Category: writing

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Cool Gifts for Indie Authors and Creative Writers (and those who know them!)

One of the neat things about being connected with authors and fans is getting the scoop when they launch new endeavors.

In this case, it’s a cool (relatively) new online store created by an author, for authors (and those who support/appreciate/work with them) offering a wide assortment of mugs, spiral bound notebooks and t-shirts that are perfect for indie authors, creative writers, editors, ghostwriters, cover artists…the whole shebang.

Head on over to the Write Stuff store and check it out. Hint: this could make your holiday shopping a little easier. 😉

Here are some pics of the merch to tickle your curiosity.

 

 

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Exciting news!

If you’re a reader, you may or may not be familiar with Michael Anderle’s Kurtherian Gambit Universe. If you haven’t heard of it, then you might want to check it out. Seriously. Just be prepared to spend hours/days/months devouring all the books currently available, with more coming out faster than you ever thought books could be published. To say that he and the rest of the Kurtherian and Oriceran authors over at LMBPN Publishing are on an aggressive rapid-release schedule is putting it very mildly.

Back to being familiar with the Kurtherian Gambit Universe. One of the very special things that Micheal created was an opportunity for fans to write stories within his universe and have them published under LMBPN’s banner. You read that right: fanfic that is sanctioned and published by the universe’s creator. Obviously, there are rules to follow and only select stories as voted in by readers make the cut, but it’s yet another thing that sets this universe apart. The best-selling first anthology, Tales from the Kurtherian Universe: Fans Write For The Fans: Book 1 was such a hit with readers, fans, authors and admins alike, that he was asked if another anthology could happen.

Enter Tales from the Kurtherian Universe: Fans Write For The Fans: Book 2.

The process of getting a new anthology into the works started back in February. Several people decided to try their hand at writing a short story (or three, or five) for consideration. Many of them had never written a story of any kind before. Others had done some writing but were shy about sharing. A few were already dedicated to pursuing a lifelong dream and leaped on the chance to share the stories living in their heads that had been inspired by the books they so eagerly devoured.

Throughout all the weeks of writing, sharing, fixing of canon issues, initial editing, and the myriad other things that happen when a bunch of individuals exercises their creativity with the full support and encouragement of their fellow fans and readers, a lot of magic happened.

When the formal submission link opened in April, twenty-six short stories and poems were submitted for review before the submission close deadline was reached. One of them was mine.

Fast-forward through the reading period, the tallying of votes, the announcement that not one, but TWO new anthologies would be happening because so many stories met the criteria for inclusion (Book 3 is due to release later this year; September, I believe), the contract signing, and the formal editing and JIT processes to publishing.

Yesterday was a nerve-wracking day. LMBPN hit “Publish” early in the morning. Amazon was apparently backlogged, so the book didn’t release until early evening. I and six other newly-minted authors were all but coming out of our skin waiting for the book to launch. I can’t speak for the other two authors whose works are also in Book 2; one of them is an established author in the KGU and with his independent works, the other was published in Book 1. Our fellow fans and readers were equally impatient for the launch. I truly don’t know who cheered loudest when the link was finally available: all I know is that it was resounding, as evidenced by the coveted orange “Bestseller” tag that appeared on the book less than twelve hours after launch.

As I write this, Book 2 is currently ranked:

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Thank you. Thank you to all the fans and readers around the world who not only encouraged my fellow authors and me to write and share our creations but who support us and LMBPN Publishing in every way that matters. You all rock.

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Create Awesome Content by ‘Keeping it Real’

You can create the change you want to see

The amount of conflicting advice we’re bombarded with about how to produce good content is staggering. I particularly loved this post from Pace Smith and Sonia Simone on Copyblogger: How to be a World-Changing Writer. They did an awesome job of cutting through the clutter to get to the heart of the  subject. Their key points? Make it meaningful, ‘sticky’ and authentic. And while their post is geared toward writing, the principles certainly apply to other content types as well. Give it a read; I promise it’s worth your time.

Photo credit: Flickr user woodleywonderworks

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Musings on Life, Habits and Censorship

BLBC Official EntryI’ve been racking my brain for a way to write about censorship ever since  Emily announced it as the theme for the Brave Little Blogger Contest she’s running over on Suess’s Pieces (#BLBC12 on Twitter). It’s not that I don’t have opinions about the matter; it’s that I couldn’t nail down an aspect of it that I wanted to tackle in writing. Until tonight, that is.

It occurred to me as I was sitting here thinking about the uncomfortable, painful and otherwise upsetting stuff going on in my life right now that I’ve been censoring myself in what I say and do. Very heavily, in fact, in an effort to keep from making said uncomfortable, painful and upsetting stuff even worse. For example, when it comes to discussing certain “hot” issues about the situation, I’m picking and choosing my words, tone of voice—and even times of day—very carefully, in a method that’s calculated to be the least inflammatory for all parties involved. I’m doing this in spite of my unruly emotions and true thoughts on the matter (which, incidentally, frequently rival those portrayed on almost any TV show you care to name). And as I started to explore this notion of self-censorship a little further, I realized that we’re taught from our earliest ages to censor ourselves at all times.

“Uh, what? Are you out of your mind??”

No, I’m not out of my mind. Or at least no further out of it than usual 😉 Go beyond the instinctive knee-jerk reaction and think about it. Maybe these phrases ring a bell: “Mind your manners.” “You can’t say that.” “Be polite.” “No running or jumping.” “Hide what you’re feeling so others can’t use it against you.” “Keep all public displays of affection clean and tasteful.” Sound familiar? They’re all things we’re taught and constantly reminded to do from birth until death, couched as instructions for proper behavior within society—and every last one of them is censorship masquerading as polite behavior. They become deeply ingrained habits; most of us don’t even realize we’re practicing a subtle form of censorship when we continue that behavior day after day.

Now, I’m not saying I don’t understand the reasons for this type of censorship to be in use. I do, and in large part agree that we need some filters to keep us coexisting at least semi-peacefully. Let’s face it: without these “rules for polite society” we’d probably all be dead and the cockroaches would be ruling the planet, since we humans don’t play well with each other. But other interesting questions arise from that train of thought: how much censorship is too much? Who decides? And what if we disagree?

Makes you think, doesn’t it?

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New Beginnings

As I set up this brand-spanking-new blog and start generating its first post, the question in my mind isn’t “where to start,” it’s a reiteration to myself of the words I chose for My 3 Words for 2012:  Believe. Dare. Do.the road to 2012 (image)

If you’ve made it to my About page already, or you read my 2011 guest post on Brass Tack Thinking, then you probably have an idea of why I chose the three words I did. Yes, they’re intensely personal and deal with some issues I have, along with being gentle reminders about some core values and treating others decently. No, I’m not saying you have to adopt the same three (or even that you’d define them the same way). But for me, they’re a reminder of a promise I made to myself of the direction I want my life to head in as I move forward.

Believe.
I’m working to instill a greater belief in myself – my skills, capabilities and self-esteem – and that I can do the things I want to do with my life. Yes, it’s sometimes an uphill battle but each step forward is a victory over that internal voice of fear that says “I can’t” or “what if I fail.”

Dare.
I’m pushing myself to try new things, step out of my comfort zone, and share more of “me” with others. Publicly, without expectation of return, and without panicking (okay, maybe not that last one…yet). I may decide that some of the things I try just aren’t for me in the long run, but at least I will have tested the waters, so to speak, and made a conscious choice about them.

Do.
I’ve committed to learn more, to grow both personally and professionally, to share lessons learned and experiences (good and bad), to act where my training, conscience and ethics tell me I should, and to be kinder to myself and others. And let me tell you, being kinder to myself is the hardest one on this list!

It’ll be interesting to see where my three words lead me in 2012. Hopefully it will be a time of (mostly) wondrous discovery and fun. And whether you chose resolutions, three words, or nothing at all, I hope 2012 brings all of us health, enjoyment, peace and prosperity.

Photo credit: Daily Cool Pics