There are many avenues in this world to follow. Some choose to take the road of social networking as the means to show their submission to the term. Others take to the road of following blogs in hopes of educating, discovering or informing their minds. For me, I tend to subscribe to varies avenues that include social networking, blogs and Ezines.
However, there is one avenue that I follow that deserves our respect and support. You see, I follow Authors Promoting Authors (APA) because I believe in the passion that exists in this team of Authors who help promote other Authors such as myself. APA has the type of drive that not only encourages others to stop and take notice of a book that might have slipped under the radar but they motivate readers to make a purchase and experience a story.
Any new Author will tell you that trying to get someone else to believe in your book as much as you do is like trying to convince your husband to watch a 'girlie' movie. APA not only gets behind your book but in many ways becomes the driving force that opens the doors that might have otherwise remained closed.
Each week APA posts to their blog what I would call 'gems.' These gems come in the form of new books, events or interviews.
Here is the APA link:
http://www.authorspromotingauthors.blogspot.com
I dedicated this blog to APA and hope that you too will find that it's okay to follow sometime.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Short Story-The Reality Check-That Blogs the Heart
Jenni walked into the room with a frown on her face. Her countenance was full of worry and her eyes began to push forward the tears that had been building up within her for the past few days. She sat down on the worn-out brown sofa and let out a sigh that the whole house (if the walls were listening) could hear.
Chris didn’t look up from his morning paper. He kept his eyes focused on the words of a reporter’s column although he honestly knew he cared less about the actual content. He needed something other than the obvious gloom in the air to keep his attention.
Jenni looked across the room at her husband; she noticed his obvious attempt to ignore the situation and that fueled the anger that was just at the stage of boiling over. He kept nodding his head slowly, pretending as if he were really engaged in the story. She wanted to scream at him but she sat there in silence. Silence had become part of the family it seemed for the past month. She remembered when she opened the door and found it on her door-step with packed bags, ready to move in for what appeared to be longer than she cared for. She hated silence. It was like a bug that no matter how many times one hit at it, it always managed to get away and annoy the mess out of you. She sighed again. Louder.
Chris turned to the next page and immersed himself into another story.
Jenni stood up and walked over to the window and pulled back the curtain to allow the sun to ease the anger inside of her. It was raining outside. The corners of her eyes began to shake uncontrollably and tiny tear drops began to slide down the center of her cheeks. She turned and looked at him, wanting him to see the pain he was trying so hard to ignore.
Chris raised the paper slightly higher than before. He knew this might be taking the moment to another level, pushing the envelope too far. He could feel her stare and knew that at this moment the tears were streaming down her face. What could he say to her to ease the pain? There was nothing.
They both had known this moment would be upon them. They had fought hard to avoid it, even tried to avoid each other.
He heard her footsteps getting closer to him. His body began to tense.
She reached out, hands shaking. Emotions uncontrolled and grabbed the paper.
The ripping sound was astonishing. The effects lay upon the floor, pieces here and there.
She walked out of their living room and headed up the stairs. He knew what was coming next.
The slamming sound the door made caused him to shift his position in his chair.
He put down the paper and leaned back. He found himself staring at the ceiling fighting off his own tears. Men don’t cry, he told himself.
He knew it was time to break the cords of silence that had been choking their relationship for the past month. If she only knew how her pain cut to the core of his heart, she would understand why he just couldn’t look at her.
He eased himself out of the chair and as he stood up he looked at the stairs that led to the upper level of their home. He knew she would be a mess. He knew she had every right to be. The situation was neither of their faults.
He wiped the tears away making sure there were no traces and began what would be even a more painful moment for them. He had to tell her that it was time to face reality, together.
As he reached the top of the stairs he stopped and stood there for a moment, listening for any sounds that she might have calmed down. Nothing.
Placing his hand upon the knob of their bedroom door, he turned it ever slowly until he knew that in a moment he would be standing in their room and she would be waiting for him to do what he should have done a month ago. Be a man.
He saw her lying across the bed with her face buried in a pillow. He didn’t hear the slight hint of tears still flowing so he went over and slipped into the bed next to her. He reached out and slowly placed his arm around her waist and pulled himself close. His voice a whisper but he knew she was listening.
“We might lose the house, but we still have each other. We will get through this together. I know it hurts, I understand it’s painful but the reality of the situation calls for us to look at other options. Know that I love you and that I will always be here, house, furniture or not.”
Jenni took a deep breathe, finally she felt like the sun was shining.
Chris didn’t look up from his morning paper. He kept his eyes focused on the words of a reporter’s column although he honestly knew he cared less about the actual content. He needed something other than the obvious gloom in the air to keep his attention.
Jenni looked across the room at her husband; she noticed his obvious attempt to ignore the situation and that fueled the anger that was just at the stage of boiling over. He kept nodding his head slowly, pretending as if he were really engaged in the story. She wanted to scream at him but she sat there in silence. Silence had become part of the family it seemed for the past month. She remembered when she opened the door and found it on her door-step with packed bags, ready to move in for what appeared to be longer than she cared for. She hated silence. It was like a bug that no matter how many times one hit at it, it always managed to get away and annoy the mess out of you. She sighed again. Louder.
Chris turned to the next page and immersed himself into another story.
Jenni stood up and walked over to the window and pulled back the curtain to allow the sun to ease the anger inside of her. It was raining outside. The corners of her eyes began to shake uncontrollably and tiny tear drops began to slide down the center of her cheeks. She turned and looked at him, wanting him to see the pain he was trying so hard to ignore.
Chris raised the paper slightly higher than before. He knew this might be taking the moment to another level, pushing the envelope too far. He could feel her stare and knew that at this moment the tears were streaming down her face. What could he say to her to ease the pain? There was nothing.
They both had known this moment would be upon them. They had fought hard to avoid it, even tried to avoid each other.
He heard her footsteps getting closer to him. His body began to tense.
She reached out, hands shaking. Emotions uncontrolled and grabbed the paper.
The ripping sound was astonishing. The effects lay upon the floor, pieces here and there.
She walked out of their living room and headed up the stairs. He knew what was coming next.
The slamming sound the door made caused him to shift his position in his chair.
He put down the paper and leaned back. He found himself staring at the ceiling fighting off his own tears. Men don’t cry, he told himself.
He knew it was time to break the cords of silence that had been choking their relationship for the past month. If she only knew how her pain cut to the core of his heart, she would understand why he just couldn’t look at her.
He eased himself out of the chair and as he stood up he looked at the stairs that led to the upper level of their home. He knew she would be a mess. He knew she had every right to be. The situation was neither of their faults.
He wiped the tears away making sure there were no traces and began what would be even a more painful moment for them. He had to tell her that it was time to face reality, together.
As he reached the top of the stairs he stopped and stood there for a moment, listening for any sounds that she might have calmed down. Nothing.
Placing his hand upon the knob of their bedroom door, he turned it ever slowly until he knew that in a moment he would be standing in their room and she would be waiting for him to do what he should have done a month ago. Be a man.
He saw her lying across the bed with her face buried in a pillow. He didn’t hear the slight hint of tears still flowing so he went over and slipped into the bed next to her. He reached out and slowly placed his arm around her waist and pulled himself close. His voice a whisper but he knew she was listening.
“We might lose the house, but we still have each other. We will get through this together. I know it hurts, I understand it’s painful but the reality of the situation calls for us to look at other options. Know that I love you and that I will always be here, house, furniture or not.”
Jenni took a deep breathe, finally she felt like the sun was shining.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Nothing More Than A Dream
I'm tired of hearing "you can't do that" from those whom have never tried to do anything at all. It seems that so many are more interested in tearing you down than building you up. Well, no one has the authority to tear you down. You can however give them the power to build you up by expressing your dreams in such a way that sparks a "I will do this" type of attitude.
One might say that I speak quite a bit about reaching out for a dream and seeing it clear to the end. I can't help that and I won't stop. Everyday I have to tell myself that "I can" and "Don't give up". Everyday I have to think about what I'm doing right, wrong and what I need to change. It's an everlasting process that only stops when I allow those of the "you can't do that" attitudes to tear me down and leave nothing but a shell of a dream I once had.
I for one, don't want the empty shell of a dream but would rather see it filled even through tears and sweat if need be.
Today I meant a woman who is getting ready to launch her dream. A poetry book of her life. A few weeks ago I meant a woman who wanted to self-publish a book. About a month ago I meant a man who loves to write but is not sure were to go from there. Tomorrow I might meet someone who just decided to turn on the computer and actual put their first words to a novel on the screen. To all, I say do it! Don't allow anyone to tear you down. Get up and keep going because if you don't, it will always be nothing more than a dream.
MLT
One might say that I speak quite a bit about reaching out for a dream and seeing it clear to the end. I can't help that and I won't stop. Everyday I have to tell myself that "I can" and "Don't give up". Everyday I have to think about what I'm doing right, wrong and what I need to change. It's an everlasting process that only stops when I allow those of the "you can't do that" attitudes to tear me down and leave nothing but a shell of a dream I once had.
I for one, don't want the empty shell of a dream but would rather see it filled even through tears and sweat if need be.
Today I meant a woman who is getting ready to launch her dream. A poetry book of her life. A few weeks ago I meant a woman who wanted to self-publish a book. About a month ago I meant a man who loves to write but is not sure were to go from there. Tomorrow I might meet someone who just decided to turn on the computer and actual put their first words to a novel on the screen. To all, I say do it! Don't allow anyone to tear you down. Get up and keep going because if you don't, it will always be nothing more than a dream.
MLT
Monday, May 11, 2009
Getting Your Book Out There Even Past the Tears.
We all have them, need them, welcome them, hate them or sometimes wish they would never come back. They are the things we shed in times of excessive laughter, bitter sadness, and inevitable heartbreaks or heartaches. They are tears, the things we need most.
Many wouldn't think that tears would be involved when trying to publish a book but then many haven't been down that path of "maybe no one will like it" or "maybe it won't sell" or just "the critics hate it." Publishing or self-publishing have one thing in common....sooner or later a tear will fall.
Lately there has been much buzz about self-publishing vs. publishing. In the past self-publishing has been looked down upon or simply treated like a step-child and in some cases like the "ugly duckling" of the book industry. Perhaps one day self-publishing will become as popular a term as "blogging." Maybe. Hopefully.
In a way I write this blog with tears, sadness, bitterness and the inevitable heartbreak from trying to get my book out there. Trying to get my story out on the web, in the bookstore, libraries and of course, in the hands of readers. It's down-right hard. At times, it's somewhat impossible.
I am determined however, to get my book out there even past the tears. Why? Because to put it simply...it's my dream and I won't allow the negative talk to put my dream in a coffin, bury it in a hole and drive me back to doing what I was doing before...thinking about my dream.
Many have asked me how to publish a book, where to begin, who to contact etc. First I want to say to any one who desires to publish or self-publish to take that desire, write it on your heart, fix it firm in your mind and then never allow anyone, any situation, any comment to erase it.
Once you've done that try the following:
1. Look at your manuscript and imagine it in a book-sitting on a shelf, being rung up at a register and walking out the door of a bookstore....then work on finishing it if you've already started it. If you haven't-get to it!
2. Once your manuscript is done, find your most critical friend (we all have one) and have them not just look it over, but read it as if they were reading a book that they would want to buy. Have them write notes, check for mistakes and make suggestions. Don't take it personally, it must be done.
3. Go back to work on your manuscript with an open mind and make some of the suggested changes.
4. Go on the Internet and do research. Look for Book Editors. Send them your manuscript and patiently wait the three-to-four weeks it will take to get it back. Once you get it back, don't scream.
(Note: Before you send your manuscript off for a professional "red-line" think about one thing....do you want to do the work to see it published and being sold based on your own shed tears or do you want to some else to do that work for you?) Answering this question will help you determine which route you want to go.
5. Go back to step 3 once received.
6. Do some research while you're waiting in step 4 on how to submit to Publishers if you decide to go that route. Determine who you are targeting and think about your angle...what makes your book unique.
*If you are self-publishing look at Distributors (Note-make sure they can get your book in the Ingram, Baker & Taylor databases...as well as on Amazon and Barnes & Noble), obtaining an ISBN, getting a LCCN. You will need to find someone to do your: Book cover and Interior Book Design. Make sure these are professionals and not your friend down the street who is good with artwork or graphics. Remember that the words "print-on-demand" is not a dirty word. Don't get let anyone tell you differently!
7. Send an professionally edited manuscript (make sure you copyright it first-you can do this online and submit your manuscript online as well) if requested to publishers who have published works similar to yours. (Note: Most times a Query letter is requested first). Do research on how to submit Query letters.
8. Marketing Plan-this is a must rather you are trying to get your book traditionally published or self-published. Remember that you will be the one selling your book!
Website Marketing
Press Release Distribution
Print-Ad Marketing
These are just a few areas to give serious consideration. Your publishing company should have some sort of marking kit or plan. If you are the publishing company then you need to develop a good marketing kit.
9. Critics Reviews-this is a touchy subject if you are self-publishing because many top-rated review critics will not consider a self-published book but the doors are opening even if slowly.
Remember that you will need to get your finished and polished book out to review before it is published if at all possible.
10. Whatever route you take...don't give up, shrink back or listen to the "No" word. You can get your book out there even past the tears!
Of course, there are other steps in between the steps I have listed but, hopefully this list will get you on the right path. I've included an image of my published book. Why? It's not to get a plug in (but if that works, thanks) but rather to show that I am living the words in my blog rather than merely writing them.
Marian L. Thomas-Author of "Color Me Jazzmyne". Yeah!
Monday, April 27, 2009
Easier Said Than Done
We have all said the words "easier said than done" every time we hear someone say to us, "you just need to do it." How we wish those words were as simply as they sound. We wish they would just flow off into the space of "accomplished" rather than the space of "maybe someday."
Journeys are never easy and taking the road that could possibly lead to something more than we ever imagined can have positive and negative effects on the mind. Fear of success, fear of failure or just the fear of never really getting started all come crashing in on us the moment we decide to look pass the "easier said than done" whispers that still ring rather loudly in our heads.
However, there comes a moment, a split second when the words "easier said than done" sound more like-"yeah, you might be right." I say when that moment comes, even if it is just for a split second-grab it, run and don't look back. Failure or success-who cares! In the end, the point is that you tried.
Journeys are never easy and taking the road that could possibly lead to something more than we ever imagined can have positive and negative effects on the mind. Fear of success, fear of failure or just the fear of never really getting started all come crashing in on us the moment we decide to look pass the "easier said than done" whispers that still ring rather loudly in our heads.
However, there comes a moment, a split second when the words "easier said than done" sound more like-"yeah, you might be right." I say when that moment comes, even if it is just for a split second-grab it, run and don't look back. Failure or success-who cares! In the end, the point is that you tried.
Monday, April 6, 2009
Choices vs Luck
It was once said that people that have accomplished a dream in their life were simply lucky. Many have fallen in this trap, this way of thinking that causes the brain to stop reaching and simply accept.
However, I am sure that if you ask the person viewed as having accomplished a dream they had, if they felt it was luck or something else, I'm quite confident that most, if not all would say something like...."actually, I just made the choice to finally reach out for my dream and do something with it!"
Dreams are not like photographs. They are not meant to simply be looked at once in awhile as if browsing through a scrapbook or a photo album. Rather, dreams are meant to become something more, a reality of possibility. Yes, dreams can change as we progress in life but it is the choices we make that make them a reality not luck.
However, I am sure that if you ask the person viewed as having accomplished a dream they had, if they felt it was luck or something else, I'm quite confident that most, if not all would say something like...."actually, I just made the choice to finally reach out for my dream and do something with it!"
Dreams are not like photographs. They are not meant to simply be looked at once in awhile as if browsing through a scrapbook or a photo album. Rather, dreams are meant to become something more, a reality of possibility. Yes, dreams can change as we progress in life but it is the choices we make that make them a reality not luck.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
What Colors Are In My Box?
In my last blog I indicated that one way to survive this economy was to find your colors? However, it dawned on me that some might ask themselves....just what colors are in my box? So, in this blog I'm going to help you reach in your imagination, pull out your crayon box made up of attitudes, journeys, dreams or just basically life but not in the general sense, and flip open the lid.
Now look inside, what do you see? Don't worry, I'm going to help you with that as well by telling you what you see. Inside your box are a bunch of "could've been" or perhaps some "maybe one day" or even a little "it just wasn't the right moment" in there. Those my friend are your colors, they are the ones that were never used in the world of "let's try something different."
Do yourself a favor, reach in and pull one out. Examine it but don't put it back in the box. In fact, throw it away by creating a new color to replace it. Try putting a color in your box that is filled with, "I can't believe I finally tried that" or perhaps a "it wasn't as hard as I thought to accomplish" or maybe even a little "it was my moment to do something different."
So what colors are in your box? Hopefully, ones that you have blended, mixed and turned into a journey that became a reality.
Now look inside, what do you see? Don't worry, I'm going to help you with that as well by telling you what you see. Inside your box are a bunch of "could've been" or perhaps some "maybe one day" or even a little "it just wasn't the right moment" in there. Those my friend are your colors, they are the ones that were never used in the world of "let's try something different."
Do yourself a favor, reach in and pull one out. Examine it but don't put it back in the box. In fact, throw it away by creating a new color to replace it. Try putting a color in your box that is filled with, "I can't believe I finally tried that" or perhaps a "it wasn't as hard as I thought to accomplish" or maybe even a little "it was my moment to do something different."
So what colors are in your box? Hopefully, ones that you have blended, mixed and turned into a journey that became a reality.
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