Category: Average blah, blah…

To War or “Let it Be”?

The nice thing about living in the Southeast is the milder weather.  Case in point: yesterday I weed wacked my big yard.  As I listened to the buzz-brrr of my machine, I took stock of my yard.

The weed to grass ratio was, well, embarrassing.  Weed killer would reduce my yard to Oklahoma during the 1930’s Dust Bowl!

And then there are the moles in the back.  They’ve built a tunnel system that rivals London’s Tube.

A wealthy man would pay to have someone fix it.  A zealous “green-thumber” would roll up his sleeves and dive in.  Seeing I’m neither, I have to either declare all out war or start singing “Let it Be.”

Of course, there’s another solution. I could unleash my dachshund on the moles (since they’re bred to hunt badgers) and force my kids into slave labor for the next 6 months.  I would “manage” from the shade, sipping mint juleps and serenading them with, “Let it Be.”

Now THAT sounds like a plan! 🙂

Why Giving Away Thousands Of Free Books Is A Good Thing

I’ve been researching, debating, pondering, considering the whole “FREE BOOK!” phenom as a marketing tool.  I haven’t taken the plunge yet, but this blog is one of the better examples I’ve read supporting the notion.

What do you thing?

Why Giving Away Thousands Of Free Books Is A Good Thing.

Are you one of these?

Courtesy Microsoft

Maybe you’re already aware.  Maybe your friends have said, “That’s you!”  Maybe you’re like so many who avoid self-analysis at all cost.

No matter which category you fall into, I’m here to help you find, discover, and embrace the truth of who you are!

So, in the spirit of Jeff Foxworthy: “You may be an author if you…”

Walk into a bookstore, see the amassed talent and mumble, “I suck!”

Walk into a bookstore, see the amassed talent and mumble, “They suck!”

Eavesdrop on a spicy conversation to get some “nuggets” for your story’s upcoming dialogue.

Consider your Christmas letter proof that you’re published.

Love replying to every email in order to sharpen your writing skills.

Get excited when your teacher states, “Write about what you did for the summer.”

Think C-Span’s Book TV is exciting to watch.

These are but a few indicators that you may be an author. 

Have any to share?

 

New Baby!

Photo courtesy of Microsoft

Right now, my friends and family are FREAKING OUT!  “They’re PREGNANT?”  “He’s in his fifties!  How’s that even possible?”

Rest assured, folks, that the “new baby” is merely allegorical.  As a writer, I’m always striving to grow, and one way I do this is by increasing my vocabulary.  So when I discover a new word, for me, it’s like having a new baby (only without the stinky diapers, 3 A.M. feedings, and subsequent college tuition.)

If you’re still reading this, then I have to assume you’re a writer since everyone else thought:  “Oh, this isn’t about a baby…”  “Oh, it’s not about sex…”

So let’s continue…

Recently, I uncovered a plethora of gems in a fantasy I was reading and added them to my Excel vocab worksheet.  Geeky?  Yep!  But I’ll be the first to admit where I’m weakest (vocab/grammar) and need to improve.  Plus, with the spreadsheet nearby while I write, I have a handy tool and resource at my fingertips.  If not, I tend to use the same tired word or phrasing, which is boring, and if I’m bored, my reader has to be too.

So when I discover a new word, especially one that sums up several words, I get excited.  Honest, I really do!  And you can bet your booty I’ll have these new tots dressed and ready to go, anxious to insert them in a page and watch them help my story grow up. The trick, of course, is to not be the obnoxious parent who shows off baby all the time!

So what tricks of the trade do you use?

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