denise Leora madre

A few weeks ago, I took a few weeks off from writing to do something I haven’t done in quite some time. I read a book. Not a blog. Not fanfiction online. Not an eBook. But an actual book: a shiny, hard-copy of a novel with tangible pages printed with black ink. And I know eBooks are books too, so please don’t misunderstand me. But I didn’t grow up in the digital era, and as a reader, my heart prefers the book I can touch to the one on a touchscreen. (Though as an author, I look forward to seeing my name on both) Anyway, I read not only a novel but a memoir as well. And I relished them both. They somehow knew what I needed and satisfied my soul in a most delicious way. I could not wait to tell you about the insights and life-changing nuggets I derived from them. But I did wait. And wait and wait and wait. And now I have a problem. I’ve lost the magic.

Image courtesy of mack2happy / FreeDigitalPhotos.net Hey. I haven’t been avoiding you. Really. It’s been a busy time for me. What, with the start of spring, my new blog, and all that. Oh, sorry. Let me introduce you.  Book, this is Blog, the place I created in your honor. Blog, this is Book, the manuscript I've been telling you about. I'm thinking you two can help each other. Anyway, you seem well. Pages properly numbered, double-spaced as always. I noticed a few typos in my recent read-through, but those aren’t important right now. You know, Book, over the years we both have changed: shifted focus, gained and lost weight, added and deleted characters from our lives, even changed our names. And by now, you should know how much I admire and believe in you. I know greatness lies within you, longing to be unleashed. With that in mind, we need to discuss the editor’s recommendations. Namely, what I plan to do with them.

Image courtesy of anankkml / FreeDigitalPhotos.net Today is Good Friday, the day Christians remember the death of Christ. We remember this essential act of humility, his seminal sacrifice. We remember the deep love and commitment which held him to the cross and the life-changing affect it has on us today. We remember and we celebrate. What does that have to do with writing? Everything. The modern writer has so much to think about she might forget she’s a writer. For she is also an editor, a blogger, a self-critic, a publicist. She is a seeker of structure, an avoider of clichés, a stickler for grammar. But beneath it all, informing and fueling it all, is a simple truth. She is a woman with words within.

Image Courtesy of dan / FreeDigitalPhotos.net “To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven…. a time to keep silence, and a time to speak.” -           Ecclesiastes 3:1, 7b That phrase interests me—“keep silence.” Not “silent” the adjective but “silence” the noun, an object to be grasped and coveted. A tangible gift. And a gift it is, this gift of silence. Recent technical difficulties rendered me unable to check my email on my phone for a few days. From my laptop, I finally logged into the first account and was dismayed by the congestion in my Inbox. Of the twenty-some-odd messages, less than a handful were person-to-person and most of the rest were undesired. “Why am I getting updates from randomwebsiteIvisitedonce.com? How did this happen?”

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles / FreeDigitalPhotos.net So I have started a blog. (You know that. You're reading it now...)  And though I am excited and proud of myself for adding my voice to the blogosphere chorus, a small yet insistent part of me wonders, “What on earth have I written myself into?” You see, blogging is no longer—if it ever was—a cute little way to indulge your interest in or ire toward a subject. Blogging, for the writer especially, is critical for a successful career. It provides a platform for your perspective, gives your readers insight to your slant on life, and proves your marketability beyond the opinions of your mom, best friend, and collection of house plants. And here I thought I was blogging for fun.

A terrific and essential pre-publishing to-do list for any writer. Hang it on your fridge, tape it to your bathroom mirror, and bookmark it to your browser's favorites so you always know where it is. Happy Thursday, all! http://selfpublishingteam.com/book-marketing-before-book-published/

As some of you know, I am an avid reader and writer of Twilight fanfiction . And the reader in me is delighted to announce a new story by dear friend and fellow Twiwriter Cassandra Lowery entitled Only by Moonlight : "Due to some serious roommate problems, Bella Swan has to find new student housing mid-semester and fortunately finds a room to rent in a lovely Victorian home near the University of Chicago campus. But a set of mysterious circumstances set Bella on edge, challenging her beliefs about the afterlife...and love." I am doubly excited about this story not only as a fan-- "Evening Star" was the first Twilight fanfiction I ever read on Fanfiction.net --but because I have been blessed with the task of pre-reading her story, giving me the inside scoop and the privilege of previewing. Whoo-hoo! I have loved everything Cassandra has written since Evening Star , and I know you will too. So check out her blog post then boogie on over to her page for so...