Still Time to Sign Up

My section of “Write Great Fiction: Description & Setting” at Writer’s Digest University has been pushed back to start on May 26, so if you hurry, you can sign up for it!

It’s a great course for both beginner and experienced writers, with something for everyone. If you’ve never tried a Writer’s Digest University course, this is a great one to start with as it’s not too long and at a level that works for everyone.

Workshop Length: 8 weeks

You will learn:

• How to attune your writer's radar to interesting details and story ideas from real life
• How to balance showing and telling in constructing a convincing narrative voice
• How to build your fictional world and descriptions so they serve and illuminate character, motivation, tone, and theme
• How to engage the senses—and even allow them to cross and overlap—in order to form compelling, potent descriptions, and
• How to balance the familiar and the unfamiliar in description and setting in order to show the everyday in clear, and surprising, new ways

Who should take this course:

• Beginning writers who want to strengthen their description and setting skills
• Novel writers of any genre
• Short Story writers
• Creative Nonfiction writers

For more information, or to sign up for the course, go here: http://fwmedia.gosignmeup.com/dev_students.asp?action=browse&main=Online+Workshops&sub1=WGF%3A+Description+%26+Setting&misc=143

Hope to see you there!

Description & Setting Course

I’ll be teaching a section of “Write Great Fiction: Description & Setting” at Writer’s Digest University. The starting date is May 12, so if you hurry, you can sign up for it!

It’s a great course for both beginner and experienced writers, with something for everyone. If you’ve never tried a Writer’s Digest University course, this is a great one to start with as it’s not too long and at a level that works for everyone.

Workshop Length: 8 weeks

You will learn:

• How to attune your writer's radar to interesting details and story ideas from real life
• How to balance showing and telling in constructing a convincing narrative voice
• How to build your fictional world and descriptions so they serve and illuminate character, motivation, tone, and theme
• How to engage the senses—and even allow them to cross and overlap—in order to form compelling, potent descriptions, and
• How to balance the familiar and the unfamiliar in description and setting in order to show the everyday in clear, and surprising, new ways

Who should take this course:

• Beginning writers who want to strengthen their description and setting skills
• Novel writers of any genre
• Short Story writers
• Creative Nonfiction writers

For more information, or to sign up for the course, go here: http://fwmedia.gosignmeup.com/dev_students.asp?action=browse&main=Online+Workshops&sub1=WGF%3A+Description+%26+Setting&misc=143

Hope to see you there!

Another Place to Protest

Check this out: http://theclicker.today.com/_news/2011/04/18/6492909-hoover-sides-with-soap-opera-fans

I’m not the only one upset about the impending cancellation of AMC and OLTL. It seems Hoover, a major sponsor, is pulling ads from ABC in protest. Yay, Hoover!

They’re also gathering e-mails protesting the cancellation. Please click on the link above, where you will find the article and e-mail address to send your protest notes to.

At least we’re not going down without a fight!

Protest! Protest!

I know this is supposed to be the Friday Happies, but I am seriously peeved.

Why?

ABC has decided, in their infinite wisdom, to cancel two of the three soaps I watch, “All My Children” and “One Life to Live.” I’ve watched those two shows for 31 years, since 1980, and they are a cherished part of my life. And from all the negative comments posted on their website, I know I’m not alone in feeling that way.

ABC’s reasoning for the cancellation? A vague “the changing viewing pattern of the audience.” The shows to replace AMC and OLTL? “The Chew will focus on food from EVERY angle -- as a source of joy, health, family ritual, friendship, breaking news, dating, fitness, weight loss, travel adventures and life's moments” and “The Revolution, a daily show about health and lifestyle transformations.” Just what we need, another two cookie-cutter “reality” shows.

But if you go here: http://abc.go.com/site/abcdaytimenews and check out all the comments protesting their decision, you won’t find a single “Wow, great new shows!” All you see is, “What were you thinking?”

If you’re as unhappy as I am to see these long-standing veteran soaps disappear, please go to the above URL and let ABC know what you think. At least we’ll have the satisfaction of making our thoughts known.

Okay, crawling back into my little well of gloom.

Friday Happies 3/25/11

Given how Monday’s snowy picture made me grumpy, it’s a cinch to figure out why THIS picture makes me happy.

Crocuses blooming = spring on the way!

Oh, I was SO happy to see them starting to come out. It always seems like the first sign of spring. Brave little crocuses, poking their little heads out when the snow is barely melted.

We should all be like the crocuses! Go for all the life we can get!

Okay, enough philosophizing. Just wanted to share the joy.

Monday Gripes, 3/21/11

First day of spring.

Snowing heavily outside.

Ugghhh.

Two Upcoming Courses

I have two courses I’m teaching coming up shortly, so I thought I’d share the info with you.

First is The Essentials of Mystery Writing:

Do you read mysteries and think "I wish I could write that?" Well, you can. Work with a published mystery writer to learn about the subtleties of the mystery genre, and begin working on your own page-turning mystery. By the conclusion of the workshop, you will have written 2500 words and had critiqued up to 2500 words of your mystery novel or short story. Workshop starts Thursday, March 17th.
Learn More!

And second, Writing the Breakout Novel:

Discover what makes a novel stand out from the rest in all its aspects—from premise to plot to character to theme—using Donald Maass' bestselling Writing the Breakout Novel as your guide. Breakout novels are built from the foundation up, beginning with a breakout premise which is plausible, original, emotional, and rich in conflicts to explore … and which will inspire and guide you as you build on that foundation. This workshop, then, will begin with the premise and build over eight weeks just as the breakout novel builds: with careful attention to craft and an openness to those creative leaps which will make your novel exceptional. Workshop starts Thursday, March 24th.

Learn More!

Hope to see you at one…or even both!

E-Book Sale

In honor of Read an Ebook Week, March 6-12

All BWLPP titles regularly priced $2.99 or higher are on sale for half price at Smashwords! Find the coupon code on each book page, and have fun shopping!

http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/bookswelove

Mystery Writing Course

Another course I’m teaching. This is always a fun one.

Featured Workshop: Essentials of Mystery Writing
Do you read mysteries and think "I wish I could write that?" Well, you can. Work with a published mystery writer to learn about the subtleties of the mystery genre, and begin working on your own page-turning mystery. By the conclusion of the workshop, you will have written 2500 words and had critiqued up to 2500 words of your mystery novel or short story. Workshop starts Thursday, March 3rd.
Learn More!

Hope to see you there!

Monday Gripes, 2/28/11

You’ve gotta know by now that my gripes lately are about the weather. And today is no exception. On top of the weekend snow accumulation of somewhere between 8 and 10 inches in two separate storms, today it’s sleeting and/or freezing rain. It’s switched to all rain now, but with the temperature hovering near freezing, it’s making an icy, slushy mess of everything. Just had to go pick up the car at the garage (it wouldn’t start on Saturday so had to be towed), and I could only get it halfway up the driveway on the way home. (sigh)

But! Something that happened over the weekend is still giving me a smile. We visited our daughter and grandchildren on Saturday. When we got in the car to take them out to lunch, the two grandkids were arguing about who would sit next to whom at lunch.

Our daughter said, "Everyone will be nearby, so don't worry about it. You’ll be able to see everyone."

I added, "You'll be close enough to make faces at anyone you want."

There was a brief silence, and then my seven year old grandson said, "Why would I want to do that?"

I said, "Because you're a kid."

He retorted, "Yeah, but I have manners!"

That was good for quite a laugh.

Friday Happies, 2/25/11

Well, the term “happies” is relative. We’re having yet another snowstorm, with sleet and freezing rain thrown in for good measure. I’m happy we “only” lost power for two hours and hope that’s the end of that issue, because you never realize how much you depend on electricity until you don’t have it.

For instance, we have oil heat—the oil burner heats up a big tank of water, which then circulates to the radiators. But it has an electric ignition, so—no electricity, no heat. No hot water, either, which means cold showers or no showers.

We have an electric stove and of course the microwave, so no power, no hot food. Or coffee. And no power to the fridge, which means you should avoid opening it if possible, so no cold food, either. How long can we live on peanut butter and raisins and chips from the cupboard?

The computer has a battery so I can work for a while offline, but no way to recharge it with no power. And of course, no Internet connection with no power.

No lights with no power, unless you’re into candles. And no TV, which doesn’t seem bad until you don’t have it!

No washer or dryer, so you better hope you’re stocked up on clean clothes.

And no telephone, since we only have cordless phones. (Well, we do have a cell phone for emergencies, but once the battery runs out, no way to recharge it.)

I guess I would never make it as a pioneer woman.

Still Time to Sign Up for Description & Setting Course

Guess what? You still have time to sign up to take “Write Great Fiction: Description & Setting” at Writer’s Digest University. The starting date has been pushed back to February 24, so if you hurry, you can sign up for it!

It’s a great course for both beginner and experienced writers, with something for everyone. If you’ve never tried a Writer’s Digest University course, this is a great one to start with as it’s not too long and at a level that works for everyone.

Workshop Length: 8 weeks

You will learn:

• How to attune your writer's radar to interesting details and story ideas from real life
• How to balance showing and telling in constructing a convincing narrative voice
• How to build your fictional world and descriptions so they serve and illuminate character, motivation, tone, and theme
• How to engage the senses—and even allow them to cross and overlap—in order to form compelling, potent descriptions, and
• How to balance the familiar and the unfamiliar in description and setting in order to show the everyday in clear, and surprising, new ways

Who should take this course:

• Beginning writers who want to strengthen their description and setting skills
• Novel writers of any genre
• Short Story writers
• Creative Nonfiction writers

For more information, or to sign up for the course, go here: http://fwmedia.gosignmeup.com/dev_students.asp?action=coursedetail&id=2943&main=Online+Workshops&sub1=Show+All+Workshops&misc=337?utm_source=wdupromo&utm_medium=site&utm_campaign=wdusite02032011-widget

Hope to see you there!

Friday Happies 2/11/11

First of all, I’m happy it’s Friday. TGIF! Who isn’t?

And second, I’m happy it’s NOT SNOWING. This winter has been miserable, and there are still snowdrifts piled up everywhere over my head. Plus the below-freezing temps means there’s ice everywhere. I think I’ll stay in bed with the covers over my head till spring.

At least the sun is shining today and it seems possible there will be a spring, sometime. Someday. Maybe the groundhog was right?

How many of you have seen “Groundhog Day” with Bill Murray? And how many of you watch it every February? I love it…so much fun. Someday I’m going to go to Punxsutawney and check it out in person.

But winter tidings aside, today I’m especially happy about what’s going on in Egypt. A peaceful demonstration (for the most part) leading to a peaceful change in government…that’s a wonderful thing to witness. That’s what democracy means, and I wish the very best to the Egyptian people with their new government. May they grow in peace, prosperity and joy.

Description & Setting Course Starts Feb. 10

I’m teaching a course for Writer’s Digest University beginning February 10. It’s called “Write Great Fiction: Description & Setting” and is a terrific course both for beginning writers, and for experienced writers who want to brush up on their descriptive techniques.

In this course you'll consider the importance of description and setting in creating a fully believable, fully realized fictional world. More importantly, you'll consider what makes description effective—how precise language, combined with surprising ways of looking at familiar things, creates a full experience for a reader—and how you might begin employing these techniques in your own work to create characters and settings which hum with life.

Using Ron Rozelle's Write Great Fiction: Description & Setting as your textbook, you will see how striking, yet credible, description is formed—and what such description allows you to accomplish in your own work.

For more information, or to sign up for the course, go here: http://fwmedia.gosignmeup.com/dev_students.asp?action=coursedetail&id=2943&main=Online+Workshops&sub1=Show+All+Workshops&misc=337?utm_source=wdupromo&utm_medium=site&utm_campaign=wdusite02032011-widget

Hope to see you there!

Friday Happies 2/4/11

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow…

NOT.

Oy. I am so sick of snow! Check out this picture out my front door. See that little lump there? That’s the top of the head of  my three foot tall lion statue, barely poking out and wearing a snow cone cap.

And that was before it finished snowing. And before the additional inches we’re due to get tomorrow.

At least it’s not snowing TODAY, for which I’m very grateful. And I’m thankful we haven’t lost our power, and the roof hasn’t caved in! All good things.

And I’m happy the Steelers are playing in the Superbowl this weekend. Go, Steelers! I’ll be rooting for you! Wish I had a Terrible Towel to wave.

How has Mother Nature been treating you? How much snow have you  had, or are you one of the lucky few who hasn’t had to deal with flakes?

Monday Gripes 1/10/11

I’m horrified by the shootings in Arizona. How can a man so obviously mentally disturbed be allowed to buy a gun? Changes need to be made. What will it take for us to learn that?

My thoughts and prayers are with Rep. Giffords, and the victims and their families.

Friday Happies 12/31/10

It’s a lovely day today, unseasonably mild, and that makes it a nice day automatically. 51 degrees and sunny; the snow is melting.

Tomorrow we start a new year and for once, I’m not making resolutions. I’m just going to try to stick with the good habits I’ve developed this past year (mostly out of necessity, for health reasons) and try not to beat myself up too badly about those I’m still working on.

Sticking to my exercise plan got easier when my husband and daughters bought me a Wii and the Wii Fit Plus system to go with it for Christmas. Now I have a lot more variety in my exercise. I particularly like the balance activities; my balance can sure use improvement. And if I ever feel I need a particularly hard workout, I still have the treadmill.

As 2010 ends, I have to say, I’m happy it’s over. It’s been a rough year, or rather, a rough 15 months…starting with losing our dog Max last September, losing my brother-in-law Dave last December, losing our cat Burt in February, then being diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease in August. That’s a lot of loss, a lot of grief, a lot of stress.

So instead of that resolution (“This year I’m gonna lose weight! Really!”), I’m going to start the new year grateful for all the good things I have, especially my family and friends. Oh, and I’ll cross my fingers that 2011 goes more smoothly!

Are you making resolutions? Just wishing wishes for the new year? Here’s hoping 2011 is your best year yet.

Monday Gripes, 12/27/10

I really have very little to gripe about today. Only the ton of snow that’s fallen on us last night and today, and the shoveling that awaits if I want to get the mail out of the mailbox…

Oh, and all the pounds I’ll be putting on from all those leftover Christmas yummies! My willpower absolutely disappears at holiday time.

Christmas was definitely a wonderful day. My two daughters and two grandchildren were here, which made for a great time for Dan and I. Christmas is best when viewed through the eyes of a child! The excitement, the wonder, the joy…that’s what Christmas is about.

Of course, that’s not to say *I* wasn’t excited, too. Family, fun, presents, food…what’s not to like?

So now it’s hard to return back to work from such a lovely break. But I’m trying.

How was YOUR Christmas? Was it just as wonderful as you hoped?

Monday Gripes…But Not Really

Today I’m supposed to gripe. But I’m feeling so good, due to finding out I don’t need a biopsy after all (long story that I won’t go into here), I just can’t find anything to grumble about. The sun is shining, the weather is fine, and I’m healthier than I imagined.

I can, however, find something to laugh about! Here’s a sign we saw on a recent drive, at a combination gas station/convenience store/food stop. See if it gives you a laugh too:

It made us laugh so hard, we had to stop and take a photo.

What has made YOU smile today?

Friday Happies…and Stocking Stuffers!

Like many Americans, my “happy” for today is remembering yesterday, gathered around a Thanksgiving table with my husband, mom, sister, daughters and grandchildren. When we can be together, problems fade into the background as we enjoy each other’s company. I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving also, with lots of family, friends, food and fun.

And for those of you braving the Black Friday crowds today, I have a terrific alternative gift idea for you that won’t require leaving the house and fighting the crowds: an e-book!

It just so happens that two of my books, MIRROR IMAGES and PENUMBRA, have been recently re-released for sale in many e-book formats, so you can read them on just about any electronic device you choose. MIRROR IMAGES and PENUMBRA are short story collections, tales you might encounter in the Twilight Zone.

PENUMBRA:

Travel deep into unknown territory, where life and death are not as they seem; where machines dominate your days; where you have to be careful what you ask for, because you might get it; where magic is the norm, and stars really do grant wishes. These stories will take you beyond the realm of the solid and real, into the deepest, darkest corner of your imagination. Don't forget to bring your flashlight...

MIRROR IMAGES:

When Cassie buys an antique compact, little does she know it can foretell the future--her future. Marjorie, a Florida girl unwillingly transplanted to Vermont, learns there's more to fear from the alien snowfall than just the cold. Neil Dallas's jagged descent from rock and roll singer to drug-addicted has-been is unstoppable...or is it?

Let these eerie tales take you to a place where nothing is as it seems--where the only thing you can rely on is unexpected.

* * * * *

For more info or to order  your copies, visit the Books We Love Publishing Partners blog: http://bwlpp.blogspot.com/2010/11/sweet-holiday-specials.html Only $1.99…how can you beat that?

Let the holiday shopping begin!