Oh the People We Meet

My friend, Lani Woodland, author of Intrinsical, is planning a release party for her newest book, Indelible. During the preparation, she somehow found out about a very special group who is planning to attend.

The book club / knitting group, the Naked Knitters, are part of a nearby nudist colony, and have clearly taken an interest in Lani’s series. This is a good thing, as all readers are important to our careers as authors. Luckily, they have promised to come clothed to the event.

*sighs in relief for Lani*

It’s times like this I wonder what is this dangerous, fantabulous, amazingthing career I’ve gotten into that my friends and I are so privileged to meet such interesting people?

Have you ever encountered wonderfully unusual people at a signing or other bookish event? I’d love to hear your story.

2 Social Networking Peeves

You know what I’ve noticed? Social networking has become, like, the hub of our collective lives. Or, well, the dramatic parts anyway.

Take Facebook, for instance (just one of a great many examples). I can sign on at any time of the day, and with a few minutes of scrolling, figure out what’s going on with a lot of people. Theoretically, this should be the best possible place to get news or information about the people we care about.

Except for two things. (Well, there’s probably more, but I’m just going to highlight these two.)

1. Some people have discovered that these public forums are a good place to whine about their poor, sad existences in order to garner instant sympathy.

2. Others have discovered that these same public forums are a great place for publicity, and so they fill every post with, “buy my___” or “I’m doing this, come see me” or “I know you’re so excited about me, me, me”.


Don’t get me wrong. I think it’s perfectly acceptable to post about each of those subjects occasionally, sparingly. But I also think it’s important to have other updates in between. Let’s face it, no one wants to see how poor picked on you are 100% of the time, and if you never post anything entertaining, or of value to others, it’s highly likely you’re about to get unfollowed, unfriended, or hidden. Or in the worst cases, maybe even blocked.

The same rule applies to self promotion. Social networking sites are perfect for it. But if the only comments you ever make are all about your book or product, and you never take the time to give back to your collective following (chat, say something funny, comment on the weather or other people's statuses, whatever), people are likely to be more annoyed than glad for your potential success.

But I’m not an expert. This is strictly an opinion (or rant) based on my own experiences and observations. So I’d love to hear what you think about this phenomenon. Do you think it’s important to balance our social networking updates or posts?

In Which My Readers Give, and Someone Wins

Last week I did a Give Back contest open to all people who took a minute (or several hours) to give of themselves. I posted this contest unsure of how well it would go over or who might enter. Not because I don’t think my readers are the giving type—on the contrary. I know they are. It’s just always hard to predict how a new idea will go over.

So I thought I’d share some of the charitable contributions made by my readers last week:

Donated to the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation.
Donated to the American Red Cross.
Organized fundraisers to purchase books for special Ed students.
Participated in food drive organizations.
Brought food / desserts / notebooks and other items to neighbors / friends in need. (The small acts of kindness we all need from time to time, and which mean so much.)
Gave free swim lessons to a needy family.
Organized fundraising efforts to help a neighbor family pay medical bills.
Raised money for the March of Dimes.
Organized a mass food drive in which the following organizations reaped benefits: The [local] food bank. The [local] veterans home, Aid for Friends, and the Bannock Youth foundation.

Guys. That was all in one week. LOOK at all that giving! *beams with pride*

YOU are my readers. You give. You love. You are all AMAZING.

I *heart* you all.

But I can only give away one prize for this contest. So I put all the names into the random generator (see sidebar). And the winner is…

Melissa Lemmon!

Congratulations! I will be emailing you for details this week.

My dear friends, I’m calling this experiment enormously successful. Because of that, I believe I shall make this a monthly thing. Or, if not monthly, often, so keep your eyes open for my next give back giveaway. My next choice of charity will be Clear Horizons Academy, a local school for children with Autism*.

In the meantime, keep on giving. We could all use a few extra Karma points.

*More details on this charity coming soon.

One Day Closer

I subscribe to the Writer’s Digest online Ezine / newsletter, wherein they send a shortened version of the magazine—sans ads—to my inbox where I can read the articles that interest me at my leisure. With the exception of a distinct lack of pictures, it’s a pretty sweet set up. I mean, yes, I miss the pictures (especially when my friends are featured). But I always have the option of picking up a copy at a bookstore.

The other day, the newsletter arrived in my inbox with this headline:

6 Signs You’re Getting Closer to Publication

It’s articles like this that make me glad I subscribed. When I read the list, a realization hit home—this is me. Not just wanting to believe a similar something could happen, but actually where-I-am-in-the-process ME.

If you’re not a writer, this is likely not a concept you will understand, so I’m very sorry, you can feel free to ignore my rambling and move on with your life. But if you are a writer, you probably understand the significance of what I’m saying.

This is huge.

Granted, I’m not packing my bag to go on a world-wide tour yet. But I am preparing myself in other ways. My day is coming. And whether it happens tomorrow, or in six months, or six years or ten—I’m making progress. And that, my friends, is all that matters.

I. Am. Getting. Closer.

And so are you. Get ready.

An Offensive Four-Letter Word

Well, okay. Some of you might say it. But you better NEVER say it when I’m in the room. I might have to hurt you.

Can’t.

Seriously? In my opinion, this four-letter-word is worse than the worst curse word. It’s self depreciating, self destructive, and just plain wrong because there is no such thing. So just don’t say it.

If ever you find you need a different word with which to replace this other naughty one, try these instead: Won’t, shouldn’t, am not allowed, illegal, it’s wrong, I’m afraid, incapable, don’t want to.

The truth: 

YOU CAN.

Doesn’t matter what it is, it can be done, and by you. But first you have to believe in yourself.

That is all.

Being and Becoming

This weekend I heard a really great quote that I think pertains to, well, everyone. It doesn’t matter who you are, really, or what is your religion, profession, life goal, this quote works for all of us.

“We become what we want to be by being what we want to become.” ~Richard G. Scott (a Mormon apostle)

The person who shared the quote called it a riddle, but I’m thinking that’s about as clear a statement as they get. If I want to be a good mom, be a good mom (in every way possible for ME). If I want to be beautiful, be beautiful (in action, deed, self confidence—every way under my control). If I want to have a thousand friends, be a friend to a thousand people. If I want to be a bestselling author, act like I already am one. Write every day, and submit like acceptance is just around the corner.

In other words, look to the future and see where I want to be in a year—or five, ten, fifteen years—and I put myself there. Act accordingly.

In other words, I stand up and stand out.

So there you go. A quote to live by. My good deed for the day is done. Carry on.

*Don't miss out on your chance to win a prize simply for doing a good deed.

First Ever Give Back Giveaway

If you’ve been reading my blog for longer than, like, a month, you probably know I’ve always been an advocate of giving back. Karma, my friends. Such an important thing, in so many ways. In that vein, I think it’s been way too long since 1) blogged about a good cause and 2) gave away something fun.

SO. Today I’m going to do both.

I have a friend whose son, at age 5, was diagnosed with Type 1 juvenile diabetes. The diagnosis altered his life dramatically, as well as the lives of his family members. Three years later, with an insulin pump attached to him 24/7, his disease is what his mother calls, “under control.” But controlled is not a cure.

A cure would mean so much more freedom for children like him. Every year, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation holds a Walk to Cure Diabetes, during which they hope to raise money for diabetes research.

This is the cause for which I will be donating this week. But that’s not all. In an attempt to reward (in a small way) my readers for their efforts to give back, I’m going to host a giveaway.

One lucky winner will be given the choice between a hardcover signed copy of Matched, by Ally Condie—OR—a paperback copy of Taken by Storm by Angela Morrison. This book is not signed, but if this is your choice, I’ll include a Sing me to Sleep bookmark, which IS signed by Angela. (Both books are at the top of my list of favorites, just FYI.)

To enter is simple.

1. If you aren’t already following this blog, hurry up and do that. Invite your friends, too, if you like. I won’t complain.

2. Donate to a charity of your choice (but if you donate to the same one as me, I will be ever-so-grateful).   **Donations do not have to be financial. Service to a greater cause is also acceptable. (Food to the food bank, manual labor to Habitat for Humanity, volunteering at a soup kitchen or animal shelter, etc.)  

3. Leave a comment here in which you tell me about the charity to which you donated, why you chose that particular one, and if possible, share a link that I can pass on to my readers.

This will be an on-your-honor giveaway, because I trust you. But just so you know, if you lie, Karma will send computer gremlins to break into your hard drive and lay eggs in all your programs and eat your important documents, and my parking fairy will curse you to never get a good spot ever again.

You don't want to bring Karma down on your head. Just sayin.

I’ll keep this giveaway open until midnight on Saturday, September 24th, 2011, and announce a winner sometime the following week (but hopefully Monday the 26th).

Go forth and give, my friends. Eventually, it will come back to you.

Yay for Reading!

Last weekend, I had a fun delivery. This showed up at my door!

(Yes, it's an Advance Reader's Copy!)

I know, I know. Lucky me, right? Well. I'd offer to give it away, but it's not actually mine. I have seven days to read it and then pass it on to the next person on the list. No worries, though. Almost done with it, and can I just gush for a sec? LOVE! If you are a fan of YA, of heartbreakingly beautiful love stories, you want to read this book when it comes out in January. I'm just sayin. (Yes, I will be doing a review, but not today.)

Before Everneath showed up, I was already halfway through this.

(Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin--first in the epic series.)

Again, LOVE. Totally different from what I usually read. NOT YA (definitely written for adults), but absolutely brilliant, with beautiful writing. And one epic fantasy series I know I'll finish (FYI, this is a rare occurrence as epic and I don't always get along). I might have to subscribe to HBO just so I can watch the series.

But that's not all, my friends. No. I am also about four chapters into this:

Two chapters into this:

and just downloaded this so I can read it for a review.

Also my TBR list has five other books I got in the mail the other day, as well as one I picked up by Peter Brett. I think I'm set with reading material until November or so. But then I'll need some more.

So tell me. What's on your To be Read list? I'm dying to know.

Taking up the Anti-Bandwagon Banner

In case you ever wonder, no, I’m usually not a bandwagon jumper. Tempting though it may be from time to time, I have chosen to not spend my valuable writing time on blog-hop flash fiction (since I’m really more of a novelist). I am currently NOT joining a great many of my friends in the self publishing “revolution.” And I write what I do because it speaks to me—not because I think it will sell better than something else.

Don’t misunderstand, though. I am a fan of trends. Crusading bloggers? Magic steam-punk vampires? Mass self-publishing push? All great ideas. Brilliant in some aspects. And I wish all the best for those who are brave enough to take such risks and move forward on these uncharted paths. I applaud them. Admire their guts and spunk and bravado.But for now, none of these paths feels like the right one for me.

In other words, I am choosing the road less traveled by. Or maybe less recently traveled by? Or by fewer of my immediate friends, at any rate. Because it’s what I believe is best for my family and my future.

And that, my friends, is what *I hope* will make all the difference.

What recent things have you chosen to do differently from others?

That Initial Leap—Right off a Cliff

Last weekend, I jumped off a cliff.

Yes, I’m serious. And no, I wasn’t pushed, unless by pushing you mean my kids counting down so my husband could snap the shutter while I was in the air.

Don’t worry. I landed in water. Clean, clear, warm water, and it felt fantastic once I was in it. The harder part was getting up the guts to bend my knees and take the initial leap.

Actually, it felt a little reminiscent of my journey as a writer. First, it was hard admitting to myself that I wanted to write—like, actual books. Then it was hard to finish that my beginner's crap manuscript, and later subject my work to critique, then to start submitting / querying.

Clicking send for the first time (and many, many times after that) felt highly similar to that dive I took the other day. Really, really scary when you’re on the cliff looking down, but highly incredible once it’s over and you’re in the water. Even if you know you’re going to have to swim to shore and climb up to take the leap again, once you’re there, a small body swimming around an enormous lake (or ocean), it feels absolutely incredible to know you’ve done a brave thing and survived.

What brave things have you done lately?

Actually, it IS Personal

Over the last few weeks, I’ve been given a lot of reasons to reflect on personal connections and how important they can be to my career. Or anyone’s career, no matter what they do. In fact, connecting with people can potentially have an enormous impact on our personal lives as well.

Here’s the thing. When someone knows you, remembers having a conversation with you—however brief—you become a person rather than a random face in a crowd. And believe it or not, it’s a lot easier to think compassionate, fair, happy thoughts about a person you’ve actually met, as opposed to a random face you’ve never seen.

Easier to think good things, and harder to think bad ones.

Easier to respond positively rather than negatively.

Easier to understand that person, well, personally.

For instance. Say you’re querying agents (or editors or publishers), and somewhere along the way, you’ve met one. Spent a little time talking to that person. Made a connection with something the two of you have in common, or even just had a good discussion about business. You see them as a human being, and they see you in the same light. Then, when you send that person your query, they think, “Hey, I remember her.” And even if they must ultimately reject you, they’re far more likely to do so with a personalized note, maybe some advice, and perhaps a recommendation that you submit to XYZ who might be a better fit.

This can potentially extend your reach to other networks, other avenues, other possibilities. All because you took the time to talk to that one person when you had the opportunity.

The same thing can happen in any situation. Even if nothing huge ever comes from those connections, our lives will most definitely be richer for them.

Think about it. What connections have you made that have made your life (professional or personal) fuller?

All Hail Our Laborers

In case you're wondering why the post office and all the banks are closed today, it's because of this:



And people like this:

And people who do stuff like this:

And this:

And a bazillion other things I couldn't possibly fit here on my blog in one post.

Thanks to all the laborers out there who contribute to life as we know it. And since you work so hard for the rest of the year, I hope you took today off and are doing something fun. I certainly am.

WorldCON: International Friendships

I know. You’re probably getting sick of hearing about WorldCON about now. I don’t blame you. If you weren’t there, it’s hard to be excited about it. But I learned a lot of stuff, stuff that made me think.

You know what happens when I get thinking. I blog.

But I promise, this is my last post about WorldCON. At least, for this year. I can’t make any promises in the future.

Thing is, today I’m thinking about all my many new friends. It’s not like I haven’t had friends in other countries before. I have. I do. But I feel like my network of writer/fan friends has been extended exponentially. Ireland, England, New Zealand, Belgium, Austria—about every state in the US—the list is huge.

When I think of those countries, I automatically think of faces, names, real-life people who mean something to me, who spark memories and share common ground. People with whom I’ve made a connection. Even if I don’t remember all their names off the top of my head, I would remember their faces and where I was when I met them. Each of these people has enriched my life in one way or another, and I hope I have somehow enriched theirs as well.

So my thought for the day is this. Remember. Pay attention. Be in the moment. It’s a small world. No matter where someone is from, it’s entirely possible you’ll run into them again sometime. It happens to me regularly.

And I am always so glad when it does.