tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-223699142011-11-27T15:25:42.665-08:00Exploring the mysteries of the writing life.Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04886780897460891159noreply@blogger.comBlogger671100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22369914.post-48259614092372690052007-09-27T19:56:00.000-07:002007-09-27T20:00:45.138-07:00

Not for me yet -- I still have to finish that novel -- but my husband landed an agent for his supernatural thriller. Hoo, hah! I can take some credit because I wrote the query for him, since the one he'd written kind of rambled all over the place. After studying 700 hooks on Miss Snark's blog, I had a better idea of how to compose a query for him, and the first mailing to 10 agents resulted in

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04886780897460891159noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22369914.post-5440964178861852932007-09-25T19:46:00.000-07:002007-09-25T19:50:00.459-07:00

The National Novel Writing Month forums just closed for renovations prior to the October 1 opening date for registration. NaNo addicts like me are waiting with fingers poised over the keyboard, ready for NaNo pre-plotting during October, and the race to 50,000 words in November. If you've never tried it and always wanted to, how about this year?

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04886780897460891159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22369914.post-43898846230529641942007-06-15T10:25:00.000-07:002007-06-15T10:30:10.349-07:00

A pity when one gets too busy and blogging falls by the wayside. It's not like I haven't been writing these past months. I have, indeed -- an entire dissertation's worth of writing (which can be read here, in case, you know, you have insomnia or something). A novel-length piece of work that was probably the most difficult writing task I've tackled yet. But it's done, and I shall march in

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04886780897460891159noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22369914.post-31337702560285431062007-01-17T20:14:00.000-08:002007-01-17T20:59:39.796-08:00

There was a time, in the golden long-ago of publishing, when a fresh new author who showed sufficient talent might be nurtured along by a good editor who, in those halcyon days, actually edited.Times have changed.Editors fret about it, but there's no denying that actual editing is only a small part of what editors do any more. Much of what they do is manuscript acquisition, and the expectation is

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04886780897460891159noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22369914.post-57260269947113087392007-01-14T22:41:00.000-08:002007-01-14T22:56:40.164-08:00

The other day I was on some discussion boards, talking with Momisafan, reading comments from Momofagreatkid, trading ideas with TiffanysMom and BradsGurl. And ya know, I didn't notice anyone going by BradsDad, TiffanysBoy, or Dadofagreatkid.You know what I'm saying here? I see a lot women online who identify themselves not as themselves but as their relationship to others. I don't see a lot of

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04886780897460891159noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22369914.post-1157307074007378422006-09-03T11:03:00.000-07:002006-09-03T11:11:14.040-07:00

If you've not formed an acquaintance with Miss Snark, the Literary Agent it's high time you did, especially if you've been slaving over query letters and opening pages. The Divine Miss Snark ran another Crapometer contest, inviting her readers to send in a query and the first page of their novels for her commentary, and from over 450 qualifying entries, she randomly selected just over 100 of them

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04886780897460891159noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22369914.post-1157082669369768832006-08-31T20:48:00.000-07:002006-08-31T20:51:09.390-07:00

This article from the Publisher's Weekly website shows the sales pitch from the other side of the desk -- or funeral, examination table, operating room, and other highly inappropriate places where aspiring but oh-so-clueless authors have pitched their manuscripts to hapless (and sometimes helpless) editors: Weddings and Funerals and Everywhere in Between.Consider yourself warned.

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04886780897460891159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22369914.post-1156307832774941502006-08-22T20:47:00.000-07:002006-08-29T22:51:51.836-07:00

At last, we reach the final installment of this series. So far we've covered creating an actual piece of work (a factor that a surprising number of would-be writers tend to never get around to doing), editing the work, and finding someone to send your work off to.Now, it's time to send your work off. But first, you must put it into a format that an agent or an editor wants to look at. You need to

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04886780897460891159noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22369914.post-1153279975159247252006-07-18T20:23:00.000-07:002006-07-18T20:32:55.180-07:00

Our household subscription to Netflix brings a regular round of digital video entertainment to suit our eclectic tastes. What, I wonder, can be said about a couple who enjoy Jane Austen movies, samurai movies, film noir, Buster Keaton, and the entire Hercule Poirot series?Yet in movie after movie, the same cliches turn up with tiresome regularity. Maybe it's just the storyteller formula showing

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04886780897460891159noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22369914.post-1152908631811448532006-07-14T13:14:00.000-07:002006-07-14T13:23:51.826-07:00

A few cool writing finds from across the web: Language is a Virus: Some cool word scramblers and random word generators. Fun n' games for chronic procrastinators. Common Errrors in English Usage: Finally a quick, online reference to solve the that/which and who/whom questions. Booktrust: A U.K. charity that supports literacy, and gets books into the hands of kids. What writer wouldn't want

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04886780897460891159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22369914.post-1152897294851881262006-07-14T10:13:00.000-07:002006-07-14T10:14:54.853-07:00

Were you tired of reading white text on a black background? Black does make a statement, but white on black makes your eyes cross, doesn't it? Tan looked okay, but was a bit dark and didn't fit the color scheme. Let's try deep blue for a while, shall we?

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04886780897460891159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22369914.post-1152896807807229042006-07-14T10:02:00.000-07:002006-07-14T10:16:57.293-07:00

Authors for this small press:Better Be Writerecently received this charming email from the publisher:What the hell is wrong with some of you? First of all, those of you that have books out are acting like you are on a damn vacation. You came to me wanting a career in writing. Was it all a farce? You just wanted to see your one book in print and I, the sucker, fell for it? Everyone of you told me

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04886780897460891159noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22369914.post-1152154830755790862006-07-05T19:53:00.000-07:002006-07-14T10:23:51.623-07:00

If you haven't seen this bit of internet lore, that used to be photocopy lore, that used to be ditto sheet lore, here again in all its glory: Rules for Writing Verbs HAS to agree with their subjects. Prepositions are not words to end sentences with. And don't start a sentence with a conjunction. It is wrong to ever split an infinitive. Avoid cliches like the plague. (They're old

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04886780897460891159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22369914.post-1152046550960524782006-07-04T13:54:00.000-07:002006-07-14T10:27:36.986-07:00

Today, U.S. citizens gather to celebrate the day that these men:gathered to sign this document:which proclaimed the radical liberal notion that all people are equal in the sight of God and should have equal access to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; that governments should uphold and not take away said rights, and not become a burden to those governed.If you've never read this

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04886780897460891159noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22369914.post-1151971754610883742006-07-03T16:29:00.000-07:002006-08-30T21:24:37.556-07:00

So you followed step one. You wrote something. Then step two: you polished your writing to a high gloss. Now you're ready to send it out, right?Okay, fine, you probably are. But hold on to your horses, cowboy, because there are a whole lot of bad guys out there who'd like nothing better than to hold up your literary stagecoach and take all of your cash. But they won't do it with guns and evil

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04886780897460891159noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22369914.post-1151523548284934752006-06-28T12:04:00.000-07:002006-08-22T21:42:25.466-07:00

In part 1 of this series (How to get published, part 1: You must write something) I stated what ought to be obvious: you have to write something to get published. What's more, you have to write something that is publishable.Now and then a discussion comes up on writer's boards about whether one should write for one's own pleasure and damn the consequences, or if one should write for the market.

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04886780897460891159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22369914.post-1151174805032117552006-06-24T10:34:00.000-07:002006-08-22T21:40:15.990-07:00

Once people around you know that you're a writer and that you've been published, inevitably the question comes up, "So how do you get published?" Or the variants: "How much does it cost?" (answer: nothing) "Is it hard to get published?" (answer: Depends. Usually it's easier than unicycling across Siberia in the dead of winter, but not always.) "I've always wanted to write a book." (answer: polite

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04886780897460891159noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22369914.post-1151003791057303712006-06-22T12:16:00.000-07:002006-06-22T12:16:31.070-07:00

... is "time." Read all about it here:BBC NEWS | UK | The popularity of 'time' unveiledNow, overhearing conversations on public transportation, one might be led to believe that the most-used word in spoken English is an entirely different four-letter word. But the Oxford University Press is referring to printed English.Even still... some of the blogs I've stumbled into...

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04886780897460891159noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22369914.post-1151000759133723962006-06-22T11:07:00.000-07:002006-06-22T11:25:59.150-07:00

Ah, poor Edwin Kane. On trial, accused of defrauding the government to the tune of about $700,000, Kane attempted to get himself off the hook by presenting as evidence 35 letters written by friends and family members, all saying what a swell guy he was.But the power of the pen didn't help, as Kane's own pen was about to betray him. Along came the prosecution with some other writing as evidence.

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04886780897460891159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22369914.post-1150652302645322092006-06-18T10:36:00.000-07:002006-06-18T10:38:22.670-07:00

When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much he had learned in seven years. ~Mark Twain, "Old Times on the Mississippi" Atlantic Monthly, 1874To all those who still have dads to talk to, argue with, and get fed up with, please take the time to visit or call today. Wish I

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04886780897460891159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22369914.post-1150329260915162452006-06-14T16:47:00.000-07:002006-06-14T16:54:20.936-07:00

Check out this blog post: Seamless Pictures. Shades of Escher, but in color and... well, you just have to see.I've used pictures from The Mysteries of Harris Burdick by the amazing illustrator Christopher van Allsburg (of Jumanji and Polar Express fame) with kids as picture writing prompts. In a summer writing session, we challenged kids to come up with captions for the pictures. Young kids,

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04886780897460891159noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22369914.post-1150148808637397692006-06-12T14:44:00.000-07:002006-06-12T14:49:29.313-07:00

Miss Snark pointed out this interesting lawsuit. It seems that one Leon Koziol, candidate for New York state senate, is suing Amazon.com and it's vanity publishing service, Book Surge, claiming that the book was full of typos and other errors.I'm of two minds on this issue.Mind 1: What did you expect? It's a vanity press.As I've written before, vanity publishing isn't self-publishing. Book Surge

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04886780897460891159noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22369914.post-1149742341976855642006-06-07T21:39:00.000-07:002006-06-07T21:52:21.990-07:00

It's over, for the moment, at least until the would-be theocrats bring it up again in a pathetic effort to get their fellow theocrats to the polls by whipping hatred up to a furious lather.Iraq is a mess. Afghanistan is a mess. Osama bin Laden, the fellow who was really in charge of the 9/11 attacks, is still at large. Military personnel are stretched to the breaking point in every sense.

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04886780897460891159noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22369914.post-1149624536632058992006-06-06T12:54:00.000-07:002006-06-06T13:08:57.253-07:00

It's official now. A vanity publisher that stamps its name on someone's book is the publisher of record. Authors who use the services of vanities and "POD publishers" (note: POD is a technology that many publishers use, not just the vanities) are not legally self-publishing, in spite of advertising claims.Publishers themselves have known this for a long time. He who buys the ISBN number directly

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04886780897460891159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22369914.post-1149400408033738952006-06-03T22:45:00.000-07:002006-06-03T22:59:21.410-07:00

My mother has been cleaning house and getting a lot of old stuff out of the house. Invariably that means I end up going home with a box of stuff that she no longer wants, but doesn't really want to get rid of, just doesn't want to see again. Sometimes it's things I don't want to get rid of, either. In this latest transfer of unwanted goods was a small brown paper sack with a lot of old letters in

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04886780897460891159noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22369914.post-1149094726778309612006-05-31T09:58:00.000-07:002006-05-31T09:58:46.826-07:00

If you haven't seen this one yet: Black Books - Bernard's Letter have a look. Every writer who has experienced the pain of rejection can sympathize with Bernard's despair -- and his darkly humorous response to the editor who rejected his novel.The video begins playing when the page opens, so have your headphones ready if you don't want to disturb others in the room.

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04886780897460891159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22369914.post-1149046716919195782006-05-30T20:13:00.000-07:002006-05-30T20:38:36.933-07:00

Or in American dollars, that's $94,137.That's how much it will cost in the U.K. for your publisher to get your books placed prominently in the large chain stores, according to an article by The Times Online, and prices in the U.S. are in the same ballpark. Think those tables of books sitting out in plain view when you walk into Borders were chosen by the staff? Or that the face-out books on the

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04886780897460891159noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22369914.post-1148927270652569392006-05-29T11:27:00.000-07:002006-05-29T11:27:50.666-07:00

My father, Don J. Lytle (1931-1999), U.S. Air Force, KoreaMy uncle, Richard Hiday (1914-1945), U.S. Army, World War IIMy grandfather, James W. Lytle (1892-1951), U.S. Army, World War IMy friend, Robert Solonika (1962-1982), U.S. ArmyThanks, guys.

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04886780897460891159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22369914.post-1148701561072120852006-05-26T20:45:00.000-07:002006-05-26T20:46:01.083-07:00

Another entry into the "Wish Barbara Bauer luck with some other career" internet extravaganza:Bye-Bye, Barbara--The Play!This is, by the way, satire, which is protected by U.S. laws.

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04886780897460891159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22369914.post-1148659894340931052006-05-26T09:11:00.000-07:002006-05-26T09:11:34.423-07:00

Scam agent Barbara Bauer has been making trouble. A shrieking rant over the phone got the fabulous site, Absolute Write, shut down in less than an hour, without time for the web owners to retrieve their data, as reported by Teresa Hayden on Making Light. All this for posting a list of the 20 worst agents, of which Bauer was one. Absolute Write, however, is back in business with a newer and less

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04886780897460891159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22369914.post-1148574316813661912006-05-25T09:16:00.000-07:002006-05-25T09:29:01.690-07:00

Barnes & Noble just announced the latest courses from Barnes & Noble University. Among the offerings are:The Art of the Short Story with Gotham Writers' WorkshopWriting Mysteries with Writers' Digest BooksWriting Science Fiction with Gotham Writer's WorkshopThinking Like an Editor: How to Get PublishedGrammar FitnessAll these courses are free and take place entirely online. Here's how it works:

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04886780897460891159noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22369914.post-1148488169298054972006-05-24T09:11:00.000-07:002006-05-24T09:29:29.313-07:00

I've read Anne Lamott's classic tome on writing, Bird by Bird, several times over, and I've listened to her audiotaped lecture, Word by Word. Both contain interesting insights on the writing life. Lamott is entertaining to read and to listen to, and she's brutally honest about her own life and her own writing.But there is a point at which my opinions about writing differ dramatically from

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04886780897460891159noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22369914.post-1148444662487501682006-05-23T21:19:00.000-07:002006-05-23T21:36:34.906-07:00

Young readers who thrive on dreariness and gobble up the "Series of Unfortunate Events" books may wonder what a person upon whom the name Lemony Snickett was inflicted might look like. If you haven't combed the web for photos of the elusive author already, a full-face portrait of one Daniel Handler, accused of bearing the nom de plume of Lemony Snickett, can be seen in the Washington Post,

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04886780897460891159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22369914.post-1147997747040081742006-05-18T16:37:00.000-07:002006-05-18T17:20:55.193-07:00

If you haven't heard about the current attacks on net neutrality, maybe your computer has been in at the shop -- and the neighborhood dogs ran off with your newspaper and the television died.The issue rests on current regulations that prevent big internet providers from deciding what sites you will visit, based on how much those sites can pay. The big providers want to change that, and allow

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04886780897460891159noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22369914.post-1146547937626828882006-05-01T22:32:00.000-07:002006-05-01T22:32:17.640-07:00

If, like most of us mortals, you have trouble writing a decent query letter, hurry over to EVIL EDITOR and check out the letters that E.E. has been critiquing and editing. Fun, funny, and oh, so useful.If the world were fair and just, I'd have E.E. for my editor and Miss Snark for my agent. No, I'm not just a glutton for punishment. I fully appreciate people who can give me the straight scoop on

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04886780897460891159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22369914.post-1146352077458843412006-04-29T15:59:00.000-07:002006-04-29T16:07:57.470-07:00

... it depends on how you define "self-published."Technically, if you self-publish, you ARE the publisher. You hire your own printing service, you buy the ISBN number, you file for copyright, and you deal with all business part of publishing, including marketing and distribution.Vanity publishing is a bit different. Vanity publishers will tell you that you're self-publishing through them, but if

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04886780897460891159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22369914.post-1146266856996113672006-04-28T16:26:00.000-07:002006-04-28T16:27:37.006-07:00

So... Babyshambles' baby-faced Pete Doherty says he wants to write a novel, according to the folks at Aversion.That thin, heart-rending sound you hear is made up of the screams of thousands of talented, hard-working, dedicated novelists who have yet to make a living at what they love best.Says the young music sensation, best known currently for injecting drugs into an unconscious female companion

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04886780897460891159noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22369914.post-1145914074918522352006-04-24T14:27:00.000-07:002006-04-24T14:27:54.920-07:00

Parents rip school over gay storybook - The Boston GlobeThe Patriots, the Family Values people, and other so-called moralists all seem to be violently anti-Constitutional these days, calling for bans on That Which We Do Not Want To Hear.Now it's a fairy tale which involves a handsome prince marrying -- no, not a beautiful princess, but another handsome prince.Lordy, Lordy, and spare my tender

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04886780897460891159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22369914.post-1145913602980406052006-04-24T14:20:00.000-07:002006-04-24T14:20:03.043-07:00

Read Roger: Threats, we get threatsI can't decide if our society has become too thin-skinned, or too in-your-face. Or both at once. It's a strange world when we feel we should be able to say whatever we want about anything we want and use any foul language we want, but we expect to be sheltered from the opinions and language of others.What brought on that rant? Roger Sutton, Horn Book editor, is

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04886780897460891159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22369914.post-1145856466739011752006-04-23T21:59:00.000-07:002006-04-23T22:27:46.763-07:00

One of Miss Snark's readers pointed out this web advert that may be responsible for nearly carbon-copy queries turning up on editors' and agents' desks these days, much to their annoyance. This bit of software (for some unnamed operating system, the advert does not specify) will write your query letters for you. No more worrying about writing a clear, coherent query letter. No, no. Why actually

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04886780897460891159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22369914.post-1145833298935868462006-04-23T15:52:00.000-07:002006-04-23T16:01:38.946-07:00

A short while back, I wrote about the hazards of editing by committee. I thought I'd seen the end of that manuscript, but just a couple of days ago, when the book is about to go into galleys, I get a few last questions. The book is a nonfiction children's book on -- let's tread as anonymously as possible here -- a type of transportation. Within the book was an exciting story about a fire aboard

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04886780897460891159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22369914.post-1145765332526333102006-04-22T20:54:00.000-07:002006-04-22T21:08:52.540-07:00

Making Light posted the story of fanfic gone awry. It seems that one Lori Jareo, editor of a vanity publisher, wrote a not-so-wonderful fanfic of the Star Wars saga, titled Another Hope.Nothing unusual in that. Fanfic is all over the web, and while use of other people's characters is a violation of copyright laws, most authors (with the notable exception of Anne Rice) are not only tollerant of

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04886780897460891159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22369914.post-1145754064300953902006-04-22T17:50:00.000-07:002006-04-22T18:01:04.326-07:00

To writers falls the responsibility of recording and transmitting their culture's values in tangible form that can be passed on to future generations. One may not think so looking at the offerings in the magazine racks at the average grocery store checkout counter. Yet so long as people buy them, companies will print them. Hence they're valued by someone, and thus are part of our culture's values

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04886780897460891159noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22369914.post-1145583784422179632006-04-20T18:37:00.000-07:002006-04-20T19:04:37.726-07:00

The Making Light blog is spreading the word about a list compiled by Victoria Strauss of Writer Beware (on the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America website). These are the 20 Worst Literary Agents about whom Writer Beware has received complaints. Before signing on with any agency, check out this list, or look up your potential agent on the Preditors and Editors website (yes, it's

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04886780897460891159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22369914.post-1145041136606553612006-04-14T11:58:00.000-07:002006-04-14T11:59:59.270-07:00

Article Link: Writing for - a changeIn Pakistan, where women's literacy rates in rural areas run between 3 and 8%, a group of women is busy with something that some among their people would consider radical: they're writing.In a free journalism course, a subject formerly reserved only for men, women write of their fears, their hopes, of "honor" killings that have taken the lives of friends and

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04886780897460891159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22369914.post-1145040351144212462006-04-14T11:45:00.000-07:002006-04-14T11:45:51.160-07:00

Article Link: United Press International - NewsTrack - Student convicted in letter-writing hoaxThere are two ways to become famous for your writing. First is to write something great that gets published and starts such a buzz that everyone talks about your work. Second is to write something really dumb that gets you in trouble.A former student at Chicago's Trinity college did the latter. Because

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04886780897460891159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22369914.post-1144473503931348292006-04-07T21:47:00.000-07:002006-04-07T22:18:23.963-07:00

Idea for 'Da Vinci Code' Was Not Stolen, Judge Says (link to the New York Times -- free registration required)In a ruling today on the lawsuit raised against Dan Brown, Justice Peter Smith declared that Dan Brown did not steal the "central theme" of Holy Blood, Holy Grail from authors Michael Baigent, Richard Leigh when he wrote The Da Vinci Code. According to the New York Times article:In

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04886780897460891159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22369914.post-1144113582532196022006-04-03T18:19:00.000-07:002006-04-03T22:10:49.230-07:00

I've not yet tried self-publishing. I thought about it at one time and did a thorough investigation. I have several books on self-publishing and book promotion on my reference shelves. I've interviewed people who have self-published. Out of all of this research came the decision that self-publishing wasn't right for me, not with the book I was considering and the time I had to dedicate to such a

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04886780897460891159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22369914.post-1144044125699343102006-04-02T23:01:00.000-07:002006-04-02T23:02:05.713-07:00

Not getting enough sleep? Strategies to keep from getting dumb and fat - The Boston GlobeA while back I reviewed the book Sleep Thieves (Feb 13: Sleep Deprivation). Now the Boston Globe adds another reason for writers to get their sleep instead of burning the midnight oil to get just a few more pages done on that novel: sleep deprivation makes you dumb and fat!So all you people who like to sleep

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04886780897460891159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22369914.post-1143912169951396262006-04-01T08:37:00.000-08:002006-04-03T22:43:21.196-07:00

The secret is out. Though he's denied it for almost three decades, horror author Stephen King at last admitted that he began his writing career as a closet romance writer, writing under the pen name of Regina Stephens for the now-defunct Sweptwinds books, a former subsidiary of Reilly & Lee."I don't know why this should shock anyone," Mr. King said, in an interview given only to local reporters.

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04886780897460891159noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22369914.post-1143741819044109642006-03-30T09:45:00.000-08:002006-10-11T04:57:41.780-07:00

In my last inquiry to Dannon (if you've been following the Activa saga), I asked for a definitive reply as to whether the "Bifidus Regularis" bacteria is genetically engineered or not. I'm not rabid anti-GMO, but I do like to know what's in my food. In that letter, I said that if they could not give me a clear "no," that I must necessarily take that as a "yes."Here is their latest response:Thank

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04886780897460891159noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22369914.post-1143687357614457152006-03-29T18:55:00.000-08:002006-03-30T11:26:37.240-08:00

Rowling's Sixth Potter Novel Named `Book of the Year' in U.K.The dark and almost surreal sixth installment of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series has won Book of the Year in the U.K. Now, opinions vary widely on the Harry Potter books, from rabid fans to rabid Harry-haters. While I personally think that Book 3, the Prisoner of Azkaban, was the best of the bunch and Books 4-6 were in need of

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04886780897460891159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22369914.post-1143095445549257592006-03-22T22:25:00.000-08:002006-03-22T22:31:38.930-08:00

Not that I've been in a complete tizzy about yogurt bacteria. I'm still eating Activa, and my insides are doing quite nicely, thank you.But with my curiosity piqued regarding exactly what "Bifidus Regularis TM" is exactly, I was pleased that Dannon did finally respond to my query. Amongst some boilerplate statements about how the company strives for excellence, etc., yes, fine, thank you, here is

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04886780897460891159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22369914.post-1143089409369142702006-03-22T20:43:00.000-08:002006-03-22T20:50:09.383-08:00

Crooks and Liars: Pat Robertson on College ProfessorsIn case you didn't know it, college professors are killers. Yep. Pat said so. Dangerous, killer termites. Pinko commie killer termites who beat people up.Damn, why isn't my university that exciting?Maybe Pat just fell asleep at the theater while watching Starship Troopers. Ya think?

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04886780897460891159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22369914.post-1142962356559771442006-03-21T09:31:00.000-08:002006-03-29T19:00:25.240-08:00

The Daily Collegian, 21 Mar 2006: Local author emerges from controversy with a new bookAuthor Martha Freeman has just published her newest children's book, Mrs. Wow Never Wanted a Cow (to be released in June), a comeback from her last and most controversial book, The Trouble With Babies.What's so controversial about the book? Does it feature young, unmarried girls having babies? No. Violence

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04886780897460891159noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22369914.post-1142877441221201752006-03-20T09:57:00.000-08:002006-03-20T09:57:21.296-08:00

Lawyer: Da Vinci Code author's testimony should be treated with suspicionThe lawsuit lodged against Dan Brown, author of The Da Vinci Code (link to illustrated edition, which is the way to go if you haven't read this yet), sends a chilling effect across writerdom.The claim is that Brown borrowed heavily from a nonfiction book, Holy Blood, Holy Grail, by Michael Baigent, Richard Leigh, and Henry

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04886780897460891159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22369914.post-1142536761135908712006-03-16T11:02:00.000-08:002006-03-16T11:19:21.146-08:00

Stein on Writing, St. Martin's Griffith, 2000.I have my suspicions about Sol Stein. I think that somewhere down deep inside literary Mr. Stein there lurks a sleazy adventure writer trying to get out. At least, that was the impression that I had from the samples of his work.And oh, how scathing he is of genre writers, those he denigrates as writers of "transient" fiction. That is, writers you've

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04886780897460891159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22369914.post-1142225497907187822006-03-12T20:31:00.000-08:002006-03-30T11:29:31.813-08:00

Last time I questioned the origins of Bifidus Regularis (TM!) found in Dannon Activa yogurt. That bothersome TM symbol suggested something sinister, but a link from an anonymous comment put me onto a page that gave me the necessary information.Genetically engineered bacteria? That's still unclear.A very special strain? Well... perhaps... a strain. Maybe. Still not clear.A trademarked name to make

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04886780897460891159noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22369914.post-1141682831469840372006-03-06T14:07:00.000-08:002006-03-06T14:28:29.536-08:00

After my bout with the intestinal virus, in the interest of soothing the insides into some semblance of normality, I bought a box of Optimum Zen cereal (it DID promise "inner harmony" -- okay, so maybe that wasn't quite what they meant, but it does taste good in an unusually gingery way) and tried a new product, Activa Yogurt. The label promised that it had special bacteria made to "regulate"

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04886780897460891159noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22369914.post-1140587254573576652006-02-21T21:47:00.000-08:002006-02-21T21:47:34.586-08:00

Top 10 List: Why Kids' Bookselling Is Tough - 2/20/2006 - Publishers WeeklyI lost count long ago the number of times that people have said to me, "Oh, you write for children? I've always thought that would be fun to do!" Short deadlines, tight word counts, cranky editors, shrinking market -- yeah, loads of fun.Writers, of course, write what they love to read, and I do like children's literature,

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04886780897460891159noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22369914.post-1140578362621569092006-02-21T19:18:00.000-08:002006-02-21T19:21:43.046-08:00

When the nasty gastroenteric invader I wrote about in the last post refused to budge, even when assaulted by a tiny bland diet and regular salvos of Pepto-Bismol (O sweet yet odious pink goo, so gagging in the throat, so soothing on the innards), I betook myself to the doctor. An initial blood test revealed nothing unusual, suggesting merely an ugly virus, but a few more tests (on blood and...

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04886780897460891159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22369914.post-1140297737999776172006-02-18T13:12:00.000-08:002006-02-18T13:22:18.006-08:00

Thursday night I thought I was shivering because my office was so friggin' cold (half the time the heaters are on and it's too hot, the other half the heaters are off and all the heat goes right out the uninsulated windows). But when I woke up Friday morning with a temperature of 101.4, I knew it wasn't just the temperature that was giving me the shakes and chills.I had a class to teach in the

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04886780897460891159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22369914.post-1140124957617520212006-02-16T13:22:00.000-08:002006-02-17T15:43:08.933-08:00

Whatever: Writing Tips for Non-Writers Who Don't Want to Work at WritingI stumbled across this today. One can fairly hear the smack as the author writes with face-slapping force about the rules that ought to govern daily writing. The rules are simple and common-sense enough, yet one sees them violated daily on message boards and blogs. People are used to forgiving bad writing on message boards --

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04886780897460891159noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22369914.post-1140056984578280332006-02-15T18:06:00.000-08:002006-02-15T18:36:06.433-08:00

Twitchy. That's how I'm feeling. Twitchy and pissed off. Next time I accept a nonfiction book assignment, I'll make a point of making sure that the book is to be edited by one editor to whom I am accountable, not a committee.Now, because I'd still like to be a working writer and still get assignments, let's go all pseudonymous. Let's say it was Packager A who called me up one day and offered an

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04886780897460891159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22369914.post-1139870828063754302006-02-13T14:46:00.000-08:002006-02-13T14:47:08.073-08:00

Dear Mr. Vice President:The quail is the one with feathers.Hope this helps.Love 'n kisses,Writerious

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04886780897460891159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22369914.post-1139851868371585092006-02-13T09:01:00.000-08:002006-02-13T09:40:31.643-08:00

It's my own fault, really. Sitting up too late at night, after I've done my writing for the evening, reading discussion boards and blogs. You'd think I'd known better than to go to bed at 11:30 when I have to get up at 5:30 the next morning. The cats romping around didn't help, either, nor did the DH's snoring. Wear earplugs. Sure. Earplugs don't cut out those bass rumbles. Nor does a pillow over

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04886780897460891159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22369914.post-1139807433849420822006-02-12T21:05:00.000-08:002006-02-12T21:10:33.856-08:00

I am Writerious, and this is my blog. Here I will explore the mysteries of the writing life. I'm a writer and a voracious reader. I'll be writing about my own writing experiences, struggles with editors, the thrill of publication and the sting of rejection. I'll also review the books I'm reading, an eclectic assortment of whatever turns me on at the moment, be novels, essays, or books on

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04886780897460891159noreply@blogger.com0