Friday, April 25, 2008

Tara Yellen: Publishing My First Book

Tara YellenI wrote AFTER HOURS AT THE ALMOST HOME in three days—and spent the next eight years revising it.

The novel began as my Masters thesis for the writing program at the University of Colorado—though it wasn’t my original thesis. Two months before the due date, I was working on a collection of short stories. I was also working at two bars—one an upscale martini bar, where I lied to get the job...

More Tara Yellen

J. Kelley Carlson: Meet the Author

J. Kelley CarlsonI remember English Composition 101 well. It was there that I discovered I could write material worth reading. That might not have been so strange if I hadn’t been 41 years old at the time and had not been inside a classroom for twenty years. I owe many thanks to the school superintendent for forcing my return to school.

In 1988 the superintendent decided that the nurses working for the school system should have a four-year degree.

More J. Kelley Carlson

The Best of the Best

Every year Writers Digest Magazine releases a list of the 101 websites that they consider to be the best sites for writers. Categorized by Agent Blogs, Challenges/Creativity, General Resources, Genre/Niche, Protect Yourself, Publishing Resources, and Writing Communities, these sites offer a huge amount of information and resources, no matter where your struggles might be. Check out the best and the brightest now at Writers Digest's fabulously re-designed website. www.writersdigest.com/101BestSites

Tuesday, April 01, 2008

We're Giving Away Free Books

OnceWritten.com April Book GiveAways

You can't win if you don't enter. To sign up, visit our Win Free Books page now.

Free Food for Millionaires, Min Jin LeeFree Food for Millionaires
Min Jin Lee
Genre: General Fiction
Enter to Win Free Food for Millionaires Now


Some Glad Morning, Irene SteeleSome Glad Morning
Irene Steele
Genre: Historical Fiction
Enter to Win Some Glad Morning Now


If I Were an Eagle: Book 1, D.L. HaleIf I Were an Eagle: Book 1
D.L. Hale
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Enter to Win If I Were an Eagle: Book 1 Now


If I Were an Eagle: Book 2, D.L. HaleIf I Were an Eagle: Book 2
D.L. Hale
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Enter to Win If I Were an Eagle: Book 2 Now


Writing as a Small Business, Nash BlackWriting as a Small Business
Nash Black
Genre: Business
Enter to Win Writing as a Small Business Now


The Shaman and the Rose, Bill HaynesThe Shaman and the Rose
Bill Haynes
Genre: Fantasy
Enter to Win The Shaman and the Rose Now


Girls in Trucks, Katie CrouchGirls in Trucks
Katie Crouch
Genre: General Fiction
Enter to Win Girls in Trucks Now


The Lost Dog, Michelle de KretserThe Lost Dog
Michelle de Kretser
Genre: General Fiction
Enter to Win The Lost Dog Now


Lady and the Vamp, Michelle RowenLady and the Vamp
Michelle Rowen
Genre: Vampire Romance
Enter to Win Lady and the Vamp Now


Pursuit, Elizabeth JenningsPursuit
Elizabeth Jennings
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Enter to Win Pursuit Now

Friday, March 28, 2008

Keri Arthur: Publishing My First Book

Keri ArthurMy journey to publication is one of persistence. DANCING WITH THE DEVIL was the fourth book I’d written, but the first book I actually believed might have had a chance of being published. Unfortunately for me, none of the publishers I submitted to liked it. It was a paranormal romance, and written at a time when paranormal romance wasn’t the ‘it’ genre. Getting a publisher to take a chance on such a story when the author was an unknown was...

More Keri Arthur

Bill Haynes: Meet the Author

Bill HaynesMy road to the publication of THE SHAMAN AND THE ROSE was anything but average. The framework of the novel came about from two self-published titles where I explored the depths of Dante’s Inferno. Those first two books were a valuable learning experience. The most important lesson I learned was that as an author, I had a great deal to learn about publishing and writing. I discovered that working with an editor can be a godsend to any writer.

More Bill Haynes

Hailing all Taxes

Somehow another year has passed us by and it's already time to start getting our receipts in order. The tax man cometh whether or not we're ready. Writers receiving "independent contractor" income, reported on a 1099 form, should be using extra care with their record keeping. The high-cost of self-employment taxes means that you'd better be taking all the legal deductions you can.

Need extra help? Nash Black has published the book Writing as a Small Business which offers advice specifically geared towards writers.

Friday, March 14, 2008

Peter Balaskas: Meet the Author

Peter BalaskasI soon realized that they were the wrong type of competitions to enter “The Grandmaster.” They were literary competitions; “The Grandmaster” would normally be considered as a genre work. Specifically, it was a supernatural thriller. . . .

More Peter Balaskas

Publish Your Own Coffee Table Book

Blurb.com takes self-publishing to a new level. If you're looking for a cool way to organize your photos, your blog entries, your recipes, this is a lovely and graphically easy way to put them together. You won't get a listing at Amazon.com, and I couldn't find any mention of an ISBN number, but if you are looking for a unique gift idea for your friends, this is a great way to go about it. www.blurb.com

Friday, February 22, 2008

Melissa Walker: Publishing My First Book

Melissa WalkerThe 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.

More Melissa Walker

Dr. Bifford Debs: Meet the Author

Bifford DebsAmong 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.

More Bifford Debs

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)

Friday, February 15, 2008

Jenny Gardiner: Publishing My First Book

Jenny GardinerThe 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.

More Jenny Gardiner

Michael Lindley: Meet the Author

Michael LindleyIt 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....

More Michael Lindley

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)

Friday, February 08, 2008

John Anderson: Meet the Author

John AndersonI 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.

More John Anderson

Aimee Liu: Publishing My First Book

Aimee LiuMy 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.

More Aimee Liu

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)

Friday, February 01, 2008

We're Giving Away Free Books

OnceWritten.com February BookGiveAways

You can't win if you don't enter. To sign up, visit our
Enter To Win Free Books page now.


Too Much, Linda Taylor WestToo Much
Linda Taylor West
Genre: Children's Picture Book
Enter to Win Too Much Now




Between the Sheets, Robin WellsBetween the Sheets
Robin Wells
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Enter to Win Between the Sheets Now




Trail of Crumbs, Kim SuneeTrail of Crumbs
Kim Sunee
Genre: Biography / Memoir
Enter to Win Trail of Crumbs Now




Mary Magdalene, Her Legacy, Bettye JohnsonMary Magdalene, Her Legacy
Bettye Johnson
Genre: Historical Fiction
Enter to Win Mary Magdalene, Her Legacy Now




Hug Time, Patrick McDonnellHug Time
Patrick McDonnell
Genre: Children's Picture Book
Enter to Win Hug Time Now




Sweethearts, Sara ZarrSweethearts
Sara Zarr
Genre: Young Adult
Enter to Win Sweethearts Now




Where Did I Leave My Glasses?, Martha LearWhere Did I Leave My Glasses?
Martha Lear
Genre: Self-Help
Enter to Win Where Did I Leave My Glasses? Now




Send Yourself Roses, Kathleen TurnerSend Yourself Roses
Kathleen Turner
Genre: Biography / Memoir
Enter to Win Send Yourself Roses Now




The Crazy School, Cornelia ReadThe Crazy School
Cornelia Read
Genre: General Fiction
Enter to Win The Crazy School Now

Friday, January 25, 2008

Laura Wright: Meet the Author

Laura WrightMy first query and acceptance actually came as a surprise. At the time, I had several novels written and casually started a general discussion with an editor. I will state first that this may strike unease in the hearts of many because it wasn’t a “normal,” venture and this wasn’t just any editor. It was an “ebook editor.”

More Laura Wright