Alexandra Bogdanovic's Blog: That's life... - Posts Tagged "alexandra-bogdanovic"

So now that I've been home for a couple of months, I'm getting serious about doing the research for my second book. Really serious. I mean it.
To that end, I spent a few hours at the New York Public Library yesterday. I went there to find some books about Yugoslav history, and while perusing the shelves in one of the third floor research rooms I hit the mother lode.
In three large tomes, I found valuable information about Yugoslav history spanning hundreds of years. I also found information about politics, government, culture and education.
To date, I've gotten plenty of information about communism, socialism, past and present ethnic conflicts from my family, but I'm hoping to gain some additional insight from the library books.
In coming weeks, I'll continue my legwork at the New York Public Library and elsewhere. I'll also begin synthesizing the information in notes and outlines.
From there, I'll probably turn my attention to character and plot development.
Once that's all done, I'll finally be to start on the first draft of the novel based on my father's life.
So for those of you who may be wondering when my next book will be coming out, I can't honestly say yet.
But to keep myself on track, I'll be providing you with weekly updates in my blog. That way, you'll get some insight into the writing process from start to finish.
I hope you enjoy it. It should be a fun ride!
Until next time, "That's life..."

For some reason I can't set foot in the New York Public Library without thinking about Ghostbusters -- but that's aside from the point.
I was back at my favorite haunt last night, and even though the visit was unplanned, it was productive. In fact, I found and photocopied material from three more books detailing Yugoslav history. It took a couple of hours to find and copy everything I wanted, and as I look at the growing stack of research material on my desk I cringe when I think about how many trees were sacrificed for the cause.
To be honest, I'm starting to feel more than a little overwhelmed by this research project. The subject is dense, and it seems the more I find, the more questions I have and the more confused I get.
So I think it's time to stop gathering material and start sifting through what I've already found. I suppose I'll start making outlines and timelines and take it from there. In any case, the bottom line is, that until I not only understand the history of my father's homeland, but feel confident enough to write about it with some authority, I simply can't begin to think about character or plot development.
What about you? How do you go about doing research for your own books. Do you take a methodical approach or fly be the seat of your pants?
I'm eager to hear what you think.
Until next time, "That's life..."

There are times when being a journalist has its advantages, and at the risk of tooting my own horn, I think this morning was definitely one of them.
You see, I had an interview with News Director Tony Savino on WGCH, 1490 AM in Greenwich. As I expected, we discussed my book, "Truth Be Told: Adam Becomes Audrey." But because of the way I pitched the interview request, I wasn't sure going into the studio if that was all he was going to ask me about.
So I did what any good reporter would do. I did my homework. I re-read articles about the Employment Non Discrimination Act (ENDA), federal legislation passed by the senate earlier this month. I read articles about the Transgender Day of Remembrance (held annually on Nov. 20) and I reviewed terminology and statistics included in my own book. I took notes on the potential talking points and memorized everything. I asked my mom to help me review everything before I left the house.
Even though it turned out that Tony and I didn't talk about anything other than my story, the effort was worthwhile because radio is tricky. Unless there is an entire program devoted to a given topic, interviews are typically very short. In this case, I had just eight minutes to share my message, story and brand. And because the interview was live, I couldn't afford to stumble or fumble a question; there were no "do-overs."
Even though I was a little bit nervous beforehand, being prepared helped put me at ease once once I was in the proverbial hot seat. More importantly, it allowed me to articulate my message in a clear, concise and professional manner.
I can't stress how much proper preparation will help you, too. After all the hard work you put in to landing that elusive print, radio or TV interview, you've got to make the most of it.
Do you want more tips about how to deal with the media? Leave a comment for me and I'll definitely respond.
Until next time, "That's life..."

Ok, I admit it. I'm hardly breaking new ground here. It's Thanksgiving and a lot of people will write about all of the things for which they are grateful. But I just can't resist the temptation to do the same.
So as an author, here's my list of the top ten things for which I'm most grateful:
10. All of the wonderful people I've met online and elsewhere while promoting my book.
9. All of the people who have taken an interest in my work and provided the platforms on which to share it.
8. All of the people who encouraged me to write "Truth Be Told: Adam Becomes Audrey."
7. My publisher for taking a chance on an unknown author and providing continued support.
6. The incredibly talented people who designed my book cover and book trailer; you guys rock!
5. My "boys." -- You guys know who you are.
4. God-given talent and the time to nurture it.
3. My mom; you are and always will be my hero. I love you.
2. Adversity. Without it, you never appreciate the good times and you never grow.
1. Freedom -- specifically the freedom to share my story, to write it as I see fit without fear of censorship or other recrimination.
God Bless America and happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
Until next time, "That's life..."

Oops. I made a big boo-boo.
Last week, I shared my top ten list of things for which I am most grateful as an author. But soon after I finished writing, I realized that I forgot to include a very important group of people -- my readers.
While there's no excuse for such an egregious omission, perhaps it's understandable. After all, there's so much for authors to do; writing, revising, rewriting, finding an agent, getting an editor and landing a publishing deal or navigating the labyrinths of self-publishing. Then there's marketing, marketing, marketing, social networking ...and more marketing.
It's way too easy to get caught up in the madness, and way too easy to forget why we've chosen such a hard road in the first place. Are we doing it all for ourselves? For our friends and families? Are we doing it for catharsis? To help others? To educate, inform or entertain? In pursuit of our dreams? For fame or fortune?
To be sure, our reasons for writing, or more accurately, our reasons for becoming published authors, are vast and varied. But truth be told, without the people who are kind and generous enough to read our work, none of it really matters.
So to all of the people who have chosen to read my book, and those who support indie authors in general, I extend my heartfelt thanks and best wishes for safe and joyous holidays.
Until next time, "That's life..."

Okay, I confess. I'm stuck. I can't get it in gear. The wheels are spinning and I'm going nowhere fast. I'm...well I'm sure you get the point.
Truth be told, I've got a lot of writing to do in the next few days -- so much that it's hard to decide where or how to start. First there are the artist's statements and pitches for local photo exhibits. Then I've got to write a proposal strong enough to convince the chairman of the the Sociology and Anthropology Department at my Alma mater to let me talk to his students about my book.
On top of that, I decided to enter a prestigious short story contest sponsored by a large daily newspaper -- and the deadline is a mere six weeks away. That's six weeks to come up with an idea, create a viable plot and realistic characters, put everything on paper, wrap it up and then do the fine tuning. Oh, did I mention entries are restricted to fiction and there's a maximum word count? It's 9,000 words.
For some of you, that may not seem like much of a challenge. But for me, it's daunting. As a journalist and a memoir writer, I'm used to writing about real life and true experiences; fiction is an entirely different animal.
How do you juggle your priorities when it comes to writing? Which style do you prefer, fiction or non-fiction? Which comes easier to you and why?
For all of you fiction writers, what inspires you? How do you craft your plot and characters?
Drop me a note and let me know. I'll definitely respond.
Until next time, "That's life..."

So I'm getting off to a late start this week, but there's a very good reason for that.
This morning, I went up to New Haven for a meeting with some intensely cool people. They all work with an organization called NeighborWorks New Horizons. Collectively, they engage in neighborhood revitalization and provide safe, affordable housing for qualified citizens.
Now, you may be wondering if this has anything to do with writing. It does. Over the next few weeks, I'll be helping them share their message by doing interviews and writing stories that can be used in marketing campaigns and related material.
What's in it for me? Absolutely nothing. Well, nothing in terms of payment, at any rate. I am happily doing this on a volunteer basis. I'm doing it to help others -- to give back to the community. I'm doing it because I want my writing to matter. I've always wanted it to matter -- and I've always figured that if something I write helps even one person, if it changes their life in some small way, or makes them stop and think about something, I've done my job.
I found out about this opportunity through an awesome organization called Catchafire. It matches volunteers who have specific skills with organizations that need those skills.
As writers, we have a very valuable skill. I urge you to find a way to share it -- even if you only have a little bit of time.
With that, Happy Holidays everybody. And until next time, "That's life..."

Phew. Christmas and all of the associated craziness is over. As usual, it seems as if it came and went in the blink of an eye.
Now there are just a few days in which to take stock of 2013 and prepare to welcome 2014. Like so many of you, I'm doing so by making a mental list of everything I've accomplished this year, and setting goals for 2014.
Thankfully, this year is ending on a high note. Earlier this week, I learned that "Truth Be Told: Adam Becomes Audrey" won the 2013 New England Book Festival's gay literature category. Needless to say, I am absolutely thrilled with the news.
I am also proud to announce that the management of the Byram Shubert Library here in Connecticut recently agreed to let me show some of my New York City photos there in August.
Clearly, 2014 will be another year dedicated to the pursuit of creative endeavors. And with that in mind, my biggest goal for the new year will be to stop talking about writing my next book, and to start writing it. Who knows, maybe I'll even get it done.
Until next time, "That's life..."

Not to long ago, I came across a Friedrich Nietzsche quote that really resonated with me. "All truly great thoughts are conceived by walking," he said.
He's right.
I've enjoyed power walking for years. I started more than a decade ago by walking from the Rye Town Park parking lot to the end of Playland Pier and back during my lunch hour. On weekends, I'd walk an even longer loop that took me from the park through some of Rye's most exclusive waterfront neighborhoods.
Those walks ended when I moved to Virginia in 2004, but I quickly adapted my routine, and the Great Meadow Field Events Center in The Plains became my new stomping grounds. But the 200-plus acre complex became more than a place where I went to exercise. It became the place where I went to release pent-up frustration stemming from a highly demanding and stressful job. It became the place where I went to think.
In fact, walking at Great Meadow became such an integral part of my life, I documented it in the following excerpt from my memoir, "Truth Be Told: Adam Becomes Audrey."
I park in the main lot, grab my solar-powered pedometer, cell phone, police scanner and keys, put everything else in the trunk and lock it. I make sure the doors are also secured, and then check my watch and pedometer settings before setting off at a brisk pace. I march a short distance, then turn right onto the gravel perimeter road, heading towards the northern end of the complex. I follow the path down two steep hills, then right along a small stream. The gravel crunches in time with my footsteps, left, right, left, right, one, two, one, two. My mouth is slightly open and breathing labored, but my pace does not slacken until I finally reach my turn-around point at a red barn.
Without pausing, I turn and retrace my steps. Now the stream is on my right, a large racecourse on my left. My quads are burning as I barrel up one hill then another, and I only slow to let my heart rate settle when I reach finally the top. My trek continues past the Gate 1 entrance on a slight downhill grade. I make a left turn from the perimeter road onto a smaller one that cuts through the middle of the complex and follow it to the end where gravel becomes grass. I duck under the yellow chain and caution tape stretched between two fence posts and find myself on spongy footing.
The uneven terrain poses different challenges halfway through my workout and I try to concentrate even though I’m tired. A misstep could easily result in a twisted ankle or worse and no one is around to help me if I fall. But my mind wanders as I head for a gate on the other side of the undulating field.
I think about looming deadlines and the police blotter, list of indictments and articles due by Tuesday morning. After three straight six-day work weeks, a three-day weekend has been a rare treat. But the extra day off has also put me woefully behind and I’m already battling stress.
I am through the gate and on another inner gravel path that leads back to the main one. I make a left and stride between a pond and huge grass polo field. The going is easier and my pace and thoughts both quicken. Now I’m obsessing over the memoir I’ve almost finished. The project has taken almost two years and I’m hoping I will exceed my mandatory word count. I’m also debating whether to use a pen name or my own, and thinking about attorneys, editors, cover art and book tours. Nagging doubts about publishing it dog every step.
I am, to put it bluntly, a very complicated person; to some a walking contradiction or perhaps a mere conundrum. A self-described Greenwich bitch and brash New Yorker, I am tough yet sensitive. Emotionally volatile, I wear my heart on my sleeve. I can be remarkably candid, but I also cherish my privacy -- and my life is about to become an open book, subject to scrutiny by critics and anyone else who cares.
I have almost finished the southern loop and endorphins are flying. Reinvigorated, I walk it again before returning to my car. By the time I’m done, I have covered more than two miles and my anxiety is vanquished.
I continued power walking when I returned to Connecticut in 2012. My route these days is much shorter than those I walked in Rye or The Plains, but I make up for that by strapping a1-pound weight to each wrist. And in any case, I still benefit from the activity. Walking is still great exercise... and it still gives me time to think.
As I set out this morning, for example, I was thinking about the looming winter storm threatening the northeastern United States. By the time I got to the beach, evidence of that storm was already visible. As the wind kicked up, water seeped over the stone retaining wall and into the parking lot. The roiling Long Island Sound water was an angry gray-green and foam capped the waves that were on a crash course with the shore.
I noted and memorized every detail, knowing I would include them in my blog. And who knows, some of them may even turn up in my next book...
Until next time, "That's life..."

As a journalist, I asked my share of tough questions. Today I answered some.
At 1 p.m., I had a blog talk radio interview with Patrick Morgan. For the most part, we talked about my memoir, "Truth Be Told: Adam Becomes Audrey."
During the conversation, we discussed my reasons for writing the book sharing the delicate -- if not controversial -- subject matter included therein.
As I explained, "Truth" is the true account of how I met, fell in love with and married the man of my dreams, and how I learned that he self-identified as and planned on having gender reassignment surgery to become a woman. In the book I also share what happened after I learned the truth.
On a couple of occasions, Patrick hesitated before posing difficult questions. He prefaced each by apologizing for asking them and telling me I didn't have to answer if they were too personal.
I could have chosen not to comment and left it at that. Instead, I answered even the hardest questions as fully and honestly as possible.
As far as I'm concerned, I lost my right to privacy when I chose to share my story. After all, my life is an open book.
Until next time, "That's life..."