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Monday, June 27, 2016
Saturday, June 25, 2016
Thursday, June 23, 2016
Monday, June 20, 2016
The Effective Author: Getting the Support You Need
As an author, you often spend time in solitude, with your laptop or other tools. Most authors are introverts and prefer being in solitude. That makes sense; you’re alone, and you need that time away from other people, so you can concentrate. But even if you’re an introvert, don’t you some-times feel like you’re floating Out There, disconnected?
Perhaps you even feel lonely. Many authors feel intellectually lonely. They’re missing trusted souls with whom to toss around ideas, not just for plots, characters, themes and points, but for book promotion ideas and tips on the latest in social media.
So how would you find such people? How do you develop connections? Especially if you just hate socializing? Here are five ways, ranked from least challenging to most challenging, for an introvert.
1. Go to signings, talks or classes and just observe from the back. Start by reading this newsletter. Really read it, looking for announcements of events the members of this Association offer, and events the organization itself offers (See #2). There is an incredible array of knowledge and talent in this organization. Pick a short event to start, like a signing or a morning talk at a library. You don’t have to chat with anyone. Just get some new ideas, listen to the questions and answers. Start thinking of questions you would like to ask: authors’ writing schedules, traditional publishers versus independent publishing, illustrating, niche areas for writers, copyrights and trademarks, development of characters, use of colorful language, setting scenes. The possibilities are endless. Make a lot of notes on areas in which you would like to connect with more information and/or some support.
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| Book signing at the Glendale Chocolate Affaire (Romance) |
2. Visit a writers’ club. The Arizona Authors’ Association has different kinds of gatherings from time to time, including table sharing at some book festivals. Other writers’ groups may have speakers at dinner meetings. At any of these events, you can enrich your knowledge of writing, publishing, and marketing. And you can smile at the people on either side of you, if you like. When you feel comfortable, start asking your questions. Authors are generally kind and helpful. You may be surprised at the ease you begin to feel.
3. Find a Meetup. Go to Meetup.com and search for writers’ groups and book clubs. Take as long as you like to look over the programs they’ve been having and the location, level and nature of each group. Some are more like classes and some are open-format. You might like to start with a book club, simply to meet nice people who like books. Look around for groups in your area. Sleep on it. Then pick something and try it out. You may find kindred souls and friends for a lifetime, through reading the same book or sharing ideas. Smile when you feel good. Smiles connect people.
4. Make friends at book festivals. Book festivals require no commitment on your part, as an attendee. It’s fun to wander through, listening to each writer’s stories and their passions about their books. If you’re already published, be brave and sign up to sell or share a sales table. Ask your table mate or a nearby author to take quick photos of you and your display. Study their display, ask about it, and offer to take photos for them. Find out what got them started in writing and in writing their present book or series. You may find you’ve not only met a delightful new friend, but you’ve also found another form of writing you would like to explore. If the book festival has speakers, take in as many of those as you can. The people sitting near you will have interests similar to yours, and trading comments may lead to laughs, coffee, and possible future connections. You will enjoy seeing them again at other book events. Find out what events or classes they enjoy. Which would you also enjoy?
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| Tucson Festival of Books (annual event in March) |
5. Join or start a critique group. Whatever your niche, it’s very mind-opening to have a critique group made up of writers with projects totally unlike yours. The very fact that these people cannot be your competitors may make you more comfortable with them and their observations. Give the group at least 6 months. Remember, it isn’t simply the critiquing you’re there for. It’s the mixing and mutual support. It’s the stimulation and learning. By now, you may be finding you’re offering advice and even mentoring others.
Feel your smile dancing across your face as you enjoy the ride of authorship more and more. And notice your productivity rising as you realize you now are getting the stimulation, connection, and support you need. To connect, try some events. See how fun and varied the world of writing is. Realize how interesting and often witty the other authors can be.
Kebba Buckley Button is a stress management expert. She also has a natural healing practice and is an ordained minister. She is the author of the award-winning book, Discover The Secret Energized You plus the 2013 book, Peace Within: Your Peaceful Inner Core, Second Edition. Her newest book is Sacred Meditation: Embracing the Divine. Both that book and Peace Within are available through her office. Email books@kebba.com.
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Sunday, June 19, 2016
Monday, June 13, 2016
Phoenix Comicon 2016 - by Vijaya Schartz
If you like Sci-fi, you are probably a geek, and you are not alone. On June 2-5, over 90,000 people braved the 115-degree heat to attend the 2016 Phoenix Comicon, and discover their inner geek. And it was worth it. The city had to close some roads for the block parties, and the heavy construction on 7th Street made traffic a nightmare, but that did not stop the fans.
I attended as an exhibitor, signing my novels at a small table with my author friend in geekdom, Linda Andrews. This was our third Phoenix Comicon together, and it has been the best so far. We were ensconced between two booths with tall displays of graphic art, with the artist selling on one side, and another drawing your caricatures as your favorite character. For four days, we watched the crowd, many in full costumes, cruise by our modest display. Many of the vendors sold costumes, wigs, light sabers, and all the geeky paraphernalia you can only find in specialized shops and at Comicon. And among all these convention goers, there were readers. Some only stopped to admire the covers, but others actually liked to read good sci-fi or fantasy books.
Many other Arizona authors exhibited and signed their books at this popular convention, and if you were there, you probably met them, as it's a favorite spot for writers of science fiction, comic books, and fantasy.
You meet some interesting characters, some funny, and some scary. I particularly liked these two:
Fans could take selfies with their favorite DC character in authentic costume, there were contests for the largest group of the same character Cosplay. Fans attended panels with their favorite sci-fi movie stars. Everyone had a blast. This is heaven for gamers, artists, writers, and fans.
I was honored to be singled out by a famous Cosplay character, the best in his trade, a local celebrity in full costume, impersonating "Ex Excessive." I love the concept as well as the costume. Who wouldn't fall for these gorgeous black wings. He is local, his name is Trevor Gahona, and he gave me one of his roses. You can see it as a red dot of color on my table. Here is one of his official pictures in costume taken at the convention. What did I tell you?
In other words, I had a fantastic Phoenix Comicon, and I'll be back next year for sure. This event is a highlight of the year. I loved it. Hope to see you there next year.
Vijaya Schartz, author
Blasters, Swords, Romance with a Kick
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Tuesday, June 7, 2016
Recap for January, March, April and May
A massive recap to catch y’all on the comings and goings of the KDP Facebook page. Go there, like it and be in the loop. I’ll post photos of dogs to please you, it’s what I do.
January 1st and happy Adopt-a-versary to the Supreme Being of Goodness and Light, Waffles
or something.
Honestly, I would be a sucky ass inspirational speaker. But man is Sox so cool. And you are too!
What are you waiting for?
(I can’t wait to show you more of this little cloud!)
And you can’t convince me otherwise.
That’s Waffle’s motto.
The post Recap for January, March, April and May appeared first on Kira DeDecker Photography Blog.
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Monday, June 6, 2016
The Inevitable Author—No Time to Write! by Kathleen Cook
The deadline for my column crept up on me before I realized it, and I’m ashamed to say that I was shocked when our newsletter editor, Cherie, emailed with, “Are you writing a column this time?” I usually have it prepared a couple of weeks in advance, or at least the first draft of it. This time, life got in the way and I thought, “I have no time to write!” Does that ever happen to you?
It seems that lately, people tend to concentrate on things that provide instant gratification. You go to the store so that you can prepare tonight’s meal. You work to earn this week’s paycheck. When you don’t see an instant benefit from your writing, you tend to get discouraged, put it off, and say, “There are just too many other things to do.”
Writing is never an instant gratification process unless, of course, you’re in school and you receive an “A+” for your efforts. Writing, rather, is like constructing a quilt. Each story that you write, each newsletter column, article, or book, makes up the kind of writer you are, the body of work that personifies your talent. When you stare at an unfinished quilt in the corner of your sewing room for too long, you tend to lose interest in it or grow discouraged. If you work on it faithfully, however, a scrap here, a square there, a pattern here, you begin to see what your readers see … an evolution of beauty, clarity and “wholeness.”
There’s an old Buddhist saying that struck a chord with me. It read, “Everyone should meditate for 10 minutes a day unless they are busy. If they are busy, then they should meditate for an hour a day.” If you think about it, this is so true. The busier you are, the more you need to sit back, relax, and concentrate on the things that make up the big picture of you, your talents, your achievements, your soul.
For many Arizona Authors’ Association members, our writing craft makes up a significant portion of our legacy to the future. Each writing effort adds richness to the whole of that future we leave behind for our readers, even if our readers consist only of our family and friends. (When should family and friends ever be thought of as, “only?” They’re our most precious champions!)
We are what we write, and we improve ourselves by continuing to be what we are … writers. But how do we find the time when life gets in the way? Perhaps we should separate our tasks into two baskets, the first holding things that affect our future selves, the second containing the things we do merely for instant gratification, here today and discarded tomorrow. Practicing our writing craft falls into the first category. Those efforts shape our future.
Look through the second basket. What do you see? When I look there, I see moments wasted, things I could have done more efficiently, tasks that produced no genuine good. I see a minor spat with my daughter where I should have shown more patience. I see a ½ hour, futile political discussion on Facebook with someone who didn’t like my candidate. What was the point of that foray? I didn’t change his mind; he didn’t change mine. I could have churned out the rough draft of my column during that time, if I had thought about it. Instead, I got sidetracked. In effect, I threw my beautiful, partially finished quilt into the corner of my sewing room.
How many of those moments can you find? If you could take that time back and put it into the first basket, would you discover extra hours with which to construct your author’s portfolio, your legacy to time? All of us could, if we thought about it.
While none of us will ever truly finish our writing quilt, we can create one that keeps us warm in the knowledge that we have done our best, evolved, grown, gained stature as an author and increased our audience, even if it’s only by one reader. If I could fast forward to the end of my life, I know beyond doubt that I would much prefer to look back on a bounty of inspirational books, stories and folktales, rather than forgotten Facebook political arguments.
Some people tell me, “I’ll have more time when I retire,” or, “After the kids are in school, then I’ll write.” I’m a retired mother of four grown children and trust me, there is never more time than there is right now. If being retired or rearing the kids instantly produced more hours in the day, I would not have been caught with egg on my face when our dear editor contacted me about my column.
Do it now; make today count. Check that second basket, and you’ll find the time you need no matter how short that time is. If it’s only 10 minutes, think of a short quote you can write in that amount of time. No need for a manuscript. A short quote will do.
I’ve probably been where you are and done at least some of what you’ve done. I know how hard it is for young moms and dads with kids in diapers to set aside moments of quiet time. I know how impossible it is for parents to focus when their teens are out past curfew and they sit there wondering if there’s been a wreck. I promise you, however, that each decade brings a different set of challenges to eat up your time, energy and focus. Instead of putting off your literary efforts, write them now. You’ll find that as you get into the habit of writing when there’s no time, minutes magically appear.
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Wednesday, June 1, 2016
Job the Joyous Pomeranian| Love Session
Job was recently diagnosed with bladder cancer so his mom set up a Love session for him to document the wonderful bond these two have had for the last seven years. Understandably our session was bittersweet but we didn’t want to dwell on the heartbreaking diagnosis and instead we made sure that Job had an amazing day filled with laughter, playing and eating treats. And holy crap did that dog love my treats! It’s hard to be serious when a normally inactive dog books it as fast as a cheetah for the prospect of getting some Stella and Chewy Freeze Dried Beef (basically dog crack). Job has a joyful aura and everywhere we went, people fawned over him while he pranced around and honestly, I can’t blame them. Job is an amazing special creature.
The post Job the Joyous Pomeranian| Love Session appeared first on Kira DeDecker Photography Blog.
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