Too much information...

While I ordinarily think it is a great idea to have open communication with others, I don't think that we need to be so open that we know too much about the people in our lives. I especially don't think we need to know that much about the people who entertain us. These days there is an overload of information about celebrities and the things they do and say in their personal lives. I'd just like to say that I really don't care what Dog the Bounty Hunter says during his personal phone calls. If he has a politically incorrect viewpoint, then he is the one who has to live with it. I am not sure that it warrants cancellation of his television show (did it really?). I'm not sure it even warrants our individual shock and dismay. In fact, I simply don't give a shit. There, I said it. Now I feel better.

I make it a point not to be disrespectful when addressing people of other races, cultures, religions, etc. but I do this because I tend to like people of all races, cultures and religions. I simply don't have the kind of racial and cultural biases that would have me bust out and use the "n" word. It's just not my style. I don't like the "n" word, but I also hate the word, "awesome." I have different reasons for hating each of these words, but basically, they just aren't words I would use comfortably. This is not to say that I don't often call a skank a skank. On the rare occasion when I am judgemental, I tend to judge people based on my observations of how well they respect those around them. For example, if I see a young man standing outside somewhere and he is using alot of foul language and acting like a fool, my first thought is, "What a dumbass!" or something similar to that. It doesn't really matter to me what race he might be, that's not the issue. The issue at hand is his blatant disrespect for those around him. Of course, this is based on my own personal opinions about what is offensive. Some people may not find this type of behavior to be offensive and I am not always offended by it, myself. It really just depends on whether or not my daughter is with me and the context of the scenario. There is a time and place for things. Some people just don't seem to have any idea when and where these things are appropriate.

This brings me back to the situation with Dog. He may well know when and where he can say things like this and he may have thought that he was having a private conversation with his son. I don't know. When I talk with my family on the telephone, we pretty much say whatever is on our minds without worrying that we will be blasted on the evening news as being terrible people. We all have our moods and I'm sure that most people have said things that they know would not be particularly popular should they be broadcast for all to hear. That's the point of having private conversations. That's why we shouldn't care what celebrities do when they are trying to lead the portion of their lives that has absolutely nothing to do with the rest of us. How much do we need to know? How pathetic are our lives that we must live vicariously through the famous people who find themselves in the spotlight? Once and for all, I don't care how many times Lindsay Lohan goes to rehab, I have no interest in what Brittney Spears is doing at any point in time, and I could give a flying shit about the next child that Brad and Angelina decide to rescue from an unfortunate existence. I'd really like to hear about things that are important for a change.

Just once I'd like to turn on the news and hear a really good explanation for why gasoline is $3.00 per gallon or why I can't shop for groceries without spending at least $100 a week. I would love to hear some news that explains why the cost of living is so high, yet families are expected to support themselves on minimum wage that is embarrassingly disproportionate to the amount of work being done in minimum wage jobs. What about some information about medical technology and how close we are to finding cures for disease? Can we ever discuss things that actually make a difference or am I required, make that sentenced to hear all the news I can possibly absorb about Rosie O'Donnell's next creative endeavor or about which celebrity spent their time punching out the paparazzi this week?

This is probably not a great attitude for someone who hopes at some point to achieve notoriety for my own creative efforts. I realize that celebrities are interesting and that there are people out there who feel that they need to know everything there is to know about their lives. But I remember a time when a little mystery was a good thing. I remember leaving some things to the imagination and being able to view celebrities as something special. I don't want to know everything about them. Though I love Johnny Depp, I really do not want to know much more about him than when his next movie will be out and that he is working on something new. Well, at least not unless he plans to propose to me...but that's not likely now is it? Besides, I'm taken. The point is, I'm sure that celebrities would love to have some part of their private lives back. Though I hear all of the time that this is the price they pay for stardom, I think that's a pretty lame excuse for using celebrity news as a smokescreen so that no one has to report anything useful.

I have to go for now, it's time for the news and I don't want to miss my daily dose of the War in Iraq recap, fifteen to twenty different stories about local crime and traffic accidents, a mediocre weather report and of course whatever our local station can dig up from the celebrity news feeds that are so vital to the state of our nation today. I can just feel myself losing brain cells over here...

Until next time...

The Life and Times of Rona Shively...Iss. 2

The Life and Times of Rona Shively
<-----Fiesty, Fearless and Fabulous----->
Vol. 1, Iss. 2 November 1, 2007
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In this issue...
What's new!
Upcoming Events
Fun Facts
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What's new!

I’m back on tour…or at least, trying to be. So far, I have a couple of dates scheduled for November and December. I was unfortunately sidelined by a terrible case of bronchitis during the last couple weeks of October. This illness caused me to miss my first appearance at the Midwest Kentucky Book Expo on October 27th. My apologies to the organizers of this event.

My next appearance is set for the Joseph Beth Bookstore in Cincinnati, Ohio on November 7th at 7 p.m. I’ll be there as part of an Author Night event. If you’re in the area, please stop in and say hello!

In December, I’m headed back to Columbus, Ohio to the Waldenbooks store in the Polaris mall. I’ll be there on Sunday, December 9th from 2 to 4 p.m.

Although this is non-Rona news, I have an exciting announcement! I recently submitted a horror story for inclusion in a horror anthology with Triad Publishing. The anthology is due to be published in February of 2008 and they will be including my story. The story is called Eleven and it is about a teenage girl who finds herself in hot water as she learns that she is on the list to be sacrificed by a local cult. This one’s creepy!

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After months of deliberation, I have decided on a title for the next Rona Shively book. I’ll be releasing the book’s trailer within the next few weeks, so be sure to stop by my website at www.theronashivelystories.com to check it out! The title will be revealed in the new trailer! For now, there is a wonderful new Rona Shively Stories trailer up on my website! I’ve made some changes to the site, so please stop by when you have a minute!
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Don't forget to visit my blog at www.wordsiview.blogspot.com. From time to time, I post contest announcements, news and other items on there. Stop by when you can!
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50 States by 2008-I'm hoping to get the Rona Shively Stories into libraries and bookstores in every state by this time next year. Please tell your friends to request my books from their local libraries! Let's get Rona on the shelves!
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No Takers!

Our Fall reading contest had no winners because…nobody entered! I was a little surprised that nobody wanted a $50 gift card, but I guess that’s the way things go sometimes. I will be holding another contest soon, this one won’t be for the faint of heart. I’m going to be looking for lots of creativity and the best interpretation of the Rona Shively Stories! More details will follow, so put on your thinking caps now!

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Upcoming Events

As I shared earlier, the big news for now is that I have some appearances scheduled. After taking a break for a couple of months, I’m excited at the prospect of getting back out there. Keep watching for more dates! I’ll be adding more soon.

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Fun Facts

In every issue of this newsletter, I'm going to include some bit of trivia about Rona Shively and/or some of the characters in her book. Pay attention to these tidbits because they will be on the test later! Actually, a few months down the line, I'll be giving away a big prize to the person who can plug the correct answers into a Pop Quiz!

This month's tidbit-Rona Shively’s sister, Jane is married to one of the executives at the local auto manufacturer in Clarkston, OH. The name of this company is not important, but there is an important connection between one of the church board members, Carl Freeman and this company.

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As always, I appreciate your support and hope you will continue to enjoy the Rona Shively Stories!

Until next time...

Rebecca Benston

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...