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Doodles & Googles & Wordles, oh my!

Technology has created an ever-changing language that only a committed techie can hope to master.  Along with new terms, new tools and techniques for using computers in daily life continually burst forth from creative minds.  One has to be committed to even try to keep up.  And yet, it’s worth trying.

On Friday I attended a technology workshop sponsored by the PAEOP.  The purpose of the program was to demonstrate a variety of free links, and how to use them.  Our presenter was Laura Mikowycek, a woman with an amazing grasp on Internet programs and their value in a school or office setting.

Doodle is a great tool to help schedule a meeting for a group of people. The person scheduling selects a series of dates and times, emails them to the participants, and they each select their preferred dates and times.  Doodle is a democratic tool; the most votes win.

We learned about Google Docs. It allows a group of people to share a document via the Internet and work on it collaboratively.  Sharing a completed document is easy in Dropbox.  A free account at Dropbox gives the user up to 2GB of storage.  The creator can then email address/es and “share” the documents.  My writer’s mind immediately speculated on how either Google Docs or Dropbox could be used by critique groups, as well for online RWA Chapter meetings.

With a background in graphic design, she showed how to create readable and interesting Power Point slides, and a few tools to help. One of them, Wordle, transforms a string of words into a work of art.  It can make a small statement about a workshop or a website. It’s also a whole lot of fun! 🙂  We were also reminded of the importance of hand-outs at a meeting and encouraged to use shortened URLs, created with bit.ly or tinyurl.com.

There are many excellent, free sites on the Internet.  On Friday I learned about a dozen or so.  Most were totally new to me.  Of those, I’ve chosen those I think will be most helpful, or interesting, to you.

Sharing knowledge is one of the beautiful things about technology. It has allowed us to do so on a scale never before imagined.  So, the next time you read or hear about a really helpful website, click the link to FaceBook, Twitter, or whatever social media you prefer.  Or simply email to a friend.  Tell the world about it.   ♥

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Successful Blogging (update)

Writers are often encouraged to enter the world of social media.  I was slow to open a FaceBook account. Then, prompted by the desire to see photos of distant family, I finally did. I found many writer friends on FB so I started adding them. I now have 356 FB “friends.”  Whenever I post a new blog, I create a link on my FaceBook page.  I don’t expect everyone to open the link but when the topic is intriguing enough, some will.

Twitter took me longer. The idea of tweeting confused me.  Birds tweet.  People talk.  Writers write.  Last month I opened an account.  With few exceptions I avoid adding FB Friends to Twitter. After a month, I have 86 followers; most have some shared interests. As with FaceBook, whenever I post a new blog, I tweet about it on Twitter.  Some posts are re-tweeted, which spreads the word.

I started this Stringing Beads blog three years ago. I’ve had long spells when I haven’t blogged regularly. Readership suffers when people can’t count on a regular column. A good blogger must post regularly and about topics a reader finds interesting.

Overall focus is important. Solo blogs written by a lone blogger especially need this focus. Define your purpose in writing the blog then find a niche and fill it.

Are you blogging about the craft or business of writing?  It may be mostly writers who read your blog. If that’s what you want and you’re good at it, fantastic! I’m grateful for blogs like J.A. Konrath’s Newbie Guide to Publishing and those wonderful writers at Writer Unboxed.

Some writers draw readers by focusing on something that complements their writing, either in style or content. In Casey Comments, Casey Clifford shares snippets of her life that could easily be found in her women’s fiction or suspense novels.  Mary Stella’s Postcards from Paradise goes well with her fun contemporary romances about the Florida Keys. Beth Ciotta’s Blog is providing perfect introductions to her upcoming Cupcake Lovers contemporary series as well as to the much anticipated steampunk series, the Glorious Victorious Darcys.

Frequent, meaningful blogging isn’t easy. Time is precious.  As a result many readers band together to write a blog with each writing every few weeks.  Two remarkably successful group blogs with high readership are The Goddess Blogs and Magical Musings.  Both have amazingly creative writers who write on a large variety of topics.

Successful bloggers always reply to comments left by their readers. Along with it being good etiquette, this helps create more interaction and reader interest. They also post interesting pictures. And they never delve too deeply into plot lines of their own works, but rather into life itself.

A successful blog also looks professional.  Bloggers must learn and understand the program they are using, whether WordPress (my favorite), Blogger, Live Journal or some other platform. Set up and regularly test links that add to the blog, little extras in the sidebar. As  your posts grow in number, occasionally link back to ones that were popular.  Proof-read incessantly.

Read and comment on other blogs but not in a way that screams “read my blog” or “read my book.”  Comments must be genuine and relate. Readers look for a connection.

Keep track of readership statistics.  While you can’t tell exactly who is reading your blog, you can track numbers.  WordPress has Site Stats on the dashboard that gives lots of data, including what search terms people are using to find you and what posts are most popular.  A useful tool to install in your sidebar is StatCounter.

In her blog Write to Publish, Robin Sullivan talks about the importance of connecting with readers.  You should make it easy to pass your blog on to others. Post Share links to Facebook, Twitter, StumbleUpon, and others.  Include an e-mail link so the reader can send it to a friend.  On WordPress, these links are found on Dashboard under Settings then Sharing.  See below for my Share buttons.  (Hint: If you liked this article, please pass it on! :smile:)

Click onto Blog Tips for a list of other helpful tips.  Finally, please share a comment on what has worked for you.  Thanks!  ♥

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P. S.  See also this recent post in Savvy Self-Publishing for more helpful ideas.  Thank you, Lindsay!

P.P.S. – Another incredibly helpful post on this topic is Jim Murdoch’s guest column on Audacious Author called How to Get People to Read Your Blog. He mentions it in the comments below but I wanted to bring it up to the body of this post.  Thank you, Jim!

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“Mining Your Backlist” at NJRW

Since the publication of their first book in 1995, Jim and Nikoo McGoldrick (aka/May McGoldrick, Jan Coffey, and Nicole Cody, among others) have published over 30 books.  On Saturday, September 17, Jim and Nikoo spoke to the New Jersey Romance Writers in Iselin, NJ about their writing journey.  Their workshop’s title was Mining Your Backlist and they presented a wealth of information about self-publishing.

In this entertaining and highly informative session, Jim and Nikoo walked us through the reasons for self-publishing and the steps required.  Using hard facts and figures, they shared their own story and what worked for them in re-publishing their books.

In 1995 Jim and Nikoo’s historical romance The Thistle and the Rose was a double NJRW Golden Leaf winner for Best Historical and Best First Book.  They went on to publish more historicals, contemporaries, suspense novels, and thrillers.

In recent years they’ve struggled to get their rights returned on out-of-print works. It has been a long and arduous process, five years with one house.  With another, it has now been seven years and they’re still working on it.

In addition to their backlist, the pair have self-published other books. One of these, Ghost on the Thames by May McGoldrick, is a Charles Dickens sort of book, complete with ghosts, set in Victorian London.  Another work by Jan Coffey is Step Write Up, a workbook for hands-on teaching of 21st century creativity skills. Three thousand copies were purchased by the New York Department of Education.

Jim and Nikoo now have 21 works available on the Internet. For roughly every one hundred e-books sold, they may sell one print on demand.  Their e-books are available through Smashwords, Amazon Kindle, Barnes & Noble, and others.  Print on demand are mainly through CreateSpace.  There is money to be made in self-publishing but the author needs to be aware of piracy.  And there is no guarantee that the profits will last into the future.

A writer looking to self-publish backlist title/s must first get his/her rights back.  After that, the process is about the same for a published author or a newbie.  An ISBN number is recommended, available either through Bowker’s or an indie distributor (i.e. Smashwords).  A cover follows.  Hiring a professional or someone experienced in cover design is preferred since a good cover can make or break a book’s sales.  The book must be typed on Microsoft Word and well-edited then formatted according to the requirements of the distributor. Pricing must be decided.  And finally, an author must determine “what’s the plan?”.

Self-publishing isn’t easy but by following the guides available online, it gets easier.

Nikoo and Jim shared many marketing tips, such as putting teasers in the backs of books and offering coupons. Traditional methods still apply. You must get your name before the public but without being obnoxious.

In the afternoon, the pair stayed for a Q & A.  “Ask us anything,” they said.  And we did. 🙂

A phenomenal presentation from a pair of knowledgeable, experienced, and amazing authors!  Thank you Jim and Nikoo!   ♥

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e-Publishing Adventures, Part II

It’s been a strange few weeks.   Since first hearing and appreciating the buzz about Indie e-publishing I’ve been immersed in exploration, in more reading, writing, and learning.  I’m writing this to share tidbits gathered in my own fledgling effort.

Initially I wondered – could I publish on my own, at no cost?  A simple goal.  Success would motivate.  It would propel me forward with my longer works.  In Mary Stella’s words, it would empower me.

I chose my collection of blog musings about writing because it was relatively short (14,800 words). Also, with some enrichment and organizing, the essays were ready.  Musings or poetry are often too personal to sell more than a few to family and friends, but in this trial run at publication my goal wasn’t money.  I simply wanted to see, could I do it?

We all know that with anything published, traditional or indie, the writing must be the best the author can make it.  It must be complete and well-edited, not just by you as writer but by those whose opinion you value.  Polish, polish, polish.

To counteract this, I’ve also learned that if you’re a procrastinator (guilty!) or a perfectionist (ditto), you may never publish.   At some point, your work will be as shiny as it’s going to be.  An advantage in e-publishing is that you can pull it back for corrections in a week or even a year.  That won’t fix the sold versions but anything going forward will be correct.  Understanding that has helped.

A title should be fresh and appropriate for the genre.  Also, not too long.  It should fit on a thumbnail size cover and be readable.

Separating the hype of Indie Publishing from the hard facts isn’t easy.   Before you start, I wholeheartedly recommend  reading Zoe Winters e-book –  Smart Self-Publishing: Becoming an Indie Author.  Winters offers common sense answers to the whys and hows of Indie publishing.  No million dollar hype, just sound and solid practical information.  Another book I recently downloaded is called Let’s Get Digital: How To Self-Publish, And Why You Should by David Gaughran.  I’m about a third of the way through Gaughran’s book and am finding it incredibly helpful.

There are also a multitude bloggers on the topic and their numbers are growing daily.  The classic, the guy who started it all, is Joe Konrath’s Newbies Guide to Self-Publishing.  I’ve also discovered and enjoy the practicality of Lindsay Buroker’s E-book Endeavers.  Both are now on my sidebar of blogs.

As you approach your big step, you must read through the Smashwords, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble PubIt guides, at least twice.  The Smashwords Style Guide is particularly helpful. Then keep them available as you prepare to publish.

Earlier version of cover

You can publish your e-book without a cover but it won’t appear complete.  Your cover, product description (start with a blurb then expand), and reviews all help your sales, so make your cover the most professional looking one you can afford, or design.  You can hire a pro, or a friend with skills, or you can do it yourself for free.  As mentioned, this was a trial run learning curve for me.  I wanted to see if I could do everything myself, at no cost.  So how did I make my cover?

First I read the style guides from Smashwords, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble PubIt to learn their requirements.  I’m not a graphic artist.  Far from it, but I know what I like.  So I studied other covers – hundreds of them.  I wanted simple.  To me simple is easier on the eye.  You can get away with more, if it’s simple.

I was drawn to two best-selling novel covers.  Inspired by them and by my new profile photo (by Photographer Marti Corn), I created my own.   A green beaded necklace  lays over a piece of red fabric.  Actually the fabric is a vest from my closet.  I liked the color combination.  I’ve used clothing before as backdrops for photos in my blogs.   Depending on the material used, it can work well in close-ups.

Final copy

I shot several photos of the beads then pulled them into Photoshop Elements.  I’ve read that GIMP is also a user-friendly program (and free) but I have Elements on my computer, and sort of understood it.  Once I adjusted the photo to  the correct size,  based on cover specs and dimensions from the style guides, in a layer above the photo I added the title and my name.  I used the Papyrus font and made it white to stand out.   As stated earlier, covers appear small in the catalog so the font needs to be readable.

After preparing the cover, the final step before formatting preparation was to write a brief product description, and an author bio.  I learn best by example then doing.  Reading dozens of others on Amazon, Smashwords, and Barnes and Noble helped me get a feel for what seemed to work and what was right for me and my work.

I was now ready to begin manuscript formatting and publication.  Please share your comments about your experience or your thoughts on Indie e-Publishing.  ♥

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e-Publishing Adventures, Part I

Since childhood I’ve been intrigued with The Twilight Zone, the TV series hosted by Rod Serling.  In it, sci-fi, fantasy, ghost story, and social commentary merged and blended, tossing the characters into a different dimension.

That’s how I’ve felt since late June, ever since I stepped through the door of the NYC Marriott Marquis.  It’s as if I’ve moved into Serling’s land “of both shadow and substance, of things and ideas.”  I feel as if I’ve just crossed over into a 21st century Twilight Zone.

E-publishing by author has been around for a few years.  Amazon launched the first generation e-reader in late 2007.  In 2008, Mark Coker launched Smashwords.

Writers began not only to write and edit their books, but also to format and self-publish them electronically, thus reaping the lion’s share of the royalties.  They began to shout out their success at conferences, workshops and on social media – blogs, FaceBook, Twitter.  Others took notice.  Over the past year, these matters in publishing have reached critical mass.

RWA’s 2011 National Conference in New York City buzzed with electric energy about e-publishing.  e-Energy I’ll call it.

Before the conference I mostly ignored it all.  Arrogantly.  Naively.  But I couldn’t ignore the buzz at this year’s RWA National.  Nor the stories of folks like Joe Konrath, Courtney Milan, and others.   Writer friends like Mary Stella (and others) have stepped up to self-publish their out-of-print books.   Multi-pub authors are turning down NY offers in favor of author e-publishing.  Eyes open, they launched books and are generously sharing their experiences.

After I came home I talked about the RWA e-Energy buzz with my family.  They encouraged me to go forward, to put some of my work out now, to learn about the process.  To keep the project a manageable size that could be accomplished quickly, I pulled a selection of favorite musing type essays from this blog, Stringing Beads, enriching and updating as needed.  I created my own cover, edited the small book and formatted it according to specifications.

And thus, Stringing Beads – Musings of A Romance Writer was conceived, and born.  This 15,800+ word e-book is the first child in what will be a large blended family.  If you are interested, the e-book is available on Amazon or Smashwords.  I’m keeping the initial price low.  If you don’t own an e-reader, did you know Amazon has a Kindle e-reader you can download on your PC – free?

In my next post I’ll write about the steps I’ve taken as an author e-pub, and what I’m learning along the way.  As others have before me, I’ll post regular updates of my progress.

Keep writing, dear friends, and keep reading.  Can’t have one without the other.   ♥

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Wednesday & Thursday at RWA National

The days at RWA National are passing in an exhilarating haze punctuated with moments of crystalline clarity. This is an amazing time for writers and the energy is evident everywhere here in New York City.

Steve Berry, Diana Gabaldon, Tess Gerritsen

Early Wednesday, three NY Times best-selling authors – Steve Berry, Diana Gabaldon, and Tess Gerritsen officially launched RWA’s 2011 Bright Lights, Big Stories Conference with a 90-minute chat about their careers.  Their ease, candor and camaraderie set the tone for the coming days.

The Annual General Meeting of RWA’s Board of Directors (aka AGM) followed. My volunteer assignment was handing out budget summaries to attending members. When the doors closed, we took our seats. After a few brief reports, the meeting adjourned. Although 2,100 are attending the conference, no quorum meant no business could be conducted. Reason enough for members to return their proxies.

Madeline Hunter’s candid keynote luncheon address Wednesday was all I expected and more. “In the past year,” she said, “writers have exhaled one long sigh…I’m excited and scared to see what comes next.” In taking us on her writer’s journey, she offered a guidebook for our own journeys.  “We expose ourselves in our writing,” she continued.  “Our voice is all about that exposure. We find our voice by embracing the exposure but we cannot back off.  We cannot pull punches.”  Wow!

Sherrilyn Kenyon

Sherrilyn Kenyon‘s award luncheon keynote on Thursday took us on an emotional roller coaster bringing tears and laughter to the audience of 2,000+ writers in the Broadway Ballroom.  Another amazing, no holds barred speaker.

Phenomenal workshops!  Each hour, eight separate tracks let us hone in on a valuable area. While there are only a few scheduled that address e-publishing and self-publishing (no longer called “vanity”) those are the words heard everywhere and speakers are addressing this amazing writer’s evolution.  Perhaps the word “revolution” is more appropriate.

KOD's "Death by Chocolate" Party

The chance to meet and chat with fellow writers abounds in workshops, at evening parties, in elevators, and lounges.   This year the conference is spread out from floors 4 through 9 of the Marriott Marquis. For the first time in memory, ladies’ restrooms don’t have long lines. Escalators or the smart elevators are quick, efficient.  So is the friendly staff.

Last night I met my niece for dinner.  A Tulane student, she’s in NYC on a summer publishing internship.  (Personal note to editors or literary agents looking for a hard-working, loves-to-read assistant in May 2012…Casey’s your girl!)  Last time we met was on our Charleston trip and before that in Paris when she studied abroad in Vienna. Our paths cross in the most amazing places.

As dawn broke this morning, I lay beneath the comforter with words racing through my mind. On this last day part of me can’t wait to get back into the bustle of Conference. But I have stories to write, and characters whose voices grow ever louder. Someone, can’t remember who, said that networking at conference is important but that writing is critical. We are not writers unless we write.  Seems obvious, doesn’t it?

Last day ahead, and tonight are the RITA’s and Golden Heart awards.  More about that tomorrow.  Meanwhile, I invite all writers attending to share your insights, or links to your blog about this amazing conference.  What was your favorite part of RWA National 2011?  ∞

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Tuesday at RWA National – 2011

Registration is a favorite volunteer assignment. Early morning, 8 or 10 of us manned the registration desk, along with behind-the-scenes RWA Staff members who efficiently ran the show. As writers, editors, agents, and librarians arrived we pulled envelopes with registration materials and handed each a tote bag filled with books, a name badge holder, flash drive, book light, and even a collapsible water bottle. Roughly 2,100 attending this year but the space was well-organized so not much waiting.

KOD Raffle Bag Stuffers

After my two-hour stint at Registration, I raced upstairs to help stuff tote bags. The fourteen bags we assembled to raffle on Wednesday night at the KOD “Death by Chocolate” awards ceremony and party. Five of us worked; coordinators had matters well in hand. Books and other goodies were generously donated by KOD authors.

Chocolate doesn’t travel well and we needed more for the raffle bags. I made what should have been a quick dash down Broadway toward Walgreens. In Times Square a huge crowd gathered, along with police and their flashing vehicles. I followed the direction of the cameras and spotted a young man in a red t-shirt who alternately sat, stood, and danced atop a light post (click for news article). Patient NYPD officers on ladders worked to talk him down. He seemed in no hurry to comply. But I was on a mission. Must have chocolate for the raffle bags! So I pushed through the multitude. Got to Walgreens, grabbed the chocolate, and left. Now sawhorses and police on horseback blocked off the Square. A large blow-up trampoline arrived. The guy was still on the post. Head down, I (and others) worked our way north through the crowds. This is New York City.

Michael Hauge at RWA-WF

In the afternoon I attended RWA-Women’s Fiction mini-conference. Michael Hauge started the program with a two-hour presentation on Six Stage Plot Structure. Using selected scenes from the movie My Best Friend’s Wedding he explained how to use screenplay structure to enrich our novels. Outstanding, invaluable info!

Next up on the RWA-WF schedule was an agent/editor panel, followed by an author panel, all talking about the market for Women’s Fiction. It is a currently in high demand among editors, if it is well done.  I heard the term “cougar club” – women in their 40’s going through an identity crisis. The books need emotional complexity and depth. Hardcovers are usually more literary. Trade paperbacks feature a more intimate setting. Three critical factors are emotional drive, connection to the characters, and to make the reader care.

Author Marilyn Brant & Son

A Librarian’s Day Luncheon was held in the Westside Ballroom and best-selling author Julia Quinn spoke. There was also a Librarian and Bookseller Networking Event where PAN eligible authors could mix with romance-friendly librarians and booksellers.

I made a quick trip to the “Goody Room” – an area where authors set out promo items including chocolates, pens, and ever popular emery boards. No “paper only” allowed this year.

RWA’s Literacy Signing was held from 5:30 to 7:30. Over 500 authors signed their books for readers. Profits from the event go to RWA’s charity. (Update: Over $47,000 was raised!)  The room was packed, more so than I remember from past years. Not sure if it was the room size, or social media to blame. Drawings were held for chapter donated raffle baskets. Three or four contained Kindles or other e-readers. Lots of fun to meet with old friends and new.

At a First Timers’ Orientation, first time attendees learned the ropes. Many online chapters also met Tuesday evening. I attended From the Heart RW’s “Meet and Greet” and met Nikki Enlow, one of 2011’s recipients of the RWA Service Award and President of FTHRW.  Also Denise Pattison (we’ve been trying to meet for years), and others. Those attending were given “conference survival kits” – a fun collection of necessities for surviving conference. An evening highlight was a talk by a Samhain editor who spoke on the state of e-publishing.

Tuesday evening allowed many online friends to socialize. Authors from The Goddess Blogs held a party in their suite, providing food, fun, drinks, and tiaras.

More fun to follow tomorrow as the Conference officially opens. ∞

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RWA’s Kiss of Death Pre-Conference

In the few years since it started, RWA’s Mystery & Romantic Suspense Chapter’s (aka/Kiss of Death) Pre-Conference Tour at RWA National has earned a stellar reputation.  This year’s tour to the Sandy Hook, NJ U. S. Coast Guard Station upheld that tradition of excellence.

Promptly at 8 am Monday, over forty KOD members met in the lobby of the NY Marriott Marquis and boarded a chartered bus for the 1-1/2 hour trek down the coast to Sandy Hook.  We were greeted by an enthusiastic team of men (aka/Alpha Heroes) who oriented us to the United States Coast Guard.

The Coast Guard formed in 1790. It is the oldest continuous sea service in the United States.  Today there are roughly 39,000 members in service, less than in the NYPD.  Among other duties they conduct Search & Rescue, monitor buoys, perform Homeland Security missions, and conduct law enforcement including fisheries and recreational boating safety.  They believe in “Honor, Respect, and Devotion to Duty.”

After our initial orientation, including a short film about training recruits, we split into groups to rotate through key areas of the station.  In a classroom, our group learned more facts before going outdoors to board and tour the Bainbridge Island, a 110-foot Cutter, one of the station’s “workhorses”.  The Captain of the boat patiently answered many writer-type questions, including “What weapon would be used if someone wanted to take out the bridge of a cutter?”

We walked back toward the station.  While waiting to see a Rescue helicopter in a flyover, we browsed through the station’s store, run by two CG dependents.  The store is stocked with everything from uniforms to candy bars.  We then went back into the station for a demonstration of some of the equipment used by the USCG.  Afterward, we boarded a smaller boat for a 15 minute cruise that included an unexpected demonstration of a “man overboard” rescue.

Lunch was in the station’s mess.  The cooks served a wholesome meal of chicken breast, French fries, broccoli, assorted salads, corn bread, and deliciously fresh baked cookies and brownies.  No carbonated beverages, just juice, iced tea, coffee and water. Good coffee. Great price.

After lunch we were escorted back to the artillery range for an indoor presentation of various guns and artillery training conducted by the Coast Guard.

The Coast Guard’s purpose is to save lives.  They use only the necessary force to stop a situation.  Weapons and bullets were explained and they passed around mock representations of two guns so we could judge their weight.  Again, as in the station and on the boat, the young men and woman professionally answered numerous questions.

Our tour concluded with a brief talk about some real life situations at the main station.  Debbi Ward, KOD tour coordinator, passed out red and black “thank you” gift bags of authors’ books and chocolate to those of the Sandy Hook U.S. Coast Guard who’d so graciously shared their time and knowledge.

Back at the Marriott, members of the Kiss of Death gathered for an evening dinner of pasta, roast turkey slices served with a delicious blend of seasoned sliced brussel sprouts and mushrooms, and some outstanding desserts.  The Annual General Meeting followed chaired by President Melba Moon.

Our evening concluded with a fine speech by KOD member Nina Bruhns, award-winning author of over 25 books.  Ms. Bruhns discussed her own writers’ journey and the emergence of the Kiss of Death chapter to the present day. “What a great time to be a writer,” she said.  Over the next few days, she added, we would be hearing things such as “Smash words” and “Kindleize.”  “Writers can now be in charge of their own publishing,” she said.  “A whole new world of possibilities is opening.”

My personal thanks to men and women of the United States Coast Guard at Sandy Hook, and to the Board of KOD for an outstanding and well-organized day.  ∞

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RWA Conference Talk

Next week, Romance Writers of America (RWA) kicks off its 31st Annual Conference in New York City —  Bright Lights, Big Stories. As I pack, my home office resembles the back room at Macy’s, filled with assorted tops, capris, slacks, dresses, and skirts. Lots of black, of course.  Black goes with everything. It’s also slimming.  This year I’m adding a splash of turquoise.  Found a darling Laura Ashley top on clearance and couldn’t resist, especially given the comfort factor of the travel ready top.  Comfort is important for conferences.

Editors & Agents answer questions at WisRWA's Write Touch 2011

A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to attend the WisRWA Write Touch Conference in Milwaukee.  Wisconsin is my home state so it’s a favorite.  Betsy Norman and her minions did an outstanding job organizing the event.  While there I learned, bought some books, met up with old friends and made a few new ones.  I also placed second in the FAB 5 contest, and came away renewed and refreshed.  Been writing hard ever since, at least when I’m not refurbishing my wardrobe for RWA National. 🙂

I love RWA Conferences — smaller regional ones like WisRWA’s Write Touch and NJRW’s Put Your Heart in a Book, and the queen of conferences, RWA National. Writing can be a lonely profession.  Conferences let me mingle and talk passionately about writing to others who understand.  They provide an opportunity to learn about the craft and business of writing, to network, and hopefully to take the steps needed to sell books.

Here are some tidbits I’ve learned about conferences. After you’ve read them, I hope you’ll share your own conference  lore and wisdom.

1 – Choose a conference wisely. Consider the speaker/s, topic/s, editor & agents attending, reputation, location, size, cost, and convenience.  Start out with a smaller conference or all-day workshop then work your way up.

2 – Set a conference goal. Do you need help with story conflict?  Motivation to finish your novel?  Do you hope to connect with an agent?  Connect with other writers?  Make your goal specific and achievable.

3 – Look professional but dress comfortably.  Wear clothes that make you feel good about yourself.  It shows.

4 – Wear comfortable shoes.  At larger conferences, you’ll be on your feet a lot, in line or walking between workshops.  Aerosoles, Easy Spirit, or Naturalizer are all favorites.  Flats.  Not as sexy as 4-inch heels, but more comfortable.

5 – Act professional. Everyone’s heard “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.”  That’s not necessarily true for conferences.  You’ll meet people who could have some influence on your chosen career. Keep a positive, friendly attitude.  Smile.  Be helpful.

6 – Meet new people.  Strike up conversations in line. Ask if you may join a table with an empty seat where you don’t know anyone.  Skip a workshop and find a chair in the lobby or the bar and look for other writers.

7 – Bring business cards and offer to others you meet.  If it’s too late to have them printed, print your own.  See this link to an earlier post with some suggestions.

8 – If you can afford the time and expense, plan to arrive a day early, or leave a day late.  It will let you see a new city, or give you uninterrupted time in your room to write.

9 – Bring nutritious snacks for your hotel room.  Fruit and granola bars are my favorite. And of course, a few pieces of dark chocolate never hurt.

10 – Volunteer.  Conferences take a lot of energy to organize; many hands are needed.  If you haven’t signed up in advance, ask at registration to talk to the volunteer coordinator.  Tell her when you have some free time, and offer your services for an hour or two.

Questions?  Comments?  What advice do you have to share about conferences?

Now, it’s time to fill my suitcase!  I’m off to RWA National! ∞

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From Sea to Sea

When we planned the itinerary for our May trip, it seemed logical.  Nothing really amazing, just a practical way to attend two family events in a limited amount of time. Our initial flight took us to Charleston, South Carolina and to a rented house set up on a hill the second row in from the ocean in Folly Beach.  From our porch each morning and night we saw, heard, and smelled the awesome salty breezes of the Atlantic.   It was our first visit to Charleston, a city of refined southern charm and beauty.

We took a harbor cruise to see Fort Sumter where, 150 years ago, the shots were fired that started the Civil War.  The War, as true southerners still call it, was to be over in a few months time.  It lasted four bloody years.  Back in Charleston we rode on a guided tour in a mule drawn carriage through the city’s historic district and passed by stately old homes.  As we rode near Battery Park, we observed a solemn celebration of Confederate Memorial Day celebrated each year on May 10th, the day Stonewall Jackson died.

In an awesome marketplace, we watched artisans weave Sweetgrass Baskets and string stone beads for necklaces.  A pretty young student (thanks, Abby!) guided us through the grounds of the beautiful College of Charleston.  We toured Middleton Place, a rice plantation on the banks of the Ashley River.  Everywhere, we ate fresh seafood – at a rural dive, at a crab shack near the ocean, and at our beach house.

At the Public Library and the old Court House, I scrolled through spools of old microfilm to copy family history.  We shot pictures of the house where my husband’s great-grandfather once lived, and then said a prayer at the church he attended. At Magnolia Cemetery we found his grave, and said another prayer.  Nearby lay the dead of the sunken Hunley, yet another reminder of The War.   Back at Folly Beach the ocean called.  We strolled barefoot over smooth sand letting the warm waters of the Atlantic wash over our feet.  Reluctantly, we said goodbye.

From Charleston we flew across green mid-western farm fields to Chicago’s O’Hare Field then on to the brown desert sands surrounding Las Vegas. A myriad of languages and accents sang out at airports.  The final leg of our journey took us to the wonder of San Francisco, a vibrant diverse city as beautiful as Charleston but different.  So different.

On Saturday we drove across the Golden Gate Bridge to San Rafael to attend a joyful college graduation on the peaceful grounds of Dominican University.  On our trip back to the city, at the top of a winding hilltop we gazed on the magnificent Bay that leads to the Pacific Ocean.  Early Sunday morning we strolled a few blocks to watch the fun of the Bay to Breakers race.   Serious runners, walkers, and costumed party-goers run 12 kilometers from the San Francisco Bay to the waters of the Pacific Ocean. This year is the 100th anniversary.   And everywhere, we enjoyed gloriously fresh food – fruits, veggies, crepes, seafood.

I’m on overload  now.  In ten short days we traveled from sea to sea.  Soon comes the return to the reality of daily life.  The best part of course, has been visiting with loved ones.  Aside from that has come a deeper appreciation for this land. Travel does that.  America is vast and her stories are boundless.  So much still to discover, and record. ∞

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My Brother Tim

May is the month of warm breezes, blue skies, and fragrant lilacs. It is also the month Timmy was born. My big brother was seven and I was four when Tim burst into our lives, a blond bouncing wonder of a boy. Seventeen months later our baby sister appeared and our small house was filled. Just as my older brother and I were inseparable, so too were Tim and our baby sister.

From the beginning, Tim exuded a teasing, electric energy. It was readily apparent in how he laughed and in how he played. His laughs were wholehearted belly laughs. He loved grown-up things, donning dad’s work helmet and boots, racing his fire engine, riding his tricycle. For him, life was an exhilarating adventure filled with ever new possibilities. He never walked when he could run, as if he knew he had to reach and gather every ounce of enjoyment from each day.

Baby Tim

Family stories are almost legend…how he once climbed out on the porch roof when he was three…how he raced his tricycle into and up a sloping tree.  If he liked something, he wanted to touch and play with it whether it was playful puppies or swimming goldfish.

The morning of July 2nd was hot and promised to get hotter.  We had no air conditioning so doors and windows were open, in hopes of a catching an errant breeze.  Mom was working in the kitchen.  My older brother was eating a bowl of cereal when he happened to glance outside. Mom later told us that his face drained of color.  “The car,” he said.  It was rolling down the hill. They raced outside to see our twenty-one month old sister standing alone in the car’s front seat.

Paula and Tim

The driver’s door was open.  Timmy lay on the street.  He’d fallen, or jumped…no one knows exactly.  The car rolled over him.  Mom found him and lifted his crushed body.  A passing motorist raced them to the hospital. Our four-year old brother Tim died on the operating table.

Death changes life.  The death of a child changes life forever.

All people experience grief. It is part of being human, part of the price we pay for being sentient, for having a soul.

But we also live through true joy, such as my nephew Tim, my sister’s son, experienced three days ago when his son was born.  A new generation.  As he held his newborn son, I have to think that his Uncle Tim was looking down on both his namesake and on his newborn grand-nephew with a huge grin.

As writers we need to draw on life’s grief and on life’s joy and feed these raw emotions to our characters.  We need to make them a part of their lives.  It is how our fictional characters become real.  In this way, our stories become a gift we can pass to others.   ∞

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Chobani Hunt

For well over a year, I’ve enjoyed almost the same breakfast daily.  Strong black coffee. Six-ounces of Vanilla Chobani Greek Yogurt topped with a quarter cup of granola.  Mid-morning I eat two Clementine oranges, a banana, or maybe some grapes. The rest of the day I work to keep a respectable calorie count with other healthy foods.  I drink only non-caloric liquids, coffee, tea, and water – lots of water. I measure and count everything.  It’s a struggle, to be sure, but it’s paid off significantly in smaller clothing sizes, and a smaller, healthier me.  The struggle has been eased because of my morning vanilla Chobani.

A healthy lifestyle is essential for writers.  So much of our time is spent sitting at the computer, recording the voices we hear, telling their tales. While in our creative zone, it’s easy to nibble on one snack after another, to have the M & M’s, Snickers, and ice cream go straight through mouth and belly to our hips.  But somehow I’ve broken that cycle.  By eating better, by walking more, I feel and am healthier.

Enter conflict.  Over the past month I’ve seen a decrease in vanilla Chobani in the stores. Fruit versions are still on the shelves – blueberry, peach, raspberry, mango, strawberry, strawberry-banana, pineapple and more. They even have honey-flavored and plain Chobani. But vanilla, my staple, has dwindled away.  The store manager told me they’re having a shortage due to rising popularity.

On Friday, I searched Chobani’s website.  No mention of any shortage there, just the same silly-cute promos and much valued nutritional data.  In the Contact form, I emailed a message.  “Where’s my vanilla Chobani?” I asked.  Then, worrier that I am, the fears set in.  What if some marketing moron had decided to discontinue it?

I decided to go on a vanilla Chobani hunt.  List of stores in hand, I braved the cold spring drizzles and got into my car.  At each store, I found the same thing…lots of fruit-flavored, just NO VANILLA.  One store posted a sign. “Due to an exceptionally high demand, we are temporarily experiencing shortages of Chobani Greek Yogurt.”  But I saw no shortage of the fruit flavors…just NO VANILLA.

So, I did what any American consumer would do.  I improvised and switched brands.  Dannon has come out with a vanilla variety of Greek Yogurt.  So has Brown Cow, and Cabot.  Prices are comparable. I bought a few of each to try.

When I returned home, I found an annoyingly cheerful email message waiting for me from Chobani.  The young woman told me that business is booming and that their teams are working 24/7 to deliver Chobani.  (I’m truly glad…great product!)  To increase the amount produced, she continued, they’ve become “creative in managing the production of flavors.”  They’re placing greater emphasis on the fruit flavors, “and have limited production on vanilla.” WHAT?  I read on.  “We anticipate refocusing on vanilla at the end of April.”

Well, there’s hope, I guess.

This morning I’ll savor the last of my vanilla Chobani. Tomorrow I’ll begin sampling my non-Chobani vanilla Greek yogurt brands.  I bought enough to last the next two weeks.

Happy and Blessed Easter to all!  ∞

UPDATE: May 1st, 2011 – Still no sign of Vanilla Chobani although the stores’ shelves are filled with every fruit flavor imaginable. Just no vanilla. 😦 I’m adjusting to Dannon & Cabot.  They’re different, but not bad. – DM

UPDATE #2: May 5th, 2011 – Vanilla Chobani returns to eastern Pennsylvania!  🙂

UPDATE #3: September 23rd, 2012 – Vanilla Chobani (and Honey, too) have once again disappeared from the stores.  Chobani – why don’t you listen? If you have to cut a flavor, why Vanilla?  Oikos has come down to a manageable price, and store brands are just as tasty.  At this point I have no problem switching brands.

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On the 18th of April…

A happy marriage is a long conversation that always seems too short.                                                                                                          André Maurois

They were married on April 18, 1942.  The United States had been at war since December and he would soon be called to serve as a Naval Officer aboard the U.S.S. Lexington.  During his time in the Pacific he exchanged long letters with his family and with her, the love of his life.  After the war and his return home they settled into suburban life and raised their growing family — two boys, three girls.  He was a Chemical Engineer who loved history and she was a meticulous homemaker and volunteer.  Both remained devoted to church, to family, and to each other.  It was a good marriage, a happy marriage, one with conversations that always seemed too short.

As writers, even as romance writers, we seldom write of marriages such as theirs. Exciting, passion-filled stories are all about conflict that show a struggle between two souls —  man against man, man against nature, or even man against himself.  Perhaps because life is filled with struggle, we long to read about it.  It is the struggle, the conflict that keeps us turning the pages.  What happens next?  How will they possibly resolve this insurmountable problem?

So we fill our stories with conflict.  If she’s a liberal reporter, he’s a conservative landowner.  If she’s a born and bred Texas rancher, he’s a NYC lawyer come South to stir up trouble.  If she’s the daughter of a Saxon King, then he’s a Norman knight granted her father’s castle, and perhaps her, by right of conquest.

Conflict isn’t only created by who the characters are.  It can also develop naturally through the setting.  Several years ago I heard film critic Roger Ebert discuss the amazing popularity of “fish out of water” stories.  At that time, I was reading a lot of time travel stories in which a modern heroine traveled back to an earlier time.  I started analyzing these and other popular stories. Plop a person down in a strange new world and there is instant conflict as she struggles against the unknown.  The story is not in heroine’s undying love for the hero, but in the conflict she must work through to attain that love.

Once the story’s conflict is resolved, the story is over.   The genre doesn’t matter.  Literary fiction ends with a resolution of problems, happy or sad.  Thrillers and mysteries end with the bad guy’s capture.  Romance ends with the concept of And they lived happily ever after.

What of my history-loving naval hero and his happy bride?   Their story endures in the memories and lives of their descendants.  Tomorrow would be their day.

Happy Anniversary, Tom & Betty!  ∞

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An Evening with Garrison Keillor

I’m a Garrison Keillor groupie.  So when my youngest son invited me to attend An Evening with Garrison Keillor last Wednesday at the State Theater, I didn’t scream “Yes! Yes! Yes!” with raised and shaking fists as an ordinary wild-eyed groupie might. Instead my soft “I’d love to, dear. How nice of you to ask.  But are you sure…?” was accompanied only by the rapid thumpety-thump of my heart.  As the Midwestern born and bred daughter of Minnesota Lutherans, it was the only response possible.  A Keilloresque response.

My husband first drew me into the magic of Garrison Keillor’s A Prairie Home Companion radio program when we lived in southern Indiana.  In those days we had only one car, a bronze Chevy Malibu wagon.  No air conditioning, but it had a decent radio.  One evening we came home with the Malibu’s rear filled with bags of groceries, a few pairs of new shoes, and some rambunctious little boys to wear them.  The late spring air hung warm and moist as the car radio broadcast NPR live from St. Paul, Minnesota.  We pulled into the driveway and stopped the car. No one moved to get out, not even our young sons. Instead we sat enchanted by Keillor’s hypnotic voice spinning a tale about the people in Lake Wobegon, “the little town that time forgot and the decades cannot improve.”

Through the years, on long road trips we brought along audio tapes of missed programs, Old Sweet Songs, and even How to Talk Minnesotan.

We’ve seen several live Prairie Home Companion performances.  The first was in Philadelphia.  We still laugh about the bull’s horns and large purple cape Keillor donned, his Sons of Knute lodge attire.  We watched the Christmas progam in Bethlehem, enraptured with the sweet sounds of choir music.  Last summer, we traveled to Red Bank, NJ for his Summer Love Tour.  All were radio style variety shows packed with delightful blends of music and commercials for Powder Milk biscuits, with GK and guests performing skits as Guy Noir, Private Eye and cowboys, Dusty and Lefty.  All complete with radio sound effects, of course.

Wednesday evening was different. It was simply An Evening with Garrison Keillor.  Alone.  Just Keillor and the sold-out State Theater audience.  He took us with on a road trip he and his family made when he was 12. Parents and the six kids, Garrison in the middle, driving to Yellowstone.  Somewhere in North Dakota, he became stranded in a gas station. He waited three days for his parents to return, guests of the gas station owners who lived in a tiny trailer and chain-smoked Camels and drank smelly beer.  Thus began his writer’s journey.

From then on, he told us, he wanted to be a writer.  So he went to college and majored in English.  He planned to write the great American novel but, as an English major, he discovered it had already been written. 🙂

Throughout his nearly two-hour performance (no breaks) we listened as story followed story then found its way home. One love affair unveiled another. Audience laughter shook the ceiling.  Listening, laughing, loving the experience, I thought of Mark Twain and how he, too, once shared his gift of spinning yarns in packed theaters.  Brilliant storytellers, the pair.

An amazing evening crowned by a long rambling side-trip back to the much beloved Lake Wobegon where “all the women are strong, all the men are good-looking, and all the children are above average.”

Thank you, my son! ∞


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Worry-Wart

“Worry often gives a small thing a big shadow.” ~ Swedish Proverb

I’m a worrier. I guess I always have been but I don’t think I realized it until a few years ago.

On a visit to Wisconsin, my siblings and I sat talking around the kitchen table one evening when I said something, although just now I can’t quite recall what.  I do remember that, after the chuckles subsided, my older brother said “Well, Deb always has been a worry-wart.”

A hundred-watt bulb lit up over my head. He was right, of course.  (Big brother is nearly always right.) So strange that I never realized the truth of his words until then.  I guess I figured everyone worried about their kids staying out late, and about loved ones driving in bad weather.  Didn’t everyone wonder if they’d turned off the stove before leaving home?  Didn’t everyone fret whether they’d locked the door, and shut the upstairs window?  In the mall parking lot, did I lock the car, or not?  Did I remember to charge my cell phone before I left on a road trip?  Did I bring the car charger?

I’ve generally kept my worry-wart nature hidden.  Few people know about it, except those closest to me.  Oh, and maybe the neighbors who observe my frequent returns to re-check the front door.  And now, those of you who are reading this post.

In her book, HEROES & HEROINES: Sixteen Master Archetypes, author Tami Cowden describes sixteen basic characteristics for heroes and heroines.  There isn’t a worrier among them.  None of my heroines have been worriers either.  I guess worry just isn’t a very heroic quality.

Still, I think it is a trait that might work well with a Nurturer – a mother who worries unduly.  Or a Waif who might worry about how she will find her next meal, even after she wins the lottery.  Or a Crusader who might worry over whether the greedy nuclear plant builders have built in enough safeguards.

Our heroes and heroines must be heroic but they must be real, too. Perfection creates boredom.  Heroes and heroines are more real when they have some inborn less-than-desirable quality to overcome.  Jealous, intolerant, greedy, vengeful, or lacking faith.  And one who, occasionally, worries.

I believe the reverse is true for villains.  Even Hannibal Lecter, among the most chillingly evil of villains, cared for and, in his own way, looked after Clarice.  I’d love to read about a villain who, in addition to his despicable nature, is also honest, caring, generous, or tolerant.  And yes, even one who worries.  ∞

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Domino Theory Revisited

“Dictators ride to and fro upon tigers which they dare not dismount.  And the tigers are getting hungry.” – Winston Churchill

The news was grim from Syria this week.  Dozens were killed, including two children, during security force clashes with protesters.  “We do not want your bread,” the people chanted in their marches. “We want dignity.”

Daily, the news continues from throughout the Middle East.  The reports, the photos, and videos are all similar in their horrible splendor.

In Egypt this week, after last month’s topple of 30-year President Mubarik, the police burned the Egyptian Interior Ministry building, a long-hated symbol of repression.  In Jordan, hundreds of Jordanians set up protest camps demanding broader freedoms and the ouster of the Prime Minister. In Yemen, white-collar professionals and students alike demanded the ouster of their President.  In Libya, multi-national government forces are are stepping in to protect the Libyan rebels from attacks by their own government’s troops.

Domino Theory updated

Throughout the Mideast protests and revolutions continue as more people in more countries step forth.  Spurred on by the internet, and by long-lived oppression, everyday folk are raising their fists and voices in defiance.  “We want dignity.”

In the mid-20th century, the United States government spoke often of the Domino Theory. This was the era of Communism and the Cold War. On news shows, in books, magazines, and news articles, reporters, writers, and talking heads speculated.  If one country fell to Communism, the next country would fall, then the next, and the next.  This Domino Theory was used to justify the war in South Vietnam and America’s intervention in other governments.  North Vietnam was a Communist country.  We could not allow South Vietnam to follow.

This year, the news from the Middle East has been volatile.  Tunisia, Egypt, Jordan, Yemen, Oman, Morocco, Libya, Kuwait, Syria . . . the dictators, like dominoes, are falling.  But they are not falling to Communism.  They are falling instead to the innate desire for free speech, and the freedom to live a more meaningful life.  It is a reverse sort of Domino Theory.

I write historical romance. I believe in the importance of studying history, and of happily-ever-after endings.  May the people who live in the lands surrounding the Mediterranean experience such an ending.  By raising their arms in protest they have already found dignity.  May they find freedom as well. ∞

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NJRW Chapter Meeting & Why I Belong

The New Jersey Romance Writers met Saturday, March 19, at the Hilton Woodbridge in Iselin, NJ. At the General Meeting, President Shirley Hailstock and NJRW’s Board updated members on the group’s finances, the new website, upcoming events including April’s Special Event, planning for October’s Put Your Heart in a Book conference, and the status of NJRW’s writing contests.  Hospitality Chair Val Luna handed out Hershey’s Kisses for those who submitted manuscripts since last month, Hershey’s Hugs for rejections, and a sprig of flowers for recipients of good news.  The Heartline Herald editor, Joan Raleigh, asked for member volunteers to write articles for the newsletter.  Volunteers are always needed and it is a great way to network.

Author Terri Brisbin

Member Kathye Thornton shared information about CTRWA’s upcoming Connecticut Fiction Fest 2011 on May 14 in North Haven, CT.  Keynote Speaker is Eloisa James.  Those attending will have the opportunity to pitch their books to acquiring editors and agents.  Noted authors will present workshops on a variety of topics.  All for only $99. Side note: I’ve learned Kathye has two how-to e-books (pdf) of interest – MS Word 2007 for Writers and also a guide for earlier Word versions.  Useful!

Member Terri Brisbin provided an update on NJRW’s exhibit at the NAIBA tradeshow to be held September 21-22 in Atlantic City.  NJRW will invite our published authors to man booths to sign their current releases and network independent booksellers.  The goal of our involvement is to promote the romance genre and provide information about local authors to the booksellers.

After the General Meeting and a short break, this months’ three featured authors presented their latest books then held a short book signing.  Included were Authors Terri Brisbin –  HIS ENEMY’S DAUGHTER, Shirley Hailstock – SOME LIKE THEM RICH, and Renee Ryan – DANGEROUS ALLIES.

Guest Speaker Renee Ryan

The monthly program featured author Renee Ryan who spoke on The Art of Layering: From First Draft to Final Manuscript. She began by stating that she received 187 rejection letters before selling her first book.  She kept them all.  She entered multiple contests and studied the craft of writing. After her first sale it would be nearly seven years before her next.  During that time she went back to studying craft and discovered the art of layering.  She said if we take away only one thing from her talk, we should remember “the one thing you control is your craft.”

Ms. Ryan discussed her eight-step process in layering.  Step One is to write a first draft.  After that, using examples from her work, she showed how to layer each scene with movement, senses, dialogue, emotion, and so on.  Layering makes the scene come alive.  It allows an author to show, not tell.  It allows for deep point of view letting the reader feel she is deep in the mind of the character.

NJRW President Shirley Hailstock

She also provided helpful tips, answering questions such as “What do I do if a scene isn’t working?” (Use highlighters to color code dialogue, emotion, etc.) and “How can I write what a tornado feels like if I’ve never been in one?”  (Watch You Tube!).

Sensational workshop, dynamic speaker!

News Flash…Renee Ryan chaired the RWA Workshop committee for RWA National in NYC this year.  Click here for the amazing line-up of workshops to be presented.

Following a pleasant lunch with our fellow writers down in the hotel’s restaurant, we went back upstairs where we broke into two groups. NJRW’s published authors met for a monthly Published Authors session.  President Shirley Hailstock led a useful Hands-On session for those not yet published.  Writers brought the first 250 words of their manuscripts for a fascinating and very helpful discussion about opening lines.

Simply one meeting, free and available monthly to members of NJRW.  One hand reaching forward, one hand reaching back – writers helping writers. It’s what RWA is all about. ∞

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Earthquakes & Flowers

We were parking our car in a Chinatown lot near the Philadelphia Convention Center when my sister called.  We had tickets for Springtime in Paris, the 2011 Philadelphia Flower Show. Paula’s voice held a note of urgency. She asked about our oldest son living in San Francisco, an untimely concern I thought.  We had not yet heard of Japan’s earthquake and the resulting tsunami reportedly headed toward the West Coast.

Walking into the flower show’s main gate seemed surreal. A possible tsunami was hours from San Francisco. The lines to the show were long and moved slowly. We could only wait. We entered under the arch of the Eiffel Tower, painted a light color against the black ceiling and awash with spotlights. Our son would return my call. Feathered and flowered carousel animals ran wild among blossoming cherry trees.  He would call soon; soon he did. Everywhere people stood in awe at the surrounding beauty. He and the rest of California were safe.

Surreal morphed into a vision, a landscape artist’s fantasy recreated inside the huge convention center. We strolled beyond the tower’s imposing structure and into a Parisian-inspired dreamland.

Sixty large scale gardens were featured.  We gazed on a Victorian salon adorned with flowers under glass, a floral decorated Patisserie, a carousel stage, an artist’s studio, a water lily pond and fountains, and an amazing shack inspired by the Louisiana Bayou and built by students. There was a topiary carved into Rodin’s The Thinker and another exhibit inspired by a painting of Edgar Degas.

After a few hours, we left the show and wandered across the street for lunch. The Reading Terminal is a fragrant, busy Marketplace dating from 1892.  It is filled with multiple markets — meats, fish, fresh produce, Philly Cheesesteaks, Amish bakeries, dining counters, and more.  Walking through the Reading Terminal alone would have been worth our trip to Philadelphia, but we had more flowers to see.

On our return, we encountered two polite protesters carrying a large banner.  They were part of a group protesting what they called PNC bank’s “environmental crimes” in Appalachia.  I later learned more about their protest in the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Once back inside, we wandered by prize-winning miniature gardens, then among the one-hundred and eighty unique vendor booths. Wood patio furniture, unique light fixtures, metalwork, a myriad of seeds and bulbs, and quality jewelry. I was attracted to a stall featuring intricate carved porcelain night lights.  The artist was Marty Kubicki from Irvine, California.  I admired his gorgeous artistry then he and I spent several minutes discussing news from Japan and the west coast.

Finally, with feet aching from long hours on concrete, my husband and I left for the parking lot, then drove out of the city.  Late that day, as we settled into our suburban hotel room, we watched broadcasts of the heart-breaking devastation in Japan.

My stories are set in other time periods, before thoughts and pictures could fly around the world in seconds.  On Friday, in the course of a few hours I learned of a horrific earthquake and a possible tsunami, but that my son and the state of California were safe.

What must it have been like for those who lived in earlier times?  How did a woman cope when her husband or sons went off to fight in the Civil War?  Not knowing.  How did 18th century parents manage when their children moved to the new world, not knowing if they would see them again?

Writing historical fiction takes more than just research.  It takes immersing oneself into a different time and culture.  The creators of the gardens at the 2011 Philadelphia Flower Show immersed themselves in the Parisian culture, and were inspired to create awesome scenes. As writers we must do the same.  Doing so brings life to our vision of the world.

My heartfelt thoughts and prayers go out to the families of those lost in Japan. ∞

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A Family for your Characters

My mom and dad divorced before my 2nd birthday. Within a few months, Mom moved to another state and remarried.  She’d known my step-dad since their childhood in northern Minnesota.  My older brother and I grew up in a household with Mom, our step-dad, and ultimately five other siblings.  Our younger brother, Tim, died in an accident when he was four and I was eight.   His death forever touched our lives.

My Great-Grandparents, Godiace & Alphonsine - With their children about 1910

Both my real dad and step-dad were working men who started and ran their own businesses. Through the years Mom tended house, raised her children, baked, read, and sold Avon.   Nearby lived our aunts and uncles and many, many cousins.  We visited a lot.  One of our uncles was an elementary school teacher with a passion for knowledge, a true Renaissance man who, among other pursuits, played guitar, carved Nordic tree sculptures, and boiled down road kill for the skulls.

Who we all became as adults was a direct result of the childhood we lived through together.

The Maher Siblings, around 1920

George Santayana called the family “one of nature’s masterpieces.”  For all its faults and even dis-functionality at times, I view my family as such.  Somehow, despite familial squabbles, when things matter we band together.  My siblings, my cousins, and I share much more than blood kinship, much more than common strands of DNA.  We share the common bond of memories from growing up together.  And I love them all.

When developing the protagonists for my books, even before I write about them, I must create and come to understand their family lives.  Did they grow up wealthy or poor?  How many siblings?  What was their education?  Where did they live?  Rural, urban, apartment, mansion, log cabin?  What part of the country, and when?  What was their family heritage – Irish or English? American or French?  Norwegian or German?  Did they or their parents fight in a war?  What is their religion?  What was their role in the family – big brother, pacifist, troublemaker, caretaker?  Are their parents still living?  What was their relationship with them?  Who was most important in their lives – a parent, a sibling, a pet, a favored aunt?  Why?

The Ueland Siblings - 1973

I cannot paint my hero’s, my heroine’s, or even my villain’s personality without first developing then understanding their families.  Not every aspect of this information must be written directly into the book; in fact, it’s generally better if it isn’t.  But I need to know it, and I need to understand it.  Their family life is part of their background.  It shapes who my characters are.  Equally as important, it shapes their motivation in the story.  It makes them come alive.

Creating family backgrounds is also essential in creating the book’s core conflict.  But I guess that’s for another blog.   🙂    ∞

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Hylda’s Husband

A few days ago I wrote about Hylda Schmeling whose charming photos I’d discovered in a Goodwill store.  I relayed details of her life that I’d found in a quick online search.

The Crimson - 1916

Hylda so intrigued me that yesterday I spent an hour or so researching her husband.  It occurred to me that he’d probably graduated from her high school.  Sure enough that’s where I found him, in the pages of The Crimson, their 1916 high school yearbook.

Next to Paul Jenson’s picture, the caption read “A moral, sensible and well-bred man.” It went on to say that he’d entered as a Junior from Park Region Prep School in Minnesota.  In the two years he attended the high school, he was active.  Along with the class play and other activities, he played basketball and was assistant business manager of The Crimson.

The class prophecy jests that he would be President of the Hole-Proof Sock Factory. Another humorous entry jokes about his love of silk socks.  His nickname, like his future wife’s would be, was “Jens”.  His virtue was his good looks, and his favorite expression was “dammit”.   (A more innocent time. :smile:)  He was voted the “greatest doll” and, in a section called “Wouldn’t you like to see”…it reads “Paul Jenson not all dolled up.”  Vivid images.

Paul H. Jenson

Jody Allen, a WisRWA friend, suggested I search for Paul’s military records.  The only listing I found at Ancestry.com was a copy of his draft registration for World War I.   It was signed June 5, 1917, nine days before his marriage to Hylda Schmeling.  So it was a military wedding of sorts.  He was leaving for war; they wanted to marry before he left.  Can you imagine their emotions?

I took another look at census records and found him in the 1900 and 1910 records. His father was from Norway; he’s listed as a Bank Cashier. In 1920, I found Paul and Hylda Jenson living in Edgerton, Wisconsin.  So he did make it home from the war! As his father was, he too was a banker.

After that I can find nothing more of Paul and Hylda.  I’m not sure I want to.

From these raw tidbits of information, I feel I’ve come to know enough about the couple to create outlines.  From there my story will morph into the fun stuff of fiction.  She’s the musically gifted daughter of a well-off German immigrant.  He’s the son of a Norwegian banker who’s just returned from the horrors of fighting in WWI.  As I ponder these two personalities and their backgrounds, a conflict takes root.  A new story begins. ∞