Category: Uncategorized

Diane Chamberlain Author Event

Hearing a published author speak is one of my favorite things to do. I had the opportunity to attend a presentation by Diane Chamberlain yesterday afternoon at the Ashe County Public Library in West Jefferson, North Carolina. Her appearance was part of the annual Ashe County Arts Council’s On the Same Page Book Festival.

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View of downtown West Jefferson, NC from the Ashe County Public Library in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains.

In her opening remarks, Ms. Chamberlain said that her books are “part suspense, part mystery, and 100% family drama.” She quoted a Japanese fan who wrote, “You make me believe life is beautiful even if it is full of pain and rage.”

As is the case with most authors, Ms. Chamberlain’s publishing journey was tough. She said that a writer needs three things in order to get published:  “talent, perseverance, and luck.” She started writing her first novel in 1981, but it was not published until 1989. She kept writing and finally got lucky in 2008. Her book, The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes, was chosen as the Target Book Club Book one month which meant it was prominently displayed in every Target store.

Also in 1981, the wife of a United Kingdom publisher visited Ms. Chamberlain’s publisher in the U.S. and requested a book to read on her flight back to England. The book she was handed was the CeeCee Wilkes book. After reading it on her way home, she told her husband that he had to publish it in the U.K. She has been published in the U.S. and the U.K. ever since.

Each of Ms. Chamberlain’s books is different. She enjoys finding the perfect setting for each of her novels and draws from her own life experiences, including her education and first career in the field of psychology. I found it interesting that she occasionally asks her fans on the Diane Chamberlain Readers Facebook page to suggest names for characters or locations. She related an amusing story about how for a while she got ideas for male characters by going on an online dating site.

I’ll save some of Ms. Chamberlain’s comments about her 2015 novel, Pretending to Dance, for my blog post in a couple of weeks after Rocky River Readers Book Club meets to discuss the book.

Until my next blog post, I hope you have a good book to read — perhaps one of Diane Chamberlain’s best-selling novels.

Janet

Disclaimer: I attended this event and wrote this blog post on my own volition and received no compensation for endorsing Diane Chamberlain’s books.

How To Write a Compelling Title For Your Book

I thought it was appropriate for me to reblog Matthew Wright’s blog post about choosing the name for a book just several days after my blog about the importance of a book’s first line(s).

Why Comparing Yourself to Other Writers Doesn’t Make Sense

This is my first attempt to reblog someone else’s blog post. This young blogger shows a lot of wisdom in this piece. If you are a struggling writer like I am, you might benefit from reading Meg Dowell’s words.

What I read in August

It was great to get back on track with reading after a couple of months of not being able to read due to shingles in my right eye. I was fortunate in August to read the four books I’ll write about below.

When I got shingles in May, I had read the first half of Most Wanted, by Lisa Scottoline. It is a popular book, so it took several weeks for me to get it from the public library after I was able to read. Most Wanted is a suspenseful novel about a couple who used the services of a sperm bank and then the wife fears that their donor is a serial killer.

The Bookseller, by Cynthia Swanson was not what I expected, but it turned out to be a page-turner after all. I was drawn to the novel by its title; however, the fact that the protagonist is a bookseller is not an integral part of the story. I was also prompted to check out the book because it is Ms. Swanson’s debut novel. The book’s premise is that Kitty Miller’s life blurs between her reality and the life she lives in her dreams. The deeper into the book one gets, the less clear it is which life is real and which one is only in her dreams. I was impressed with the author’s ability to move back and forth between the two story lines, and I look forward to her future books.

I had not planned to read two Lisa Scottoline books in August, but I rose to the top of the public library waitlist for her latest novel, Damaged. This is in Ms. Scottoline’s Rosato and DiNunzio law firm series. Once again, Mary DiNunzio gets herself in a tangled mess when she agrees to represent a 10-year-old special needs child who is not being adequately served by the school he attends. Like any good novel, just when you think things can’t get any worse — they do.

I read a nonfiction book in August whose characters will remain with me forever. Robert Weintraub’s No Better Friend: One Man, One Dog, and Their Extraordinary Story of Courage and Survival in WWII is the amazing story of a pointer named Judy and a British soldier named Frank Williams. Man and dog were held as prisoners by the Japanese during World War II. Judy seemed to have a sixth sense that enabled her to react in uncanny ways not only to move through the war with Mr. Williams but also to save the lives of Allied soldiers on more than one occasion. This true story escaped my knowledge until this summer. I’m glad it was displayed in such a way in an independent bookstore that it caught my eye. I’m a richer person for having read this book.

I wish for you a good book to read and, if you are a writer, productive hours of writing.

Janet

Still catching up on e-mail

After being close to home except for medial appointments and church attendance for most of the spring and summer, I had a weekend in the mountains of North Carolina and several days with family in the Atlanta area earlier this week. It was refreshing to see some different scenery. The Blue Ridge and Smoky Mountains always lift my spirits. It felt good to see my brother’s family for the first time since December.

It is now time for me to start tackling the mountain of e-mails (more than 400) that have accumulated since I got shingles in early May. A few of them are personal, but most are from writing, quilting, or author sites or are notifications about the various blogs I follow.

I would be remiss if I did not comment on the history made last night at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia. I was beginning to wonder if I would live to see a woman nominated for US President by one of the two major political parties. Hillary Clinton accepted her party’s nomination last night. It was quite a moment for this old political science major! Our nation is 240 years old. It’s about time!

Until next Friday, happy reading!

Janet

Shingles in Right Eye

Just a note to let you know that the shingles virus has transitioned into postherpetic neuralgia. My eye is healing beautifully, but the burning pain due to damaged nerves throughout the right side of my head is presenting quite a challenge and can last for months. I am still unable to read or do much at all, so my writing is almost at a standstill.

I hope to be able to resume blogging in a few weeks.

Should I Self-Publish My Novel?

I have always wanted my historical novel, The Spanish Coin, to be published by a publishing house. That desire was based on my thinking that would be a stamp of approval for my writing skills. Being published by a publishing house would validate me as an author.

My thoughts have changed recently. The publishing business is changing so fast that self-publishing is becoming more acceptable. I’m not getting any younger, the road to securing the services of a literary agent and eventually (maybe) getting my manuscript picked up by a publisher, and something like 18 months later seeing the book in print make me rethink things.

My main reason for writing is not to make money; however, reaching the point where my income from writing escalates from the Internal Revenue Service categorizing it as a “hobby” to recognizing it as my profession would be rewarding. The royalties earned by self-publishing appear to far exceed those paid by publishing houses.

I write because I’m compelled to do so. As a child, I kept diaries. Diaries in the early 1960s only provided a space approximately one inch by three inches for each day’s comments. I quickly outgrew that format and took to using notebook paper. That way I could write as much as I wanted to each day. I kept such a journal during middle and high school, some during college, and sporadically throughout my adult life. It always surprises me when I hear someone say they don’t like to write. I can’t imagine!

The fact that the self-published author has to do his own marketing is often labeled a detriment when writers list the pros and cons of that route, but the other side of the coin is that the author has full control over getting the word out about his book. Although my vintage postcard book, The Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, was published by a history book publisher, most of the marketing of the book fell on my shoulders.

The more I read about self-publishing, the more I think it just might be the way for me to go. Before I make that decision, though, I must do some research to determine how readers of historical fiction prefer their books. Do they prefer e-books or traditional books? If they prefer e-books, I must research all my self-publishing options — which already seems like comparing apples to oranges — so I can make an educated decision.

Like so many facets of the business of writing, sorting through all the options of publishing can feel overwhelming. For now, I need to concentrate on finishing The Spanish Coin and getting it professionally edited.

I plan to blog about my progress on my novel the end of every month.

Janet

 

King’s Mountain: A Ballad Novel, by Sharyn McCrumb

King’s Mountain: A Ballad Novel, by Sharyn McCrumb was this month’s selection for discussion by Rocky River Readers Book Club. I looked forward to reading it. I even checked it out from the library, but I didn’t get it read. After sitting in on the discussion a couple of hours ago, though, I will definitely read it. After all, historical fiction is my first love, and I had ancestors who took part in the Battle of King’s Mountain on October 7, 1780. In fact, they lived within shouting distance of the battle.

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Sharyn McCrumb is meticulous when it comes to doing the historical research to back up her novels. I had the pleasure of hearing her speak in Wilkesboro, North Carolina several years ago, and I was tremendously impressed with the depth of her research. She sets the bar high for would-be historical fiction writers like me.

The majority of King’s Mountain: A Ballad Novel gives the history of what led up to this battle of the American Revolution and personal stories of people who actually participated in the battle or supported those people. The Americans who took part in the battle were farmers who made up various companies of militia. They were up against Gen. Patrick Ferguson and his British troops under the command of General Cornwallis. Ferguson is remembered for his harsh treatment of American patriots.

Although the Redcoats took a position on the mountain, the militiamen won the battle and set things in motion for another Cornwallis defeat at Guilford Courthouse the following spring and the surrender of the British at Yorktown.

The discussion at the book club meeting really piqued my interest in the book for all the interesting personal stories about the participants in the Battle of King’s Mountain, such as Mary Patton making gunpowder; Ferguson having a chance to shoot George Washington but, thinking he would have a chance on the battlefield, deciding to wait; and Davy Crockett’s connection with Gov. John Sevier of Tennessee. The discussion also makes me want to visit the King’s Mountain National Battlefield again.

On another note, everything I read about blogging tells me that I need to do it on a schedule, as in at the same time on the same day(s) of the week. I’m making an effort to blog on Mondays and Fridays. Doing it at the same time? That will be a work in progress!

Janet

World Book and Copyright Day

April 23, 2016 is World Book and Copyright Day. Thank goodness our creative work is protected by copyright laws! Some people will, of course, find ways to use another’s work and claim it as their own. The author does, however, have recourse through the court system when infractions are discovered. I’ve never had to go that route. I’m sure it’s a hassle. Expense is always involved when  you have to sue someone.

The closest I’ve come to such a problem was after my sister and I published three genealogy books in 1996. A religious organization based in Utah asked us for permission to put all the information from our books online. We were floored! We had just sunk thousands of dollars into getting 500 hardcover copies of each book printed and knew it would take us years to recoup our money, so our answer was an unequivocal, “No!” We were just glad they asked us before they acted.

There was also a case a few years ago when I was asked to write an article for a genealogical society’s quarterly journal. I was flattered and thrilled to do so. After preparing the journal for printing, the editor was kind enough to send me a copy of my article to proofread. Imagine my shock when I discovered that she had added sentences here and there without indicating they were editor’s notes. It wouldn’t have been so bad if the information she had added had been true, but none of it was! When I called her on it, she said the content she had added had been assumptions. Since she did not see that she had done anything wrong, I pulled my article from her publication. It is a respected journal, so it saddens me now to know that nothing in it can be trusted. The editor was not claiming my work as her own, but my credibility as a writer and a historian would have been tarnished if the misinformation she inserted in my article had been published.

On April 5, 2016 Janice Wald of the blog, MostlyBlogging.com, shared a guest post by Kathleen Aherne. Ms. Ahearne’s website is called “The Blogger’s Lifestyle,” and her blog’s address is http://www.kathleenaherne.com/the-blog/. Her April 5 blog is a good source for the basics about copyright and plagiarism as those issues pertain to writing a blog. The post addresses images as well as the written word.

Unless an article or book is identified as fiction, we trust the author or editor. Once that trust is broken, it can never be completely restored.

Until next time,

Janet