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Thursday, 8 am. My volunteer assignment had me counting proxies for RWA’s AGM (Annual General Meeting).  The actual meeting started at 10:30 am.   RWA’s Board has met over the past few days and worked late to resolve several issues.  Washington DC 2009 RWA 116Members are urged to log on to the member section of the RWA website to review the Hot Sheet for changes in contest rules.

NY Times bestselling author Janet Evanovich started the Conference with a rousing opening session at 9 am.  Keynote Speaker Linda Howard had the whole room in stitches as she described her position in her family as the Keeper of the Nuts.  And then came the first workshops.

Two Thursday Workshops of Note:

Brenda Hiatt gave her annual talk “Show Me the Money.” Throughout the year she surveys authors confidentially obtaining their advance figures then averages the numbers and presents the results at RWA National, and on her website.  In her workshop, she also summarizes what happens financially after a writer gets the CALL.

In “Got High Concept?” Lori Wilde pulled us through the steps needed to create a high-concept story.   Another Wow! presentation that included 25-word High Concept pitch examples.  fyi – Lori’s workbook is available for sale on her website.

Thursday, 8 pm. The Kiss of Death/Mystery & Romantic Suspense Chapter held their annual DEATH BY CHOCOLATE Party & Awards Ceremony.  Members were treated to tables of delicious chocolate and other desserts.  The awards ceremony for the Daphne DuMaurier Awards ceremony followed, coordinated by Donnell Ann Bell.

2009 Unpublished 1st Place Winners in the KOD Daphne Awards

Category/Series – SEE JANE RUN – Angela Platt

Historical – THE DECEIT of DESIRE – Pamela Bolton-Holifield

Inspirational – ESCAPE to TERROR – Sandra van den Bogerd

Mainstream – MOONLIGHTING in VERMONT – Kate George

Paranormal, Time Travel, Fantasy – UNDERBELLY – Tammy Hoganson

Single Title – GUARDIAN’S GIFT – Sharon Wray

The overall winner was Sandra van den Bogerd for ESCAPE TO TERROR.  Congratulations, Sandra, and to all the winners and finalists!


2009 Published Winners in the Daphne Awards

Category/Series – TERMS OF SURRENDER- Kylie Brant – Silhouette Romantic Suspense

Historical – SEDUCED BY A SPY – Andrea Pickens – Grand Central

Inspirational – SUSPICIOUS MINDS – Christy Barritt – Kregel Publications

Mainstream – THE TENTH CASE – Joseph Teller – MIRA

Paranormal, Time Travel, Fantasy – APHRODIASIC – Allyson Roy-Berkley – Penguin

Single Title – VICTIM – Gayle Wilson – MIRA

The Overall Winner was Kylie Brant for TERMS OF SURRENDER – Silhouette Romantic Suspense.  Congratulations, Kylie, and to all other winners and finalists!

Kylie Brant

Kylie Brant shows her gold award for Best Overall.

Crystal KOD Skull

Kiss of Death's Skull.

Chocolate

Death by Chocolate.

Winning KOD (& NJRW) Member Carolyn J. Coles with a KOD Raffle Bag.

KOD (& NJRW) Member Carolyn J. Coles won one of 12 Raffle Bags.

More on Friday! 


RWA National – Kick-off!

Wednesday, 7 am. Registration for RWA National.  Volunteers distributed badges, nametags, ribbons, schedules, and books!  Along with 5 paperbacks and a hardcover, we received a flash drive from Harlequin that holds conference handouts, a 14-page pdf file of Harlequin covers from 1949-2009, and 3 more complete books.  Cool!  At registration, I saw some old friends and met a few new fellow writers.  Some will sightsee today.  Some will be busy with board matters or other events.  Today is Librarians’ Day and the Chapter Leadership Event.

After a pleasant breakfast at the Stone’s Throw Washington DC 2009 RWA 079 Restaurant in the Marriott, my husband and I left for the Metro and more touring.  Out the back service door, down the hill, then across 24th Street and we were at the entrance.  We bought our fare cards and were carried down the escalators.  The last time I rode the subway (aka/underground or tube) was in London a few years ago.  While Washington’s system is just as efficient, I sorta missed the sultry British voice reminding me to “Mind the Gap” as I stepped aboard.

The Library of Congress was Washington DC 2009 RWA 054our first destination.  My goal was some genealogy research and learning how the system works.  Before accessing books, I had to register for a Reader Card in the Madison Building of the Library, then walk back through the tunnel to the Jefferson Building.  Interesting.  The Jefferson Building is gorgeous, inside and out.  The intricate paintings and carvings on the ceilings are awe-inspiring.

Early afternoon we hopped back on the Metro for a quick ride to the “Federal Triangle” and a visit to the National Museum of American History.  The exhibit honoring the First Ladies held a special appeal, from Mary Todd Lincolns’ tiny waisted gown worn in 1861 to Jacqueline Kennedy’s classic pale sheath a hundred years later.  So much to see in Washington, D.C.!

When we returned to the hotel it seemed it had made a shift from teachers to writers.  A quick change and I was downstairs for the “Readers for Life Literacy Autographing.” Five hundred romance authors lined up at tables to sign, and at least triple that number looking to meet their favorites make a lasting impression.  Washington DC 2009 RWA 084

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Where to begin?  

RWA National – KOD Tour

My husband and I arrived in Washington, D.C. Monday. We have a grand view from our hotel room window – Washington DC 2009 RWA 009the National Cathedral is stunning at sunset!  We hope to visit it sometime before returning home.

Our first action as tourists (other than prerequisite checking in…tipping the very helpful bellman… unpacking) was a stroll up to the National Zoo.  From the conference hotel, it is a 3 to 4 block walk to the zoo’s entrance.  The pandas all seemed to be eating, or sleeping.   A new elephant habitat is under construction.  Good seeing how huge and natural looking it will be.  Although there’s a cost for parking, like many other national sites in D.C. the zoo itself is free to visitors.  Quite pleasant for strolling.

Tuesday, 8 am. Kiss of Death met in the lobby for the annual pre-conference tour.  I enjoyed saying “Hi!” to fellow WisRWA member, Laura Iding.  Also met other KOD members I knew mainly by name from the loop.   We boarded.  On our way to the first stop, our driver treated us to a drive-by tour of some of Washington’s many memorials.

At the U. S. Department of State, we were greeted with courtesy and security then ushered into the Loy Henderson Auditorium.   Washington DC 2009 RWA 029The next three hours we learned about diplomats, foreign service, and counter-terroism.   Director of the Foreign Press Center, Gordon Duguid, gave a great Overview of the Department Mission and Function.  Michelle Bernier-Toth, Director of Overseas Citizen Services and Crisis Management presented a lively discussion about Overseas Citizen Servies.   The Deputy Coordinator for Programs and Policy, Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley, concluded with a terrific talk on U.S. Counterterroism Efforts.   They all highlighted the morning with lively anecdotes while answering many of KOD’s authors’ questions.

We drove south to the National Abortoreum to enjoy a brief box lunch and a little more chatting with fellow writers under the shade in a serene setting.

The United States Postal Inspection Service was our afternoon destination.  USPIS We were met at the door and ushered in like honored guests.  A team of at least twelve Postal Inspectors greeted us with agendas, personalized name tags, and cold drinks.  An enthusiastic introduction was followed by a dynamic presentation by the Team Leader on the Anthrax Investigation.  After catching our breath, our large group was broken up into groups of 12 or so and rotated through five breakout sessions on topics that included Mail Fraud, Mail Theft, and Child Exploitation, among others.  I was awed not only by the Inspectors’ excitement in their jobs, but also the breadth of their knowledge.   They seemed genuinely excited to share their passion with us.  Lots of heroes in that group! :smile:

For a few years I’ve heard about the superb quality of the Kiss of Death Pre-Conference tours but have never been able to attend one.  Today I experienced this tour first hand.  The word “Wow!” falls short.  Thanks to the U.S. State Department and to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.  Finally, my sincere appreciation to the organizers of this year’s event – Nina Bruhns and Debbi Ward.   Thank you, ladies!

Tomorrow we leave for Washington, DC. Yay!  It’s about a four-hour drive from home so we’re timing ourselves to avoid rush hour here and elsewhere.  (Like that’s really possible along I-95.  :wink: )

Since last week, I’ve been watching DC’s 10-day weather forecastWashington DC 2007 047 It’s changed some since I first looked.  Hotter, more rain than originally called for.  Bring your umbrella!   Tuesday should be warm and pleasant – 87°F and mostly sunny.  Tuesday is the all-day Kiss of Death Tour.  We’ll tour the U.S. Department of State and U.S. Postal Inspectors.  Kiss of Death also is sponsoring special tours to the FBI and CIA on other days.  The timing didn’t work for us but I hope to hear from others who attend.

LOTS to see in Washington. Washington DC 2007 061Our most recent trip was a long weekend in 2007, just after Cherry Blossom time.  Along with a sensational day trip to Mount Vernon, we visited the National Gallery of Art, some of the Smithsonian, and toured all the monuments including the World War II Memorial.  That memorial has special meaning since both our fathers served in that war.  This picture shows only one half.  It sits in a huge circle, with columns for each state.  Like the other Washington, DC memorials, it inspires an awed and reverent silence.

The National Zoo sits just acrossWashington DC 2007 049 the street from the Marriott-Wardman conference hotel.  I expect a fair number of conference attendees will wander over there.  I plan to.  Other places on our list to visit this year are the National Cathedral and the National Museum of American History.  And I’d love to visit Mr. Lincoln again.  Of all places in Washington, the Lincoln Memorial is my favorite.

Not that I’ll have much time, but that’s why we’re driving down early.  As always, the RWA National Conference is packed with events!

Reminder to self, CHECK LIST:  clothing – business-casual for conference; capris and cotton tops for touring; dressy for RITA & GH awards; comfortable shoes; peds/socks; meds; umbrella; hat/s; sunglasses; jewelry; toiletries; laptop; camera; business cards; AGM Proxy; and print-off workshop hand-outs.  For smaller items, I keep telling myself, there’s a CVS near the conference hotel.

Finally, for all of you coming to Washington, you must visit author Jamie Michele’s website (click).  On her links page, she’s given possibly the most complete and detailed directions I’ve ever seen – airports to hotels and using the Washington DC metro-rail.  Take a look.   Thank you, Jamie!

See (many of you) soon! 

Twilight Zone

“You unlock this door with the key of imagination. Beyond it is another dimension – a dimension of sound, a dimension of sight, a dimension of mind. You’re moving into a land of both shadow and substance, of things and ideas. You’ve just crossed over into…the Twilight Zone.” ~ Rod Serling

From a young age, I was a fan. After bedtime, I’d sneak onto the top of the night stairs and sit in silence as Twilight Zoneolder family members watched the program below on our black and white TV.  Down the hall in our shared bedroom, my younger sister slept.  But in the darkness of that stairwell I sat entranced by Rod Serling’s hypnotic voice as he introduced the latest episode.

There was magic in the stories.  In later years I’d grow to appreciate the scripts with their social commentary.  But at age 8 or 9 there was only the wonder of ordinary people being thrown into extraordinary circumstances.   Along with the fairy tales Mom once read aloud, The Twilight Zone best revealed to my young mind the miraculous art of storytelling.

For years now, I’ve struggled with invisible demons.  What has kept me from publishing?  DoorI want my stories to be bound into books, to be read and enjoyed.  I believe I have it in me to succeed.  Yet, like an actor who fears the stage, just when I’m close I step away.  Is it fear?  Fear of the bogeymen that hide in the forest of publishing?  Am I afraid of the doorway I must enter?

Last month I flew home to visit family, and to attend a conference.  While there I talked in depth with my little sister, the one who once slept through The Twilight Zone.  (Just as well; she was only 3 or 4 at the time.  :wink: )  I also talked with a dear friend, a fellow writer who has gone forward, even as I’ve held back.  Both of them chewed me out and both, like others before them, encouraged.

Soon after my flight home, I saw that for a long while I’ve been unhappy with what I’ve been trying to write.  To publish I must change, wholeheartedly and without reservation.  To rediscover the excitement I once knew, I must cross into another dimension, one that calls to me.

My new work-in-progress is more than a new plot, new characters.  Though still technically a romance, it represents a genre change, one I read but have never attempted to write.   Revitalized, I am writing.   And, if my courage holds, if I maintain the perseverance a published author needs, then my journey into this new dimension may mean success. 

RWA National Travel Tips

Traveling to RWA National in DC? If you are a newbie, or if you just haven’t traveled recently, here are a few last minute reminders to help ease your journey.Flying

Are you flying in? Many of you reading this are savvy travelers but, for those who haven’t flown for a while…

  1. Suitcases – Weight limit is 50 pounds for checked bags.   When I flew to Atlanta in 2006, I brought my 26-inch suitcase.  The weight was ok flying there, barely, but was over by about 25 pounds on my return trip.  I managed to squeeze some of those overweight free books into my tote.   Some I just gave to the guy at the counter for his girlfriend.   I’ve now switched to traveling with a 21-inch suitcase.  Weigh it at home before you leave.   Mine, even when packed full, rarely exceeds 35 pounds.
  2. Extra fee – Whether overweight or not, airlines now charge extra for a checked bag – $15 or $25 on most airlines.  That’s a one-way charge.
  3. Carry-ons – You are only allowed 2 carry-ons, one personal (a purse or computer) and another small bag.  Downsize to a smaller purse, then pack it inside your tote-bag for added flexibility.
  4. Wear slip-on shoes.  You will have to remove them at security so they can be scanned.  Shoes with ties or buckles hold up the lines.
  5. Filled water bottles are not permitted through security.  Empty ones generally are.  For the frugal-minded, bring an empty bottle in your tote.  Once you are beyond security, you can fill it at a water fountain, or you can buy bottled water at a kiosk.   Water bought near the gates is allowed on-board.
  6. Keep your photo ID and Boarding Pass handy until you are through security.  After that, you will only need your Boarding Pass to get onto the plane.
  7. For added tips, read the TSA Guidelines for How to Get Through the Security Line Faster (click).

Or are you driving?

  1. Click this link for the current Washington DC gas prices.
  2. A reminder that parking at the Marriott is an extra $32 (or so) a day.

A few other reminders:

  1. Wear comfortable shoes for the conference and sight-seeing.  Not the time to break in a new pair.
  2. Washington DC summers are sweltering but bring a sweater or wrap for the air-conditioned workshop rooms.  A pashmina is light-weight, packable, and easy to carry in your conference tote.
  3. Don’t forget your business cards. Make them or have them made.  Keep them simple, elegant, professional.
  4. There’s a CVS Pharmacy within walking distance of the Marriott.
  5. Visit RWA National website Conference FAQ’s for added info.

→ Please share your travel tips for RWA National.  Hope to see you there!

Common Craft

The world spins, ever faster. New uses for the computer pop up quicker than I can process.   What is podcasting?  RSS code?  I sort of understand Twitter, but is it useful?  What is a Wiki?  And, while we’re at it, how does the World Wide Web really work?

Enter Common Craft, a delightfully interesting company owned by Lee and Sachi LeFever in Seattle, Washington, USA. They explain things.  Lee founded Common Craft in 2003 as an online community consulting company.  They began making videos in 2007, their first – RSS in Plain English.  Using paper cut-outs, they teach the raw basics of technology, money, and society.  A most helpful source.

So, what is the World Wide Web?   Here’s Lee LeFever’s explanation.  (Click in center to start video. Be sure to turn up your volume.)

As writers, we research.  We need easy-to-understand sources that can quickly teach us a little bit about a lot of things.  To that end, we scour children’s reference books and search travel blogs.  We attend retreats and conferences, and interview detectives.  We peruse websites for valuable links.

But along with needed background information on specific topics, how can we learn a little about the technology available, without spending excessive hours of valuable writing time?   Common Craft’s technology videos give quick explanations about new tools.

Search Common Craft’s website or on You Tube for other simple videos.   And, if you need a laugh and don’t mind a bit of gore, blood not Al, check out their Zombies in Plain English.  It’s a hoot!

Of Conferences & Courage

Last weekend I sat in the golden glow of a hotel meeting room in Green Bay, Wisconsin.   Along with 90 or so fellow writers, I listened intently WisRWA Write Touch June 5-7 2009 004as agents and editors revealed market trends and what they, as publishing professionals, were looking for from authors.  The workshop was part of the grand celebration of WisRWA’s 25th Anniversary.

It started Friday. Registration in the Radisson’s comfortable lobby let us greet old friends and chat with new.  Later, in our first workshop, ever-helpful Publisher Raelene Gorlinsky presented When Bad Covers Happen to Good People – an informative and amusing behind-the-scenes look at book covers.  The evening ended with a gourmet dessert reception.  Amid chocolate fountains and luscious desserts we visited, ate, drank, and visited some more.

Saturday. An early breakfast buffet and general meeting were followed by the Agent/Editor Q & A Panel.  Mid-morning, Karen Tabke spoke on It’s Just Business, Don’t Take it Personal. Following Karen’s talk, Executive Editor Birgit Davis-Todd presented Diamond Opportunities–Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Writing for Harlequin.  Throughout the day, authors pitched their books in 10-minute private appointments with attending editors and agents.

Noon lunch was a delicious Slice of Italy. Contest winners for The Write Touch and Fab 5 were announced.  First Sale roses were presented to six WisRWA members who sold their first book since last year’s conference.  WisRWA Write Touch June 5-7 2009 025A special rose was given to WisRWA’s Golden Heart finalist Virginia McCullough.  Special recognition was also given to the five wonderful women who organized this celebratory conference – Donna Kowalczyk, Stacey Netzel, Barbara Raffin, Gini Athey, and Lori Kriescher (see picture).  And, in a heartfelt presentation, Shirley Cayer and Conference Chair Donna Kowalkczyk presented two 2008 Chapter Service Awards – to Mary Jo Scheibl (aka Casey Clifford) and to Sandra Turriff (aka Meg Hennessy).  Both Mary Jo and Sandy had also received roses for their first sales.  What a day!

The afternoon session began with WisRWA’s Got Talent III.  Author Shari Anton read attendees’ first pages while Hilary Sares and agent Laurie McLean WisRWA Write Touch June 5-7 2009 052gave incredibly insightful one-minute critiques.  Author Trish Milburn followed with her workshop Making Your Setting Come Alive. A late afternoon Literacy Book Signing gave us a chance to chat with authors and purchase personally autographed books, including those by best-selling author Sherrilyn Kenyon. (See picture.) At the 25th Anniversary plated dinner, Sherrilyn gave a heartrending Keynote Address that had us both crying and laughing.

Sunday. Following another satisfying breakfast buffet, Ann Voss Peterson spoke on A Word Nerd’s Guide to Pacing.    Barbara Raffin’s workshop, The Story is in the Details showed how critical details are in every aspect of our writing.  Lori Devoti presented the last workshop – Get Where You Want to Go–Setting Goals to Keep You on Track, a most important wrap-up to the weekend.

For the past week, as I returned to my real life – home, family, day job – I’ve been pondering.  I’ve come to realize that it takes raw courage to write a book then strive for publication.  Courage to bare your soul as the authors did in WisRWA’s Got Talent.  Courage to meet face-to-face with an editor to pitch one’s book.  Courage to submit that work for publication, and probable rejection.  Then to do it again and again and again.

Last weekend I was privileged to meet with fellow authors in all stages of their careers, from those writing the first chapter of a first book to a NY Times Bestselling Author whose books are read world wide.   Each one shelters a courageous soul. ∞

First Meeting

The bones of the house are the same. The color is different; it was white when I lived there. Jackson Street 1 I remember a well-tended lawn with shrubs in front, all neatly trimmed.  An affordable residence for two young women on their own.

The second floor apartment on the right side included a living room, a kitchen, one bedroom, and a bath.  Across the hall was another tenant, one we never saw.  Our elderly landlords lived downstairs.  They provided us with a refrigerator, and heat through cast-iron radiators – when they were at home.  We furnished the rooms with two used metal-framed beds, an old oak kitchen table and, for living room relaxation, bucket seats pulled from a junked MG.

December 26, 5:30 pm – After a long day at work, I keyed open our front door.  I wore a rust-colored corduroy dress and heavy wool coat.   I first saw him with a book in his hands, leaning back in the MG’s bucket seat on the living room floor.  As I entered the room, he looked up.  “Hello,” he said.  I returned his greeting.   Much later he would tell me his first sight of me was my legs.

He was a friend of my roommate’s fiancé, a college student, visiting him for a few days.  We saw each other a lot that weekend.  A week or so later he called me from Milwaukee.  We talked for over an hour.  We began dating, often long distance through real letters and phone calls.  No emails then.  Our reunions were magic.

I lived in that upstairs apartment for a short six months yet it brought many changes in my life.  It was where I first really listened to Simon & Garfunkel, and came to love the creative genius of Bob Dylan.  It was where I first read Tolkein’s The Lord of the Rings.  It was where I met my one true love. 

Where did you meet your love?

Wisconsin

The voice of my home state beckons and I hear her call.  In a few days, I’ll board a small plane and fly west toward Wisconsin. wisconsin violetMy siblings and their families all live there and there my mother rests eternally on a hillside overlooking the town. I’ll visit her, of course, to whisper a prayer, and to place blue flowers on her grave.   More than anything, to remember.

On the weekend, our family will gather to celebrate our time together.  The long-range forecast calls for 75° with sunny skies.  Blissful.  Over picnic lunches followed up with wickedly delicious sweets and Norwegian strong coffee, we’ll nibble and sip, sharing pictures, reliving childhood stories and those of our lives today.  I’ll reacquaint myself with my nieces, nephews, and grandnieces – all growing up too fast.  My siblings and I will get by on too little sleep and grow hoarse with our late night talks.

Late in the week, after our last driveway hugs, I’ll drive north in my rental car to Green Bay to attend the WisRWA Write Touch Conference.

Five or six years ago, I joined WisRWA as a distance member.  I’ve come to cherish friendsWisRWA made there, and on the Yahoo! loops.  At the annual conference, we listen to speakers, and pitch our books to agents and editors.  And, as with family, we grow hoarse with late night talks about our writing, our stories, our lives.

My visits to Wisconsin refresh my soul.  To hear the sounds of my youth, to be wrapped in the arms of shared memories and values, is a gift I give myself.  I’ve been away too long. 

Happy Mother’s Day

Her name was Sophie. I’ve learned what I know of her through the generosity of distant cousins.  Ed & Sophie This picture is a precious gift from one of them.  She is the mother of my father’s father’s father – my great-great grandmother.

A French Canadian, Sophie was born in Quebec in 1835.  She died in northern Minnesota in 1914.   Her children were all born in Quebec, in the same town and province where she and her husband were born, christened, and married.  Where their parents and grand-parents had lived before them, all the way back to the early 1600’s when a few adventurous souls crossed the ocean from France.

In those years before automatic washing machines, microwave ovens, or supermarkets, Sophie bore and raised eleven children – five sons, six daughters.  Imagine! :shock:   My three sons kept me busy.  I know little of her social status, save what I can discern from the photo, and from what I know of our overall family.  Regardless, her life was far different than ours is today.

Sophie moved to Minnesota when she and Edouard were older, most likely because their oldest son, my great-grandfather, moved there.   Families stay together, when they can.   She survived her husband by four years, dying in 1914 at the age of 79.  She would not see her oldest son, my great-grandfather, die in an automobile accident in 1917, nor her grandsons travel to France to fight with the Expeditionary Forces in the first World War.

She lived a good life, I think.  It shows in her sweet face, and in the way she gently rests her hand on her husband’s shoulder.  Her DNA runs through my veins, intermingled with the DNA of so many other mothers.  Though I never knew her, we share a bond – both of blood, and in our love of family.

I wish we could have sat together at her kitchen table, just once, to chat over a cup of coffee.  I would like to have met this French speaking g-g-grandmother of mine, to have known her and about her life.  Somehow, I think she might laugh at that.  Maybe that’s why I write history….to understand the life Sophie and my other ancestors led.

To you, and to all mothers both here and now departed,  Happy Mother’s Day!

A Garden’s Lessons

This past weekend, my husband and I visited Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, PA.  In no particular order, here are some pictures I took, and some thoughts I brought home.

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In writing, as in life, use your senses to the max.

~

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He loves me…he loves me not…ah, he loves me…

~

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This is the crown of the last American Elm in Longwood Gardens.   Always remember the beauty and glory of a life well-lived.

~

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A garden, like writing, takes constant attention…

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…but an occasional afternoon nap is good for the creative soul.

~

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Listen to the child within.

~

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Take pride in your own unique voice.

~

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Don’t tell your readers about a fountain in spring.  Let them feel the wayward sprays of water, and smell the subtle scents on the breeze.

~

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Flowers blossom because that’s who they are.   That’s also why writers write.

~

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It may take a while but with persistence, and a little sun, eventually you will bloom.

~

Have you strolled through a garden or worked in one recently?  What thoughts did you bring home?

Generations

At a recent work-related conference, leonaI attended a fascinating workshop given by Dr. Wendi Lee Foltz.  Titled Generations at Work, the goals were to help understand the generations and learn how to work together more effectively.  We discussed the four generations in today’s workplace, and brainstormed about events that shaped their lives, molding them into who they are.

The WWII Generation, born before 1940, endured the Depression and World War II.  They are the value keepers, the traditionalists.

The Baby Boomers are post-WWII children who came of age during the VietNam War.  Rebellious in their youth, they went on to recreate the 60-hour work week.  College education for women started to become the accepted norm.

Generation X, children of the Baby Boomers, work to live.  They are unimpressed, want a fun environment, and value praise.

The Millenials, aka Gen Y, born after 1980, are entering the workplace, and only now are being defined.   They’ve grown up with computers in hand, and are achievement-oriented techies.

As a writer, I later wondered how these values influence what we read.  How do they determine what is popular in the marketplace, especially within the realm of romance novels?

In the last 100 years, rebecca-7894061we’ve gone from the early 20th century inspirational writings of Grace Livingston Hill, to Georgette Heyer who created the well-researched modern Regency, to Daphne DuMaurier and her stories of haunting romantic suspense.   DuMaurier led us into the realm of the historical and gothic romance – Victoria Holt and Phyllis Whitney.  Then came Kathleen Woodiwiss in the early 1970’s with a new type of historical romance, and the world of romance exploded into multiple sub-genres, each written to meet the needs of the generations.

This glimpse at various generations helped me beth-ciottaunderstand the WWII Generation’s love of Holt & Whitney’s modern gothic novel with their helpless appearing heroines and strong, brooding heroes.  It helped me, too, understand the emergence of Chick Lit – a sub-genre created by and for the fun-loving, intelligent Generation X’ers.  Loosening sexual standards has brought an increase in Erotica and, counter-acting that, more popularity for Inspirational reading.   Our to-be-read piles now hold everything from Scottish Highland historicals to witty Romantic Comedies.

What will be next?

→ Is your writing, or what you read, influenced by generational values?  Do you find yourself writing to what is popular, or what is true to you?

Business Cards

Early in my writing life, when I first joined NJRW, a writer spoke on the business part of writing.  You’ll need business cards, she said.  Keep them simple.  Show only essential information – name and contact details.  With a card you can begin networking.  You can keep in touch with other writers you meet at a conference.  You can enclose it in a thank-you note to a contest judge.  And, while an editor you meet may not ask for your card, you’re ready in case she does.

Despite early advice about keeping the cost down, I had my first card printed on high quality linen stock.  avery-business-cards1It was clean, classy, and included my personal home address – a no-no, I soon learned.  My email address was outdated a year so later when we changed internet providers.  Yeah, what was I thinking?  I ordered 500.   There are still about 459 aging nicely in my desk drawer.

I learned that it’s cheaper to buy paper and print the cards myself.  Avery has clean-edge business cards available online, or in office supply stores.   Using a template you can print your own card then break them up, 10 per sheet.  The clean edge looks much better than the mini-perforated edge cards, also available.  By printing your own cards before a conference, you can print only as many as you think you’ll hand out.  You can also personalize them for each use.

Keep in mind that your name is your brand.   That is what you want to be prominent on your card, whether you pay to have it printed or if you print it yourself.  Make sure the font is readable, and the card is not crowded.  Keep it orderly, professional.

I am still aspiring but I’ve written enough debs-card1novels to know the direction I’m taking.  A bit over a year ago, I contracted for a website design.  The design, by Stonecreek Media, Inc., captured my writing voice.  When I started Stringing Beads last June, I wanted to bring my website into it.   I customized this WordPress blog template with my copyrighted image from the top of my website.

A few months ago, I began thinking about upcoming conferences, especially WisRWA’s Write Touch (featuring Sherrilyn Kenyon) in June and RWA National in Washington, DC in July.  I wanted to bring my site image onto my business card as well.  Enter VistaPrint.  Going online, I designed a card using the image header Stonecreek had designed for me.  It didn’t take long, and the cost was low.  There are thousands of pre-designed template images also available.  This method worked for me.

If you are attending a conference or workshop this year, remember to make up some business cards to tuck in your bag.   Whether you use VistaPrint, PsPrint, NextDayFlyers.com, your local printer, or if you do it yourself on an Avery template, you’ll be glad you did.

→ As a fiction writer, do you have a business card?  What information do you put on the front?   Do you give out many cards when you go to conferences or workshops?   Has there ever been an occasion when you wished you had a card?  Please comment.

Tech Trek

When I was in high school,type-writer-girl-rv not quite so far back as when this photo was taken, I signed up for a typing course.  Not because I wanted to go into business but because, even then, I aspired to become a writer.  Naive though I was, I knew writers had progressed beyond the quills of Jane Austen’s time.  If I wanted to write, I knew I must learn to type.  My typing teacher, Mr. P., taught me the needed skills to produce neat term papers, skills that would later help pay my bills.

In my first office job, we typed on IBM Selectrics, a typewriter with correctable film ribbons, and ball elements for changeable fonts.

When our first son was born, ibm_selectric_ii_correcting_tape4I quit work to become a stay-at-home mom.  Over time, I typed family letters, essays, op-eds, and cookbooks at one end of our dining table on an IBM Wheelwriter.  Meanwhile, in the den, our growing sons played games on their Commodore 64, a cherished Christmas gift from Grandpa.

A few years later, we bought a CompuAdd 386.   With college tuition on the horizon, I soon returned to office work.  By then, I’d studied and was proficient in WordPerfect.   It was the last decade of the 20th century.  We were ready for a fast technological ride from mechanical hardware to mind boggling software.

Do you recall when you first heard the word Internet?   In scarcely an eye’s blink, this invisible web expanded hp-laptop2well beyond a science-fiction writer’s imaginings.   In less than a generation, we traveled from dial-up modems to WiFi.  Now, in seconds, we fling our thoughts around the world.

When I ponder how the Internet has influenced my writing life, I’m awed.   I email peers in Hawaii, Wisconsin, and New Jersey.  With a few clicks, we meet, critique, and hold online workshops.  We make travel arrangements then follow friends’ flights on flight tracking sites.   We email warm cyber hugs for a rejection, and cyber bubbly to celebrate a first sale.  On Yahoo Groups, we reach out for help to find the perfect word, to find a reputable book mark printer, or for the best way to kill off the bad guy.  And they answer!  Always, day or night, someone is there.

I am not a techie.  twitterEnglish and history were always my passion.   In Algebra, I wrote pages of poetry (still amazed I passed).  Yet, somehow, I’ve set up and maintain three blogs.  I buy and sell on e-Bay, am Linked-In, and visit YouTube.  I have friends who use FaceBook and MySpace, and others who Twitter (though not me…not yet…tweet).

Are we better writers than before this techno madness?  Who knows?  Future generations will decide the quality of our writing.  They will choose which books will endure.  I do believe that we are better connected than ever.  If that helps some struggling romance writer alone in Montana’s mountains to achieve more than she would have before the Internet, isn’t that a good thing?

→ How has technology and the Internet influenced your writing?  What do you most enjoy?  What do you find most frustrating?

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