Stephanie Faris's Blog, page 55
December 17, 2014
Why Don’t You Tell Me What I’m Allowed to Read?
When it comes to reading, some people have strong opinions about what is appropriate. As I learned from my post defending romance novels, people don't mean to judge other people who read certain types of novels...it's just a side effect of the comments they make.
Literary judgment isn't limited to romance novels. The recent outcry against adults reading young adult novels is proof of that. Some people believe unless you're reading a literary classic, you may as well be watching reality TV.
I actually have personal experience with this. When I was a young PR consultant, I interviewed for a job in marketing at a very prominent bookstore. The interview was going well until she asked what types of books I liked to read. This man was part of my answer...
There wasn't even a delay. The woman looked absolutely horrified.
I thought later about the answer I should have given. It would have been a lie, but it might have helped me land the job. It's the answer we're all supposed to give when someone asks what you read. Just memorize the titles on these spines and you'll be all set.
When someone asks what you like to read, do you tell the truth? Or do you modify your answer based on what you think the person wants to hear?
This song is all the rage this Christmas...if you haven't heard it yet, you have to listen to it.
Literary judgment isn't limited to romance novels. The recent outcry against adults reading young adult novels is proof of that. Some people believe unless you're reading a literary classic, you may as well be watching reality TV.
I actually have personal experience with this. When I was a young PR consultant, I interviewed for a job in marketing at a very prominent bookstore. The interview was going well until she asked what types of books I liked to read. This man was part of my answer...
There wasn't even a delay. The woman looked absolutely horrified.
I thought later about the answer I should have given. It would have been a lie, but it might have helped me land the job. It's the answer we're all supposed to give when someone asks what you read. Just memorize the titles on these spines and you'll be all set.
When someone asks what you like to read, do you tell the truth? Or do you modify your answer based on what you think the person wants to hear?
This song is all the rage this Christmas...if you haven't heard it yet, you have to listen to it.
December 15, 2014
5 Ways to Annoy Your Fellow Christmas Shoppers
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas. Everywhere you go, parking lots are full, lines wrap around the building, and customers jockey for position in packed aisles. As you shop this year, it's important to be as annoying as possible in order to survive. After all, what's the point of Christmas if not to put everyone around you in a sour mood? Here are a few ways you can annoy your fellow shoppers this year.
Steal Someone's Parking Space
Yes, it all starts before you even enter the store. Here you'll have a prime opportunity to narrowly risk having your car rammed by an angry shopper. How? Find someone who is waiting, blinker on, for a parking space and at the last minute, swoop in and steal it. For added effect, let out an evil laugh as you strut past the angry driver on your way into the store. And hope that driver has auto insurance.
Forget How to Line Up
Your kindergarten teacher may have shown you how to line up, but there's no point in calling upon that information now. It's survival of the fittest. If you see a line of people waiting for multiple cashiers, ignore that line and hop behind someone who's already checking out. Sure, people will be mad, but most of the time they'll be too polite to yell at you. It's the perfect crime.
Walk in a Single Formation
Birds fly in a straight formation. Over time, evolution has led us to believe that this is how our families should walk through the mall. Never mind that people are behind you waiting to get by. Just keep casually strolling along as though the entire mall belongs to you.
Pretend You're the Only One Around
Speaking of having the mall to yourself, when you're in a store, it doesn't matter that other people are waiting behind you. Stand in front of the item you're buying for endless amounts of time and don't move for anything. If someone politely stops to let you pass, pass but stop somewhere that blocks them, acting as though you didn't realize they actually might want to move from that spot sometime today.
Act Like You're from the 80s
A few things have changed since the 80s, but you don't have to use today's technology. Personal checks are fun and stacks of paper coupons make the checkout experience like a game. Customers love waiting while you shuffle through your coupons like you're playing a game of Old Maid.
What annoys you most while you're out shopping?
If you haven't signed up for my 25 Roses blog tour yet, there's still time! Complete the form below and I'll send you what you need to participate.
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Steal Someone's Parking Space
Yes, it all starts before you even enter the store. Here you'll have a prime opportunity to narrowly risk having your car rammed by an angry shopper. How? Find someone who is waiting, blinker on, for a parking space and at the last minute, swoop in and steal it. For added effect, let out an evil laugh as you strut past the angry driver on your way into the store. And hope that driver has auto insurance.
Forget How to Line Up
Your kindergarten teacher may have shown you how to line up, but there's no point in calling upon that information now. It's survival of the fittest. If you see a line of people waiting for multiple cashiers, ignore that line and hop behind someone who's already checking out. Sure, people will be mad, but most of the time they'll be too polite to yell at you. It's the perfect crime.
Walk in a Single Formation
Birds fly in a straight formation. Over time, evolution has led us to believe that this is how our families should walk through the mall. Never mind that people are behind you waiting to get by. Just keep casually strolling along as though the entire mall belongs to you.
Pretend You're the Only One Around
Speaking of having the mall to yourself, when you're in a store, it doesn't matter that other people are waiting behind you. Stand in front of the item you're buying for endless amounts of time and don't move for anything. If someone politely stops to let you pass, pass but stop somewhere that blocks them, acting as though you didn't realize they actually might want to move from that spot sometime today.
Act Like You're from the 80s
A few things have changed since the 80s, but you don't have to use today's technology. Personal checks are fun and stacks of paper coupons make the checkout experience like a game. Customers love waiting while you shuffle through your coupons like you're playing a game of Old Maid.
What annoys you most while you're out shopping?
If you haven't signed up for my 25 Roses blog tour yet, there's still time! Complete the form below and I'll send you what you need to participate.
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December 12, 2014
It's Cool to Be Nerdy
I thought it was odd when I started seeing young, trendy people wearing glasses that looked like they were their "emergency pair."
If you wear eyeglasses or contact lenses, you know exactly what I mean. It's that pair of glasses you keep around the house in case you have no other way to see. You know--in case it's the end of the world and you stepped on your good pair.
Meanwhile, I've been enjoying the cool "bling glasses" trend that features rectangular frames. Rectangular frames are a must for people with round faces like me.
But nope, "geek chic" is a thing in eyewear. It even has its own category on Glasses.com.
How did this happen? We have celebrities to thank. Nerdy glasses have been sported by Kim Kardashian...
Justin Timberlake...
Christine Hendricks...
And just about any other celebrity who hasn't yet shelled out money for Lasik. Could it be that nerds finally are cool?
25 Roses is part of Simon & Schuster's Spring 2015 giveaway on Goodreads. Enter to win a free copy!
If you wear eyeglasses or contact lenses, you know exactly what I mean. It's that pair of glasses you keep around the house in case you have no other way to see. You know--in case it's the end of the world and you stepped on your good pair.
Meanwhile, I've been enjoying the cool "bling glasses" trend that features rectangular frames. Rectangular frames are a must for people with round faces like me.
But nope, "geek chic" is a thing in eyewear. It even has its own category on Glasses.com.
How did this happen? We have celebrities to thank. Nerdy glasses have been sported by Kim Kardashian...
Justin Timberlake...
Christine Hendricks...
And just about any other celebrity who hasn't yet shelled out money for Lasik. Could it be that nerds finally are cool?
25 Roses is part of Simon & Schuster's Spring 2015 giveaway on Goodreads. Enter to win a free copy!
December 10, 2014
Should Authors Be Accessible to Their Fans?
Growing up, emailing your favorite author wasn't an option. You could send a letter to a PO box designated for fans, to which you'd receive a form letter and something like this:
Then came the internet. People could check out information about an author on his/her website and email an address listed there. It was usually understood by my generation that an author's email account was probably manned by a publicist, since publicists always handled their mail in the past.
A new generation of fans has emerged, however. It's a generation who sees Kim Kardashian on Twitter and assumes she'll read and respond to their tweets.
In the early days, you're so excited about every new review or fan email, you don't just respond--you print them all out and hang them on your wall. But there's a shift that happens at some point. For some, it happens FAR faster than most of us--especially if your book is made into a movie or TV show.
Bestselling author Shannon Hale is an example of someone whose career took off. Shannon wrote this book, among many, many others:
Shannon actually wrote this blog after she'd received a couple of angry fan emails telling her if she didn't respond they'd never read any of her books again. Shannon said she would rather put her limited work time into creating new books than responding to every email. In fact, the very reason we never saw another book from Margaret Mitchell was that she spent all her time responding to fan mail because she thought that was the polite thing to do.
I think we'd rather have had more books from Margaret Mitchell than a bunch of fan mail being sold at auction, right?
I remembered once reading a comment from Stephen King stating that his fiction is all he has to give his readers. I didn't get it at the time, but I can see how a really successful author would eventually have to draw the line. We all know Stephen King believes in that...
Do you think authors should become inaccessible at some point? Would you stop reading a book by an author who ignored your emails or requests to meet?
Then came the internet. People could check out information about an author on his/her website and email an address listed there. It was usually understood by my generation that an author's email account was probably manned by a publicist, since publicists always handled their mail in the past.
A new generation of fans has emerged, however. It's a generation who sees Kim Kardashian on Twitter and assumes she'll read and respond to their tweets.
In the early days, you're so excited about every new review or fan email, you don't just respond--you print them all out and hang them on your wall. But there's a shift that happens at some point. For some, it happens FAR faster than most of us--especially if your book is made into a movie or TV show.
Bestselling author Shannon Hale is an example of someone whose career took off. Shannon wrote this book, among many, many others:
Shannon actually wrote this blog after she'd received a couple of angry fan emails telling her if she didn't respond they'd never read any of her books again. Shannon said she would rather put her limited work time into creating new books than responding to every email. In fact, the very reason we never saw another book from Margaret Mitchell was that she spent all her time responding to fan mail because she thought that was the polite thing to do.
I think we'd rather have had more books from Margaret Mitchell than a bunch of fan mail being sold at auction, right?
I remembered once reading a comment from Stephen King stating that his fiction is all he has to give his readers. I didn't get it at the time, but I can see how a really successful author would eventually have to draw the line. We all know Stephen King believes in that...
Do you think authors should become inaccessible at some point? Would you stop reading a book by an author who ignored your emails or requests to meet?
December 8, 2014
Introducing Claudia Must Die by T.B. Markinson
Today is a big day for our friend T.B. Markinson. She's celebrating the release of her latest book:
T.B. is a busy writer. Earlier this year, she celebrated the release of Confessions from a Coffee Shop with a fun guest blog for us. In Claudia Must Die, a case of mistaken identity puts a woman's life in danger. It sounds fascinating!
Blurb:
Claudia doesn’t feel like herself anymore—she feels like prey. Her husband’s hired goons have stalked her all the way to Boston and will only stop their pursuit once she is dead.
Divorce is not an option. Instead, she has stolen a bunch of her man’s money to disappear into another life.
In order for Claudia to live, someone else must die. A lookalike college student becomes the target capable of freeing her from an awful marriage.
The plan goes horribly awry. Instead of murdering Claudia’s double, the assassins shoot the woman’s lover who is the cousin of a powerful Irish mobster. Claudia becomes hunted by all involved.
Can she survive? Should she?
Claudia Must Die is available now.
About the Author:
T. B. Markinson is an American writer, living in England. When she isn’t writing, she’s traveling around the world, watching sports on the telly, visiting pubs in England, or taking the dog for a walk. Not necessarily in that order. T. B. has published A Woman Lost , Marionette , and Confessions From A Coffee Shop .
Mailing List:
Sign up to TB’s New Release Mailing List here. Your email will never be shared and you will only be contacted when a new book is out.
Links:
Twitter Facebook Blog Goodreads Amazon Author Page
Purchase Links:
Amazon (US) / Amazon (UK)
T.B. is a busy writer. Earlier this year, she celebrated the release of Confessions from a Coffee Shop with a fun guest blog for us. In Claudia Must Die, a case of mistaken identity puts a woman's life in danger. It sounds fascinating!
Blurb:
Claudia doesn’t feel like herself anymore—she feels like prey. Her husband’s hired goons have stalked her all the way to Boston and will only stop their pursuit once she is dead.
Divorce is not an option. Instead, she has stolen a bunch of her man’s money to disappear into another life.
In order for Claudia to live, someone else must die. A lookalike college student becomes the target capable of freeing her from an awful marriage.
The plan goes horribly awry. Instead of murdering Claudia’s double, the assassins shoot the woman’s lover who is the cousin of a powerful Irish mobster. Claudia becomes hunted by all involved.
Can she survive? Should she?
Claudia Must Die is available now.
About the Author:
T. B. Markinson is an American writer, living in England. When she isn’t writing, she’s traveling around the world, watching sports on the telly, visiting pubs in England, or taking the dog for a walk. Not necessarily in that order. T. B. has published A Woman Lost , Marionette , and Confessions From A Coffee Shop .
Mailing List:
Sign up to TB’s New Release Mailing List here. Your email will never be shared and you will only be contacted when a new book is out.
Links:
Twitter Facebook Blog Goodreads Amazon Author Page
Purchase Links:
Amazon (US) / Amazon (UK)
December 5, 2014
My Seven Deadly Sins of Reading
The uber-talented Crystal Collier tagged me in the Seven Deadly Sins of the Literary World blog tag. Since all writers are bookworms at heart, I couldn't resist. The rules are simply to answer the questions and tag others. Here we go...
Greed--What is your most inexpensive book? I'm currently reading Accidentally Evil by the awesome Lara Chapman for free, thanks to Edelweiss. Fellow Aladdin M!x author Jen Malone told me about Edelweiss and I love it. You get free books months in advance of release in exchange for reviewing them. As a newly-published author myself, I now realize how beneficial those early reviews can be to building buzz, so I always post a Goodreads review, then go back in and post an Amazon review once the book is out.
Wrath--Who's the author with whom you have a love/hate relationship? Stephen King, of course! I grew up reading his books and he inspired me to write. I read both 11/22/63 and Under the Dome and, while I loved both books, I just found them so long-winded. I find myself starting his books, then reading the summary on Wikipedia to find out how they end because his books just go on and on and on and on and I have a short attention span.
Gluttony--What book have you devoured over and over again with no shame? There's Stephen King's The Stand, my favorite of all time. But if we're talking "true guilty pleasure," I'd have to say V.C. Andrews' Flowers in the Attic. I recently re-read the first two books in that series and had forgotten what guilty pleasures her books were!
Sloth--Which book have you neglected reading due to laziness? Everything on my Goodreads to-read list. It seems to keep growing. The oldest book on my to-read list is Under the Light by Lara Whitcomb. I found A Certain Slant of Light fascinating and meant to read the rest of the books in the series. It looks like that probably won't happen.
Pride--What books do you talk about most in order to sound like an intellectual reader? I don't even try to fake it. I spend my life reading books written for girls between the ages of six and 14. When I'm not doing that, I'm probably reading something by Harlan Coben. Why lie? I'm proud of my preference for contemporary commercial fiction. My snooty friends who said you have to read literary classics to be a writer still aren't published, so perhaps I'm onto something...
Lust--What attributes do you find attractive in a male or female character? Flaws. I think characters who are flawed are much more relatable than those who are surfacy and shallow.
Envy--What book would you like to receive most as a gift? Since I buy all of my books for Kindle, I'm not sure anyone can do that...what I'd love is an Amazon gift card. I'd just load my Kindle up!
Here are my tags. No pressure...I just always use "tagging" as an opportunity to introduce people to bloggers! Check these great bloggers out.
Cathrina Constantine
Sage
Mason Canyon
What book have you been putting off reading? What one author is your guilty pleasure?
Greed--What is your most inexpensive book? I'm currently reading Accidentally Evil by the awesome Lara Chapman for free, thanks to Edelweiss. Fellow Aladdin M!x author Jen Malone told me about Edelweiss and I love it. You get free books months in advance of release in exchange for reviewing them. As a newly-published author myself, I now realize how beneficial those early reviews can be to building buzz, so I always post a Goodreads review, then go back in and post an Amazon review once the book is out.
Wrath--Who's the author with whom you have a love/hate relationship? Stephen King, of course! I grew up reading his books and he inspired me to write. I read both 11/22/63 and Under the Dome and, while I loved both books, I just found them so long-winded. I find myself starting his books, then reading the summary on Wikipedia to find out how they end because his books just go on and on and on and on and I have a short attention span.
Gluttony--What book have you devoured over and over again with no shame? There's Stephen King's The Stand, my favorite of all time. But if we're talking "true guilty pleasure," I'd have to say V.C. Andrews' Flowers in the Attic. I recently re-read the first two books in that series and had forgotten what guilty pleasures her books were!
Sloth--Which book have you neglected reading due to laziness? Everything on my Goodreads to-read list. It seems to keep growing. The oldest book on my to-read list is Under the Light by Lara Whitcomb. I found A Certain Slant of Light fascinating and meant to read the rest of the books in the series. It looks like that probably won't happen.
Pride--What books do you talk about most in order to sound like an intellectual reader? I don't even try to fake it. I spend my life reading books written for girls between the ages of six and 14. When I'm not doing that, I'm probably reading something by Harlan Coben. Why lie? I'm proud of my preference for contemporary commercial fiction. My snooty friends who said you have to read literary classics to be a writer still aren't published, so perhaps I'm onto something...
Lust--What attributes do you find attractive in a male or female character? Flaws. I think characters who are flawed are much more relatable than those who are surfacy and shallow.
Envy--What book would you like to receive most as a gift? Since I buy all of my books for Kindle, I'm not sure anyone can do that...what I'd love is an Amazon gift card. I'd just load my Kindle up!
Here are my tags. No pressure...I just always use "tagging" as an opportunity to introduce people to bloggers! Check these great bloggers out.
Cathrina Constantine
Sage
Mason Canyon
What book have you been putting off reading? What one author is your guilty pleasure?
December 3, 2014
All Writers Are at Least a Little Insecure
Today marks an exciting occasion--this is my first post for the Insecure Writer's Support Group. If you haven't heard of this group, check it out. The first Wednesday of each month, the IWSG meets for the sole purpose of supporting and encouraging each other. What writer can't use a little support every now and then?
When you start writing, you're so focused on finding an agent and publisher, you rarely think beyond that initial goal. You assume that once you're published, red carpets will roll out and you'll be whisked away to the Hollywood premiere of the movie version of your bestseller.
But that doesn't happen. The date of your book release approaches and...guess what? You have no idea what you're doing.
Doctors prepare for years for their first surgery. They practice. They study. They watch mentors. Writers prepare for years to become better writers. Booksignings? School visits? Interviews with local publications? Notsomuch.
So you play it by ear, but all the while you're sure everyone else knows what they're doing but you. As you go to conferences and network with other published authors, however, you realize that's not at all true. In fact, very few published authors know what to do in the weeks leading up to release day. This goes for traditionally-published authors, as well as those who are self published. All you can do is ask for advice and play it by ear and hope you aren't doing it all wrong.
If you'd like to join in on the IWSG, add your link here and post your blog the first Wednesday of each month. It's a wonderful, supportive group.
When you start writing, you're so focused on finding an agent and publisher, you rarely think beyond that initial goal. You assume that once you're published, red carpets will roll out and you'll be whisked away to the Hollywood premiere of the movie version of your bestseller.
But that doesn't happen. The date of your book release approaches and...guess what? You have no idea what you're doing.
Doctors prepare for years for their first surgery. They practice. They study. They watch mentors. Writers prepare for years to become better writers. Booksignings? School visits? Interviews with local publications? Notsomuch.
So you play it by ear, but all the while you're sure everyone else knows what they're doing but you. As you go to conferences and network with other published authors, however, you realize that's not at all true. In fact, very few published authors know what to do in the weeks leading up to release day. This goes for traditionally-published authors, as well as those who are self published. All you can do is ask for advice and play it by ear and hope you aren't doing it all wrong.
If you'd like to join in on the IWSG, add your link here and post your blog the first Wednesday of each month. It's a wonderful, supportive group.
December 1, 2014
Walking and Talking
My job as a freelance writer occasionally requires me to speak on the phone. I say "occasionally" because 99.9 percent of the time I decline a job if the words "let's have a quick call" are mentioned.
A couple of times, I've made the mistake of agreeing to a call, only to realize about five minutes in that the person on the other end is interviewing me. To write a 500-word article! I've even had someone ask me the "strengths and weaknesses" question.
When I found myself in that situation, I should have politely declined and hung up. Instead, I went through with the interview and found I was actually nervous. Like it was this kind of job interview.
I noticed something. When I'm nervous and talking on the phone, I do this.
What is it about talking on the phone that makes us do strange things? Like this:
What do you do while you're talking on the phone?
A couple of times, I've made the mistake of agreeing to a call, only to realize about five minutes in that the person on the other end is interviewing me. To write a 500-word article! I've even had someone ask me the "strengths and weaknesses" question.
When I found myself in that situation, I should have politely declined and hung up. Instead, I went through with the interview and found I was actually nervous. Like it was this kind of job interview.
I noticed something. When I'm nervous and talking on the phone, I do this.
What is it about talking on the phone that makes us do strange things? Like this:
What do you do while you're talking on the phone?
November 28, 2014
The Cephalopod Coffehouse: Best Books of November
Today I'm participating in the monthly meeting of the Cephalopod Coffeehouse, where we sign up to write about the best book we've read this month.
This month I read more than one great book, so I'm going to recap ALL the great books I read this month. The first was The Curse of the Granville Fortune by our friend Kelly Hashway:
I grew up reading the books in the Nancy Drew series and the title reminded me of the classic stories I read as a child. But this book is much, much better. From page one, the story pulls you in and the action doesn't let up until you reach the final page. I highly recommend it!
The second was this fantabulous book by another great blogger friend, Medeira Sharif:
The Attic of Sand and Secrets tells the story of a young learning disabled girl whose mother is kidnapped. Not only is Lily inspiring, the book takes you on a fun adventure that includes a magical trip that happens every time she visits the attic in her closet. Plus, is it just me, or is there something about the fantasy of having a secret bedroom passageway that just seems so magical to a young reader?
The third book was The Good Sister by Jamie Kain. Jamie was in my very first critique group, which I think was on AOL. Yes, it was that long ago. After a successful career as a romance novelist, Jamie is setting the young adult world on fire with this book:
I love stories like 13 Reasons Why and If I Stay. The Good Sister reminded me of that. It's that same level of awesome! One sister dies and in the aftermath, her surviving sisters must deal with their own imperfections. Jamie has created relatable characters and a riveting plot and I know we'll see many, many more books from her.
What's the best book you read in November? Feel free to add your link to the list below if you'd like to join in on your own blog!
This month I read more than one great book, so I'm going to recap ALL the great books I read this month. The first was The Curse of the Granville Fortune by our friend Kelly Hashway:
I grew up reading the books in the Nancy Drew series and the title reminded me of the classic stories I read as a child. But this book is much, much better. From page one, the story pulls you in and the action doesn't let up until you reach the final page. I highly recommend it!
The second was this fantabulous book by another great blogger friend, Medeira Sharif:
The Attic of Sand and Secrets tells the story of a young learning disabled girl whose mother is kidnapped. Not only is Lily inspiring, the book takes you on a fun adventure that includes a magical trip that happens every time she visits the attic in her closet. Plus, is it just me, or is there something about the fantasy of having a secret bedroom passageway that just seems so magical to a young reader?
The third book was The Good Sister by Jamie Kain. Jamie was in my very first critique group, which I think was on AOL. Yes, it was that long ago. After a successful career as a romance novelist, Jamie is setting the young adult world on fire with this book:
I love stories like 13 Reasons Why and If I Stay. The Good Sister reminded me of that. It's that same level of awesome! One sister dies and in the aftermath, her surviving sisters must deal with their own imperfections. Jamie has created relatable characters and a riveting plot and I know we'll see many, many more books from her.
What's the best book you read in November? Feel free to add your link to the list below if you'd like to join in on your own blog!
November 27, 2014
Happy Thanksgiving!
Today is Thanksgiving. For my non-American readers, Thanksgiving is a day when we're supposed to give thanks for all of our blessings. Technically, we're supposed to give thanks for the bountiful harvest of the previous summer season, but since it's 2014 and many of us get our "crops" from here...
...mostly we just do this.
And this.
And this.
If we have a houseful of bored kids, we do this.
And then we go to bed early, so we can get up and do this.
What are you doing for Thanksgiving?
Sign up for my 25 Roses blog tour, which is happening January 5-9! I'll be linking to the sites hosting me each day to send some traffic your way.
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...mostly we just do this.
And this.
And this.
If we have a houseful of bored kids, we do this.
And then we go to bed early, so we can get up and do this.
What are you doing for Thanksgiving?
Sign up for my 25 Roses blog tour, which is happening January 5-9! I'll be linking to the sites hosting me each day to send some traffic your way.
Powered by 123ContactForm | Report abuse
