journey with the heroine, Audra Tanner, as she seeks out and finds personal justice against everyone that has hurt her.When and why did you start writing?Every since I was young, I found solace in writing, mostly through poems and short stories. These, of course, were only shared with friends and family members. However, after taking a Creative Writing course in college, I found my passion!What inspires you?Human behavior, good and bad, when faced with monumental decisions.Are you working on anything now?Yes, I am currently working on the sequel to Accountable to None, entitled "Zero Balance." It begins nine months later where Accountable to None left off.Is there anything you do NOT like about being a writer?The only wish I have right now is that it could be my fulltime career!What do you think of the ebook revolution?It has been a wonderful journey for me! Initially, I went the traditional route and sent out dozens of query letters to literary agents and publishing houses and grew tired of the cookie-cutter rejections, so I did a bit of research into Amazon's Kindle publishing program and decided to try that route. That was in April of 2011 and since then, I signed with World Castle Publishing. Accountable to None will be re-released in paperback in 2012 worldwide through them.How do you see your writing career in five years?In five years, I hope to be a household name!Is there anything you will NOT write about?I enjoy reading suspense/thriller novels, which is probably why I tend to write that way. The only genre I don't see myself ever penning a novel in is SciFi.
Please tell us about any ups and downs in your writing career so far.Writing the novel was the easy part. Marketing it, not so much. That has proven to be my biggest challenge as I still hold a fulltime job and attend college fulltime. My poor husband (bless his soul, he is a Godsend!) must watch me Tweet, Blog and Facebook at night!Do you have any suggestions to people who might be considering writing as a career?If writing is your passion, then DO IT! Don't let the big publishing houses drag you down. In today's world through the ebook revolution, you can do it on your own!
Facebook personal page:
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002323213303&ref=tn_tnmn
Facebook fan page - ATN:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Accountable-to-None/199466916762750
Twitter: @AshleyFontainne
Website: www.ashleyfontainne.com
Blog: http://ramblingsofamadsouthernwoman.blogspot.com/
Book trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHEYq5hCSl0
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Accountable-None-Ms-Ashley-Fontainne/dp/1466453281/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1323182266&sr=8-1
Barnes&Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/accountable-to-none-ashley-fontainne/1103738587?ean=2940012946683&itm=1&usri=accountable+to+none
Penelope Crowe's Blog
- Penelope Crowe's profile
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