Melissa Walker: Publishing My First Book

The summer before I started high school, I filled a loose-leaf notebook with the tale of an overweight girl who wanted to find a prom date, so I guess you could say I always had some book dreams.

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Dr. Bifford Debs: Meet the Author

Among the first writing I did was a child's letter to Franklin D. Roosevelt while he was president. Already I have given away my ancient age. From childhood, however, I have enjoyed writing and got some in during that period of my long life. However, there were always obstacles inherent with blessings.

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Does Grammar Matter?

The international best-seller Eats, Shoots and Leaves taught us that punctuation really does matter when creating a sentence. (And heck I'm the first to admit that I over-comma everything.)

But the correct usage of grammar is equally necessary to writing a good story.

What disappoints me with so many of the books I receive for a possible review is how few authors remember how important the written word is in telling their story. A book cannot live by plot alone, and the words used to tell the story are always more important than the story itself.

Don't believe me? Take for example some ambiguous headlines that show just how necessary it is be to carefully choose the words you use. How about "Women make the best moms" or "World War II kamikaze survivors meet?" These titles may make you chuckle, but if your novel is riddled with imprecise words it can make for a long, hard read.

Want more headlines with double meanings? Check out the Albany Times Union blog at blogs.timesunion.com


(Writing Sparks Newsletter: 2/22/08)

Jenny Gardiner: Publishing My First Book

The funny thing about SLEEPING WITH WARD CLEAVER is that it came about when the title came to me. I didn't have the story, but the title came into my head and it felt "catchy". So that meant I had to brainstorm an actual book. No problem, right?

The little thing was I didn't write fiction. Not one bit. I was trained as a journalist, and really the only writing I'd ever done was of the journalistic bent. I was, actually, very stuck on the idea of sticking with the truth.

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Michael Lindley: Meet the Author

It is quite surprising what the age of fifty will do to your motivation levels in actually finishing one of those numerous incomplete manuscripts that have been filed away deep within your hard drive over the years....

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Book Rewards Programs

I hate paying full price. I'm not cheap, I've been known to spend ridiculous amounts of money on a sushi lunch, but still I always feel challenged to be able to come up with a better deal on the items I purchase.

For books, though, I'm covered. In addition to the fabulous discounts at Amazon.com, for those times I just don't want to wait three days for my book, both the major book chains, Borders and Barnes and Noble, have "rewards" programs. So if you're a book-a-holic like me, you might want to consider one or the other of these programs.

Borders Rewards is my favorite because it costs nada, zip, nothing. You collect points and every time you spend $150 in a month, you get a $5 reward. The best part of the program is that every single week Borders sends you at least one coupon by email. (Often 30% off the price of a book, but the offers vary.)

Borders Rewards

Barnes & Noble, on the other hand, offers you a flat 10% off every single item you purchase, with higher discounts for hard covers and bestsellers. The annual cost is $25, which is not a bad deal either, especially since the discounts also apply at all in-store Starbucks. (Discounted ice mochas, yum!) B&N also periodically send coupons via email, but they aren't as regular as Borders.

Barnes & Noble Membership

So go forth and never pay full price for books again.


(Writing Sparks Newsletter: 2/15/08)

John Anderson: Meet the Author

I always wanted to be Indiana Jones when I grew up. After all, he was suave, good-looking, roguish, athletic, and invincible—all the things I was not. That he was also a figment of someone’s imagination didn’t really bother me until I hit the 8th Grade. More specifically, the 8th Grade fiction-writing unit.

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Aimee Liu: Publishing My First Book

My first book deal might be described as an intentional accident.

The year was 1977. All of 24, I was working as a flight attendant and aspiring writer without much writing to show for the aspiration. One day between flights I picked up a Vogue magazine and read a column about a little-known condition called anorexia nervosa. This was the first time I’d heard that phrase, but the list of symptoms told me that I’d suffered from this disease for seven years. Though I was now recovered, I had no idea how I’d developed the illness or how I’d gotten better.

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Questions and Quandaries

One of my favorite writerly e-newsletters is Writers Digest Weekly Tips and Updates. I like it because it's succinct (I know, my newsletters could take a lesson from that), but mostly I appreciate the light tone accomplished by newsletter editor Brian Klems. I'd been hearing for a while now that Brian also keeps up a Q&A board, called Questions and Quandaries at Writers Digest.com, so I finally took a look. I don't know why I was surprised, but this is some very valuable stuff. Covering a range of topics such as "Will Newspapers Review Self-Published Books" and proper grammar usage, this site is definitely worth checking out.

www.writersdigest.com/qq/


(Writing Sparks Newsletter: 2/8/08)

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