Beth's Banter

Tell Me A Story

2012-01-31T14:33:00.010-06:00

My writer friend, Jan Marler Morrill, has her own version of show and tell every Tuesday. She provides an intriguing photo and written prompt. Writers are encouraged to submit a story based on these prompts. The link is http://jansthoughtsovercoffee.blogspot.com/2012/01/telling-tuesdays-13112-she-felt-sick.html?showComment=1328042935718#c833707139701219071

Check out her blog to see this week's prompt based on the restless sea which, by several accounts, is causing seasickness, morning sickness and wrecking havoc in general. Here's my story:

Sylvia grabbed the slippery gold railing in an attempt to steady herself. The boat bobbed like a cork in the ocean. She lost her footing on the wet planks and hot coffee sloshed through her white crocheted cover-up and onto her new peach bikini. Damn! That’s hot. She jumped back, steadied her cup and attempted to wipe her cover-up with her hand.

The creaking cabinet doors in the galley alerted her that someone was up. The big-bellied captain groused through the cupboard and sang an Irish jig, seemingly unconcerned about the weather. Tina, the toned, young first mate bent over (yet again) except not in front of Peter’s face this time. Tina grabbed the railing with one hand while the wind caught a basket of croissants. They skittered across the deck and over the side—now fish food.

Seriously? We’re going to eat at a time like this? The salt water stung Sylvia’s eyes and her now-wet bangs stuck to her forehead. Why Peter thought it was a good idea to charter a small boat during hurricane season was beyond her. She had done the prerequisite spray tanning and had gotten a mani and pedi. But his sudden interest in chartering a boat came out of Neverland.

The restless, dark swells grew taller and angry white caps lapped the boat in every direction. Sylvia’s stomach did back flips. How could Peter sleep through this roller coaster? She decided to awaken him and took one last sip of the now-cold coffee. She covered her eyes with her hand and looked in every direction. The restless sea was far and wide. Before Sylvia turned to go downstairs, strong fingers grabbed her upper arms and shoved her overboard.

That's it. A huge thanks to Jan who has provided at least three prompts this month that I plan to use for my JANO novel. Now, it's your turn. Tell me a story and please copy it and add it to Jan's blog as well. Happy sailing!

Friday Fictioneer Time

2012-01-20T13:59:00.003-06:00

Here is today's photo prompt for the Friday Fictioneers. This was a tough one. Here's my 100-word entry. Please try it and see the other entries at http://susielindau.com. Susie is guest hosting today for Friday Fictioneer founder Madison Woods.

TALL COTTON
By Beth Carter

Oscar’s neck ached from staring up at the fortieth floor windows. He scratched his head. “Ted, why do you s’pose Trump has to buy such tall buildings?”

Ted switched his mop and bucket to his left hand. “’Cause he can, I guess. What now, boss?

Oscar reached into his pocket, pulled out a blue kerchief and wiped his forehead. “Give me the bucket and go get a ladder. A tall one.”

Ted set the bucket at his boss’s feet. Sudsy water sloshed onto the shiny, tile floor. “I guess it could be worse. One of us could be Donald Trump’s barber.”

My First Online Interview

2012-01-18T14:33:00.006-06:00

Okay, I'm excited. Award-winning author Jan Marler Morrill interviewed little old me. You can read the post on her blog today at http://jansthoughtsovercoffee.blogspot.com/2012/01/interview-with-author-beth-carter.html

Please join us for a virtual latte and learn about my writing and marketing background, my new picture book, the illustrations, my routine, my published work, and more.

One thing I learned--okay two things--Jan is a sweetheart to promote my new picture book, and I blather on too much. My answers were too long. But I hope I can hold your attention long enough for you to comment because if you do, you just might win a free, autographed copy of WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE?! Be sure and comment by February 1 to be eligible.

Thanks, Jan, for interviewing me and thanks to everyone for your ongoing support.

Flash Fiction Friday

2012-01-13T12:59:00.023-06:00

Every Friday, author Madison Woods posts a photo prompt to encourage writers to create a 100-word flash fiction story. Read all the great flash fiction on her site at http://madisonwoods.wordpress.com/flash-fiction/january-13-2011-100words/ and join the Friday Fictioneers!

Here's my entry:

FAMILY REUNIONS
By Beth Carter

Lil' Acorn hates family reunions. He feels like a misfit. Relating to his half-cousins, Rocky, Rolling Stone, and Pebble, is next to impossible. All they want to do is sit around like, well, rocks. Meanwhile, Lil' Acorn is itching to do something. Anything.

"Watch this, Pebble!"

Lil' Acorn proudly displayed his shoot. "Look. I can make it change colors from yellow to red. Cool, right?"

Rocky and Pebble sat there stony faced as usual. Boring cousins. Lil' Acorn wished he could kick one of them.

He looked toward Rolling Stone. Again, no response. Lil' Acorn stared at the dirt wishing he knew the time. "Man, this is one boring family reunion."

Okay, that's my weird entry. Give it a try. Let's write!

MAKING THE BIG BUCKS

2012-01-11T15:38:00.004-06:00

Excitement! I snared a first place win at the Sleuths' Ink holiday party--and I was paid $1 per word! Not bad, right? In fact, that's big bucks for a contest! Never mind that it was hint fiction (25 words). Still. I'm thrilled. I won first place and I'm humbled by everyone who voted for my entry.

The Sleuths' Ink holiday contest required members to write a 25-word story that contained a crime and a holiday. Want to read my winning entry? Here 'tis:

BUT OFFICER…

“Officer, it was target practice because my husband wanted venison for Thanksgiving." I can’t help it that I mistook the lying cheat for a deer!

By the way, I adore writing hint fiction. Do you? It's fun and forces us to be concise. I encourage you to seek out hint fiction contests. Do you have any contest news you'd like to share? Please do.

Another New Year. Another Chance.

2012-01-04T11:19:00.006-06:00

Inspired by my friend, Jan Marler Morrill, who has a new blog featuring haiku at http://haikubyhaiku.wordpress.com, here's my haiku to celebrate the New Year:

STARTING OVER
By Beth Carter

Fresh start. New, clean slate.
Promise of new beginnings.
Must be the New Year.

Notice the repetition of the word "new." That was intentional. Don't you love fresh starts? A chance to improve yourself or change your unproductive ways? I do. Care to add your own haiku celebrating, embracing, or even dreading 2012?

Making New Year's Resolutions

2011-12-30T13:48:00.003-06:00

Well, do you make them? I do and they're usually the same each year. Sometimes I fulfill my resolutions and sometimes I don't. Maybe if we put our New Year's resolutions in writing for all to see, we'll be more likely to achieve them. What do you say? Want to give it a go?

Here are mine (who can have just one?!):

Write more routinely
Read more often
Try Yoga
Get back into my exercise routine of four times a week
Polish my women's fiction and send it to 25 agents this year
Write two more children's picture books
Either finish my romantic suspense novel OR finish the sequel to the women's fiction OR start an entirely new novel
Get my website up and running

Okay, lofty goals but the first four should be easy to incorporate. It's that darn bottom half of the list that haunts me. How about you? Tell me your goals for 2012. We can do this. Seriously.

Express Yourself

2011-12-13T11:46:00.003-06:00

While shopping for Christmas gifts, I thumbed through several catalogs and looked at many sites. I discovered some clever, hilarious sayings on tees and plaques. Here are my ten faves:

"I'm so busy I don't know whether I found a rope or lost my horse."
"Wine Improves With Age. I Improve With Wine."
"Ho Lee Chit" (using a Chinese-like font)
"I'm so old I fart dust."
"When in doubt, mumble."
"Sometimes I laugh so hard tears run down my leg."
"Don't make me put my hands on my hips."
"Be careful or you'll end up in my novel" (I have this one!)
"With enough thrust, pigs fly just fine."
"I'd agree with you but then we'd both be wrong."

Hope these gave you a chuckle during this frenzied season! Which one is your favorite? And please share other clever sayings.

Two Book Signings This Saturday!

2011-11-30T19:12:00.002-06:00

I'll be taking vitamins as I prepare for two book signings this Saturday, December 3.

8 a.m. - 1 p.m. Sequiota Elementary's Holiday Bazaar
Shop for jewelry, candles, Miche purses, holiday decor, and of course, books. Stop by my booth for free bookmarks and coloring pages and an autographed, personalized copy of WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE?
(Location: On Ingram Mill south of Battlefield--behind Springfield 8 Theater)

2 p.m. - 5 p.m. Alexandria's Cupcake Cottage
I'll be reading my new picture book every half hour. Alexandria's has yummy cupcakes and will provide free hot chocolate!
(Location: Republic Road near Arris' Pizza and Fremont)

I hope to see you at one of these events. Thanks.

P.S. How do you like my fancy schmancy banner?!!

Book Signing Blastoff

2011-11-18T13:33:00.003-06:00

Whew. It has been awhile since I've posted. Let me explain.

My new children's picture book, IT ALL CHANGED IN AN INSTANT, was published this fall and I've had a book signing bonanza starting with the grand opening of the Well Fed Neighbor Market on October 1, followed by signings at the Ozark Creative Writers' Conference, Kickapoo High School's holiday show, FruityLand Yogurt and a holiday show at Hickory Hills Country Club. Tomorrow, I'll be at Baglady Boutique.

Some of these were hits and some were misses. I guess that's why writers need to schedule several signings. You never know who will attend and if they're in the market for your genre.

My book sales have ranged from one lonely sale to over 47 books sold in a few hours. At one signing I sold 9 books while I sold 26 books at another! The least I've sold--two books at one signing and only one last night. Hardly worth the trouble to set up and sit there for hours but you just never know. See the wide range? My average sales to date: 17 books per signing. Not bad.

But this really isn't about selling books. Not to me anyway. I've also attended three schools and five classrooms. The feedback from those has touched me immensely. That's why I'm doing this. I can't think of anything more important than children's literature. More about my adorable little fans in another post. I plan to visit several more schools in December.

How many book signings do you schedule for new releases? Were all of yours a success or were your sales similar to mine--hits and misses? Let me hear from you!

Six Words About Fall

2011-09-07T21:45:00.000-05:00

Most of you know how much I adore six-word memoirs. It has been awhile since I posted any, so I thought I would start with a few of my favorite fall images and events all condensed to just six words.

Pumpkins for carving. Pie for eating.
Wish I understood football, American pastime.
School back in session. Moms play.
Chilly mornings. Coffee on the deck.
Time to wear boots, sweaters again.
Red, orange and yellow leaves. Picturesque.
Deer, hunters in woods. Challenge begins.
Fall menu includes soup and chili.

Please chime in with a few of your own sixes about fall.

I Have An Author Page!

2011-09-06T12:59:00.003-05:00

I now have an official author page on the Mirror Publishing (my publisher's) site at http://www.pagesofwonder.com/carter.html

Check it out. You'll see my picture, a bio (and will probably find out things you never knew), my picture book cover and the synopsis that will appear on the back cover.

So many things to do... I must get new business cards, my own fan page (that sounds weird) on FB, a website, handouts for kids, and much more. Also, I've already started lining up book signings and readings for October and November. Please let me know if you want me to read to your class or have a signing at a book store, coffee shop, boutique, fall festival or, well, anywhere.

Any recommendations for new authors and what is best to do first? I know. Put one foot in front of the other. Take a breath. It gets overwhelming but is seriously FUN.

Book Launch In September!

2011-08-31T13:25:00.003-05:00

My picture book, WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE? will be released sooner than anticipated. It'll be available by mid-September. Yippee! I'm so excited.

As I've said previously, I wrote this book to instill hopes and dreams in little ones since they hear depressing news daily and most likely have parents or relatives who are unemployed. I want children to be optimistic and think they can achieve anything.

In WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE? the teacher, Mrs. McGee, poses that important question on the first day of school. Students excitedly (and sometimes shyly) answer in verse. Their delightful career aspirations cover the gamut from fireman to dancer to dentist. Some want to be a mommy while others aspire to be the president! Many other professions are mentioned. You'll just have to get the book to see which ones.

The book will be available on Amazon.com, online at Barnes & Noble, plus I'll have a stash for book signings. Hope to see you at a signing or at a school for a reading! Please let me know if you are an elementary school teacher or know one.

Many thanks to Mirror Publishing; the editor, Neal Wooten; and the illustrator, Leo Silva, for making my dream come true!

Meet Mrs. McGee

2011-08-17T13:30:00.002-05:00

Meet Mrs. McGee, the teacher in my upcoming children's picture book: WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE? Isn't she adorable? I just love her. The illustrator, Leo Silva, did a fabulous job creating Mrs. McGee as well as other characters in my book.

On the first day of school, Mrs. McGee challenges the students with that important question and gets a variety of answers (excitedly and sometimes shyly) including dancer, fireman, baker, mommy, astronaut, and many more careers written in verse. The teacher also emphasizes why learning is so important.

During our economic downturn and high unemployment, children hear dreary news daily and retain more than we give them credit for. My goal in writing this book was to instill hopes and dreams in children that they can be whatever they want to be.

Yesterday, I saw the cover art, which was an exciting day. I'll let you know when I have a release date but it's looking like October or early November--just in time for the holidays! I'll keep you posted.

The Work Begins

2011-07-25T13:23:00.003-05:00

Okay, after all that pre-conference pitch talk, it's over. And it was a fantastic conference. Next year, plan to attend the Ozarks Romance Authors' Conference. You'll be glad you did. BTW, it's not just for romance writers.

Agent Louise Fury with L. Perkins gave great advice and was hilarious. Avalon editor Lia Brown was encouraging, warm and also had several publishing gems to share.

Amazingly, I had two pitches. I thought I had only wrangled one. Turns out, I found out about my second pitch at the exact minute it was to occur. Upon discovering this, my eyes bulged, my stomach lurched, and Cecily, the conference chair, asked if I wanted to reschedule. I knew I'd just get nervous so I went, even though that meant showing up a couple of minutes late (and if you only have ten minutes, that's precious time evaporating quickly) so I walked fast to the room.

I knew enough about Avalon that they didn't accept long works, and my women's fiction is 90,000 words. Lia asked if I had anything else. I told her aobut my romantic suspense and she liked the story! Hooray!!! I told her it's about half finished and she asked for a partial whenever it's ready. Yippee. I'm excited to roll up my sleeves and work on it.

My original pitch (the one I knew I had) was with literary agent Louise Fury. I didn't think she represented women's fiction but I still had that pitch in my head (since it's a completed ms), as well as a pitch for a picture book series I'm co-authoring with my daughter. We're about 75 percent finished. Happily, Louise liked my women's fiction premise, asked me to send a partial, AND she wants to see the picture book when it's finished. She also gave me advice about my upcoming project.

That's three separate projects. Plus, I have another one that I haven't yet announced but will soon. Whew. I'm tired just thinking about it but I'm excited, too.

I'm so proud of all my writer friends who got up the courage to pitch. Fingers crossed that many of us will have success. How did your pitch go?

Face Your Fear of Pitching

2011-07-18T12:24:00.004-05:00

Several of us are pitching this Saturday during the annual Ozarks Romance Authors' conference http://ozarks-romance-authors.com/ Writers from the Ozarks will pitch to either literary agent Louise Fury with the L. Perkins Agency or Avalon editor Lia Brown. And we're nervous.

Whether you're a virgin pitcher, a semi-pro or a pro, let's face our pitch fear head on. What exactly are you afraid of? See a list of possibilities below, then add your own.

I might forget my name, or worse, my plot.

It's highly possible that I'll cry, pee my pants or faint.

What if my book isn't good enough?

I can't figure out how to boil 300 pages of perfect prose down to a sentence or two.

I'm afraid I'll stutter throughout the entire conversation. And turn red.

I just don't have that author "look."

I don't know HOW to pitch.

If I get a book deal, I don't know the first thing about marketing.

I just want to sit in my office and write. Leave me alone.

I've written several books. Which one should I pitch?

I don't like the business side of writing.

What if I get a three-book contract (we can dream!) and I can't meet the deadlines?

I self-published. Will that hurt my chances?

I'm afraid the agent or editor will love my pitch, publish my book (which will sell millions) and I can't handle the success.

Do you relate to any of these? What are your fears? Please chime in. Let's face this pitching thing head on--and good luck!

It's Pitch Season

2011-07-15T11:50:00.006-05:00

Batter up! Well, not exactly. While it is baseball season, it's also pitch season for writers. Many of us are getting ready to pitch to agents or editors at upcoming conferences and our nerves are a bit, well, frayed.

Yesterday, I read about a YA author who had a unique take on pitches. He writes a one-sentence pitch before he writes his novel. By doing so he stays true to his premise and he doesn't go through the agony of trying to boil down 300 pages to just one sentence. I think it's a great idea and it has already helped me come up with a pitch/premise for another novel.

Of course, that won't help with my current, finished women's fiction. I have to pare it down for my pitch. Luckily, Literary Agent Rachelle Gardner just blogged about pitching. Below is an excerpt from her post. You can find the rest at http://www.rachellegardner.com I'd encourage you to read the comments section as well. You'll hear some pitch horror stories and won't feel so alone.)

From Rachelle: Too often, people sit down and nervously launch into some kind of story and I find myself dizzy with confusion. I sit there like a deer in the headlights and then I say something like, “Let’s back up. What’s your name? And is this fiction or nonfiction?”

Here are some guidelines:

→ Don’t try to tell the whole story. Start with the plot catalyst, the event that gets the story started.

→ Then give the set-up, i.e. what happens in the first 30 to 50 pages that drives the reader into the rest of the book. Include the pressing story question or the major story conflict.

→ Fill out your pitch with any of the following: plot elements, character information, setting, backstory, or theme. You want to include just enough information to really intrigue your listener.

→ Finish by giving an idea of the climactic scenes and the story resolution.

→ Try not to tell too much of the story in the pitch. The pitch is supposed to get somebody interested, not tell the whole story.

→ Include only a couple of characters.

→ Include one plot thread, or two if they’re closely intertwined. You can hint at the existence of other characters and plot lines.

Be prepared to answer questions that could include things like:
→ How does your story end?
→ What published author’s style would you compare your writing to?
→ Who are your favorite authors in your genre?
→ Is this a series? And if so, what are the subsequent books about?
→ Have you worked with a critique group or a professional editor?
→ Have you pitched this to publishers in the past? If so, what was the response?

Again, this is just an excerpt, and I encourage you to hop over to Rachelle's blog and read her entire post.

Have you ever pitched? Are you going to pitch soon? Tell me about your past pitching experience or how you're preparing for one now.

Anthologies

2011-07-06T08:52:00.004-05:00

Last fall, I was published in my first anthology! It was exciting. My poem entitled "A Country Drive" appears in ECHOES OF THE OZARKS, Vol. VI, published by High Hill Press. This anthology features a great selection of Ozarks' stories and poems written mainly by authors from Missouri and Arkansas. It's a great read. Check it out. If you'd like an autographed copy, let me know. They're just $10.

Do you read anthologies? I've always enjoyed them. What better way to sample several authors' work at once. If you're a writer, I encourage you to submit to anthologies. If you're a reader, then, by all means, please read them.

Reminder: The Storm Country Anthology to benefit the Joplin school libraries has a deadline of July 15. Google for more info.

What is your experience with anthologies? Do you read them? Have you been published in any?

Writing About Cowboys

2011-06-17T13:38:00.000-05:00

I must admit I've never written about cowboys but all girls love cowboys, don't they? The rugged, handsome features. The strong, beautiful horse. The sexy boots. The big hat. The gorgeous scenery. The sprawling ranch. Those tight jeans.

Okay. Enough about that. You get the picture. I've thought of another book idea and it involves cowboys (non-fiction). I need your help. What comes to mind when you think of cowboys/cowgirls? Cowboy hats? Horses? Oval belt buckles? Buffalo? Country music?

Please chime in and give me a good cowboy vocabulary from which to work. I'll wordsmith the cowboy slang and let you know how it goes. Thanks!

Writers Helping Joplin Tornado Victims

2011-06-06T21:54:00.000-05:00

Unless you've been living in a cave, you know about the total devastation our neighbors in Joplin experienced via a massive F-5 tornado in May. Many volunteers are helping in a variety of ways. Personally, I can't wait to go there and help however I can, donate clothes and shoes (when families have a home to put them in), give cash and more.

In the meantime, here's a way that writers can help! The Joplin Writers' Guild and the Missouri Writers' Guild are putting together a Storm Country Anthology containing short stories and poems. NOTE: Participating writers must be from the Midwest.

Writers may submit a short story or essay about any type of Midwestern storm. Fiction, non-fiction or poetry is accepted. Proceeds from the book sales will go to the Joplin school system to buy books for the libraries damaged by the tornado.

Submission guidelines:

Your story should include storms and severe weather in the Midwest, including tornadoes, floods, snow, ice, and wind.

Must be an original work of Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry

Maximum of three submissions per author/poet

Fiction - Any genre up to 1,500 words

Poetry - Up to 30 lines per poem

Nonfiction - Features, essays, memoirs up to 1,500 words

Deadline: July 15, 2011

Submit your typed Word document in 12-point Times New Roman and include your name, address, phone number, and e-mail address on the first page of each submission.

For prose, use a three-space paragraph indention and a double-spaced manuscript. For poetry, submit a single-spaced manuscript.

Note: Number the pages and proofread carefully. Author retains all rights.
Include a third-person author bio (75 words max) and e-mail to joplinwritersguild@yahoo.com or snail mail to: Claudia Mundell,
1815 River Street, Carthage, Missouri 64836

Questions? Please e-mail joplinwritersguild@yahoo.com

Swimming With Sharks

2011-05-22T13:13:00.005-05:00

Ah, you might say, "Sure, you're swimming with sharks. You're a writer. Writers deal with all kinds of sharks of the human kind--publishers, editors, agents, critique groups, reviewers, other writers, right?" Well, yes, Probably. Definitely.

But I really, truly swam with sharks!!! Three couples recently toured the Exumas in the Bahamas via a chartered cruise, the Alexandra Bear. We had an amazing vacation, enjoyed warm, sunny weather, terrific food, clear, turquoise water and SHARKS!

My two good friends, Bruny and Linda, and I were brave enough (or dumb enough) to swim with nurse sharks. The guys kidded us, said we were crazy and they should have taken out bigger insurance policies. But did they dip their toes in the shark-infested water? No. They did not. Instead, they stood on the dry dock and took pictures and videos.

Now, you know why I've been remiss and haven't posted in awhile. Instead, I've been swimming with sharks. How about you? What's the craziest thing you've ever done on vacation?

What Are You Working On?

2011-04-22T15:15:00.002-05:00

I know several of my readers well since they're writer friends or family members, but some of you are new here. I thought it would be fun to fill each other in on our current projects. So, what are you working on both professionally and personally?

I'm working on a huge surprise birthday bash for hubby (I'd tell you the theme and more details, but with my luck, he'd read my blog for once. Doubtful--but you can never be too careful with a surprise party.)

Professionally, I've just started to query agents for my debut novel, THURSDAYS AT COCONUTS, a work of women's fiction set in the Midwest with four professional women who have chaotic lives, ridiculous family members and impossible situations. A normal day, right?!!

I'm almost half finished with the sequel to COCONUTS and two-thirds finished with a romantic suspense, yet to be titled, which is set on a college campus.

I've got a cookbook cooking and two ideas for non-fiction books simmering. There just aren't enough hours in the day, are there?

Finally, I've completed two children's picture books and may have an announcement soon! Fingers and toes crossed. I have more picture books drafted and waiting patiently in the wings.

How about you? What are you working on?

Your Ideal Book Cover

2011-04-13T13:22:00.005-05:00

Let's keep dreaming. There's so much rejection in writing that we need to stay positive and visualize good outcomes. So...I thought it would be fun if we imagined our perfect book cover. If you could select your cover, how would it appear? (And if you already have the cover of your dreams, what does it look like?)

Here are some ideas to get your creative juices flowing:

Pink cover with cute girls holding wine glasses or shopping bags
Black cover with blood dripping down
Purple cover with vampires and spooks in scary trees
A damsel in distress with a hulky guy
An older woman wearing a fur coat, a huge diamond, with a younger man
An older couple in rocking chairs
A gorgeous beach scene
A breathtaking mountain scene
An ominous storm
Fast cars and a sexy couple
A yacht or sailboat with a beautiful sunset
Cute babies, adorable animals or yummy food
A haunted house
Cozy fireplace, quilt and a cat
A big-city skyline with airplanes, traffic and mobs of people
A farm or ranch scene
Young couple with a stroller

My women's fiction novel would have four women sitting around a table drinking cocktails, holding leopard print menus, laughing, with tall palm trees in the background. And they'd all be wearing heels and dressed to the nines. (The hippie parents and cop might be in the background.)

My second novel, a romantic suspense, would have a university logo, show an evil, cunning professor, and a beautiful, unknowing woman with college buildings or students in the background set on a gorgeous, green campus.

Okay, it's your turn. The possibilities are endless! What would your ideal cover look like? By the way, I know the artists decide on covers, but we can still dream, right?

Go Ahead. Dream.

2011-04-06T13:53:00.005-05:00

You did it. One of the biggest accomplishments (if not the biggest) of your life came true. Your novel is published! You got the call months/years earlier from an agent or editor, did the requisite editing--revising your novel a hundred times--then played the not-so-patient waiting game.

Now, you're holding your book in your own hands (or reading it as an ebook). I've been published in several mediums (print, television, an anthology, online poetry, and six-word memoir book) but I'm still waiting for the day when I publish my first novel.

How would you respond after all the blood, sweat and tears actually came to fruition? Use just four words, please. I'll go first:

I'm having heart palpitations.
I can't believe it.
Oh, my God. Breathe.
I really did it.
A dream come true.
The best day ever.
I knew I could.
How should I celebrate?
Wish I could change...

Okay, your turn. Tell us in just four words what you said (or will say) when your novel is published. Go ahead. Dream.

My "Root" Poem

2011-03-18T13:07:00.003-05:00

Each month, poet and children's author David Harrison selects one word as inspiration for poets. The word for March is "root." Hope you enjoy my poem below.

MYSTERIOUS MATH
By Beth Carter

The square root of 8
is 64.

Or is it the other
way around?

Let’s get to the root
of the problem.

Math and writers
don’t often mix.

I try and think of a unique way to incorporate each month's word. I appreciate all of David's inspirational, well-chosen words aned root was a favorite of mine. I even drafted a children's picture book using "root."

Do you like poetry? My husband thinks all poems must rhyme. I've tried to explain free verse, but I admit I most often write in rhymes or haikus.

Feel free to submit a "root" poem of your own! We'd all love to read it.

E-Publishing Vs. Traditional Publishing

2011-03-13T13:54:00.001-05:00

Well, what do you think? Would you try e-publishing? Have you tried it? And do you enjoy reading books via a Kindle or Nook rather than a hard copy in your hands?

E-publishing is definitely on the rise and there are some notable success stories of late. Namely, Amanda Hocking who is just 26 and has published nine novels going this route. Her books have sold from $.99 to $2.99, and get this, she has sold a million books! You don't need a calculator to add up her impressive sales.

Hocking's trilogy has also been optioned for a movie. Her genre is YA paranormal romance and urban fantasy. I have to wonder if that genre attributes to her success. I don't imagine many baby boomers or seniors would purchase that book and her audience--teens and twenty-somethings--are very tech savvy.

Recently, Sleuths' Ink featured a guest blogger, thriller author Boyd Morrison who wrote The Ark. Morrison also e-published and sold a gazillion books online. Of note, both of these authors have agents. I wonder if they got them before or after they e-published?

Finally, Sleuths' Ink founder Shirley McCann recently e-published a collection of her short story mysteries that were once published in Woman's World. I understand she is also going to e-publish her YA novel, The Necklace. Kudos to you, Shirley, and here's to much success! BTW, this baby boomer likes your YA because it isn't filled with crazy other world stuff.

I do want to know the answer to one question: How do you have a book signing if you e-publish? Please chime in and let me know if you plan to e-publish. I'm definitely open to the idea.

Two Wins On The Literary Front

2011-03-10T17:34:00.001-06:00

After a wonderful vacation, I returned to receive two fun wins on the literary front as follows:

Selected first runner-up in David Harrison's poetry contest and chosen Poet of the Month by judges for my haiku entitled "His Touch."

My novel's first sentence was selected as the favorite at our recent JANO awards party. I really like this win because the hook is so important.

Now, if only I had time to get back to writing that novel! What's new with you on the literary front?

Borders, You'll Be Missed

2011-02-18T12:39:00.006-06:00

Sad news has recently been reported about my favorite bookstore, Borders. Apparently the well-known chain is bankrupt and 200 Borders' stores are closing. I held out hope that our local Borders wouldn't he affected, but according to a good friend, that is not the case.

Our Borders has gone above and beyond to accommodate local writers. Much more so, say, than the local Barnes & Noble. Several writer friends have held signings there--drawing big crowds. Denise and Gary, the assistant manager and manager, respectively, went out of their way to accommodate my first-ever signing last spring. I was nervous and had specific requests. They happily obliged and my signing was a success. Big celebs like Sarah Palin and Dog the Bounty Hunter held signings at our Borders last year. Both had a maze of long lines that snaked outside the store. I don't understand how such an accommodating store can be caught in this fray.

Walking into Borders felt like home. Several employees knew my first name while many others recognized my face. And...Borders' coffee is amazing--especially their sugar-free, fat-free vanilla lattes! I'm going to miss this bookstore. A lot. I hope all of the Borders employees land great jobs at other local bookstores so I can see their friendly faces again and again.

Writing Children's Picture Books

2011-02-04T13:34:00.001-06:00

Some of you may not be aware that I also write children's picture books. I absolutely ADORE writing them. They make me laugh, giggle, and just feel warm and fuzzy inside--something I hope to bring to my readers.

Now that JANO is over, I'm going to let my novel rest for a month and focus on writing more picture books. If you have any funny children's stories, traditions, or anecdotes you'd like to share (and let me possibly incorporate), please let me know. I'll mention you in the acknowledgement section if I use your information.

Children's literature is so important. Let's instill the love of reading at an early age.

Six Words on JANO

2011-01-29T16:53:00.000-06:00

It's here. The final weekend of JANO. Sadly, I'm not inspired today. Here are some kick-in-the-pants six-word memoirs we all need as writers (I'm talking mainly to myself at the moment.)

Hunker down and write. Repeat daily.
Aching fingers, tired back. JANO time.
Get back to normal Feb. 1.
Homestretch for JANO. Type away madly.
Ignore social media, emails. Just JANO!
Are 50,000 words doable? Yes. Maybe.
50,000 words. One month? We're nuts.
Wearing wrist braces. Must be JANO.

Care to add some of your own?

Kicking Off 2011

2011-01-23T17:05:00.005-06:00

This year I already have several writing projects in tow. I submitted five recipes, two rhyming recipes (yes, they rhyme) and two essays to High Hill Press for a new cookbook the publisher is working on.

I also submitted two essays to SMITH Magazine for possible inclusion in their new book entitled THE MOMENT. SMITH strayed from its six-word memoir format and asked writers to tell about a moment that impacted their lives using 750 words or less. I actually wrote four essays (about 3,000 words) but only submitted two.

While at the pharmacy counter, the pharmacy clerk mentioned two words that made my eyes fall onto the counter. I picked them back up, washed them off with antibacterial gel--well, I was at the pharmacy, after all--and said, "That would make a great children's picture book." She agreed and I drove straight home (forgetting all about my planned errands) to type a 1,000-word kids' manuscript. Hopefully, it will be my third picture book.

Finally, I've written about 17,000 words for JANO, our January challenge to write 50,000 words. I'm behind on this goal but I'm chipping away and really enjoying one of the characters. Maybe a little too much. She may have to become the protagonist which would be a big rework. Egads. And I'm the one who hates editing. Sigh.

To recap, I've written over 25,000 words this month. No wonder I'm taking Tylenol arthritis medicine. What are you working on?

It's JANO Time

2011-01-10T13:20:00.002-06:00

Last year, our mystery writers' group, Sleuths' Ink, came up with the concept for JANO. The goal is to write a 50,000-word novel during the month of January. National Novel Writing Month does this on a huge scale every November. Several of our writers participate in NaNo, but many of us are too busy with the holidays, Christmas shopping and hosting company so we decided the first of the year better suited our needs. January is a great time to kick off the new year with a novel in hand, plus it's too cold to venture outside in the blustery Midwest.

With JANO, we write like mad during the month--no editing. Writers of all genres may participate. I'm working on a new novel that is commercial fiction with elements of romance and possibly elements of suspense or mystery. I'm only at 6100 words and short of my goal. To achieve 50,000 words, we must write 12,500 words per week. That's a push and I'm hoping my muse kicks in very soon since I'm so far behind. (If it doesn't, I'm chucking this novel and going back to last year's!)

In February, we'll have a celebratory party and award prizes in thirteen categories including the first three writers to reach 50k, best first sentence, best first page, most unique setting, and so on. The camaraderie, motivation and support by fellow writers is the most fun for me.

I'll keep you posted on my progress. Good luck to all the JANO writers.

Best & Worst of 2010

2010-12-30T21:40:00.001-06:00

The year 2010 has had extreme highs and lows for me. There was almost no in between. The beginning of the year was extraordinarily exciting, and the last part of the year was shockingly tragic. Here are my best and worst moments:

Best of 2010

1. Getting published in IT ALL CHANGED IN AN INSTANT, More Six-Word Memoirs by Writers Famous & Obscure.

2. Going on the book tour for the above book of memoirs in none other than NYC!

3. Participating in and chairing Sleuths' Ink's first-ever JANO project where writers attempted to write a 50,000-word novel in a month.

4. Being named poet of the month for my poem, "A Country Drive."

5. Having my first-ever book signing at Borders where nearly 50 family members and friends gathered.

6. Pitching my novel to one nice and one hard-to-read agent/editor at a local conference.

7. Attending my first out-of-state writers' conference all by my lonesome. And pitching my novel to two very nice agents and meeting several writers who are now friends.

8. Seeing my daughter perform at Disneyland in a Bollywood show.

9. Learning that our fifth grandson, Eliot, was born. (Yes, I officially have more grandchildren than my mother. My stepdaughters are very fertile.)

10. Getting published in the Echoes of the Ozarks anthology.

Worst of 2010

1. The tragic and brutal death of my niece, Shana. Everything else pales in comparison, so it's futile to list those events.

What were your best and worst moments of 2010? Please share.

New Year's Resolutions

2010-12-30T21:08:00.002-06:00

It's almost time. Have you thought about your New Year's resolution? Do you make them? Keep them? Mine are somewhat different this year. They are:

Stop being late! This also means leave earlier, start getting ready earlier, get off the computer sooner and avoid any other distractions that keep me from arriving on time. I'm really sick of putting on makeup and jewelry at stop lights--and sliding into home base when I arrive at a meeting.

Be a more disciplined writer. This means sending out queries on a regular basis. It's ridiculous that I finished my novel over a year ago and have only queried three agents. Being more disciplined also means writing on a regular basis, stop life from ALWAYS getting in the way, concentrate on my writing goals for the year, and WRITE.

How about you? What are your New Year's resolutions?

PopTech : Popcasts : Larry Smith's Six Word Project

2010-12-24T13:17:00.001-06:00

PopTech : Popcasts : Larry Smith's Six Word Project My six words just keep on giving! Larry Smith, Editor of SMITH Magazine, sent this link. He presented the six-word memoir project to 800 very smart, innovative people at Pop Tech's annual conference in Maine. I didn't have any idea I'd be mentioned. Check it out!

Christmas Candy

2010-12-12T14:10:00.002-06:00

Normally, I don't make a lot of candy throughout the year because I'm not supposed to eat sugar and because I try to watch my weight. However, these rules fly out the window over Christmas. I love to make candy around the holidays. Below is my favorite (and easiest) recipe. Care to share one of your Christmas candy recipes?

Chocolate Peanut Clusters

1/2 pkg. Chocolate almond bark
12 oz. pkg. Chocolate chips
10-12 oz. Peanuts without skins (or cashews)

Melt almond bark in a microwave safe dish for 1-2 minutes. Add chocolate chips and melt another minute until smooth. Remove from microwave (bowl may be hot) and stir in nuts. Drop on waxed paper until set.

These are fantastic! Everyone loves them and they make great gifts if you put them in pretty holiday tins. Note: You could vary this recipe by using chocolate caramel chips and possibly pecans. I believe those just might taste like turtles. I'll have to try that. Yield: 35-40 clusters

Holiday Decorating Tips

2010-12-06T16:36:00.002-06:00

I'm no Martha Stewart but I do enjoy decorating for the holidays (maybe a little too much), so I thought I'd share a few of my tips:

Cranberries and Tea Lights Fill a pretty glass bowl with a bag of cranberries. Add water and place little tea lights on top. The cranberries and candles will float. This makes a unique, pretty centerpiece or nice countertop decoration.

Decorative Ribbons I go to the Dollar Store and buy rolls and rolls of pretty ribbon with wire edges (so it's bendable). I get red, green, gold, silver, and pretty designs. Then, I tie bows on candlesticks, topiaries, mirrors and most of the Christmas packages (it's much prettier than a stick-on bow). I also decorate the Christmas trees with pieces of long winding ribbons.

Large Flocked and Glittery Poinsettias A great way to fill in holes on Christmas trees is to take long-stemmed flowers (white, red, gold or whatever you prefer) and simply stick them into the tree (the long stem will be hidden and no wire is needed). It's beautiful to use several of them and much faster than hanging ornaments. (I use ornaments, too.)

Winter Potpourri I fill large glass hurricane candle holders with potpourri. Sometimes I'll separate a bag and use a portion of it as a base around the candle. Right now, our winter potpourri mix is so strong that it has some unattractive plastic wrap on top because we were getting headaches!

Care to share any of your decorating tips? Do you enjoy decorating for the holidays or remember traditions from when you were a kid?

Thanksgiving Traditions

2010-11-18T15:42:00.000-06:00

With Thanksgiving quickly approaching, please share your favorite traditions. I'll go first.

We cook like fiends and make all the traditional trimmings--turkey, dressing, sweet potato casserole, broccoli casserole, green bean casserole (you must have several casseroles in the Midwest--it's the law). We also have Monica rolls (named after my young niece who inhales these tasty yeast rolls), mashed potatoes, gravy and cranberries. Dessert includes pumpkin pie and pecan pie. I'm gaining weight just looking at this menu.

We always give thanks for our brave military, their families, and for our own friends, family and bounty of food. We wish for everyone's health, happiness and safety. This year will be particularly hard due to the tragic loss of my niece but we must go on for her little sister and other family members. I know I keep talking about this but it's foremost in my mind.

As far as shopping, I avoid Black Friday like the plague. Two different years, I made the mistake of shopping the day after Thanksgiving, and it got me out of a festive mood quicker than anything. First of all, I am not going to get up at 5 a.m. to hit a store and save $25. Secondly, I'm not going to get in a snarl of traffic, wait in long lines, and fight over the last most popular gift in the store. Instead, I usually decorate that Friday and shop via the Internet or magazines.

How about you? What are your Thanksgiving traditions and what's on your menu? Please share.

Word Choices

2010-11-12T11:50:00.002-06:00

Do we have a preoccupation with death? Since the tragic murder of my niece, Shana, I'm hypersensitive to words like "kill," "murder," "dead," or "death." And I've noticed many cliches and speech patterns where we use these words daily such as:

That project is dead in the water.
Don't kill the messenger.
He's dead wrong.
That's overkill.
The kiss of death.
Don't be a killjoy.
The saying: You can kill two birds with one stone.
The song, "Killing Me Softly" (with his words...)
You're killing me. (As in making me laugh too hard.)

There's ongoing discussion about movies and video games romanticizing death. Maybe we should take a look at the written word and our speech patterns. What do you think? Can you think of other examples?

Book Signing Tomorrow

2010-11-03T08:51:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow, I'll be at Hickory Hills Country Club's holiday open house signing IT ALL CHANGED IN AN INSTANT, More Six-Word Memoirs by Writers Famous & Obscure. Fellow children's writer Brenda Brinkley will join me.

I plan to donate the proceeds to the memorial fund for my niece, Shana. Here's hoping some holiday shoppers will be intrigued by the six-word memoir book which contains sixes by many celebrities, famous authors and obscure authors like me.

2010 CHECKLIST

2010-10-25T13:04:00.001-05:00

We're in the last quarter of 2010. What are you working on both personally and professionally? I've decided to post my list so I'll be forced to check it off before Christmas or face public humiliation!

Professional Projects

1. Compile list of agents to query
2. Query said agents (for my women's fiction)
3. Start back on my JANO project (novel #2)
4. Continue to submit monthly poems to the David Harrison site
5. Update my blog weekly
6. Draft my non-fiction book proposal
7. Write one or two more picture books
8. Write the JANO press release and JANO page for our site
9. Attend monthly writers' meetings
10. Add more recipes to my cookbook
11. Ponder novel #3 (plot ideas and character bios) for JANO 2011

Personal projects

1. Place books on my new bookshelves
2. Decorate for Halloween (oops. It's almost here. Might as well skip.)
3. Decorate for Christmas
4. Buy five gifts for November birthdays
5. Buy Christmas gifts for twenty people! Ack.
6. Get new curtains/shades for my office
7. Bake more for hubby

That's enough for now. How about you? What's on your checklist?

OUR FAMILY: FOREVER CHANGED

2010-10-25T12:48:00.000-05:00

HOW CAN SHE BE GONE?
By Beth Carter

How can she be gone?
She was just here this summer.
Unfair, brutal death.

Still in disbelief.
Our family is in grief.
A sweet, gentle soul.

I hold on tighter
to my family and friends.
She was killed. Still shocked.

Note: This is a combination of three haikus I've written about my niece's recent death. I've written a much more personal poem but will wait until the killer is caught before posting it. Thank you to everyone for your amazing support. RIP, dear sweet Shana.

TEN YEARS: PAST & FUTURE

2010-09-03T22:38:00.002-05:00

Ten years goes by quickly when you're an adult. I was thinking about what I was doing ten years ago, and what I'd like to be doing ten years from now.

Ten years ago, I was a single mom and vice president of a bank. I was stressed all the time, working on a gazillion projects at once like television scripts, billboards, print ads, web copy, trade shows, and groan, so much more. I chaired 8 a.m. marketing meetings every Monday (the worst possible day of the week for an 8 o'clock meeting). I did corporate writing exclusively and certainly didn't have time for my current writing pleasures. My daughter was graduating high school and heading off to college. We were in dance mode all the time--lessons, shows, performances, you name it. And I was dating my now-husband.

Fast forward ten years to 2020. Hmmm. Wonder what I'll be up to? I hope that I'll have at least two novels published, three or four children's picture books published, a non-fiction book published, and I'll still be writing those fun six-word memoirs. Maybe I'll stop worrying about what I eat, stop exercising and get fat! Probably not. But it's quite possible that I'll die my hair red or cut it short. I need to do something crazy. I do hope to slow down, take time to smell the daisies, travel more with hubby, enjoy grandbabies, and do whatever it is that seniors do. Maybe I'll even get a rocking chair.

How about you? What were you doing ten years ago? What do you hope to be doing in a decade?

School: Five Things

2010-08-24T13:55:00.001-05:00

School is back in session which brings back fond memories for me.
School has changed a lot since I was a student. I thought it would be fun to list five things that I remember about elementary school--five things that probably no longer occur in school.

#1: Milk breaks. I remember forming a line in the hall beside a big machine that held milk. We were given paper cups and one by one, the young students pulled the cold silver handle until foamy milk was dispensed. I always hated the last few sips and can almost remember the smell.

#2 Gym uniforms. Remember when all the girls had to wear matching, one-piece gym uniforms? Ours were navy shorts with an attached navy and white striped top. The jumpers had zippers down the front. I don't remember where we changed our clothes, but I can see Mrs. Gray timing us as we held onto monkey bars or leading the class in jumping jacks.

#3 Paddled by the Principal. This never happened to me (I was usually a teacher's pet and was very shy--imagine that!) but I remember when boys would get into trouble and had to go to the Principal's office for a paddling. Imagine the lawsuits if that happened today.

#4 Wearing Dresses. The first six years I went to school, girls were not allowed to wear pants or shorts. I still remember wearing a light blue sweater, blue and purple plaid skirt and matching light blue windowpane hose. I was a little diva even in the sixth grade.

#5 Playing four-square. That was my favorite game during recess. It's played with a large rubber ball (the size of a basketball) and four squares drawn on the sidewalk with chalk. We had to pass the ball back and forth, keeping it going, until it went outside the lines. I can't remember how we kept score, though.

How about you? Do you remember these same five things--or can you think of others? Please share your long-ago memories.

Favorite Mascots & Logos

2010-08-17T17:53:00.002-05:00

Today, I'm writing about marketing and branding. As writers--like it or not--we have to market ourselves and our work. I'll start with logos and mascots.

I love the little green geicho that has the Australian (or is it British?) accent. He's the mascot for Geicho Insurance and is very memorable and likeable. My favorite mascot was the Taco Bell dog. Sadly, I think he passed away a year or two ago. Didn't you love those commercials and his accent? Didn't everyone? I bet Taco Bell's profits went through the roof after they started using that cute dog.

The duck for Aflack is cute but I find the voice slightly annoying, however, they've done a good job of branding. That Billy guy (may he rest in peace) did tons of infomercials. I couldn't mute the remote fast enough when he was on because his voice grated on me but I'm sure he sold lots of cheese slicers, otherwise, they wouldn't keep using him. Of course, there's the Sham Wow guy, yet another unforgettable character.

Switching gears from living mascots, which corporate logos do you like? How about the red bullseye for Target? Target has done an amazing job of branding by using the color red, certain music or even dancers. Within a few seconds, my husband and I can always tell when it's going to be a commercial for Target.

I like designer Tommy Hilfiger's use of red, white and blue stripes (probably because I'm patriotic) and really liked the logo that used two bare feet on shirts back in the seventies. Anyone remember what company that was? Was it Bare Feet?! The Nike curved swoosh is a simple but classy logo. Can you think of other simple, effective logos?

What about some tired ones? I'm rather tired of the polo playing horse rider for Polo. I think it's in need of a revamp as is the alligator.

Think about book covers. Chick lit and women's fiction often have pink covers, whereas paranormals use a lot of black, white and red. What other themes have you noticed?

What are your favorite logos or mascots? Have you thought about branding your blog, web site or book if you're given the option by a publisher?

Character Traits

2010-07-31T14:37:00.003-05:00

Now that we've chosen a unique profession for our characters, let's choose some interesting traits and personality types. Choose two, three or four distinct traits (good or bad!) for each character and use them consistently in your novel or short story. Then, you'll ensure that your characters are all very different, likeable (or the love to hate type) thereby captivating the reader.

Here are several mannerisms that come to mind: boastful, shy, silly, conceited, confident, possessive, jealous, intelligent, belligerent, charming, nosy, tattle-tale, hateful, racist, flirty, sexy, loud, fun-loving, persuasive, generous, stingy, selfish, sweet, generous, sensitive, pretentious, talkative, quiet, sarcastic, funny, neat, sloppy, punctual, habitually late, brooding, hopeful, hopeless, positive, negative, pessimistic, optimistic, power hungry, timid, and the list goes on.

Which of these personality types have you used for characters? Which combinations would be the most fun? Freel free to add more.

Wacky Characters

2010-07-27T13:20:00.001-05:00

What are the wackiest, most unique characters you've ever written about? An exotic dancer? A lion tamer? We all enjoy reading about unusual characters so I've come up with a list of several unique professions.

Wouldn't it be fun to create one of these as a main character? Here goes: Sex therapist, undertaker, prostitute, circus worker, Amish or Mennonite, nun, wiccan, palm reader, inmate, stripper, pimp, billionnaire, homeless person, inventor, gypsy, cowboy, escort, celebrity, inventor, and a bank robber.

Which of these would you dare tackle? Have you already written about characters in these professions? Can you think of other unique professions? Please share.

Got An Itch?

2010-07-22T11:00:00.000-05:00

You've heard me mention the poetry contest by children's author and poet David L. Harrison at www.davidlharrison.com. Each month he chooses one word and poets must incorporate that word into a poem or haiku.

For July, he chose the word "itch." Below is my non-rhyming, free verse poem. Enjoy.

I SENSE SOMETHING
By Beth Carter

I’m sitting very still,
trying to ignore it.

Telling myself to
pretend it’s not there.

After all…
I can’t see it.
I can’t smell it.
I can’t taste it.
I can’t hear it.

But without a doubt
I can feel it.

That undeniable,
irrepressible,
unforgettable,
ITCH.

I encourage you to read David's blog for some hilarious itchy poems--and enter one of your own.

Celebrating Dad

2010-06-16T13:28:00.001-05:00

Father's Day is upon us so let's come up with (you guessed it) some six-word memoirs to celebrate our dads! Here are a few I've written:

Loved to dance on daddy's shoes.
Taught me how to ride bike.
Dad put string on tooth, doorknob.
Dad gave me my first ballglove.
Painted my first bike sparkly green.
Pulled on sled by Dad. "Again!"
Dad beautifully painted my wrecked cars.
Dad didn't like my boyfriend's van.
"You're not wearing that, young lady!"
Honest, hard-working, fun, loyal, wonderful father.
Proud of my sweet, handsome Dad.

Please share some of your own.

Update On Ohio Conference

2010-06-07T16:07:00.000-05:00

I just returned from Lori Foster's Annual Reader & Author Get-Together in Ohio. I'd say 350-400 people attended. I met writers from several states--Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Nebraska, Florida, Maine, California, Ohio, Pennsylvania and even Vancouver, Canada!

The conference is unique in that both writers and readers attend, plus agents and editors who are looking for the next new voice. Unique gift baskets were raffled off, book signings were held, agents took pitches, editors held a Q&A, and there was even a pirate-themed party.

At the conference, I asked everyone what they wrote. Here are the most popular genres: Erotica. YA. Erotica. Historical Romance. Erotica. Contemporary Romance. Erotica. Women's Fiction. Erotica. Cozy Mysteries. Erotica. Notice a common thread, here? Wow. If you write or read erotica, you must go to this conference. Even if you're like me and do not write erotica you will meet great writers and welcoming authors. It was also interesting to hear what the readers actually enjoy reading. Lori Foster has a great idea here in pairing the two.

I was lucky enough to pitch to both Jennifer Schober with Spencerhill Associates and Laura Bradford with Bradford Literary since there were a couple of cancellations. And...drum roll, please...both asked to see the first 30 pages!!! Yippee. I hope they fall in love with my manuscript and fight to the bitter end over who gets to represent me. You writers know what I'm talking about.

So...immediately, if not sooner, I must reengineer my query (yet again) and synopsis (yet again) and get them sent off to Jennifer and Laura. Oh, and I'll have to revamp those 30 pages, I'm sure. This time I won't tweak for a year, though. I'm giving myself 48 hours.

Finally, here's a shout out to the Marriott Cincinnati North which had the most accommodating, courteous staff I've ever encountered--and the food was great.

Hope to see you in Ohio next year.

Go Away, White Space

2010-06-06T22:45:00.000-05:00

Anyone know how to get rid of the crappy white space on my blog? I tried to find the answer by googling the info and see that many bloggers are having this issue. But I really didn't find a good solution.

If you have any suggestions, please let me know. I have a lot more info on the right side of my blog but you have to scroll waaaaayyyy down to find it. Technical difficulties. Aargh.

Five Minutes

2010-05-22T20:17:00.001-05:00

Five minutes goes by slowly if you're waiting for your nails to dry. Five minutes feels like a long time if you're standing in line waiting for popcorn after the movie has begun. Five minutes drags on and on when you're at a distant relative's graduation. Five minues seems like an eternity if you're stuck at a stoplight and late for work. Five minutes feels like a lifetime if you're at the dentist's office getting a filling.

But, let me tell you, five minutes goes by at warp speed when you're giving a verbal pitch to an agent or editor. I mean it FLIES by. And you cetainly don't want to waste time talking about the weather, a plane flight, each other's kids, anyone's cute shoes, haircut or a mutual acquaintance. Listen to me. This is very important. Do NOT waste a precious 30 seconds on any of that stuff. You do not have 30 seconds to spare. Trust me on this.

Now, I'm no expert on verbal pitch sessions since I've only had two, but I can tell you that I blathered on too long during the first one. Here's another tip: When you're told you have a five-minute pitch session, you really don't. That's a lie. It's actually about three minutes. Why? Because the person who is interviewing you needs a couple of minutes to ask questions. So, cull down your 300 page-novel into one or two paragraphs. Easy peasy, right? I know. It's nearly impossible but that's how the game is played.

Have you had a pitch session? Do you have one scheduled? Please share.

Hand-Wringing Time

2010-05-12T12:14:00.000-05:00

This is it! Pitch day is fast approaching. I've been furiously editing my women's fiction manuscript and just drafted a query letter and synopsis--all in the hopes the editor will love my pitch (once I figure out what I'm going to say). Wouldn't it be nice if the editor leaned back in her chair, smiled and said, "I love the premise. Email me the full manuscript tonight." A girl can dream, can't she?

Of course, that never/rarely happens to a debut novelist so I'm trying to be realistic. For now, I'm concentrating on final edits (this is at least my fourth pass through 300 pages) and am adding more descriptions and more backstory. My novel is paced fairly quickly (which is what I like to read) and is character and dialogue driven (also what I enjoy reading). I do not like long narration and will put the book down if my eyes glaze over or if I start to yawn. Put me right in the middle of the action, I say. Now, it's my job to hook you, the reader, (and that scary agent/editor).

How about you? Have you written a synopsis, query letter or pitched to an agent or editor? If so, please share your tips and help calm my nerves.

MOMoirs

2010-05-02T12:55:00.002-05:00

In honor of Mother's Day next weekend, let's honor moms all over the world with some creative, fun, poignant six-word MOMoirs. Here are ten I've written:

Supermoms do it without a cape.
Eighth Wonder of the World: Moms
Daughter becoming like me. Chuckle, smile.
World's best blackberry cobbler: My mom's.
Mom made my velvet Barbie dress.
Twin babies: Extreme motherhood by fire.
Love watching babies discover, learn, blossom.
My mom: Most unselfish person ever.
Moms need to pamper themselves, too.
Children. Now, I understand unconditional love.

Come up with some of your own here and then enter them in SMITH Magazine's MOMoir contest at http://www.smithmag.net/

Happy Mother's Day to all the Mom's out there! Celebrate yourselves next Sunday.

I Miss The Seventies

2010-04-27T17:14:00.003-05:00

To go along with my poll, I'll let you know about my favorite decade. It's a tough decision because I love my life right now and wouldn't change a thing. But the decade I'm going to choose was before my daughter was born and before I met my wonderful husband.

With that said, the seventies were hard to beat. Hands down, that was the decade with the best music. No other decade has even come close. We also had the coolest muscle cars in the seventies--and who could forget the vans with the beds in the back. My boyfriend had one of those and it drove my father nuts. I was a good girl, though. Truly.

In the seventies, it was cool to tan, and boy, did I love having a dark tan. We didn't hear about aging our skin or the sun's causing skin cancer. We just lathered ourselves with slippery baby oil and had at it. For that reason, we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves every time we were outside.

The hemlines were short, and more than once, my dad said, "Young lady, you are not leaving the house in that!" My uniform at the movie theater was equally short, as was my cheerleading skirt. Even the guys wore short shorts.

My favorite bands, Doobie Borthers and the Eagles, released amazing albums that decade and Elvis was still around. (I love Elvis, remember?) Many of us went to concerts, hung out at friends' homes, or were highly entertained by simply driving up and down Kearney Street.

Malls were safe and we never heard about pedophiles. We happily went trick or treating and sold Girl Scout cookies to complete strangers. We somehow made it through life without cell phones and computers. And we were thin because we were active. We ate home-cooked meals with our families and actually had face-to-face conversations.

Ah, those were the days. I loved--and miss--the seventies. What was your favorite decade and why?

Book Signings Are Fun

2010-04-17T13:13:00.005-05:00

While I may not have had a maze of long lines (or people camping out the night before) like fans did for Sarah Palin and Dog the Bounty Hunter—both of whom were at our local Borders recently—I did have a strong, loyal showing for my first-ever book signing. Forty friends, colleagues and family members stopped by Borders on April 10 to receive an autographed copy of IT ALL CHANGED IN AN INSTANT, More Six-Word Memoirs by Writers Famous & Obscure. My sweet husband bought a special engraved pen for the occasion, which unfortunately (or fortunately) ran out of ink in one hour. Thirty books sold in two hours. I was touched and humbled by the support from so many. Kathy and Sharon, two Ozarks Romance Author friends, adorned my table with balloons and cookies. Shirley, president of Sleuths' Ink, took tons of pictures. Another writer friend, Jill, served as an I-reporter and put updates on Facebook. My parents gave me a beautiful bouquet of colorful daisies. Many attended--family members, writer friends, co-workers, as well as classmates from high school and even one from second grade! I felt so loved and humbled. I created a “Movies & Memoirs” gift basket and had a drawing for the basket (my marketing ploy to get a mailing list for future books!) The basket contained movie tickets, four popcorn containers, large candy bars, microwaveable popcorn, bookmarks, six-word memoir postcards, and naturally, the book. Opfer Communications graciously loaned a flat screen television for the event and even hauled it in and out of Borders. One of their directors downloaded the Smith feed/loop thingy (see why I needed technical assistance?) onto a disk. Several chairs were set up in front of the TV so onlookers could see excerpts from the book. Denise and Gary from Borders were extremely helpful and agreeable (even during the days prior to the signing when I was a bit anal). I know. Hard to believe. I gave away chocolate candy bars, six-word memoir buttons, post cards, and magnetic bookmarks featuring my memoir that appears on page one: “Zip. Zero. Zilch. Nothing published. Yet.” It’s interesting how everyone’s perception changes once you’re published. Seriously, it all changed in an instant.

Writers Wear Many Hats

2010-04-07T14:44:00.003-05:00

Writers wear many hats. Literally. I belong to three writers' groups and every time I attend a meeting, I can count on the fact that several writers will be wearing a hat--all kinds of hats--berets, softball caps, knitted caps, cowboy hats, floppy sun hats, you name it. What is it about writers and hats? Don't get me wrong. I love hats. Always have, so I wear them, too. I'm just curious to know why so many writers adorn them. Is it because we're so creative we have to keep all our great ideas tucked firmly into our brain? Maybe it's because we like to show the world we're unique. Possibly it's due to the fact that we're just so darn artsy and adorable. Could it be that we're sending a message that we're non-establishment, so to speak? (Although, I'm a corporate person, too. Yawn.) Of course, writers also wear many hats in the other sense of the word--we write anytime we can--before, during and after work. We squeeze in writing between taking care of families, household chores, and tending the lawn. After wasting too much time on our social networking addictions, we still find time to write. As we're (hopefully) exercising, we're still thinking about that next story. Have you noticed that writers wear hats? What's your favorite type of hat?

Living Life

2010-03-31T10:52:00.004-05:00

Here's the poem I wrote for a contest in March. The key word was "life." To Live Life You Must… Always notice rainbows Listen for laughter Inhale sweet scents Dance with no music Enjoy morning coffee, wine Take walks, explore nature Touch, kiss, hug Celebrate when it’s not a holiday Be spiritual but not preachy Appreciate good friends, family Have lazy days Be productive, too Soak up learning Be yourself Pass it on. (No hubby, it doesn't rhyme, and yes, it's still a poem.) What are some of your favorite ways to live life?

Inspiration

2010-03-16T16:21:00.008-05:00

Inspiration. When and where do you get yours? Whether you write novels, poems, short stories, memoirs, children's books or any other genre, where do you get most of your ideas? Many of my stories and characters are completely fiction--created in my head, and for some reason, I most often find inspiration in the shower. Don't ask me why but I have for years. When I worked in corporate America, an idea would come to me in the shower, and I'd have to quickly get out, dry off, and scribble down ideas for my next television script, branding campaign or billboard--all on slightly damp paper. Many nights, I get ideas as I start to doze off. This habit drives my husband batty. He awakens when I get out of bed, and he says he can hear my pen scratching away. I'll get back in bed and he'll ask, "What did you write now? Why don't you just wait until tomorrow." Um. I can't. It'll be gone by tomorrow. Of course, many of us get ideas from the Internet, newspapers, and television--and from our childhood memories. That's why they say, "Write what you know." A fun way to come up with new ideas for a story is to overhear tidbits of conversations in coffee shops, restaurants, at the hair salon or car wash. This type of people watching (and listening) also works well for character sketches. How about you? When and where do you get your inspiration?

Hooked On Haikus

2010-03-11T14:02:00.004-06:00

As you know, I love writing short--as witnessed by my constant six-word memoir craze. Now, I've learned to write haikus and love them. Below are the first three haikus I've ever written (inspired by David Harrison's monthly poetry contest). The word he chose for March is either live or life (I can never remember which) so I incorporated both. Here goes: Live Life By Beth Carter Life’s difficulties… Far outweighed by life’s beauty. Live life. We have one. * * * * * Life’s Too Short By Beth Carter Live life to extreme. Shun obnoxious, rude people. Life. It’s way too short. * * * * * Embrace Life By Beth Carter Life throws surprises. Embrace. Laugh. Learn. Pay forward. Live. Give it your all. Which one do you like best? Care to write your own here? I'd love to read it. P.S. Haiku rule per Webster's Dictionary: A Japanese verse form, unrhymed with three lines using 5 syllables, 7 syllables and 5 syllables, respectively. Easy peasy.

Managing Time

2010-03-09T10:15:00.005-06:00

As I look at my very cluttered desk, I am mad at myself. I have post-it notes everywhere, several files, handwritten notes for my novel, six-word memoir letters, conference info, reservations to Hot Springs, drafts of poems, and hard copies of apparently great emails that are waiting to be filed. Add to the crowded space a lamp, reference books, coffee mug, pictures, a phone, tissue, candles, and lotion. (And I just noticed I have a dart board on my desk. Huh?) I blame my messy desk on social networking. As we all know (since it's drilled into our heads by people in the know), writers must have a platform. That means, we need our own blog and/or a web site, must have a presence on Facebook and/or Twitter, must have email, must follow agents' blogs to glean important submission information, and even more if we don't need sleep. I don't know about you but I'm having great difficulty managing my time these days. Every morning I look forward to checking my email and the latest FB posts. If I have time, I check Twitter. My writing takes a back seat--as does exercise--which might explain why my real seat is getting bigger. How do you manage your time? Does social networking get in the way? Are you more disciplined than me? Do you actually work and/or write first before checking those alluring social networks? Please share your tips. I could use some advice and I imagine I'm not alone. P.S. What's on your desk?

Winning Poem: A Country Drive

2010-03-01T11:08:00.006-06:00

Wow! I recently learned I placed first with my poem, A Country Drive, shown below. Thank you to everyone who voted. I'm very flattered and honored. As I've mentioned before, local children's author and poet David Harrison has a monthly poetry challenge. He chooses the word and poets take it from there. The word for February was "road." Below is my poem (tweaked slightly because I couldn't resist). Enjoy the drive! A Country Drive By Beth Carter I jumped into my old Chevy truck Grinnin’ 'cause long drives bring me luck. Drove around a very sharp bend, noticed a pothole I must mend. Spotted a large frog in the road Swerving, barely missed the toad. A soft breeze blew through my hair as I whistled without a care. Popped open a cold diet Coke I was happy—a lucky bloke. Driving along with my left knee Windows down, nearly stung by a bee. Sipping my soda, scanned the dial My favorite singer made me smile. Turned up the sound, hummed along Then loudly broke into a song. Spotted a mooing Jersey cow Standing beside a lazy sow. The cow stood in a shallow pond. Man, I could drive like this ‘til dawn. A fast-movin’ Jeep passed me Sadly, missing the scenery. Driver’s on the phone, in a hurry. Where’s the fire? Why the flurry? A small speckled deer in sight As two birds quickly took flight. Looking up, I stroked my chin Dark, ominous clouds rollin' in. Decided I must change my plans. Turned around, headed to Jan’s. Gonna pick up my best girl Go dancin,’ give her a twirl. A country drive is hard to beat By the way, friends call me Pete.

The Essence of Time

2010-03-01T10:58:00.002-06:00

I've been participating in a monthly poetry challenge by local poet and children's author, David Harrison. He selects the word each month and poets from many states participate. His chosen word for January was "time" and my poem below placed second. Enjoy. THE ESSENCE OF TIME By Beth Carter Time is of the essence for doing things I adore. Time stretches into eternity for those tasks I abhor. Oh, Father Time, I’m pleading please give me a little more. But only if I’m enjoying myself, not if I’m performing ghastly chores.

Exciting Book Reviews

2010-02-22T12:48:00.005-06:00

According to Smith's site, here are a few very cool reviews for the newly released IT ALL CHANGED IN AN INSTANT, six-word memoirs by authors famous and obscure. Vanity Fair: “Will thrill minimalists and inspire maximalists.” The New Yorker: “You could spend a lifetime brainstorming.” Entertainment Weekly: “The book includes pensive memoirs by the likes of Molly Ringwald (’Acting is not all I am’) and clever pieces by the likes of James Frey (’So would you believe me anyway?’).” USA Today’s Pop Candy: “SMITH Magazine has a great thing going with its six-word memoir series,” writes columnist Whitney Matheson. “I can identify with Gloria Steinem’s contribution, ‘Life is one big editorial meeting.’” The Kansas City Star: Hundreds of readers contribute Six-Word Memoirs in a piece that challenges readers to write their own six words in the comments area (”Blue dot in sea of red,” “Born naked, raised Catholic, love fashion,” and “Don’t forget to lick the bowl.”) Powells.com: Larry Smith and Rachel Fershleiser take a look back through the amazing Six-Word journey, from Hemingway to SMITH to speed dating to six-word prayers. It’s all true. Los Angeles Times: “Smith Magazine’s six-word memoirs have been lodged in the literary firmament since the 2008 release of “Not Quite What I Was Planning,” a pocket-sized collection that became a bestseller.” National Public Radio featured Smith editors, Larry and Rachel, on the air and raves about the six-word memoir project. Buy the book now at amazon.com or wait for my book signing this spring (date TBD).

Six Words On Love

2010-02-08T14:54:00.004-06:00

Since Valentine's Day is coming up, let's come up with some six-word memoirs about love and romance (heartbreak is fine, too). Here are my 14 memoirs for Feb. 14: Love feels like a cozy blanket. I'm married to my Prince Charming. Finding a perfect partner is possible. He still makes my palms sweat. Candlelight, roses, chocolates, dancing--perfect date. My heart flutters when he's around. A good kisser--hard to beat. I love those first date butterflies. Every day's a rainbow when loved. Valentine's Day sucks when you're single. I found my pot of gold. Lazy days are best with lover. Have the best hubby in world. Please add a few of your own. I'd love to read them. Happy Valentine's Day, everyone.

Six Words on NPR

2010-02-08T13:05:00.002-06:00

Editors from Smith Magazine were on National Public Radio (NPR) last week. Listen in as they talk about six-word memoirs, the new release of IT ALL CHANGED IN AN INSTANT, and hear callers from several states tell their own six-word memoirs. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=123289019

Our New York Adventure

2010-01-30T09:48:00.006-06:00

After a couple of unfortunate blips with luggage, my husband, parents, father-in-law, his girlfriend and I had a great time in NYC. We took in several sights--Ground Zero, 9-11 Memorial, Empire State Building, Statue of Libery, Rockefeller Center and Times Square. We walked along Broadway and tried until the last minute to get Jersey Boys tickets--and found some at almost $300 each. With six of us that was too much. We strode by the former Ed Sullivan/David Letterman Theatre and Radio City Music Hall where Lady Gaga was playing. We drove by Trump Tower and Carnegie Hall and ate a huge sandwich at the Carnegie Deli. (I swear it would easily serve four people.) We dined at the Rock Cafe where we watched ice skaters zoom by as we enjoyed a glass of wine. The three women shopped at Bloomingdale's where a makeup artist told me he was "very concerned about my eyebrows." He immediately grabbed a brush and started adding makeup until my eyebrows appeared thicker and more arched. When he was finished, he told me my new eyebrows made me look ten years younger. Of course, I couldn't get my wallet out fast enough. We drove by Central Park and visited the Museum of Natural History which is amazing every time I go. The dinosaur exhibits alone take your breath away. You could easily spend two days and never see it all. I took a gazillion pictures. On the last day, my parents and I went to the Today Show and stood in the cold sipping coffee while we watched Kathy Lee and Sharon Osborne, who was filling in for Hoda. We called several people and they could see us on air. I hit the NBC Store and bought a Conan shirt (not a huge fan but feel sorry for him and it may be a collector's item some day). Also bought some 2010 Olympic gear. Drum roll...The big event--the book release for IT ALL CHANGED IN AN INSTANT at the 92nd Street Y was exciting. I was lucky enough to find out right before we left (via an email from the editor of Smith) that one of my New York memoirs was selected as a winner! They chose six winners and I was asked to read mine on stage as well as one of my memoirs from the book. Unfortunately, we weren't allowed to take pictures in the auditorium. There were about 200 people in attendance. It was great to meet the friendly editors of Smith, Larry and Rachel, and to hear about the background of the six-word memoir project. Also, the impressive speakers talked about the brilliance of brief writing, their magazine or newspaper columns, as well as their own best-selling novels. Larry gave me a Smith tee shirt which I'll wear proudly. My winning NY memoir: "Does the naked cowboy get cold?" They thought that was pretty funny. I've seen the guy several times in NY and he only wears a cowboy hat, boots, and whitey tighties while he plays his guitar. I do have the green light to have a book signing so I'll work on that soon. Thanks for all your support.

NYC Book Tour, Here I Come!

2010-01-16T18:18:00.005-06:00

Well, I can't stand it any more. I keep reading about all the successful book tours in major cities touting the just-released IT ALL CHANGED IN AN INSTANT. So...my wonderful husband is supporting me and we're heading to New York City next weekend for the final date of the book tour. The event will be held at the 92nd Street Y where the editors and authors from Smith will talk about the brilliance of brief writing. Don't you love that phrase? The author panel will feature A.J. Jacobs, Editor of Esquire and NY Times' bestselling author; Amy Sohn, author, columnist for New York Magazine, and successful screenwriter; and Ben Yagoda, English professor and author of nine novels. Prior to the book tour, a contest is being held about life in New York. Prizes will be awarded and six people will have their memoir turned into a song by Michael Hearst of One Ring Zero! Here are a few of the New York memoirs I submitted: Complex city of hobos and heroes. Intimidated by the trains. I'll walk. Are the hot dogs, pretzels sanitary? Want to blend in? Wear black. Tiny apartments. Huge prices. Worth it? Does the naked cowboy get cold? Midwestern girl takes New York. Gulp. We will never, ever forget 9-11. The contest ends on Jan. 18 so hurry. www.smithmag.net If you miss the deadline, feel free to post your favorite New York memoir here. And one more thing. Anyone want to help me pack? I hate packing.

MORE EXCITING MEMOIR NEWS

2010-01-10T13:00:00.005-06:00

I received my book, IT ALL CHANGED IN AN INSTANT, in the mail yesterday and I'm over the moon! Beyond excited. Add every cliche you can think of. Why, you ask? Because Smith included not one but TWO of my memoirs and I discovered Smith received 250,000 submissions worldwide. There's more...one of my memoirs is featured on the first page. PAGE ONE. I thought I was going to hyperventilate. :) Plus the fact that many amazing authors and celebrities are featured including the late Frank McCourt, Amy Tan, James Frey, Suze Orman, Neil Patrick Harris, two Pulitzer prize winners (Juno Diaz and Tony Kushner), Marlee Matlin, Diane von Furstenberg and even Kenny G, to name a few. What a great compilation of cool, diverse people. Order IT ALL CHANGED IN AN INSTANT right now! You'll be glad you did. It's like being at a cocktail party and hearing scintillating gossip. The book is only $8.10 at Amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/All-Changed-Instant-Six-Word-Memoirs/dp/0061719439 If you want to try your hand at six-word memoirs, go to http://www.smithmag.net Warning: You'll likely get hooked.

Book Launch Day!

2010-01-05T13:04:00.004-06:00

Today is the day! A very exciting day, I might add. Smith's newest book, IT ALL CHANGED IN AN INSTANT, hits book stores today complete with a book tour in New York, Seattle, Austin, San Francisco and Milwaukee. This is Smith's fourth six-word memoir book (previous books have been New York Times' bestsellers). Let's hope this one is as well. It's a compilation of memoirs from famous and obscure authors and one of my memoirs is in it! Snoopy dance!!! Here's a video featuring a sampling of other authors' memoirs. http://smithmag.net/sixvideostory So far, I know three of the celebrity authors are Yogi Berra, James Frey and Molly Ringwald. I'm expecting my copy in the mail next week, and for you friends and family members, you know what to expect for your birthday this year! I ordered enough for all of us. This book may be purchased on Amazon.com or in independent book stores. Try writing six-word memoirs. Warning: They're highly addictive.

New Year's Resolutions (you knew this was coming)

2010-01-03T15:32:00.005-06:00

Well, do you make them? Don't we all? Are your New Year's resolutions the same year after year? Aren't they all? Do you keep your resolutions? Does anyone? My resolutions usually center around exercising more often or finding more time to do such and such. This year, I truly want to be even more focused and disciplined about my writing. (Of course, exercise is still important.) My first resolution is to finish editing my women's fiction novel and get it in the hands of agents. My second resolution is to finish writing the novel I started three years ago but thought was lost forever due to hardware problems. Thankfully, it has been salvaged and I'm over one-third finished. I plan to add to that novel during January (for JANO) and will get back to editing both novels in February. Another resolution is to get my two children's picture books into the hands of an agent and to write more of these fun, delightful stories. I thoroughly enjoyed the process. I'm also learning more about poetry. Finally, I love writing and reading short stories and hope to write and submit more of them this year. And, naturally, I'll continue writing my beloved six-word memoirs! How about you? What are your resolutions for 2010?

JANO!

2010-01-03T15:06:00.004-06:00

I belong to a mystery and suspense writers' group, Sleuths’ Ink, that is sponsoring a novel challenge this month. We all hope to write a 50,000-word Novel in 31 days. JANO is our take on NaNo, the popular National Novel Writing Month held every November. (We're just doing this on a much smaller scale.) We've decided to kick off the new year with a built-in resolution--and a kick in the pants to instill disciplined writing during 2010. Here are the rules: Write a 50,000-word novel during January (that's 31 days) This equals 1,613 words per day (unless you're me and starting three days late) No editing--just plow through You may add to a WIP but only new words will be counted Write using your favorite genre No actual novel writing UNTIL Jan. 1, 2010 Start your coffee machines Wish us luck and hear about members' progress at http://sleuthsink.blogspot.com/ You can watch the JANO meter on my blog to see if I'm meeting my goal. (Sadly, it's blank right now.)

What a great way to kick off 2010. Happy writing, everyone. Now, I must start writing. (Right after I eat...)

Favorite Christmas Movies

2009-12-27T12:13:00.003-06:00

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas celebration with family and friends. We did and it's still ongoing this entire week with another family get-together in a few days! We always need entertainment ideas and look toward board games, Christmas movies and outings. Since this time of year gets a bit stressful, our favorite Christmas movies are comedies and love stories such as:

Four Christmases
Christmas Vacation with Chevy Chase
Love, Actually
The Grinch That Stole Christmas
A Charlie Brown Christmas

There are many to choose from and I'd love suggestions. What are your favorite movies to watch during the holiday season?

Exciting Publishing News

2009-12-18T13:21:00.003-06:00

I recently heard from Smith Magazine that another one of my six-word memoirs will be published in Smith's newest book, IT ALL CHANGED IN AN INSTANT. There's a book tour in January (in New York, Seattle, Austin, and San Francisco). And you can buy the book on Amazon.com now. It'll be released in early January. Their newest book features 1,000 memoirs from famous and obscure authors. (You might have guessed-- I'm in the obscure category.) Smith's previous book of memoirs was a New York Times' Bestseller and received rave reviews from the NY Times, LA Times, NPR and more. I'm told Smith receives submissions (10-20,000) from all over the world so I'm very excited and honored. Try writing one yourself at http://www.smithmag.net Warning: They're highly addictive.

A Christmas Poem

2009-12-14T15:07:00.005-06:00

Over the past year, I've begun to appreciate poetry and have attempted five poems to date. In fact, I recently bought a sweatshirt that reads, "I'm a poet and I just know I am." That about says it all when it comes to poetry and me...hey, I'm still learning. Below is my first attempt at a Christmas poem. We printed my poem in last year's Christmas cards alongside a photo of the beautiful angel my mother crocheted nearly three decades ago. Christmas Tree Angel By Beth Carter Bejeweled with strands of pearls Feathered birds and twinkling lights; Glittering ornaments and velvet bows Encircled our tree with delight. Plump snowmen and toy soldiers Carefully placed just right; Shiny Red and Green Packages Completed the joyful sight. The most special gift of all Topped our majestic tree; A frayed, embroidered angel Handmade by Mommy and me. Do you enjoy poetry? Have you written any poems? If so, please submit them.

My First Love

2009-11-29T12:42:00.004-06:00

Okay, you knew this was coming. I want to write about another "first." Since I'm a romance writer (with suspense and humor thrown into the mix), let's talk about our first love. My first true love was in high school. Alan and I dated for two years. (I'll spare him the embarrassment and not mention his last name.) He was two years older than me, tall, with blonde curly hair. He had a chevy van with a bed in the back. It was the 70's... Boy, did my dad ever hate that van. I honestly was a good girl throughout high school (I truly was) so dad needn't have worried but he probably got quite a few gray hairs over that van. Alan and I loved to camp and would go with my parents, sister and brother to a place called Jellystone Park. I was only interested in getting a good sun tan so Alan would swim with my sister, Alison, who was a lifeguard. We'd cook outside at night and then kiss in his van until Dad yelled at me to come inside the tent. Did I mention Alan was a great kisser?!! We'd also go to Central ballgames (he was the quarterback), school dances, eat Shaky's Pizza after every game and play fooseball. We also liked going to concerts and movies. Alan was a really sweet guy and a great first boyfriend up until I cut my very long, brunette hair. Soon after, he broke up with me. BROKE UP WITH ME. While staring at my shorter hair and remindng me it used to be past my elbows, all he could mutter was, "You cut your hair." Astute observation, Alan. I was a senior in high school and he started dating a girl who had a big house, a pool table (and long hair). Well, I certainly couldn't compete with that, so it was o-v-e-r. We did get back together the summer after I graduated (he was already in college) but it didn't last long. I almost literally ran into him at a local hospital last spring. It was interesting to say the least. He looked good and seemed happy. It was a little awkward but he could tell I'm happy and we had a nice conversation, so all's well. Wonder what he thought about my now-blonde hair?!! How about you? Who was your first love? Please, do tell.

Cooking My First Turkey

2009-11-22T15:02:00.002-06:00

I remember cooking my first Thanksgiving Day turkey and inviting my entire family to dinner. I was a nervous wreck and was just 24 years old. My husband had to help with the turkey because it gagged me to get the stuff out of the inside. I just couldn't do that (still can't). Then, I called my mother to ask all sorts of questions like how long to boil the potatoes and at what temperature to cook the turkey. I tried my hand at making cinnamon apples (and have never made them since) because my head was stuck in the oven spooning sauce over those apples for what seemed like hours. When my parents, grandparents, sister and brother arrived for the big meal, everyone thankfully brought food to help out. My daughter was a year old, and I can picture her little high chair beside the dining room table. She was and still is an angel. After we sat down to eat and gave thanks, I remember my grandfather, Monroe, said something I'll never forget. "I bet the president of the United States doesn't have a Thanksgiving meal as nice as this." That made all the effort worthwhile. Every year, I think of him and fondly remember that statement. Thanks, Grandpa, for the sweet memories. Wish I could cook for you and Grandma again. May you both rest in peace. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.

My First Car

2009-11-17T17:05:00.003-06:00

Let's continue on with "firsts." What was your first car? I remember mine very fondly. My first car was a beautiful 1968 red Camaro. It had a black vinyl top and a black interior which got very hot in the summer. It also had a fancy schmancy eight-track tape deck. Unfortunately, I sold all of them at a garage sale. I wish I had at least one eight track to show my daughter! My Camaro was gorgeous and could really hug the curves. I loved it. My dad was a skilled, artistic, perfectionist of a car painter, and when a little rust appeared, he painted the entire thing. It looked brand new and was very shiny. I wish I had never sold it. How about you? What was your first car?

My First Job

2009-11-09T10:57:00.005-06:00

Everyone remembers the first time they had a real job and received an actual paycheck--that all-important, grown-up feeling of having a boss, co-workers, a schedule and responsibilities. My first job was great fun and perfect for a high school kid. I worked in a movie theater downtown in both the concession stand and box office. I much preferred the concession stand because I could eat all the popcorn I wanted, drink soda and interact with customers. I only had to pay for the candy I ate. Other perks included watching the movie after everyone was seated and doing my homework once the movie started. Our uniforms consisted of a very short, navy, one-piece dress. My boss's name was Mr. Schnaible (I never knew his first name). He hired me when I was just 15--three months from turning 16. He told me to keep my age quiet after I told him I really wanted a job and needed the cash. I was saving for a car and was a total clotheshorse (still am). We sometimes had midnight movies and Disney premieres where moviegoers would line up around the block. I remember The Love Bug was a huge hit. We had to make bags and bags (trash bag size) full of popcorn beforehand and then mix it with the warm stuff. I remember the big, clunky cash register didn't add up the totals. It was very old--sort of like a manual typewriter. I became very adept at adding quickly in my head. Once, a guy angrily challenged me and said, "How do you know that's the right total?" I smiled sweetly and said, "Because I do. I can add in my head." If someone had a huge order, I would pull out a napkin and pencil and add the total on that. Of course, we had to be able to count back change (unlike today) but I digress. Several of my friends who were also in the Kiltie Drum Corps started working at the theater so we often had scheduling conflicts with games and parades. Many times, we had to be off at the same time but Mr. Schnaible never complained and would even take a shift himself. What a great first boss. My hourly wage was $1.10. Can you beat that? Let's hear about your first job.

Are You a Writer, Author or Novelist?

2009-11-03T10:06:00.004-06:00

I've always loved writing and have considered myself a writer for decades since I've written non-fiction work-related articles, expository essays, television scripts, annual reports, short stories or my new love--novel writing. When I finished my novel this summer, my husband referred to me as a novelist. I stopped dead in my tracks. I really liked the sound of that. The delightful title had not occurred to me before he uttered that wonderful word. Novelist. Sigh. It sounds romantic and mysterious, doesn't it? And very artistic. Somehow that single word makes the two years of hard, solitary work worthwhile. Thanks, hubby. Happily, I wholeheartedly agree with him. When a writer finishes a big piece of work (i.e., over 300 pages) and there's a story full of compelling characters and plot twists with a true beginning, middle and end (woo hoo for the end), I believe they have become a novelist. As for author, though, I won't proclaim that title until I'm published. What do you think? Do you consider yourself a writer, novelist or author?

Halloween At The Hospital

2009-10-31T12:05:00.008-05:00

When I was director of public relations for Doctors Hospital, I decided to hold a Halloween decorating contest among the departments. I thought the patients and visitors would enjoy a festive atmosphere and the employees loved getting into the spirit. They were always up for a competition. Every department participated from pharmacy to human resources to physical therapy. The entire hospital was adorned with witches, ghosts, and pumpkins. I remember radiology used actual skeletal x-rays and hung them around the department. They won the pizza contest. I also asked every employee to dress up on Halloween and we opened our doors to the north-side kids. Fremont Elementary was one of our Partners in Education, so we invited them to our hospital-wide Halloween party. Our chief of surgery dressed like a vampire, stood on a table, and chose the top three winners of our costume contest. A few hundred little trick or treaters walked throughout the hospital, collecting candy from all the caregivers. We were also the only hospital in town to x-ray candy and received great coverage. It was very memorable and a great deal of fun in a place that is usually viewed warily, especially by children. HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

Haunted Hotels & Ghosts

2009-10-16T14:13:00.004-05:00

In the spirit of Halloween (and since I just returned from a supposed haunted hotel in San Diego), this week's post is about ghosts. Last week, my daughter and I stayed at the Del Coronado Hotel (affectionately called "The Del") in San Diego, California. Built in 1888, The Del has hosted many major celebrities including Madonna, Brad Pitt, Barbara Streisand, Marilyn Monroe and many other celebs. The movie "Some Like It Hot" was shot there. Also, ten U.S. presidents have stayed at The Del. But their most famous guest is Kate Morgan. The story goes that Kate went to The Del decades ago to meet her estranged husband. We saw pictures of her checking in and walking alone along the beach. One problem: her husband never showed. She waited and waited and finally, allegedly took her own life on the stairs near the salon. A bellman who has worked at the hotel for 27 years said she was murdered and that's why she can't rest. She wants everyone to know and has appeared in many rooms, turned on ceiling fans, televisions, opened closet doors or appeared as a shadow. Eeek! Every person we spoke with (front desk, bellman, elevator guy, and servers assurred us Kate is still very much around). I specifically requested a non-haunted room, and we were placed in a newer addition which looked just like a Holiday Inn. At the high room prices, I requested a change of rooms (Madonna apparently requested five changes) and we were placed in the old Victorian section. Oh, my. AND...our room number used to be her room! Since they remodeled, it was a different room but the same room number. I was terrified she'd get confused and visit our room! For that reason, I slept with my eyes tightly shut, took sleeping pills, and hated to get up in the night to go to the restroom. Luckily, we didn't see her. Apparently, Kate most often visits the rooms of couples because she's jealous. As I mentioned, I was with my daughter. The hotel is very unique, has great restaurants where you can eat along the beach, and an old-time elevator operated by scary old guys. There's also a unique wine/cheese/chocolate bar. Yum. The beach was gorgeous, there's a pool and a spa/salon. I'd highly recommend this hotel if you aren't afraid of Kate. Have you ever stayed in a haunted hotel or encountered a ghost? Please tell us about it. BOO!!!

The Writing Bug

2009-09-29T12:04:00.005-05:00

I'm always intrigued as to when and why writers first became enthralled with writing. Was it as a child or as an adult? Were you inspired by teachers or authors? Did you write because you had to, i.e., work-related writing or have you always written for pleasure? For me, the writer's bug bit when I was in eighth grade. I was on the Pipkin Junior High School newspaper staff. I wrote articles and served as the roving reporter. I especially liked that because I love to ask people questions (note my weekly poll!) When I wrote articles and saw my byline, though, I was hooked. I'd love to find those articles some day. Basically, I've always enjoyed writing--any kind of writing. Short stories, novels, six-word memoirs, children's picture books and even corporate writing. In banking and healthcare, I created several thirty-second television and radio scripts. I even won a state-wide, second place award for one of my television scripts about substance abuse. Now, my writing career has turned to novel writing which is exciting, fun, solitary and agonizing all at the same time. When did the writing bug bite you? How old were you, what did you write at the time, and what do you write now?

Honest Scrap Award

2009-09-18T17:54:00.007-05:00

Thanks to fellow blogger Shirley McCann who nominated me for the Honest Scrap Award. This award goes to bloggers who write from the heart. To fulfill our Honest Scrap duties, I must list ten things about myself and nominate others for this award. Top ten things about me (in no particular order): 1. I love and cherish my family and friends. 2. I adore writing novels but it is such hard work. 3. Simple things make me happy: Finding a wildflower in the woods, seeing a deer, buying a cool bookmark or cute pair of earrings. 4. T.J. Maxx is my favorite store, hands down. 5. Every Thursday, hubby and I eat pizza and watch Survivor and Grey's Anatomy. 6. My favorite suspense authors are James Patterson and Harlan Coben. 7. A chilled glass of chardonnay is hard to beat. 8. My husband and I both love to dance. 9. As a single mom for 16 years, I am very close to my amazingly talented daughter. 10. I was vice president of a local bank for several years. I pass the Honest Scrap Award to bloggers Jean Rosenow, Virginia Pohlenz, Louise Jackson, M.J. Macie, Jessica Carter and Jarie Lyn Robbins.

9/11 Remembered. Always and Forever.

2009-09-11T12:09:00.006-05:00

I can't get through this day without commenting on the tragedy of 9/11. I remember exactly where I was--at home running late for work, as usual. The television was on as background noise, but when I heard the frantic reporters' voices, I knew something was terribly wrong. I went into the living room and watched, stunned. I called the bank to make sure everyone knew and was tuning it. They were. When I finally made it to work, everyone was gathered around a television in the investment office. Not much was said as we watched the horrific tragedy unfold. We were all in shock. My heart goes out to the 9/11 victims' families. I hope they've found a way to move on and find some sense of normalcy. May the 9/11 victims rest in peace. You were taken much too soon. We will always honor and remember you and will never, ever forget what happened that day. I've always had an affinity for New York. My daughter used to dance there and lived in New York after college. In the 90's, she and I ate at the Top of the World restaurant in one of the towers with several other dancers and moms. That was also the day the designer Versace was killed. One of the dancers wore one of his creations to dinner. Since 9/11, I've been to Ground Zero twice. It was sobering and chilling. I remember all the comforting banners and quilts strung across the fence expressing sympathy and love from every state and other countries. The fence was covered with suffed animals, pictures of the victims, letters from loved ones, and mementos like a fireman's hat or boots. A fireman who didn't make it, obviously. The nearby blackened buildings made me cringe. The entire area was heart-wrenching to say the least. A year or so afterward, I remember flying into New York City at night, and two tall lights shone above the city. They were the exact dimension of the two towers. It was eerie yet comforting. Rest in peace, 9/11 victims. You will never be forgotten. And I hope the terrorists rot in hell. Do you remember where you were that fateful day?

Be Like a Volunteer Flower

2009-09-03T14:10:00.006-05:00

As I watered this morning, I was amazed at the number of volunteer flowers I have this year. You know the ones--flowers that you didn't plant, yet they somehow push their way through the earth, even in rough terrain and without much water. Think of the poster called Determination that was popular years ago. The poster featured a dry, cracked earth with a beautiful, stubborn flower pushing its way through the ground against all odds. I have four large pots chock full of such flowers this year. I planted petunias, which died, and in their place I started noticing little green sprouts. At first I pulled the green leaves thinking they were weeds. Then, I decided to water them. Now, they're the biggest flowers I have--several are a foot tall and in brilliant hues of red, orange and yellow with gorgeous, lush leaves. I'm not sure what they are but I love them--and their resolve. As writers, we face a tough road ahead just like volunteer flowers. We hear all about rejection letters, the gazillion other writers trying to break into the biz, the particular agents who may or may not take us on, the huge, overflowing slush piles, and the publishing industries that are floundering. We're bombared with different rules for various agencies and spend hours reading blogs and websites just to make sure we're dotting our "i's" and crossing our "t's." We wonder if real books are going away in lieu of ebooks. All this crosses our mind while we plod away. As we sit at our desks, hunched over our keyboards (in solitude no less), we must have the mindset of tenacious volunteer flowers, regardless of the odds. Are you going to be like a volunteer flower? I am.

Weird Sandwiches

2009-08-25T10:16:00.004-05:00

A debut author I've "met" on Twitter (Richard Jay Parker who wrote STOP ME, a thriller you can buy now) inspired me to write this post. I read his bio and it mentioned he lived on mustard sandwiches when he was a poor, aspirirng writer. Yes, just bread and mustard. What are some of the weird sandwich combinations you've tried? Here are a few: Bread, butter and sliced radishes (my mom's favorite) Chips and sliced pickles (put a pickle between two chips - my favorite) Peanut butter and sliced bananas (future son-in-law's favorite) Can you think of other strange combinations? Please share.

Back-to-School Memoirs

2009-08-18T10:31:00.004-05:00

Everyone knows I love six-word memoirs. Since it's back-to-school time, I thought it would be fun to share some of my school memories in that format. Before first day: Sleepless night, excitement. First grade: Same dress as friend. Cigar box: Pencils, eraser, crayons, protractor. Everyone was afraid of the principal. Climbed on bus. Sweaty palms. Excited. Played four-square at recess. Teeter-totter, too. Hair-in-bun, prim teacher took no bull. Loved English and spelling. Hated history. Fifth grade: Wore blue windowpane hose. Afraid to sing alone. Crouched, hid. Loved being a Kiltie. Drum captain. Please share some of your school memories--either as a kid or as a parent.

Grandmothers Are Great

2009-08-12T17:03:00.004-05:00

As some of you know, my grandmother, Evelyn Jones, passed away Sunday. Her funeral was yesterday, and somehow, I mustered up enough courage to unexpectedly speak at the service. Mom and other family members were surprised but happy. I thought I'd share a few of my special memories here. Grandma was born July 21, 1921, when new houses cost $7000, new cars cost $400 and movie tickets were just 15 cents. She was married at the ripe old age of 17. (No wonder I always had the youngest grandparents!) She told us the story of how she saw a cute guy named Asa Monroe Jones (who later became Grandpa) at a gas station. She said she thought he was the “berries.” Their first date was Drop the Hanky at a church supper. After their courtship, they were married by a Justice of the Peace. Grandpa and Grandma lived and worked in Aurora most of their lives. Grandma worked as a cook--first at Franklin Elementary School, followed by Elliott Robinson Elementary and later at Cox Medical Centers. Grandma came out of retirement to serve as Head Cook at the Aurora Senior Citizen Center. The cooks made everything from scratch, and during Grandma’s tenure as head cook, the Senior Citizen Center had its biggest crowds in history. According to Grandma, the two most popular days of the week by far were Fried Chicken Day and Meatloaf Day! For those of you who may not know her well, here are some of her favorites: Favorite color: Pink Favorite term of endearment for her grandkids: Sugar Plum Favorite singer: Johnny Cash (especially the song, Walk the Line) Favorite bird: Hummingbird Favorite movie: Gone With the Wind Favorite TV show: Andy Griffith which she watched with great-granddaughter Amy Favorite flower: Roses Favorite entrée: Fried chicken or roast Favorite desserts: Pumpkin pie, carrot cake, banana pudding w/vanilla wafers Favorite pastimes: Crossword puzzles, reading romance novels or westerns, viewing cooking shows on television, and watching birds enjoying birdbaths or eating from their feeders Favorite soap: Dove. She never used anything else and had beautiful, smooth skin. Favorite attire: Housecoat (casual dress) She never wore pants. Last Wednesday after being at the nursing home several times the previous week, we decided to go to the fair for a light change of pace. I decided to switch purses so I’d have a long strap and found a purse that I hadn’t carried in years. Inside, was the Guardian Angel pin that Grandma had given me about ten years ago when Bob and I were dating and flying quite often. Grandma wanted me to wear it onto planes and I did. I thought I had lost that pin and had searched my jewelry boxes for years. I knew finding that pin was a sign. The next morning Mom got the call from Hospice that Grandma had 24-48 hours to live. She was a strong woman and lasted four difficult days. Now, that special pin is buried with her. I feel better knowing her Guardian Angel is right there. I shared several other stories yesterday but won't recount all of them here. Rest in peace, Grandma--Sugar Plum. We’ll always love you and will never forget you. xoxo

Fair Memories

2009-08-04T09:16:00.004-05:00

The fair is in town which brings back nostalgic memories for me. As kids, we always looked forward to the fair. It was a big summer event right before the start of school. My parents would take my sister and me (my brother wasn't yet born) and we'd excitedly head to the fair. My Dad always wanted to visit the livestock first. BOR. ING. As a child, I complained and complained. "Mom, I want to go on the rides." Dad would be off staring at the cattle and I stood there like a brat with my arms crossed. After about thirty minutes and a few more complaints from me, my mother would say, "Jay, the kids want to go on the rides." He'd relinquish the animals and we'd head to the rides. Dad was great about going on the rides with us. Mom stood by, smiled and waved. He and I rode the roller coaster together and sometimes ended up in the front seat--exciting and thrilling. We'd ride the ferris wheel, merry-go-round, tilt-a-whirl, and go to the Duck Pond where there were sure-fire prizes. Then, we'd get hungry and go to the pork chop place (can never remember the name) because it was air-conditioned, albeit very small and crowded. Dad also knew the owner and would chat with him. I was always in a hurry to get out of there and back to the fun. After dinner, we'd play some of the games and Dad and I would shoot the water guns trying to raise the ball in the tube. Once I threw a ring around a Coke bottle atop a big square block. Amazingly, the ring went around the square block and I won a huge stuffed animal. We'd play games until it turned dark and then eat something very unhealthy like cotton candy, snow cones that dripped down our shirt or funnel cakes. It was grand. Toward the end of the evening, we'd look at the prize-winning produce since Dad is a great gardener. We also meandered around the entries of showcased art, photography and baked goods since my mom is a wonderful cook. We always visited the conservation booth to see more animals--usually a fox, deer and snakes. I haven't been to the fair in years but have a longing to go this week. I think I'll ask my dad if he wants to go and let him look at the livestock first for as long as he wants. I won't complain at all. Hopefully, Mom will join us too. How about you? What are your memories of the fair?

Sometimes Life Gets In The Way

2009-07-31T12:05:00.007-05:00

When it comes to writing, do you let life get in the way? I often do but wish I didn't. For decades I worked in a corporate office, Monday through Friday (more about that in another post). Having to go to an office each day forced me to accomplish my work. I met my deadlines. Always. And had lots of them. The past month has been completely out of control. Family members visited for most of July. Fun, to be sure, but everything work-wise came to a standstill. On top of that, two family members were hospitalized this month--one out of town for well over a week. Like it or not, my husband and I basically put our work on hold the entire month. Sometimes I miss going to the office purely because I was forced to work for eight straight hours, and therefore, was definitely more productive. I've gotten too lax by working out of my home. Also, since I now work from home, others sometimes don't see that I actually "work" if that makes sense. I'm working even if I am in my pj's. Maybe I should think about renting an office...and wearing one of my corporate suits every day--just so we're all clear that I have work to do. Myself included. Do you let life get in the way of your writing? If not, care to share your tips?

Unusual Words

2009-07-23T09:40:00.003-05:00

Okay, writers. What unusual/funny/cool/interesting words have you used in your short stories and novels? Below are a few words I've used in my current novel (with an explanation of how they were used). Yummy - How Alex referred to the sexy Sgt. Tony Montgomery Bamboozled - How Suzy felt about her son's surprise Bread - A seventies term referring to money and used often by Hope's hippie dad Scumbag - What Sgt. Montgomery called a meth dealer Cyber friends - Displaced New Yorker Cheri's only friends Testy - Marc, the gay florist's, description of Suzy's bratty bride What fun, interesting words have you used lately?

Fave Summer Recipes

2009-07-14T16:15:00.003-05:00

I know my blog is mainly about writing but our characters have to eat, right? And one of my characters is a chef so I love to discover interesting recipes that she can create. Below is my new, favorite burger: Green Pepper Chili Burgers 2 lbs. lean ground beef 1/2-3/4 white onion (chopped) 1/2 green pepper (chopped) 3-4 T. chili sauce Mix all together in a bowl, make patties, and grill. Yum! These are great. Here's one more: Chocolate Mint Ice Cream Pie 1 carton softened chocolate mint ice cream (I use the sugar-free Splenda kind) 1 Oreo pie crust Spoon softened ice cream into pie crust. Smooth top with a spoon and freeze. Thaw about five minutes before serving. Everyone loves this pie and always thinks it's grasshopper pie. If they only knew how easy it is! You can substitute your favorite ice cream and use a graham cracker crust as well. Do you have an easy peasy summer recipe you'd like to share?

Twitter Twerminology

2009-06-28T22:23:00.006-05:00

I've been on Twitter for a couple of months and am thoroughly enjoying it (although it is taking up at least an hour of my time each day which could be used to actually write another novel, but I digress). I'm still learning the lingo and think it's great fun (especially the terms "tweet" or "tweets.") However, I'm beginning to think the entire universe is developing a lisp. Read some of the terms below. You'll see what I mean. Twopular - Recent Twitter trends Twellow - Yellow Pages Twibe - Tribe (i.e., group of like-minded folks) Twug - Hug Twable - Fable Twitterholic - What I'm becoming Twitterature - Book recently bought by Penguin. Two college freshmen are retelling the classics using 140 characters or less. Genius. These are just a few of the terms I've come across. I'm sure there are many more. Care to share more Twitter lingo? Don't worry--we won't waff at your wisp.(My apologies to anyone who actually has a lisp. No ill will intended.)

THE END

2009-06-20T21:59:00.003-05:00

I. Did. It. Today, I wrote THE END and finally finished my women's fiction novel! Yippee. Hooray. Woo hoo. Snoopy dance. I can't believe it. Novel writing is very HARD. Much harder than I thought it would be. It takes discipline, determination and doggedness. Also, I didn't realize the lonliness that would be involved. Sometimes I feel like I'm in my writing cave, hunkered over my keyboard, rubbing my wrists or back while the bright sunshine gleams through the window, teasing me. I tell it to leave me alone for I have to finish. Actually, I've become a pretty good hermit. Thank goodness for the writers' groups I've joined. We spur each other on and actually leave our computers for a few hours to socialize. Here are the stats: I finished at 1:24 p.m. on June 20, 2009. That's when I wrote THE END and hit the 93,000-word mark (that's over 300 typewritten pages). Spouting off all these stats makes me feel like a proud mother. Honestly, I almost feel like I gave birth. (It wasn't as painful as my natural childbirth but darn close.) I'm so happy I could cry--or do a Snoopy dance. Maybe I'll do both. Just had to share. Thanks to everyone for their support over the past 1.5 years. Huge smile.

How Would You Answer This?

2009-06-16T13:47:00.002-05:00

Last summer, a published author from Ireland was visiting my Uncle Wayne (another author and former English professor). When the visiting author, Claire, found out I was writing my debut novel, she posed the following question: Would you rather write something beautiful or a bestseller? I didn't realize the two were mutually exclusive and pondered that question for a few seconds. My answer? "I'd like to write a beautiful bestseller." Glib, maybe. How would you have responded? Labels: writing

Planting and Writing

2009-06-07T14:38:00.002-05:00

Recently, I planted 24 pots of flowers. Overkill, I know. That's just how I am. I bought my favorites--vincas, geraniums, petunias, elephant ears, and impatiens--and selected colorful shades of purple, red, yellow, pink and orange. As I buckled my knee pads (highly recommended) and gathered my gardening tools, I regretted that I had to do this chore instead of writing. I knew it would take at least one full day to plant all the flowers and wondered how much writing I could get done if I'd put fingers to keyboard for that period of time. Soon, though, I delighted in the cheerful pots brightening up the veranda. I observed how our Labs preferred to drink out of a fountain rather than their dog bowl. I watched the birds and butterflies and could smell the lilac bushes planted out front. I noticed how some of the flowers' leaves were shiny and smooth while others were velvety and rough. I again encountered the killer hummingbird that taunted me last summer. The territorial little @#*! He attacked me three times last year. The little bully. After a few sweaty, dirty hours, I realized that planting could actually help my writing. It made me think descriptively and gave me ideas and hobbies for my characters. It also provided humor (and angst) such as the killer hummingbird and our silly dogs. Let the watering (and writing) begin. What do you do that inspires your writing?

Present Tense Vs. Past Tense

2009-06-01T13:16:00.004-05:00

More and more, novels are written in present tense. Still, I've read several articles in writers' magazines (like Writer's Digest) which say some editors frown upon this practice. They even went so far as to say present tense writing may cause the manuscript to get tossed in a bin. I'm talking about narration here--not dialogue. Here's an example: Past tense: Rebecca put down her cup and looked out the window. Present tense: Rebecca puts down her cup and looks out the window. I write in past tense but have read many novels recently that are written in present tense. It always gives me a start and sounds like poor grammar (unless it's dialogue like I mentioned). What do you think? What is your preference? Labels: English, grammar, writing

Incomplete Sentences

2009-05-24T12:30:00.003-05:00

Is it just me or is everyone using incomplete sentences these days? Here's an example of one I hear a lot lately: Do you want to go with? This seems to be a trendy thing to say but it really bugs me. Is it really too much to ask to just finish the darn sentence by adding one little word? For example, "Do you want to go with me?" or "...with us?" You know. The way we used to talk in the good old days. By bringing this up, I know I risk sounding like my high school English teacher. I'm just curious, though. Do these incomplete sentences bug any of you writers? Labels: English draft 12:21