PAY IT FORWARD

cj Sez:  

Today (May 15) is Global Awareness Day for Tuberous Sclerosis. In connection with the event, author (and friend) Jennifer Lawler is doing a fundraiser for the Tuberous Sclerosis in honor of her beautiful daughter, Jessica, who suffers from the disease.

The TS Alliance does terrific work in supporting research into this disease and in supporting families of people with it.

Today only, one of Jennifer's publishers (Crimson Romance) has lowered the price of all her romances to just 99 cents for the Kindle edition. This is a steal of a price, plus all royalties earned today will go to the TSA.

If you've never read any of her romances, now's the time to pick one and give it a try. If you're already a fan, now's the time to stock up on the ones you haven't read yet!

Clicking on any of Jennifer's Crimson Romance covers on this page [http://jenniferlawler.com/books/] will bring you right to the Amazon link where you can purchase the book.

And thank you.

cj

PS:  For more information on the evil effects of Tuberous Sclerosis, check out the Alliance website at http://bit.ly/1Pbi8Q1

PPS:  Today is the last day to enter the Summer of Love Book Giveaway. For a chance to win 16 romance novels (including my DEADLY STAR), enter at www.summeroflovebooks.com  Good Luck!

HIRING AN EDITOR

ALERT, ALERT:  The Summer of Love romance novel contest ends on May 15, and there will be more than one winner. In the meantime, special prizes are being given away almost daily. Check out how to enter for the next prize at www.summeroflovebooks.com 

 

cj Sez:  Did you ever open a book, read a few chapters (or even a few lines), and then put it down because of errata, i.e.; those typos, misspellings, and factual errors that drive a pedantic like me crazy. One or two will make me shake my head and pause; a lot of them will stop me in my tracks.

I used to find that indie books were the worst. They tended to be poorly edited if not poorly written. Now, I’m finding errors in books by established authors and big publishing houses who should know better. Perhaps it comes down to the time it takes to do a detailed copy edit vs. getting the book on the market.

The problem with self-published books is that they are so often done on a shoestring (cost-wise) that the author cannot afford to pay for a copy editor. Unfortunately, I’ve come across some writers who simply don’t want to go through the process.



(From my author Facebook page)

 

Speaking from experience, self-edits and beta readers do not, will not, and cannot catch everything that a professional copy editor will. When I was gainfully employed, one of my report/column-writing rules was to get as many people as possible to read the document . . . the more eyes on it the better the end product. That wasn’t easy to do when I was on deadline, and my work wasn’t on the top of someone else’s to-do list. But the effort was so worth it.

The same thing is true about an author’s manuscript. I, me, personally, want my manuscript to be the best I can make it. I read the document on the computer screen, and then I print a few pages. Because the text looks different when printed, I’ll spot the missing comma, period, or quotation mark that was missed on numerous computer-screen read-throughs. Sometimes, I make a copy of the printed page. Copying changes the size and look of the font once again, and I will (too often) find something else to correct.

My advice: Don’t presume that because you’ve typed “The End,” your manuscript is finished. It’s probably months away from being ready for publication. It needs fresh eyes. It’s a personal and financial consideration for each author, but please consider hiring a copy editor if you can afford it. Caveat: Expect that if your manuscript is accepted by a publisher, their punctuation rules for how they want their publication to look may differ from your copy editor’s input, and there could be more changes to be made.

Got any horror or triumphant stories to share? Send them along. Lyrical Pens would love to read them.

 You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same.

cj

Call for Submissions and Miscellaneous Musings

Looking for a publisher for your unpublished romance story? Digital-first publisher Crimson Romance is open for submissions. The following is from their website at http://www.crimsonromance.com/submissions :

While your work can include other genre elements, Crimson Romances must focus first and foremost on a hero and heroine’s emotional journey together towards love. Romances, by nature, must be between consenting adults and have a happily-ever-after or at least happy-for-now ending. 

They’re also interested short romance stories for their Subverted Fairy Tale Anthology: According to the editor, their submission call for 10,000- to 30,000-word romances based on classic fairy tales but subverted in fun, fresh, original ways remains open until June 1. See their submission page for more info.

 

cj Sez: I’m still mulling potential titles for my finished novel, and that keeps me un-focused on my current work. I sat down at the computer about 4:30 this afternoon. It is now 8:00, and I have mopped the kitchen floor, baked a pound cake, washed dishes, and created two new paragraphs and five new lines of dialogue for my lady detective. They must be important lines because I’ve polished them at least a few times.

Of course, I’m also having to fend off a half-inch-long mosquito that sneaked into the house when I went out to feed the cats. The spring hatches of black and white, Asian tiger mosquitos are very aggressive biters. The insect is described as being a quarter-inch long. Not the blood-thirsty little devils in my yard. . . . Got her!   

Time to go drizzle a glaze on the cake, and then I’ll get back to the story. I promise.

Okay, you-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same.

cj

 

PS: The Summer of Love romance novel contest ends on May 15, but in the meantime, special prizes are being given away almost daily. Check out how to enter for the next prize at www.summeroflovebooks.com  Maybe it'll be my romantic suspense, DEADLY STAR.

PPS: The 'toon is a favorite from my Facebook pages.

Summer of Love Contest and Literary Estates

There’s still time to enter the Summer of Love Books contest for a chance to win a summer-full of romance novels. Incentive: There will be more than one winner.  http://summeroflovebooks.com

Following is an excerpt of a recent blog at the site:

Second-Chance Romance - Apr18

It seems everywhere you look, and in every sub-genre, romances that center around a second chance at love abound. A do-over, a chance to get things right this time. Why is that, I hear you wondering.

I have an answer.                  – Becky Lower (Author of BLAME IT ON THE BRONTES)

 

****

cj Sez: A note concerning writers’ literary estates crossed my desk recently (for the second year, actually) so I think it’s time to re-post something I wrote in June of 2014.

I’ve always known that I’m happiest when I learn something new every day. It’s the reason I take another college class every now and then. And it’s the reason I attend writer’s conferences. Today, I learned that I should be thinking about my “literary estate.” Hmm. I’ve never thought about that concept: As a published writer, I have a literary estate. Wow.

I also learned that I was wrong when I thought that the estate lawyer who drew up my trust and will was all I needed.

Not so, Grasshopper. Copyright protection in an estate and will requires an attorney familiar with the subject. It’s a legal specialty, as in she/he needs to be a copyright, publishing, and media lawyer.

I discovered, however, that I am moving in the right direction. I keep files … physical paper documents in physical paper file folders in addition to digital copies I keep on a flash drive in a safe deposit box. I have a folder of contracts, correspondence, and any pertinent information about my publisher, agent (if I ever get one she/he will be added), and the literary works, such as are they still in print and who has the rights (I have requested some be returned).

I keep a list of works-in-progress and completed but unpublished manuscripts. I also keep a paper copy of all my passwords so that they’re accessible to my executor/trix. All of these things are included in a six-page list that keeps getting notated and updated in pencil until I can no longer read my scratch and have to retype the thing. It’s about to get longer because as I read this, I realize there are things I haven’t put on the list.

There’s a bit more I need to do . . . like find a literary attorney who knows what to do with copyrights in estates.  (Yep, I wrote this in 2014 and have yet to do that. Got to put that at the top of my to-do list.)

Okay, you-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same.

 cj

 

PS: I have my fingers crossed that you will be one of the winners for those romance books.

Now is the time for all good readers . . .

cj Sez:  . . for a chance to win a whole summer of romance novels enter the contest at www.SummerOfLoveBooks.com       DEADLY STAR is one of them.

There will be more than one winner, and for an extra chance to win, "like" my Facebook author page at    http://on.fb.me/1xRVDej 

GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE

*************

In May of last year, my Lyrical Pens post said this:

In addition to the usual writerly things (critiques, writing short stories, attending a conference or two, entering contests), my writing plans for 2014 include revising a romantic suspense/mystery, completing the first book in a detective series, and thinking through (is that called outlining?) a young adult fantasy. Several months into these projects, the dust is settling around me, and I wonder how much of this ambitious schedule is wishful thinking.

I accomplished only one item of that ambitious schedule. . . revising the romantic suspense novel. I did more than one edit cycle on the story, tweaked it a zillion times, and it's now ready for submission to someone somewhere. (I'm working on a back cover blurb and will post it in the near future.) The first story in my proposed female sleuth series has resurfaced, but the young adult fantasy is still on the proverbial back burner. I sometimes wish I wrote faster because there's so many stories I want to tell.

Attending a conference or two in 2014 never happened, but I've registered for the 2015 Southern Christian Writers Conference, June 5-6 in Tuscaloosa, AL. And I'll be at Killer Nashville in October (the Good Lord willing and the creek don't rise). Between registration fee and hotel rates, the first conference is very reasonably priced for the number of workshops and speakers, plus I'll have the opportunity to sell some books. By the same measure (mostly the hotel), the second is not so reasonably priced, but there are a great number of workshops and speakers, plus there's a possibility I may be selected to participate on a panel (maybe). Lot of experiences and networking possibilities there.

The thing is, I didn't get "everything" done during 2014 that I planned to do, but I'm not going to beat myself up over perceived failures. I'm okay with them. I took time to enjoy my family, my gardens, and my friends. I think that counts as success. 

Okay, that's all for today. Be sure to enter the contest and give my Facebook author page a "like" for a second chance to win 16 romance novels. You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I'll try to do the same.

cj

How to Support Your Local Author

Stop by the Summer of Love Books website on April 1 for a chance to win a whole summer of romance novels (mine is one of them). There will be more than one winner, so be sure to enter.

cj Sez: Haven’t been feeling up to snuff for the past few weeks, so this post is going to be short (but I’m hanging in there). What follows is a stream of consciousness blog about how to Support Your Local Writers, whether you’re a writer or a reader.

 If you’re a writer . . .

and have your own blog, invite guest bloggers. Lyrical Pens does do that, though we haven’t been graced with a guest for a few weeks. (Time for us to send out some more invitations.) When you have a guest, send out “Coming Attractions” promotions on Facebook, Twitter, et al. Giving your guest blogger space to say something about their own books is a nice touch.

Read and be willing to give your fellow authors’ work a fair critique. Be kind but be honest.

If they want to just sit and talk, grab a chair and listen. Writing is a lonely occupation, and most other people don't understand.

Encourage each other. Writing is not a competition; everyone can be successful.

If you’re a yet-to-be-published writer with a manuscript on the cusp of publication, but don’t have a business card, get one. Hand it out to agents, workshop instructors, fellow writers, wherever you have an opportunity to network. Get your name out there as early as possible so people can watch for your new release. Some variation of the business card that follows is my suggestion, and it would work even after your novels are published:

Name  Jane Doe, Author
Writer of XXX (literary fiction, historical fiction, non-fiction, YA, romance, whatever)
eMail address
website address

Now, if you’re a reader (and since writers are also readers, this applies to everyone) . . .

Like and comment on authors' posts on their Facebook pages. Facebook's algorithms only show posts that FB thinks other members would like to see. That means the more likes and comments a post gets, the more people will see it. By the by, after the Summer of Love contest opens on April 1, you can get an extra entry by liking my Facebook author page.

https://www.facebook.com/CjPettersonAuthor

Go to book signings, even if you can’t afford to buy the book at that time. Your attendance is encouraging. I’ve been to book signings where the author and I were the only two people there. I've been the author at signings where . . . well, never mind. With a little thoughtful planning, you can keep that from happening to another author, and if you’re in Mobile, AL with a new book, I’ll come to your signing. Just let me know when and where.

 

You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same.

 

cj

Taking Ownership redux

The contest isn't "live" yet, but COMING SOON.

 

cj Sez:  Author Pat Conroy credits his English teachers . . . no, make that lauds the “genius of” his English teachers for instilling in him a love of the English language.  As he is quoted on Goodreads: “I've been in ten thousand cities and have introduced myself to a hundred thousand strangers in my exuberant reading career, all because I listened to my fabulous English teachers and soaked up every single thing those magnificent men and women had to give. I cherish and praise them and thank them for finding me when I was a boy and presenting me with the precious gift of the English language.” (http://bit.ly/1ldfCg2 ).

 Me? I was too business-oriented to get that inspired by my high school and college English teachers (who were, nevertheless inspired and wonderful). Despite my apparent lack of interest in writing during those years, I have loved reading for as long as I can remember because I was, am and will always be fascinated with words and syntax. I love, love, love the task of putting words together to create a story so full of pictures and emotions that readers can see and feel what I do when I’m writing. I especially like to lure the readers into conjuring up the images in their imaginations. I want to make each of my stories their own.

But what really draws me to Mr. Conroy today is something he wrote in his memoir My Losing Season: A Memoir: 

“Do you think that Hemingway knew he was a writer at twenty years old? No, he did not. Or Fitzgerald, or Wolfe. This is a difficult concept to grasp.  . . .  But they had to take the first step. They had to call themselves writers. That is the first revolutionary act a writer has to make. It takes courage. But it's necessary.”

 That’s what it’s all about. We have to learn to call ourselves “writers.” That’s a grand title I long hesitated to give myself despite having been published in several genres (and been paid for it) over several years. Now that I’ve done it, guess what? It feels good and natural. Try it. Celebrate it. Say it: “I am a writer!” I bet you’ll like it too.

 I’d love to hear how you decided it was time for you take ownership of the title you earned through study, discipline and determination.

This St. Patrick's Day wish is a wee bit tardy, but sincerely given:

“Today may there be peace within. May you trust that you are exactly where you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith in yourself and others. May you use the gifts that you have received and pass on the love that has been given to you. May you be content with yourself just the way you are and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love.”

 

You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same.

cj