by Christine | Life, Writing
Okay, so last week I whined about being Alone in the Publishing Wilderness. As a writer, I didn’t want to have to do everything (marketing, blogging, facebook/twitter/etcetera) all the time (I still don’t). And I got a lot of response from others feeling pressured, and overwhelmed, by all that goes with publishing. As I’m ramping up for the release this year of my second novel, I’d really like to get this whole writer-marketer thing down to where I’m comfortable with it.
In the past week, I’ve learned five important lessons about the publishing world, and myself, that I thought I’d share.
1. I don’t want to be a publishing dinosaur. As much as I’d love to hide in my cave and just write, I tried that. Didn’t work. (Well…I got a lot written, but slowly – it was the beginning of my career, what can I say? I didn’t work HARD enough.) Now I’ve got a day job, learning new stuff – I can and will learn the new publishing stuff, too. It’ll keep me nimble, lol.
2. Reading others’ blog posts informs me, broadens my horizons, and gives me a few chuckles. The mere act of reading someone else’s thoughts gives me more opportunity to empathize (or get angry on behalf of – depending), strengthening the human connection. Gives me food for thought and conversation with the family and the boss. (Good conversation is RARE!!!) Plus anyone that provides belly laughs is my friend for life. And you never know where the germ of a story idea will come from.
3. I am not Alone – I am a Modern Author/Warrior. Kristen Lamb’s latest post finally explains it to me to where it’s palatable. I’m really looking forward to the nify armor! Plus she and the other MyWANA teams totally rock, and I keep forgetting to keep them at the front of my mind. If you’ve noticed the #MyWANA hashtag, or all the derivatives, but haven’t understood it, see her video for a full explanation here.
4. More Blogging is a Good Thing. Just like More Cowbell (my new favorite blog). I enjoy blogging, I like talking about wines and recipes and every now and then, my writing. Kristen Lamb tells us to set aside time to do our blog posts in advance and schedule them accordingly…well, yeah, okay, I can work on getting organized. (Kristen also says that if we make our bed every day, that it will eventually lead to a clean house. Haven’t noticed that one working yet…)
Maybe I’ll start having guest posts once a week. Takes some pressure off, you know? Plus, after reading this fascinating article about 12 blogging mistakes from the guys at SEO MOZ, Irealized that perhaps search engine optimization IS something I need to learn.
5. Content is Still King. Whether you’re writing a novel, short story, blog post or grocery list, content is still king. The only thing that’s better than strong, solid content is LOTS of it. (Hence more blog posts. And the masked guy in the corner, fingering his whip every time I stop typing on my latest manuscript, lol.) I read Bob Mayer’s post this week on the secret handshake of successful digital publishing – and it restored my faith in content.
Other places to go for more inspiration:
Bob Mayer’s post on Platform, Product, Promotion is something every writer needs to read.
JA Konrath provides thought-provoking tidbits on A Newbie’s Guide to Publishing, and his latest post is one of my favorites.
Piper Bayard and her partner, Holmes, always have interesting (and funny) stuff to pass on to us real people. Love this post on the Guinea Pig Diaries!
On a General Writing Note: I LOVE Savvy Authors. It’s a free site (they also have a paid site) and the posts are always informative, no matter where you are in your writing career.
So, that’s what I’ve learned this past week. What are some of your favorite blogs to visit for inspiration, or a chuckle? I’d love to know! Please feel free to include the link in your comment so I can check them out!
by Christine | Wine Friday
In these days of high unemployment and global financial crisis, it’s nice to relax with a bottle of wine that doesn’t break your pocketbook. I’m here to sort out the memorable from the truly awful, and each bottle is under $10 unless noted otherwise.
Two Zinfandels. Two terroirs. Which will come out on top?
Hillgate 2010 Zinfandel Lake County Alcohol 14.9% by volume $6.99 at Trader Joe’s
On the Label: “Just beyond these gates are majestic hillside vineyards that reach into the untouched and untamed wilderness of a region known for its beauty and clean air, where the wines have become notable for their fruit forward style and awards are more and more abundant. Welcome to Hillgate, “Gate to the Hills” Lake County, California.”
My Take: It used to be that Lake County had a bad name when it came to wines. No longer, apparently. This Zinfandel had the right amount of spice, a zingy and juicy feel in the mouth, and a readiness to drink. It was still a bit young; I look forward to trying this wine next year. But over all? Yeah. I’d drink it again.
My Rating: ~ Drinkable ~ (Why didn’t I rate it higher? Because it didn’t knock my socks off. I’m thinking it’s still young.)
Eos Estate Winery 2009 Zinfandel Paso Robles Alcohol 13.9% in volume – under 
$10.
On the Label: “Eos is pure Paso Robles. It is the authentic taste of a quiet, rural, viticulture frontier midway between Los Angeles and San Francisco. Our approach to winemaking is traditional and natural; our methods are decidedly low tech. We allow the soils and climates of each vineyard site to be clearly heard in our wines. Eos Zinfandel is juicy and lively with flavors of cherry, spice, roasted coffee and tart raspberry.”
My Take: I have no memory of this wine, at all. Which concerns me. My notes are scribbled, but I can make out a “hmmm.” And a bit of a “well its got some spice”. Which makes me think I wasn’t overly enthusiastic. Not only do I not remember drinking this wine, I can’t remember the meal I had with it – nor did I write that bit down. It’s a blank – but I do remember finishing the bottle. So I didn’t hate it, lol.
My Rating: ~ Drinkable ~ Though I must say I should re-visit this wine soon. I usually like Paso Robles wines, and Zins are among my favorites made there. Someone, please give this a try and let me know what you think!
As usual, this is just my honest opinion and depend upon my mood, the weather, and what cycle the moon is in. Your taste buds will differ.
~ Until the next time, cheers – and remember to drink responsibly! ~
Demon Soul is available for the Kindle and the Nook! Have you read it yet?
My rating system: Undrinkable, Barely Drinkable, Drinkable, Very Drinkable, and the ever popular Stay away! This is MY wine, you slut!
by Christine | Observations, Writing
All the advice for writers on the Interwebs has been making my head spin the past year or so, and lately that advice is really getting on my nerves. Advice such as the following:
Blog 3 times a week or more. The more you blog, the more people will come to your website. Twitter twice daily, for at least fifteen minutes each time, but be a real person. Facebook is the way to make friends and informally chat. Become a book bloggers’ best buddy, and they’ll be happy to push your book for you. And don’t forget to comment on every blog you can, every day. Give, give, give your time and energy to your fellow bloggers/authors and they’ll give back. Push your brand!
Self publish, but do it the right way. You don’t want to be a publisher, you just want to write? Grow up, be a big girl, pull up your panties and get over it. With the internet revolution regarding the written word, writers have to do it all now in order to be successful.
Some more tidbits of the revolutionary “truth”: Don’t bother with New York Publishing anymore, they’re the Titanic and they don’t see the iceberg in front of them. Agents? Who needs agents? Please, agents are so Twentieth Century.
All that advice gives me a headache. Plus it makes me feel very alone. I long for the years when it was simpler; when a writer’s job was to write a damn good book, then get an agent, and the agent found you a publisher, and you were half way to a career. Note that I said simpler, not easier.
Is it wrong for me to still want a contract with a big New York publisher? Is it wrong for me to want an agent, someone who will help me, guide me in this new and confusing world? Is it wrong for me to want to work with those professionals who have so much to offer? That’s the message I’m getting from bloggers that I like, trust, and care about, that what I want is wrong – and that makes my stomach hurt.
I’m not denying there’s a revolution. I just want to have tea with the Queen, just once, before her crown is crushed underfoot by the internet.
I feel there is no way I can measure up to the “new” way of publishing and the social media expectations. Thinking about all the things I “should” be doing (other than writing) is draining, especially since I have a full time job and a family (and no assistant, no trust fund, no financial safety net, and most importantly, no backlist). Doing all the social media stuff has become a chore, where it used to be fun. (I miss my 1k1hr buddies on Twitter!)
Even writing became a bit of a grind for awhile. In a fit of desperation, I talked to
- “…a fierce, take-charge Aluna is the kind of heroine who is easy to get behind.” Publisher’s Weekly
Jenn Reese, a lovely writer who was one of the very first to encourage me, all those years ago. I had a story that I liked that I was working on, but the plot seemed to be missing (maybe because I was trying to squeeze writing in between bouts of Facebook and Twitter).
She asked me why I was drawn to write in that world. And she gave me a homework assignment, to write a list of everything about that world that I was passionate about, that I wanted to write about.
The list flowed. Writing became exciting again. After Tai Chi on Saturday, and over yummy sandwiches at Bun Me, she pressed the point home to me. Write what you’re passionate about, she said. Don’t write to the market. Don’t force a genre on the book. If you know the book’s ending, you’re half way to a solid plot (so many books don’t follow through on their opening). Most of all, keep going!
In thinking about her advice, I realized it could also be applied to social media for the writer. So here’s my personal Writer’s Manifesto, that I’m sure will get tweaked as I go along:
Be passionate about your work, and that includes social media. Don’t do what you’re not comfortable with. If you get in too deep, excuse yourself and get back out (this includes participating in group blogs, volunteering for your writer’s group, or anything else that doesn’t focus you on your own writing).
Follow your dreams, whether that is a contract with a New York publisher, getting an agent, or self-publishing a book every other month. Make sure those ARE your dreams though, and not dreams thrust upon you by well-meaning bloggers that you know, like, and trust. (Because their dreams ARE NOT your dreams, though they may look similar.) Above all? Focus on writing that you are passionate about, and then send it out into the world.
I realize I’m probably in the minority, wishing the publishing world wasn’t changing so rapidly. Like so many other big businesses, it’s an effed-up industry and has been for a long time; but it was effed up in a way I understood. This new world is one I don’t fully trust, and while I’ve learned a lot in the past 18 months, I am still going to reach for my personal brass ring.
I don’t want to be my own publisher; I want a knowledgable partner to help me through the publishing business. If that makes me seem like an ostrich with my head in the sand, so be it.
- thanks to natureartists.com Peter Hall “Ostrich Dance”
But I’d much rather believe I’m an ostrich, dancing.
by Christine | Wine Friday
Happy Friday!!! In these days of high unemployment and global financial crisis, it’s nice to relax with a bottle of wine that doesn’t break your pocketbook. I’m here to sort out the memorable from the truly awful, and each bottle is under $10 unless noted otherwise.
I picked up a couple of Australia’s best last week. Here they are:
Jacob’s Creek Reserve Shiraz, 2008 Barossa Region, Australia Alcohol, 13.8% by volume. Regularly $14.99 at Vons, on sale for $10.49
On the front Label: “South Australia’s Barossa region is famous for producing outstanding Shiraz wines. Our Reserve Barossa Shiraz is no exception with its full body, dark berry and rich chocolate characters.”
On the back Label: “For this wine, we reserved selected parcels of grapes grown int he Barossa region in South Australia, a region famous for producing high quality Shiraz wines. Here the warm days and cool nights allow for optimal development of intense flvor and complexity.
“2008 Jacob’s Creek Reserve Shiraz exhibits typical regional characteristics with fruitcake and plum aromas with a hint of spice and oak. The palate has complex flavors of mulberry, plum, chocolate and spice with excellent fruit length.
“Excellent drinking now and will continue to improve over the next five to ten years.”
My Take: What a lovely wine. Juicy and with that spice kick, it made a perfect accompaniment to our steak dinner. I’ve had Jacob’s Creek in restaurants before, and was delighted to find it in my local grocery store and at a reasonable price as well. I will definitely be buying more Jacob’s Creek Shiraz (on sale, of course).
My Rating: ~ Very Drinkable ~
Anthropology Shiraz 2009 Pure Estate, Central Ranges, Australia Alcohol, 13.9% by
Volume Regularly $14.99 at Vons, on sale for $8.99
On the Label: “Anthropology, by definition, is the study of culture and traditions. Remarkably, one of the oldest social customs on record is the enjoyment of a great glass of wine. With this in mind, we use sustainable vineyard practices to craft a rich, elegant Shiraz which is perfect for all occasions.
“Anthropology Shiraz shows rich berry and plum flavors layered with a hint of mocha and spice.”
My Take: I was pleasantly surprised by this wine, too, and have come to believe that Australia makes terrific Shiraz. It was a tad lighter in weight from the Jacob’s Creek, but that also suited the meal – I believe that night was a melange of leftovers (chicken tikka masala and rice, salad, pasta, peas and corn plus a good Italian bread), so this wine paired really well.
My Rating: ~ Very Drinkable ~ Especially if you like a bold wine but with a lighter touch. Plus the price – Nice!
Benziger Family Winery 2009 Chardonnay Carneros, California Alcohol 13.9% by Volume On Sale at Vons for $8.99
On the Label: Chardonnay, Carneros For more than 25 years, our family has sought to capture the distinctiveness of Carneros by handcrafting wines of authentic varietal character. We use a sustainable grape-growing program with certified standards to cultivate intensely flavorful grapes. Our methods enhance soil vitality, increase biodiversity and create healthy vineyards. The result is an exceptional Chardonnay, rich and with ripe peach and pear flavors, and soft notes of vanilla oak from barrel aging. Learn more on our website at www.benziger.com, or better yet, come visit our Sonoma Mountain estate.
My Take: Three for three. I really enjoyed this Chardonnay. Last week, when the sky was impossibly blue here and the sun warm on our backs, after we did some gardening we rewarded ourselves with a glass of Chardonnay. A lively, lovely wine terrific for sipping or to go with a meal of bacon seared scallops (that’s how we finished the bottle, lol). This is a good bottle to keep on hand for you Chard drinkers.
My Rating: ~ Very Drinkable ~ I’ve put this on my summer to-buy list!
Well, there you have it, this week’s wine roundup. My hubby is happy because I can now recycle the empties!
As usual, this is just my honest opinion and depend upon my mood, the weather, and what cycle the moon is in. Your taste buds will differ.
~ Until the next time, cheers – and remember to drink responsibly! ~
Demon Soul is available for the Kindle and the Nook! Have you read it yet?
My rating system: Undrinkable, Barely Drinkable, Drinkable, Very Drinkable, and the ever popular Stay away! This is MY wine, you slut!
by Christine | Uncategorized
I have a lot of friends and acquaintances who either have never married, or have been serial marriers – and divorcers – or just divorced “the once” and never remarried. As I’ve watched their lives, it has occurred to me, many times over the past three decades, how lucky I am (yet I am sure they wouldn’t trade places with me!).
thanks to graphicsfactory.com
I’ve been married 32 years today. Yep. 32 years ago, Tom and I stood at an altar in the church where I was baptized, and under the teary gaze of my mother and the shocked gazes of all my ballet friends, we got married. I was the tender age of 20 plus 8 days; Tom was 26-about-to-be-27. Many of my contemporaries were sure that a) I was pregnant or b) I was certifiably insane. That day feels like it happened a month or so ago; certainly not 32 years ago.
Tom has been asked our secret to a long and happy marriage. He told a girl on set yesterday that it takes two things: good sex, and knowing when to lose an argument because it just isn’t that important. He related the story to me with relish; said the look on the girl’s face was priceless, as if she seriously wondered if she wasn’t getting/giving good sex.
I would have to toss in there a third ingredient – patience. When we married, I was like a horse bolting its reins…eager to explore a brand-new adult world. I had a lot of growing up to do, and luckily Tom was patient enough to allow me to do so. Bumps and bruises along the way but nothing too terribly stupid (to my vast relief). As our first decade waned, we decided to have a couple rugrats…and by my 30th birthday I was pregnant with our first son.
So our second decade was filled with babies and teething and school and soccer and living the suburban life while working (me) and working on a tv/film career (Tom). That decade flew by; the only way I knew I was getting older was by the height of my children.
The third decade was more of the same, with the usual teenaged stuff that happens when you have teens. A change in dynamics – hubby with the day job, and me home, writing novels and trying to figure out how to be successful at it. (Still working on that one.) This decade was another one filled with patience…I think, after so many years of getting up and going to work, that I drifted into a depression. I still wrote, but when I look back, it feels like I was only half there.
thanks to unitytiger.wordpress.com
Now onto the fourth decade. The first two years have been rocky – um, brain surgery – but it all seems to be smoothing out now. I’ve got a book contract and am working on new projects; I’m working for 5 hydrogeologists and having a blast; and Tom’s back to doing what he loves, working on carving a career out for himself in TV and film.
32 years? It doesn’t seem possible. I’d swear my heart, at least, is barely 21. (And yes…the sex? Still good!) Now excuse me…I’ve got some celebrating to do!
thanks to inmagine.com
