Looking Up

Above my desk hangs something I call my inspiration board. To anyone else, it probably appears as nothing more than a giant corkboard filled with pictures, newspaper clippings and the like. When I look at it, I see all the things that give me a reason for writing.

The idea for my inspiration board came last summer during a low point in my writing career. Somewhere along the way, I had convinced myself that no one wanted my books, my public speaking abilities were mediocre at best, and, due to a severe case of writer's block, I had lost the gift God had so graciously given me--if I had ever truly had it at all. Tired of wallowing in self-pity, I decided to give myself a pick-me-up and, with cash in hand, headed to my local Office Max for some new office furniture and supplies. A glass desk, padded chair, and the aforementioned corkboard accompanied me home.

As I set about the work of remodeling my office, God set about the work of changing my attitude. The top of the desk's attached shelving unit provided the perfect place to showcase my ForeWord Magazine Book of the Year Silver Award certificate--proof that I really had "the gift" of writing. My two published novels, which I tucked away just a shelf below, reinforced that fact. Continuing to arrange and rearrange the room, I happened upon my file box where God pointed me toward a folder labeled "Fan Mail." I began to read the contents, and my heart was warmed by the notes which had so lovingly been penned by those who had been touched in some way by my work. Each one told me that there were plenty of people who loved what I was doing--and they were eager for more. Next came the "Reviews" folder; again, more reinforcement that I was, indeed, doing something right. Lastly, God decided to remind me that I, like many other authors, had a dream of seeing my stories on the big screen someday. I smiled and laughed at His sense of humor right then--Chuck Wicks was playing on my CD player--my "real-life Mitch." "Okay, God, I get it," I said aloud. "Thanks for reminding me."

Today my inspiration board is filled with those wonderful reviews, some of my cherished fan mail, a few of my newspaper interviews, and yes--pictures of Chuck. Now when I become discouraged, all I have to do is look up to be inspired, to know I'm worthy, and that there are people depending on me to keep going. Looking "up" is what I should have been doing to begin with.

The Stuff Dreams Are Made Of

I'm going to see Rick Springfield in concert tomorrow night. I can't wait! As I sit here at my computer, I glance up to my right and feast my eyes on a lithograph showing the two sides of the man--a mature artist whose life experiences now influence his music; and the much younger, dream-driven teen idol I fell in love with so many years ago at the tender age of 14. As I stare at the photos for a moment longer, I suddenly realize why the younger Rick's picture is larger than the two older Rick images--because that's the way he wants to be envisioned by his fans. That's the Rick he wants people to remember--the Rick I remember. The man who chased his dream and caught it.

Back some twenty-plus years ago at the height of his career, he had it all. He was the steamy, dreamy Dr. Noah Drake on General Hospital, one of the most popular soaps of all time. His voice filled the airwaves as he coveted Jessie's Girl, and he tried his shot on the big screen as cocky rocker Jamie Roberts in Hard to Hold. After a few failed relationships with famous actresses (one of them being Linda Blair of The Exorcist fame),he found love with a record company receptionist, married, and had a son. His live-in-concert video, Beat of the Live Drum was flying off the shelves, and he took home a Grammy. His life was finally all he had hoped for. He dreamed big, and it all came true--simply because he never gave up.

We all have dreams, but how many of us actually pursue them? How many of us sit idly by and watch them fade away? I was blessed with a beautiful dream involving a man I call Mitch Tarrington. He came to live inside me, and by God's grace blossomed into a wonderful, beautiful part of my life that makes him so real I can hardly believe sometimes that he isn't. He drives me to be more than I am. He takes me to places I've never been before, to the very corners of my imagination. He fills me with such excitement that I just have to share him with everyone I know. He not only lives on the pages of my books, but in my heart. I'll never actually get a chance to shake his hand, give him a hug, or share dinner with him in a physical sense, but as long as I can dream him, I can be with him. I'll follow him wherever he wants to take me, as long as God is willing, and if you're up for it, I'll take you along, too.

Follow your dreams and let them take you into a whole new world full of possibilities. As the saying goes, if you can dream it, you can achieve it!

**Photo of Rick Springfield--still lookin' hot at 60!! (courtesy of Photobucket)

Take Time, Make Time

My writing career is starting to suffer, and it's all my fault. I can't remember for certain the last time I worked on my manuscript, scheduled a signing at a local book store, printed or mailed any promotional materials, or even updated this blog. Okay, I guess that last one was March 1, but only because the dashboard feature on the site told me so....

My excuse? Life. Like everyone else in the world, I have one--or try to, anyway. My life includes work, husband, children, pets, family, friends, and everything in between. Some days I feel as if I go non-stop from sunrise to sundown. I feel like there are so many demands on my time that I don't know where to begin or in which direction to turn. It's nonstop 24/7/365. With all these other things to do, how can I possibly find time to write?

The question really should be, if I truly love my craft as I say I do, how can I not?

When I really sit back and ponder my reasoning, it comes back to nothing more than poor time management. At the end of a long day, instead of losing myself in the world of Mitch and Dana Tarrington, I go into a vegitative state in front of some old Nick-at-Nite show on TV. In between loads of laundry, instead of cranking out a few phone calls to my local Borders or Barnes & Noble, I cruise my Facebook page. When I could be sending out flyers to groups for potential speaking engagements, I'm checking out the latest pictures of Chuck Wicks on y-Frog. So, it comes down to this--it's really not that I don't have the time to take, it's that I don't take the time I have.

Today I vow to work harder,bring my writing back to the forefront, and dedicate time to some aspect of it every day. Now, I will sign off so that I can pull up my manuscript--right after I paint my toenails.

Sell Yourself First

In my almost six years as a writer, one of the most rewarding activities I've done is a book signing. Book signings are a fantastic way for an author to showcase his work and have the opportunity to meet with those who will be reading it. I have been honored and blessed to become acquainted with so many wonderful people who support my work and keep me knowing that what I am doing is worthwhile.

Something surprising I have found along the way, especially when participating in multi-author events, is that some writers don't share my views. They act as if the event is a chore, something they MUST do simply to get sales. Rather than interacting with patrons, they sit docile at their stations, stone-faced, delivering a greeting only if they feel it appropriate at the moment. When they do get a sale, they often give the feeling that they are doing the customer a favor by offering an autograph. There is very little, if any, appreciation involved in the transaction.

For the life of me, I don't understand why any author would convey that attitude toward the very people who are the lifeblood of his career. Why would people want to follow an author who treated them like just another dollar in his pocket? I know I wouldn't! While sales are important for any author, it is my opinion that readers are more important. Without them, what's the reason for our writing? I personally don't see a point in pouring myself into hours of work only to have the finished product collect dust in my garage. If an author hopes to get anywhere in his career, he needs to sell himself before he tries to sell his work--not the other way around. Readers who are made to feel special by an author are more likely to follow that author, purchase his books, and recommend them to others. If a reader likes you, he will be more enthusiastic about your work.

A few tips for your own events:

1) Greet all patrons who come within 2-3 feet of your signing table. Wear a smile, and invite them to browse your work.

2) Don't push for a sale, but rather tell them about the book and let them look through it. Simply let them know you will be happy to sign a copy for them if they are interested.

3) Give a sincere thank-you to everyone who takes the time to stop by, whether they purchase or not. It helps to have some type of printed information about your work for the patrons to take with them. (i.e. postcards, flyers, bookmarks)

I would love to hear what other tips you have, and why you feel you should sell yourself first.

Keepin' It Real

It came today! When I saw my son walking toward the house from the mailbox with the package, I got all giddy like a kid at Christmas. Cutting through the bubble wrap, I finally held in my hands what I'd been waiting the past ten days to receive. A virtual plethora of knowledge sure to boost my writing to the next level. A simple book entitled, The Writer's Guide to Places.

This outstanding work, written by authors Don Prues and Jack Heffron, provides authors with intricate details about 51 U.S. cities and 10 Canadian provinces. Its purpose is to help writers create realistic scenes, characters, and dialogue pertinent to the places their stories are based in. It's almost like taking a trip to the destination of your choice without leaving home. So far, I'm loving it! These men did an awesome job of researching every aspect of this book, making it an invaluable tool for the writer who wants the detail but may not otherwise have a means of obtaining it.

Being that I've already written two novels based in Philadelphia which contain very few actual facts about the city, I now feel empowered that I have some new knowledge to incorporate into future volumes of the Forever Love series. I can send Dana shopping at the Italian Market, and now appropriately place Gartano's on Philly's South side with the other quaint bistros of its kind. The boys in the band can enjoy a good hoagie while they dream of playing for a sell-out crowd at Veteran's Stadium. I love to keep my writing as real as possible, and this book will certainly help. However, there's still one thing I just can't quite bring myself to do.

I simply can't picture Mitch Tarrington saying, "Yo!"

I think I'll let Rocky keep that one.

Judge Not....

I'm a little ticked. Okay, more than a little because it seems this keeps happening over and over. This morning, a good friend directed me to a blog geared toward Christian authors. Thinking it was right up my alley, I eagerly scanned the site and soon learned that this group consists of several writers who share tips, blog about their work and experiences, and spread the word to readers in the market about new Christian book releases. Excited about the possibility of joining this group, I went to the page outlining membership criteria. There it was, staring back at me in bold black print:

(not verbatim)"We only accept works published through a traditional publishing company."

I was ticked!(I know, I already said that, but it bears repeating)Why are there still so many closed-minded individuals and groups in the literary world who look down on self- and independently-published authors? What makes an author who holds a traditional publishing contract any better or more qualified to write than those who chose an alternate route? In my opinion, and the opinions of many others I know, absolutely nothing!

Let's think about this. Self-publishing companies have made it easy for the average person to publish their work and take it to the marketplace. I am fully aware that there are many self-published works out which are poorly edited or not edited at all. As the saying goes, one bad apple spoils the bunch. But is that really fair to the rest of us who did take the extra time with our work to ensure its quality? Is it fair to say because "anyone can do it" (self-publish)that it's a sub-standard method or that all self-published works are sub-standard? I say, no, it's not fair at all. If anyone cares to do the research, many of our current, best-selling authors began as self-published. John Grisham sold his first books out of the trunk of his car. Nicholas Sparks kept his "day job" for three years after releasing his first book because he never thought he'd be successful at writing. Stephen King originally self-published as did Amanda Brown ("Legally Blonde"), William Strunk, Jr. and E.B. White ("The Elements of Style"), and Christopher Paolini ("Aragon" series). I could list many others, but I think you get the idea.

I believe those who are so narrow in their thinking about alternatively published works need to wake up and take a look at what's really out there. At the risk of sounding vain, I'm self-published, and I personally have a proven sales record for my work, an established and ever-growing fan base, and two awards in a national contest judged by librarians and book sellers. My work is not "sub-standard" by any means. Neither are the works of the multitude of other self-published authors I know.

Now, as I close on my thoughts, let me state my disclaimer in that I don't mean to project that one publishing method is superior over any other, or step on the toes of those who hold contracts with traditional publishers. I am simply making a point that there is no reason whatsoever for self- or independently-published authors to be judged unfairly because of a few "bad apples." I've read plenty of traditionally published works that I personally felt should never have made it into print.

I say, forget about the publisher or method, and read a work before you judge it. Give it a chance. You may be pleasantly surprised.

What do you think?

Very Thought Provoking

Ever have writer's block? If you're an author between the ages of 1-200, then the answer to that question is most likely a resounding "yes." Ever wonder what you could do to get those creative juices flowing again?

I came across an article by Gretchen Rubin on Yahoo Shine about how to provoke the thought process to help produce ideas, solutions, and strategies. While it wasn't written with the author in mind, I still believe that we can apply her principles to guide us through those times when the muse takes a hike for the hills.

Go For A Walk--Nietzsche wrote, "All truly great thoughts are conceived while walking." Studies have shown walking increases alertness, focus, and energy.

Do A Headstand--Yoga buffs believe that ideas are stimulated by increased blood flow to the brain. (I'd recommend not doing this while sitting at your computer! HA HA)

Think About Your Problem Just Before Going to Sleep--Your mind keeps working while you dream and can often produce the solution you're looking for.

Try Touch--Touch or be touched--pet an animal, cuddle your kids, or get a massage. It helps you relax and can get your creative juices flowing.

Public Transportation--Looking out the window of a bus or train with the changing views and constant motion can stimulate your mindpower.

Shower--A long shower works for many people.

Talk It Out--Some people benefit from talking to others. Great ideas often come out of conversations.

I'd love to hear your tips for breaking through writer's block, and if any of these work for you!