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Blogging with Linda
Wednesday, 29 April 2009
Shall I put the boots away?

I wish this weather would make up its mind! Sun, wind, rain, hail, snow. Sun comes out, I put the boots and winter coat away, and I do believe I jinx myself! Back comes the cold and snow. I am thankful it does not settle and what's already there is melting fast.

Had a very productive couple of days. I made revisions to The Demon Hunters, and an adjustment to the cover. I finished editing my third Systems novel, Metamorphosis, and it is now being printed. Next step, when I receive it, will be to send it off to my editor for a look over. I like the cover on this one.

I also came up with a new character for Demon on a Distant Shore, which actually makes the title more appropriate. In Malad, Idaho, last Sunday, just bought the lottery tickets and was having breakfast at Me And Lou's, and the idea just popped into my head. So there I was doing a JK Rowling, scribbling on napkins.

Next month I have to change mind-set to the "preparing for the England trip." Making lists, checking them twice. Getting dogs their shots. Getting hair cut. Cleaning house (shriek!.) Thinking about what I have to do at work to prepare for my absence.

I will really miss Tweeting and emailing and participating in the Lulu forums. Unfortunately my satellite service is limited to the Ogden Valley so no internet while in England. But I'm not gone yet, a few weeks to go, so I had best get typing!


Posted by linda_english at 5:03 PM EDT
Updated: Wednesday, 29 April 2009 5:15 PM EDT
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Saturday, 25 April 2009
Whew
Mood:  cool

I have been hard at work these past couple of days. I am now about halfway through Demon on a Distant Shore and struggling with it. I have the plot laid out from one significant event to another but filling in the in between bits is not coming easy. I tend to get inspiration at the wrong time, like when I'm just getting into bed, or have just turned off the computer for the day, then I have to take notes but sometimes I'm so tired I can barely read my own scratchings the next morning. I would like to make this a book size work instead of novella length but for some reason Tiff likes a shorter story. She is an awkward girl!

I also changed my domain name to something simpler. Really, the longer name was a result of ignorance of what I was doing when I created my web site. It's the same site but the address is now lindasworlds.net. Of course, if you found this you already know that! I also want to redesign my site but that will come later.

Yesterday I gave away some copies of Along Came a Demon to a couple of a friend's friends. I was happily suprised when the wife of one phoned this evening to say she had already read the book and loved it. Also, I had an email from a friend who bought Whisperings (book one and two in one volume.) She said:

"I finished your book last weekend and just haven't written yet. I just wanted to say, "WELL DONE." I was absoultely captivated and the story was great. I read it all night friday and all day saturday. It wasn't a very productive weekend for me, but it was a very well spent weekend. I had no idea how creative your little brain was. I am so proud of you and wish you success in making writing a career. You obviously have a gift. Can't wait to read more."

This is particularly pleasing because this is one very smart lady who does not give unwarranted praise.

My next step will be to put Along Came a Demon out for distribution and when it comes up on Amazon put some press releases on Free- Press-Release.com and prlog.org. and put it on Tag My Book On Amazon. I'll be handing out copies and asking people to read them and pass them on, and leaving copies at local coffee shops. I am also making up bookmarks. In fact, I intend to do a whole lot of things to promote once I get an ISBN on the book.

So I am feeling pretty good about the whole writing thing right now. AND, the damn snow has almost melted away! Can't get any better than this.


Posted by linda_english at 12:39 AM EDT
Updated: Saturday, 25 April 2009 12:45 AM EDT
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Friday, 17 April 2009
Waffling on about publishing and reviewing

Yesterday my boss gave me a copy of the Costco Connection. “There’s an article in there about writing and self-publishing – I thought it might be helpful to you.” The article, by Paul Lima, mentioned several print-on-demand (POD) options for writers and Paul went with Lulu.com. It didn't tell me anything I did not already know because I’ve been using Lulu.com for a couple of years now.

 

     Many still say POD is little better than vanity-publishing but just as many now agree that when major publishers rarely accept manuscripts from “unknowns” , POD is the way to go. It gets your novel out there. Although some POD charge an upfront fee, Lulu does not. You get an online store where people can view your book and if they wish, order it. If you do opt to pay a reasonable fee for expanded distribution your book will be listed on online sites such as Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Some authors have been picked up by publishers; some books do appear in traditional book stores. It can come down to how much hard work you want to put into promoting your book.

 

     Online sites which review POD books are also becoming well known, sites such as The Lulu Book Review, which has no affiliation with Lulu.com but does review Lulu published books. And the New Podler, which reviews POD and mainstream books.

 

     The Lulu Book Review asked me to be a guest reviewer! Pretty neat, huh? They gave me a list of books and let me choose and I wonder if they were a little surprised by my choice. My usual reading material is science fiction, fantasy, urban fantasy, psi-thriller, but I opted for a historical novel.

 

     I have been a fan of historical fiction since I read the books of Eleanor Hibbert. Now, Eleanor wrote under a whole slew of pseudonyms. As Victoria Holt she wrote Gothic romance. As Philippa Carr she wrote her massive “Daughters of England” series. She wrote nonfiction and crime stories under other pseudonyms. I learned more of the history of the British monarchy from the “fictionalized history” she wrote as Jean Plaidy than I did from school history text books. History text books were dry and boring – Plaidy’s novels were/are entertaining and they are woven around true events which she meticulously researched, based on the works of leading historians. I had no problem committing to memory the events of which Jean Plaidy wrote even though I skimmed over those same events in the "history books."

 

     The book I chose to review is not totally unknown to me. I noticed it on the “Tag My Book on Amazon” website and Amazon.com. It is set in an entirely different era and written in a style unlike Jean Plaidy’s but it is based on actual events and as such is historical fiction and, to me, very interesting indeed. I think my one problem with reviewing it will be keeping the wordage down.

 

     Now I had better stop waffling and go read a book.


Posted by linda_english at 11:20 AM EDT
Updated: Friday, 17 April 2009 7:49 PM EDT
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Wednesday, 8 April 2009
Me and Richard Paul Evans
Mood:  hug me

I started the morning as the only guest at my own personal Pity Party. I received another of “those” letters, only in this case it was an email. I discovered that most literary agents now accept email queries so I’ve been sending off a few. In this case, I followed the agent’s guidelines very carefully.

            1) Describe type of book.

            2) A three-sentence summation of the story.

            3) How book came to be written and what people think of it.

            4) Literary credentials (degrees, newspaper and/or magazine articles, and if you personally know any authors published by a major publishing house!?!?!?!)

 

1) and 2), fairly easy although limited by her requirements. 3): I explained that my work had been very well received by the writing community of which I am proud to be a member. I added links to my previews and reviews. 4)  I don’t have any literary credentials. Her reply: “Not my kind of thing, but thanks for the look.”

            “Not my kind of thing.” Hey, lady, I happen to know you publish two authors who write in my preferred genre (i.e. psi-thriller, urban fantasy, etc.) “Thanks for the look.” Yeah, I bet you took a look.

            From there on it was a downward spiral. Nobody supports me. My husband does not support me. My friends do not support me. My co-workers do not support me. My husband shows absolutely no interest at all in my writing. The most I get from my friends and co-workers is, “You wrote a book? Cool!” And this is not for want of plugging it to all and sundry.

            I thought about the fact that if you know a successful, nationally published author, you have a foot in the door. I know some very good authors, but like me they are self-published. Which brings me to Richard Paul Evans.

            In 1993 Rick wrote The Christmas Box for his daughters. He never intended to be the internationally know, best-selling author he is today. When his friends saw his story they told him he should publish it, so he had 20 copies printed and handed them out, and his friends passed them around. Pretty soon he was getting inquiries from book stores and a major publishing house was happy to take him on. He now has his own publishing house and has published 20 novels and instructional books. My absolute favorite is The Dance, of which, along with The Christmas Box, I have signed copies.

            Yes, I know Richard Paul Evans – sort of. Richard – or Rick, to those of us who know him – sort of – wanted to give back to the community and built the very first Christmas Box House in Salt Lake City, and created a foundation to raise money to build and support more Christmas Box Houses. I work in the Ogden Christmas Box House. What is a Christmas Box House? It is a building that houses social service agencies, primarily Division of Child and Family Services shelters for children who have been removed from their homes due to abuse and/or neglect. Before the Christmas Box Houses came into being, these children were housed in state shelters that while they did the job weren’t exactly warm, comforting environments, and children were constantly being shuttled to other agencies that provide the special services that abused children need. The Christmas Box House shelter is very kid-friendly and all the services those kids need – apart from school, which they still have to bus to - come to them. Rick is still involved on a personal level: on Christmas Day he and his family spend most of the day in one of the shelters, interacting with the children there. The Christmas Box House also houses other agencies involved in child welfare. In the Ogden Christmas Box House we have the Foster Care Foundation and the Family Support Center of Ogden, both of which work with the children in the shelter. We pay utilities and a ridiculously low rent.

            Back to getting the word out – I’ve been going about it the wrong way. Like Rick Evans I need to have copies of my book printed and hand them out to everyone. The only reason I didn’t do that before now is that I’m the modern version of the poor artist living in a garret – I don’t have money to spare. But if people won’t purchase my books then dang-nabbit they’re going to get a free copy shoved down their throats.

            If you asked Richard Paul Evans if he knows author Linda Welch, he’d say, who? But if you asked him if he knows Linda who works for the Family Support Center of Ogden - you know, you tripped over her umbrella that time you were getting into her car – he would likely say yes. At least, I hope he would. So maybe next time I send a query to an agent maybe I should tell her or him I know Richard Paul Evans – sort of. In the meantime, I tell myself yet again that I write for the enjoyment of it, not for fame and fortune. And at least, when I wrote this Blog, something rose out of the ashes of my shattered ego.

 

And maybe I won't be renowned as an author (although I'm far from giving up on that) but perhaps, one day in the future, someone will say, "I remember when I was a kid and went to the Family Support Center - there was this nice lady named Linda Welch . . . " I can live with that.


Posted by linda_english at 2:03 PM EDT
Updated: Wednesday, 8 April 2009 6:01 PM EDT
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Sunday, 5 April 2009
When Mr. Tweet won't.
Today I became very annoyed when I accessed my Mr. Tweet account and tried to recommend other Tweeters. It would not let me. When I went to the Tweet homepage and tried to let them know about the problem it did not recognize my user name or my email address. Yes, I was frustrated.       

 

Next I took a look at the Lulu forums. A lady requested a review/comments on her work and as it was only 19 pages and a free download I decided to take a look. But the download would not download, and the page kept freezing up. More frustration.       

 

This made me realize, yet again, how I have become addicted to, and dependant on, the internet. I use it all the time. I am constantly asking Google: “what is a . . . “ or “what does (insert) mean?” For my second Whisperings novella, The Demon Hunters, I researched Myanmar, formerly Burma, and first and last names commonly used in Puerto Rico. I would hate to go back to using the town library!       

 

My Whisperings protagonist, Tiff Banks, used her local library quite a lot until her new partner Royal Mortensen introduced her to the joys of the www, and the benefits of some sophisticated and probably illegal snoop programs. Like me, she finds that using the internet is simpler than going to the library, even when she uses her computer to access the library database.       

 

Now this will sound contrary: I am too impatient to spend hours doing research in a libray but I do like being in one. The silence, the faint smell of paper and old leather and knowing that you are  surrounded by shelf after shelf of wisdom and entertainment, and all of it penned by people like you and me. Writers. Authors. Those who want to share what they know with their friends, family, neighbors and, hopefully, one day the world.

Posted by linda_english at 6:50 PM EDT
Updated: Sunday, 5 April 2009 7:34 PM EDT
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Wednesday, 1 April 2009
Trying. To. Stay. Awake.
Mood:  don't ask

What a day. I’m almost too tired to write.  We had a ferocious storm last night – wind, snow, hail, thunder and lightning. I have never heard it before, but last night the wind must have been coming from an odd direction and screeched at my window, a really piercing noise, the whole night through. So I didn’t sleep much and finally gave up and got out of bed at 5 am. The dogs, sensible beings, stayed curled up in their little plaid beds until their breakfast time at 7 am.

Then, I logged online and found my review for Along Came a Demon by The Lulu Book Review, the review written by LK Gardner-Griffie. It’s a very nice review and I am really pleased. I have since sent emails with links to the LLBR site to just about everyone I know, although if they take as much notice as them as they did of all the emails announcing my other books, I could well have wasted my time. Oh well, as my mate would say, that’s the way the cookie crumbles.

I posted my little brag on the Lulu forums and had some nice response, and several people have not heard of the LLBR so I encouraged them to submit their books. I also wrote a review for Carol Townsend’s treasure of a book about her visit to Tobago, Caribbean Capers and Tropical Tantrums.

Did some Tweeting, and some emails, and now I am knackered. Think I’ll relax in front of the TV for a while. I would rather read or write but I think that would send me to sleep.


Posted by linda_english at 3:13 PM EDT
Updated: Sunday, 5 April 2009 6:54 PM EDT
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Tuesday, 31 March 2009
Little Bit About Life in the Valley - Advice and Warnings

1. Beware of sheriffs. They drive white pick-up trucks and the light strip across the top is thin, flat and white, not colored and sticking up like on police cars. You won’t know it’s a sheriff parked back there until you shoot past 20 miles over the speed limit and see that little light strip and the writing on the side of the door. Sheriffs like to see you speed or not come to a full stop at the stop light because then they can turn on their siren and make their lights flash and give you a ticket and a stern warning. They have nothing else to do up here in the valley. We did have a crime wave of teens turning street signs in the wrong direction but that was years ago.

2. When someone comes to your house for the first time they will get lost. You can give them detailed instructions, you can even draw them a map; they will still get lost. Be prepared for a phone call, after which you stand out on your deck and say things like: “I can see you. Keep on that road. No, don’t turn there. Keep coming. Keep coming. Now slow down. That steep driveway on the left is me.”

 

3. If you come upon a moose in the road don’t try to drive around it. Back up, turn around and find another way.

 

4. Watch out for garbage cans on the side of the road. They will sit there with their lids open and hanging down their backs and very slowly creep out into the road. Sometimes they’ll fall over in an attempt to lure you to them. Do NOT go near them – those lids will come down on you and take your head off. If there is a choice between going around a moose and around a garbage can, try the moose.

 

5. Likewise, watch for leaping deer. If there is one, others will be following.

 

6. The dogs you see running around loose are not strays.  And beware of the killer beagle. Her name is Brandy and she’ll have you if you get too close.

 

7. Do not drive too close to the car in front of you, about 3 car lengths minimum. The driver in front of you will see the big rock or dead animal in the road and avoid it but if you’re too close, you won’t.

 

8. There shall be rocks. In spring and fall when the ground expands and contracts due to changes in temperature, there will be rocks on the road. Not might be – there WILL be rocks. Better to avoid them than try driving over the smaller ones – my friend cracked his oil pan or something or other trying that.

 

9. If you have passengers do not drive off until they have fastened their seat belts. Point out the straps or handles they can hang onto as you slalom round the bends. If you are my passenger, stop stamping your foot on the floor like that you little sissy-baby's-panties - there is no brake on your side of the car. 

 

10. People you don’t know from Adam will smile and wave at you but that tells you they live in the area. If they don’t wave, they are tourists or visitors.

 

11. The snow plow will not slow down and/or move over for you. They are bigger than your car. Get as far over the side of the road as you can and cower.

Posted by linda_english at 2:04 PM EDT
Updated: Tuesday, 31 March 2009 6:05 PM EDT
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Monday, 30 March 2009
Tiff Banks and Road Rage
Mood:  cheeky

An adventurous drive into work today as the roads were thick with snow and ice. Six of us were stuck behind a sports car as we drove around the lake, except the two a-holes in their big macho trucks who decided they couldn’t drive under the speed limit for the entire 15 minute trip into town. Poor babies. They overtook on a blind-bend and everyone got rather upset at their idiot and dangerous behavior, especially the cars just around the bend, coming the other way. Horns were honking like mad.

 

Which brings me, in a roundabout way, to road rage and Tiff Banks (Whisperings.)

 

Several people who shall remain nameless seem to think I model Tiff on myself. Not true. I am not tall and white-haired. I don’t carry a gun. I don’t see ghosts – although I have lived in two homes that were very, very definitely haunted and a haunted community – but I don’t see nor talk to ghosts.  I do live in Utah but not in a city. I do share my home with two Scottish Terriers. I am not a detective.

 

The road rage? The event I am thinking of happened long before road rage became common, when you could meet the eyes of another driver and not worry that they’d take offense. It involved a very rude man in the car next to me and the starting pistol I happened to have in my car. I used the pistol when I trained dogs for obedience and exhibition - it fires only blanks -to get them accustomed to sudden, loud noises. I should shut up now before the local police turn up jangling their cuffs, but it was a long time ago and I didn't even point the thing at him. But think on what Tiff would have done – she carries a real gun.

 

See – I’m not like Tiff – not at all. Wink

 

 

 

PS: I think he wet his pants.


Posted by linda_english at 2:15 PM EDT
Updated: Monday, 30 March 2009 7:48 PM EDT
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Sunday, 29 March 2009
Along Came a Demon and other stuff

Thinking about the coming review for Along Came a Demon, on Lulu Book Review April 1st. I’m not nervous about it because I have faith in my own product, and I know LLBR don’t review novels that stink Wink. But I hope the reviewer realizes that the book has undergone revisions since LLBR received it – and knowing writers as they do, they probably do realize that. Not that the plot underwent a drastic change - some revisions were small additions or amendments that I think add clarification for the reader and, also, in a couple of scenes I realized Tiff was not acting in character. I’m afraid I’m one of those writers who are never truly happy with their work and only stop amending when the book goes out for distribution and making amendments becomes complicated and costly.

 

I am also updating the cover. Again, nothing drastic. Lawrence’s Crayola drawing will still be there, but inside a frame.

 

Other matters: After making changes to the plot for Demon on a Distant Shore and amending the first couple of chapters, I am now on page 50 and Tiff has just arrived in England to discover that Royal has not been completely honest with her. But that’s demons for you!

Snowing AGAIN! We are supposed to get 8-10 inches this time. The ski resort across from my house loves it but I could do without more snow.


Posted by linda_english at 11:27 AM EDT
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Saturday, 28 March 2009
Good Ol' Utah
Mood:  irritated

Read a letter about Utah's attitude as a whole toward Gays in my local newspaper and I wholeheartedley commend the writer. What is Utah's attitude? If you live here you’ll hear that Gays are the great threat to our entire lifestyle. If you’re totally uninformed or misguided you might believe that. My Mormon friends would say I've got it all wrong, they don't condemn gays, they just condemn their choice of lifestyle. Other friends say they understand that Gays don't choose their lifestyle but, still, they can't agree with it either. The most often quoted bible verse is Leviticus 18:22: Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: It is abomination.

Well guess what, some other passages in Leviticus tell us we can’t wear a tattoo, get our fortune told, eat pork or shellfish or play football (the skin of a pig) and a married couple can’t have sex during a woman’s period.

Other admonishments: Deuteronomy 22:21; A bride who is not a virgin shall be stoned to death. Mark 10:1-12; If you divorce and marry someone else, you are committing adultery. Mark 12:19-22; If a man dies childless, his widow must have sex with her husband’s brother(s) until she bears an heir.

So, everyone, when you’re out and about make sure your pockets are full of stones because you’re going to need them. If you’re lucky, you may be able to throw the first one.

Doesn’t it say somewhere, judge not lest ye be judged? I wish I could remember the name of the person who wrote that letter so I could say "Way to go!"


Posted by linda_english at 11:28 AM EDT
Updated: Wednesday, 8 April 2009 2:02 PM EDT
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