Alexandra Bogdanovic's Blog: That's life... - Posts Tagged "memoir"
On fame, fortune, and the lack thereof
Ah...those were the days.
Just about a year ago, I was putting the finishing touches on my book -- and I had big plans.
I dreamed of becoming a best-selling author and pictured myself doing book tours, television and radio interviews. Maybe my memoir could become a TV movie or major motion picture!
Naturally I'd need an entourage if all that happened, so I carefully selected the members of my inner circle. I couldn't think of a better makeup artist than my former Mary Kay consultant and I promised my hair stylist I'd take her on the road. With hundreds of cops to choose from, I knew picking my security chief and a few body guards would be a piece of cake...
But by the time warm spring days and sultry summer nights finally began to yield to cooler autumn climes and I finally held the very first copy of my book in my hands, reality set in. Sure, I could have fame and fortune. The only question was -- at what cost?
I didn't write "Truth be Told: Adam Becomes Audrey" to "out" my ex-husband or to exploit him in any way. And I definitely don't want to exploit my own life.
So imagine my marketing gurus' disgust when I put the kibosh on any publicity involving social networking. "No Twitter? No Facebook? No way!" they practically screamed in incredulous email messages.
"Pitch the book to a select group of media outlets, colleges with classes specializing in gender studies, and mental health professionals," I told them. "We can pitch it to the general public too -- but only as a secondary strategy."
So far, the mainstream media pitches haven't resulted in the publicity I once envisioned -- and the last time I looked, my memoir ranked No.2,194,764 in books on amazon.com.
I still have my day job, but I also have my integrity. I guess super-stardom and world domination will just have to wait.
Until next time... "That's life"
Just about a year ago, I was putting the finishing touches on my book -- and I had big plans.
I dreamed of becoming a best-selling author and pictured myself doing book tours, television and radio interviews. Maybe my memoir could become a TV movie or major motion picture!
Naturally I'd need an entourage if all that happened, so I carefully selected the members of my inner circle. I couldn't think of a better makeup artist than my former Mary Kay consultant and I promised my hair stylist I'd take her on the road. With hundreds of cops to choose from, I knew picking my security chief and a few body guards would be a piece of cake...
But by the time warm spring days and sultry summer nights finally began to yield to cooler autumn climes and I finally held the very first copy of my book in my hands, reality set in. Sure, I could have fame and fortune. The only question was -- at what cost?
I didn't write "Truth be Told: Adam Becomes Audrey" to "out" my ex-husband or to exploit him in any way. And I definitely don't want to exploit my own life.
So imagine my marketing gurus' disgust when I put the kibosh on any publicity involving social networking. "No Twitter? No Facebook? No way!" they practically screamed in incredulous email messages.
"Pitch the book to a select group of media outlets, colleges with classes specializing in gender studies, and mental health professionals," I told them. "We can pitch it to the general public too -- but only as a secondary strategy."
So far, the mainstream media pitches haven't resulted in the publicity I once envisioned -- and the last time I looked, my memoir ranked No.2,194,764 in books on amazon.com.
I still have my day job, but I also have my integrity. I guess super-stardom and world domination will just have to wait.
Until next time... "That's life"
I rest my case
The news spread like wildfire.
Earlier this week, the world learned that Chris Beck -- a retired member of one of the U.S. military's most heralded special operations units -- is now Kristin.
Given Beck's service on SEAL Team 6, the Navy veteran's decision to detail her transition and share her new identity in her memoir "Warrior Princess" will no doubt ruffle some high-ranking feathers. But it could also prompt America's armed forces to revisit policies that now prohibit transgender men and women from serving their country.
If the latter happens -- or better yet, if the memoir helps to promote compassion and understanding as Beck hopes -- it's definitely a good thing. But in any case, Beck's decision to come forward took tremendous courage -- the same courage it no doubt took to face our enemies overseas. She should be commended.
Sadly the same cannot be said for the mainstream media, whose coverage of the story was once again designed to appeal to the lowest common denominator.
For all of the sensational headlines splashed across the Internet and all of the details about Beck herself, I found myself thinking about her family and friends. Beck says they've been supportive, and while there's no reason to believe otherwise, I can't help but wonder how they felt when they first learned the truth. Were they shocked? Scared? Angry? Hurt? Did they feel betrayed? Who helped her through her transition? Who walked away?
Perhaps Beck answers these questions in her book. But from what I can tell from mainstream media accounts, no one has bothered to ask.
That's sad.
And until next time, "That's Life..."
Earlier this week, the world learned that Chris Beck -- a retired member of one of the U.S. military's most heralded special operations units -- is now Kristin.
Given Beck's service on SEAL Team 6, the Navy veteran's decision to detail her transition and share her new identity in her memoir "Warrior Princess" will no doubt ruffle some high-ranking feathers. But it could also prompt America's armed forces to revisit policies that now prohibit transgender men and women from serving their country.
If the latter happens -- or better yet, if the memoir helps to promote compassion and understanding as Beck hopes -- it's definitely a good thing. But in any case, Beck's decision to come forward took tremendous courage -- the same courage it no doubt took to face our enemies overseas. She should be commended.
Sadly the same cannot be said for the mainstream media, whose coverage of the story was once again designed to appeal to the lowest common denominator.
For all of the sensational headlines splashed across the Internet and all of the details about Beck herself, I found myself thinking about her family and friends. Beck says they've been supportive, and while there's no reason to believe otherwise, I can't help but wonder how they felt when they first learned the truth. Were they shocked? Scared? Angry? Hurt? Did they feel betrayed? Who helped her through her transition? Who walked away?
Perhaps Beck answers these questions in her book. But from what I can tell from mainstream media accounts, no one has bothered to ask.
That's sad.
And until next time, "That's Life..."
We are family
Yes, I know. I usually do new blog posts on Wednesdays.
But I'm not slacking -- I promise. I just had a really hard time coming up with something to write about this week. In fact I was stumped... until an interviewer asked me a routine question about my book.
She wanted to know how my family reacted to it. The answer came fairly easily. After all my mom, who is my only immediate family and my only relative in the United States, has been extremely supportive. I never would have had the courage to write my book, much less have it published, without Mom's unconditional love and encouragement. She is definitely my hero.
I also wanted to say something about the rest of my family, but I wasn't thinking about the relatives living all over the world.
Because I'm an only child, my closest friends are more like brothers and sisters to me. They're the people who helped me pick up the pieces after my divorce and the people who've put up with all sorts of drama. They're the people who encouraged me to share my story and pushed me to be a better person.
There are too many people to thank and too many to name. And anyway you guys know who you are...
Check out the interview at: http://www.widowsphere.blogspot.com.
Until next time, "That's Life."
But I'm not slacking -- I promise. I just had a really hard time coming up with something to write about this week. In fact I was stumped... until an interviewer asked me a routine question about my book.
She wanted to know how my family reacted to it. The answer came fairly easily. After all my mom, who is my only immediate family and my only relative in the United States, has been extremely supportive. I never would have had the courage to write my book, much less have it published, without Mom's unconditional love and encouragement. She is definitely my hero.
I also wanted to say something about the rest of my family, but I wasn't thinking about the relatives living all over the world.
Because I'm an only child, my closest friends are more like brothers and sisters to me. They're the people who helped me pick up the pieces after my divorce and the people who've put up with all sorts of drama. They're the people who encouraged me to share my story and pushed me to be a better person.
There are too many people to thank and too many to name. And anyway you guys know who you are...
Check out the interview at: http://www.widowsphere.blogspot.com.
Until next time, "That's Life."
The devil is in the details
One of the authors groups over on LinkedIn is currently having a very interesting discussion about descriptive writing.
Questions and answers are being bandied about faster than an Olympic ping pong ball as members share their experiences and opinions. Why does descriptive writing come easily to some writers? Why do others struggle? What is the best way to include description in your story? Where is the line between too much description and not enough?
It's a conversation I happily jumped into because of my experiences as a reporter and an author.
As a reporter who excelled at feature writing I swore by the mantra, "put the reader there." So few details escaped notice as I wrote award-winning stories about truck traffic in a quasi-rural Virginia community and a former Long Island firefighter's recollections of 9/11 on the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks.
As an author I swear by the same mantra. But after reading the second draft of Truth Be Told: Adam Becomes Audrey, my editor cautioned me against including too much detail that would distract from my story. Heeding her advice, I deleted a lot of the extraneous details -- but not all of them.
Based on early feedback about my book, it seems some readers feel I didn't remove enough. And that's perfectly OK. In fact, they may even have a valid point.
But the truth is, I deliberately included a lot of minutia and mundane details about our marriage to show that my ex-husband and I were two ordinary people living very ordinary lives until I learned his secret.
Far from detracting from my story, I think the fact that I share details about burning the pancakes one morning, and about a disastrous Thanksgiving meal make the rest of the story even more shocking. One day everything was "normal." Then all of a sudden, it wasn't.
Readers who choose to skim these details in hopes of finding some signs that something was amiss in my marriage before I learned my ex-husband's secret will be disappointed. There weren't any. But that too makes the rest of the story more shocking.
Readers in search of a scandalous, celebrity tell-all type book will also be disappointed. This isn't tabloid fodder. It isn't the basis for a reality TV show. This is a book about real people and real life. And it it can't be more realistic.
Until next time, "That's life..."
Questions and answers are being bandied about faster than an Olympic ping pong ball as members share their experiences and opinions. Why does descriptive writing come easily to some writers? Why do others struggle? What is the best way to include description in your story? Where is the line between too much description and not enough?
It's a conversation I happily jumped into because of my experiences as a reporter and an author.
As a reporter who excelled at feature writing I swore by the mantra, "put the reader there." So few details escaped notice as I wrote award-winning stories about truck traffic in a quasi-rural Virginia community and a former Long Island firefighter's recollections of 9/11 on the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks.
As an author I swear by the same mantra. But after reading the second draft of Truth Be Told: Adam Becomes Audrey, my editor cautioned me against including too much detail that would distract from my story. Heeding her advice, I deleted a lot of the extraneous details -- but not all of them.
Based on early feedback about my book, it seems some readers feel I didn't remove enough. And that's perfectly OK. In fact, they may even have a valid point.
But the truth is, I deliberately included a lot of minutia and mundane details about our marriage to show that my ex-husband and I were two ordinary people living very ordinary lives until I learned his secret.
Far from detracting from my story, I think the fact that I share details about burning the pancakes one morning, and about a disastrous Thanksgiving meal make the rest of the story even more shocking. One day everything was "normal." Then all of a sudden, it wasn't.
Readers who choose to skim these details in hopes of finding some signs that something was amiss in my marriage before I learned my ex-husband's secret will be disappointed. There weren't any. But that too makes the rest of the story more shocking.
Readers in search of a scandalous, celebrity tell-all type book will also be disappointed. This isn't tabloid fodder. It isn't the basis for a reality TV show. This is a book about real people and real life. And it it can't be more realistic.
Until next time, "That's life..."
A literary 'amuse-bouche'
Depending on the online dictionary you use, an amuse-bouche is defined as "a single bite-size hors d'oeuvre" (Wikipedia), "a small complimentary appetizer offered at some restaurants"(merriam-webster.com), or "a small, savory portion of food served before a meal, typically without charge at restaurants" (yourdictionary.com).
Because it has been so hot that my poor little brain feels like it has been fried -- and because I can't think of a bloody thing to write this week -- I am hereby serving up a literary amuse-bouche in the form of an excerpt from Truth Be Told: Adam Becomes Audrey.
Bon appetit!
------------
I didn’t want to tell anyone about my past, much less anything about Adam. After all, I had come to Virginia to put it behind me and start a new life.
Nevertheless, curiosity abounded. People wondered what brought a single young woman from the New York City suburbs to Warrenton, of all places. I told them -- a bit gruffly -- that I needed a change of scenery and that I had left everything I’d ever known to join the staff of what had once been one of the best suburban newspapers in the country.
I never imagined the first person I’d confide in would be a high-ranking cop. Yet somehow, even though we’d only known each other for a few months, I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that I could trust Major Paul F. Mercer Jr.
“I got married at a horse show -- at the Hampton Classic Horse Show, one of the most prestigious shows on the east coast,” I told him on what promised to be a typically hot and humid June day. “It was a fairy-tale wedding. We got married on the grand prix field. We had a horse-drawn carriage, seventy-five invited guests and three thousand spectators. Oh, and it was on TV,” I added, almost as an afterthought.
Traffic on Route 50 crawled past the Upperville Horse Show grounds, and then came to an abrupt halt behind a motorist who wanted to turn into the wrong gate. Major Mercer stepped off the grassy shoulder to talk to her and quickly pointed the wayward driver in the right direction.
“So what happened?” he asked when he returned to his cruiser.
“What?” I said.
“You were saying you had this fairy-tale wedding. Apparently, things didn’t work out. What happened?”
I wanted to tell him. I just didn’t know how.
Sitting on the ground behind his black Ford Crown Victoria, I began pulling up blades of grass. One by one, I let them slip through my fingers.
“I’ll tell you,” I replied, eying the trim, uniformed man with short, prematurely gray hair who, as third in command, was also the public information officer at the Fauquier County Sheriff’s Office. “But only if you promise not to tell anyone else.”
“I promise,” he replied, becoming uncharacteristically grave.
“Okay.” I took a deep breath, dropped my gaze and resumed uprooting the grass. “So, you know what a transsexual is?” I asked.
Rip, up came another fistful of grass. Rip, rip, rip. Tattered blades fell softly back onto the earth.
“Yes.”
“Well, Adam -- a couple of years after we got married I found out Adam is really a woman -- or wanted to be a woman. We got divorced. He went and had the surgery and everything, so he’s ... she’s Audrey now.”
I bit my lower lip and dropped another handful of shredded grass before I finally looked up, dreading a look of dismay, disbelief or disgust and half-expecting to see his trademark grin.
He remained serious. “Alex,” he paused. “I’m a country boy but I’ve also been a cop for a long time and I’ve seen a lot of strange things in my career. I can’t understand why anyone would do that, or begin to understand what you’ve been through. I will never tell anyone and I will never tease you about it -- unless you open the door. Okay?”
He extended his hand and I reached up to take it. The lithe major’s strength surprised me as he pulled me to my feet.
“Okay,” I said, meeting his gaze and returning the handshake. “Thanks.”
It turned out to be the first of many conversations we had about my ex. The subject became a matter of dispute, debate and more “counseling sessions” than I cared to admit. Paul was never shy about doling out personal and professional advice, and teased me relentlessly about billing me for it. He also kept his word and never joked about Adam unless I fired the first salvo.
As much as I loathed talking about my ex, time made it easier to share my story with friends, sources and coworkers. More often than not, I broached the subject when female acquaintances bemoaned the rough times in their own relationships.
“That really sucks,” I would inevitably say after listening to their tale of woe. “But I bet I’ve got a story that tops it.”
In time, it became an inside joke among my closest friends.
“Trust me,” one of my best pals, Christiana, said when the dinner party conversation at her house once turned to crappy relationships, “Alex has a story that can top that.”
-------
Until next time, "That's life..."
Because it has been so hot that my poor little brain feels like it has been fried -- and because I can't think of a bloody thing to write this week -- I am hereby serving up a literary amuse-bouche in the form of an excerpt from Truth Be Told: Adam Becomes Audrey.
Bon appetit!
------------
I didn’t want to tell anyone about my past, much less anything about Adam. After all, I had come to Virginia to put it behind me and start a new life.
Nevertheless, curiosity abounded. People wondered what brought a single young woman from the New York City suburbs to Warrenton, of all places. I told them -- a bit gruffly -- that I needed a change of scenery and that I had left everything I’d ever known to join the staff of what had once been one of the best suburban newspapers in the country.
I never imagined the first person I’d confide in would be a high-ranking cop. Yet somehow, even though we’d only known each other for a few months, I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that I could trust Major Paul F. Mercer Jr.
“I got married at a horse show -- at the Hampton Classic Horse Show, one of the most prestigious shows on the east coast,” I told him on what promised to be a typically hot and humid June day. “It was a fairy-tale wedding. We got married on the grand prix field. We had a horse-drawn carriage, seventy-five invited guests and three thousand spectators. Oh, and it was on TV,” I added, almost as an afterthought.
Traffic on Route 50 crawled past the Upperville Horse Show grounds, and then came to an abrupt halt behind a motorist who wanted to turn into the wrong gate. Major Mercer stepped off the grassy shoulder to talk to her and quickly pointed the wayward driver in the right direction.
“So what happened?” he asked when he returned to his cruiser.
“What?” I said.
“You were saying you had this fairy-tale wedding. Apparently, things didn’t work out. What happened?”
I wanted to tell him. I just didn’t know how.
Sitting on the ground behind his black Ford Crown Victoria, I began pulling up blades of grass. One by one, I let them slip through my fingers.
“I’ll tell you,” I replied, eying the trim, uniformed man with short, prematurely gray hair who, as third in command, was also the public information officer at the Fauquier County Sheriff’s Office. “But only if you promise not to tell anyone else.”
“I promise,” he replied, becoming uncharacteristically grave.
“Okay.” I took a deep breath, dropped my gaze and resumed uprooting the grass. “So, you know what a transsexual is?” I asked.
Rip, up came another fistful of grass. Rip, rip, rip. Tattered blades fell softly back onto the earth.
“Yes.”
“Well, Adam -- a couple of years after we got married I found out Adam is really a woman -- or wanted to be a woman. We got divorced. He went and had the surgery and everything, so he’s ... she’s Audrey now.”
I bit my lower lip and dropped another handful of shredded grass before I finally looked up, dreading a look of dismay, disbelief or disgust and half-expecting to see his trademark grin.
He remained serious. “Alex,” he paused. “I’m a country boy but I’ve also been a cop for a long time and I’ve seen a lot of strange things in my career. I can’t understand why anyone would do that, or begin to understand what you’ve been through. I will never tell anyone and I will never tease you about it -- unless you open the door. Okay?”
He extended his hand and I reached up to take it. The lithe major’s strength surprised me as he pulled me to my feet.
“Okay,” I said, meeting his gaze and returning the handshake. “Thanks.”
It turned out to be the first of many conversations we had about my ex. The subject became a matter of dispute, debate and more “counseling sessions” than I cared to admit. Paul was never shy about doling out personal and professional advice, and teased me relentlessly about billing me for it. He also kept his word and never joked about Adam unless I fired the first salvo.
As much as I loathed talking about my ex, time made it easier to share my story with friends, sources and coworkers. More often than not, I broached the subject when female acquaintances bemoaned the rough times in their own relationships.
“That really sucks,” I would inevitably say after listening to their tale of woe. “But I bet I’ve got a story that tops it.”
In time, it became an inside joke among my closest friends.
“Trust me,” one of my best pals, Christiana, said when the dinner party conversation at her house once turned to crappy relationships, “Alex has a story that can top that.”
-------
Until next time, "That's life..."
Reversal of fortune
While doing some book promotion last Friday, I unexpectedly landed in the proverbial hot seat. And believe me - it had nothing to do with the fact that it was 90 degrees in my house.
It happened during an interview for a podcast with Eat Sleep Write host Adam Scull. Even though Adam asked all of the right questions about my background, my memoir and the challenges associated with writing Truth Be Told: Adam Becomes Audrey, I had a tough time answering them. In fact, I felt completely unprepared -- and unsettled.
The more I tried to relax, the more I stumbled. The more that happened, the more annoyed I got. I didn't understand why this was so hard. After all, as reporter for more than 20 years I made a living interviewing people. This wasn't my first time being interviewed, either. I aced my on-camera interview for the episode of A Wedding Story that featured my nuptials all those years ago. This interview should have been just as easy.
Sensing my frustration, Adam -- who began our video chat by sharing some tips for a successful podcast -- stopped recording and gave me some more advice to help me settle down.
With my confidence restored, we re-recorded some of the earlier questions and answers before moving on to new ones. And by the time we finished the second "take," Adam seemed pleased with the results.
"This will be fairly easy to edit," he said. "Once you got going, you did very well."
Until next time, "That's life..."
It happened during an interview for a podcast with Eat Sleep Write host Adam Scull. Even though Adam asked all of the right questions about my background, my memoir and the challenges associated with writing Truth Be Told: Adam Becomes Audrey, I had a tough time answering them. In fact, I felt completely unprepared -- and unsettled.
The more I tried to relax, the more I stumbled. The more that happened, the more annoyed I got. I didn't understand why this was so hard. After all, as reporter for more than 20 years I made a living interviewing people. This wasn't my first time being interviewed, either. I aced my on-camera interview for the episode of A Wedding Story that featured my nuptials all those years ago. This interview should have been just as easy.
Sensing my frustration, Adam -- who began our video chat by sharing some tips for a successful podcast -- stopped recording and gave me some more advice to help me settle down.
With my confidence restored, we re-recorded some of the earlier questions and answers before moving on to new ones. And by the time we finished the second "take," Adam seemed pleased with the results.
"This will be fairly easy to edit," he said. "Once you got going, you did very well."
Until next time, "That's life..."
On the air
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..."
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..."
Giving thanks
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..."
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..."
My bad!
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..."
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..."
Help!
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..."
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..."
That's life...
All you may -- or may not -- want to know about my adventures as an author and other stuff.
- Alexandra Bogdanovic's profile
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