Summer Kinard's Blog, page 20
May 22, 2015
May 21, 2015
Recap of Read Local
Playing with the tophat before the workshop.
Read Local Book Festival was wonderful! The kids at the Creative Writing for Kids workshop at the library were talented and fun.
The celebrity readings went quite well on Sunday. I laughed through Alice Osborn‘s reading of an excerpt from Tea & Crumples.
The table I shared with Rebekkah Niles was beautiful. We even made the front page of the local paper, the Herald Sun, on Monday (see below for a meta moment). It was great seeing Rebekkah shine at the first signing of her debut novel!
Since we shared table duty, we both had a chance to explore the Exhibitor Fair. I was grateful to meet Diogenes Ruiz of Edgy Christian Fiction. He is going to feature The Salvation of Jeffrey Lapin on the blog!
Then came Sunday Night.
Writers in the Ring was the coolest manifestation of literary nerdhood imaginable. I went first. (Read the Clarion Content coverage for that.) My worthy competitors had me hooked through their performances, and I came away with two gifts: a smile stamped on my soul and the self-knowledge that I get an adrenaline rush from writing.
The winner, Dasan Ahanu, literally wrote his final poem around his opponent, poet shirlette ammons; It was the kind of artistry that makes it impossible not to rejoice in a competitor’s win.
Thank you to everyone who came out to support the Library through the inaugural Read Local Book Festival! We exceeded the fundraising goal of $20k!
Look what I saw in the grocery store Monday night!
In honor of the festival, I put The Salvation of Jeffrey Lapin on sale for 99¢ on Kindle and iBooks through the end of May.
May 15, 2015
Friday Faith Talk: When You Feel Inadequate
Let your light shine!
Of course you’re inadequate, because God works through our weakness.
Of course you’re nervous. That’s humility.
Of course it’s strange to be seen. Just think of how weird it was for the saints when God made miracles through them.
But you’re also upset because you’ve been trying to live a lie. You know full well that you’re not less than anyone else. And here’s the deal: God didn’t make you anyone else. So there. You have to be yourself. If your gift is a trumpet, honey, do not try to make it play second fiddle.
You will burn the house down hiding that light, and then where will you be? A light unshone will destroy instead of build. It will eat up your bones with fire. You won’t go back to the peaceful life of fishing after you’ve been set alight by God. Where else can you go? What else can you do? You know the source of eternal life now. Every part of you will feed that flame, and you will live out loud and bright.
Thank you to my Sisters in the faith who remind me to let my light shine like Jesus said. Where are you trying to hide your light today?
May 11, 2015
Read Local Book Festival
I grew up in libraries.
“Nerd.”
Hey, I heard that!
My grandmother worked in our local public library, and the ladies in Acquisition and the Book Mobile took me under their wings. I got to read all the fresh, spines uncracked books right as they came in. And because they also took care of removing the old books, I got to page through the vanilla scented browned paged discards, occasionally spiriting a volume away from its doom. I gained a lifelong love of old children’s books (and new children’s books, as my children’s hundreds of books attest) from my time in the back rooms of the library.
That’s my reasoning behind dedicating most of an entire weekend volunteering at the Read Local Book Festival.
Yes, I know I have five children, including a 2 month old baby. Yes, I know it’s volunteer. But BOOKS! LIBRARIES! SHARING THE LOVE!
Y’all, let me be plain. Libraries saved me. They saved my life. Just like the Reading Rainbow theme song. God gave the hope, but books fed it. They lit my path out of dark places. So I’m glad to give back.
On Saturday, I’m leading a workshop for children on creative writing.
Then Sunday, I’m pairing up with Rebekkah Niles, author of Into the Tides (affiliate link), at a booth in the Exhibitor Fair. She’ll be at the table from noon-3pm, and I’ll be there from 3-6pm.
Meanwhile, I get to participate in a celebrity reading! Several local authors will be reading throughout the afternoon from works outside their genres.
But back to Rebekkah Niles. When I found out I had a booth at the Exhibitor Fair, I knew right away that I wanted to share it with another emerging author. Rebekkah’s book captured my imagination when I heard excerpts at a speculative fiction writers group we both attended. She’s also an HCRW (RWA) chapter mate, so I know she’s a good sort. But go look at her {website}. Did you read her header? We write in different subgenres -I’m inspy, she’s not – but tea! broken people! I knew we could champion each other’s works.
That’s why, during the Exhibitor’s Fair next Sunday, if someone purchases both of our books, I will give them a free copy of my Creative Writing for Kids bestselling ebook! And if you buy both of my books AND Rebekkah’s book, there’s a little something extra: a free beeswax candle of your choice.
And now, a request. Please, on Sunday, May 17, from 8-9:30pm, come out to Motorco in Durham, NC, and be in my corner for Writers in the Ring. It’s kind of a big deal, y’all. Check out {this newspaper article} on this Creative Writing Fracas.
Lift a lighter for me, y’all.
If you’re anywhere nearby, come out. But if you’re too far to be there in person, say a prayer, send good vibes, light a candle, raise a lighter, and wish on a star for me, will ya?
It’s for the library, and I want to do the library proud.
April 22, 2015
Obstacles to Writing Success Part 2: Rumor Mongers
Because everyone is lining up to give an unknown writer money for 60 pages of quality vampire fanfic.
Remember the story of the maid who counted her chickens before they hatched? Quick summary: a milkmaid milks a cow, puts the pail on her head to take to market, thinks on the way that she’ll buy some eggs to hatch, thinks how many might be chickens and how many roosters, gets caught up in her future good fortune when she can sell eggs AND milk once the chickens start to lay, imagines the hat she’ll buy and how she’ll toss her head to impress a rival. Oops. She tossed her head in real life and spilled the pail of milk.
Writing is at least as complicated as the milkmaid’s plot. We have to write, revise, revise, revise, query, contract, revise, revise, etc. But let’s say you’re a new writer who has only the pail of milk. Or back up. You’re still milking the cow, writing your first book. Should you consider rumors while you write? Short answer: probably not.
But Rumor Mongers make their news sound so exciting. Shouldn’t you maybe kinda sorta listen to them? (No.) Won’t you make more money that way? (No.)
Let’s take a look at the Rumor Mongers. Why might they do it?
They are insecure, and they hope to build a network of fellows by scaring other people.
They don’t understand the industry or know where to find more reliable information.
They like the idea of writing but not actually writing. Spreading rumors about publishing opportunities feels close enough to writing to count for their emotional tally.
They like hanging out with writers and think they have to offer something, even if that something is unsubstantiated.
They want to hear legit information, so they enter the exchange with counterfeit currency. (I think these people are rare.)
They’re just SO! EXCITED! ABOUT! WRITING a book that they can’t even stop chasing around. These are the Mrs. Bennets of the Rumor Monger world. They are the adolescence labradors of the Rumor Monger world. They sniff a hint of opportunity and can’t help tell everyone about their imagined hopes, stated of course as settled facts. I think most Rumor Mongers fit this category best.
There are two main types of rumors spread by rumor mongers: financial and topical. The financial rumors will send eager new writers and sometimes eager emerging or established authors flocking to query a contest, magazine, or publisher rumored to be paying out above the usual market rate.
Topical rumors go like this:
Rumor Monger: Did you hear? Blarglequin wants sea creature shifter sweet romances.
Noob Author: No way. Like, mermaids?
Rumor Monger: {whispers} Squid.
Let’s everybody just calm down now. Take a deep breath. Any legitimate agent or editor will tell you that you have to write what you’re best at writing. Do Not Chase Trends. The exception is that if you are an established, and I mean very established, author like we all dream of being someday, your publisher may guide the direction of your book series based on their marketing data. But note: this is not chasing rumors. It’s evidence based. (Mostly.)
So how can you find out what’s really going on in publishing payouts?
Read the trade websites. Join professional organizations in your field and read the Industry News emails they send you. Follow real literary agents and publishers on Twitter. Talk to real authors. No matter what, don’t abandon the writing of your heart to chase a fantastical “opportunity” that doesn’t suit you.
Some starters:
Search for “literary agent” on Twitter and follow the ones who interest you. Same with publishers.
Don’t whine about having to use Twitter. It’s chock full of agents and editors and writers.
Think of it as practice in concise prose.
Post cat or dog or garden photos if you are at a loss. (You’re welcome.)
If you’re self-published or hybrid, read the articles on BookLife by Publishers Weekly.
Sign up for the Shelf Awareness newsletters.
Track actual cash money trends at Author Earnings.
If you start fantasizing about how much money you are going to make with your debut book, google “author earnings per book” and read the many fascinating articles on how rare it is to make a living at writing.
Remember, the most important thing about writing is to write. There’s no quick fix or easy answer to the money issue for fiction writers, whatever the Rumor Mongers might say.
*This post was geared towards writers. Of course, sometimes the Rumor Mongers talk to non-writers, leading to the problem of Armchair Novelists. See that post {Here}.*
Have you met a Rumor Monger? Been lured away from your work trying to track down non-existent submission forms? Wasted time chasing easy money or plotting a book you don’t have the heart to write {Squid Shifters and the Highlander Duke}? Do tell.
April 17, 2015
Obstacles to Writing Success Part 1: Armchair Novelists
They’re so sure they’ll be true proficients that they never bother to learn.
You know the Armchair Novelist. Maybe she only reads Medieval English Literature. Maybe he wrote a poem once. Maybe they’re bloggers or short story drafters. What they are not are novelists, but they think they know much better than you how you ought to write one.
In fact, they would advise you on your weaknesses if they bothered to read your inadequate scribblings. Instead, they’ll only make general remarks about the unsavory character of all genre fiction, the insipidity and time sink wastefulness of fiction in your genre, or the fact that they think it reprehensible that writers would like to be paid for their work. Buying books is probably evil. But If they were going to buy one, it wouldn’t be yours, because you can’t possibly know how to write as well as they.
True story: I was deep in sadness after a series of deaths in the family when I had to be around several of these creatures in a short period of time. I got through by reminding myself that I had actually finished two books (at that time), that I was being published, that writing was rewarding apart from others’ opinions, and by leaving a couple of social events early to get away from them. I reached out to trusted friends who would neither flatter nor critique me and asked for affirmation. Also, I ranted a little. Plus, the worst offender became the basis for a “bad guy” in a later book.
The Armchair Novelist wears dual blinders to maintain his or her lofty self impression: s/he thinks writing is easy, s/he thinks writing is a luxury. With those two ideas in place, the Armchair Novelist is able to convince himself that when he gets around to having free time (luxury), he will just sit down and write a masterly work (ease).
Here are some of the reasons Armchair Novelists are so stubbornly stuck in their ways:
Having never written, they can’t be proven wrong about how good they will be.
Since they won’t read what you’ve written, they can’t be proven wrong about their low opinion of your work.
Their time and energy are so absorbed in pursuing their own interests that they don’t see the commitment and discipline that are truly at work in the writing life.
Not being perfect is terrifying to this type, so they come up with obnoxious ways to shield themselves from the possibility. This perfectionist thinks they ought to be able to write a great novel, so they disparage yours as an easy distraction from writing theirs.
Well, bless their hearts. The poor dears have made things hard for themselves if they truly do want to write.
But what’s a writer to do when confronted with one of these persons? Short answer: be a writer. Keep on with the commitment and discipline. Write books. In a few years, you’ll have written and hopefully published several books. The Armchair Novelist will either have gotten around to discovering that they have good reason to withdraw their former negative opinions, or they’ll be no worse than before. One way or another, these persons are not your responsibility to change.
It may be hard sometimes, especially if you are at a party surrounded by these most well-meaning of haters. You can’t expect encouragement or acknowledgement from the Armchair Novelist, only criticism and vague dismissals of your efforts. That can be a big blow to writers who’ve put their thoughts and hearts out in the open for everyone to see. Make sure to avoid talking with these people about books or writing as much as possible. Surround yourself with positive persons who will help you improve or celebrate the writing journey.
But if you absolutely can’t keep Armchair Novelists from getting under your skin, you can always write about them.
Do you know an Armchair Novelist? How do you cope?
April 16, 2015
Unicorn Thursday and Stay Tuned!
I know I skipped a week of Unicorn Thursday here, but I have kept it faithfully on Instagram (Somemyrrh).
We have rather a lot of unicorns in our house due to our love of dust and Christian symbolism. Little Aloysius (a-loo-wish-us) is a goof of a unicorn. He takes hardly any rules seriously, so I find him in extraordinary circumstances often.
What are your unicorns up to today?
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Stay tuned for a new series on Obstacles to Writing Success! Starts tomorrow.
April 14, 2015
Grown up glasses
I knew I had reached a new phase of adulthood when I had to buy new glasses recently. Instead of asking if they were pretty, I asked myself if they reflected my personality honestly. It was only a month after picking them that I noticed the difference. Were they in a color I like? Yes. Plum. Flattering? Yes, but not pretty. As I told my husband, the only one of my Advisory Panel (my sister and Facebook friends) who saw the suitability of the frames right off, these glasses do some of the work for me. They aren’t bland. They’re the kind my dear Aunt Keely calls “cerebral.” Or, as my friend Claire said, “You look like a writer.” 
When I go to write or edit a story, all the others rush to mind and demand attention. Kind of like doing anything with five children in the house. The discipline of writing is more important than ever in these days with superabundant demands and an absence of free time. I need all the help I can get to focus. Tea, prayers, quiet, of course. And now, glasses that cut to the chase.
Where among the little things in your life are you choosing to be more genuine?
March 27, 2015
Wisdom From Your Mama
Of course tea pots are unicorns. Think about it. See?
And now, some wisdom for my children:
You should always assume there’s a secret passageway in absence of evidence to the contrary.
Even the bad guys in your dreams and stories are you. Let that teach you compassion.
I look a lot at the edges of things, but you are my heart.
Comfortable shoes are worth the money; uncomfortable shoes are not worth the attention.
Wear a pretty color. When you grow up, wear a pretty color with your black or grey jacket.
Pearls are classier and more elegant than diamonds.
If you decide to give something, give it with gratitude and let it go. If you can’t let it go or be grateful to give it, stop and ask if you’re tempted to prodigality. Don’t give what you can’t let go.
Never hit a girl. Or your brother. Y’all are made in the image of God and deserve respect.
If you wouldn’t do it to Jesus, don’t do it to the people around you.
Learn to make good soup and bread. I’ll teach you my favorites so you have a launching place. Then you can always give a good meal to your guests.
The secret to good sweet tea is 1/4 cup sugar to the gallon, then pour in some more till it tastes right.
Even crazy people need love. Write that down for when you complain about me to your therapist.
Let yourself love God and truth and beauty so much that you aren’t decent about it. Running mascara or noses are worthy expressions of a full heart.
Makeup secrets from my grandma: good powder and red lipstick. To which I’ll add: good mascara and eye liner, plus a bottle of blanc de Chanel highlighter to bring out your eyes.
If you’re going to do it, give it your all so there’s no room for fear.
When you have important work to do, don’t let lesser things get in the way. Church and family are not lesser things.
Teacups are suitable for coffee and wine, too.
Always carry a collapsible cup in the summer.
Carry two clean hankies so you can give one away if needed.
We love you so, so much, children of joy!
Do you have a piece of wisdom you’d like to share? Add in the comments!
March 19, 2015
Unicorn Thursday
There’s this advice that is drilled into writers. THOU SHALT DO SOCIAL MEDIA. For real. Google it. It’s all over social media.
The problem, of course, is that writers are supposed to be writing. That means we have to limit ourselves to what we can manage, rather than trying to do it all. I recently joined Instagram (handle: Somemyrrh) and renewed my love affair with Pinterest. Wow. Now we’re supposed to be visual artists, too, participating in themed days or making movements with images of quotes.
Which is why I’ve gathered you here today. If we are going to make a movement, why not make it something worthy of a Trapper Keeper from the 1980s? (I miss my unicorn pegasus Trapper Keeper and cool Pegasus folder with the rainbow.)
At first, I thought I would just tell you a little something about unicorns, like did you know I have a unicorn tapestry in my house? Or that I tell my children homespun bedtime stories that we call “unicorn stories” that feature the eponymous creatures arriving for tea and wreaking mischief?
Let’s celebrate unicorns!
But then I remembered that I have to be what the Internet calls social media savvy, so here’s my new take. A gorgeous, pinnable piece of art cum sparkling wit:
Happy Unicorn Thursday!
