tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10430299204037490822024-03-14T06:17:14.154-04:00Author Tony ConawayTony Conawayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07256198676368979247noreply@blogger.comBlogger213125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1043029920403749082.post-71611657256730759392019-05-31T23:06:00.000-04:002019-06-06T16:36:45.756-04:00Problem/Solution<span style="font-size: small;">Last month I purchased two books that I probably won't read.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">Of course, I <i>might</i> read them. The chances are about 30% to 40% that I will.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">These were books I bought at author's events. Both of the authors are friends of mine, but they don't really write in genres that I think I can learn from.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">I just don't have the time to read everything that I get. I couldn't if I tried -- there are just too many books our there. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Also, once I became a working author, I had even less time to read. I can see it in my journals. I used to read a book a week. Not a remarkable rate, but it worked for me, especially since I read newspapers and magazines as well. (Most of that's on the internet, now.)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Once I started to get published, I struggled to read half as much. A month in which I finish two books is good, now.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">So: here I am, buying books from friends, just to be supportive.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">What do I expect in return? A book, of course. And an inscription. Not just an autograph. I don't give a damn about autographs. I want at least one meaningful sentence that indicates that this author knows me.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">Let's take the female author first. When she entered the room, she immediately came over to me and gave me a big hug. She asked about my health and commented on how we haven't seen each other for two years. She kept speaking to me until the organizer came over to tell her where to set up.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">Later, I went over to buy a copy of her latest book. I hoped for a personalized inscription, so I waited until no one else was waiting to buy a copy. She asked if I wanted my copy signed, and I said "yes -- and make it out to me."</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">Which she did. She signed it "To Tony," followed by a <i>one-word hashtag,</i> and her autograph!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">I didn't complain...but I was not impressed. She greeted me earlier with a hug, and now I don't even get a salutation?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">Two weeks later, I bought a book from a male friend. He did not hug me. (I don't think he's a hugger. Neither am I.) But did seem glad to see me. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">I'd been thinking about how to procure a personalized message. I decided that the easiest was was to make it a condition of the sale. (Again, I waited until there were no other buyers in line. It wouldn't be fair to ask an author to risk losing a sale just to spend extra time writing a message. Nor did I want to give others the idea that they could demand a personalized message. That would be a nightmare at a busy signing: fifty buyers all demanding individual messages!)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">I told the author: "Hey, I'd like to buy a copy of your book. But I used to have 3,000 books at home, and they were a burden just to <i>dust,</i> let alone store. So I got rid of them. Now, I read almost everything on Kindle. The only paper books I keep are the ones the author has put a message in -- a message to me. So I'll buy a copy if you sign it and write something personal. I don't care if you write that you hate me and think I'm a pretentious snob. Can do?"</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">He did. Problem solved. (He didn't write that I was a pretentious snob. He was very complimentary.)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">One other note: when I do a book signing myself, I also add the date. I figure the buyer can brag, "Hey, see the date? This was just before the author died. He was walking in the park with a Nutter Butter in his pocket, and he got attacked by squirrels. They <i>nibbled</i> him to death! It was on the internet, so it must be true."</span><br />
Tony Conawayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07256198676368979247noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1043029920403749082.post-72575427581402529972018-09-18T17:04:00.000-04:002018-09-18T17:05:49.375-04:00Ken Lozito: Each Book Is More Successful Than the Last!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwkToSu2Feae1VUO0BGReTmbIO-Ho8xRPVTjRqFdS8kpWOhhGq6lb5C6VtLURNwfpDBGDsm6dw94HyibaTUYaiSvsaNtXtbtHrgJhy1_S58M3ODCFvEZORj40_44uL3m9CCzfIzd9D8ZTt/s1600/Ken+Lozito%2527s+Genesis+cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwkToSu2Feae1VUO0BGReTmbIO-Ho8xRPVTjRqFdS8kpWOhhGq6lb5C6VtLURNwfpDBGDsm6dw94HyibaTUYaiSvsaNtXtbtHrgJhy1_S58M3ODCFvEZORj40_44uL3m9CCzfIzd9D8ZTt/s320/Ken+Lozito%2527s+Genesis+cover.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Today I
interview a fellow member of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Brandywine
Valley Writers Group</i>, novelist Ken Lozito. Ken is now a full-time author
specializing in military science fiction. Ken is the author of several
well-received and successful series. His latest release in his <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">First Colony</b> series is <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>Discovery</u></b>: <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>First Colony</u></b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>Book
Five</u></b>. This series continues the adventures of Colonel Connor Gates,
which began in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>Genesis</u></b>: <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>First Colony</u>,</b> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>Book One</u></b>.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">1)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let me start a little differently than usual.
The recent death of short story writer and screenwriter Harlan Ellison brought
this to mind.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Many of us were
inspired to become a writer by someone. It might have been another writer, or a
teacher, or even a parent. For me, it was discovering the work of Harlan
Ellison as a teenager. I wanted to do what he did!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Was there one
person in your life who inspired you to become a writer?</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
That's a tough question to answer. My first thought was, not
really, for me being a writer was something of a pie-in-the-sky idea that
people much smarter and more talented than me achieved. A friend of mine
introduced me to Piers Anthony, which got me hooked on reading stories in
middle school. I started writing in high school. I always had ideas for stories
churning along in the back of my mind, but I never made a serious effort at it
until much later in life. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series is one of my favorites,
and when he died, it was heartbreaking. This massive series was going to be
left unfinished. Most fans of the series know this, but a new and up and coming
writer at the time, Brandon Sanderson, was brought in to finish the series
based on Robert Jordan's notes. I was a bit skeptical at first but when I read,
The Gathering Storm, I was pleasantly surprised. I googled Brandon Sanderson
and read and watched videos of his interviews particularly his journey to
becoming a published author. We're pretty close in age, and I kept thinking
that if I'd made different choices or took my desire to be an author more
seriously, then I could have achieved the dream of becoming an author. All this
was going on around 2010. I'd just finished my master's degree in Business
Intelligence while working full-time and raising kids. While I was putting in
all this extra work, I kept thinking that I could be putting this effort into
writing. I'd even considered applying to Ph.D. programs with the intention of
becoming a college professor because I thought it would afford me more time to
write fiction on the side. Those plans didn't work out and thankfully so.
Toward the end of 2012, I'd decided to make a change. I was going to finish the
story I'd been tinkering with for nearly twenty years. This isn't the part
where I say I finished it and that story became a massive bestseller and
champagne fell from the heavens. But I did finish that story and then wrote
another one. One of the driving forces for me to finish that first book was my
kids. I'd been telling them the story, and I needed to finish it. Plus I also
wanted to show them that you can pursue your dreams.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Back to your question of who inspired me to become a writer.
I guess you can say it was a couple of people and experiences that inspired me.
What started as something to show my kids what was possible blossomed and grew
to what I've accomplished today.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
2)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ken, tell us about
your <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>First Colony</u> </b>series,
which began with<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> <u>Genesis</u>: <u>Book
One.</u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The First Colony series is about our first interstellar
colony. The story is set over two hundred years in the future. There is no FTL
or wormholes.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Genesis</i> is a
military science fiction story about Connor Gates who wakes up to find that
he's been smuggled into a stasis pod aboard a colony ship that is now sixty
light-years from Earth. Unable to return home, Connor must find his place on
this new world, but he soon learns that this world wasn't the original
destination of the colony ship. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
3)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You like to write
books in series. How many series do you have out now?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have four series out now. Two of them are complete
(Safanarion Order and Ascension series are complete.) First Colony series is
ongoing.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
4)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unlike a lot of
authors, you have created a business plan for yourself. Would you like to tell
us what’s in your plan?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I've found that most successful authors have a plan that is
clearly defined so I chose to emulate that. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
At the top of my plan are the words "Pay
Mortgage". When I discussed changing careers to become a full-time author
with my wife I knew I needed a plan. I'd been writing and publishing for four
years at this point and had a record of increasingly successful series.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My business plan has things that you'd find in any plan I
would think: </div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Mission - Provide literary entertainment through
writing fiction & Pay Mortgage</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Description of the business - Similar to the
mission but more clearly defined.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Products (Current and Future) - Books I'd
written and future series I'm planning.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Pricing strategy - Based partially on the models
created by successful self-published authors. </div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Financial plan - Income and expenses are tracked
monthly. Monthly metrics will show individual books and series incomes to help
align marketing strategies within budget, determine series solvency, and
planning for new series.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Production schedule - Books I will write and the
publication of those books. This one is actually a challenge to put together
and I didn't really do this until I'd transitioned to become a full-time
author. </div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Target Audience - I write in different genres
and each of those have a specific audience I'm writing for. </div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Marketing - This can be a complex one to
explain, but at its core it's how I get my work in front of readers. Everything
from advertising to my release schedule can be tied to this. </div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Long Term Goals & Solvency Determination - Each
of these things have their own level of importance, but I added the last one
(Solvency Determination) on my own. I need to earn a living so I thought it was
important to include in my plan, actions that I would take if I wasn't earning
enough money to make a living. This will vary from person to person, but for me
this is what I measure against. If my income falls below a certain point then
something needs to change so I can do things like pay my mortgage and buy food.
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I think it's important to be able to define what success is
so you can strive to achieve it. Most people have their own definition of
success so it's important to define what success means for you. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
5)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I downloaded the
ebook version of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>Genesis</u>: <u>First
Colony</u>, <u>Book One</u></b>, and I notice it’s priced differently from the
others in the series. Have you experimented with different prices for your
books?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Yes I have. Genesis is currently priced at $0.99 cents for
the ebook and the other books in the series are priced at $4.99. Most ebook
prices range from $2.99-$5.99 depending on genre. Genesis is discounted as part
of a promotion to help bring new readers into the series. Not much risk for a
potential reader at that price point and they might find that they enjoy the
series.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
6)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The majority of
your sales are as ebooks, although hard copies of your books are also
available. Since most of your readers buy the ebook version, do you hold a book
release party for each new book?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
No I don't. I announce new releases to my newsletter and on
Facebook. I mostly celebrate when I finish the first draft of a story with a
Guinness or bourbon. By the time I release a new book I'm already writing the
next book.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
7)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anything else
you’d like to add?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Bottom line, you have to put in a lot of work to get your writing
to a professional level and even then you'll still have a lot to learn. Read a
lot of books especially those from authors in your chosen genre whose success
you'd like to emulate, but also read outside your genre. You might find that
your writing is better suited to a genre you hadn't expected. Keep writing and
don't just tinker with the same story for years. If it's a series, write the
next book. You will improve. This is the best time to be a writer and the
barrier to become an author has never been lower. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thank you for your time, Ken.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can follow Ken on social media here:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-outline-level: 1;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Facebook Group - </span><span style="mso-field-code: " HYPERLINK \0022https\:\/\/www\.facebook\.com\/groups\/645833775795441\/\0022 \\t \0022_blank\0022 ";"><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">https://www.facebook.com/groups/645833775795441/</span></span></span><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-outline-level: 1;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Facebook Author page - </span><span style="mso-field-code: " HYPERLINK \0022https\:\/\/www\.facebook\.com\/AuthorKenLozito\/\0022 \\t \0022_blank\0022 ";"><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKenLozito/</span></span></span><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-outline-level: 1;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Website - </span><span style="mso-field-code: " HYPERLINK \0022https\:\/\/www\.kenlozito\.com\0022 \\t \0022_blank\0022 ";"><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">https://www.kenlozito.com</span></span></span><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Tony Conawayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07256198676368979247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1043029920403749082.post-33148012681850217172018-07-29T00:51:00.000-04:002018-07-29T20:57:16.073-04:00Here's the Deal: An Interview with Chris Bauer<style>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfdXd8Mdd7th2SMb7U8ZHKLfREZhjKAPOakewk9HeLWhSovOw6z3YPNoORengMuzv7vQMAe9E5yD9N-_ZQ4jAko-Z4G3mXKabTBczSlmf0PGQNj1CJ8fjUMNM6SQmCjjJ6SO5a7el2OLxu/s1600/Jane%2527s+Baby+cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfdXd8Mdd7th2SMb7U8ZHKLfREZhjKAPOakewk9HeLWhSovOw6z3YPNoORengMuzv7vQMAe9E5yD9N-_ZQ4jAko-Z4G3mXKabTBczSlmf0PGQNj1CJ8fjUMNM6SQmCjjJ6SO5a7el2OLxu/s1600/Jane%2527s+Baby+cover.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I met author
Chris Bauer at a Noir at a Bar event in Oxford, Pennsylvania, where both of us
were reading from our work. (I can tell you from personal experience that Chris
is a good guy to share a beer with!) <span class="msoIns"><ins cite="mailto:Chris%20Bauer" datetime="2018-07-25T16:33"></ins></span><span class="msoDel"><del cite="mailto:Chris%20Bauer" datetime="2018-07-25T16:33"></del></span>Chris' new novel, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>Jane’s Baby</u></b>, has
just been published by <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Intrigue
Publishing, LLC</b>.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The title <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>Jane’s Baby</u></b> refers to the
landmark 1971 Roe v. Wade Supreme Court case, first argued in 1971 and decided
in 1973, which legalized abortion in the United States. This thriller takes
place in the current day, when sinister forces conspire to tilt the U.S.
Supreme Court towards overturning that case. The characters include a bounty
hunter, a newspaper reporter, and a newly-appointed Supreme Court justice –
targeted by an assassin bent on killing anyone who gets in her way!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">1)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let me start a little differently than usual.
The recent death of short story writer and screenwriter Harlan Ellison brought
this to mind.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Many of us were
inspired to become a writer by someone. It might have been another writer, or a
teacher, or even a parent. For me, it was discovering the work of Harlan
Ellison as a teenager. I wanted to do what he did!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Was there one
person in your life who inspired you to become a writer?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Answer: No one
person, but one author did give me so much pleasure with his wonderful but
little-known novel about baseball: Steve Shilstone. His novel <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>Chance,</u></b> about the greatest
(fictional) baseball shortstop to ever play the game, helped me identify and
take command of my voice. The unreliable narrator in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>Chance</u></b> remains nameless, calls himself “an old weird guy
poet.” Here’s the novel’s opening paragraph:</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;">
</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Okay, here’s the deal. This is a book about a
baseball player. Do you care? If you don’t care, read it anyway. There’s some
other stuff in it too. Chance Caine. Recognize the name? Well, he wants me, an
old weird guy poet, to write his story. Why? I’ll tell you why. He has made
rhythmic marks on paper himself. Some of his efforts aren’t even dreck. You can
judge for yourself in a minute. He took a class. I gave him an A. So one day he
comes to me with a load of scrapbooks, diaries, videos. He says, “Here’s my
life. How would you like to write my book?” I say, “The thing I make will be
the thing I make.” I talk like that on purpose sometimes.…</span></i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;">
</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">And I was hooked.
The cadence, the tight sentences, the confidence, it’s all there. I stole that
last bit of dialogue (“The thing I make, etc.”), paraphrased it, and often use it
to lead my writing bio. Mr. Shilstone now writes fantasy. I think <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>Chance</u></b> (Breakaway Books)<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i>was his only published non-fantasy
effort. I’ve read the novel multiple times. I’m paging through it right now.
Damn, now you’re in trouble. When did you say you wanted this interview back?</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">2)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your new novel, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>Jane’s Baby</u></b>, is published by Intrigue Publishing. How did
you come to work with them?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Answer: Because
they were one of only two publishers willing to take a chance, on me, as
under-published as I am, and on a controversial topic like women’s reproductive
rights. The characters have biases on both sides of the argument, but the novel
does not try to solution it. It’s a crime thriller with plenty of action
(explosives, flamethrowers, and something called a “smart rifle,” a real-life
firearm that makes nearly everyone a sharpshooter from long distances), and it uses
abortion rights and its politics as a backbone, rather than having it be a
heady abortion rights treatise with a crime story as chaser. But let’s be
honest about this process. I have an agent. She saw this novel as having great
potential, something she felt the Big 5 traditional publishers and the major
independents should have jumped on, except they didn’t. I dunno; there’s humor
in the novel, the two main characters playing off each other, a kind of
love/hate buddy friendship that grew out of their respective dislike of each
other’s pro football teams. Maybe the humor and the gunplay around such
gravitas was something these larger publishers struggled with. Maybe I was too
cavalier about it. Or maybe I flew too close to the sun, using too serious a
topic for perceived reader demographics. Or maybe none of them had the balls to
take a chance on an unknown author, even though the premise was a good one,
i.e., what happened to the Jane Roe baby, the subject of the controversial
Supreme Court decision. Thank goodness for small presses. If they see something
they like, they take chances and go for it.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">3)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The action in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>Jane’s Baby</u></b> ranges over half the United States, from Texas
to Washington, D.C. You also give very complete descriptions of those
locations. Did you actually travel to these sites to research them?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Answer: To Texas
or the locations between Texas and Virginia, no. Google Earth, Google Maps,
websites like Planned Parenthood provided enough detail to get it done. I’ve
been to Falls Church, Virginia and DC enough because my daughter and her family
live near there, but no visits were made there specifically for research. Gotta
love the Internet. For research, it’s the writer’s best friend.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">4)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your book features characters of diverse
backgrounds. While your protagonist is a white male, about half your characters
are female, and you have African-American and Native American characters. Did
you have any concerns about writing characters of different races and genders?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Answer: Yes and
no. And you didn’t mention that two of the major characters have significant
physical challenges to overcome. My former enlisted Marine character has a mild
case of Tourette Syndrome (coprolalia, obscene language; copropraxia, obscene tics).
His sportswriter sidekick is an African American male dwarf who carries mental
and physical scars from his childhood, but is relatively well adjusted now that
he’s in his forties. The Native American characters were appropriate for the novel,
considering Norma McCorvey, who died in 2017, the real Jane Roe of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Roe v Wade</i> infamy, was part Caddo-Comanche.
I had no resources regarding indigenous people, although I did communicate directly
with iconic singer-songwriter-social activist Buffy Sainte-Marie, born on a
Piapot Cree reservation, regarding her Sesame Street appearances in the 1970s,
asking for and receiving her feedback on some of my prose. She was most
gracious. Hopefully my Native American characters ring true. Regarding writing
female characters: I have writer peers in two writers groups, many of them
women. I’ve been chided many times for not getting it right. We learn from our
mistakes. Hopefully that education takes place before the work gets published.
These characters will be seen in two more (hopefully published) novels. One
comment I did receive from my request for feedback is that people who are not
white, not male, not average-heighted, and not heterosexual do <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i> want to be called/labeled by their
differences. They simply want, and should, be called “human beings.” </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">5)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You have some nicely cinematic scenes in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>Jane’s Baby</u></b>, from an abandoned
Segway thumping around in a trash dumpster to a bloody grand finale. Did you
write this book with a film version in mind?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Answer: I love
movies. Always have. I see as many as possible. Tons. In theaters, via Netflix,
Roku, even HBO when my provider runs free promotions; too freakin’ much to
subscribe to everything available, know what I’m saying? I can’t say I write
cinematically on purpose, but I’ve often heard that scenes and plots and topics
and characters I choose to write about <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">do</i>
seem to grab readers much like a film does. So I’d say it’s more the choice of
material that puts me in a cinematic way when developing scenes. I do admit
that when I’m writing I’m always of the mindset that I want it all on film. A
confession: I’ve tried to no avail to find a way of interesting my namesake the
very durable actor Chris Bauer (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">True
Blood, The Wire, The Deuce, 8MM</i>, etc.) in my novels and short stories as
properties for sale. Add to that, I’m Facebook buds with an excellent local
musician named Chris Bauer. So the way I see it, making movies that would have
the name Chris Bauer in the credits multiple times (“Starring Chris Bauer, Directed
by Chris Bauer, Novel by Chris Bauer, Music by Chris Bauer”), all different
people, would be a hoot. So yes, I want that, a lot. So if you have friends who
know actor Chris Bauer, tell ’em I’ve got some stuff I’d like him to look at.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;">
</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">
</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">6)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’ve been doing about one public event per
week to publicize <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>Jane’s Baby</u></b>.
Do you feel they’ve been successful? What advice can you give for holding a
publicity tour?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;">
</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Answer: Absolutely
they’ve been successful! First, you’re there to sell some books. You never sell
as many as you’d like, but it’s all good. I did well enough at two Barnes &
Noble signings for each storeowner to a) tell me that I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">did</i> do well and b) say they’d love for me to come back. It wasn’t a
Tony-Conaway-fiction phenomenon kind of well, and it never will be – <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>you’re a machine, Tony – but it was a
respectable start. I have a few more signings and readings set up, and I’m looking
to book more, of course, anywhere someone will have me. Second, I hand out a
flyer about the novel to interested but shy folks at signings, perhaps getting
a sale later. One outlet I’d love to tap is the book club circuit. Book clubs
are quite popular, and are overwhelmingly populated with female readers. So if
any of your readers have book clubs, I’d love to contact them. Have books, will
travel… and will answer questions, listen to feedback, comments, even debate
topics. (Case in point: My new WIP is sure to cause controversy because it’s
about gun control and the gun lobby.) I want to hang out wherever the book club
organizers hang out, to let them know <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>Jane’s
Baby</u></b> the novel is out there, as well as Jane Roe’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">real</i> baby might also be out there, now forty-eight years old, with
perhaps a personal story that’s even more exciting and thought-provoking than
the one I tell in the novel.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">7)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One last question: Do you, like your
protagonist, prefer Dunkin Donuts to Starbucks? (Personally, I’ve spent
hundreds of hours writing and editing in Starbucks. I’ve never managed to work
successfully in a Dunkin Donuts.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;">
</span><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Answer: Dunkin Donuts
coffee forever! Starbucks coffee? Nope, nope, nope. IMO – I know this won’t
endear me to some readers – it tastes like motor oil laced with tobacco, and
you have to pay more for the agony of that experience. But your question is
about DD coffee <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">shops</i> vs. Starbucks
coffee <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">shops</i>. There’s no contest.
Starbucks as a writing venue is pro level, DD is more like a high school
cafeteria. The only problem is that the Starbucks folks frown when I bring my delicious
savory cup of DD into the shop. I haven’t been tossed out because of it… yet. But
I do live near Philly, and based on a recent, well-documented event in my fair
hometown, where some non-paying customers were asked to leave a Starbucks, the
environment became a bit less accommodating to non-Starbucks customers. (In
fairness Starbucks did address this poor behavior and has attempted to correct it.
But I still Like Dunkin Donuts coffee better.)</span></span><br />
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Thank you for your time, Chris.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can follow Chris on social media here:</div>
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Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/cgbauer">https://www.facebook.com/cgbauer</a> </div>
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And this Facebook page for Jane’s Baby: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/THRILLERJANESBABY/">https://www.facebook.com/THRILLERJANESBABY/</a></div>
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Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/cgbauer">https://twitter.com/cgbauer</a></div>
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Web page: <a href="https://chrisbauerauthor.wordpress.com/">https://chrisbauerauthor.wordpress.com/</a></div>
Tony Conawayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07256198676368979247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1043029920403749082.post-11040117016995337482018-06-30T22:39:00.001-04:002018-06-30T22:40:40.527-04:00R.I.P. Harlan Ellison<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiglnMehxNoKtZUGjsqB6DbJlPds82qztq5lfMJT8zsiZDj3y8Kh_MMbwb7fXi75iIlXCQLrILOS8LKduyqTy4J2D_fhh7SgElBqRsFGXZ47iDAbFZnSmFb30ZCUfg_dz4jMn48en3BWaeQ/s1600/merlin_140497653_a9c7b78f-f342-4ab7-a69c-6652b0217977-jumbo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="679" data-original-width="1024" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiglnMehxNoKtZUGjsqB6DbJlPds82qztq5lfMJT8zsiZDj3y8Kh_MMbwb7fXi75iIlXCQLrILOS8LKduyqTy4J2D_fhh7SgElBqRsFGXZ47iDAbFZnSmFb30ZCUfg_dz4jMn48en3BWaeQ/s400/merlin_140497653_a9c7b78f-f342-4ab7-a69c-6652b0217977-jumbo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Most writers can trace back their desire to write to one person. It could be a teacher or parent who encouraged them. It could be a bad writer, which made a reader say "I could do better than this!"</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">If they're lucky, they are inspired by a good writer. We <a href="https://tinyurl.com/yd336emm" target="_blank">lost Harlan Ellison</a>, a very good writer, this week. Harlan was the one who inspired me to become a writer.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">I'm not blind to Harlan's many failings. But by and large, he's an admirable role model. He wrote hundreds of published short stories. He moved to Los Angeles and became a highly-paid script writer. He won more writing awards than anyone else I can think of. While many writers are rather dull speakers, he was a raconteur -- people <i>paid</i> him to talk on the lecture circuit. And he rarely (if ever) backed down from a fight, either physical (despite his sort stature) or in court.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Work long enough in this business and someone will screw you over. I once wrote an article on beer for a magazine that never paid me. I sighed, made a note never to deal with those people again, and moved on. Harlan told a story about being stiffed by a magazine in New York City. He claims he stormed into their office, created a distraction, then stole a typewriter to cover his lost fee!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Of course, Harlan Ellison never let the truth get in the way of a good story. I have no way of knowing if he really did steal a typewriter. Harlan was a fabulist. I once heard him talking at a college for two hours, and during that time he contradicted himself at least three times. But if people are going to pay you for public speaking, you damn well better have some good stories.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Look closely at that photo of a young Harlan above. (He was 84 years old when he passed.) Harlan is writing at a typewriter (as far as I know, he never upgraded to a computer). But look at <i>where</i> he's writing: in a store window! Yes, for publicity, Harlan sometimes wrote in the front window of a bookstore, in full view of passers-by!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Now, I can concentrate and write in a library. I can write in a cafeteria or coffee shop. But a store window? I don't know if even I could do that. And it's academic now...there are so few bookstores left.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">I wish there were more bookstores left. (Hell, I wish automats were still around, too -- I loved those places.)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">But most of all, I wish Harlan Ellison was still with us, healthy and writing and fighting the good fight. And I bet the scores of young writers he inspired feel just the same way.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
Tony Conawayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07256198676368979247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1043029920403749082.post-59197275508491232232018-03-14T20:48:00.000-04:002018-03-14T21:01:01.183-04:00A Creature of Impulse and Instinct: An Interview with Kate E. Lore<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Kate E.
Lore and I have stories in the upcoming 2018 <u>Spring into Sci-Fi</u>
anthology, which is due to be released on March 20th, 2018. It’s available for preorder <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Spring-Into-SciFi-Sandy-Stuckless-ebook/dp/B079YTWLV2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1521074783&sr=8-1&keywords=spring+into+sci-fi" target="_blank">here</a>. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kate is both a writer and cartoonist. Her
writing has appeared in a number of publications and sites, including </span></i><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Orsum
Magazine, Panoply, Weirderary, Sailing to the Moon<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> and </i>Portage Magazine<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">. She
has won numerous awards, including first place in creative writing at the
Bodies Symposium at Texas A&M Corpus Christi University.</i></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1)
Welcome, Kate. Many writers began as a child. Others come upon writing late in
life. When did you begin writing?</span></i></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "calibri"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I was in second grade when I started taking
writing seriously. I attempted my first novel in a notebook when I was in
second grade. I never finished any until my senior year of high school, though.</span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">2)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’ve written both fiction and non-fiction.
Do you prefer one over the other?</span></i></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "calibri"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I can’t say that I prefer one over the other. Essentially,
both of these are just playing with words. I think doing both keeps you
flexible, versatile. You learn more by doing more. I’m all about growth. It’s
the same way for me with cartoons/general art. It’s all equally important. It’s
all an expression of something I was feeling or trying to convey at the time.
It’s just that I switch up my mediums. I suppose I feel like I have more
fiction in me than nonfiction. You can only live so much life<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">.</i></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">3) How
long have you been drawing your cartoon, </span></i><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Melancholy Evil Poptart?</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "calibri"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">That was actually just a three-year period of my
life. I “finished” it back in 2014. The whole thing started as a sort of
practice web-comic. I didn’t plan to do anything with it. It’s inspired by a
running comic me and my two best friends in middle school would pass around and
take turns drawing/making up stories. Poptart was our villain. The whole thing
was nostalgic throw-back that turned more therapeutic and, dare-I-say-better,
than I expected. </span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">4)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I see you’ve done public readings of both
your fiction and non-fiction. Many good writers have a hard time reading their
work in public. Any advice on how to do a successful public reading? </span></i></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "calibri"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Breathe. If you make a mistake just improv and
roll with it. People can tell when you’re being real and they respond better to
that. It’s your story, you can’t miss-tell your own words. Maybe think of it as
the live version; it’s ok if a few words roll out different. Remember you
weren’t asked there to read for no reason. You earned your right to be there.
They already like your work. Convince yourself. (I can have a bad habit of
going too fast. “Stop and breathe” helps me with that.)</span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">5)
Let’s finish up with a process question. You channel your creative energies
into both writing and cartooning. All of us have only limited time to create.
How do you split up your creative time? Is it something like cartooning on
Monday-Wednesday-Friday, and writing on Tuesday-Thursday-Saturday?</span></i></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "calibri"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I wish I could create that regularly. I’m not one
for a set schedule. What I make is really dependent on what mood I’m in at the
time. I’m a creature of impulse and instinct. I have noticed that I can draw on
days that I work (my day job) but I cannot write on the days that I work. I
think writing is more mentally consuming for me than two dimensional art is.
While I can produce much greater quantities of written word, it drains me more
mentally. It requires a deeper focus. Art tends to feel more therapeutic for me
because it feels lighter. If that makes sense? I go through phases, spurts, and
marathons. It’s a poorly balanced chaos that I could probably do better at.</span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Thank you
for your time, Kate!</span></i><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">You can
follow Kate E. Lore on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/KateeLore" target="_blank">@KateeLore</a> and Facebook <a href="https://www.facebook.com/writerlore/" target="_blank">@writerlore</a></span></i><br />
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Tony Conawayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07256198676368979247noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1043029920403749082.post-59529736113575959252018-02-28T21:56:00.001-05:002018-03-02T16:57:58.203-05:00Brutalism in Chester County, PA<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Chester County's Only Brutalist Building: New Main Hall in West Chester University</b></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>The following is an article I wrote for the spring issue of the Chester County Historic Preservation Network.</i></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Brutalism in West Chester </b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">by Tony Conaway</b></div>
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West Chester University is one of the oldest institutes of
higher learning in our county with many of its buildings designed in the classic
Collegiate Gothic style. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>West Chester’s
campus is most notable for its use of Serpentine, a greenish stone quarried locally,
which was used in the construction of several of the campus buildings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But the University has grown considerably
since it became West Chester Normal School in 1871. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now educating some 16,000 graduate and
undergraduate students, its expansion sometimes requires that old buildings be replaced
by newer ones.</div>
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For its first one hundred years, most of the classes were
held in the four-story Main Hall. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
fact, during the school’s early years, this Second Empire-style edifice was the
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">only</i> school building. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At various times, Main Hall housed not only
classrooms, but the cafeteria, a dormitory, the library, and an auditorium. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Built in 1871, this voluminous serpentine
building had become obsolete by the 1960s.</div>
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The decision was made to tear down the building (today
referred to as “Old Main”), and replace it with a modern structure. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The rubble of the old building was valuable,
as local Serpentine was no longer available at the original source, Brinton’s
Quarry. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The usable stones were carted
off and repurposed. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some of it was
reportedly used to build an extension of one of the famous Serpentine “Four
Sisters” mansions on West Virginia Avenue in the North End of West Chester. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Coincidentally, both Old Main and the Four
Sisters were designed by the same notable architect, Addison Hutton.)</div>
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Cash-strapped colleges often look for a cheap building
material that could be erected as quickly as possible. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Consequently, in 1971, New Main Hall was
constructed of reinforced concrete.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It opened
in 1973. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As far as we know, it is the
only building designed in the Brutalist style in Chester County. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Today, it would be hard to name an architectural
style as divisive as Brutalism. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In vogue
for only a short span of years (mid-1950s to mid-1970s), it evokes disdain among
many for both its execution and its philosophy.</div>
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The term “Brutalism” comes from the French for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">béton brut</i>, meaning “raw concrete.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In its simplicity and honesty, it was seen as
a reaction to traditional architecture that was based on historical precedents.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps because it is intertwined with
outmoded social theory, the very concept of Brutalist architecture angers some.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Brutalism was seen as an expression of
socialist utopian ideology, widely promoted in the communist countries of
Eastern Europe. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Aesthetically, Brutalism
is difficult to execute properly. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All
successful buildings are designed by talented architects, but the majority of
Brutalist buildings seem to be uninspired. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The lack of ornamentation means that Brutalist
buildings must be appreciated as a whole, not in pieces. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The balance and geometric lines of Brutalist
buildings are best appreciated from afar. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, the crowded WCU campus affords few
clear views of New Main. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The only clear
view of New Main at a distance is from across “the Quad,” which is the large
grassy area in the center of the Main Campus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If you look at New Main from across busy High Street, you have to crane
your neck to look up at it. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Other
sightlines are often obscured by buildings or the leafy trees that WCU is well-known
for.</div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
One characteristic common to Brutalist buildings is the
“inverted pyramid” design. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is, the
base of the building is narrower than the top.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Standing at ground level near the entrance, the bulk of such Brutalist
structures looms overhead. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For example,
the well-known Boston City Hall, with its inverted pyramid design, tends to
inspire unease in observers --; possibly because it hangs over people, making
them feel small. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thankfully, this effect
is muted in the five-story New Main, which is basically a simple tower with the
boxy addition of the auditorium on its South side. </div>
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The typical Brutalist characteristics --, including the
inverted pyramid design, the use of oversized concrete elements, and the
display of service elements, such as air ducts --, are muted or non-existent on
New Main. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only the top floor is broader
than its base, which is easily overlooked from ground level. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The use of over-sized concrete elements are
minimal and include the main stairwells (which also house the main entrances)
on the East and West sides. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A brick
façade relieves the dull concrete walls. Perhaps the most playful features of
the building are the extruding windows, three of which flank each side of the
stairwells.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are placed only on the
second, third and fourth floors, with the fourth floor extrusions larger than
the two below.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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Unfortunately, reinforced concrete does not age well. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The metal rebar inside the concrete often
rusts, dribbling rusty stains on the concrete. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In some cases, moss grows on the concrete
walls. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thankfully, the exterior of New
Main has been kept in good repair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>However, New Main had other problems at the outset.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Students recall that the building had
notoriously bad climate control.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If one
side of New Main was too hot, the other side (usually the side in the shade)
was too cold.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Frustratingly, the windows
of New Main do not open, so temperatures cannot be modulated and fresh air let
in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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In short, almost no one loves New Main.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, someday, New Main will be obsolete. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The design of Brutalist buildings makes it
difficult to adapt or remodel them. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>West
Chester University then will have to decide whether or not to tear it down and
construct a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">New</i> New Main. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When that happens, will preservationists rally
to save our only Brutalist structure? </div>
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Only time will tell. </div>
<br />
<br />Tony Conawayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07256198676368979247noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1043029920403749082.post-25079217585344396472018-01-29T20:50:00.000-05:002018-01-30T09:13:59.177-05:00Nick Korolev, Author and Part-Time Commodore<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Author, illustrator and naturalist <b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Nick-Korolev/e/B00BGB8NSS/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1517273819&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Nick Korolev</a> </b>is a New Jersey
native now living in West Virginia. He’s also a very interesting guy! Nick and
I both have short stories in the upcoming SPRING INTO SCI-FI anthology. </span></i></div>
<div class="yiv9909775049msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12.0pt;">1)
Welcome, Nick. You’ve been a writer for quite a long time. Am I correct, that
your first short story was published when you were just 14 years old? How did
that come about?</span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="yiv9909775049msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I started writing for my own
pleasure when I was 12 and discovered the power of words and joy of story
telling. I was always an avid reader.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>By that age was reading adult novels and short story collections in a
variety of genres, mostly scifi by Asimov, Bradbury, Heinlein, plus the
classics from Melville and Jack London to Conrad and Hemingway. </span></div>
<div class="yiv9909775049msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="yiv9909775049msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I was put ahead in an honors
creative writing class a month after that short story was published in the
fiction section of the now defunct national publication <i>Popular Dogs</i>.
The creative writing teacher, Mrs. Engle, advised I should become a writer.</span><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12.0pt;">2)
Your bio says you were born in New Jersey, but you now reside in West Virginia.
I live outside Philadelphia, so I’ve spent a lot of time living and working in
New Jersey. What do you miss most about the Garden State? (Personally, I’d miss diners and
<a href="https://jerseyporkroll.com/" target="_blank">Taylor Pork Roll</a> -- much better than Pennsylvania's Scrapple!) And what do you have in West Virginia that you’d
miss if you moved elsewhere?</span></i></div>
<div class="yiv9909775049msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="yiv9909775049msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12.0pt;">That is kind of a long and crazy
story. I moved from NJ to Sedona, AZ to help care for my mother who had a
developed nasty crippling disease called polymyositis that affects the
muscles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I spent nine years there.
It was great in that I am both an artist (mostly wildlife, portraits, cartoons
and illustrations) as well as a writer and found Sedona to be a great arts
colony. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I learned both play and
screenwriting for which I have won awards. I ended up in West Virginia
because my mother wanted to spend her last years closer to my sister, who lives
in Jefferson County.</span><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
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<div class="yiv9909775049msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The thing I miss most about the
Garden State is the shore, canoeing the Pine Barrens and really fresh seafood.
As to what I would miss in West Virginia, it would be the mountain wilderness,
my friends and the people I work with at schools and the state park.</span><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="yiv9909775049msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12.0pt;">3)
Well, anyone who misses the Pine Barrens might enjoy this excellent collection
of crime stories by <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Cannibals-Stories-Edge-Pine-Barrens-ebook/dp/B01DVM66C4/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8" target="_blank"><b>Jen Conley</b></a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also
interviewed her, <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1043029920403749082#editor/target=post;postID=283330509570946910;onPublishedMenu=allposts;onClosedMenu=allposts;postNum=17;src=postname" target="_blank"><b>here</b></a>.</span></i></div>
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<div class="yiv9909775049msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Nick,
you’re also a student of the U.S. Civil War. Is West Virginia a good state for
Civil War aficionados? And what is the Federal Generals Corps about?</span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="yiv9909775049msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12.0pt;">West Virginia is a great place for
Civil War history. The state was born during the war, from counties that
wanted no part of the Virginia lowlands, which sided with the Confederacy. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The mountain counties were also tired of their
tax money supporting the rich planters and their road systems, with nothing for
the western counties. So they seceded from VA, becoming an official state June
20, 1863. There were quite a few battles here, like the Union victory of Droop
Mountain that ended major Confederate attempts of control of the new state.</span><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="yiv9909775049msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The Federal Generals Corps is a
group of living historians that portray famous military officers, politicians
and civilians from the Union side of the Civil War. It involves picking a
historic person you resemble, studying their biography and their place in the
war, gathering up the proper clothing, etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You essentially become that persona for the public, which involves a
little acting. It is a way of teaching history that is far better than
what you read in school history books. We camp out at and present
programs at historic sites in PA, VA, and WV. </span></div>
<div class="yiv9909775049msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="yiv9909775049msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I now only portray Commodore John
Winslow who commanded the <i>USS Kearsarge </i>that sank the Confederate raider
<i>CSS Alabama</i> off Cherbourg, France. What most people are not taught
in school is that, for the US Navy, the Civil War was essentially a world war. The
Union could never have won without the US Navy gaining control of the coasts
and the Mississippi River, plus sinking the Confederate raiders that attacked
Union merchant ships at sea. Studying maritime history and the politics
of the time will also prove that slavery was the cause of the war. I can
make my talks very real having grown up in a boating family and having been out
on a tall ship. I portray the only naval officer in our group.</span><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12.0pt;">4)
Let’s get to your books. What is your latest book about?</span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="yiv9909775049msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12.0pt;">My latest book, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Ghost-Chance-Nick-Korolev/dp/1641362839/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1517276103&sr=1-1&keywords=nick+korolev+ghost+of+a+chance" target="_blank"><b><i>Ghost of a Chance</i></b></a>, is a bit of a departure from my usual maritime historical fiction,
fantasy and scifi. It is a political satire and ghost story all rolled into one.
It’s about a young West Virginia progressive freshman senator, Frank Barnes,
who is running on a third party ticket for President against a corrupt
Republican incumbent and a not-much-better Democrat contender. He is
running last in the polls when his friend gives him an antique book for his
birthday. The book was once was the library of Theodore Roosevelt, his favorite
president (and mine). The book comes with Teddy’s ghost, who is bound and
determined to help Frank in his run for POTUS. This, of course, results in a
wild ride. The book is either hilariously funny or scary depending on the
politics of the reader.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every chapter
starts with a famous quote from TR. I do not belong to any political
party but always vote. If there is a message in this novel it is to get
out and vote. </span></div>
<div class="yiv9909775049msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="yiv9909775049msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12.0pt;">This novel was originally a
screenplay that I wrote back in 2011 for competition in the 2012 Appalachian
Film Festival competition (I won with entries in 2005 and 2010). With the
results of the last election, I decided to turn the screenplay into a novel and
remarket it. Mockingbird Lane Press, a small independent traditional
publisher, contracted for it last spring and it was just released in Dec.
2017. So far it has gotten 5 star reviews on Amazon for both paperback
and e-books. I am doing everything I can to get it marketed but can not
afford a publicist to get it out there. I am hoping it gets 20 reviews so
Amazon helps in marketing.</span><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="yiv9909775049msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="yiv9909775049msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="yiv9909775049msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12.0pt;">5)
Well, perhaps this interview will result in some more reviews for </span></i><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Ghost-Chance-Nick-Korolev/dp/1641362839/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1517276103&sr=1-1&keywords=nick+korolev+ghost+of+a+chance" target="_blank"><b>Ghost of a Chance</b></a><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> – just click on the link!</i></span></div>
<div class="yiv9909775049msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="yiv9909775049msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Nick,
your work spans a number to historical periods: the Civil War, the life and
presidency of Teddy Roosevelt, the sinking of the U.S.S. Lusitania in 1915, and
modern day. How do you keep the historical aspects straight? I’m currently
working on a detective novel during the Great Depression, and I’m always having
to check as to the price of goods and services, what people wore, and even how
they spoke.</span></i></div>
<div class="yiv9909775049msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="yiv9909775049msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I learned a long time ago that
when you write anything historical you must research everything on the era to
make it believable and bring the era alive from politics to living expenses to
clothing and more. This should be done first along with developing your
basic plot. It is the same attention to detail you need to do in world
and technology building in scifi. If you work on a historical fiction
that takes place in the not too distant past, talking to people who lived
through the time also helps.</span><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="yiv9909775049msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="yiv9909775049msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="yiv9909775049msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12.0pt;">6)
West Virginia is not known for having a lot of writers. One of my nieces
attended the University of West Virginia, and I decided to send her a gift of
books by West Virginia authors. At the time, all I could find was the sole
collection by the late, great </span></i><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Stories-Breece-DJ-Pancake-ebook/dp/B00A2CFXQM/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1517273700&sr=1-1&keywords=breece+d%27j+pancake" target="_blank">Breece D’J Pancake</a>. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Do you have a community of
writers out there to bounce ideas off and critique your work?</i></span></div>
<div class="yiv9909775049msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="yiv9909775049msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I am sort of the resident alien in
that I was not born here. There is a <a href="http://wvwriters.org/home/writers-groups-around-the-state/" target="_blank">West Virginia Writers Association</a>,
but that is way down near Charleston, WV, too far for me to go for meetings so
I have not joined yet. I sometimes use beta readers but I am my own
critic most of the time and am very fussy what I think will work. I always ask
myself, has this been done before? Is it best as a novel, short story or stage
or screenplay? Would enough people be interested in the story? Sometimes I
bounce ideas off friends. I have a file of aborted projects in different
genres. </span></div>
<div class="yiv9909775049msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="yiv9909775049msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12.0pt;">There are a few local writers, but
they work alone with relatives as critics and most self-publish. To me (and
agents) self-publishing is not much above using a vanity press and cannot be used
as a credit when looking for an agent or publisher if one is serious about a
writing career. </span></div>
<div class="yiv9909775049msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="yiv9909775049msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12.0pt;">New writers are lured in by
keeping more of the price, but that is quickly eaten up by costs of more
printing and marketing. Besides, they have not “paid their dues,” proving
the quality of their work through competition, being printed in literary
journals and anthologies, etc. Most “newbies” want to get around
rejections and the (often) years of honing their skills to start breaking into
print. </span></div>
<div class="yiv9909775049msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="yiv9909775049msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Everyone today is in too much of a
rush. I have always believed you don’t serve a good wine before its time
and you must be prepared for a batch to go bad now and then and realize
sometimes work is not worth publishing -- especially a first try. People
will not like this opinion, but I have observed enough to know it is true and
have a sister who is a professional editor who used to work for an independent
traditional book publisher (now defunct) and told me many stories on what
crossed her desk. The fiction she dealt with included knock-offs of
existing books with different characters, and poor writing that was not edited
for grammar and consistency.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One was
down right plagiarism of the Harry Potter characters!</span><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="yiv9909775049msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="yiv9909775049msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="yiv9909775049msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12.0pt;">7)
Looking at your books on Amazon, I don’t see any science fiction. Is your story
in SPRING INTO SCI-FI a departure for you? </span></i></div>
<div class="yiv9909775049msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="yiv9909775049msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I have two existing full scifi
novels. <b><i>The Cat Who Fell To Earth</i>,</b> rewritten a couple of times
over the years, is presently being marketed on <a href="https://www.inkitt.com/" target="_blank"><b>Inkitt</b></a> and has been there for a
year. It has gleaned 5 star reviews but their data analog has not
collected enough data on it yet from their readers for them to come to a
decision to publish it. I sent it off to Angry Robot’s open call for
submissions in Dec. and am waiting to hear if it has done anything. The
novel deals with the same race of leonine aliens that appear in the story in
the 2018 SPRING INTO SCI-FI. It is set in the contemporary United States
in Sedona, AZ, and is a quirky first contact story involving a covert alien plot
to make it happen while anti-contact and pro-contact factions argue it out in
their Confederation of Planets council. </span></div>
<div class="yiv9909775049msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="yiv9909775049msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I also have a YA book I have not
finished illustrating titled <i>Bob’s Planet: A Journal.</i></span><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> <span style="color: blue;">It is a heavily
illustrated journal by protagonist Robert Carusoe, 17, on the first expedition
to colonize the habitable planet Echo 48 discovered by the Kepler telescope
long before he was born. With him are his engineer father and teacher
mother. He is to be an exobiology intern while he finishes his
schooling. </span></span></div>
<div class="yiv9909775049msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="yiv9909775049msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12.0pt;">His journal begins after the
massive sleep ship <i>Pilgrim 1</i> he is on meets disaster only two weeks
after all were brought out of hibersleep as they enter the planetary
system. Caught in a dangerous meteor storm all are forced to evacuate the
ship in escape pods. Alone in a pod designed for four people, Robert
survives his journey knowing not all made it. He quickly finds himself
forced to meet the challenges of life on a new world much like Earth’s
Carboniferous age. The life forms are more hostile than expected, but he
searches for his parents and other survivors while awaiting the arrival of <i>Pilgrim
2,</i> which is still a month away. </span></div>
<div class="yiv9909775049msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="yiv9909775049msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12.0pt;">A student of biology with a gift
of drawing, Bob records his experiences and observations in his written journal
in the tradition of Audubon and Darwin long before him. The journal itself
covers twenty-one days with each section illustrated with plants, animals, maps
and sketches of spacecraft in ink and pencil drawings as if done by Bob.
This is presently with an agent who handles books only by writer-illustrators
and asked to see it. Waiting to hear on this project, too, at this
writing.</span><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="yiv9909775049msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="yiv9909775049msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12.0pt;">8<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">)
Let’s finish up with a process question. Most successful writers get into a
regular pattern. Some write in the morning before they go to work, others at
night. What’s your writing schedule?</i></span></div>
<div class="yiv9909775049msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="yiv9909775049msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12.0pt;">My writing schedule is crazy and I
write any chance I get. Being single with no present commitments helps as my
time is my own interrupted only by work around the house. I write on
weekends when not going out with friends or working in the yard etc. I
write when I do not get a substitute teaching assignment for the day. It
must share time with any illustration work I am doing be it for my work or on
assignment from another author. In the summer I get more writing done. </span></div>
<div class="yiv9909775049msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="yiv9909775049msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I am the naturalist for <a href="https://wvstateparks.com/park/lost-river-state-park/" target="_blank"><b>Lost River State Park</b></a> and part of my job besides nature programs is to keep the historic
Lee House open on certain days during the week. While waiting for
visitors I get a lot of writing done sitting on the front porch and back at my
cabin at night where I stay on site for part of the week since I do not have a
TV at the cabin. As much as I like my “Day Jobs,” I would like to do the
writing and illustration full time.</span><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="yiv9909775049msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="yiv9909775049msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="yiv9909775049msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Nick,
thank you for your time. Best of luck with your new novels!</span></i></div>
<div class="yiv9909775049msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="yiv9909775049msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="yiv9909775049msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Nick
Korolev can be contacted via his <b><a href="https://www.korolevportfolio.com/" target="_blank">website</a></b>. He can also be found on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Nick-Korolev-AuthorArtist-168758653143565/?ref=bookmarks" target="_blank"><b>Facebook</b></a> or <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-korolev-9373593b/" target="_blank"><b>Linkedin</b></a>.</span></i></div>
<div class="yiv9909775049msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="yiv9909775049msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12.0pt;">His
books are available on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Nick-Korolev/e/B00BGB8NSS/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1" target="_blank"><b>Amazon</b></a>, <b><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/%22Nick%20Korolev%22?Ntk=P_key_Contributor_List&Ns=P_Sales_Rank&Ntx=mode+matchall" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a></b> </span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> or <b><a href="http://www.booksamillion.com/search?id=7172756885506&query=Nick+Korolov&filter=product_type%3Abooks" target="_blank">Books-a-Million</a></b>. </span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="yiv9909775049msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Both Nick Korolev and Tony Conaway have stories in the soon-to-be-released <a href="http://cloakedpress.com/springscifi" target="_blank"><b>SPRING INTO SCI-FI</b></a> anthology.</span></i></div>
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<br />Tony Conawayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07256198676368979247noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1043029920403749082.post-64670617370253790402017-12-10T23:25:00.001-05:002018-01-27T14:21:04.958-05:00Never in Broad Daylight: An Interview with Frank Roger<style>
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<i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;"><a href="http://www.frankroger.be/" target="_blank"><b>Frank Roger</b></a> and I both have stories in the just-released <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Fall-Into-Fantasy-Andrew-Ferrell/dp/0999169009/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1512966170&sr=1-1&keywords=fall+into+fantasy+2017" target="_blank"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Fall Into Fantasy 2017</b></a> anthology,
published by Cloaked Press. Earlier I interviewed another contributor, <a href="https://wayneaconaway.blogspot.com/2017/06/molly-neely-is-oneof-authors-with-story.html" target="_blank"><b>Molly Neely</b></a>.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;">Frank has written several hundred short stories. He is also the author of
the science fiction novel <b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=bonobo+sapiens" target="_blank"><u>Bonobo Sapiens</u></a></b>. He currently lives in Ghent, Belgium.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;">1)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Frank, I don’t know if you were a
fan, but I’d like to express my condolences on the passing of Johnny Hallyday.
I understand he was the biggest rock-and-roll star in France and Belgium for
over fifty years.</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-language: JA;">Honestly, I wasn’t a fan. Hallyday was mostly
popular in the French-speaking part of the country. But music (both live and
recorded) has been a lifelong passion: I grew up with the heavy and progressive
bands of the 70s and beyond (Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, Nazareth, Yes, King
Crimson, UFO, Magnum, Wishbone Ash, Styx, 38 Special, Samson and too many
others to mention), as well as some different stuff (such as singer-songwriter
Heather Nova).</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;">2)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like most Belgians, I assume
you’re multilingual. Do you write in different languages, or just in English?</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-language: JA;">My native language is Dutch. When I began writing, I
naturally did so in Dutch. Later on I switched to English, as this offered more
market possibilities. I still write in Dutch too, and when I find the time, I
translate (or retell) some of my stories into French (my second language). On
top of that, many of my stories have been published in translation in a growing
number of languages (over 40 by now, ranging from the very small (Manx) to the
very big (Chinese)).</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;">3)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> That's amazing! I don't think my work has been in more than 10 languages so far. </span></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;">In an email, you mentioned that you went to
the latest World Science Fiction Convention, which was held in Helsinki. In
fact, you’re the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">only</b> person I know
who attended that convention. I assume you’ve been to other WorldCons. How did
the Helsinki Con compare with other Cons you’ve attended?</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-language: JA;">I visited worldcons (and other conventions) in many
countries in Europe, as well as in the USA, Canada and India. The Helsinki
worldcon stood out because it was a very international worldcon, even more so
than the one in London in 2014. The American and Canadian conventions I attended
were noticeably less international in scope. The convention in India (where I
was one of the Guests of Honor by the way) was an academic affair, supposed to
be international, but attracting mostly people from all over India.</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;"> </span></i><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;"> </span></i>
</div>
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<i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;">4)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your story in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Fall Into Fantasy</b>, “Variant Readings,”
is about 3,000 to 3,500 words long, correct? How do you decide what is the best
length for a story?</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-language: JA;">Each story has its own natural length. That may be
50, 500, 5,000 or 50,000 words. I never trim or expand stories to fit a certain
length. They always happen to be exactly as long as they need to be. My stories
are not plot-driven or character-driven, but idea-driven: some ideas take more
space to develop than others.</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;">5)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’ve written flash fiction,
short stories, and novels. Which do you prefer?</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-language: JA;">I don’t think of myself as a novelist. I prefer
doing short stories of varying lengths. I tend to think that novel writing and
story writing are two very different talents, and few writers are blessed with
both. My favorite short story writers are Philip K. Dick, J.G. Ballard and
Jorge Luis Borges. Writers like Dick and Ballard (and perhaps I should also
mention Robert Silverberg here) also did novels of course, but I always thought
they excel at shorter work. My story “Variant Readings” was of course inspired
by Borges. It is one of many stories of mine about strange books or bookstores.</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;">6)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before they submit their work,
many writers run it by either a trusted critique group or a cadre of beta
readers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you, and how did you get
that group?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(It took me many years to
find a critique group that I found truly helpful.)</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-language: JA;">When a story is finished, I prefer submitting it
right away. I trust an editor’s decision more than the view of someone who may
or may not like a story for a variety of reasons, but whose opinion won’t lead
to a publication. Some stories get picked up quickly, others take years to find
a home. I have written about five hundred stories by now, and I believe that
eventually they will all see print somewhere.</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;">7)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s finish up with a process
question: how do you write? Do you do it in the same time and place every
day?</span></i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-language: JA;">I take lots of notes. That’s how each story starts
out. I only begin writing when I have a title, a beginning and an end.
Improvisation doesn’t work for me. I try to do some writing every day, and I
prefer working in the evening. Perhaps good stories never come to fruition in
broad daylight? </span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;">On that we're in agreement: good stories are created at night!</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;">Frank, thanks
for sitting for this interview. Maybe we’ll get to meet at a future World
Science Fiction Convention.</span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">You can follow Frank Roger on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/frankrogerfdc" target="_blank">Facebook</a> at </span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>or on his <a href="http://www.frankroger.be/" target="_blank">website</a></span></i><a href="http://www.frankroger.be/"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"></span></i></a><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"></span></i></div>
Tony Conawayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07256198676368979247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1043029920403749082.post-52453684052576132412017-11-17T22:00:00.000-05:002018-01-28T22:20:15.525-05:00She's an AAA: Actress, Academician, and Author<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJWSA2098BGLbuAdmcDsCkhAuC-1ldp66eCz96Kfn_9oG2TWAz9iVrZh_q70_6XkuwC3ZVPc47_hPz9M_tibuCYm_yfQqwFxcPJiuUQfD07Y2eKIxyahzEBncoG0JY5Ls6tCw4mLXuoM1P/s1600/12932672_987735924649260_553115411468910997_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJWSA2098BGLbuAdmcDsCkhAuC-1ldp66eCz96Kfn_9oG2TWAz9iVrZh_q70_6XkuwC3ZVPc47_hPz9M_tibuCYm_yfQqwFxcPJiuUQfD07Y2eKIxyahzEBncoG0JY5Ls6tCw4mLXuoM1P/s1600/12932672_987735924649260_553115411468910997_n.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";">Several years ago, I took
a writing class with Jonathan Maberry, an excellent teacher and a multiple
winner of the Bram Stoker award. One of the other students in that class was the
delightful <b>Lesley Grigg</b>. We read our work aloud to the class, and Lesley said that she liked my reading voice so much that I should register as voice talent at the ad agency where she worked. I did, and got some paid work out of it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";">We didn't stay in touch and I lost track of her when she switched jobs. But a few years later I met her again when she joined
the <a href="http://www.bvwg.org/" target="_blank">Brandywine Valley Writers Group</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">About Lesley Grigg: She has a degree in elementary education, and a background spanning
the entertainment industry in and around Philadelphia. Lesley has been active
in the classroom and on and off the stage, screen, and writing desk. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
As an actress, she's performed in theater, film, and television before moving
behind the scenes to work in casting, catering, talent representation, and
more. Watching peers achieve their goals in the arts has inspired Lesley to
write, produce, and direct an independent film and play. By following her
passions, no matter how many there are, she hopes to inspire others to reach
their goals as well.</span><span style="font-family: "verdana";"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";">Lesley published her first
novel, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Remember-Lesley-Grigg/dp/1481061461/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8" target="_blank"><u>Remember</u></a>, in 2013. Her new novel is <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Aunty-Says-Life-Lesley-Grigg/dp/1536982571/ref=asap_bc?ie=U" target="_blank">Aunty Says, Get aLife</a>. Here's my interview with her:</span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";">Welcome, Lesley. Before we talk about your books, I
want to ask about <a href="http://lesleygrigg.com/books/" target="_blank">the book trailers</a> you’ve done to promote your books. They’re
nicely done, and look very professional. However, there’s a lot of controversy among
authors as to whether or not book trailers are worth the effort. Your thoughts
on that?<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";">Thank you! Well, since I
enjoyed making these trailers, they weren’t so much of an effort. I think video
is just another way to entice an audience. I’m very visual, so even though
these trailers are basically moving words with some sound to stir the
imagination, it adds another element to book marketing, and they were fun and
easy to make!</span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";">You now
have two novels out. Is all your writing long form, or do you write short
stories as well?</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";">No short stories yet, but they may be on the
horizon. I started with blogging, which is like an informative short story. <a href="http://lesleygrigg.com/travel/" target="_blank">I still blog</a> about travel and writing on my website, and I freelance for other
various clients. I’m also a full-time creative copywriter, so writing short
sell copy to tell a product story is my day job.</span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";">In your
bio, you mention that you enjoy travel. Has travel informed or enriched your
writing?</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";">Absolutely! Traveling has opened my mind to other
cultures and experiences, both of which I write about in blogs and has inspired
many of the scenes in my newest novel, <u>Aunty Says</u>, <u>Get a Life</u>.</span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";">For years,
I’ve kept a file titled “Character Names,” which I use to name the characters
in my stories. But I use that file just so each character has a distinctive
name, so the reader doesn’t get them confused. You also pick interesting,
offbeat names for your characters: Neviah, Pelia, Carys. Do these names have
any hidden meaning?</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";">Thanks! Yes! I love naming characters, and I’m a
big believer in name meanings, so I search the baby naming sites and choose
names that match a character’s personality. A little inside info, some names
even give spoilers! For instance, Neviah means “Prophetess, seer into the
future” in Hebrew, which goes along with the paranormal aspects of her story.
In one of the chapters, she also mentions why her mother chooses Hebrew
names. Pelia means “miracle of God” in Hebrew. Carys is Welsh for “to love” and
“beloved friend,” which is both beautiful and speaks to her personality.</span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";">Tell us
about you new book, <u>Aunty Says</u>, <u>Get a Life</u>.</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";">Aunty Says is like a fictionalized quarter-life
crisis memoir, in a way. It’s inspired by some tough love advice from my aunt,
and a lot of my travel experiences. I changed the names to protect the innocent—and
not so innocent.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";">Readers ride shotgun with Carys, who goes through a
near death experience and has to find a way to reclaim her life. </span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";">Your first novel, <u>Remember</u>, is written in the first person Point
of View. How do you decide on what Point of View you use in your books? </span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";">It’s not so much of a conscious decision. It’s more
of how the characters speak to me. I was in a lot of character heads while
writing Remember, and they all had such a distinct voice, so first person was
the easiest route to take.</span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";">What’s
next? Do you have a children’s book on the horizon?</span></i><span style="font-family: "verdana";"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";">I do, and this project is actually what got me
started writing books. This idea of a series of picture books about travel has
stuck with me since before any novel was considered. It’s gone through agent
and publisher offices and across a few illustrator desks, but hopefully I’ll
have something to show the world early next year.</span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";">Let’s
finish up with a process question. Are you a morning writer, an evening writer
or a weekend writer?</span></i><span style="font-family: "verdana";"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";">Oh man, I’m probably not the one to ask about
process, because I don’t have a regular one. I find it easier to write in the
beginning and at the end of a project, when the ideas are flowing and the story
is finally coming together. The middle is a struggle. I’m sure many writers can
relate.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";">As a copywriter, I’m writing every weekday, 9-5, so
most of my personal writing happens at night or on the weekend – I’m not a
morning person at all. I rely a lot on the power of inspiration. Sometimes it
comes in the form of a great movie I just watched, book I read, or song I heard
– this gets the process moving along more smoothly. </span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";">Lesley, thank you for your time.</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";">You can follow Lesley Grigg on <a href="http://lesleygrigg.com/" target="_blank">her website</a>, on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/lesleyggrigg/" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, and on <a href="https://twitter.com/lesleygrigg" target="_blank">Twitter</a>. She also has pages on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Lesley-Grigg/e/B00E8HR0C2" target="_blank">Amazon</a> and <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7277397.Lesley_Grigg/blog" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";">Lesley Grigg will be
signing copies of her books on Sunday 19 November, 2017, from 1 to 3 pm at the
West Chester Book Outlet, </span><span style="font-family: "verdana"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">967 Paoli Pike (in the West Goshen Shopping
Center), West Chester, PA. Phone: (610) 430-2184</span></div>
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Tony Conawayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07256198676368979247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1043029920403749082.post-78751401230794930272017-11-15T03:54:00.000-05:002017-11-15T03:54:06.517-05:00Mr. January Knows Where the Bodies Are Buried<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I met Todd Harra at a meeting of the Wilmington – Chadds
Ford Writers Group. He is currently promoting his latest book, the mystery
novel <u>Grave Matters</u>. <span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Todd
is a fourth-generation undertaker who enjoys writing in his spare time. His
family has been in the undertaking business since the Civil War.<br />
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In 2008, Todd appeared in the Men of Mortuaries calendar as "Mr. January."
He is a graduate of Elon University and the American Academy McAllister
Institute of Funeral Service. He works for the family business in Wilmington,
Delaware, <a href="http://www.mccreryandharra.com/" target="_blank">McCrery & Harra Funeral Homes and Crematory</a>.</span></div>
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Todd’s humorous non-fiction books are <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Over-Our-Dead-Bodies-Undertakers-ebook/dp/B00GYLVPNU/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8" target="_blank">Over Our DeadBodies: Undertakers Lift the Lid</a> and <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Mortuary-Confidential-Undertakers-Spill-Dirt/dp/0806531797/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8" target="_blank"><u>Mortuary Confidential</u>: </a><u><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Mortuary-Confidential-Undertakers-Spill-Dirt/dp/0806531797/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8" target="_blank">UndertakersSpill the Dirt</a></u>, both co-authored with Ken McKenzie.</div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Welcome, Todd. You
certainly have an interesting background. Before we focus on your latest novel,
<u>Grave Matters</u>, I want to ask about your two collaborative books. How did
you and your co-author, Ken McKenzie, come to work together? What was the
co-writing process like?</i></div>
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We met in California while shooting Ken’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Men of Mortuaries</i> Calendar. The calendar
is one of the ways he funds his breast cancer foundation, KAMM Cares. Ken later
reached out to me with an idea he had for a book, what would eventually become <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">MC:USTD, </i>as an additional vehicle to
fund KAMM Cares. I loved the premise, and saw the idea had real potential so I
told him I wasn’t interested in ghost writing it, but was interested in
co-authoring it.<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i></div>
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We complement each other as a writing team because together
we have the skills necessary to bring a good book to market. Ken collects the
stories and then hands them off to me, I write the books, and then Ken does the
lion’s share of the marketing. Ken is a promotional machine. Me, I’d rather
write.</div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Let’s talk about your
mystery novel, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Grave-Matters-Todd-Harra/dp/152056497X/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8" target="_blank"><u>Grave Matters</u></a>. First off, congratulations! You’ve
produced a book that’s both entertaining and informative. You made a choice that
surprised me, though. I expected the action of the book to take place in your
native Wilmington, Delaware. Instead, it takes place in and around Charleston,
South Carolina. Why there?</i></div>
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I wanted a location that was sexy and sophisticated, something
Murder City is neither. Additionally, Charleston is unique in a geographic
sense. If you look at a map, it’s essentially a peninsula formed by a confluence
of rivers that flow together to form the harbor (of the Fort Sumter fame).
Without giving anything away, those rivers are an important part of the plot,
as are some important historical events that happened in Charleston. </div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Your protagonist, Tripp
Clipper, is a funeral director like yourself. Anytime the protagonist of a
mystery is something other than a police officer or a private detective, you
have to justify why the lead character gets involved in the mystery.</i></div>
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Clip, as his friends call him, was a medic in the Army. When
he gets a case that supposedly died as the result of a car wreck, his medical
background tells him the injuries don’t add up. He brings this information to
the attention of the coroner’s office, but it’s the usual politics. The coroner
doesn’t want to reopen a case that’s been cleared. Clip may have let things go,
but when the dead girl’s brother shows up fresh off the Afghan battlefields, it
becomes a brother-in-arms thing. Clip decides to ask a few questions. What
could possibly be the harm in that? </div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u>Grave Matters</u> is
written in the first person Point Of View. In that POV, the reader only knows
what Clip knows, and Clip appears on every page of the book. While first person
is traditional for a mystery, did you consider a different POV? </i></div>
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<br /></div>
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The original incarnation of <u>Grave Matters </u>I wrote in
third person. It was a very different book. Thankfully, I had an editor smart
enough to tell me to get my head out of my ass, and helped me hone in on my
strengths, one of which is writing in first person. For some reason it’s a lot
more natural for me. Everything I write is first person. I found writing a
mystery in first person was quite a balancing act. Make the protag too smart
and the mystery is solved in chapter two. Make him/her too dumb and mystery
remains, well....you get the picture.</div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">What’s next? Will we
be seeing another Trip Clipper mystery?</i></div>
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Yes, hopefully soon if I can bring the cruise ship into
dock. I have a few thousand words left on the first draft of <u>Blackwater</u>, but finishing a book is a lot like
the fourth quarter in a football game: in theory it’s only 15 minutes, but the
reality is it’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">a lot</i> longer. <u>Blackwater</u> finds Clip in the middle of a
bioterror attack on Charleston where he’s pressed into service for DMORT. DMORT
is a federal organization that responds to mass fatalities.</div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">That sounds like a
very different – but fascinating <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>– book!
Let’s finish up with a process question. Most successful writers get into a
regular pattern. Some write in the morning before they go to work, others at
night. As a funeral director, you have a very irregular schedule – clients
don’t die on a predictable schedule.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Sometimes you must have several days off in a row, while other days you
probably don’t have time a write at all. How do you keep up with your writing?</i></div>
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Simply making it a habit. Even if I have a busy day, I try
to sit down and produce for 10 or 15 minutes, just to stay in the groove of the
story. It’s funny how some of those micro writing days are more productive than
an entire day off!</div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Todd, thank you for
your time.</i></div>
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You can follow Todd on Facebook at<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">facebook.com/toddharraauthor</b>
or on his website at <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">toddharra.com</b></span></div>
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Todd Harra will be signing copies of his books on Sunday 19
November, 2017, from 1 to 3 pm at the West Chester Book Outlet, <span style="font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">967 Paoli
Pike (in the West Goshen </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Shopping
Center), West Chester, PA. The bookstore’s phone is (610) 430-2184.</span></div>
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Tony Conawayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07256198676368979247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1043029920403749082.post-34317533308164880872017-10-31T20:53:00.000-04:002017-10-31T20:53:20.106-04:00What Scared Me<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
<b>WHAT SCARED ME: THE ZANTI MISFITS! </b><br />
<br />
It's Hallowe'en, so it's a good time to talk about what scared me when I was young.<br />
<br />
When I was a child, nothing -- NOTHING -- frightened me as much as <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyvR-lQwNzM" target="_blank">this episode</a> of the old "Outer Limits" TV show. It's called "The Zanti Misfits," and it revolved around alien insects who came to Earth.<br />
<br />
They were aggressive. And their bite was deadly!<br />
<br />
"The Outer Limits" was a black-and-white TV show with a limited budget. The Zanti creatures were just models, like the old toy "Cootie." The main difference is that the Zanti puppets were designed to be scary, sporting angry, humanoid heads.<br />
<br />
The Zanti puppets were also built with wobbly rubber feet. The budget for "Outer Limits" was so low that they could only afford a few seconds of stop-motion animation for a single Zanti. So the remainder of the Zanti were just puppets pulled along by string, or attached (as if biting) to actors. Any movement would make the rubber feet wobble, giving the illusion that the Zanti were walking.<br />
<br />
Today, it looks absurdly lame. And yet, it worked in the 1960s. Of all the "Outer Limits" episodes, "The Zanti Misfits" frightened me the most.<br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>SPOILER: At the end of the episode, the humans triumph and kill all the murderous Zanti. Then, over the radio, the Zanti home planet reveals that the dead Zanti were all condemned criminals. The Zanti were too kind-hearted to execute their own criminals. But they knew that humans were murderous enough to kill all the criminal Zanti.</i><br />
<br />
Yes, it's absurd. Transport criminals across interstellar space, just to execute criminals? The Zanti could just put the spacecraft in orbit around their own planet and let the criminals starve. Or they could let the air out of the spacecraft and suffocate them.<br />
<br />
But it sounded cool, back in the 1960s. And scared the hell out of me.<br />
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<br />Tony Conawayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07256198676368979247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1043029920403749082.post-67971114184777916482017-09-30T23:54:00.001-04:002018-04-25T22:36:12.760-04:00What I've Learned About Giving Public Readings, Part Five<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
I've often recommended that, when going to a public reading, you should bring a selection of stories to choose from. Once you arrive, size up your audience. Are they interested in one genre, but not another? Is the topic of one of your stories not likely to interest them? You need to pick the right piece for each audience!<br />
<br />
(I learned that lesson years ago when I was scheduled on a Monday night during football season. The audience was all women; all the men were off watching the game. Unfortunately, I had nothing available to entertain them -- my work was very male-oriented back them. I bombed.)<br />
<br />
However, it's been pointed out to me that new authors don't have a wide variety of work to choose from. Furthermore, most authors concentrate on just one or two genres. If all you write is science fiction and fantasy, you've got a very specific fan base. You <i>probably</i> won't be able to keep an audience of nonfiction or poetry fans entertained.<br />
<br />
So, here are my suggestions for a successful public reading when you don't have that many readings to pick from.<br />
<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>1) Find Out What the Audience Likes to Read</b><br />
<br />
You don't have to wait until you arrive to find this out. Ask the person who's organizing the event. If the organizer says that his typical audience loves poetry, but you only write prose, just say "Thanks, but no thanks." No one can entertain <i>every </i>audience.<br />
<br />
When you arrive, LOOK at the crowd. What if the audience is all young people, and you only write science fiction? Yes, there are<i> some</i> younger science fiction fans. But SF fans tend to be older. (I'm talking about fans of SF <i>books</i>, not movies or video games.) The people who organize SF conventions even have a name for it: "the graying of fandom."<br />
<br />
Yes, younger SF fans <i>do </i>exist. They're the ones most likely to dress oddly. I've even seen them dressed like characters from their favorite books. But if you've got an audience of, say, serious college students who want to hear serious literature, you're in trouble.<br />
<br />
Another possible problem is if your work is adult...but the audience includes children. If you can't censor yourself and change the curse words in your story, maybe you shouldn't present it. <br />
<br />
And, once again, after you've arrived, ask the organizer, "what do these people like to read?" Maybe they aren't the people the organizer expected when he or she spoke to you before the event. <br />
<br />
If you feel you have nothing to entertain them...well, as long as there are other readers, maybe you should back out. Or at least lower your expectations.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>2) Make Your Selection SHORT</b><br />
<br />
Keep to your allotted time. If there are several readers, you are probably allotted either five or ten minutes.<br />
<br />
Practice reading your piece, and know how long it takes to present. If it's too long, cut it down.<br />
<br />
At a recent reading, the only complaint I heard from the audience was that one reader went on too long. Believe me, too short is much better than too long.<br />
<br />
I notate my expected reading time of each piece right on my script, so I know how long it should take to deliver. <br />
<br />
As the saying goes, "Leave them wanting more." <br />
<br />
<br />
<b>3) Don't Rush!</b><br />
<br />
Another rookie mistake is to read too quickly.<br />
<br />
Sometimes this happens when you're trying to fit a seven-minute piece into a five-minute slot. Don't try it. Cut the piece down to a leisurely five minutes. Or, better yet, four-and-a-half minutes -- that way you have a cushion. And time for the audience to laugh at the jokes (if any).<br />
<br />
Other times, the reader speeds up because he or she is nervous. Experience <i>should</i> help you get over your nervousness. If it doesn't, my best suggestion is to time not only your piece, but each page. Write that time on each page. Then put a timepiece where it's clearly visible to you. That will let you know that you should be done (for example) page 2 at the 3 minute-mark. If you're not at 3 minutes when you finish page 2, you'll know you're going too fast.<br />
<br />
(I don't know if anyone makes an "click track" app for readers, but that might be helpful. A click track is an even, regular, metronome-like sound that is piped over a singer's headphones in a recording studio. It's a way to keep a singer from speeding up. But then you'd have to wear an earpiece while you read -- which might be too much of a distraction.)<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>4) Finally, Pick a Piece You Can Deliver</b><br />
<br />
Everybody stumbles over some words. Maybe it's a multi-syllabic word. Maybe it's a technical term. (I was acting in a medical video recently, and my partner had to repeat her part <i>ten times</i> in order to correctly pronounce some medical terms!) Or perhaps it's a foreign word that causes problems. I was once in a play in which a character had to refer to a type of French white wine called <i>Pouilly Fuisse.</i> He couldn't do it. We finally changed it to<i> Chianti</i>.<br />
<br />
So, if you have trouble with a word, change it.<br />
<br />
Another obstacle to presenting a piece: I recently saw a writer who read a piece that was so emotionally affecting to her that she broke down during the reading. She choked up, then coughed repeatedly. The organizer brought her a glass of water. She drank the water, but it didn't help. Eventually, she was so overcome with emotion, she had to complete her reading while sitting down.<br />
<br />
Don't do this. If a piece has such emotional resonance for you that you can't deliver it without breaking up, don't read it.<br />
<br />
<br />
Those are my suggestions. Happy reading! Tony Conawayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07256198676368979247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1043029920403749082.post-80803248951510432802017-07-31T23:57:00.001-04:002017-08-01T19:25:31.768-04:00Put It Out There...Then Shut Up!My friend and colleague Gary Zenker recently wrote an article for writers on <a href="https://diymfa.com/community/how-to-get-the-most-out-of-a-critique" target="_blank">"How to Get the Most Out of a Critique."</a><br />
<br />
It's a good article with some important ideas. However, I have a few points I want to add:<br />
<br />
1) Present Your Work...Then Shut Up!<br />
<br />
Time and again I've seen new writers try and defend their work from every criticism. Some people find it almost impossible to just sit there and take criticism.<br />
<br />
But that's what a critique is supposed to be: the chance for OTHERS to say what they think of your work. If you keep defending your choices, people will give eventually give up giving you honest critiques.<br />
<br />
If someone ASKS you a question, answer it. Or, as Gary suggests, redirect their question to others in the critique session. (As in, "What did you mean here?" "Well, can anyone else answer that question?") Otherwise, shut up.<br />
<br />
<br />
2) When You Have to Preface Your Work, Keep It Short<br />
<br />
Sometimes you are presenting the middle of a work for a critique. In that case, you may have to give some backstory. Preferably, it should be written down, and no more than a few paragraphs long. Keep it as simple as possible.<br />
<br />
An example is this: "This is the 15th chapter of my novel. The protagonist, Waldo Pickens, is a Junior in High School. He's being raised by a divorced mother, who has grounded him. In the previous chapter, he and his mother argued about him going out to a party. He has now sneaked out and gone to the party. We pick up the story after he's gotten drunk for the first time and is trying to walk home."<br />
<br />
Keep it short, and relevant to the pages being critiqued. We don't need to know about his dad, the name of his dog, where he went to summer camp, or how he's doing in school. Maybe those things are important in subsequent chapters, but not in the part being critiqued. <br />
<br />
<br />
3) Save Your Own Questions for the End. (This is a point on which Gary and I may disagree.)<br />
<br />
When you ask the critique members to focus on something up front, you're dragging out the process. Plus, it's important to get their honest impression of the entire piece, rather than focusing on one aspect.<br />
<br />
If you want to ask them, "I wrote this in the First Person. Do you think it would be better in Third Person?" -- that's better asked after everyone has had their say.<br />
<br />
One thing I like to ask is, "What do you think will happen next?" Usually, they will give you the most obvious answer. Then I'll go ahead and write the opposite. I want to surprise my readers as much as possible.<br />
<br />
<br />
4) Finally, Ignore the Outlier Opinions.<br />
<br />
Act like an athlete having their performance judged, and ignore the lowest score and the highest score. Go with the majority opinion.<br />
<br />
The guy who hates your work is probably wrong. There's a former member of one of my critique groups who often said, "I hate your characters so much I wish a meteor would fall out the sky and crush them." Yeah, that's not useful. Ignore him.<br />
<br />
The one who loves it to death is probably wrong, too. I've actually had someone say, "This is as good as anything Mark Twain wrote." Hey, I'm good, but I'm not Mark Twain good.<br />
<br />
The exception: if that outlier opinion is from a publisher or an agent. If someone says, "I'll publish this and pay you money if you cut out this character"...well, you might want to follow their suggestion. Or if someone says, "I'll take you on as a client if you rewrite this in the Third Person." If there's money (or the potential of money) involved, you might want to take an outlier opinion. But that rarely happens.<br />
<br />
Happy critiquing! <br />
<br />Tony Conawayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07256198676368979247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1043029920403749082.post-2970422753506641942017-06-30T23:09:00.000-04:002017-06-30T23:36:34.626-04:00Fantasy Author Molly Neely: Ghosts, Vampires and Zombies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 13.0pt;">Molly Neely is one
of the authors with a story in the soon-to-be-released <b><u>Fall into Fantasy</u>
</b>anthology, published by <a href="http://www.cloakedpress.com/fif17" target="_blank">Cloaked Press</a>.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 13.0pt;">Molly describes
herself as “a life long reader of everything from history and theology, to
politics and vampires.” Her first published novel is <a href="https://blackopalbooks.com/catalog/" target="_blank"><u>The Sand Dwelle</u>r</a>,
released last September by <a href="https://blackopalbooks.com/" target="_blank">Black Opal Books</a>.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 13.0pt;">Molly, we both
have stories in the <b><u>Fall into Fantasy</u></b> anthology. Yours is titled “Six Degrees
of Zombie Separation.” Would you like to tell us a little about it? </span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 13.0pt;">The story started out life as a simple writing prompt. I am a sucker
for anything that has a zombie or bacon in it, and I was all amped up from the
season finale of "The Walking Dead," so…zombies! The story begins at the onset
of the zombie apocalypse, and works backwards towards the source. I intend to
write at least 3 more, continuing the main story, while also being pieces that
can be read independently. Did all that gibberish make sense? </span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 13.0pt;">Perfectly clear.
Molly, you live in California, which is a good place to be for attending
writing conventions. Can we expect to meet you at any upcoming conventions?</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 13.0pt;">I like to stay local. Not only because I’m cheap, but because Fresno,
CA, has such a diverse and active writing community. There is a Lit Hop that
happens in The Tower District every year, The Sierra Vista Mall in Clovis hosts
a large Author book fair and A Book Barn (local bookstore) is constantly
hosting events. There is even the occasional conference at Fresno State. But,
if you want to travel outside the comfort zone, there are dozens of book events
and conferences happening year round in Los Angeles and San Francisco. </span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 13.0pt;">Your first
published novel, <u>The Sand Dweller</u>, features a priest as its
protagonist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s an unusual
choice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How did you get inside the head
of your protagonist, Father Caleb Glass?</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 13.0pt;">It seems like every time a book or a movie comes out dealing with
demons and the devil, the priest always gets portrayed as this bulletproof and
fearless holy man who sails in and kicks Satan’s ass…the end. The truth is,
priests, pastors, deacons, whatever, are all human! With human hang ups, human
backgrounds, fears, blah blah blah. I felt it was essential to let the reader
know, that for men of the cloth, the struggle is just as real as it is for us.
But I knew Caleb needed to be special. So, I made him younger than what would
be considered the norm. I felt his lack of experience in life would be the
perfect wrench to throw into his battle with Lucifer. </span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 13.0pt;">Molly, you also
have a short story, “A Candle in the Window,” in one of the Snapdragon
collections.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s a beautiful title,
reminiscent of one of my favorite poems, “A Candle Burned” by Boris
Pasternak.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What was your inspiration for
that story?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 13.0pt;">"Candle" is an old fashioned ghost story, seasoned with young love and
heartache. John Hardy assumes his young love won’t marry him because she’s of
noble birth and he is not. Let’s just say, what separates these two lovers is haunting.</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 13.0pt;">I know you’re a
fan of vampires. Who’s your favorite?</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 13.0pt;">That’s a hard question!! I love a good vampire and there are lots of
them out there. Ok. There’s a film called “Dracula: The Dark Prince,” starring
Rudolf Martin. It’s a Vlad the Impaler becomes a vampire movie. I loved their
take on the history and legend that surrounds the real life people and I was
particularly taken with the way Rudolf Martin played the character. It’s dark
and tragic…and Roger Daltrey from The Who is in it. I was sold. It’s kinda hard
to find, but worth looking for.</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 13.0pt;">Last question: I
understand that you have a pet whippet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’ve never seen a whippet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you
have a photo?</span></i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 13.0pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 13.0pt;">Of course! </span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 13.0pt;">Beautiful dog! Thank you for your
time, Molly!</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 13.0pt;">You can follow
Molly on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/molly.neely" target="_blank">Facebook</a> </span></i><i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 13.0pt;"></span></i><i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 13.0pt;"></span></i><i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 13.0pt;">or on <a href="https://twitter.com/mollyneely" target="_blank">Twitter</a> </span></i><a href="https://twitter.com/mollyneely"><i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 13.0pt;"></span></i></a><i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 13.0pt;"></span></i>
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<i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 13.0pt;">You can purchase her
novel, <u>The Sand Dweller</u>, via <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1626945233/" target="_blank">Amazon</a> </span></i><i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 13.0pt;">or <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-sand-dweller-molly-neely/1124474576?ean=9781626945234" target="_blank">Barnes and Noble</a></span></i></div>
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Tony Conawayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07256198676368979247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1043029920403749082.post-13163135710263710252017-05-13T22:40:00.000-04:002017-05-13T22:40:17.314-04:00Michael's Last Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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For the past seven years, the Main Line Writers Group has met once a month at Michael's Restaurant and Jewish Delicatessen in King of Prussia (Upper Marion Township). It was a great place to meet. Michael's has not one but two meeting rooms. Since our group usually draws between 20 and 30 people, we usually got the larger of the two. (The above photo shows just a small portion of the membership, standing in front of a flag painted on the wall of the larger meeting room.)<br />
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Sadly, after 36 years in business, Michael's Restaurant closes for good today.<br />
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I contacted a reporter friend, Katie Kohler, who wrote a good article about Michael's closing. The link is <a href="http://www.timesherald.com/business/20170512/michaels-deli-upper-merion-closes-its-doors-after-36-years" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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Goodbye, Michael, Eileen, and the rest of the staff there. It was a great place to eat, and an even better place to hold a meeting. <br />
<br />Tony Conawayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07256198676368979247noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1043029920403749082.post-33440627108814043962016-10-28T23:10:00.000-04:002016-10-28T23:10:45.348-04:00Crispy and Warm: Six Questions for Author Lynnette Adair<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Today I interviewed author <b>Lynnette Adair.</b> Lynnette just published her first novel, <u><b>The Sea Sprite Inn</b></u>, with <b>Cat & Mouse Pres</b>s of Lewes, Delaware. This book release also has something to do with chocolate chip cookies! Let's find out what....<br />
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1. Lynnette, you just had your very first book release. Tell us about the event. Was it fun? Was it everything you hoped for?<br />
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<i><u><b>The Sea Sprite Inn</b></u> launched at <b><a href="http://www.browseaboutbooks.com/" target="_blank">Browseabout Books</a></b> in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. I suppose most new authors have self-doubts and I'm no different. I worried that no guests would show since it was a gorgeous beach day and no one has ever heard of me! What a thrill to hear my publisher say she had never seen such a turnout at a book signing! I remember giggling the entire day in disbelief. </i><br />
<i>The turnout was over fifty guests!</i><br />
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2. Jillian -- your protagonist in <u><b>The Sea Sprite Inn </b></u>-- is in the process of reinventing herself. Now that you're a published novelist, does it feel like you've reinvented yourself as well?<br />
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<i>I've reinvented myself so many times that it feels frighteningly familiar. My bio reads like a compilation from an entire neighborhood, and it truly is great fodder for stories. Air Force veteran, professional ballroom dancer, insurance adjuster, waitress, retail saleswoman, geriatric caregiver...the list is endless. But THIS time, it's different. Not so much a reinvention, but the actualization of my destiny. (Oooo...I like that line!)</i><br />
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3. You and I met at a lecture sponsored by the<a href="http://www.bvwg.org/" target="_blank"><b> Brandywine Valley Writers Group</b></a>, where you mentioned something about chocolate chip cookies. What was that about?<br />
<br />
<i>I shared my cookie story as a example of a creative way to engage readers. On September 10th, I had an event at the <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/hockessinbookshelf" target="_blank">Hockessin Bookshelf</a></b>, which is also in Delaware. I asked my Facebook followers what cookies they liked. It created a LOT of energy. People posted their cookie choices and I committed to saving one for them.</i><br />
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<i>I baked the snickerdoodles, posted the pictures, and wrote a mouthwatering description. I followed the same steps with the oatmeal raisin and ended the day with chocolate chip cookies. </i><br />
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<i>Battling the fear of no guests, I walked in very early stunned to find people already in line with copies of <u><b>The Sea Sprite Inn</b></u>. They RAN OUT of books! Super glad I had an extra case with me! The owner was overheard saying she had never seen such a turnout! </i><br />
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4. Well done! Now, tell us how you connected with your publisher, <b>Cat & Mouse Press</b>.<br />
<br />
<i>There's that self-doubt again. I needed feedback from someone who I wasn't related to, so I sent a submission to the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/RehobothBeachReads" target="_blank"><b>Rehoboth Beach Reads</b></a> contest.</i><br />
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<i>I was contacted by Nancy Sakaduski, the owner of <b>Cat & Mouse Press</b>. She asked if I was interested in writing a proposal. I remember squealing, "Is that even a question?" I also MAY have done a little happy dance...all right, I danced like crazy while laughing out loud.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>In 2016, my short story, </i>The Magical Suit, <i>was published in the anthology </i><b>Beach Days</b> <i>and my novel,</i> <i><b><u>The Sea Sprite Inn</u></b>, was also published! Both books are available at local bookstores and can be purchased on Amazon.</i><br />
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5. What's next for you? Will we see the further adventures of Jillian, or will it be something different?<br />
<br />
<i>Anyone who has ever heard the line, "...but you're sisters, can't you just try to get along?" will understand the premise of the new novel I'm working on.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>The story revolves around three sisters who all come home to help one of their own with a devastating diagnosis. Hearts fill with joy, hearts break, and hears will heal in this story of love, grit and the constant evolution of the family dynamic. As one of four sisters, I have enough material for an entire series!</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Not to worry, though -- Jillian will return to the Sea Sprite Inn along with most of her friends. I already have two more books planned.</i><br />
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6. Anything else you'd like to add?<br />
<br />
<i>During the renovation of the Sea Sprite Inn, Jillian discovers a World War II ammo box filled with mementos. She goes on a quest to return the box to its original owner. The box and its contents will be on display.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Plus, I'll have home-made cookies. You know the kind...crispy and warm on the edges. One bite and the melty chocolate drapes between your lips forcing you to moan in delight as you chew. Those kind of cookies. Shall I save one for you?</i><br /><br />Definitely! And thank you for your time, Lynnette. You can follow her on <a href="https://twitter.com/LynnetteAdair" target="_blank"><b>Twitter</b></a> and on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/LynnetteKAdair?fref=ts" target="_blank"><b>Facebook</b></a>. Her publisher is <a href="http://catandmousepress.com/" target="_blank"><b>Cat & Mouse Press</b></a>, and you can order <u><b>The Sea Sprite Inn</b></u> through them.<br />
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You can also order her book through <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Sea-Sprite-Inn-Lynnette-Adair/dp/0996805249/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1477709383&sr=1-1&keywords=the+sea+sprite+inn" target="_blank"><b>Amazon</b></a> or <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-sea-sprite-inn-lynnette-adair/1124112737?ean=9780996805247" target="_blank"><b>Barnes & Noble</b></a>.Tony Conawayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07256198676368979247noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1043029920403749082.post-24545059905969325822016-10-17T06:00:00.000-04:002016-10-28T23:18:39.650-04:00Five Ways to Rock a Public Reading <br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i><span style="font-weight: normal;">Now that this guest post of mine has been up on the diymfa.com site for several days, I'm re-posting it on my own blog. </span></i></span></span></h1>
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5OnFri: Five Ways to Rock a Public Reading</h1>
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<time class="date">Oct 14, 2016</time> <span class="author">by Tony Conaway</span><br />
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<a class="icon community" href="http://diymfa.com/category/community"><i></i></a><br />
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<a class="icon community" href="http://diymfa.com/category/community">published in Community</a></div>
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<section class="entry-content cf" itemprop="articleBody">A guest post on the diymfa.com website </section><section class="entry-content cf" itemprop="articleBody"> </section><section class="entry-content cf" itemprop="articleBody">It’s an old observation, but an accurate one:
public speaking is the #1 fear for many people. This, unfortunately,
includes many writers.<br /> </section><section class="entry-content cf" itemprop="articleBody">Public speaking, like most things, is less scary when you’re
well-prepared. I’ve been reading my work in public for many years, and
here are some things I’ve learned. They may help you.<br />
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1) Practice</h4>
I go to many readings given by authors, and I’m amazed how often they
seem to be unprepared. I understand that, if you’re reading a new piece
– or a work in progress – your reading might not be as polished. But
you’ve <i>got</i> to read it – out loud – several times before you do
it in public. You also need to time the piece, and make a note of that.
If you only have ten minutes to read, you don’t want to pull out a work
that will take twenty minutes.<br />
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2) Select the right piece for your audience</h4>
You may have a racy, R-rated piece, only to find out that some of the
audience has brought children along. Another possibility is that a
recent event would make your piece feel insensitive. What if you’d
planned to read a story that involved an airplane crash, and, as you
drove to the venue, you found out that an airplane really did just
crash? Or (this happened to me) you’re scheduled to read on a Monday
night during football season. Monday Night Football is on, and your
audience turns out to be entirely female. Will they appreciate your
planned piece on boxing as much as a mixed-gender audience would?<br /> </section><section class="entry-content cf" itemprop="articleBody">The best way to handle this is to have more than one piece prepared.
Bring a clean piece and an R-rated piece, or a funny piece and a sad
piece. Give yourself options. Even if you’re there to promote your
latest book, have at least two sections (clean vs. blue, or funny vs.
sad) of the book prepared.<br />
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3) Don’t read directly out of your book!</h4>
Surely you have an electronic copy of your book – print that out,
double-spaced, in large type, preferably on cover stock. Why? Because
the lighting where you read may be poor. (At the last <i>Noir at the Bar</i>
event I attended, the lighting was so bad the audience could barely see
the author!) If it’s double-spaced with large type, it’s easier to read
– even in bad lighting. And printing it on stiff cover stock will keep
the pages from crinkling as you progress, and make it less likely for
them to blow away if someone opens an outside door and lets in a sudden
breeze.<br /> </section><section class="entry-content cf" itemprop="articleBody">I’ve only ever seen one author who could justify reading out of his
book. This was a fantasy author who drew over 75 fans to a bookstore
reading. Some of the fans were so ardent that they actually dressed up
as characters from his books! The author began by announcing, “I’m going
to read the first chapter of my new book. I see many of you have
purchased it already. Would one of you like to lend me your book to read
from? Afterward, I’ll autograph it, noting that I read from it
tonight.” </section><section class="entry-content cf" itemprop="articleBody"> </section><section class="entry-content cf" itemprop="articleBody">Unfortunately, I don’t have fans like that, and you probably
don’t either. So read from pages, not a bound book.<br />
<h4>
4) Prepare your script</h4>
This is another reason to read from double-spaced pages rather than
your book. If you can do character voices (as I do), you can eliminate
some of the “he said/she said” attributions – it will be obvious from
your voice who is speaking. You also might want to cut or change some
words from the book version: homonyms that might be confusing, curse
words, or simply words you have difficulty pronouncing. And finally,
there is much more room to make notes on a double-spaced page than in
the tight confines of a bound book. I make marks and notes on the page,
indicating that I should pause <i>here</i>, or look up at the audience <i>here</i>. I even differentiate the dialogue of different characters by typing in different colors. I read a <i>noir</i>
story last night at a library event. On my pages, the narrator’s
dialogue was in blue, the character of “Colin” had his dialogue in red,
and the very loud thug called “Moose” was in boldface. That kept me from
getting confused, and my character voices were spot-on.<br />
<h4>
5) Type your introduction</h4>
Someone invited you to speak: an organizer, a librarian, a bookstore
owner, whomever. They might or might not be a good public speaker. Make
things simpler by handing them your introduction before you start. Do it
the same way you prepared your script: large type, double spaced, on
stiff cover stock. You’re making their lives easier, and you’ve
increased your chances of getting an accurate introduction immensely.<br /> </section><section class="entry-content cf" itemprop="articleBody">If you’re truly phobic about public speaking, following these tips might not be enough to make these events <i>fun</i>. But you’ll feel more confident if you’re well prepared.<br />
<hr />
<img alt="tony-conaway" class="size-medium wp-image-27448 alignleft" height="300" src="https://diymfa.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Tony-Conaway-201x300.jpg" width="201" />Tony
Conaway is a freelance writer, ghostwriter and editor. He has
co-written ten business books for such publishers as McGraw-Hill,
Macmillan and Prentice Hall. His fiction has appeared in eight
anthologies and many publications, including Blue Lake Review, Danse
Macabre, Rind Literary Magazine, the Rusty Nail, and Typehouse Literary
Magazine.<br /> </section><section class="entry-content cf" itemprop="articleBody">Some of his odder writing gigs included writing a script for a planetarium show, and co-writing jokes used by Jay Leno on <i>The Tonight Show</i>. He has blogged often about reading in public; you can find his most recent post on the subject (with links to previous posts) <a href="http://wayneaconaway.blogspot.com/2016/03/what-ive-learned-about-giving-public.html" target="_blank">right here</a>.<br /> </section><section class="entry-content cf" itemprop="articleBody">You can Tweet him at <a href="https://twitter.com/tonyconaway">@tonyconaway</a> or contact him at tonyconaway@yahoo.com.<br />
</section>Tony Conawayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07256198676368979247noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1043029920403749082.post-31670127538908721422016-09-20T17:13:00.000-04:002016-09-21T08:18:36.661-04:00Shoplandia: An Interview with Author Jim Breslin<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD_u8pZmkG8M5M1LhTIulZjCFS8frHEi7Up8hkXezjQWOAddU7lAhlIoysjh-rgISGYjlKkeMkl6PzlFuQLcmoA3Lsc6tvzsgCpPDSs4XRtl7AX7GPAV-2oybTcO0Uqvmi0Z9HthTZNT06/s1600/517Fiw8ySBL._AC_US160_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD_u8pZmkG8M5M1LhTIulZjCFS8frHEi7Up8hkXezjQWOAddU7lAhlIoysjh-rgISGYjlKkeMkl6PzlFuQLcmoA3Lsc6tvzsgCpPDSs4XRtl7AX7GPAV-2oybTcO0Uqvmi0Z9HthTZNT06/s320/517Fiw8ySBL._AC_US160_.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1474405344603_3932" style="font-family: "garamond" , "new york" , "times" , serif;"><b> </b></span><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1474405344603_3932" style="font-family: "garamond" , "new york" , "times" , serif;"><b> </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1474405344603_3932" style="font-family: "garamond" , "new york" , "times" , serif; font-size: small;"><b>Jim Breslin</b> <span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1474405344603_3931">is a
writer, storyteller and a former television producer who spent seventeen years
with QVC, the world's largest home shopping network.</span> His first collection of short stories, <b><i>Elephant</i>,</b> includes a short story that was nominated for a Pushcart
Prize. Next, he published the anthology <b><i>Chester County Fiction</i></b> that presented short
fiction from thirteen Southeast Pennsylvania authors (including the author of
this blog). </span><span style="font-family: "garamond" , "new york" , "times" , serif; font-size: small;">
</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "garamond" , "new york" , "times" , serif; font-size: small;">
</span></span></span><br />
<div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1474405344603_3934">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1474405344603_3933" style="font-family: "garamond" , "new york" , "times" , serif; font-size: small;">Jim Breslin’s latest book is his first novel,<b> <u>Shoplandia</u></b>. It was inspired by his years as a producer at
a home shopping network.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "garamond" , "new york" , "times" , serif; font-size: small;">
</span><span style="font-family: "garamond" , "new york" , "times" , serif; font-size: small;">
</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "garamond" , "new york" , "times" , serif; font-size: small;">
</span></span></span><br />
<div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1474405344603_3938">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1474405344603_3937" style="font-family: "garamond" , "new york" , "times" , serif; font-size: small;">1) Jim, I see that
you’ve been accepting invitations from book clubs to talk about<b> <u>Shoplandia</u></b>. I’m sure that I speak for many authors when I
say that the idea of talking to a book club in someone’s home is daunting (or even
terrifying). How has your book club
visits gone, and do you find them worthwhile?</span></span></span></div>
<div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1474405344603_3954">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1474405344603_3953" style="font-family: "garamond" , "new york" , "times" , serif; font-size: small;"><i>Actually
I have found book clubs to be really fun, particularly since the wine
is usually flowing! Seriously though, I love hearing from book club
readers what they enjoyed about the books and what they didn't like.
Sometimes those in the book club will start debating a character or what
they took away from a scene and I just sit back and soak it all in. I
often hear the same themes and it's helpful to hear that feedback.
Everyone has been very cordial and asked insightful questions. Of
course, they want to know if any of the scenes in</i> <b>Shoplandia </b><i>really
happened at QVC! </i></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "garamond" , "new york" , "times" , serif; font-size: small;">
</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "garamond" , "new york" , "times" , serif; font-size: small;">
</span></span></span><br />
<div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1474405344603_3957">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1474405344603_3956" style="font-family: "garamond" , "new york" , "times" , serif; font-size: small;">2) You recently
attended the <i>HippoCamp Creative
Non-Fiction Writer’s Conference</i> in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. How important is it for writers to go to
conventions? What do you get out of it?</span></span></span></div>
<div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1474405344603_3959">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1474405344603_3958" style="font-family: "garamond" , "new york" , "times" , serif; font-size: small;">HippoCamp
i<i>s a great conference geared towards writing creative nonfiction. While
most of my writing is fiction, the stories I tell a</i>t Story Slams <i>are
creative nonfiction so it was fun to teach our storytelling workshop at
</i>HippoCamp. <i>Writing is such as a solitary craft that it's important for
writers to seek out community with writers conferences, retreats,
writers groups, or critique groups. The classes and workshops are always
insightful, but some of the most memorable moments are meeting amazing
people who are working on really cool stories. I had lunch and dinner
with some people who have amazing personal stories they are working on
and I can't wait to see their stories in print. </i></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "garamond" , "new york" , "times" , serif; font-size: small;">
</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "garamond" , "new york" , "times" , serif; font-size: small;">
</span></span></span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "garamond" , "new york" , "times" , serif; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: "garamond" , "new york" , "times" , serif; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: "garamond" , "new york" , "times" , serif; font-size: small;">
</span></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "garamond" , "new york" , "times" , serif; font-size: small;">3) I’ve noticed on
your website that two of the stories from <i>Elephant</i>
are available separately for download.
That’s an interesting marketing technique. Has it been successful?<br clear="none" /><i><br clear="none" /></i></span></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "garamond" , "new york" , "times" , serif; font-size: small;"><i>I
just put those two stories up and tested giving them away for free for a
certain period of time. Of course, they were downloaded thousands of
times for free. I have found that offering stuff for free will get an
author downloads but it doesn't translate to sales. It would work better
if it was the first chapter of a novel with a suspenseful ending but
these were just two short stories. </i></span></span></span></div>
<div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1474405344603_3962">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: small;">4) You’ve also collected stories from your <b><i>Story Slams</i>.</b> What’s a <i>Story
Slam</i> and how did you come to be involved with them?</span></span></span></div>
<div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1474405344603_3964">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1474405344603_3963" style="font-family: "times"; font-size: small;"><i>I
was a fan of </i>The Moth <i>podcast so I tweeted out one day, in the summer
of 2009, I love</i> The Moth. <i>Is there anything like that around West
Chester? People tweeted back, joking no but that I should start
something. So I started </i>West Chester Story Slam i<i>n my living room. We
had so much fun I moved it to a pub in West Chester and we're now in our
seventh year. It's been really gratifying to hear people tell
incredible stories. People can check ou</i>t <a href="http://wcstoryslam.com/" rel="nofollow" shape="rect" target="_blank">wcstoryslam.com</a>
<i>to learn more, watch videos of stories, listen to the podcast, or buy
tickets for an upcoming event. We sell out of tickets every month. Beer
and stories go together. </i></span></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: small;">5) Finally, what are you working on now? Short stories or a new novel?</span></span></span></div>
<div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1474405344603_3968">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1474405344603_3967" style="font-family: "times"; font-size: small;"><i>Both!
I have a wild pre-apocalyptic novel I'm working on. Imagine if Quentin
Tarantino directed a Hardy Boys movie. It's different than anything else
I've writtern and I may publish it under a pen name. I also have some
short stories and flash fiction I've been diligently working on. I need
to get a few stories over the finish line so I can send them out to
journals. It's been over a year since I've published any short fiction. </i></span></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: small;">Thank
you. You can follow Jim Breslin on
his <a href="https://www.jimbreslin.com/" target="_blank">website</a>, on <a href="https://twitter.com/Jimbrez" target="_blank">Twitter</a>, and on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/jimbrez?fref=ts" target="_blank">Facebook</a>.</span></span></span><br />
</div>
<div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1474405344603_3975">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1474405344603_3974" style="font-family: "times"; font-size: small;">You can purchase his novel, <u><b>Shoplandia</b></u>, and the collections <b><i>Elephant</i></b> and <b><i>Chester County Fiction</i></b> at <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Shoplandia-Jim-Breslin/dp/0615997813/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1474406181&sr=8-1&keywords=shoplandia" target="_blank">Amazon</a>. </span></span></span><br />
<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1474405344603_3974" style="font-family: "times";"><br /></span>
<br />
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Tony Conawayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07256198676368979247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1043029920403749082.post-20860942655463310282016-08-31T21:25:00.000-04:002016-08-31T21:54:13.150-04:00Immaculate Deception: An Interview with Author Scott B. Pruden<style>
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<br />
<br />
<b>Scott B. Prude</b>n wrote his first novel after a long career as
a journalist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That novel, <b><u>Immaculate
Deception</u>,</b> was nominated for a Pushcart Prize.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Scott, can you give us a brief rundown of
your journalism career?</div>
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<br /></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I worked at eight
newspapers between 1989 and 2004, starting as a writer, columnist and editor at
my school paper at the <b>University of South Carolina</b>, then moving on to jobs
after graduation as a reporter, columnist, copy editor and news editor at
newspapers in South Carolina, Arizona, southcentral Pennsylvania and
Philadelphia . Since 2004 I’ve freelanced for a number of Delaware Valley
magazines.</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Russell Lynes, the critic and editor of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Harper’s Magazine</i>, once said “<span style="font-family: "times"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Every journalist has a novel in him,
which is an excellent place for it.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You’ve beaten the odds by producing a good novel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What’s your secret?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Lots of
journalists do indeed have what would probably be a good novel in them, but I
feel like many can’t get past the “making stuff up” part. As journalists, we’re
so steeped in truth, verifiable fact and objectivity that creating something
out of pure imagination somehow seems dirty. As a result, a lot of journalists
get bogged down in the fact vs. fiction element of things rather than using
their usually diverse factual experiences to inform the fiction and make it
feel more genuine.</span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I’m not
sure if there’s a secret to getting that novel out, other than the old adage of
ass+chair=words. My first novel emerged from two short story ideas that fizzled,
but I somehow thought would combine to make not necessarily a “great” novel,
but the sort I’d enjoy reading. I was initially a little concerned that I’d be
the only one, but during the 20 years I was working on it, writers like
<b>Christopher Moore</b> and <b>Neil Gaiman</b> gained more popularity. That’s when I
realized there was already an audience for the sort of weird-ass novel <b><u>Immaculate
Deception</u></b> was becoming.</span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">As far as
the journalist aspect is concerned, I think one of the things that makes me
good at journalism is a skill that also makes a good novelist, and that’s the
ability to closely observe, internalize and then regurgitate elements of what
goes on around us. Unrelated to journalism, I’ve also been an amateur actor
since my high school days, and that’s helped me both with crafting dialogue
that sounds natural and digging up emotions to convey them accurately on the
page. I always encourage aspiring writers to be both their own Sherlock Holmes,
noticing tiny little details that others wouldn’t, and a method actor, digging
into their own pasts to mine emotions to make character relationships and
interactions in their work feel true.</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">You
and Wayne Lockwood are now micro-publishers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Tell us about Codorus Press.</span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Not to
sound like a complete boozer, but <b>Codorus Press</b> is a great example of the amazing
things that can happen when journalists get together to drink. The initial idea
came from Wayne when we worked together at the <b>York Daily Record</b> in York, Pa.,
in the late 1990s. One night during after-deadline beers I was bemoaning the
fact that I couldn’t get traction from traditional agents or publishers on an
earlier draft of <b><u>Immaculate Deception</u></b>, and he noted how easy it would be
for a room full of writers, editors and designers to start our own indie publishing
house. Ten years later, with a much-improved draft of my novel, we did just
that. Since then we’ve been gradually building up our stable of writers,
focusing on keeping things small and among friends. It might not be the most
capitalist of business models, but our focus is really on helping each other
get our work out there rather than becoming rich and famous.</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Finally,
what’s next?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A new novel?</span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Yes. In
addition to working on some short stories and getting those submitted to
different markets, I’m hammering away at the follow-up to <b><u>Immaculate
Deception</u></b>. This time around, the weirdness is more paranormal than
metaphysical and set in the present day. In it, a fresh-out-of-college newspaper
reporter struggles to deal with a rash of ghost sightings that seem to lead to
a broader conspiracy among the living. I’m describing it as <u>The X Files</u>
meets <u>Ghostbusters</u> meets <u>Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil</u>.</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Thank
you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can follow <b>Scott B. Pruden</b>
on social media, at his <b><a href="https://scottpruden.com/" target="_blank">website</a></b>, on <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/scottbpruden" target="_blank">Facebook</a></b>, on <b><a href="https://twitter.com/ScottBPruden" target="_blank">Twitter</a></b></span><span style="font-family: "times"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">, or on <b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4077561.Scott_B_Pruden" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></b>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">You
can purchase his novel, <b><u>Immaculate Deception</u></b>, through the </span><span style="font-family: "times"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
<b><a href="http://www.codoruspress.com/" target="_blank">Codorus Press web site</a></b> or </span><span style="font-family: "times"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">or </span><b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Immaculate-Deception-Scott-B-Pruden/dp/0615348254/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8"><span style="font-family: "times"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">via Amazon</span></a></b><span style="font-family: "times"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "times"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">And here's a <b><a href="http://theindyauthor.com/podcast-2/" target="_blank">link</a></b> to a recent podcast on <b>The Indy Author</b>, in which <b><a href="http://www.mattydalrymple.com/" target="_blank">Matty Dalrymple</a></b> interviews <b>Scott Pruden</b>.</span>
</div>
Tony Conawayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07256198676368979247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1043029920403749082.post-24596136288128518532016-07-28T07:32:00.000-04:002016-07-28T07:34:23.721-04:00All It Took Was a Change of TitleAll writers produce stories they like more than others. One of my favorites has just been "reprinted" on the <i><b><a href="https://literallystories2014.com/2016/07/26/the-3-a-m-litterateur-by-tony-conaway/" target="_blank">Literally Stories</a> </b></i>site. It originally appeared two years ago in the <i><b>Rind Literary Magazine</b></i>.<br />
<br />
I knew this was a successful short story, because I presented it several times at public readings. It always got laughs in the right places. Nevertheless, I couldn't seem to sell the story to a magazine. It kept getting rejected, over and over.<br />
<br />
Eventually, I decided that the original title was the problem. The story is about a drunk writer who shows up at the house of his ex-girlfriend late one winter night. I called it <b>"Reunion at 3 a.m."</b> That title didn't pop -- it didn't make an editor want to publish it.<br />
<br />
I decided to change the title and submit it to literary magazines. So I gave it the oh-so-pretentious title of <b>"The 3 a.m. Litterateur."</b><br />
<br />
That's all it took. The <a href="https://rindliterarymagazine.com/2014/06/" target="_blank"><b><i>Rind Literary Magazine</i></b></a> picked it up immediately. And now it's up again, on a new site.<br />
<br />
Sometimes it pays to be pretentious.Tony Conawayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07256198676368979247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1043029920403749082.post-30985536519666492912016-06-18T23:39:00.000-04:002016-06-18T23:57:12.190-04:00Women and Wine<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
In my youth, I once went out with three different women in the span of two weeks. That's three first dates, all over dinner.<br />
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In the course of the meal, all three women drank wine. (I prefer beer.) I got all three women to talk about themselves.<br />
<br />
And in the course of that conversation, all three women wept.<br />
<br />
<br />
Now, before you suggest that they were crying because it was a bad date, let me say that I subsequently saw all three of these young women again. I recall taking one of them to a party. Another I took to an entertainment venue. The third I saw for months -- I remember that <i>she</i> later broke up with <i>me</i> on my birthday.<br />
<br />
The experience creeped me out, a little. Three dates, all of whom I reduced to tears?<br />
<br />
Later, however, I decided that there was something about talking about one's life that makes many women cry...especially under the influence of alcohol.<br />
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Am I wrong?Tony Conawayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07256198676368979247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1043029920403749082.post-88965841755143019772016-06-03T22:08:00.000-04:002016-06-04T18:31:05.131-04:00Susanna Reilly: From Fan Writer to Pro<style>
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<span style="color: #202020; font-family: "times"; font-size: 16.0pt;">I met the delightful Susanna Reilly at the <a href="http://www.meetup.com/Main-Line-Writers/" target="_blank"><b>Main Line WritersGroup</b></a>, a club for authors of all skill levels, which meets in King of Prussia,
Pennsylvania. We both had stories in the group’s first anthology, <b><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Unclaimed-Baggage-Voices-Writers-Group/dp/0989334481/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1465005515&sr=1-4&keywords=unclaimed+baggage" target="_blank">Unclaimed Baggage: Voices of the Main Line Writers.</a></i></b></span><b><i><span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="color: #202020; font-family: "times"; font-size: 16.0pt;">Susanna had two stories published in the anthology <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Somewhere-Middle-Eternity-Patrick-Corcoran/dp/0977385167/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1" target="_blank"><b>Somewhere in the Middle of Eternity</b>. </a> </i>The second volume in that series<i>,
<b>Elsewhere in the Middle of Eternity</b></i>, is in the middle of a Kickstarter
campaign to raise funding. If that campaign meets its fundraising goal,
she will have a story in that anthology as well.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="color: #202020; font-family: "times"; font-size: 16.0pt;">Ladies and gentlemen, <b>Susanna Reilly</b>:</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="color: #202020; font-family: "times"; font-size: 16.0pt;">1) Susanna, I understand that, like many writers, you
started writing fan fiction for an annual fanzine. Is that correct?</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="color: #202020; font-family: "times"; font-size: 16.0pt;"><i>Thank you for that wonderful introduction Tony.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve always enjoyed writing, but it wasn’t
until I got involved with a local science fiction fan club, <b>The U.S.S. Thagard</b>
(a chapter of <b>Starfleet: The International Star Trek Fan Association</b>) in
the late 1990’s that I believed I could actually be published.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The club put out an annual fanzine titled
</i><b>Norman</b><i> (followed by number I – XIII depending on the year).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The title came from the first name of the
astronaut the club was named after as well as a clone character in one of the
iconic </i><b>Star Trek</b><i> original series episodes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I wrote a few short stories in the </i><b>Star Trek</b><i> and </i><b>Highlander</b><i> universes
that were included in three of the late 90s </i><b>Norman</b><i> issues.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All proceeds from the fanzines went to
charity but it was still a lot of fun to see that “by Susanna Reilly” after the
titles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the mid 2000’s, after the
<b>Thagard</b> folded, I continued writing fan fiction in the </i><b>Star Trek </b><i>and </i><b>Stargate</b><i>
universes (and even one in the </i><b>Law and Order: Special Victims Unit</b><i> universe),
but I used the fanfiction.net website as my publishing outlet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can still find some of my earlier work <a href="https://www.fanfiction.net/u/705595/SMR723" target="_blank">here.</a> </i><b> </b></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="color: #202020; font-family: "times"; font-size: 16.0pt;">2) The convention circuit is an increasingly important
place for writers to meet and generate publicity. I understand that you
are a regular at the annual <i>Shore Leave</i> convention. Is that
strictly a <i>Star Trek</i> con?</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="color: #202020; font-family: "times"; font-size: 16.0pt;"><i>I started going to the</i><b> Shore Leave</b> <i>convention (in Hunt Valley,
MD)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>around 1999 as an attendee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Back then its main focus was on </i><b>Star Trek,</b><i>
but over the years it has expanded to include most science fiction/fantasy
shows and movies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i><b>Stargate</b><i> was my favorite
fandom for a long time and I was thrilled to meet Amanda Tapping at </i><b>Shore Leave</b><i>
a few years ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The convention not only
has media guests, but also discussion panels encompassing all types of fandoms,
costuming/cosplaying, as well as a very popular “Meet the Authors” event on
Friday evening.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a huge thrill to
be invited to participate as an author guest two years ago when </i><b>Somewhere in
the Middle of Eternity</b><i> launched there and I’m equally thrilled that the launch
party for </i><b>Elsewhere in the Middle of Eternity</b><i> will be there in July.</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="color: #202020; font-family: "times"; font-size: 16.0pt;">3) What do you enjoy most about being a writer? What
do you enjoy the least?</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #202020; font-family: "times"; font-size: 16.0pt;">I enjoy the rush I get from coming up with an interesting story
idea and following the twists and turns until it becomes a full-fledged
story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I find that I often start out
with an idea where the story is going to go, but then it ends up taking a few
twists and turns on me before the end.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes
the ending is totally different than I expected it to be, but I learned a long
time ago, you can’t force the story to go where you want it to go, you have to
let it take its own course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The thing I
enjoy least is trying to find the time in an already very full schedule to
write.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s very frustrating to have a
really cool idea and want to sit down and write it all out but not have an
uninterrupted block of time to do so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’m a secretary by trade so it’s most natural for me to write at the
computer since I’m a pretty fast typist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Writing longhand or dictating don’t work as well for me.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></i></div>
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</i><br />
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<span style="color: #202020; font-family: "times"; font-size: 16.0pt;">4) Let’s finish up with a process question: where and when
do you write? Are you a before-work writer, an after-work writer, or a
weekend writer?</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #202020; font-family: "times"; font-size: 16.0pt;">My most prolific writing time has always been at night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I used to be able to start work at 10 p.m.
and write straight through until 2 or 3 in the morning and still make it to
work on time the next morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now that
I’m a bit older, I’m finding it much harder to keep those hours, so finding
uninterrupted blocks of time to write has become much more challenging.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i><span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="color: #202020; font-family: "times"; font-size: 16.0pt;">Thanks so much for taking the time to participate in this
interview, Susanna!</span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #202020; font-family: "times"; font-size: 16.0pt;">Thank you so much for asking me, Tony.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I greatly appreciate it.</span></i><span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="color: #202020; font-family: "times"; font-size: 16.0pt;">You can follow Susanna Reilly here on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/SMR723" target="_blank">Facebook</a> </span><span style="color: #202020; font-family: "times"; font-size: 16.0pt;">or on <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7375093.Susanna_Reilly" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> </span></div>
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<span style="color: #202020; font-family: "times"; font-size: 16.0pt;">Please support the Kickstarter campaign for <b><i>Elsewhere in the
Middle of Eternity! </i></b>If you’re considering whether to back this
project, </span><a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/279532101/elsewhere-in-the-middle-of-eternity" target="_blank"><b><i><u><span style="color: #0030f6; font-family: "times"; font-size: 16.0pt;">please click here to check out the various donation levels and the rewards offered</span></u></i></b></a><i><span style="color: #202020; font-family: "times"; font-size: 16.0pt;"> </span></i><span style="color: #202020; font-family: "times"; font-size: 16.0pt;">on Kickstarter</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></div>
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Tony Conawayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07256198676368979247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1043029920403749082.post-13897945977860969182016-05-14T19:06:00.000-04:002016-05-14T19:06:36.343-04:00Darwyn Cooks Dies at Age 53<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQJ7bhvyVIfzPdbEfqsr7JKr5UFXXeInTwlahQ88UggimuZiYlByscrruRSZtiCVfW8b3diGOc3IUTK9KJrtiv5Sx_xj14u27GumRxqkgpo-nyQUiZzEntvMyzMj4CMo9Brtz_PByxQmyH/s1600/51%252Bzh7GQm6L._SX327_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQJ7bhvyVIfzPdbEfqsr7JKr5UFXXeInTwlahQ88UggimuZiYlByscrruRSZtiCVfW8b3diGOc3IUTK9KJrtiv5Sx_xj14u27GumRxqkgpo-nyQUiZzEntvMyzMj4CMo9Brtz_PByxQmyH/s320/51%252Bzh7GQm6L._SX327_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" width="210" /></a></div>
<br />
Longtime readers of my blog know that, once upon a time, I fancied becoming a comic book artist. I even got to take some classes with the late, great artist Joe Kubert.<br />
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As it turned out, I didn't have the chops for the business. I could draw something (or someone) passably well if it (or she) was posed in front of me. But ask me to draw something out of my imagination, and the result looked like it was done by a six-year-old.<br />
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Nevertheless, I continue to have a great affection for comic book artists.<br />
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So I'm saddened today by the <a href="http://cnn.it/1XaRvjs" target="_blank">death</a> of iconic Canadian artist Darwyn Cooke. Going against the trend towards photo-realistic art, Cooke had a distinctive, iconic style that was like no one else currently in the business. He worked primarily on DC Comic characters, and may be best known for his revamped design for Catwoman.<br />
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He died of cancer at the age of 53, far too young. I'm saddened by his passing...but I'm also angered at our own loss. We have missed out on another few decades of work by an exemplary talent.<br />
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Goodbye, Darwyn. <br />
<br />Tony Conawayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07256198676368979247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1043029920403749082.post-2833305095709469102016-04-29T02:24:00.000-04:002016-04-29T02:30:33.327-04:00Jen Conley, Noir, and Cannibals<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmrBQvJYlDFqI4OPf_CqicK0XHLUZBASZofLTi-nyORqmNC6wlPMjHVECb9bSpf3q7XATWleC8r5jKPSR4BA2WfesfEOWOVvw2qsJjDqjkhrmCj7XRs9VbA-bYg4oQzjmXvEatDb5IWJ19/s1600/Jen+Conley+at+Shade+NYC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmrBQvJYlDFqI4OPf_CqicK0XHLUZBASZofLTi-nyORqmNC6wlPMjHVECb9bSpf3q7XATWleC8r5jKPSR4BA2WfesfEOWOVvw2qsJjDqjkhrmCj7XRs9VbA-bYg4oQzjmXvEatDb5IWJ19/s320/Jen+Conley+at+Shade+NYC.jpg" width="292" /></a></div>
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<b>Jen Conley reading at a <i>Noir at the Bar</i> event at Shade in NYC</b></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";">The delightful Jen Conley is a writer and teacher from New
Jersey. I first</span></span></i><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";"> encountered her at a Noir at the Bar event, where she was
reading one of her</span></span></i><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";"> crime stories (which she did very well). She also edited an
anthology in which</span></span></i><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";"> one of my own stories appeared: </span></span></i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Shotgun-Honey-Presents-Locked-Barrels/dp/0692434305/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1461908962&sr=1-5&keywords=Jen+Conley" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";">“Shotgun Honey Presents
Locked and Loaded (</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";">Both Barrels, Volume III)”</span></span></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";">Jen, congratulations on your first collection of short
stories! Tell us about</span></span></i><b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";"> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cannibals-Stories-Edge-Pine-Barrens-ebook/dp/B01DVM66C4/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1461909043&sr=1-1&keywords=Jen+Conley" target="_blank">"Cannibals: Stories from the Edge of the Pine Barrens"</a></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";">Thank you! <b>Cannibals</b> is a collection of loosely linked
gritty/crime stories</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";"> that take place in central/south Jersey, Ocean County, which</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";"> encompasses some of the Pine Barrens. Not every story has a
typical</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";"> crime, or a crime at all, but each one is a bit gritty.</span></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";">Your stories all take place in the New Jersey </span><span style="font-family: "times";">Pine Barrens. Most of what I know about that area comes
from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/John-McPhee/e/B000AQ4582/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1461909576&sr=1-1" target="_blank"><b>John McPhee</b></a>’s 1968 book, </span></span></i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Barrens-McPhee-published-Farrar-Straus/dp/B00E32OTOY/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1461909374&sr=1-4&keywords=the+pine+barrens+john+mcphee" target="_blank"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";">The Pine Barrens</span></span></b></a><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";">, which was originally
serialized in <b>The</b></span></span></i><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";"><b> New Yorker. </b>There’s one thing I’ve always wanted to ask a
native of the area:</span></span></i><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";"> McPhee wrote that Pineys tend to say something three times.
For example, a</span></span></i><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";"> Piney might say, “It looks like rain, looks like rain, like
rain.” I’ve never heard</span></span></i><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";"> anyone speak like that! Is it true?</span></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";">Good question. But not that I know of. I’m not a real Piney,
either, so I’m not</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";"> really sure. I think the Piney culture has been infiltrated
by modern times so I</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";"> don’t know how many old school authentic Pineys are left.
And I also think the</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";"> term “Piney” has changed. Now it can mean people who live
near the Pine</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";"> Barrens, or even in them, but not living that old rural type
of existence, or</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";"> even something close to that. For many people “Piney” is a
person who enjoys</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";"> spending time in the Pines, whether it’s hiking, fishing, hunting,
four wheeling,</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";"> etc.</span></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";">Sadly, writing short stories doesn’t pay much. Like most
writers, you also</span></span></i><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";">chave a day job. I understand you teach middle school
English. Many years</span></span></i><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";"> ago, I tried doing that myself, with little success. Have
any of your students</span></span></i><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";"> ever read your crime stories?</span></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";">I don’t think so. I try to keep it on the downlow. They know
I write and I’ve</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";"> read them a little bit of my work, things that are benign,
but not the hard core</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";"> stuff. However last year I was working on a YA novel geared
towards middle</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";"> schoolers and I read them the first six pages. They seemed
to really love it ---</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "symbol";"></span><span style="font-family: "times";"> they gave me a round of applause—but they
also appeared to be a bit surprised</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";"> I could actually write. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: "times";">Again, like most writers, you’ve probably had your share of
rejections. Has</span></i></span><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: "times";"> that changed how you edit the work of others for </span></i><span style="font-family: "times";"><b>Shotgun
Honey?</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";">We don’t edit the flash too much. We read the stories and
have a discussion,</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";"> and decide whether they are a go or not. Some stories are
easy—yes or no. But </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";">some stories are in that middle area, that spot where a
little help, suggestions,</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";"> might make the story stronger. I’m more prone to give
someone another chance</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";"> if I see a story has potential. I hate getting rejected (as
does everyone) so I do feel bad when we reject a story that seems to be on the line
but ultimately</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";"> just isn’t working. But <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Ron-Earl-Phillips/e/B0061KRHIQ/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1461909506&sr=1-2-ent" target="_blank"><b>Ron Earl Phillips</b></a>, the head honcho,
does give feedback</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";"> from the editors, so I like to think if writers take our
advice, then they can</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";"> improve the story and try to send it somewhere else.<b> “Home
Invasion,”</b> the</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";"> first story in my collection, was rejected several times
until another writer</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";"> gave me a few tips so it would work better. I took her
advice and it was</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";"> immediately accepted at <i><b>Thuglit</b></i> and nominated for a
Spinetingler Award. </span></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";">Before they submit their work, many writers run it by either
a trusted</span></span></i><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";"> critique group or a cadre of beta readers. Do you, and how
did you get them?</span></span></i><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";"> (It took me many years to find a critique group that I found
truly helpful.)</span></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";">I used to have two writing groups, one up in NYC and one in
the Red Bank area.</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";"> Both are disbanded, or on indefinite hold. I found my NYC
group because I took</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";"> a Gotham Writing Class in the Village and after it ended, I
emailed my teacher</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";"> and asked if she knew of a writing group. She invited me
into hers. That was</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";"> writer <b><a href="http://www.karenheuler.com/works.htm" target="_blank">Karen Heuler</a> </b>and I was with her for many years. I
found the other group </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";">through an ad in a magazine. Again, I emailed them and they
asked for a</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";"> submission and then let me in. Now I have no one but that’s
okay. I’m busy and</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";"> I have to do a lot of writing this summer—working on a
novel—so when I’m done</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";"> with the novel, I’ll probably look for readers but not a
group.</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";"> I also know it’s hard to find a writing group, especially
one that meets</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";"> consistently, so I’m glad you have one. I think every writer
at one point needs</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";"> to hook up with a writing group. It really does help.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: "times";">Let’s finish up with a process question: how do you write?
Do you do it in the</span></i></span><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: "times";"> same time and place every day?</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">When it comes to short stories, I don’t write
them until I have an idea and an</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";"> arc in my head. So I spend a lot of time just thinking. For
a longer project </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";">which I’m working on now, it was a loose outline and I blew
through the first</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";"> draft as fast as I could. I write on my laptop, either in my
bedroom or </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";">downstairs in my dining room. I have a fourteen-year-old so
most of my work is</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";"> done when he is asleep, preoccupied or if he’s at his dad’s
house. He’s pretty</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";"> good about not bothering me but he’s still a teenager, so
it’s never fool-proof.</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";"> And I’d like to write every day but there are days after
teaching that I’m just</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";"> too damn exhausted, so sometimes it’s best if I sleep and
save my energy for the next night.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";">On the flip side, because I teach, I’m off in the summer so
I consider myself a</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";"> lucky writer. I would work a side job in July and August but
I’d rather skimp on</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";"> extras and focus on my writing. It’s very important to me.
It’s my Mount</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";"> Everest so I need as much time as I can to climb this huge,
giant, almost </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";">impossible mountain called “breaking into writing.”
Actually, I think it might be</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";"> easier to climb Mount Everest. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: "times";">We’ll look forward to your collection, which will be
released in May. The</span></i></span><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: "times";"> official book launch will be at Manhattan’s <a href="http://www.mysteriousbookshop.com/" target="_blank"><b>Mysterious Bookshop</b></a> on Friday 3</span></i></span><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: "times";"> June at 6:30 pm. Thank you for your time, Jen!</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";">Thank you. It’s been a pleasure!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";">You can follow Jen on her <a href="http://www.jenconley.net/" target="_blank">website</a> </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";">or on twitter at @jenconley45</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times";">You can purchase her book at <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cannibal-Stories-Edge-Pine-Barrens/dp/194340223X/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1461909661&sr=1-4&keywords=Jen+Conley" target="_blank">Amazon</a> or <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cannibal-jen-conley/1123724624?ean=9781943402236" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> or your local bookstore. It is published by Down & Out Books.</span></span></div>
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Tony Conawayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07256198676368979247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1043029920403749082.post-7510038950465284272016-03-29T21:24:00.004-04:002016-03-30T01:20:20.737-04:00Would You Please Get Snarky, Please?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Authors at a signing this past weekend. L to R: Kelly Simmons, Matty Dalrymple, Virginia Beards, Jon McGoran, Merry Jones, and Bruce Mowda</span>y<br />
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This past weekend I attended a multi-author book signing at
the<a href="http://www.levantebrewing.com/" target="_blank"> Levante Brewery</a> in West Chester, PA.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>One of the authors, poet <a href="http://thepaletteandthepage.com/virginia-beards.html" target="_blank">Virginia Beards</a>, had to leave early.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I asked the remaining five authors what were
the best and worst things about doing a book event in a brewery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Although sales were light, the authors
remained upbeat and refused to get snarky.)</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">What’s the best thing about doing a signing in a brewery?</i></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.jonmcgoran.com/" target="_blank">Jon McGoran</a>:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Beer!!</div>
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<a href="http://www.merryjones.com/" target="_blank">
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.merryjones.com/" target="_blank">Merry Jones</a>:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dogs and babies among the crowd.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They’re the best!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You don’t get those in a bookstore signing.</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.kellysimmonsbooks.com/" target="_blank">Kelly Simmons</a>:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
love dogs and babies!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Notice how they
always find the sunbeams to lie in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s just a
fun atmosphere.</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.mowday.com/" target="_blank">Bruce Mowday</a>:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You get to meet your readers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a chance to interact with them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve had some great discussions on <a href="http://www.barricadebooks.com/index.php/books/single/picket/" target="_blank">Pickett’s Charge</a> (the subject of one of his books).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Matty (Dalrymple) did a great job organizing this event.</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.mattydalrymple.com/" target="_blank">Matty Dalrymple</a>:</b> It’s
an exercise in community building. And it’s good that we’ve started to see some
of the same faces among the attendees.</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">And what was the worst thing about this particular brewery signing?</i></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Jon McGoran:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, you always want to sell more books.</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Merry Jones:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A lot of people just walk by.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most of them are here to drink, not buy
books.</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Kelly Simmons:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, they didn’t come to buy books.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I don’t want to intrude on families.</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Bruce Mowday:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wish we had more people here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it’s such a nice day – people don’t want
to be inside.</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Matty Dalrymple:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wine drinkers are more interested in books than beer drinkers are. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I suspect you can
sell more books at a winery than at a brewery. Overall, I think we could describe this as
more of a social than a sales event.</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">My Takeaway:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a fun event
on a nice day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But dogs and babies don’t
buy worth a damn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Hey, if they won’t get
snarky, I will!)</i></b></div>
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<br />Tony Conawayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07256198676368979247noreply@blogger.com2