Book Signing Tonight!

I just wanted to post here that I will be at the New Carlisle Public Library in New Carlisle, OH tonight at 6 p.m. to sign copies of my latest book, This Side Up: The Rona Shively Stories. I hope you can make it out to see me this evening!

I'm hard at work on Rona Shively 5! You won't believe what's going on with Rona. She's definitely gotten herself into a situation she won't easily get out of. Someone is trying to set her up and they're using her friends and family to do it. It really is complicated, so if you want to know what's happening, you'll have to read the book. :) I'll keep you posted on my progress, but in the meantime you can order your signed copy of This Side Up or any of the other Rona Shively Stories by e-mailing me today! My first ten orders will get a free gift with their purchase!

Until next time...

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Attention: Middle Aged Babes...

Just in time for the holidays, I've found another great book for women. How To Be a Middle-Aged Babe by Marilyn Suzanne Miller is a wonderful collection of information for those of us who want to age gracefully. This guidebook to maintaining your babe status well into your middle-aged years is a must have for women with a sense of humor and perhaps a nice hint to those with none.

I wasn't sure about this one because ordinarily I hate the word "babe"; however, the information on the front cover drew me in and I just had to take a look. Not that I worry about such things, but this book had great tips for coping with or at least developing a better understanding of just about every aspect of a middle-aged woman's life. Questions like, "How can I be both hot and old at the same time?" or "How can I tell if I'm married or single?" had me laughing my ass off. Figuratively, of course. But wouldn't it be nice if...never mind. In any case, this book would make a great gift between sisters, mothers and daughters, best friends, etc. The book has been praised by such celebrities as Penny Marshall, Julie Kavner and Laraine Newman.

With hilarious tips about beauty and how to handle your finances, this book has something for every woman. If you are looking for a fun read, pick this one up today.

Until next time...have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving!

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Waiting...

makes me nervous. Right now, I'm waiting to hear back from a publisher about the third book in the Rona Shively series. Right now, I'm kind of nervous. For reasons I won't go into here, I'm trying to switch publishers. I just think it's time. Doing this means moving away from what I'm familiar with and jumping out into "Reject Me" territory. Though I know it is a fact of life, I'm not all that hot on rejection. Who is?

My third book is the first full-length novel I've ever written and I think I've done some really great things with the Rona Shively character this time around. The story has some good, some bad, and some ugly...but no Clint Eastwood unless you count Rona's new love interest, Garrett Shaw. Rona is nearing forty and so, in the next book, you'll see that she's starting to mature a little. It's about time she did. She's held some grudges in her day and now, she's starting to rethink her position on some of these. Still, she maintains that she's fully justified in hanging onto the others.

One way or another, Keeping the Faith will be published. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the publisher I've approached will pick it up, but if they don't, I'll figure something out. For now, the series is in a state of literary limbo awaiting the call to be printed but keep the faith, everyone. Rona Shively will return.

Until next time...


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What a week!

I've been extremely busy this week and although I'm certainly starting to feel it now, I'm also very motivated by what I've been doing. On Monday, I started a new job as a librarian for a local elementary school. In addition to my part-time schedule at my previous job and my writing and my promotional efforts, I'm just a wee bit tired. I haven't had time until today to put together a thought much less enter it here on the blog.

I didn't realize just what schools were up against until I was told by my principal that I have absolutely no budget for books. My first thought was, "No budget for books? How are you supposed to run any kind of library without a book budget?" After a few moments of panic, I started to think about ways that I could get what I need for the library. People are always willing to donate things for kids, so I think the logical place to start is by asking people what they can do to help me build up the library's collection. This would be easier, of course, if people weren't scraping to put together what they need for their own families to get through each day. It's a shame that our government is so focused on fighting this war and manipulating us with their political shenanigans that they can't take care of what is needed here at home.

I always enjoyed visiting the school library when I was a kid. I spent lots of time there, so I'm hoping that I can make this library a place where kids really want to be. I think that without the library, my life would have been missing a very important component. I'm motivated by the notion that what I put into this job can make a big difference to a kid who might not realize what they would miss by not reading. Books open up doors for kids and make them realize that there is more to life than what is right in front of them. Readers become productive members of society. They get it. Some of them might even take up writing. It makes me happy to think that some years down the road, one of my kids might even be the next R.L. Stine or Beverly Cleary or even James Patterson all because they had a librarian who taught them to appreciate a good book.

The challenges I am facing in this new position are welcome challenges. As a writer, I know that I will truly enjoy having yet another ongoing opportunity to encourage children to read. I'll keep you posted as to my progress with the new job.

Until next time...



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Withholding your book=Withholding your love...

Or something along those lines. I was just reading about Author Stephenie Meyer and her decision to put her final installment in the Twilight series on hold as a means of protesting the distribution of illegal copies of this manuscript. You can find it here. It hit me funny. I thought, "What kind of message are you sending to your readers by doing this?" She argues that the distribution of the book was a "a huge violation of her rights as an author as well as her rights as a human being." Come on! I don't know her personally, but I do believe Ms. Meyer exhibits a tendency toward the dramatic.

This is probably going to make some writers angry, but I believe that it only hurts the reader when authors do things like this. No matter what the reason for withholding the book, the reader is the one who suffers. A writer should be able to find a more creative way to deal with such blatant violations of their rights without punishing their audiences. Yes, it's a big bummer that the story was leaked and that an unedited, sloppy version of it was allowed to be distributed to people. But, does she really think that her readers wouldn't understand this if she had simply made a statement that the book that has been put out there is not the correct version of the story? She's not giving her audience any credit for being able to understand that this is not the book she intends to publish.

How do you feel about this issue? If your manuscript were to somehow leak to the public before it was in top form, would you throw a tantrum and take all of your toys home with you, never to be shared again? I'd like to know where you stand.

Until next time...


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The light in the middle of the tunnel...

Just the other day, I finished writing the third Rona Shively book, Keeping the Faith. It will be my first full-length novel and I am very excited about this. The process was just as other authors have described; very emotionally charged and much like giving birth. Unfortunately, at 2 a.m., I had no one available with whom I could share my overwhelming enthusiasm. My husband and daughter had long been asleep and I didn't dare wake them. It was a little anti-climactic in a sense, but the important thing is; it's finished!

As I set about the task of editing this monster, I will also be working on a couple of new projects. By the end of this year, I hope to have finished a story that I have been working on in a hit-or-miss fashion over the last ten to fifteen years. It is a combination Sci-Fi/Historical Fiction piece that I am eager to get back into writing. I think you'll enjoy it! I'm also going to begin writing the next installment in the Rona Shively series, but I'm going to keep details about that one under wraps for now.

In addition, there are a number of contests and other projects I am going to be working on throughout the end of the year. My big goal, however, is to get this Rona Shively story into a new publisher's hands. I'm absolutely thrilled at the prospects here, but I know that the bulk of my work still lies ahead. So, armed with about twenty of my library's finest style manuals, publishing guides and writing books, I'm setting about the task of getting my newest book into your hands.

Keep watching for more status reports...you know how I love to update everyone...

Until next time...



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Author Interview: June 2008

Every once in a while, I like to take the time to interview a fellow author. This month, I've talked with Jennifer Brown and here's what she had to say:



What are the titles of your books and where can we buy them?

Celebrity Secrets is available now, online and through bookstores. The second book in the Celebrity Secrets series, Secrets Unearthed will be available this summer and is currently available on www.lulu.com.

Where do you get your ideas?

Ideas come to me at very odd times and in strange places. I always try to think of twists on the same plot line you see over and over.

What is a typical writing day like for you?

Sometimes it takes me all day to write, and sometimes it takes only a few hours, it all depends on what kind of creative flow I am in that day and how busy I am with other things. I don't write everyday, due to other priorities and to give myself a break to reflect on what I have written and what I am going to write, but I am passionate about it enough that I find the time.

Why did you choose your current genre?

I chose suspense fiction because I like how broad I can make the material. With mystery, it's always the same thing... who shot who, who stole the jewels, and I just like to put spins on things. What I write can be put under mystery as well, but there are just components of it that to me fit better with suspense. If you want proof of this, just read Celebrity Secrets and it's ending.

What are you currently working on?

As well as the third installment of the Celebrity Secrets series, I am working on a novel, another series about a filmmaker that ends up involved in much more than making a film in each book, along with a few other books. I also have a short story that will be featured in the Word Weavers upcoming fiction anthology called "What the Past Hides"


Do you have any appearances planned?

At this time nothing is planned, but I am accepting questions on my myspace blog as a sort of interview/chat that I plan to post on my site at www.jenniferbrownauthor.weebly.com. I am also planning to pick one person with an original question, to give a full length interview on the blog of my site.


What advice would you like to give to other writers or anyone interested in becoming a writer?

Try not to let anyone get you down. Be careful in choosing a publisher. It's a real tough profession, but if you love it enough you will persevere. Write from the heart, and see where it takes you. And no matter what, there will always be someone out there that likes what you do. Don't give it up, until you have thought it through.


There you have it. Be sure to check out Jennifer's website and pick up a copy of Celebrity Secrets!

Until next time...
_________________________________________

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Don't forget...

I'll be out at the Appalachian Festival in Cincinnati, OH tomorrow, Saturday, May 10th looking for people who want "Rona Bucks." If you're not careful, you could be handed a $5 Rona Bucks Gift Certificate!

For anyone who spends one of my Rona Bucks certificates at the website, I'll automatically enter you into a drawing to win a free copy of the newest Rona Shively book, Keeping the Faith! It will be out by the end of the year!

Good luck and I hope to see you there!

Sometimes it's hard to be a woman...

Evidently. In thinking about some of the things that have been in the news lately, I realized that in the first Rona Shively book, In the Wash, I might not have given the issue of Gender Reassignment its due. Being the concise writer that I am, I didn't dwell on the mechanics of the process undergone by the missing character in this story, however, I did touch on the emotional distress that she was in during her brief marriage to Rona's client, Mr. Delvecchio.

We've all been hearing about the pregnant man, Thomas Beatie. At the time that the story broke, I was pregnant with our second child and having had several miscarriages in the past, I understood his motivation and I didn't necessarily begrudge he and his wife of being able to carry and deliver a healthy child. Whether I agreed with their approach or not, I understood the pain of not being able to bring a child into the world and trying to find some way to make it happen. Sadly, at our sixteen week mark, we discovered that we had miscarried once again and as I looked back at the story about the pregnant man, I became angry. I was not only angry at him, I was angry at just about anyone who was able to have a baby. This was irrational, of course, and definitely a short-lived reaction. But it was a gut reaction to our loss and I have since been able to process it with a little more compassion in my heart.

Thomas Beatie was, at one time, a woman. For whatever reason, she decided that she wanted to be a man. I'm not sure why, but she also decided to keep her female reproductive organs. Since, according to his article in the March 26 edition of the Advocate.com online newsletter, sterilization is not required as part of gender reassignment surgery, he decided to maintain his reproductive rights as a female. This turned out to be a good decision for him because he and his wife wanted children and as it turned out, she was unable to have them. Although it wasn't a popular or even practical idea, Thomas decided that he would attempt to carry a child. He stated that, "Wanting to have a biological child is neither a male nor female desire, but a human desire." I have to agree.

After five miscarriages, we still very much want another child. We were fortunate enough to have a wonderful daughter four years ago, but we have always wanted to give her a sibling. Although intriguing, I can't imagine having my husband carry a child for us even if he were physically able to do so. I have always felt that women share a special bond with their children that men miss out on. The experience of carrying a child would definitely give men the perspective that I feel they have been lacking when it comes to child rearing, but the idea pretty much scares most people to death because it is so far from traditional beliefs about childbearing and gender issues. While it may not be part of the Divine plan, it's happening for the Beatie family.

As I think about it, our society has always viewed anything related to transgenders with either contempt or a strange mix of scorn and compassion which comes out through humorous portrayal of their plight. For me, it is a tough issue to wrap my mind around. I have always been comfortable with my sexual identity as a female. The only times I have wanted to be a male have been related to being able to pee in inconvenient places or when it was time to get a raise. Not to make light of the situation, but for me, it has never been part of any internal conflict. So I can't imagine how difficult life would be if I were struggling with wanting to be a different gender.

I have never felt that it was my place to judge people or to dictate how people live their lives. I grew up with only limited exposure to church and conventional religion and have been open to the ideas of different groups as they relate to a Higher Power. Most of what I learned along the way seems to have pointed to how wrong it is to do something like what Thomas Beatie is doing. But for me, there is some conflict involved in judging him so harshly. He doesn't answer to me and I certainly don't have the power or authority to say whether or not he is right or wrong in what he is doing. It's all wrapped up in fate, karma, and just what feels right for me. As long as I am doing what I believe is right and I'm not trying to inflict any emotional or physical pain on anyone, I feel that I am doing what my God wants and expects me to do. In short, I am no longer angry and I wish the Beaties all the best in their quest to grow a family.

In my book, In the Wash, Lucy Deardon's character was plagued by a desire to be something other than what she was. She tried and tried to adjust to life as a female, but, in the end, she decided that becoming a man was the only option that felt right. Along the way, some people were hurt, mostly because they felt that her anguish was somehow a sinister plan to hurt or humiliate them, but it was really all about what felt right for Lucy. Before I wrote this book, I never really thought about the plight of the transgendered. I would watch funny movies like To Wong Foo or The Birdcage and think that these people simply enjoyed cross-dressing. Obviously, there's more to it than this and whether or not it makes sense to me, it will most likely always be an issue.

Until next time...

Valentine's Day gift ideas!

Once again, we're nearing one of my favorite holidays. Young couples will pretend to be more in love than they really are...new couples try to impress one another with cheesy gifts and romantic gestures...old couples will continue their traditions of doing whatever they have decided is the romantic thing to do. Valentine's Day is a full-blown holiday of denial. No matter how crappy your love life is, it can all be made better (at least for the day) with a crummy little heart-shaped card or a box of chocolates. Isn't it great?

This Valentine's Day, instead of going for the romantic stuff, I'm celebrating the release of From the Shadows, a horror anthology published by Triad Publishing Group which features my first short horror story, Eleven. I'm also happy to announce my first self-published project, A Little Bit of Murder: Short mysteries to confuse and amuse. It's a collection of the short mysteries that were part of BB's Mini-Mystery contest! You can get your copy here.

So, while everyone else is enjoying their cardboard box full of candy or admiring their bouquet of flowers, do something different. Buy yourself or someone you love a copy of From the Shadows or A Little Bit of Murder! Everyone loves a good story!

Until next time...

A Guest Post!

I encourage you to check out Nikki's website for valuable tips on book promotion!

Thanks,
Rebecca

New Virtual Book Tour Site Launch on February 1

Many people have heard about virtual book tours, sometimes called virtual author tours or virtual blog tours. They are a new and exciting way for authors to "tour" the internet - without leaving their home.

Imagine... you can meet potential readers from all over the internet and potential all over the world and you don't need to leave your home and family. In addition, a virtual tour is much more reasonably priced than the plane tickets, hotel rooms, meals etc that you need to buy for a book tour on the ground.

Authors and readers are all invited to visit the new virtual book tour site. There are over 100 articles and interviews to help authors learn more about book promotion. There are a number of web pages that were created by our tour site sponsors - they offer many products and services that could be beneficial for you. (If you would like to become a sponsor, please contact me at nikki_leigh22939@yahoo.com for more information.)

What's different about this book tour option? While our featured authors will visit other blogs throughout the month, each tour stop will be posted on the book tour site. Visitors who come to the site have the option of reading any or all of the information about the books and the author in one central location. So, whether you arrive at the tour on day 1 or the last day, you can easily catch up on all the details that each author wants to share with you. Each visitor has a choice about how they want to learn about the feature authors. I encourage you to visit the site frequently to find out what new information has been posted. The links which are posted below, take you to each author's tour page. All posts about their books are linked to these pages and are easy to access.

So, what books are we featuring in February? Here's some information about the authors you will meet during the month. They have all posted some information on the site and much more will be posted throughout the month.



Earl Ofari Hutchingson - The Ethnic Presidency: How Race Decides the Race to the White House http://www.inspiredauthor.com/promotion/Earl+Hutchinson+-+Feb+2008

The Ethnic Presidency is an explosive look at how racial and ethnic conflict has openly and covertly played a crucial role over the past three decades in influencing, shaping and ultimately deciding who bags the world's biggest political prize, the White House. It explains how racial politics is playing an even bigger role in the 2008 presidential election and future elections.


Steven Clark Bradley - Nimrod Rising
http://www.inspiredauthor.com/promotion/steven-clark-bradley-author-nimrod-rising


Have you ever felt that the world was guided in ways that are beyond man's control? The constant changes in the world since the time of Nimrod 4000 years ago until today and all the events that have shaken the world have been to bring the universe back into the hands of the Prince of Darkness, Lucia, a world that he had ruled with his Watchers before it was all ripped from his grasp when man was created. Nimrod Rising paints a diabolical picture of how the Prince of Darkness executes his evil plot to take the world back by force and destroy civilization in the process. From the Great Builder Nimrod in 4000 BC to today, 666 generations later, you can ride the storm of Nimrod Rising and experience the death of a world and the birth pangs of another. You will swear it is really upon us!

Virginia Vassallo - Unsung Patriot: Guy T. Viskniskki How The Stars and Stripes Began
http://www.inspiredauthor.com/promotion/Virginia+Vassallo

The Unsung Patriot is the biography of Guy T. Viskniskki, the dynamic first officer-in-charge and editor-in-chief of The Stars and Stripes newspaper. Based in part on Guy's unpublished autobiography describing the first difficult months of the paper, his granddaughter's knowledge of the family verbal history paints a picture of a complex man. A devoted husband and father, Guy was unable to show the love he felt for his family. Guy poured his time and talent in the newspaper business. His knowledge and energy made the Army's newspaper a reality and his doctrine of "by and for the soldiers" still is the guiding light of the Stars and Stripes.

I want to extend an invitation for each person to visit the site and learn more about each of these authors and their books. I invite readers and authors to register on the site and create a profile page to tell us more about yourself. Also, feel free to post a comment about any of the posts or post an introduction on the forums. If you have questions, feel free to contact me at nikki_leigh22939@yahoo.com.

I look forward to meeting many new people.

Nikki Leigh
Author of the Book Promo 101 Series
www.nikkileigh.com/promo.htm

A closing thought for the year...

Actually, it's probably more of an opening thought for 2008, but I wanted to share something I found. I've been reading Simple Secrets for Becoming Healthy, Wealthy & Wise by David Niven, Ph.D. It's a great little book that breaks down into daily thoughts based on scientific observations of various topics. For today's thought, December 31, the topic is, "There's No Deadline for Your Dreams." This is probably the most appropriate topic for me this year as I have struggled with making the transition into what I consider to be the latter half of my life.

In the passage from Niven's book, he says, "Live your life toward your dreams. No one will ask you what date it is when you get there." This was significant to me because I always felt like I had to be answering to someone at every turn. No matter what I accomplished, I felt like someone had to put their stamp of approval on the things I did in order for them to have been validated. Well, not anymore. I've made some very positive changes over the last few years and I'm happy to say that what I once thought might have been mistakes, turned out to be very difficult lessons. I was supposed to go through these things and had I not, I wouldn't have figured out some of the things I need to know to go forward. So, I've decided that my main resolution for this new year will be, "I will allow myself to pursue my goals wholeheartedly and without seeking anyone else's approval to do so."

As you think about the things you have wanted to do and what you still want to accomplish in your life, remember this piece of scientific information from Niven's book. He sites something interesting from one of his many sources. It goes like this, "People who feel they have reached their life dream are more likely to feel satisfied with their life, but the age at which they reached their dream is unrelated to their satisfaction." I'm pretty sure that can be applied universally, even though it's from a survey about men. The point is, don't worry so much about the timeline. Stay focused on the goal and the process and your enjoyment of getting there. It will be worth it!

Until next time...

Things are going to start happening to me now...

or maybe not. All the same, I've got several irons in the fire. For one, I have a story that is being published in a new horror anthology in February of 2008 called From the Shadows. That's the name of the anthology, my story is called, Eleven. I think it turned out nicely and I'm anxious to see if horror fans will enjoy it. You can pre-order your copy now by going to http://www.triadpublishinggroup.com.

For my mystery fans out there, I'm still hard at work on the third Rona Shively story. Title to be announced soon!

I'm also still working on the women's self-esteem project, Reaching Higher Ground. I think I will have most of this finished by the end of the year. I had hoped for an earlier launch, however, things happen and sometimes you just have to adapt. ;)

In case you haven't been to my websites lately, I have recently updated all of them to include a link to my newest page for my short romance, Hearts and Flowers. Hearts and Flowers was published several months ago as an Amazon Short and I only recently started thinking that maybe I should have given it its own web page. The story is very sweet and so unlike me, but I think its heartwarming tone is just right for the season. If you get a chance, check it out at http://www.alittleromance.homestead.com. I've posted a sneak peek at the story in hopes of selling copies of the entire download for a whopping $.49 on Amazon Shorts!

All of this while battling the cold that will not die! I seem to have picked up the worst little case of congestion and sinus pressure in my brief history. Bear with me as I try to think clearly through the fog of antihistamines and headache medicine. I promise, once this sinus pressure eases up, I'll have something truly interesting to tell you.

Until next time...

My 50th post...

What to say? What to say? Well, I guess I will go with more of the same. I'm still reading several books that I think you might find interesting. Skinny Bitch by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin is still holding my interest. It's not that long of a book, but I tend to have limited pockets of time during which I can sit and read. Browsing through non-fiction books seems to work better for me than trying to read through the latest book by my favorite fiction writers. Luckily, there are audiobooks. Without these, I might never get to hear the latest Lisa Scottoline or Janet Evanovich stories.

Right now, I have several "browsing" books on hand. The first is called, Never Shower in a Thunderstorm: Surprising Facts and Misleading Myths About Our Health and the World We Live In by Anahad O'Connor. O'Connor is the "Really?" columnist for The New York Times. If that prompts you to ask "Really?" then you've got bigger issues than I can help you with. Anyway, this book is about dispelling myths such as "Does the Spanish Fly really exist?" or "Does grilled meat cause cancer?" or the title question of "Do you risk electrocution if you shower during a thunderstorm?" Intriguing? Yes. I picked a few at random and here's what I found:
The explanations given in this book are too involved for me to share here. I was going to dispell a few choice myths for you, but then decided that it really wouldn't be cool for me to spill the beans. Sorry if I got your hopes up on this one. My advice would be that if you are really interested in things like this, it wouldn't hurt to pick this one up. The book has tons of great statistics and so forth and would probably make a great gift for the inquisitive types on your Christmas list.

The second book I am looking at right now is called The Wish List by Barbara Ann Kipfer. I like this one because I am always looking for interesting things to want to do. Not necessarily to do, but just to want to do. It doesn't hurt to keep your dreams fresh. For example, I know that I am not likely to find myself in a situation where I am swimming with dolphins. For one thing, I'm terrified of deep water and big fish. For another, I don't trust them. Although they are built up to be this wonderful mammal (I guess) that wouldn't harm a human being, I don't trust any animal that can do the things that dolphins can do. Hell, I'm not even sure what they can do, but they kind of creep me out. In any case, this didn't stop me from putting "swim with dolphins" on my list of things I might like to do at some point during my life. Kipfer's list includes this and other crazy things like visiting all of the Major League Baseball stadiums in the U.S., tasting the native foods of every region on earth, and even flirting with Paul Newman. The book makes for interesting conversation with those around you and it gives you something to think about other than the usual lists of things you have to do to keep your household running. My new list, for example, includes learn how to read music, truly understand football instead of just watching in hopes of seeing a fight break out, and having dinner with three of my favorite men, Bob Barker, Richard Dawson and William Shatner. Can you imagine the conversation at this table? What a dream come true this would be! I might have to add James Garner to this list, too. After all, that's what wish lists are for. If you get a chance, pick this little book up and carry it around with you. Wishing is good for the soul.

In my never-ending quest for knowledge, I have also stumbled upon several good books about organizing your home. I have so much crap that I work with on a daily basis that it is sometimes difficult for me to keep everything tidy. I found 1000 Best Quick and Easy Organizing Secrets by Jamie Novak to be very helpful. Novak is the founder of Clutterproofing products. This is trademarked, but I couldn't figure out how to put the little symbol beside it, so I'll just have to spell it out. In any case, the book gives an itemized list of things you can do to make each area of your home and your life a little more organized. I have been using some of these and I have to say, I'm impressed. Several of these have been very helpful and I'm only halfway through the list. If you are into organizing, check this one out!

As usual, I'm always looking for inspiration and I have a few standard passages that I like to read from time to time to keep me grounded. Cynthia Kersey's book, Unstoppable has been a motivating force in my life since I found it years ago. I often pick this one up and read through it until I find the one that fits where I am in my journey. For today, I will share this poem:

Often your tasks will be many,
And more than you think you can do...
Often the road will be rugged
and the hills insurmountable, too...

But always remember, the hills ahead
are never as steep as they seem.
and with faith in your heart start upward
and climb 'til you reach your dream.

For nothing in life that is worthy
is ever too hard to achieve
if you have the faith to try it
and you have the faith to believe

For faith is a force that is greater
than knowledge or power or skill
and many defeats turn to triumph
if you trust in god's wisdom and will...

For faith is a mover of mountains.
There's nothing that god cannot do.
So start out today with faith in your heart
and climb 'til your dream comes true!

Helen Steiner Rice
Climb 'Til Your Dream Comes True

If that doesn't motivate you, try a couple more cups of coffee and check back with me later. Try to have a good day and possibly, a good week. Until next time...

To POD or not to POD...

Why does that have to be the question? I've been attempting to set up book signing events over the past week and am having little to no luck because my books are Print On Demand (POD). As you may or may not know, there is a huge stigma attached to having a book that is published as a POD. I have to work very hard to convince bookstores that it is worth their time to have me come in and I believe that this is largely due to the fact that the books are POD. Another problem is that my publisher, PublishAmerica decides arbitrarily when to change the status of my books from returnable to non-returnable. This can be a little irritating since I am not personally notified by the publisher of these changes in status. I have been talking with bookstore managers and in the process of trying to set up an event, they have been the ones who informed me that my book is no longer returnable. And, this status can change several times a year depending on what appears to be my publisher's mood.

I'm not bashing PublishAmerica here, so please don't get the impression that they have done something wrong. It's simply a lapse in communication. This is pretty much the only issue I have had with PublishAmerica and as things go, there will always be something. My real frustration lies in the fact that in order to get my books into the hands of readers, I am faced with several challenges. I can either purchase my own books and do a consignment arrangement with bookstores who do this sort of things or I can beg and plead with other bookstores until I convince them that they should order my book and have me come in to their stores. Unfortunately, neither option is very appealing, nor are they practical.

For one thing, I don't have the cash on hand to purchase my books in bulk. I work part-time at a low-paying job and I really only make enough money to pay for daycare and groceries and the like. This is how it is with most people. For another, my books are expensive. A drawback of being with PublishAmerica is that you do not get to set your own price for your books. I can accept this, however, it does become an issue when I have to purchase the book for my own purposes. It is only on a rare occasion that I can get them at a special discounted rate. Generally, that occurs when I have no "extra" money lying around which is pretty much anytime you might ask me. Again, I'm not bashing, just laying it out there.

The idea of calling around until I'm blue in the face to set up events is one that I dealt with last year after In the Wash was published. I called and called and begged and pleaded and then called some more. I was turned down more often than not. I did manage to get into several bookstores, however, as I call the same places this time around, I am getting rejected. Even at stores where I sold out, they are telling me that management has changed and the process for scheduling book signing events is not as simple as it once was. This is quite the bubble-buster.

So, after taking a couple of months off from trying to do appearances, I am facing a dilemma. Do I simply market via the internet and keep my fingers crossed that a bookstore or library group will ask me to stop by? Or do I keep calling and facing impending rejection until I can get myself published by someone who isn't POD? Since my initial thought is that it shouldn't matter who publishes my books, what matters is whether or not they are good, I am guessing that I'll continue to fight the good fight. Trying to convince people that POD is not necessarily a bad thing is an uphill struggle.

I am branching out into some other arenas, however. Over the next couple of months, I am working on a project which I intend to self-publish. This one should be interesting. It's a women's self-esteem project for which I have been collecting data. I intend to have it finished and ready for sale by the first of the year. In addition, I am to be part of a horror anthology for my friends at Triad Publishing. My short horror story, Eleven will be included in this publication sometime next year. I am also working diligently to make the third book in the Rona Shively mystery series a novel-length story. In hopes of gaining entry into the mainstream publishing world, I am going for it. With all of this on my plate, I'm enthusiastic even in the face of rejection. Hopefully, I'll gain momentum as I go along.

Until next time...

What I'm Reading...

I find it hard to read just one book at a time...it's kind of like the potato chip thing. I've always been big on information. If I see something that looks like it might contain valuable information, I have to pick it up and at least give it the once over. This week, I decided that I should share some of what I am reading with you. Just for fun.

First off, I picked up a copy of Skinny Bitch by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin. Obviously, it was the title that caught me. This book has been tauted as "a no-nonsense, tough-love guide for savvy girls who want to stop eating crap and start looking fabulous." Fair enough. From what I have read so far, with chapters titled, "The Dead, Rotting Decomposing Flesh Diet, You Are What You Eat and Don't Be a Pussy," I can see that these ladies mean business. They provide alot of good information about how different foods can affect the body, including explanation of how sugar is made. This is good to know if you are one of those people who needs to know the whole truth about things before you can make up your mind. As someone who rarely drinks milk, I had to appreciate their words about dairy products. For years, I have worried that I'm not getting enough nutrients because I'm not drinking milk. As it turns out, the ladies say, "Bullshit." I'm dying to read more, but alas, there are several other books in the stack calling out to me. I'll have to bring you up to date on the rest of this one later.

I picked up The Lexicon of Stupidity by Ross and Kathryn Petras simply because I thought it might be funny. The book is a collection of quotes that are less than brilliant taken from the mouths of some of our most famous celebrities. I figured I would go straight to the ones that had to be the best...the politicians. Unfortunately, I didn't find one there that I felt like sharing here. The one I found that was an unlikely candidate for being held up in the spotlight was this, "We were disturbed by the ridicule because death, especially to the person who has just experienced it, is not funny." A spokesman for a National Funeral Director's Association is responsible for this one. I guess he would be the expert.

Moving on through my list to a similar book, The 776 Even Stupider Things Ever Said by our friends, Ross and Kathryn Petras. They seem to be making a good living off of the ignorance of others. Why not? It is perhaps the only thing that is out there in overwhelming abundance. This book is more my style. My personal favorite is the quote by Bob Feller, Hall of Fame pitcher as he talks about the intentional lack of profanity in his autobiography, "You won't find a single four-letter word in there, I don't go for that bullshit." You tell 'em, Bob. I like to hear the facts from both sides of the person's mouth. As a former Human Resources professional, I could appreciate this one, "A review of your application indicates that you are not qualified because...you were not selected." This was in an EEOC personnel memo in 1973. Cool. Just one more and I'm moving on to the next book. Being the nostaligic person that I am, I really enjoyed this one from Mike Ingham,an announcer on BBC-2 TV, "Thank you for evoking memories, particularly of days gone by." I'm still scratching my head about this one.

The fourth catchy title that I picked up over the last few weeks is, 101 People Who Are Really Screwing America. This one by Jack Huberman intrigued me because I'm sure that there are thousands of people out there who are screwing America and I wondered how he could narrow it down to a sensible 101. In this book, Huberman provides the name of the "offender" and some details about how they are sticking it to America. For example, I was surprised to find country singer, Toby Keith on this list. Huberman says of the lyrics to Toby Keith's Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue, "Too much crowing 'proud to be American' only makes one ashamed to be American, Individual or nation, a braggart is a braggart." Well, clearly, he would rather hide his light under a bushel. Sounds like his problem to me. I read on, hoping I might find an example of how I, as a non-bragging American might be getting screwed. Right behind Toby Keith was Joe Francis, the Girls Gone Wild guy. I thought to myself, well, maybe this one is valid. After all, I hate Girls Gone Wild and most things associated with it. I agree that this is blatant exploitation of women and that it needs to be stopped. Huberman states that this type of smut is "well-suited for the conservative Bush era" because it is basically R-rated porn and is slyly winding its way through our culture because it isn't actual sex, just nudity and skanky behavior. I'm still not sure what Huberman's stance on this one was and how it made it into the book. I am not exactly sure if he was against GGW or if he just wanted to point out that it is out there.

The last thing from this book that I want to share is Huberman's inclusion of Dr. Laura Schlesinger. I'm not sure if he has listened to Dr. Laura's show or if he just doesn't like people who call themselves Dr. He states that she spends "three hours a day on nearly three hundred stations" making people feel stupid, sinful and utterly ashamed of themselves. I'm not sure that is Dr. Laura's aim. My personal take on her show is that she is one of the few people out there who is not afraid to uphold values that used to be taught in every household and in church. There's nothing candy-coated about Dr. Laura and that's what I like about her. As a feminist and as someone who was raised as a Baptist, I have no problem listening to Dr. Laura's views on marriage, life, and family. She's as entitled to her opinion as anyone and I don't think it hurts for people to be exposed to a little bit of conscience if they don't already have one. Huberman seems to hate all things that point out that it is ok to be human and that it is ok to take responsibility for our actions. Although I have had lots to say about this book, I'm not sure I'll finish reading it. I can only stand to be disgusted for a small portion of every day.

Well, I've taken what started out as a well-intentioned rant and turned it into a bitch-fest. On that note, I'll give it a rest. Though I could go on for days, I figure I'll give this time to sink in. Be on the lookout for the next edition of the Rona Shively newsletter. It's coming soon.

Until next time...

Third time's a charm

At least that's what I'm hoping. I'm about a third of the way through writing the third installment in the Rona Shively series. That's alot of three's. It is not without some amusement that I recognize now how my birth number "3" and my date of birth, 8/3, and my daughter's age (3) and so on and so forth all tie into this weird vibe I'm getting as I write. I am a believer in signs and fate and all that good stuff. So, for me, the symbolism being played out by the number "3" is a motivator. It led me to this...

Time for new things

It feels like it's time for a change. Not a change of location or a change of jobs or anything like that, but a change of perspective. I've spent a great deal of time worrying over the past year. This time last year, we were moving back to Springfield and I was worried about money and how all of the changes of the previous months would impact my family. Today, it feels like we've tied up alot of the loose ends that were strangling me. I finally feel comfortable with our choices and am motivated to go forward.

The first thing on my list of things to do is to finish the third installment in the Rona Shively series. I've been working on it here and there, but I keep getting sidetracked by one thing or another. I'm about sixty pages into it and I'm not sure I like the direction it has taken. I'll most likely end up going back through and deleting the things I don't like before I can write another page.

The second thing on the list is to start compiling the data I've collected for the Women's Self-Esteem book. This project is very important to me and I'm hoping to make more of it than just another title on my list. Not that my other books aren't important to me, but I have a real interest in doing something that will be helpful to other women. So far, the responses I've gotten to my surveys have been wonderful and I can't wait to start writing.

The last big project I have planned for this year (mind you, my year is running from September to August for some reason) is a semi-autobiographical book that I have wanted to write for many years. I have some great ideas for it including some interesting information from my father's childhood home in Beattyville, KY. This one's a huge project, so it will take a while to get it going.

I'm excited about the prospect of getting these stories on paper. It will make the struggles seem worthwhile. All of this and for the first time in a long time, I feel content. The only thing I'm worried about now is losing my bad attitude. Whatever will I do without my negativity?

Until next time...

If a tree falls in the woods...

is anyone reading this blog? I sometimes get the feeling that I'm all alone out here. Although I'm sure that there are others who feel the same way, it unnerves me somehow. I'm at that point in the writing process where I'm wondering what it all means. I'm in the middle of writing the third installment of the Rona Shively series and I'm working doggedly to promote the first two books as well as that little-known Amazon Short I wrote a few months back. Every other day or so, I write a little and then start to think, "Is anyone going to want to read this?" Self-doubt is not the author's best friend, although she is a constant companion. At least for me.

I'm also attempting to write a non-fiction book on Women's Self-Esteem issues. This project has been brewing for some time now, but only recently was I able to start getting together some real data. A subject that is close to my heart, self-esteem is something I've always wanted to write about. I've tried to give my Rona Shively character a degree of self-esteem that helps her to cope with some of the crap she has to deal with and in doing so, I hope that has made her seem more like someone that readers feel close to. After all, we all have struggles and how we deal with them has a great deal to do with how much self-esteem we have. Rona is alot like me. Although I have some issues, I still try to be confident and to bolster myself with the knowledge that I have done a few good things and that I shouldn't feel badly about myself.

The non-fiction book will be based on a collection of ideas gathered from survey participants. So far, the information I'm getting is great! I'm excited about the insights being provided by the participants. I think this is going to be a wonderful project once it is completed. I'll go ahead and say it here, I'm still looking for more women who would be willing to participate in this study. It wouldn't hurt to have at least ten more. If you're interested, please e-mail me. If you need more information about the project, I've been working on a networking website for this one. You can find it at http://www.2higherground.ning.com. Even if you don't want to be one of the study participants, you can always join the NING group. I'm hoping we can share lots of advice and support at the site.

That's what's cooking today. Until next time...

Got Rona Shively?

Here we go again, folks! Another contest! This time, it's serious! The prize is a $50 Visa Check Card to use as you please! All you have to do is e-mail me a photo of yourself (clothed, please) holding a copy of either In the Wash or Under Lock and Key or both! This contest will run through midnight on October 30th. The winner will also receive a cool Rona Shively t-shirt!

I've also got some prizes in mind for second and third place, but we'll see how it goes!

Anyway, go to your local library or bookstore, get the book and get your picture taken. It's that simple. If your bookstore or library doesn't have Rona, ask them to please get her for you. If you'd rather just get it yourself, you can head over to Benston Writes and order your own copies. Right now, we're running a special. Get both In the Wash and Under Lock and Key for the special price of $29.95+shipping! Signed, sealed and delivered!

Get in the game and enter today!