Thursday, August 28, 2008
August 2008 archive
This is cutting into my regularly scheduled writing time (which I desperately need after dealing with my lovely middle schoolers all day…if I have to open another combination lock I’m going to scream!), but it’s cool and I wanted to share.
Just got a call from the local sports radio station. I entered a recipe contest way back in May for a tailgate recipe book featuring recipes from former OSU Buckeye football players and tailgaters–and I won! My recipe (which I created myself) for Buckeye Bars was one of the ones selected to make it in to the cookbook, along with several others. All proceeds benefit one of the local hospitals (the cancer hospital, I believe). How cool is that?! (They *are* the best peanut butter/chocolate concoction you’ve ever had…I guarantee it!)
And just in time for football season, too. I’ll be making a pan of ‘em tomorrow night to take down to the tailgate…6:30 a.m. Saturday. Bright and early…but it’s never too early for college football.
Ok, enough bragging. Back to writing! Oh, and Go Buckeyes 
…O-H….
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Done!
Just wrapped up the final edit of the article for the business magazine. It’s not due til Friday but I like getting things in early when I can.
This one has been hanging over my head for a bit. It was an idea I was originally (still am) excited to research and had lofty aspirations of interviewing a number of professionals for (it’s on capital campaign funding). Problem was, the folks I requested interviews with weren’t interested in sharing LOL. (or possibly too busy).
Last week I had to change my topic focus. I have never had to do that before, and I didn’t like it one bit. The topic is really the same, I’d just hoped to do more expert advice/profiles than a straight up article.
Just to be safe, I emailed the editor last week to let her know. I was worried she’d not like it not having personal advice but she was OK with it, so I ran with it. Well,walked. It took a bit more research than I’d have liked but all in all, an interesting article.
What’s even more exciting is that this is the last summer article on my calendar. True, I go back to the classroom on Monday (ugh!!) but my brain is now free to plot the story that came to me on a walk on Friday. Another iPod inspired moment, this time based on my completely and unadulterated infatuation with one-hit wonders from the 1970s and 80s.
I don’t have it plotted completely yet but it’s getting there. Well, as close as I can get before starting. I’ve only 100% plotted one story in my life, and that one never got written LOL. Nothing like stealing story thunder with a too-detailed outline.
I’ll be back here soon. I’m hoping to start adding more resources and helpful articles for writers once I get things moving on the school end. And I’ll have Jason the Boy Genius pick a contest winner soon so I can send out this package.
Happy writing…
Friday, August 15, 2008
Article Update: Diabetes Health & Eye Care
I’m being a good girl today. Just scratched out the first draft of the business article due next Friday and am on my way to type it up. Stopped online for a moment, and read a nice email from a friend who read my latest article at Diabetes Health.com and found it helpful. Hey, I’m here to serve!
It’s a break from my traditional fictional advice and work, but if you or anyone you know has been affected by diabetes, it’s absolutely fascinating to know that your eye doctor–yes, your eye doctor, not your GP, the endocrinologist or anyone else–can detect it first. It’s all to do with your blood vessels in the back of your eyes.
If you do stop by to visit the article, be sure to leave a comment there. They love comments and choose print articles based on popularity of online commenters. (Yep, shameless self promo, but it *IS* my blog!)
Curious? Here’s the link to the newsletter: Diabetes Health Newsletter, July 2008 (My story is the first one: Eyes on the Prize).
And here’s the link to the story itself: Eyes on the Prize: Early Detection and Management of Diabetes.
Completely fascinating stuff, even if you’re not diabetic. Who knew the eye docs could see inside your body?!
Oh, yeah, and on the article page, you can click on the cover of the latest issue featuring Jay Cutler (recently diagnosed) of the Broncos and check out another article on teenagers & insulin pumps by yours truly…(ok, enough promo!)
Back to my regularly scheduled writing work on my last real day of summer vacay. I’m so not ready for school….
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Dreams….at the Plot Whisperer blog
If you know me, you know how fascinated I am by dreams. I’ve kept a dream notebook (which stemmed out of a meeting with Robert Moss, author of Dream Gates years ago and my first stint with Julia Cameron’s Morning Pages) for years and will chat anyone up who’s interested in talking about their dreams.
In visiting blogs by colleagues, I found that Martha Alderson over at the Plot Whisperer blog has a great post on dreams and their potential significance to writers in the midst of creation:
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Allow Your Dreams to do Your Heavy Plot Lifting
Following is an inspirational way to use your dreams to write your stories by hynotherapist, author, and radio personality Kelly Sullivan Walden.
Like Kelly, I, too, use my dreams to support my writing and you’ll usually find me up before dawn, writing.
“While I was up to my elbows mid-way through writing my recent book, “I Had the Strangest Dream…the Dreamer’s Dictionary for the 21st Century” (Warner Books), I developed the practice of rolling out of bed and into my “writing station.” While still in the in-between-worlds place I would open my laptop, take a deep breath, and with eyes half closed, let my fingers do the tapping. Before my logical brain woke up, I would give myself permission to write whatever wanted to be written from my subconscious/dream state.
This “dream state” writing would often wind its way to being relevant to the particular aspect of the book I happened to be working on. Even if my writing took a detour I would nonetheless find myself opened to a smorgasbord of thoughts and feelings that I could apply to the subject at hand that never would have occurred to me otherwise.
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Read the entire post at: Allow Your Dreams to do Your Heavy Plot Lifting by Martha Alderson at Plot Whisperer
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Tryin’ to get the feelin’ again…
Yeah, so what if I quoted Barry Manilow? It’s my blog!
I’m having a hard time getting in the swing of writing after camp. I have plenty to do: two articles due next week and an essay to send off to an editor for consideration, but with the pre-school year hype and nervousness of settling into a new classroom, I’m finding focus and motivation tough. I want to write, I just can’t muster the motivation.
I know this strikes more than just little old me. How do you deal with it? I’d love some suggestions….
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Publisher’s Update from HCI Books’ The Ultimate Series
Just got this via email and thought I’d share for those of you interested in this market, which I mentioned in a post earlier this summer:
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With the heat index in triple digits in most parts of the U.S., it’s clear we’re in the midst of the dog days of summer. Kids will soon be heading back to school, and before we know it we’ll all be planning holiday schedules.
Before life gets busier, I want to remind you of an upcoming submission deadline and tell you about an exciting new title added to the Ultimate list.
We’ve gotten a great response to The Ultimate Mom but are still accepting submissions through the deadline of August 31, 2008. If you’ve already sent something along – thank you! If not, be aware the deadline is looming.
During Book Expo America, one of the regular visitors to our booth wondered if we had thought of doing an Ultimate book on gardens. Later, when our publisher was reminded of the suggestion it prompted more consideration and as a result we’ve added The Ultimate Garden as a hot new release for April 2009. That means the submission deadline is . . . now! (September 30, 2008).
The Ultimate Garden stories will explore gardens as metaphors for life. Full-color photos will showcase nature’s beauty and bounty, and horticultural and landscape experts will share their knowledge and passion with readers who never tire of cultivating those proverbial green thumbs.
A full synopsis of the book, guidelines for submissions, how and where to send your work, and information on all the titles in development can be found on http://www.UltimateHCIBooks.com. Online submissions are preferred. It’s the fastest, most efficient route to get your work to the editor working on a title. If, after checking our online guidelines for the information we need included with each submission, you prefer to email your submission, words go to submit@ultimatehcibooks.com and photos get sent to photo@ultphoto.net. Again, please check our guidelines before sending material.
Also, please be sure to add our domain name to your trusted domain list so future emails don’t end up in your spam folder!
Stay well and enjoy the rest of the summer.
Theresa Peluso
Developmental Editor
The Ultimate Series from HCI Books
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Back….
…but not completely here.
Camp was over Saturday, but I just got home today. Long story short: never lock your car keys in your convertible trunk without having a spare. Trust me on this.
Luckily it happened at the parents’ house, so I didn’t have too much to stress about, but I did need to get home to finish edits on an article due tomorrow. That’s done now, and ready to be zipped off to the editor.
Camp went so fast…without the tons of photos my friends and campers take to share, it’d have just been a blur. I’ll be back to regular posting as soon as my real-world settles and I have a few clean clothes to wear LOL.
In the meantime…keep writing!
Friday, August 1, 2008
Best of…Character
Hard to believe this is the last day of camp and I’ll be home soon. Hopefully the advance post option in Blogger is working (for you). If not, at least I’ll have lots to post when I make it back on Monday!
Today’s Best of…features character-building and how to know your characters well before you start writing. Since I’ll be starting a new contemporary novella in a few days, I can use this advice myself…lol.
Best of…Characters at the Fountain Pen, Inc. blog
Happy writing!
Beth
It's pretty simple, really. I'm a writer who loves writing about writing, and sharing all the tricks of the trade with other writers. And when I'm not writing, I'm thinking about writing. I have a hunch you know what I mean :)