Make your selection for whether you want the summary to show or hide the unnecessary parts, or put the summary it into a new document.
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Thursday, July 28, 2011
WITS Tip of the Month on Microsoft Word
If your 2007 Word document is too long, has too many words or is too verbose, you may want to shorten it without losing the main thoughts. You can set the percentage to show higher or lower levels of summary. Go to the MS Office button , and Click Customize. Click the Microsoft Office Button In the list under Choose commands from, click All Commands. Scroll through the list of commands until you see AutoSummary Tools. Click AutoSummary Tools, and then click Add. The AutoSummary Tools button now appears in the Quick Access Toolbar.
Make your selection for whether you want the summary to show or hide the unnecessary parts, or put the summary it into a new document.
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Make your selection for whether you want the summary to show or hide the unnecessary parts, or put the summary it into a new document.
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Friday, July 22, 2011
Some Thoughts for Those Considering a Ghostwriter
By Sarah Moore
I have the opportunity to wear many different creative hats as a team member with Writers in the Sky. I write articles and blog posts, edit manuscripts, develop marketing ideas, and proofread novels that are just a few steps away from becoming published books. Also among the challenging and exciting tasks that I get to fulfill regularly are those of a ghostwriter. I love instances in which I get to sit down with a person who has an amazing idea, and probably has heard something to the effect of "you really need to put that in a book" from friends and family for years, but simply does not have the time or perhaps the writing expertise to bring the vision to life.
If you have thought about hiring a ghostwriter to help your book idea become a reality, I would like to offer you a few thoughts that will be helpful to know before you even begin the process.
First, this is your book and should be crafted using your voice. I have many conversations with my ghostwriting clients to get to know who they are and what perspective they wish to share with a reading audience and also ask them for any material they have already developed (lectures, articles, journals) that could be useful in my writing. If you hire a ghostwriter and find yourself getting lost in the process and even pushed aside as the writer begins to control the message, it is time to have a conversation about your working relationship.
Second, get ready for a fluid process. While I enter into a contract with a client having an estimated completion date and cost in mind, I cannot give definite figures at the outset. I see your manuscript as a living and breathing entity that likely will change as we progress. You may realize more people you want to interview for content or decide to take a particular chapter in a new direction. If you want the book to be the best possible product, you have to let this evolution happen. At the same time, of course, your ghostwriter should never charge a fee that seems completely unrelated to the initial estimate and always should account for how her time was spent for every dollar received.
Finally, communicate with your ghostwriter. With my clients, I like to have a constant back and forth dialogue about the developing book. While my client is reviewing and editing a chapter I just submitted to him, I am at work writing the next one. This continual dialogue results in a better product. If you wait until five chapters have been written to offer any feedback to your ghostwriter, there is the potential for a lot of time and energy being spent before discovering that the two of you are not following the same line of thought at all.
Do you have an idea that you just know would make a great book? If so, I would love to talk with you about it and see how I might be able to help. Please contact me at sarah@writersinthesky.com or (615) 423-2467 and let's spend some time brainstorming and seeing if maybe we just might make great partners in making your thoughts a published book!
Sarah Moore has nearly a decade of experience in higher education administration, having worked at University of Maryland, Boston University, and Middle Tennessee State University. In addition to her administrative responsibilities, she taught research and writing courses at these institutions. Sarah also taught high school government and history for several years, and always included a strong emphasis on writing in her students' assignments. Sarah was raised just outside of Washington, D.C., but has called Nashville home for nearly eight years and enjoys life there with her two young children.
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I have the opportunity to wear many different creative hats as a team member with Writers in the Sky. I write articles and blog posts, edit manuscripts, develop marketing ideas, and proofread novels that are just a few steps away from becoming published books. Also among the challenging and exciting tasks that I get to fulfill regularly are those of a ghostwriter. I love instances in which I get to sit down with a person who has an amazing idea, and probably has heard something to the effect of "you really need to put that in a book" from friends and family for years, but simply does not have the time or perhaps the writing expertise to bring the vision to life.
If you have thought about hiring a ghostwriter to help your book idea become a reality, I would like to offer you a few thoughts that will be helpful to know before you even begin the process.
First, this is your book and should be crafted using your voice. I have many conversations with my ghostwriting clients to get to know who they are and what perspective they wish to share with a reading audience and also ask them for any material they have already developed (lectures, articles, journals) that could be useful in my writing. If you hire a ghostwriter and find yourself getting lost in the process and even pushed aside as the writer begins to control the message, it is time to have a conversation about your working relationship.
Second, get ready for a fluid process. While I enter into a contract with a client having an estimated completion date and cost in mind, I cannot give definite figures at the outset. I see your manuscript as a living and breathing entity that likely will change as we progress. You may realize more people you want to interview for content or decide to take a particular chapter in a new direction. If you want the book to be the best possible product, you have to let this evolution happen. At the same time, of course, your ghostwriter should never charge a fee that seems completely unrelated to the initial estimate and always should account for how her time was spent for every dollar received.
Finally, communicate with your ghostwriter. With my clients, I like to have a constant back and forth dialogue about the developing book. While my client is reviewing and editing a chapter I just submitted to him, I am at work writing the next one. This continual dialogue results in a better product. If you wait until five chapters have been written to offer any feedback to your ghostwriter, there is the potential for a lot of time and energy being spent before discovering that the two of you are not following the same line of thought at all.
Do you have an idea that you just know would make a great book? If so, I would love to talk with you about it and see how I might be able to help. Please contact me at sarah@writersinthesky.com or (615) 423-2467 and let's spend some time brainstorming and seeing if maybe we just might make great partners in making your thoughts a published book!
Sarah Moore has nearly a decade of experience in higher education administration, having worked at University of Maryland, Boston University, and Middle Tennessee State University. In addition to her administrative responsibilities, she taught research and writing courses at these institutions. Sarah also taught high school government and history for several years, and always included a strong emphasis on writing in her students' assignments. Sarah was raised just outside of Washington, D.C., but has called Nashville home for nearly eight years and enjoys life there with her two young children.
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Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Book with a View July 2011
WITS Book Reviews
Frankie the Walk 'N Roll Dog, A Pawsitive Coloring and Paper Doll Activity Book
Author: Barbara Gail Techel
Publisher: Joyful Paw Prints Press, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-9800052-5-7
Reviewer: Yvonne Perry, author of The Sid Series ~ A Collection of Holistic Stories for Children http://thesidseries.com/
A Totally Pawsitive Experience for Every Reader!
I'm always delighted when author Barbara Gail Techel asks me to take a look at her latest work because I know I'm in for a treat. Frankie the Walk 'N Roll Dog, A Pawsitive Coloring and Paper Doll Activity Book brought back memories of when I played with paper dolls as a child.
This book not only offers hours of coloring fun and dressing Frankie up in all her adorable outfits, it tells the story of how Frankie became disabled yet overcame and kept on rolling. It complements her first two books about Frankie. Speaking of outfits, my favorite Frankie outfit is the polka dot bikini! I got a chuckle imagining a wiener dog wearing that!
Best of all it gives a pawsitive (love that new word) message about overcoming difficult situations we may face in life. There's even a certificate/award you can fill in and print out when your child overcomes a challenge. Or, perhaps a child would award a friend with this honor. Such a creative and loving idea.
The book is interactive in many ways. The author has included a list of places where she and Frankie can be found online in order to connect in a real-life experience through her blogs and on Twitter. Truly ingenious!
Title: Sleepless Nights
Author: Norwood Holland
Publisher: Windmill Books Ltd.
ISBN: 0983165602
Reviewer: Dana Micheli
Amidst the Cherry Blossoms and historical monuments of Washington D.C., a gritty drama is unfolding. Norwood Holland's novel Sleepless Nights took me on a journey of life in the underbelly of our nation's capital. Holland's minimalist prose and authentic dialogue paints a vivid picture of the dark side of the American dream. Throughout the book I was struck by the irony that this story of loss, poverty and destruction was taking place against the backdrop of a city famous for the freedom and prosperity it symbolizes.
Sleepless Nights is the story of three young men whose horrible crime threatens to unravel their friendship and change the course of their lives—and the lives of those around them--forever. It seems like Tyrone Jones, Gustavo "Gee" Garcia and Jean "Jinx" Legere have been friends forever. More than friends, they are an urban family, bound together by deprivation and a life lived on the streets. But lately, Gee is feeling the pull of a different life, a better life. He is going to college and works at the Farragut, an upscale D.C. eatery. But his pursuit of success is causing a fissure in the once rock-solid bond he shares with Jinx and Tyrone.
Jinx is on the edge. Years of neglect by his drug-addicted mother have left him hopeless and angry. He sees no way out of the life or the neighborhood. I could feel the sadness and desperation in him as he committed the crimes. I could feel the loneliness in him as well, even when he was threatening his victims or manipulating Gee.
At the center of the story is the handsome and well-to-do Drew Smith. As one of D.C.'s hottest criminal attorneys, Smith has built his career on helping people outrun their demons. He, however, has a few demons of his own, including an ex-girl friend he still loves and a son who doesn't know he exists. More than anything else, I found this story to be about Drew's chance at redemption.
From the streets and strip clubs of inner-city D.C., to the packed courtroom of a homicide trial, Sleepless Nights is a gripping, edge-of-your seat drama that will keep you glued to every page. The only good part about reaching the end was when I learned that Sleepless Nights is only the first installment in the Drew Smith series! I look forward to seeing more of Drew Smith in (hopefully) the very near future.
Title: Kiss Me Quick Before I Shoot
Author: Guy Magar
ISBN: 978-0982866344
Publisher: Sea Script Company; First edition (May 4, 2011)
Reviewer: Vonnie Faroqui
Kiss Me Quick Before I Shoot, is Hollywood filmmaker, Guy Magar's, memoir detailing his journey from child immigrant, through college, years of filmmaking, and love along the way to becoming an accomplished director, writer and producer. In an industry known to gloss and glamorize a turd until it looks appealing, this book is being given all the best hype and promotional backing you might imagine the autobiography of a recognizable celebrity and talent would get. However, in this case the hype is REAL. Kiss Me Quick Before I Shoot deserves every bit of praise and recognition it gets and more.
For those of us who love the movies or have ever dreamed of, aspired to, danced around, or dived into a career in motion pictures or television, Kiss Me Quick is a "director's cut" commentary of life on the road to and inside the industry. When I read Guy's recollections and experiences, I wept just thinking of all the hopeful seekers and dreamers struggling for a break who never get one. The detailed behind-the-scenes knowledge and wisdom he so generously shares is beyond priceless to any aspiring film or television talent seeking entry into the industry. This is "must" reading for acting and directing students seeking film and television careers. Theater and film school do not prepare you for the cold reality of the industry, but Guy's conversational and revealing memoir sure will.
Readers looking for a Hollywood fix, an insider's candid perspective on breaking into the business or stories of life among the stars will lock themselves behind closed doors to indulge their celluloid passions with this master story teller. I think I'm in love. Too bad Guy is taken. Which leads me to another aspect of this book, which I think places it a cut above other memoirs and books of its genre. Kiss Me Quick is more than a Hollywood success story, it also relates the very real human drama and love story between Guy and his wife, Jacqui, sharing intimate details of her diagnosis with Leukemia and of the trial medical treatments that saved her life. Guy opens his heart and with incredible spirit, courage, and candor shares it all.
The creativity and passion which infuses Guy's film work also comes through in his writing. Kiss Me Quick Before I Shoot has all the excitement, flare, human interest, and drama Hollywood promises the hopeful, with a measure of reality, and God's grace thrown in. Both of my thumbs are up for Magar's Kiss Me Quick Before I Shoot. Hand me the popcorn. I am reading that again. http://www.kissmequickbeforeishoot.com/
Title: The Answer: A Journey from Anger to Peace
Author: Allison Wynn
ISBN: 978-1432770945
Publisher: Outskirts Press
Reviewer: Vonnie Faroqui
The Answer relates a pivotal moment in the lives of Eric McPherson and Allison Wynn, two strangers drawn together by chance, who experience a life-changing connection. Eric, frustrated and full of self-loathing, stops at the local Starbucks on his way to work and finds a journal laying on the only available table. He opens it to look for identification, but there is none and so he reads the day's entry.
When Allison returns to her table she finds him weeping, her journal clutched in his hand. "Are you okay?" she asks. And so the tale begins. . .
The Answer explores the destructive anger cycles that cripple human interactions, causing frustration and pain for so many individuals. The book is written using a journal entry format, from the perspectives of Eric, Eric's wife (Mary Ellen), and author Allison Wynn. The Answer provides a deeply insightful and poignant look into human relationships and the significance of feeling insignificant.
"How do we deal with anger in either ourselves or in others?" and "How do we create a more peaceful life?" These are the questions that Eric and Allison are asking. Eric knows that his anger is destroying his life and damaging his relationship with his wife, but he can't seem to stop his angry outbursts. After spending the day deep in discussion with Allison, He returns home to share with Mary Ellen what he has discovered about himself and the changes he would like to make in his life.
This is a must read for anyone who is struggling with anger issues and domestic instability. The message of the book is one that everyone could benefit from. Emotionally charged, intellectually stimulating and insightful, The Answer offers an eye opening perspective on relationships, and the need for significance. This book will change lives.
Title: Lee's Bread Machines
Author: Jerome T. Peoples, MS, ED
ISBN: 978-1432763374
Publisher: Outskirts Press
Reviewer: Vonnie Faroqui
Many of us are familiar with George Washington Carver and possibly one of the other great African American and former slave inventors who have had a lasting impact on the industrial revolution and life in America today. Most of us, however, will never have heard of Joseph Lee, the inventor of the automatic bread making machine that revolutionized the bread industry. This former slave overcame incredible hardship to rise (pardon the pun,) above adversity to have a significant impact on modern day America. The impact of his inventions--the first bread machine, then the bread crumber—changed the slice of bread on America's table by allowing bakeries and restaurants to produce loaves more efficiently and in greater numbers than ever before. Why without Joseph Lee there wouldn't be a bread industry as we know it. And yet, in spite of the impact this man's incredible inventions have had on us, hardly any information has been available about his life and accomplishments until now.
Much credit is due to retired science teacher turned author, Jerome T. Peoples MS. Ed., who researched and wrote Lee's Bread Machines as an educational and inspirational tribute to this minority hero. With chapters covering the African origin of bread, the life of house slaves, secret schools, the Civil War, Joseph Lee's move to the north, his journey to greatness as an entrepreneur in the restaurant business, and especially his work as an inventor, this book is a treasure of information.
The book has a school primer feel, but the layout makes for easy reading and information retention. Every child should have access to this book in school libraries and the knowledge of this American inventor should be included in school curriculum. Joseph Lee belongs to all of us, but his history as a former slave opens a door for further exploration of social history that could really capture and ignite the hunger for knowledge in students. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about Joseph Lee, his life, and his inventions. I hope that others will read and be as deeply moved as I was by the example set by this African American inventor who rose from slavery to find freedom, enterprise, and lasting significance through the power of creativity and invention.
I recommend this book for youths and for general informational reading. The content is well documented and presents interesting images and records that will educate as well as fascinate most readers. Grade A work Mr. Peoples!
Title: The Killing Game
Author: Joe C. Stevens
ISBN: 978-1432769086
Publisher: Outskirts Press
Reviewer: Vonnie Faroqui
The Killing Game is a novelette about a former mob hit man, Bronson Trellisane, who is being forced out of Retirement to kidnap a government witness. Why kidnap when, as Bronson puts it, "I'm a shooter, not an errand boy?" Ah, now we get to it. You see Bronson isn't just any hit man and this witness isn't testifying about the run of the mill mob activity. The whole messy business centers around the last job Bronson handled before disappearing into anonymity. Linda Masters is a bit of flash secretary for his former mob boss and she is running scared with information about the mob's involvement and Bronson's part in the assassination of JFK. Bronson needs to know what she's got on them and at the same time extricate himself for good. Add to the mix a shady CIA man and the game they are all playing just gets deeper.
J.C. Stevens has written an interesting "what-if" story for conspiracy theorists and crime fans to enjoy as a quick read. Perfect for airplane reading or an easy day on the beach. The Killing Game offers intrigue and a fast-paced cross-country ride to thrill audiences. There are a few surprising twists that I won't spoil for you. Over all, The Killing Game is a good time read.
J.C. doesn't attempt to prove any conspiracies with this book. He approaches the idea of a hidden gunman in the grassy knoll as if it was fact and not fiction, treating the assassination of JFK as background for the story he wants to tell. There comes a time when the truth can never be discovered and the myths develop. The Killing Game is an example of where one person's creativity and imagination can journey out of the realm of fact and into the haze of fantasy.
Although it isn't easy to find much sympathy for a person such as Bronson Trellisane, the author doesn't seek to win hearts. This book isn't about getting answers or true justice for JFK. This isn't even a serious consideration of the JFK assassination, or an author's attempt at historical reconstruction. The Killing Game is a creative exploration down one road in the many facets and theories surrounding the JFK murder. It isn't intended as a school primer or to be confused with fact.
Title: Summer Is Her Name: Born in Kentucky
Author: Betsy Houser
ISBN: 978-1432767778
Publisher: Outskirts Press
Reviewer: Vonnie Faroqui
Summer Is Her Name relates the coming of age story of Summer Rogers. Follow Summer through her childhood on a farm in Appalachia, through painful losses, youthful infatuations, and disappointments. Share Summer's college days, and join her during World War II as she earns money for school working in a defense plant. Travel with her around the globe and witness other cultures, places, and people. Finally, return home with her to find true love and peace in the old farmstead where she was born. This isn't a typical romance coming-of-age book. It isn't written in the typical fashion. The story doesn't rise and fall following all of the conventional plot formulas. Summer Is Her Name reads like a life. I like life. I like it a lot. This book reminded me of how much.
There is a quality of grace and an acceptance of the "what-is-ness" of life contained in its pages that affected me in a way I hadn't anticipated I would feel. Betsy has given breath and flesh to her characters, placed scents on the wind, and transported me into the heart of the farmlands. I have tasted the wild blackberries and felt the sun-warmed grasses of Kentucky embrace me. In reading, I have felt the flush of embarrassment, the burn of surprise, the shudder of fear, and the thrill of anticipation. She has distilled life experience into a bottle and poured me a glass. I hope to taste the like of it again. I feel completely humbled in reviewing her work. What can I say?
It is a damn shame that Betsy Houser waited to publish her first book until she was 85! I feel sick to my stomach just thinking about it. I am sure that Betsy has many accomplishments of worth to her credit but, oh, what a sweet treasure she has given us in this lovely fiction. I am actually choked with emotions at the thought that she might have passed away without sharing it.
I interviewed Betsy, and she told me that there were aspects of the book based in part on events and people she had known, lived or heard tell of during her lifetime. Betsy shared that she wove these bits into her tale, but that Summer Is Her Name really is a work of fiction and not autobiographical. I can't say I was disappointed, because deep down I had already determined that, for me, Betsy is Summer, whether she says it is so or not. I just want the story to be true; for there to have been a Summer Rogers and a Mont, and for the story of Summer's life and their love to be real and to last. I want this badly enough to convince myself that it is so, just as Betsy has written the story out for me. Thank you Betsy, for being you and for sharing Summer with us. You move me.
Friday, July 15, 2011
From Texting to Text: How to Change the Way Kids View Writing and Themselves
By Kristen House, Chief Executive Muse, A Novel Idea
What would happen if kids spent half the time writing that they spend texting? Or playing video games? Or watching TV?
Those are the questions that kept me up at night, worrying about the hours of study that my college writing students had spent in front of electronic devices that stole their time during their tenure in middle and high school.
And as of this summer, I've started an experiment to discover the answers to those questions: I started teaching teenagers to write novels.
A Novel Idea engages teenagers in a way that no other interactive media device ever will. It empowers them to create people, places, and entire lives from scratch, and then translate those ideas into ink-and-paper representations that become a full-length manuscript.
Oh, and they're writing their books in a month!
Not only can they do it, they want to. They're thirsty for this kind of engagement. And the press in Nashville thinks it's pretty cool, too. Check out the article that The Tennessean just printed about A Novel Idea. http://dld.bz/ANovelIdea
And we're not stopping there. A Novel Idea is offering a one-day novel-writing class for adults, too. And we are scheduling classes for teenagers for the fall. Those classes will stretch out the novel-writing process over nine weeks to accommodate for their busy school schedules.
Research shows that this wacky plan actually works. I'm in the process of writing a book about my adventures in novel-writing, supported by lots of science and plenty of academic studies. I'm interested in fundamentally changing the way we think about teaching research, reading, and writing in this country, and so far, my little experiment shows that the country is ready. This summer, over fifty kids will earn the new title of "novelist." I can't wait to see where the adventure will lead!
For more information, visit us online at www.thisisanovelidea.com
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What would happen if kids spent half the time writing that they spend texting? Or playing video games? Or watching TV?
Those are the questions that kept me up at night, worrying about the hours of study that my college writing students had spent in front of electronic devices that stole their time during their tenure in middle and high school.
And as of this summer, I've started an experiment to discover the answers to those questions: I started teaching teenagers to write novels.
A Novel Idea engages teenagers in a way that no other interactive media device ever will. It empowers them to create people, places, and entire lives from scratch, and then translate those ideas into ink-and-paper representations that become a full-length manuscript.
Oh, and they're writing their books in a month!
Not only can they do it, they want to. They're thirsty for this kind of engagement. And the press in Nashville thinks it's pretty cool, too. Check out the article that The Tennessean just printed about A Novel Idea. http://dld.bz/ANovelIdea
And we're not stopping there. A Novel Idea is offering a one-day novel-writing class for adults, too. And we are scheduling classes for teenagers for the fall. Those classes will stretch out the novel-writing process over nine weeks to accommodate for their busy school schedules.
Research shows that this wacky plan actually works. I'm in the process of writing a book about my adventures in novel-writing, supported by lots of science and plenty of academic studies. I'm interested in fundamentally changing the way we think about teaching research, reading, and writing in this country, and so far, my little experiment shows that the country is ready. This summer, over fifty kids will earn the new title of "novelist." I can't wait to see where the adventure will lead!
For more information, visit us online at www.thisisanovelidea.com
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Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Editor's Corner July 2011
By Yvonne Perry, Owner of Writers in the Sky Creative Writing Services (http://writersinthesky.com/)
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I've had a terrific month while spending time and putting my love and energy into producing a series of audio stories to complement The Sid Series ~ A Collection of Holistic Stories for Children. This has been a dream/goal of mine since I first published this book in 2009 and it is finally a reality. Woo hoo! I am excited to share these audio stories that highlight unique lessons about love, acceptance, self-worth, caring for the body, diversity, facing fears, dealing with change, coping with the death of a pet, and understanding the spiritual experiences children exhibit. Great for the preschool classroom, young readers, or toddlers being nurtured at home. Parents who wish to teach their children to live holistically will appreciate these profound lessons. Listen to a sample at http://writersinthesky.com/holistic-children.html#sample.
I had a wonderful experience in sharing concepts from my book, Whose Stuff Is This? Finding Freedom from the Thoughts, Feelings, and Energy of Those around You, with a group of energy-sensitive people at Cosmic Connections in Nashville in June. Like a stem cell that knows exactly where the pain/disconnect resides and how to heal it, Spirit moved beautifully to meet each person at their point of need. I'm looking forward to sharing like this on a regular basis. In fact, I'm meditating on how to best offer my experiential wisdom in using this intuitive gift that has long held many empaths in captive solitude. I plan to coach sensitive people who want to take the next step toward empowerment. Stay tuned to this e-zine for future developments.
My two-week (notice the hyphen—see Kristen House's Grammar Hero column in last month's newsletter about compound modifiers) vacation with family in Florida and South Carolina was wonderful, and I'm back in my office where I'm enjoying working on several projects that I'd like to mention. One is with Steve Brannon, the author of The Two Agreements, which is a reinterpretation of the gospel story. As soon as we finish editing and proofreading the book, WITS will help him promote it online through our author publicity services.
Dr. Tom Goode is the founder of International Breath Institute, LLC and the author of numerous natural health books. His latest is Breathe and Grow Rich, Self-Care LoveCare™ Through Full Wave Breathing to Enrich Your Whole Life for which I've helped him develop a companion workbook. He will also be one of the panelists for the telesummit I'm organizing for its debut in September (read on for more info about this event).
The co-author of Whose Stuff Is This? and dear friend of mine, Dr. Caron Goode, is launching Live-Spirit.com, a new membership Website for spiritual seekers. We will celebrate the grand opening with an event titled "Empaths Shifting into 2012: A Telesummit to Help Energy-sensitive People Understand Their Spiritual Role on Earth." More than fifty people have already register for this free telesummit to empower people to help facilitate humanity's shift into higher consciousness. Join Caron, Tom, and me along with a panel of experts all four Tuesdays in September 2011. Each content-rich call will last about 1.5 hours in order to allow two speakers to make presentations and listeners to ask questions. Go to http://live-spirit.com/empathytelesummit to see the lineup of speakers and topics for this event and enter your email address so we can send you more information and a reminder this fall.
Yvonne Perry,
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I had a wonderful experience in sharing concepts from my book, Whose Stuff Is This? Finding Freedom from the Thoughts, Feelings, and Energy of Those around You, with a group of energy-sensitive people at Cosmic Connections in Nashville in June. Like a stem cell that knows exactly where the pain/disconnect resides and how to heal it, Spirit moved beautifully to meet each person at their point of need. I'm looking forward to sharing like this on a regular basis. In fact, I'm meditating on how to best offer my experiential wisdom in using this intuitive gift that has long held many empaths in captive solitude. I plan to coach sensitive people who want to take the next step toward empowerment. Stay tuned to this e-zine for future developments.
My two-week (notice the hyphen—see Kristen House's Grammar Hero column in last month's newsletter about compound modifiers) vacation with family in Florida and South Carolina was wonderful, and I'm back in my office where I'm enjoying working on several projects that I'd like to mention. One is with Steve Brannon, the author of The Two Agreements, which is a reinterpretation of the gospel story. As soon as we finish editing and proofreading the book, WITS will help him promote it online through our author publicity services.
Dr. Tom Goode is the founder of International Breath Institute, LLC and the author of numerous natural health books. His latest is Breathe and Grow Rich, Self-Care LoveCare™ Through Full Wave Breathing to Enrich Your Whole Life for which I've helped him develop a companion workbook. He will also be one of the panelists for the telesummit I'm organizing for its debut in September (read on for more info about this event).
The co-author of Whose Stuff Is This? and dear friend of mine, Dr. Caron Goode, is launching Live-Spirit.com, a new membership Website for spiritual seekers. We will celebrate the grand opening with an event titled "Empaths Shifting into 2012: A Telesummit to Help Energy-sensitive People Understand Their Spiritual Role on Earth." More than fifty people have already register for this free telesummit to empower people to help facilitate humanity's shift into higher consciousness. Join Caron, Tom, and me along with a panel of experts all four Tuesdays in September 2011. Each content-rich call will last about 1.5 hours in order to allow two speakers to make presentations and listeners to ask questions. Go to http://live-spirit.com/empathytelesummit to see the lineup of speakers and topics for this event and enter your email address so we can send you more information and a reminder this fall.
Yvonne Perry,
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Friday, July 8, 2011
The Grammar Hero is in the House! Say What?
By Kristen House
I was having lunch with my best friend yesterday and she said she "could of" bought a new pair of shoes if she "would of" saved more of her paycheck. The friend in me wanted to hug her and tell her that she could borrow my Jimmy Choo heels any time she wanted, but the Grammar Hero in me couldn't keep my mouth shut.
"Beth," I said, "I think you meant that you could have bought those sassy pumps if you would have saved your cash. See, we use 'have' to speculate about something that didn't happen. 'Of' is a preposition and signifies possession. So it just doesn't make sense."
It might not have been the explanation she wanted, but I think I saved her grammar day. Grammar Hero to the rescue!
Kristen House is an Adjunct Instructor of Writing at Belmont University, and the Chief Executive Muse of A Novel Idea. She writes fiction every day for hours, even when there isn't anything to write about. Kristen lives in Nashville with her husband, Andrew, sons, Holden and Shephard, and a yippy little dog named Osie.
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I was having lunch with my best friend yesterday and she said she "could of" bought a new pair of shoes if she "would of" saved more of her paycheck. The friend in me wanted to hug her and tell her that she could borrow my Jimmy Choo heels any time she wanted, but the Grammar Hero in me couldn't keep my mouth shut.
"Beth," I said, "I think you meant that you could have bought those sassy pumps if you would have saved your cash. See, we use 'have' to speculate about something that didn't happen. 'Of' is a preposition and signifies possession. So it just doesn't make sense."
It might not have been the explanation she wanted, but I think I saved her grammar day. Grammar Hero to the rescue!
Kristen House is an Adjunct Instructor of Writing at Belmont University, and the Chief Executive Muse of A Novel Idea. She writes fiction every day for hours, even when there isn't anything to write about. Kristen lives in Nashville with her husband, Andrew, sons, Holden and Shephard, and a yippy little dog named Osie.
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Thursday, July 7, 2011
Writers in the Sky Podcast Schedule July 2011
July 1 - Vonnie Faroqui interviews author Guy Magar about his book, Kiss Me Quick Before I Shoot.
July 15 - Yvonne Perry is back on the show as the host for author Maxine Thompson as she shares her book, LA Blues.
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Network with Us July 2011
Check out the e-books designed especially to help authors promote their books online. http://tinyurl.com/DanaWITS.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kristen House has developed a summer writing program called "A Novel Idea." It is aimed at teaching middle-grade students (rising 7th, 8th, and 9th graders) and high-school students (rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors) to write a novel in a month during their summer break. Contact Kristen for details.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Whose Stuff Is This? Finding Freedom from the Thoughts, Feelings, and Energy of Those Around You is a guidebook for empathic people who have been unknowingly carrying energetic burdens that belong to someone else. See all purchasing options at http://whosestuffisthis.blogspot.com/p/purchase-book.html.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Check out the children's audio stories produced by Yvonne Perry. Each story in The Sid Series ~ A Collection of Holistic Stories for Children focuses on life skills such as environmental awareness, helping others, being true to one's self, overcoming fear, and following inner guidance. http://thesidseries.com/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WITS team member Dianna Calareso published her memoir, At Ease, in digital format through Smashwords. The book only costs $2.49, and she's donating 25 percent of every sale to the Alzheimer's Association (the memoir is about her grandfather, a retired Marine who suffered from Alzheimer's until his death in 2005). Here's the link for downloading: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/53669.
If you need help formatting your book for Smashwords, Kindle, or Nook let Dianna know.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Empaths Shifting into 2012: A Telesummit to Help Energy-sensitive People Understand Their Spiritual Role on Earth" is scheduled for four consecutive Tuesdays this September. There will be seven panelists sharing more than 12 hours of useful information about helping humanity shift into higher consciousness. More info at http://dld.bz/aaK6e.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dianna Calareso recently taught a blogging workshop with Kristen House at Wakins College of Art and Design. The workshop was a great success, as students learned how to set up blogs, how to establish an appropriate voice, and how to market and network with other writers. If you're interested in learning more about blogging, email Dianna at dcalareso@hotmail.com.
Dianna Calareso's essay "Half-Moon" appears in this month's issue of Her Nashville (July). Check it out!
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kristen House is a member of Writers in the Sky Creative Writing Services, a Nashville-based company that helps authors get their books ready for publishing. Kristen is also a writing instructor at Belmont University, and she came up with a novel idea about helping kids convert their creative talent for texting into a novel this summer. Learn more about the program at http://www.anovelideanashville.com/. She was featured in The Tennessean, a local Nashville newspaper, and her is a link to the article written by Julie Hubbard.
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Wednesday, July 6, 2011
The July Issue of Writers in the Sky E-zine is Now Available!
The July issue of Writers in the Sky E-zine is now available! This publication provides a rich resource of articles and information about the craft and business of writing, publishing, and book marketing. Go to http://writersinthesky.com/writing-newsletter.html and scroll down to the archives and click the link to this month’s issue. It will download as a PDF. If you would like to get once-a-month email delivery of the e-zine, you may subscribe for free at https://app.quicksizzle.com/survey.aspx?sfid=13065 .
Yvonne Perry
Freelance Writer, Editor, Author, and Owner,
Writers in the Sky Creative Writing Services (WITS)
Web site: writersinthesky.com
Blog: http://www.writersintheskyblog.com/
Follow WITS on Twitter: http://twitter.com/writersinthesky
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Wednesday, June 29, 2011
WITS Team Member Featured in The Tennesssean
Kristen House is a member of Writers in the Sky Creative Writing Services, a Nashville-based company that helps authors get their books ready for publishing. Kristen is also a writing instructor at Belmont University, and she came up with a novel idea about helping kids convert their creative talent for texting into a novel this summer. Learn more about the program at http://www.anovelideanashville.com/. She was featured in The Tennessean, a local Nashville newspaper, and her is a link to the article written by Julie Hubbard.
A Novel Idea: Making News! Featured in The Tennessean
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Article, "Course Helps Teens Find Way With Words," featured on the Front Page of the Local Business Section, June 24, 2011
It's no secret that the young people who are a part of this summer's first class of novelists with A Novel Idea are doing fantastic work.
And as of today, that work is news.
Julie Hubbard, a reporter for The Tennessean, visited our class on Thursday, June 23rd, and was able to speak with students about their novels, their texting habits, and their confidence with the written word.
The article points to falling national trends on the SAT writing exam, and the increased importance of written communication in the 21st century workplace.
A Novel Idea seeks to address these concerns, introducing students to a daily writing habit that they can continue to foster after the program ends.
Most students in class have written over 15,000 words, with many topping the 20,000 mark. We just finished our second full week of writing.
You can read the story on page B-1 of today's Tennessean, or online, here. July's classes for middle school and high school have a few spaces remaining.
For more information, email kristen at anovelideanashville@gmail.com
Class C & D details: So you've been thinking about enrolling your son or daughter in A Novel Idea, but you haven't taken the plunge yet. There's still time (at the moment - The Tennessean article is just the first in a series of media stories).
Class C for middle school students begins on July 11th, and meets every Monday and Thursday until August 8th.
Class D for high school students begins on July 12th and meets each Tuesday and Friday through August 9th.
A Novel Idea is about passion, and not perfection. We strive to create daily writers of our students, not to stifle their creativity with criticism.
Students in class A are writing passionate prose, forging fast friendships with other wordy young people, and building incredible confidence in the process. For more information, email Kristen or visit http://www.anovelideanashville.com/.
Note from the Chief Executive Muse
I have been humbled by the overwhelming response from educators across the state, and across the country! Thank you so much for your support, and thank you so much for recommending this truly novel concept to the wordy people in your lives.
Kristen House
A Novel Idea
Write Something Big!
News at a Glance Jumpstart: one-day workshop for adults enrolling now!
ANI Classes C & D: A few spaces remain
ANI T-Shirts and Buttons: Now available for purchase through http://www.thisisanovelidea.com/
Parents & Teachers: You've encouraged your students to sign up for A Novel Idea this summer. Now, it's your turn! A Novel Jumpstart is designed for busy adults like yourself. And if you're interested in teaching long-form fiction in your classroom, here's where you should start. Intrigued? Contact Kristen for more info.
We're Growing! ANI will soon be coming to a city near your friends! Interested in knowing where? Send an email to Kristen to find out if your favorite town is on our list of expansion cities. We're not wasting any time, are we?
A Novel Idea: Making News! Featured in The Tennessean
It's no secret that the young people who are a part of this summer's first class of novelists with A Novel Idea are doing fantastic work.
And as of today, that work is news.
Julie Hubbard, a reporter for The Tennessean, visited our class on Thursday, June 23rd, and was able to speak with students about their novels, their texting habits, and their confidence with the written word.
The article points to falling national trends on the SAT writing exam, and the increased importance of written communication in the 21st century workplace.
A Novel Idea seeks to address these concerns, introducing students to a daily writing habit that they can continue to foster after the program ends.
Most students in class have written over 15,000 words, with many topping the 20,000 mark. We just finished our second full week of writing.
You can read the story on page B-1 of today's Tennessean, or online, here. July's classes for middle school and high school have a few spaces remaining.
For more information, email kristen at anovelideanashville@gmail.com
Class C & D details: So you've been thinking about enrolling your son or daughter in A Novel Idea, but you haven't taken the plunge yet. There's still time (at the moment - The Tennessean article is just the first in a series of media stories).
Class C for middle school students begins on July 11th, and meets every Monday and Thursday until August 8th.
Class D for high school students begins on July 12th and meets each Tuesday and Friday through August 9th.
A Novel Idea is about passion, and not perfection. We strive to create daily writers of our students, not to stifle their creativity with criticism.
Students in class A are writing passionate prose, forging fast friendships with other wordy young people, and building incredible confidence in the process. For more information, email Kristen or visit http://www.anovelideanashville.com/.
Note from the Chief Executive Muse
I have been humbled by the overwhelming response from educators across the state, and across the country! Thank you so much for your support, and thank you so much for recommending this truly novel concept to the wordy people in your lives.
Kristen House
A Novel Idea
Write Something Big!
News at a Glance Jumpstart: one-day workshop for adults enrolling now!
ANI Classes C & D: A few spaces remain
ANI T-Shirts and Buttons: Now available for purchase through http://www.thisisanovelidea.com/
Parents & Teachers: You've encouraged your students to sign up for A Novel Idea this summer. Now, it's your turn! A Novel Jumpstart is designed for busy adults like yourself. And if you're interested in teaching long-form fiction in your classroom, here's where you should start. Intrigued? Contact Kristen for more info.
We're Growing! ANI will soon be coming to a city near your friends! Interested in knowing where? Send an email to Kristen to find out if your favorite town is on our list of expansion cities. We're not wasting any time, are we?
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Poetry Corner June 2011
Some Days
by Dennis S Martin
Distant rumbles from a sky of
Misty gray, hanging low,
Moving steady, marking time,
Marching soldier in your prime.
Crispness chilling morning air,
Sitting on my front porch chair
I ponder what the day will bring.
Daintily the wind chimes sing
As robins chirp
And folks walk by,
Gentle breezes seem to sigh
And slide across the pine tree’s boughs,
Who protests slightly, but allows.
Plans were made
But will they serve?
Will protests yield what they deserve?
Or should I simply roll along
To see what fate holds in her song?
Some days are like this one,
No doubt.
I’ll wait to see what it’s about.
Positives
by Dennis S Martin
Mama always taught me that
There’s good in everyone,
That I should seek the positive
And overlook the rest.
Must admit, sometimes you have to
Look real deep to find it.
Some people give the microscope
A grueling, daunting test.
But if you seek, and seek you must,
And dwell on positives,
You just might find that
Life’s more kind
As you ponder your quest.
Is it worth the effort
To seek people at their best?
I believe that it’s the key
To life’s true happiness.
Bigger Picture
by Dennis S Martin
Searching through the scrambled pieces,
Hundreds, thousands, maybe more
Scattered loosely, helter skelter
Laid out on the puzzle board.
Trying hard to find an interlocking place
To fit, to be,
To integrate with all the rest
And form a perfect symmetry.
No one piece can be forgotten,
Not a single one misplaced,
Else the picture be misshapened
Vision hopelessly erased.
But when the whole has come together
And each piece knows where it should be,
Witness all the bigger picture
Formed with perfect clarity.
Escape
by Dennis S Martin
Tortured by the husking fruitless
Daily crush of energy marauders
Vexing, ever vexing and
Flexing brawny sinuous flesh,
Flaunting faux powers in feckless faces.
Pity the fools.
I close my eyes,
Lower my expectations and
Wait for sweet dreams
To invade my property.
Oft times comes easy,
Approaching angelic.
The bully backs down
Looking elsewhere for folly.
Prison bars soften and the gates open wide
As velveteen breezes offer their wings
Leaving me free to escape to Nirvana
Where honey flows free
And roses e’er bloom,
And thoughts are but whispers
Born on the wind.
I will linger here a while to
Follow the dream,
Seize the ring.
No misgivings for time well spent.
Silly Giggles
by Dennis S Martin
Nostalgic for the good old days
Of life’s simplistic interludes,
When dreams were fresh as lavender
As sunlight burns the morning dew.
Silly giggles way back then
Were all the sport we ever sought,
No responsibilities could
Trump the task of levity.
And weren’t we happy with our lot?
Time and trial our last concerns.
Foresight was for other fools
To dole and dither fitfully.
Sad to lose the youthful verve
That spawned so many memories, but
Time can be a spiteful mistress
If allowed to have her way.
Now in twilight do I find
The subtle nuance of her gift.
The looking back rekindles joy that
Silly giggles gave us then.
Heartshine
By Dennis S Martin
Mindful embraces form
Elegant sources
Gently caressing the
Lace-covered edges of memory
Harboring every emotion,
As I feel your Heartshine
Soft on my face.
Brighter than sunlight,
Fresher than springtime,
Warmer than summer
I bask in your glow.
Supple as willow trees
Free-flowing branches
Dancing with breezes,
I hold your embrace.
Welcome sweet Heartshine,
Come stay a while.
Linger til long shadows
Fade into night.
Joy is your reverie,
Truth your companion,
Beckoning all
To join in your chase.
Princess Bride
by Dennis S Martin
Sleepy nation wakes the dawning,
Spies the bunting on each ledge,
Something special stirs the scent of
Incense wafting in the breeze.
Quick to dress in finery
To suit such glorious occasion,
Chins held high and chests puffed full
In maximum anticipation.
Four white horses lead the carriage
Fully draped in ceremony
As the trumpets sound the herald
Echoing glad tidings all.
Out she steps to breathless watchers,
Daintily her footfall glides,
Steadfastly her regal father
Leads his angel down the aisle.
Now she stands before the altar,
Nations watching, filled with pride,
And her young prince stands beside her
Proud to wed his princess bride.
Website: http://www.iwritesome.com/
Lulu Storefront: http://www.lulu.com/dsmartin
Plays: http://sites.google.com/site/playsbydennissmartin/
Monday, June 27, 2011
Editors Are Not Out to Get You!
By Dana Micheli
In addition to my work for Writers in the Sky, I am also a teaching assistant for an online university. My job is primarily to grade English papers based on grammar, content, and whether the student has followed the assignment parameters set by the professor. Another part of my job is to answer emails from students and offer guidance whenever I can. Usually these are pleasant and—I hope—helpful exchanges.
So I was shocked when I opened an especially long email last week saw a barrage of angry words, all in capital letters. Internet yelling, directed at me. Somehow I had wronged these person, and grievously. They could not understand my comments on their paper, and felt I was somehow out to get them.
My first reaction, I admit, was respond with a lecture about Netiquette and ask how they expected to get anywhere in life if this is how they spoke to people. But I took a step back and a deep breath, and realized what I was dealing with here was the “I” in Writer.
I suddenly remembered what it was like when as an English major in college I had to distribute copies of my short story for my classmates to read. They were to take it home, read it, and return the next class to deliver their commentary. Aloud. In front of everyone. The fact that everyone had to do it didn’t make it any easier. At the time, I thought this exercise was cruel, humiliating, and without merit. I was wrong, however, and it made me a better writer. It also took me down a peg and taught me I didn't know everything.
My online student, I realized, had probably poured his/her heart and soul into the paper and now felt personally attacked.
Learning to check your ego at the door, I explained, is one of the most critical things you can do to improve your writing career. You don't have to agree with the critic, but listening to (and thinking about) the criticism opens you up to new perspectives and proves that you can learn from anyone, any time. And that is useful for any writer.
Dana Micheli is a freelance writer, editor, proofreader, and journalist. She has written and edited works of fiction and nonfiction, including novels (ghostwritten), news articles, resumes, business plans, and restaurant reviews. She also researched and wrote the legal and housing sections of New York: The Complete Resident’s Guide (Explorer Publishing). She is also the business writer for WITS.
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In addition to my work for Writers in the Sky, I am also a teaching assistant for an online university. My job is primarily to grade English papers based on grammar, content, and whether the student has followed the assignment parameters set by the professor. Another part of my job is to answer emails from students and offer guidance whenever I can. Usually these are pleasant and—I hope—helpful exchanges.
So I was shocked when I opened an especially long email last week saw a barrage of angry words, all in capital letters. Internet yelling, directed at me. Somehow I had wronged these person, and grievously. They could not understand my comments on their paper, and felt I was somehow out to get them.
My first reaction, I admit, was respond with a lecture about Netiquette and ask how they expected to get anywhere in life if this is how they spoke to people. But I took a step back and a deep breath, and realized what I was dealing with here was the “I” in Writer.
I suddenly remembered what it was like when as an English major in college I had to distribute copies of my short story for my classmates to read. They were to take it home, read it, and return the next class to deliver their commentary. Aloud. In front of everyone. The fact that everyone had to do it didn’t make it any easier. At the time, I thought this exercise was cruel, humiliating, and without merit. I was wrong, however, and it made me a better writer. It also took me down a peg and taught me I didn't know everything.
My online student, I realized, had probably poured his/her heart and soul into the paper and now felt personally attacked.
Learning to check your ego at the door, I explained, is one of the most critical things you can do to improve your writing career. You don't have to agree with the critic, but listening to (and thinking about) the criticism opens you up to new perspectives and proves that you can learn from anyone, any time. And that is useful for any writer.
Dana Micheli is a freelance writer, editor, proofreader, and journalist. She has written and edited works of fiction and nonfiction, including novels (ghostwritten), news articles, resumes, business plans, and restaurant reviews. She also researched and wrote the legal and housing sections of New York: The Complete Resident’s Guide (Explorer Publishing). She is also the business writer for WITS.
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Friday, June 24, 2011
Tips for Prerecorded Podcast Interviews
By Vonnie Faroqui
Prerecorded podcast interviews differ from live radio in several ways. You will need to find out ahead of time how your interview will be conducted, live or as a prerecorded podcast to be aired at a later date.
Many Web radio and podcast interviews are prerecorded for the convenience of the blog host and site management. This allows for minor editing, a “positive” in favor of prerecording interviews that a good host will use to make higher quality podcasts. Writers In The Sky pre-records its podcasts and schedules these interviews to be aired on a weekly basis.
Even the best editing can’t turn Mr. Potato into a thrilling interviewee. That being the case, here are a few tips to help you on your way to becoming an interview superstar.
Get Comfortable
Live radio interviews can begin abruptly. A prerecorded interview usually allows you to get comfortable with your host and to ask questions of your interviewer before recording begins. For WITS Podcast interviews, I like to give our guests the general outline of the interview a day or two early, and then to answer questions before we begin recording. Taking the time to chat with my guests beforehand helps me gauge an author’s comfort level, break the ice, and address any fears our guests may have about interviewing. Live interviews rarely have time to allow a host to put their guest at ease. Interviewing is a skill that, as with all skills, gets easier through practice. Practice your interview skills with friendly audiences. Get your friends to ask you questions about your book and themes. Play around with your responses so that you learn to answer questions on the fly.
About timing
With prerecorded interviews, there are fewer concerns or constraints about time and timing than is the case for live interviews. During a live interview, you will need to be prepared to talk at a moment’s notice and to keep your answers brief so that your host can speak to other callers or break for commercial. With a prerecorded interview, it is possible to take more time with your answers as pauses and hiccups can be edited away. In both cases, help your host know when you are finished speaking by ending with a declarative sentence or by using a vocal downtick to make it clear to the host that you’ve completed your answer.
No prepared speeches
Don’t write out speeches to read during the interview. Instead, create a bullet point list of things you would like to convey during the interview, key thoughts or themes you want to work into your responses. Read answers are never very engaging and will make you sound stilted and mechanical unless you are theatrically trained. Even good actors avoid reading from a prepared script and take liberties with their material to allow for natural, conversational phrasing. Don’t make the mistake of reading prepared answers during your interview. It is a mood killer.
Listen to your host
Listen to your host and do your best to answer the questions they ask. Don’t assume that they are disinterested. Give them something to work with. An unresponsive guest is a hosts worst nightmare. A host will often ask follow up questions if they like what you’ve said, if they are trying to draw out more information from you or if they want to carry you deeper down a line of questioning they think will be of interest to their audience. If you are listening to your host, you will hear the cues they will give you. Be responsive and they will guide you through. An engaging guest is a delight to support and easy to sell. If you need a little help with energy and want to avoid sounding flat and uninspired, try matching or slightly exceeding your host’s energy level. To do this you have to . . . listen.
Share your passion
If you aren’t passionate about your book, who will be? Listeners will turn the dial if your interview lacks passion, but they will “hear it” if you SMILE – so get a telephone headset and free yourself to wave those arms around while you talk. Let the love you have for your book, theme, and characters come through in your voice. Standing while you speak conveys energy and confidence. Gesturing helps you convey intensity and meaning. We rely upon these things in everyday speech to help communicate clearly. Allowing for movement will help you relax during an interview and greatly enhance the sound of your voice.
Give of yourself
Being a good guest translates down to one thing. Give of yourself. When someone speaks from a place of inspiration about something they love, it is always interesting. Do you love your book? Didn’t you just invest time, energy, and money in creating and publishing it? If you love your book and speak from that place, you will have something interesting to say.
Letting go of fear and embracing life is a challenge that everyone faces. The circumstances may vary, but the opportunity to move past fear comes to all of us. I have one last tip to share and it will help you overcome any fears you have about interviewing. And it is . . .
Keep breathing
Breath is life. When you stop your breath, you stop your life, you freeze your emotions, and stifle your truth. Breathing frees stuck emotion and gives you voice. It carries you through and out of fear. If you encounter a question that throws you for a second, or need to gather your thoughts for a response, take a breath. In that moment of internal silence, while you concentrate on inhaling, your answer will come. It will come from a place of truth that exists deep inside of you, a place that is inside all of us. Share what comes to you and keep breathing.
Vonnie Faroqui is a freelance writer offering author promotions services through Ink-Slingers-Whimsey.com. She is a regular host for the popular writing show, Writers in the Sky Podcast.
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Prerecorded podcast interviews differ from live radio in several ways. You will need to find out ahead of time how your interview will be conducted, live or as a prerecorded podcast to be aired at a later date.
Many Web radio and podcast interviews are prerecorded for the convenience of the blog host and site management. This allows for minor editing, a “positive” in favor of prerecording interviews that a good host will use to make higher quality podcasts. Writers In The Sky pre-records its podcasts and schedules these interviews to be aired on a weekly basis.
Even the best editing can’t turn Mr. Potato into a thrilling interviewee. That being the case, here are a few tips to help you on your way to becoming an interview superstar.
Get Comfortable
Live radio interviews can begin abruptly. A prerecorded interview usually allows you to get comfortable with your host and to ask questions of your interviewer before recording begins. For WITS Podcast interviews, I like to give our guests the general outline of the interview a day or two early, and then to answer questions before we begin recording. Taking the time to chat with my guests beforehand helps me gauge an author’s comfort level, break the ice, and address any fears our guests may have about interviewing. Live interviews rarely have time to allow a host to put their guest at ease. Interviewing is a skill that, as with all skills, gets easier through practice. Practice your interview skills with friendly audiences. Get your friends to ask you questions about your book and themes. Play around with your responses so that you learn to answer questions on the fly.
About timing
With prerecorded interviews, there are fewer concerns or constraints about time and timing than is the case for live interviews. During a live interview, you will need to be prepared to talk at a moment’s notice and to keep your answers brief so that your host can speak to other callers or break for commercial. With a prerecorded interview, it is possible to take more time with your answers as pauses and hiccups can be edited away. In both cases, help your host know when you are finished speaking by ending with a declarative sentence or by using a vocal downtick to make it clear to the host that you’ve completed your answer.
No prepared speeches
Don’t write out speeches to read during the interview. Instead, create a bullet point list of things you would like to convey during the interview, key thoughts or themes you want to work into your responses. Read answers are never very engaging and will make you sound stilted and mechanical unless you are theatrically trained. Even good actors avoid reading from a prepared script and take liberties with their material to allow for natural, conversational phrasing. Don’t make the mistake of reading prepared answers during your interview. It is a mood killer.
Listen to your host
Listen to your host and do your best to answer the questions they ask. Don’t assume that they are disinterested. Give them something to work with. An unresponsive guest is a hosts worst nightmare. A host will often ask follow up questions if they like what you’ve said, if they are trying to draw out more information from you or if they want to carry you deeper down a line of questioning they think will be of interest to their audience. If you are listening to your host, you will hear the cues they will give you. Be responsive and they will guide you through. An engaging guest is a delight to support and easy to sell. If you need a little help with energy and want to avoid sounding flat and uninspired, try matching or slightly exceeding your host’s energy level. To do this you have to . . . listen.
Share your passion
If you aren’t passionate about your book, who will be? Listeners will turn the dial if your interview lacks passion, but they will “hear it” if you SMILE – so get a telephone headset and free yourself to wave those arms around while you talk. Let the love you have for your book, theme, and characters come through in your voice. Standing while you speak conveys energy and confidence. Gesturing helps you convey intensity and meaning. We rely upon these things in everyday speech to help communicate clearly. Allowing for movement will help you relax during an interview and greatly enhance the sound of your voice.
Give of yourself
Being a good guest translates down to one thing. Give of yourself. When someone speaks from a place of inspiration about something they love, it is always interesting. Do you love your book? Didn’t you just invest time, energy, and money in creating and publishing it? If you love your book and speak from that place, you will have something interesting to say.
Letting go of fear and embracing life is a challenge that everyone faces. The circumstances may vary, but the opportunity to move past fear comes to all of us. I have one last tip to share and it will help you overcome any fears you have about interviewing. And it is . . .
Keep breathing
Breath is life. When you stop your breath, you stop your life, you freeze your emotions, and stifle your truth. Breathing frees stuck emotion and gives you voice. It carries you through and out of fear. If you encounter a question that throws you for a second, or need to gather your thoughts for a response, take a breath. In that moment of internal silence, while you concentrate on inhaling, your answer will come. It will come from a place of truth that exists deep inside of you, a place that is inside all of us. Share what comes to you and keep breathing.
Vonnie Faroqui is a freelance writer offering author promotions services through Ink-Slingers-Whimsey.com. She is a regular host for the popular writing show, Writers in the Sky Podcast.
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Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Book with a View June 2011
Book Title: Love From the Other Side
Author: Carol Shimp
ISBN: 978-1432767907
Publisher: Outskirts Press
Reviewer: Vonnie Faroqui
Searching for Answers
At some point, most of us find ourselves searching for answers to the question of what comes after this life. We all have our own reasons for the search and it is in these times when books such as Carol Shimp’s, Love from the Other Side: a Search for Answers, find their way to us. Sometimes a friend will recommend we read, other times it will be through a review that our attention is caught. We may not always agree with what we read, but the need to understand drives us and so we turn the first page hoping to find peace and a sense of knowing.
Carol has given the gift of her story in, Love from the Other Side, a memoir recounting her spiritual exploration, paranormal experiences, and quest to balance daily life with experiences of the spirit world, precognitive dreams and other worldly messages. Through this book, the reader will discover hidden groups of spiritual seekers, spiritual teachings, and have an opportunity to encounter teachings that are often obscured for the protection of the innocent. In a world that has grown skeptical of anything that cannot be scientifically weighed and measured, psychic and paranormal experiences remain a taboo subject in most homes, or a matter of ridicule and scorn. As I read, I found myself drawn into the memoir by the sincerity of the author.
The quality of writing is pleasing; the chapters are well constructed, making the story easy to follow. Great care is given in the treatment of spiritual beliefs and matters of faith. Carol does not denounce or espouse any particular faith, although she does share that her background and religious path is Catholic. She receives assistance from a group of spiritual seekers and eventually undergoes a non-Catholic exorcism of energies that were detrimental to her spiritual and mental health.
This is a marvelous book for the curious and for spiritual seekers. There are wonderful spiritual truths within the folds of Love from the Other Side that will enrich the unfamiliar and gratify those initiated in the practices and teachings of spiritualists and mediums. Rather than portraying the sensational, Carol’s style and message are without guile. In the end what is revealed comes from a place of love and is offered without condition.
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Book Title: Shee Willow
Author: Claudy Conn
ISBN: 978-1613099933
Publisher: Wings ePress
Reviewer: Vonnie Faroqui
Claudy Conn’s Shee Willow, carries us deep into the world of fae intrigue and danger . . . exciting and fast paced, this is a novel with plenty of plot twists and surprises to support the romance. This tale can stand on its own but Conn brings back the cast of faery characters we fell in love with from Spellbound-Legend, deepening the Seelie intrigues, romance, and dangers in part two of the series.
Once again Conn ignites the page with hunk madness, as every which way Willow turns brings hot potential for love and misdirection. A Conn story is always full of rich layers and like dark chocolate cake waiting to be licked from sticky fingers; she tempts even the most discriminating reader to escapism. I can’t help but pout a little when she tortures us with characters that we want for ourselves only to find out later that our hunk of hotness is just no good for us or our heroine.
In Shee Willow, Conn writes from the first person perspective of each of her main characters, giving a different feel to the book than you will have encountered in reading Spellbound–Legend. If you like to imagine yourself in the role of the characters, this perspective and writing style might challenge you at first. It won’t matter past the first chapter, because once you get reading you will find that Conn is a master of the craft and the story is a pleaser.
I didn’t think the series could get better but Conn is developing the magical and political intrigue of the underlying plot connecting the books, as well as the romantic drama. Additional characters open the scope for rising action and she continues to weave in future romances and danger.
Conn is in high form and never shorts her heroine or her reader. It is pure torture deciding which of the men or fae to fantasize over, and I do so love the bad ones!
You got me again, Claudy!
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Book Title: I Am Going Where I Belong
Author: Hans Lindor
ISBN: 978-1592322657
Publisher: Enaz Publications
Reviewer: Vonnie Faroqui
I Am Going Where I Belong relates a fictionalized and tragic tale of life for Haiti native Hans Leger. Born into the ruling class of Haiti and a life of privilege, Hans Leger discovers a side of his homeland that is both shocking and horrifying. The narrative carries the reader through a chance encounter with a child prostitute and her son, to the murder of Han’s father, and his family’s flight to and life in the USA as political refugees. This story reflects deeply on the living conditions, mental attitudes and struggles of the Haitian people. The narrative voice of the book relates and reflects upon issues of personal safety, survival, self loathing, racial and economic discrimination and political despotism.
Insightfully written, I Am Going Where I Belong is loosely built around aspects of the author’s personal experiences, and offers a perspective and a vision of the Haitian people that have until now been given little or no voice. Author Hans Lindor eloquently weaves his personal experiences of life in Haiti and beyond into this fictionalized account, successfully capturing for his audience truths that can only be felt when shared by one who has lived and breathed them. Lindor has lifted his pen on behalf of Haiti and his native people.
I had the great pleasure of interviewing Hans Lindor after having read his book, I Am Gong Where I Belong. Lindor will tell you that the book is about a fictional character and that it is not about his life. After having interviewed the author, I can see why he would assert this. Many aspects of the character Hans’s life are fictionalized and differ from events that played out Lindor’s own story. However, the book also contains events, losses, and incidents that the author has drawn directly from his personal experience. The road of circumstance traveled may differ for the character, Hans, but when you read about Marie and her son, or when a beloved character is gunned down and must be left untended in the streets, there is an aspect of reality being shared that is heartrendingly real. These are elements of the author's own story which are retold using the vehicle of fiction to soften the impact for both the author and the reader. It is in these moments that Lindor’s ability to write is at its best. He transmits into words the incredible horror, loss and grief that has been his own and shares with all of us a tale of Haiti's children.
If you are at all interested in the lost boys of Haiti or in the politics and struggles surrounding this nation, you will benefit by reading I Am Gong Where I Belong. Well written and easy to understand, this book will open your eyes to realities and difficulties faced every day by the Haitian people. The author digs deep and offers up a piece of his soul in, I Am Gong Where I Belong.
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Book Title: The Quetzal Skull
Author: Margaret Gill
ISBN: 978-1432768669
Publisher: Outskirts Press
Reviewer: Vonnie Faroqui
Superb from beginning to end!
There is much good to be said about Margaret Gill's writing and The Quetzal Skull in particular. To begin, Margaret knows how to weave a delicious story that will captivate her youthful audience as well as those adults that enjoy reading the Young Adult Fiction genre of books. The Quetzal Skull follows, Narwhal, as part two in a series and is superbly written.
The Quetzal Skull relates the continuing tale of Gray, a young man on the verge of discovering his deepening psychic gifts and his place in the world as a shaman. After his brush with death, in Narwhal, Gray goes to the mainland to attend art school. He intends to study art that is, but it seems once again fate and prophecy have a plan for Gray which is outside of his understanding and control. Kidnapping is the least of the lengths his enemies will go in their efforts to maintain their drive for power and control. They perceive Gray as a threat to their plans and won't stop coming after him until they have eliminated the threat he poses, permanently. Follow Gray around the globe into the heart of myth and mystery, as he strives to solve secrets locked in the distant past and fulfill his destiny.
Margaret does an excellent job of depicting and explaining concepts of psychic energy work and shamanism that accurately portray the teachings, methods and practices of modern and historic shamanic practitioners. She is able to capture in words and through story telling the atmosphere of time and place, which combine to create a flavor of danger and increased tension. Her research and insight into traditional shamanic roles and practices, as well as into the healing or mystical properties of certain herbs and the political intrigue used in her story, is to be commended. There is much to be learned, about our world and its societies, which she has cleverly revealed in the story or used as a device to develop her plot.
Exciting and enlightening, full of physical and spiritual dangers, The Quetzal Skull takes Gray and the reader on an adventure of thrilling proportions. Discover wonder and mystery in the crystal skull of Quetzal. A cast of memorable characters waits for you. You will not want to put this book down.
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Monday, June 20, 2011
Network with Us June 2011
Check out the e-books designed especially to help authors promote their books online. http://tinyurl.com/DanaWITS.
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Kristen House has developed a summer writing program called "A Novel Idea." It is aimed at teaching middle-grade students (rising 7th, 8th, and 9th graders) and high-school students (rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors) to write a novel in a month during their summer break. Contact Kristen for details.
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Whose Stuff Is This? Finding Freedom from the Thoughts, Feelings, and Energy of Those Around You is a guidebook for empathic people who have been unknowingly carrying energetic burdens that belong to someone else. See all purchasing options at http://whosestuffisthis.blogspot.com/p/purchase-book.html .
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Join Yvonne Perry as she gives a lecture at Cosmic Connections in Nashville on June 18 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. on what it means to be an empath and how to clear your energy field.
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WITS team member Dianna Calareso published her memoir, At Ease, in digital format through Smashwords. The book only costs $2.49, and she’s donating 25 percent of every sale to the Alzheimer's Association (the memoir is about her grandfather, a retired Marine who suffered from Alzheimer's until his death in 2005). Here's the link for downloading: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/53669. If you need help formatting your book for Smashwords, Kindle, or Nook let Dianna know.
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“Empaths Shifting into 2012: A Telesummit to Help Energy-sensitive People Understand Their Spiritual Role on Earth” is scheduled for four consecutive Tuesdays this September. There will be seven panelists sharing more than 12 hours of useful information about helping humanity shift into higher consciousness. More info at http://dld.bz/aaK6e.
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Kristen House has developed a summer writing program called "A Novel Idea." It is aimed at teaching middle-grade students (rising 7th, 8th, and 9th graders) and high-school students (rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors) to write a novel in a month during their summer break. Contact Kristen for details.
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Whose Stuff Is This? Finding Freedom from the Thoughts, Feelings, and Energy of Those Around You is a guidebook for empathic people who have been unknowingly carrying energetic burdens that belong to someone else. See all purchasing options at http://whosestuffisthis.blogspot.com/p/purchase-book.html .
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Join Yvonne Perry as she gives a lecture at Cosmic Connections in Nashville on June 18 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. on what it means to be an empath and how to clear your energy field.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WITS team member Dianna Calareso published her memoir, At Ease, in digital format through Smashwords. The book only costs $2.49, and she’s donating 25 percent of every sale to the Alzheimer's Association (the memoir is about her grandfather, a retired Marine who suffered from Alzheimer's until his death in 2005). Here's the link for downloading: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/53669. If you need help formatting your book for Smashwords, Kindle, or Nook let Dianna know.
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“Empaths Shifting into 2012: A Telesummit to Help Energy-sensitive People Understand Their Spiritual Role on Earth” is scheduled for four consecutive Tuesdays this September. There will be seven panelists sharing more than 12 hours of useful information about helping humanity shift into higher consciousness. More info at http://dld.bz/aaK6e.
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Saturday, June 18, 2011
Editor's Corner June 2011
I've been on vacation for the past two weeks! Lots of time with family and getting some fresh air and sunshine. Ah, life is good!
And, this is good news too: Amazon.com has lowered the price of my book AGAIN! It’s now offered at an incredibly low price of only $12.23! Whose Stuff Is This? Finding Freedom from the Thoughts, Feelings, and Energy of Those Around You is a guidebook for empathic people who have been unknowingly carrying energetic burdens that belong to someone else. See all purchasing options at http://whosestuffisthis.blogspot.com/p/purchase-book.html .
I plan to give a lecture at Cosmic Connections in Nashville on June 18 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. Please join me for a discussion on what it means to be an empath and how to clear your energy field.
Also, I’m putting together a free online event “Empaths Shifting into 2012: A Telesummit to Help Energy-sensitive People Understand Their Spiritual Role on Earth” for this September. There will be seven panelists sharing more than 12 hours of useful information about helping humanity shift into higher consciousness. In my presentation, “There are No Victims! Helping Empaths to See Themselves as Empowered Beings of Light,” I will share why forgiveness is so important to empaths who want to stay clear of negativity and align with higher frequencies in order to accomplish their life’s mission. More info at http://dld.bz/aaK6e.
Book marketing expert Dana Lynn Smith is the author of many e-books (including the ones listed below) to help authors promote their books online. She and I conducted a free teleconference to share some of the information in her books. If you missed the call, you can get the replay at http://tinyurl.com/DanaWITS. Here are some of Dana’s books:
• How to Sell More Books on Amazon;
• The Savvy Book Marketer's Guide to Selling Your Book to Libraries;
• The Savvy Book Marketer's Guide to Successful Social Marketing;
• Facebook Guide for Authors;
• Twitter Guide for Authors;
• Boost Your Book Sales With Twitter - Audio Program;
• Get Connected: Build Your Business With Online Networking Promoting;
• Texas Book Marketing Handbook
Be sure to read the helpful articles in this issue written by the WITS team members. Considering seeking podcast and radio interviews to help market your book? WITS Podcast host Vonnie Faroqui has some tips for how to give a good interview. If you need help formatting your book for Smashwords, Kindle, or Nook Dianna can help!. I think you’ll especially enjoy our new column, “Grammar Hero is in the House! Say What?” I also like this helpful tip from Wendy Lachmuth on when to use there, their, and they're:
They're going to visit their parents next week, and will be there for two weeks. However, their pets, won't be there, as they're going to stay with their favorite pet sitter. They'll be very happy, though, to return to their families once they're home again. After all, there's no place like home!
Have a great month, everyone!
Yvonne Perry,
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Friday, June 17, 2011
Writers in the Sky Podcast June 2011
During the month of June Writers in the Sky audiences will enjoy podcast interviews with authors, from a wide spectrum of genres. June’s guests share their recent literary creations and writing publishing experiences, and talk with Writers in the Sky host Vonnie Faroqui about book marketing using blogging and social media.
On June 3, 2011, Vonnie Faroqui interviews 85 year old author, Betsy Houser, about her romance novel, Summer Is Her Name. “This was a charmingly delightful novel and the author was a joy to converse with.” Betsy shares an excerpt from her book and offers some encouraging words for other authors.
On June 10, 2011, J. C. Stevens shares his book, The Killing Game, a crime novel about a mob hit man forced out of retirement to become a pawn in the deeper game. Stevens talks about using a pseudonym to write in multiple genres and discusses blogging as a marketing tool with host Vonnie Faroqui. Listen in and pick up some ideas for how blogging could help you too.
On June 17, 2011, Jerome Peoples talks about his historical book, Lee’s Bread Machines. Learn from this author historian about a true life, African American inventor who changed the bread making industry of America. Jerome T. Peoples has a long distinguished career as a science teacher and now adds author to his list of accomplishments. Realizing the need for Afro-American inventors to be introduced to the general public, Jerome worked for seven years gathering the information presented in his book. “Lee’s Bread Machines is a fascinating piece of US history that will inspire you.”
On June 24, 2011, Writers in the Sky Podcast guest, author Allison Wynn presents her book, The Answer, “ A Journey From Anger To Peace.” Allison Wynne has spent 30 years helping people create more peaceful lives. The two questions she’s been asked the most are, “How do I deal with anger in either myself or others,” and “How do I create a more peaceful life?” Join podcast host Vonnie Faroqui for her interview with this exciting guest.
Writers in the Sky blog, podcast, and newsletter is a three-fold production filled with information about writing, publishing, and book publicity created by Yvonne Perry as part of Writers in the Sky Creative Writing Services. Listen to Writers in the Sky Podcast at http://writersinthesky.blogspot.com/p/wits-podcast.html
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On June 3, 2011, Vonnie Faroqui interviews 85 year old author, Betsy Houser, about her romance novel, Summer Is Her Name. “This was a charmingly delightful novel and the author was a joy to converse with.” Betsy shares an excerpt from her book and offers some encouraging words for other authors.
On June 10, 2011, J. C. Stevens shares his book, The Killing Game, a crime novel about a mob hit man forced out of retirement to become a pawn in the deeper game. Stevens talks about using a pseudonym to write in multiple genres and discusses blogging as a marketing tool with host Vonnie Faroqui. Listen in and pick up some ideas for how blogging could help you too.
On June 17, 2011, Jerome Peoples talks about his historical book, Lee’s Bread Machines. Learn from this author historian about a true life, African American inventor who changed the bread making industry of America. Jerome T. Peoples has a long distinguished career as a science teacher and now adds author to his list of accomplishments. Realizing the need for Afro-American inventors to be introduced to the general public, Jerome worked for seven years gathering the information presented in his book. “Lee’s Bread Machines is a fascinating piece of US history that will inspire you.”
On June 24, 2011, Writers in the Sky Podcast guest, author Allison Wynn presents her book, The Answer, “ A Journey From Anger To Peace.” Allison Wynne has spent 30 years helping people create more peaceful lives. The two questions she’s been asked the most are, “How do I deal with anger in either myself or others,” and “How do I create a more peaceful life?” Join podcast host Vonnie Faroqui for her interview with this exciting guest.
Writers in the Sky blog, podcast, and newsletter is a three-fold production filled with information about writing, publishing, and book publicity created by Yvonne Perry as part of Writers in the Sky Creative Writing Services. Listen to Writers in the Sky Podcast at http://writersinthesky.blogspot.com/p/wits-podcast.html
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The Grammar Hero is in the House! Say What?
By Kristen House
My mom recently sent me an email asking me to take a 10 minute survey. And although I love my mom, I simply could not do it. Say What? That’s right I couldn’t do it because a hyphen is needed to create a compound modifier from two nouns. Neither “10” nor “minute” could stand alone to modify “survey.” You wouldn’t say “10 survey” or “minute survey” because neither 10 nor minute is an adjective: they're both nouns! So I put on my Grammar Hero cape and jotted her a quick note that read, " I can't do this, Mom. But, I would be willing to take a 10-minute survey!" Grammar Hero to the rescue!
I pulled a late night and when I woke up this morning, I was devastated to find that I had run out of coffee and milk. I was also out of toilet paper. Still in my pajamas, I drove to the grocery store to purchase three items. And there, under the flickering fluorescent lights of my local grocery store, I once again donned my Grammar Hero Cape. A woman with dozens of coupons clogged aisle four, the only open checkout lane, but there was nobody standing in the "Ten Items or Less" aisle. Guess where I went? Yep, aisle four. Say What? The sign on the express lane should have read "Ten Items or Fewer." "Fewer" is used to describe a countable number of items, whereas "less" modifies measurable mass. For example, "I weigh less now than I did when I was pregnant," or "I sure wish I had fewer pounds around my middle." The cashier and her manager were very impressed. Grammar Hero to the rescue!
Kristen House is an Adjunct Instructor of Writing at Belmont University, and the Chief Executive Muse of A Novel Idea. She writes fiction every day for hours, even when there isn’t anything to write about. Kristen lives in Nashville with her husband, Andrew, sons, Holden and Shephard, and a yippy little dog named Osie.
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My mom recently sent me an email asking me to take a 10 minute survey. And although I love my mom, I simply could not do it. Say What? That’s right I couldn’t do it because a hyphen is needed to create a compound modifier from two nouns. Neither “10” nor “minute” could stand alone to modify “survey.” You wouldn’t say “10 survey” or “minute survey” because neither 10 nor minute is an adjective: they're both nouns! So I put on my Grammar Hero cape and jotted her a quick note that read, " I can't do this, Mom. But, I would be willing to take a 10-minute survey!" Grammar Hero to the rescue!
I pulled a late night and when I woke up this morning, I was devastated to find that I had run out of coffee and milk. I was also out of toilet paper. Still in my pajamas, I drove to the grocery store to purchase three items. And there, under the flickering fluorescent lights of my local grocery store, I once again donned my Grammar Hero Cape. A woman with dozens of coupons clogged aisle four, the only open checkout lane, but there was nobody standing in the "Ten Items or Less" aisle. Guess where I went? Yep, aisle four. Say What? The sign on the express lane should have read "Ten Items or Fewer." "Fewer" is used to describe a countable number of items, whereas "less" modifies measurable mass. For example, "I weigh less now than I did when I was pregnant," or "I sure wish I had fewer pounds around my middle." The cashier and her manager were very impressed. Grammar Hero to the rescue!
Kristen House is an Adjunct Instructor of Writing at Belmont University, and the Chief Executive Muse of A Novel Idea. She writes fiction every day for hours, even when there isn’t anything to write about. Kristen lives in Nashville with her husband, Andrew, sons, Holden and Shephard, and a yippy little dog named Osie.
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Thursday, June 9, 2011
The June Issue of Writers in the Sky E-zine is Now Available!
The June issue of Writers in the Sky E-zine is now available! This publication provides a rich resource of articles and information about the craft and business of writing, publishing, and book marketing. Go to http://writersinthesky.com/writing-newsletter.html and scroll down to the archives and click the link to this month’s issue. It will download as a PDF. If you would like to get once-a-month email delivery of the e-zine, you may subscribe for free at https://app.quicksizzle.com/survey.aspx?sfid=13065
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