Lisa Vaughn's Blog, page 5
October 8, 2011
Six short sentences from Chapter 8: The Nightmare Continu...
Six short sentences from Chapter 8: The Nightmare Continues ~
They were both sitting there - around the table of doom - anxious to reveal the depth of my long-term sentence. Their stern faces indicated they were not going easy on me. "The Plan" would start with a short isolation from school. They realized it wasn't feasible to keep me home forever, or send me off, so I would be going back in a few days. That is, only after they contacted Selina's mom to warn her of this latest "crime", counting on her help to devise a plan that would keep us apart.
***
Thank you for visiting and getting your Sunday Quick Fix!
If you're intrigued, please follow my links above for purchasing options. Ebooks now only $.99! Print on sale @ Amazon for under $10!
They were both sitting there - around the table of doom - anxious to reveal the depth of my long-term sentence. Their stern faces indicated they were not going easy on me. "The Plan" would start with a short isolation from school. They realized it wasn't feasible to keep me home forever, or send me off, so I would be going back in a few days. That is, only after they contacted Selina's mom to warn her of this latest "crime", counting on her help to devise a plan that would keep us apart.
***
Thank you for visiting and getting your Sunday Quick Fix!
If you're intrigued, please follow my links above for purchasing options. Ebooks now only $.99! Print on sale @ Amazon for under $10!
October 7, 2011
Yes Kids..It's Time! SaturdaySample Time! Snippet from 'The Gifted Ones'
This weeks excerpt from Chapter 7: All Hell Breaks Loose
(My 'secret' relationship had just been discovered by my parents)
The only thought running through my head was finding a way to contact Selina, to warn her of our discovery. The jig was definitely up! Could I get to a phone without them knowing? Could I get out my second story window, fleeing to her house on foot? The feeling of desperation was overwhelming. It killed me to picture her not knowing what had happened to me. What would she think when I didn't show up for school, abruptly cutting off all contact? Would she think I decided I couldn't handle this lifestyle, that I was done with her? I'd rather die than have her think that, even for one second! Sitting alone in my room, my mind raced for a solution. I needed comfort. I needed reassurance that everything would be alright. I needed my friend. I needed her.
Instinctively, I went to my closet, reaching for an old army jacket that belonged to her, and wrapped myself in it. I just wanted to smell her scent, and feel her close to me. It was the only form of self- soothing I had available at that moment. I laid on my bed, sobbing, with my arms wrapped around myself, envisioning her hugging me. Moments later my door flew open with a fury, it was my mother again...the evil warden. She saw the jacket around me and simply lost it! It was swiftly ripped off me, as if it were on fire. Stripping me of my last shred of sanity. Did they know what they were doing to me? How could these people turn on me this fast? How could they be so cold? Who WERE these people?
I was told then that I would not be attending school or work, and a phone call to Selina's parents was already in the works. We would not be allowed to see each other ever again! Any place where we might run into each other, was now off limits. That was their decision, and that was final! The jury had ruled. My door was slammed shut, and I was left to drown in my despair...again...alone.
I laid there in the dark that night, crying until tears just weren't possible any longer. The image of Romeo and Juliet came to mind. I could only be so lucky to die in my sleep tonight, I thought. If there would have been poison in my room, I'm certain I would've chugged it in a New York minute. Not having that luxury available, I got out my cassette player, plugged in my earphones, and went to the only other source of comfort I could get my hands on. I listened to Elton singing "Someone Saved My Life Tonight" over and over and over. Soaking in every word, wishing some miracle would save me that night...save us.
I eventually drifted off to sleep from total exhaustion.
***
Thank you for taking the time to stop by for a little sample.
If you'd like to know how this saga ends, please visit the links posted above to purchase my memoir. Ebooks are now only $.99! Print on sale @ Amazon for under $10!
(My 'secret' relationship had just been discovered by my parents)
The only thought running through my head was finding a way to contact Selina, to warn her of our discovery. The jig was definitely up! Could I get to a phone without them knowing? Could I get out my second story window, fleeing to her house on foot? The feeling of desperation was overwhelming. It killed me to picture her not knowing what had happened to me. What would she think when I didn't show up for school, abruptly cutting off all contact? Would she think I decided I couldn't handle this lifestyle, that I was done with her? I'd rather die than have her think that, even for one second! Sitting alone in my room, my mind raced for a solution. I needed comfort. I needed reassurance that everything would be alright. I needed my friend. I needed her.
Instinctively, I went to my closet, reaching for an old army jacket that belonged to her, and wrapped myself in it. I just wanted to smell her scent, and feel her close to me. It was the only form of self- soothing I had available at that moment. I laid on my bed, sobbing, with my arms wrapped around myself, envisioning her hugging me. Moments later my door flew open with a fury, it was my mother again...the evil warden. She saw the jacket around me and simply lost it! It was swiftly ripped off me, as if it were on fire. Stripping me of my last shred of sanity. Did they know what they were doing to me? How could these people turn on me this fast? How could they be so cold? Who WERE these people?
I was told then that I would not be attending school or work, and a phone call to Selina's parents was already in the works. We would not be allowed to see each other ever again! Any place where we might run into each other, was now off limits. That was their decision, and that was final! The jury had ruled. My door was slammed shut, and I was left to drown in my despair...again...alone.
I laid there in the dark that night, crying until tears just weren't possible any longer. The image of Romeo and Juliet came to mind. I could only be so lucky to die in my sleep tonight, I thought. If there would have been poison in my room, I'm certain I would've chugged it in a New York minute. Not having that luxury available, I got out my cassette player, plugged in my earphones, and went to the only other source of comfort I could get my hands on. I listened to Elton singing "Someone Saved My Life Tonight" over and over and over. Soaking in every word, wishing some miracle would save me that night...save us.
I eventually drifted off to sleep from total exhaustion.
***
Thank you for taking the time to stop by for a little sample.
If you'd like to know how this saga ends, please visit the links posted above to purchase my memoir. Ebooks are now only $.99! Print on sale @ Amazon for under $10!
Yes Kids..It's Time! #SaturdaySample Time! Snippet from 'The Gifted Ones'
This weeks excerpt from Chapter 7: All Hell Breaks Loose
(My 'secret' relationship had just been discovered by my parents)
The only thought running through my head was finding a way to contact Selina, to warn her of our discovery. The jig was definitely up! Could I get to a phone without them knowing? Could I get out my second story window, fleeing to her house on foot? The feeling of desperation was overwhelming. It killed me to picture her not knowing what had happened to me. What would she think when I didn't show up for school, abruptly cutting off all contact? Would she think I decided I couldn't handle this lifestyle, that I was done with her? I'd rather die than have her think that, even for one second! Sitting alone in my room, my mind raced for a solution. I needed comfort. I needed reassurance that everything would be alright. I needed my friend. I needed her.
Instinctively, I went to my closet, reaching for an old army jacket that belonged to her, and wrapped myself in it. I just wanted to smell her scent, and feel her close to me. It was the only form of self- soothing I had available at that moment. I laid on my bed, sobbing, with my arms wrapped around myself, envisioning her hugging me. Moments later my door flew open with a fury, it was my mother again...the evil warden. She saw the jacket around me and simply lost it! It was swiftly ripped off me, as if it were on fire. Stripping me of my last shred of sanity. Did they know what they were doing to me? How could these people turn on me this fast? How could they be so cold? Who WERE these people?
I was told then that I would not be attending school or work, and a phone call to Selina's parents was already in the works. We would not be allowed to see each other ever again! Any place where we might run into each other, was now off limits. That was their decision, and that was final! The jury had ruled. My door was slammed shut, and I was left to drown in my despair...again...alone.
I laid there in the dark that night, crying until tears just weren't possible any longer. The image of Romeo and Juliet came to mind. I could only be so lucky to die in my sleep tonight, I thought. If there would have been poison in my room, I'm certain I would've chugged it in a New York minute. Not having that luxury available, I got out my cassette player, plugged in my earphones, and went to the only other source of comfort I could get my hands on. I listened to Elton singing "Someone Saved My Life Tonight" over and over and over. Soaking in every word, wishing some miracle would save me that night...save us.
I eventually drifted off to sleep from total exhaustion.
***
Thank you for taking the time to stop by for a little sample.
If you'd like to know how this saga ends, please visit the links posted above to purchase my memoir. Ebooks are now only $.99! Print on sale @ Amazon for under $10!
(My 'secret' relationship had just been discovered by my parents)
The only thought running through my head was finding a way to contact Selina, to warn her of our discovery. The jig was definitely up! Could I get to a phone without them knowing? Could I get out my second story window, fleeing to her house on foot? The feeling of desperation was overwhelming. It killed me to picture her not knowing what had happened to me. What would she think when I didn't show up for school, abruptly cutting off all contact? Would she think I decided I couldn't handle this lifestyle, that I was done with her? I'd rather die than have her think that, even for one second! Sitting alone in my room, my mind raced for a solution. I needed comfort. I needed reassurance that everything would be alright. I needed my friend. I needed her.
Instinctively, I went to my closet, reaching for an old army jacket that belonged to her, and wrapped myself in it. I just wanted to smell her scent, and feel her close to me. It was the only form of self- soothing I had available at that moment. I laid on my bed, sobbing, with my arms wrapped around myself, envisioning her hugging me. Moments later my door flew open with a fury, it was my mother again...the evil warden. She saw the jacket around me and simply lost it! It was swiftly ripped off me, as if it were on fire. Stripping me of my last shred of sanity. Did they know what they were doing to me? How could these people turn on me this fast? How could they be so cold? Who WERE these people?
I was told then that I would not be attending school or work, and a phone call to Selina's parents was already in the works. We would not be allowed to see each other ever again! Any place where we might run into each other, was now off limits. That was their decision, and that was final! The jury had ruled. My door was slammed shut, and I was left to drown in my despair...again...alone.
I laid there in the dark that night, crying until tears just weren't possible any longer. The image of Romeo and Juliet came to mind. I could only be so lucky to die in my sleep tonight, I thought. If there would have been poison in my room, I'm certain I would've chugged it in a New York minute. Not having that luxury available, I got out my cassette player, plugged in my earphones, and went to the only other source of comfort I could get my hands on. I listened to Elton singing "Someone Saved My Life Tonight" over and over and over. Soaking in every word, wishing some miracle would save me that night...save us.
I eventually drifted off to sleep from total exhaustion.
***
Thank you for taking the time to stop by for a little sample.
If you'd like to know how this saga ends, please visit the links posted above to purchase my memoir. Ebooks are now only $.99! Print on sale @ Amazon for under $10!
October 6, 2011
FridayFeelGoodAssignment:Get Your Halloween On! Oprah's-In-Da-House!
Every neighborhood has one. THAT house. The mysterious, spooky house on the block that magically comes alive once a year...October 31st to be exact.Yep, that's us! And to think it all started about 13 years ago with one little display of a stuffed hobo bending over, displaying his 'pumpkin' butt-crack peaking out of his oversized jeans. From that Halloween on, we became THAT house. Oh if only I had known what I just signed up for, and the responsibility we were accepting!
'THAT House' - the one everyone anticipates this time of year...What WILL they do THIS year? HOW can they top last year? Concerned neighbors that rarely speak to us, stop us at the mailbox, inquiring - in August! We even have seasonal residents that return in October, anxious to see what we've come up with this time. Not to mention the traffic that repeatedly slows down to grab a gander and a snapshot. So, pressure? Yeah, a tad.
Well, somehow we have managed - and my poor husband has been a great sport about it too, as he IS my set/design engineer. Our displays have grown tremendously over the years - each one has to top the previous - quite the challenge I must say. We've come up some doozies though. From our 'Bat Cave' display, to our 'Ghoul-Aid' stand, and last year's 'Nightmare Before Xmas' which displayed our monsters kidnapping Santa and his sleigh full of presents. Oh the memories!
I have tons of fond memories of Halloween's past. Even as a child I can remember loving this creepy time of year, claiming it as 'MY' holiday. Bravely marching up to doors in our safe neighborhoods of the seventies, decked out in my store- bought, plastic 'Heckle & Jeckle' crow costume (what does THAT have to do with Halloween?!) to my more elaborate hand-made costumes in my adult life. Who doesn't LOVE a sock monkey?
I must add, if you ever have a chance to be a sock monkey for a day, by all means, do not pass it up! That was probably the most fun I've ever had. Sock monkey's, as I found out, can get away with practically anything in public! From the over-the-top parties we have thrown, to the parties we have attended, nothing compares to the fun I always have on that special night. We have taken the party scene down a notch or two, now that we are getting older and not that energetic, but I still get a pep in my step looking forward to this magical time of year. And even though it is a lot of work, it's a labor of love, and SO worth it when I hear the praises from our loyal fan-base year after year. I think to myself, HOW could I EVER give this up? I doubt I ever will...even if I have to hire it done from my wheelchair when I'm in my 90's!
So let your Halloween Freak Flag Fly! Deck your house out and make fond memories for the children in your neighborhood. It's the one time of year you can be whatever you want! Let you hair down and go for it! Tell em the 'Queen of Halloween' said so.
Wishing you all a spook-tacular holiday month!
October 5, 2011
Twitter: Friend or Foe?
All die-hard tweeters have experienced it...that eye roll and look of worthless disgust coming from our 'non-tweeting' mates, as they catch us sneaking in a tweet or two. And then we hear IT - 'Are you on there AGAIN?' as I sheepishly sneak my Ipad into the bathroom, my only place to tweet without judgement.
It wasn't always this way. I remember the day when I too was one of THEM...a Non-Tweeter.
My sister was the first 'tweeter' I ever knew. She follows and promotes an up-and-coming indie musician. At first I didn't pay much attention to it, but then realized how much twitter had consumed her - taking up most of her spare time. Gone were the days of my daily emails from her and the sharing of our daily lives...yep, in my book she was 'addicted'. I scoffed at her senseless wasting of time and wondered how someone could pass up communication with family or a beautiful day outside in lieu of talking to complete strangers (whom she thought of as her new 'family') 160 characters at a time. What a loser, I thought. Little did I know, I would soon come to eat my own words.
With the announcement of my memoir being published this past April, my sister again encouraged me to get into twitter, promising it was the perfect spot for a new author to network. I groaned and drug my feet, thinking geez..I just incorporated Facebook into my life after a similar bout of 'holding out' to conformity. But I soon realized the fact that a self-publishing indie author needs every trick in the book, so I reluctantly signed up. She excitedly shared her expert knowledge showing me the in's and out's of twitter-land. Tweet Deck, Re-tweets, Mentions, and Hashtags - a new language for a new world.
I sat at my computer, tweet deck and columns laid out before me. I felt like a squirrel trying to cross a busy road. 'Traffic' screaming past me, as the tweets seemed to roll non-stop, much like a ticker-tape on Wall Street. I was definitely overwhelmed to say the least. She encouraged me to 'jump in' and strike up a conversation with someone...anyone, as I needed to get 'followers'. I felt awkward and plastic as I haphazardly tried to strike a cord with someone...anyone! After a few lame attempts I walked away thinking this just isn't for me. Who would follow me? An unknown author with a memoir no one has ever heard of, covering a controversial subject to boot. It felt like high school all over again. Who would ever listen to me?
Time went by and I found myself observing my tweet columns. Once in awhile I'd comment on a tweet or follow a link. Slowly, like magic, I started to connect. Finding like-minded tweeps like myself, and fellow authors starting out just like me. We were forming a 'clique', a family of sorts...just like my sister had described. Damn, maybe she WAS on to something here!
Fast forward: I now have over 2000 followers! How that happened I have no idea. But I do know once I let my guard down and relaxed, I fit in just fine, in fact I thrived. I have talked to people from lands I will never see, places I will never visit. Likewise, people who never would've heard the likes of me, have read my book. I have a tight following and support system I never would have experienced had it not been for dear ole twitter. The technology that I once bashed is now part of my daily routine as well. It's my sole source for promotion and making new friends, many I feel I will know for some time to come. As I just recently joked in a tweet - you know you spend too much time on twitter when you're out shopping and see things that remind you of one of your tweeps and have an urge to buy it for them! Virtual friends that are sometimes closer to us than our flesh and blood friends. Is that wrong or just the wave of the future?
My husband is still a non-believer, and I warn him every day that he needs to accept this new way of communication as this IS our future. Jump on the band-wagon or be left in the dust, I feel. Much like our parents who refused to use cell phones or other modern technologies, like computers. This is only the tip of the iceberg for the new generation...learn their language or be lost. I'm a big advocate of keeping life simple and vintage, but some things you just have to accept if you want to keep up with the times.
So friend or foe? For me, I say friend! It's all in what you make of it, like anything else. And yes, I do need to learn how to discipline myself so that other aspects of my life are not lost or compromised to the point of destruction - that is a daily lesson within itself for me. Family, daily exercise, outdoor activities, pets, and real life friends are all important parts of my life which I do not want to lose. But at the same time, so is support, human compassion and camaraderie, and the thrill of seeing your work enjoyed around the world! We just have to learn to juggle both in harmony, and get our mates to join in, not shut out.
Once again, I coin the phrase, 'Never say never!' for I have eaten my words...again.
If you don't already, please follow me @THEGIFTEDONES. I pop in and out on a daily basis. My objective is to connect with like-minded tweeps, spread my word of 'acceptance' through my memoir, The Gifted Ones', promote other indie authors and artists, and have some fun with good people! If that describes you, I'll see ya in my stream! Now excuse me while I go check who 'RT'ed or Mentioned' me!
It wasn't always this way. I remember the day when I too was one of THEM...a Non-Tweeter.
My sister was the first 'tweeter' I ever knew. She follows and promotes an up-and-coming indie musician. At first I didn't pay much attention to it, but then realized how much twitter had consumed her - taking up most of her spare time. Gone were the days of my daily emails from her and the sharing of our daily lives...yep, in my book she was 'addicted'. I scoffed at her senseless wasting of time and wondered how someone could pass up communication with family or a beautiful day outside in lieu of talking to complete strangers (whom she thought of as her new 'family') 160 characters at a time. What a loser, I thought. Little did I know, I would soon come to eat my own words.
With the announcement of my memoir being published this past April, my sister again encouraged me to get into twitter, promising it was the perfect spot for a new author to network. I groaned and drug my feet, thinking geez..I just incorporated Facebook into my life after a similar bout of 'holding out' to conformity. But I soon realized the fact that a self-publishing indie author needs every trick in the book, so I reluctantly signed up. She excitedly shared her expert knowledge showing me the in's and out's of twitter-land. Tweet Deck, Re-tweets, Mentions, and Hashtags - a new language for a new world.
I sat at my computer, tweet deck and columns laid out before me. I felt like a squirrel trying to cross a busy road. 'Traffic' screaming past me, as the tweets seemed to roll non-stop, much like a ticker-tape on Wall Street. I was definitely overwhelmed to say the least. She encouraged me to 'jump in' and strike up a conversation with someone...anyone, as I needed to get 'followers'. I felt awkward and plastic as I haphazardly tried to strike a cord with someone...anyone! After a few lame attempts I walked away thinking this just isn't for me. Who would follow me? An unknown author with a memoir no one has ever heard of, covering a controversial subject to boot. It felt like high school all over again. Who would ever listen to me?
Time went by and I found myself observing my tweet columns. Once in awhile I'd comment on a tweet or follow a link. Slowly, like magic, I started to connect. Finding like-minded tweeps like myself, and fellow authors starting out just like me. We were forming a 'clique', a family of sorts...just like my sister had described. Damn, maybe she WAS on to something here!
Fast forward: I now have over 2000 followers! How that happened I have no idea. But I do know once I let my guard down and relaxed, I fit in just fine, in fact I thrived. I have talked to people from lands I will never see, places I will never visit. Likewise, people who never would've heard the likes of me, have read my book. I have a tight following and support system I never would have experienced had it not been for dear ole twitter. The technology that I once bashed is now part of my daily routine as well. It's my sole source for promotion and making new friends, many I feel I will know for some time to come. As I just recently joked in a tweet - you know you spend too much time on twitter when you're out shopping and see things that remind you of one of your tweeps and have an urge to buy it for them! Virtual friends that are sometimes closer to us than our flesh and blood friends. Is that wrong or just the wave of the future?
My husband is still a non-believer, and I warn him every day that he needs to accept this new way of communication as this IS our future. Jump on the band-wagon or be left in the dust, I feel. Much like our parents who refused to use cell phones or other modern technologies, like computers. This is only the tip of the iceberg for the new generation...learn their language or be lost. I'm a big advocate of keeping life simple and vintage, but some things you just have to accept if you want to keep up with the times.
So friend or foe? For me, I say friend! It's all in what you make of it, like anything else. And yes, I do need to learn how to discipline myself so that other aspects of my life are not lost or compromised to the point of destruction - that is a daily lesson within itself for me. Family, daily exercise, outdoor activities, pets, and real life friends are all important parts of my life which I do not want to lose. But at the same time, so is support, human compassion and camaraderie, and the thrill of seeing your work enjoyed around the world! We just have to learn to juggle both in harmony, and get our mates to join in, not shut out.
Once again, I coin the phrase, 'Never say never!' for I have eaten my words...again.
If you don't already, please follow me @THEGIFTEDONES. I pop in and out on a daily basis. My objective is to connect with like-minded tweeps, spread my word of 'acceptance' through my memoir, The Gifted Ones', promote other indie authors and artists, and have some fun with good people! If that describes you, I'll see ya in my stream! Now excuse me while I go check who 'RT'ed or Mentioned' me!
I Have A Website! Am I Somebody Now?
Back in the 'old days' they used to say you weren't 'Somebody' until your name appeared in the phone book...Oh how times have changed!
Recently a fellow writer-friend approached me via Facebook with a proposal. He said, I noticed you don't have a website, if you want, I'll set one up for you...for free. My first thoughts were: OMG! Not ANOTHER site to oversee, keep up with, interact with, suck up my day with...I already have email, twitter, Facebook, Triberr, and my own blog page, which combined, seems to steal most of my time now! How can I take on one more 'thing'?! But then that four letter word kept creeping into my head: FREE.
He convinced me there is no interaction and he'd take care of the details. And he did! So I want to first thank Kevin Davison of Reader Exchange for his awesomeness and never ending generosity, and second, announce my new website!
Please visit if you have a chance sometime, all my links are there, and you can even be one of the first to sign my guestbook!
Yes, today I definitely feel like somebody! :)
http://lisa-vaughn.webnode.com/
Make it an awesome day! Go out and BE somebody too! With or without a website, you matter! Let your voice be heard...live out loud!
Recently a fellow writer-friend approached me via Facebook with a proposal. He said, I noticed you don't have a website, if you want, I'll set one up for you...for free. My first thoughts were: OMG! Not ANOTHER site to oversee, keep up with, interact with, suck up my day with...I already have email, twitter, Facebook, Triberr, and my own blog page, which combined, seems to steal most of my time now! How can I take on one more 'thing'?! But then that four letter word kept creeping into my head: FREE.
He convinced me there is no interaction and he'd take care of the details. And he did! So I want to first thank Kevin Davison of Reader Exchange for his awesomeness and never ending generosity, and second, announce my new website!
Please visit if you have a chance sometime, all my links are there, and you can even be one of the first to sign my guestbook!
Yes, today I definitely feel like somebody! :)
http://lisa-vaughn.webnode.com/
Make it an awesome day! Go out and BE somebody too! With or without a website, you matter! Let your voice be heard...live out loud!
October 4, 2011
Book Covers...DO We Judge?
'Don't judge a book by its cover'. We've all heard the quip - we know we shouldn't, but do we abide?
The answer is, how could we not? Yes, it might be unfair...but if you think about it, choosing a book is a lot like dating. That first impression speaks volumes. Much like picking out a future 'mate', book covers are our first attraction - the eye candy. It catches our eye (or doesn't) and intrigues us to find out more - what's inside?
As an artist, I find it fascinating what people are attracted to in this category of 'book art', and as an author I was initially surprised at what I personally picked as my own cover. Normally I go all out - my eclectic taste craves bold color, bold lines - the crazier the better. But when it comes to books, the subtle and simple seem to catch my attention. As they say, sometimes less IS truly more, and I see that now.
I recall one of my favorite covers - James Frey's 'Million Little Pieces'. Now I know he took a lot of flack for that book, and perhaps I will write about that one day too, but for now I say he (or his publisher) did an excellent job on picking out that cover. If you'll remember, its a single hand reaching out with hundreds of candy parcels stuck to the fingers with a light blue background. That's it. But I have to tell you, when I first saw it, I was mesmerized. I thought, how brilliant! This simple cover has everything I need for an instant attraction. It had color, texture, intrigue, and CANDY! How could I NOT love this book? So simple, yet spoke volumes to me. I knew the book was about addiction, and pictured each of those candies as puzzle pieces of his troubled life - the 'million things' that led him to his addiction. From the cover alone, I knew I had to read that book, and in between chapters I would find myself staring at those colorful candies, soaking in the deep meaning he was transmitting to me through art alone.
So what do you look for in cover art? Do you want the cover to tell you the whole story or just a teasing glimpse of what could be inside? Is sex always a grabber in this medium? Is color important to you? Would a bad cover be enough for you to dismiss the book totally, even though you heard it could be a good read? I've heard the saying that a good cover can sell a bad book, but also, a bad cover can sink a good book as well. Are we that judgmental? Or is it just human nature to be geared towards something that naturally attracts our eye?
Like I said before, as an artist I was surprised by my final decision for my own cover art regarding my memoir, The Gifted Ones. As I wrote draft after draft, I would find myself daydreaming of my unborn cover. What crazy splashes of color would I use? How profound could I make it? I pictured purple - tons of purple! And silhouettes! Mysterious black outlines of the main characters - Selina and I. It had to transmit love, as that is what my main message is all about - love and acceptance. In between editing and going crazy, I'd scan the internet for clip art that fit this image in my mind. Then one day I came across THE perfect pic - I was elated, it told the story without saying a word. I copied, pasted, and saved...excited for the day I would put that image to work. Well the day came to design the cover and guess what? That perfect image did not work out - pixel problems or some technical 'non-art' related reasonings. Discouraged, I hurriedly scanned through hundreds of 'acceptable' alternatives, convinced I'd never find a suitable replacement. And then I saw 'it'. That simple bold chain...with a broken link. I knew in an instant - that was my new cover! It told the whole story in one simple shot - on multiple levels, I might add. No color, no pizzaz, no candies! It was bold, simple, and dark...just like my story at times. It was love at first sight, and the rest is history! Now, what to do with that equally striking runner-up pic? I loved it so much I knew I had to use it in something! Well, it is now my twitter avatar...the one that brought you here more than likely. The one I periodically get complimented on from tweeters. The color, they say, makes them happy when they see me in their timeline. It has the power to grab, just as I had suspected...damn pixels!
So YES, I say covers CAN make or break a book, unfair as it seems. But in this world of physical beauty, it only makes sense we'd pick an attractive looking book over one that didn't tantalize our eyes, our senses. So, the lesson? Authors, I know how hard we work on what is in between those two covers, so please, do not blow it by settling on bad covers! Take your time and find the one that speaks volumes without saying a word...your hard work deserves that, and so do the readers that might pass by your book based (unfairly) on what's on the outside. Yes, true beauty IS always on the inside, but we have to get them there first...much like you hooked your mate. ;)
*Thank you for stopping by! Comments are always welcome and appreciated! And by all means, please take a gander at my cover - what does it say to you?
The answer is, how could we not? Yes, it might be unfair...but if you think about it, choosing a book is a lot like dating. That first impression speaks volumes. Much like picking out a future 'mate', book covers are our first attraction - the eye candy. It catches our eye (or doesn't) and intrigues us to find out more - what's inside?
As an artist, I find it fascinating what people are attracted to in this category of 'book art', and as an author I was initially surprised at what I personally picked as my own cover. Normally I go all out - my eclectic taste craves bold color, bold lines - the crazier the better. But when it comes to books, the subtle and simple seem to catch my attention. As they say, sometimes less IS truly more, and I see that now.
I recall one of my favorite covers - James Frey's 'Million Little Pieces'. Now I know he took a lot of flack for that book, and perhaps I will write about that one day too, but for now I say he (or his publisher) did an excellent job on picking out that cover. If you'll remember, its a single hand reaching out with hundreds of candy parcels stuck to the fingers with a light blue background. That's it. But I have to tell you, when I first saw it, I was mesmerized. I thought, how brilliant! This simple cover has everything I need for an instant attraction. It had color, texture, intrigue, and CANDY! How could I NOT love this book? So simple, yet spoke volumes to me. I knew the book was about addiction, and pictured each of those candies as puzzle pieces of his troubled life - the 'million things' that led him to his addiction. From the cover alone, I knew I had to read that book, and in between chapters I would find myself staring at those colorful candies, soaking in the deep meaning he was transmitting to me through art alone.
So what do you look for in cover art? Do you want the cover to tell you the whole story or just a teasing glimpse of what could be inside? Is sex always a grabber in this medium? Is color important to you? Would a bad cover be enough for you to dismiss the book totally, even though you heard it could be a good read? I've heard the saying that a good cover can sell a bad book, but also, a bad cover can sink a good book as well. Are we that judgmental? Or is it just human nature to be geared towards something that naturally attracts our eye?
Like I said before, as an artist I was surprised by my final decision for my own cover art regarding my memoir, The Gifted Ones. As I wrote draft after draft, I would find myself daydreaming of my unborn cover. What crazy splashes of color would I use? How profound could I make it? I pictured purple - tons of purple! And silhouettes! Mysterious black outlines of the main characters - Selina and I. It had to transmit love, as that is what my main message is all about - love and acceptance. In between editing and going crazy, I'd scan the internet for clip art that fit this image in my mind. Then one day I came across THE perfect pic - I was elated, it told the story without saying a word. I copied, pasted, and saved...excited for the day I would put that image to work. Well the day came to design the cover and guess what? That perfect image did not work out - pixel problems or some technical 'non-art' related reasonings. Discouraged, I hurriedly scanned through hundreds of 'acceptable' alternatives, convinced I'd never find a suitable replacement. And then I saw 'it'. That simple bold chain...with a broken link. I knew in an instant - that was my new cover! It told the whole story in one simple shot - on multiple levels, I might add. No color, no pizzaz, no candies! It was bold, simple, and dark...just like my story at times. It was love at first sight, and the rest is history! Now, what to do with that equally striking runner-up pic? I loved it so much I knew I had to use it in something! Well, it is now my twitter avatar...the one that brought you here more than likely. The one I periodically get complimented on from tweeters. The color, they say, makes them happy when they see me in their timeline. It has the power to grab, just as I had suspected...damn pixels!
So YES, I say covers CAN make or break a book, unfair as it seems. But in this world of physical beauty, it only makes sense we'd pick an attractive looking book over one that didn't tantalize our eyes, our senses. So, the lesson? Authors, I know how hard we work on what is in between those two covers, so please, do not blow it by settling on bad covers! Take your time and find the one that speaks volumes without saying a word...your hard work deserves that, and so do the readers that might pass by your book based (unfairly) on what's on the outside. Yes, true beauty IS always on the inside, but we have to get them there first...much like you hooked your mate. ;)
*Thank you for stopping by! Comments are always welcome and appreciated! And by all means, please take a gander at my cover - what does it say to you?
October 2, 2011
Monday's Mindset Of A Hippie-Chick: Getting To Know You Via 1 Appliance
Some people read tarot cards, some read tea leaves...I read refrigerators!
Not what's inside, mind you, it's whats on the OUTside...
Call it a crazy quirk, but I've been doing it for some time now and it's amazingly accurate. Even if I've never met you, one inspection of what you have hanging on your fridge tells me a lot about the person that inhabits that space. It's a fun little game I play while doing my 'other' profession - pet sitting. Yes folks, being an indie artist/author doesn't always pay like you'd think it would (ha) so my alter-ego watches people's pets while they're away on vacation. This is when I started my unique way of figuring people out without truly knowing them on a personal level. I'm not a snooper, I swear! But I do find it interesting to view this unique window into a strangers life.
Think about it...
*A neat freak, possibly OCD? Your fridge front will be stark and ultra clean, probably nothing on the front but shine!
*Couple just starting a family? Your fridge has tons of kid pics, children's artwork,calendars with events scheduled, colorful ABC magnets, and a good share of greasy fingerprints.
*Grandparent? Same as family oriented, but more 'finger-paintings', miscellaneous holiday art projects, and 'I miss you' artwork.
*Single? A few funny magnets, party photos of you with friends that have their faces too close to the camera lens, coupons for pizza, takeout menus, and maybe an inspirational saying or two for motivation.
*Newly married - no kids yet? You have an array of wedding pics and pet photos. You display your '1st child' proudly and refer to them as your son or daughter in the pic. Plus pizza/takeout coupons too.
*Weekend Parent? Same as single's fridge, with a few snapshots of you and a kid at a bowling alley birthday party or school pic.
*Artist? Your fridge is full of color and funny, quirky -sometimes inspiring- magnets. Your fridge looks like a work of art with your carefully arranged assortment of eye-candy. A work of art within itself.
*Depressed occupant? Not much to see here, same as neat freak, but not so neat. You can 'feel' the sadness.
*Overly busy/stressed out? Your fridge front has a lot of unnecessary clutter - old pics, expired coupons, dusty out-dated stuff. But you don't notice because you are too busy, plus the fridge stresses you out even more!
*Athletic/Gym rat? Inspirational sayings and charts of progress; running, cycling, weight loss, etc... Possibly some ribbons, awards, or conversion chart for kilometers to miles.
*Fun party couple? You have the 'must-have' for parties...about 100 single-word magnets that when arranged make funny, often nasty, sentences. I can tell what kind of party you had by reading the latest draft displayed.
The list goes on and on, but you see my point. Yeah it might be stereotyping to a degree, but we all usually fall into one category or another - I'm not judging, merely observing!
I know what you are doing right now, you're looking at your fridge in horror, realizes what it says about you, aren't you? Don't lie! Hey, our homes are our safe havens - the one place we can truly be ourselves 24/7. So I say let your fridge freak-flag fly! Just be prepared for 'fridge-readers' like myself to sneak a peek...we can't help it, and I bet you won't be able to either, next time you encounter someones tell-all appliance.
And I also know what you're saying right now...ok smarty pants, what's on YOUR fridge? Ok, fair question. MY fridge has been spray painted orange-yellow with a bright red handle, has multiple colorful magnets - mostly humorous, colorful plastic lizards, and letters that spell out: 'Eating Is A Weakness' - my hubby's favorite saying.
Good luck figuring me out!
Not what's inside, mind you, it's whats on the OUTside...
Call it a crazy quirk, but I've been doing it for some time now and it's amazingly accurate. Even if I've never met you, one inspection of what you have hanging on your fridge tells me a lot about the person that inhabits that space. It's a fun little game I play while doing my 'other' profession - pet sitting. Yes folks, being an indie artist/author doesn't always pay like you'd think it would (ha) so my alter-ego watches people's pets while they're away on vacation. This is when I started my unique way of figuring people out without truly knowing them on a personal level. I'm not a snooper, I swear! But I do find it interesting to view this unique window into a strangers life.
Think about it...
*A neat freak, possibly OCD? Your fridge front will be stark and ultra clean, probably nothing on the front but shine!
*Couple just starting a family? Your fridge has tons of kid pics, children's artwork,calendars with events scheduled, colorful ABC magnets, and a good share of greasy fingerprints.
*Grandparent? Same as family oriented, but more 'finger-paintings', miscellaneous holiday art projects, and 'I miss you' artwork.
*Single? A few funny magnets, party photos of you with friends that have their faces too close to the camera lens, coupons for pizza, takeout menus, and maybe an inspirational saying or two for motivation.
*Newly married - no kids yet? You have an array of wedding pics and pet photos. You display your '1st child' proudly and refer to them as your son or daughter in the pic. Plus pizza/takeout coupons too.
*Weekend Parent? Same as single's fridge, with a few snapshots of you and a kid at a bowling alley birthday party or school pic.
*Artist? Your fridge is full of color and funny, quirky -sometimes inspiring- magnets. Your fridge looks like a work of art with your carefully arranged assortment of eye-candy. A work of art within itself.
*Depressed occupant? Not much to see here, same as neat freak, but not so neat. You can 'feel' the sadness.
*Overly busy/stressed out? Your fridge front has a lot of unnecessary clutter - old pics, expired coupons, dusty out-dated stuff. But you don't notice because you are too busy, plus the fridge stresses you out even more!
*Athletic/Gym rat? Inspirational sayings and charts of progress; running, cycling, weight loss, etc... Possibly some ribbons, awards, or conversion chart for kilometers to miles.
*Fun party couple? You have the 'must-have' for parties...about 100 single-word magnets that when arranged make funny, often nasty, sentences. I can tell what kind of party you had by reading the latest draft displayed.
The list goes on and on, but you see my point. Yeah it might be stereotyping to a degree, but we all usually fall into one category or another - I'm not judging, merely observing!
I know what you are doing right now, you're looking at your fridge in horror, realizes what it says about you, aren't you? Don't lie! Hey, our homes are our safe havens - the one place we can truly be ourselves 24/7. So I say let your fridge freak-flag fly! Just be prepared for 'fridge-readers' like myself to sneak a peek...we can't help it, and I bet you won't be able to either, next time you encounter someones tell-all appliance.
And I also know what you're saying right now...ok smarty pants, what's on YOUR fridge? Ok, fair question. MY fridge has been spray painted orange-yellow with a bright red handle, has multiple colorful magnets - mostly humorous, colorful plastic lizards, and letters that spell out: 'Eating Is A Weakness' - my hubby's favorite saying.
Good luck figuring me out!
October 1, 2011
Perfect For A.D.D Sufferers..SixSentenceSunday! The Gifted Ones~A Memoir
Sassy Six taken from Chapter 8: The Nightmare Continues
Were they that naive? Or was I that clever? Maybe they just wanted to believe it so badly they took my bait. We agreed never to discuss this episode again, and the subject was dropped. Fine by me! Although I knew all eyes would be carefully monitoring my every move, forcing me to amp up my level of deceitfulness. Not a problem, I thought, I was more than ready for the challenge. I saw how ugly they could get, having no intentions of seeing that again...ever.
Were they that naive? Or was I that clever? Maybe they just wanted to believe it so badly they took my bait. We agreed never to discuss this episode again, and the subject was dropped. Fine by me! Although I knew all eyes would be carefully monitoring my every move, forcing me to amp up my level of deceitfulness. Not a problem, I thought, I was more than ready for the challenge. I saw how ugly they could get, having no intentions of seeing that again...ever.
September 30, 2011
Find Your Reading Glasses..It's SaturdaySample Time From 'The Gifted Ones'!
This little ditty comes from Chapter 8: The Nightmare Continues
They made sure all evidence of this episode went away, literally, when they marched me down to the burning barrel, late one afternoon. They handed me my diary and instructed me to throw the pages into the flames, like some sort of sacramental ceremony. I couldn't believe what I was being asked to do! As much as it killed me, I knew I mustn't waiver and blow my cover. I'd come so far to turn back now, my pride and beliefs would have to take a back seat, momentarily. Against every fiber of my being, I threw a handful of pages into the charred barrel, watching my naked soul burn in the orange glow, fighting back tears of grief. Chunk by chunk, pages of lined notebook paper, with my private words, thoughts, and feelings, melted in the flames. Bits of paper ash floating skyward, filling the atmosphere, polluting the air with my dirty laundry. Watching in horror, as the play-by-play documentation of the most significant phase of my life was slowly being destroyed, right before my eyes voluntarily, by my own hands. How cruel, how ironic. I could only pray that I would never forget the most minuet of details. Each memory, each piece, held a special place in my soul. How could I forget? I knew I never would. They'd never control my mind, my memories, or who I loved. And I certainly would never forget what they had taken from me.
My only salvation was to know they had not succeeded in breaking me. Burning those pages did not erase the truth. I had found my soul-mate, and we would be together again, no amount of torture was going to change that fact. It would only be a matter of time.
Whatever doesn't kill us, only makes us stronger, right? Funny, Peggy never preached that saying.
Make that two points for Lisa.
***
If you'd like to learn more about my story, please see my full synopsis, other 'teasers' plus reviews from past readers just like you! Links found on this blog. Thank you for stopping by! Happy Saturday!
They made sure all evidence of this episode went away, literally, when they marched me down to the burning barrel, late one afternoon. They handed me my diary and instructed me to throw the pages into the flames, like some sort of sacramental ceremony. I couldn't believe what I was being asked to do! As much as it killed me, I knew I mustn't waiver and blow my cover. I'd come so far to turn back now, my pride and beliefs would have to take a back seat, momentarily. Against every fiber of my being, I threw a handful of pages into the charred barrel, watching my naked soul burn in the orange glow, fighting back tears of grief. Chunk by chunk, pages of lined notebook paper, with my private words, thoughts, and feelings, melted in the flames. Bits of paper ash floating skyward, filling the atmosphere, polluting the air with my dirty laundry. Watching in horror, as the play-by-play documentation of the most significant phase of my life was slowly being destroyed, right before my eyes voluntarily, by my own hands. How cruel, how ironic. I could only pray that I would never forget the most minuet of details. Each memory, each piece, held a special place in my soul. How could I forget? I knew I never would. They'd never control my mind, my memories, or who I loved. And I certainly would never forget what they had taken from me.
My only salvation was to know they had not succeeded in breaking me. Burning those pages did not erase the truth. I had found my soul-mate, and we would be together again, no amount of torture was going to change that fact. It would only be a matter of time.
Whatever doesn't kill us, only makes us stronger, right? Funny, Peggy never preached that saying.
Make that two points for Lisa.
***
If you'd like to learn more about my story, please see my full synopsis, other 'teasers' plus reviews from past readers just like you! Links found on this blog. Thank you for stopping by! Happy Saturday!
