Day 87: Who would join me?

Between You, Me and the Lamp Post

Day 87: Who would join me?

Would anyone join me at this cottage? I'll get to the why later.

We’re halfway through the NaNoWriMo challenge and for several people, it’s going really well. Every day I read about people who write 3,000 – 5,000 or even 7,000 words per day. I sit and wonder … where do these people find the time?

Don’t any of these writers have jobs? And if they are stay-at-home people, don’t they have work to do around the house? There’s always something to do: 

making/changing the beds, dusting, vacuuming, sweeping, polishing, laundry, ironing, washing the bathroom, washing the kitchen, washing windows, washing floors, cleaning the deck, shopping, tending to the garden, cleaning gutters, cleaning the car, cooking, doing dishes, and more. Am I to assume that these writers neglect their homes for the sake of writing?

I also wonder what these people write about. I know from experience that the first couple of chapters flow easily. Chapters one to three or five practically write themselves, but then the trouble starts … how to continue. 

Inspiration doesn’t come on command, plenty of good writers sit at their computer, staring at the screen, their fingers motionless on the keyboard. Eventually, they write something, only to delete it. They write something else and that too gets rejected.

In between, there are a ton of distractions: the cat needs petting, the dog needs walking, cups of coffee or tea are made, emails need answering, friends drop by for a chat, Facebook games need playing, etc. etc. etc.

Few will be willing to admit it, but writers are notorious procrastinators. They will start writing tomorrow, or they will start writing after … well, any excuse will do.

A friend of mine took a writing course and while it made her a better writer, it also made her a slower writer. She once told me that, in order to create the perfect sentence, she often plays with the words for 10 or even 20 minutes. Safe to say, my friend won’t write 3,000 words per day. Which begs the question, what is the quality of some writers’ work?

As for NaNoWriMo, it’s a nice incentive for writers to get their bud in gear, but what happens at the end of November. From what I’ve been told … nothing. There are no prices to be won and nobody looks at the manuscripts.

If writers can produce the required 50,000 words in November, why can’t they do the same in any other month? Do writers really need an incentive? Ask most writers why they write and they will say … because I have to. A day without writing is a day wasted.

That’s how I feel. Every morning I wake up with plans to write, but as I mentioned earlier … any number of things get in the way. 

Ideally, I need to hole up in a cottage somewhere, with no WiFi. So, I wonder, when looking at the cottage above, how many writers would join me for a writing getaway. 

Day 51: Ken D. Foster - Scammer?

Between You, Me and the Lamp Post

Day 51: Ken D. Foster - Scammer?

Most writers who are serious about their craft are constantly looking for ways to improve their writing, market their books, sell more copies, or how to find a publisher. When I noticed this ad, I have to admit, my interest was peaked.

How alignment and momentum is the key to your success to become a best seller author How knowing about the 7 essential laws Laws, especially the Law of Sufficiency and Abundance is key How mastering your energy is the foundation to building and maintaining your success How to visualize and feel your way into best-seller status How what you desire, desires you!

I signed up for a series of online sessions. Unfortunately, I couldn’t attend the first two sessions because of work. According to Ken Foster this was not a problem as the videos could be watched at any time.

Then yesterday I received an email from him that changed everything. The email read …

1. The most important thing to do before you write a single word!
2. How to write your book in 90 days or less
3. Should you self-publish or go with a traditional publisher?
4. 12 Stupid Mistakes made by Wannabe Authors

Right there and then I knew I was dealing with a phony. If there’s one thing that angers me it’s people telling other people they can write a book in 90 days or less. I emailed Ken Foster and shared my opinion with him.

One can write a short story or even a novella in 90 days or less, but a book … no. This is one of the reasons there is so much trash online. Anyone and everyone, even children, can write something, publish it and voila it’s available on Amazon and other sites. In the process, self-publishing has received a bad reputation.

As for Ken’s question to go with a traditional publisher or to self-publish, I told him that any writer worth his sold would prefer a mainstream publisher vs. self-publishing. After all, if a mainstream publisher accepts a manuscript, everything is taken care of by the publisher: editing, layout, cover design and marketing/selling the book. Not to mention that the author receives an advance and regular royalties.

Ken Foster responded that I had a lot to learn about the publishing industry. He stated that he had a friend who was accepted by a mainstream publisher and received a $300,000 advance.

I nearly burst out laughing. Having been in the publishing industry for years I know several best-selling authors and none of them have ever received a $300,000 advance. First time authors receive between $5,000 and $10,000 while the more established authors receive between $25,000 to $75,000 but none of them, absolutely none of them ever received more than a quarter of a million.

It would appear that Ken Foster doesn’t know much about the publishing industry either. He calls himself a best-selling author, but he’s nothing more than a self-published writer. It’s not because he’s written a few books, that he’s a best-selling author. By definition, a best-selling author is someone whose book was listed on the New York Times bestselling list. If not on that list, then anyone claiming to be a best-selling author is putting on airs and graces.

If any of you gets contacted by Ken Foster, be wary of him. He has a hidden agenda. 

Day 43: Writers, are you getting ripped off

Between You, Me and the Lamp Post

Day 43: Writers, are you getting ripped off

This might be of interest to self-published writers everywhere.

Have you noticed that your sales are down? Mine are. For a while I did fairly well, I was by no means competition for James Patterson, but there was a steady flow of sales.

Then suddenly, I noticed a decrease. At first, I thought it was because of summer. People are more likely to do some gardening, go swimming, or get together with family and friends when the sun is shining rather than curling up with a book.

As I found out a few days ago, it’s wasn’t the sun who was to blame for my lack of sales, but several pirate sites. One of these sites is Lucentfun.com https://signup.lucentfun.com

Lucentfun and other pirate sites offer free download of books. Mine are all there. Other sites have my books as well.

I wasted no time. I contacted several of these pirate sites and threatened them with legal action if my books weren't taken down immediately. How much effect this will have, I don’t know. Maybe they will take the books down, maybe they won’t. Maybe they will take them down and later put them back up again.

Lucentfun claims that all books are free, but anyone who wants the read anything has to sign up with their site and provide credit card information.

How do I know of these pirate sites ... because I’m subscribed to Google alert. Anytime any of these pirate sites offers my books for free, I get a notification.

If they were to offer only the books of well-known authors, I wouldn’t care as much. Authors such as James Patterson, Stephen King, Dan Brown or Danielle Steel sell millions of books and probably won’t care if someone offers free copies of their work. What do they care about a dollar or two? For self-published writers though, they do care.

Not only do I care about lost income, but I also care about my books’ Amazon ranking. If someone buys a book, the book goes up in ranking and make no mistake, readers do care about ranking, especially if it’s a book by an unknown writer/author.

I have a few favorite authors and when any of them releases a new book, I don’t care about the ranking. I know the story will be good. However, when none of my favorites have anything on offer, I go looking for something else. That’s when I do care about the ranking, the stars awarded and the readers’ reviews.

Not that the reviews are always to be trusted, after all, what’s good for the goose is not necessarily good for the gander. Reviews are up to a certain point valuable though. If I read a review that rates the book ‘absolute rubbish’ or ‘a complete waste of time’ I’m not likely to buy it.

So, not only do these pirate sites rob self-published writers from their royalties, they also rob them from potential reviews.

Day 131: Some much to do, so little time

My Project: 365 Creative Writing Prompts

Day 131: Some much to do, so little time

Some people complain that they are bored. For me there aren’t enough hours in the day to do everything I want to do. 

Reading

Ever since I was introduced to James Patterson, I’ve been reading his work one book after another. For me this is unusual because even with my favorite authors, no matter how much I like the story or the writing style, I could only read one book and then had to read something else. Two books in a row of the same author just didn’t agree with me.

That changed when I tried James Patterson. I’ve read about ten of his books in a row now and they are all so different that the stories hold my attention start to finish. All except one that is, I started reading ‘Princess’ and I couldn’t get into that story. Other James Patterson fans enjoyed the book though, so I might give it another try.

​At first I didn’t like the book I’m currently reading, ‘Invisible’, but that soon changed and now it’s so riveting I would do nothing but reading. I swear that man could write about a doughnut going stale and make it sound interesting. 

Diamond Painting
​
Another hobby that takes up my time is diamond painting. Up until about a month ago I didn’t even know what diamond painting was. I imagine quite a few people are just as clueless. Rather than explaining what diamond painting is, let this video do the talking.
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bReU2hBt_7g
 
There's a variety of designs to choose from, partial or fully drilled. Be warned though, diamond painting is not only a beautiful and relaxing hobby, it's also very addictive. You can't just do one. See anything you like?

Writing

Finally there my new manuscript. I had this idea for a new story, which I thought was going to be easy to write but it proves to be anything but. I’ve become way too conscious about word choice, sentence structure and showing vs. telling that writing is no longer a pleasure but sheer torture. I had originally planned to finish this new story by Christmas 2018, but the way things are going, it could be Easter before I write ‘the end’ or worse, Christmas 2019.

Working

Yeah this last one really throws a spanner into the works, but it's something most of us do between 9:00 and 5:00. 

Day 125: Attention all self-published authors

My Project: 365 Creative Writing Prompts

Day 125: Attention all self-published authors

Some self-published writers like to brag about their sales, some are happy with a sale here and there, while some are not happy at all and ask for help how they can effectively market their work.

I used to do okay in sales. Nothing to brag about, but a steady flow of book sales. And then suddenly, nothing. The sales all but dried up. When I looked in March at my February statement there were no sales.

Now it so happened that in January we adopted a kitten from the Toronto Cat Rescue and I stayed in touch with its foster mom, Jackie.

During one of our email conversations, I mentioned that I was a writer, that I had written three novels and two children’s books and Jackie promptly ordered copies of ‘Kitten Diaries’ and ‘Debbie’ for her grandchildren.

Jackie had purchased the books in February, yet my Amazon statement said that there had been no sales in February. I waited until April, expecting the sales to show up in the March statement, but that was not the case.

I got in touch with Amazon and they promised to investigate the matter. After a few days, I received an email from Ana who stated that no sales were documented. I told her that I had proof of sales. She asked if she could see that proof. I emailed her a copy and she sent me the following response ...

"CreateSpace Member Services"	Fri, Jun 29, 2:37 PM (8 days ago)
to me

Hello Conny,

Greetings from CreateSpace.

Thank you very much fort contacting us back with additional information. This is very helpful as it assists us with the investigation. 

I have now forwarded the investigation to a representative who is best equipped to answer your question. You should receive a response within one business day. I really appreciate your patience.

When I didn’t hear back from Ana I sent a follow-up email … how did the investigation go? I received no response. I sent a second follow-up email and again, no response.

This got me thinking … how many self-published authors are there who don’t have a clue about their book sales? If they order their own books or someone they know places an order, they know of those sales, but how many more sales are made they are unaware of? They have no way of knowing if someone bought their books or not.

I was lucky that I knew Jackie, and she was willing to share proof of sale with me, but how many self-published authors are out there not knowing anything about their book sales. This could be a scam amounting to millions of dollars.

That’s not all though. Another reason why my sales are down is that my books show up on a number of websites that offers free downloads. ‘Waiting for Silverbird’, ‘Voice of an Angel’, ‘Lily’, ‘Kitten Diaries’ and ‘Debbie’ are all there.

I know about this because I get Google alerts similar to this one:

Conny Manero As-it-happens update ⋅ June 29, 2018
	WEB
	ntg.ebook google.com There was a problem loading more pages. [ntg.ebook] Debbie Conny Manero Free Download.pdf. [ntg.ebook] Debbie Conny Manero Free Download.

Book Descriptions:

Debbie the ferret lives in a pet store. One day, a man named Andrew takes her home. He shows her around the condo and then introduces her to Charlie, the cat. Debbie is terrified, but soon she and Charlie become good friends, and Charlie teaches her about—everything! Come, let Debbie tell you all about ferrets and how they live and read about all her adventures!

How it works:

·         1. Register a free 1 month Trial Account.

·         2. Download as many books as you like (Personal use)

·         3. Cancel the membership at any time if not satisfied.

It's no wonder my sales are down. Amazon is hiding sales and various pirate sales are offering free downloads. 

Has something similar happened to you? 

www.connymanero.weebly.com

Day 117: My new best friend

My Project: 365 Creative Writing Prompts

Day 117: My new best friend

I have a new best friend and now that we’ve met, I can’t believe it took me this long to make his acquaintance. I’ve been reading for decades, the bookstore being my home away from home, and yet I never paid him the slightest of attention. His name, James Patterson.

Those who are familiar with his work will probably gasp “You never read a James Patterson novel!” and to my shame, I must admit that I never did. I thought his books were not my cup of tea. I saw the movie “Along Came a Spider” of course, with Morgan Freeman portraying Alex Cross, but I had no interest in his other stories.

That all changed last Friday. I found myself in downtown Toronto with nothing to read. The nearest bookstore would have taken me a good 20-minute walk and I just didn’t have the time or the energy to go that far. So I popped into the nearest Drug Market and browsed book section.

There wasn’t much choice: the usual romance novels, fantasy and science-fiction, children’s books and some murder mystery stories. One of them was ‘The Store’ by James Patterson. I picked it up, flipped it over to read the synopsis and … hm, this sounded interesting. So I paid for it and walked out with it.

And OMG the story was so gripping that I couldn’t put the book down. If it had been possible I would have read the story cover to cover in one sitting. The further I got the more enthralled I became and near the end the building could have collapsed around me, the steak could have burned on the pan, I had to know how this ended.

The second story in the book was called ‘The End’ with Owen Taylor as the main character. At first, I didn’t like this story. It was a war story and not only do I have zero interest in war stories, it’s set in the middle east, which interests me even less. But I had paid for the book so I might as well read it.

It didn’t take long for me to get absorbed in the story and once again I found myself reaching for the book every chance I got. Near the end, I literally couldn’t put the book aside and so I stayed up until 2:45 a.m. to know how Owen Taylor fixed his problem. And I was not disappointed. The ending was superb, and so much so that I found myself cheering for this man.

All too often I buy a book and like the story, but near the end, it seems the author got fed up with writing and rushes the conclusion or the ending is completely unsatisfactory. That was not the case with ‘The Store’ or ‘The End’. Patterson wrapped both of them up nicely leaving the reader hungry for more.

And hungry for more I was. As soon as the book was finished I wanted to read another one of James Patterson's works. Having arrived at the bookstore (a proper bookstore this time) I was in for a surprise though … there were no less than five shelves of James Patterson books. Oh dear oh dear oh dear, now what was I gonna do? How would I make a choice? So I did the only thing I could do … eeny meeny miny moe and I picked the book where my finger came to a rest. The book turned out to be ‘Guilty Wives’. I’m only a few chapters in the book but I can already tell, this is another excellent story.

I guess it’s safe to say that James Patterson and I will have a long and happy relationship. 

www.connymanero.weebly.com

Day 113: In the Spotlight: Margot Finke

My Project: 365 Creative Writing Prompt

Day 113: In the Spotlight: Margot Finke

How did your journey as a writer begin?

In middle school, when a teacher praised my writing style. Later, life got in the way of serious writing—husbands and kids can do that. Yet I always fed my imagination with the plays and stories I wrote in my spare time.

What is your favorite and least favorite aspect of writing?

I love all aspects of writing, especially when the ideas come thick and fast.  Book promotion however can be a real drag — it takes time from writing, dammit!

Do you recall the book that made you aspire to become a writer?

Alice in Wonderland. I devoured that book.

What authors do you admire and why?

The Lovely Bones – Alice Sebold

The Kite Runner – Khaled Hosseini
A Thousand Splendid Suns    “

The Sword of Demelza - Jeanne E. Rogers

Where is your favorite place to write?

When the kids went off to college, and I finally had the peace and time to write, we converted the family room into my writing den—a cosy space with sofa, chairs, a fireplace, windows onto the back gardens, and a humongous L shaped desk my husband set up for me. In winter, my tender outdoor plants luxuriate there under gro-luxe lighting. Mmmmm. . . indeed, a writing den where my inspiration can run riot!

Are you a pen and paper writer or a straight to the keyboard writer?

Keyboard all the way. Even I cannot read my own handwriting. I LOVE my computer!

As a reader, what catches your attention?

First it’s the voice of the writer—a first page that hooks my interest. Then the plot and the characters creep up on me, and I dive into the tale—an eager observer right in the middle of the angst and the action.

I also like to help others write tight and terrific MS.  Clients send me their MS so I can guide them into writing books their readers will love.  Very satisfying!!

When you write, what comes first, the plot or the characters?

This depends.  Sometimes one and sometimes the other. Ideally, both the plot and the main character are equally important.

What is your main goal when creating a story?

For me, books have always been a Magic Carpet Ride to fun, adventure, and a lifetime of learning. When an idea begs to be developed and written, I want it to take kids who read it on that same Magic Carpet Ride. My goal is to Hook Kids on Reading.

Does life ever imitate art or vice versa?

My “Down Under Calling,” the saga of a modern family divided by an ocean, features Grandma Rose, a feisty lady who is loveable as well as sneaky. The family stories she writes to her grandson in Oregon (that amaze him), come straight from the mouth of my dear departed Mom.  She was a wonderful storyteller, and every one of them is true. Mom would be so tickled to have them featured in a book of mine. Does this count?

The same happened with The Revenge of Thelma Hill--a ghost mystery set in Oregon.  As I wrote, the ghost’s character simply wrote itself. I wondered what was happening. Then I GOT IT!  I was channeling my mom again. And she was perfect for the scary, yet eventually friendly ghost who needed Frannie’s help to make her killer pay. So I thought, “I’ll go whole hog, and use Mom’s real name for the title. Thelma Hill was her maiden name. I also knew Mom would be thrilled to be a major character in a book I wrote –an ideal ghost.”

What inspired you to write Dreamtime Man? 

I grew up Down Under, and Dreamtime Man is a  rhyming picture book, inspired by the horrible things that happened to the Australian aboriginals after the white man colonized the country. Even though I have lived in the US for many years, my Aussie roots are deep. I was brought up to judge people by how they treated you, and not by the color of their skin, their religion, or their politics.

How do characters take shape and evolve in your mind?

Dreamtime Man is told in rhyme for older children and adults. It is based on history. I guess you could say that the main characters are the Spirits of Dreamtime and the Aboriginal Tribesmen. Both are inexplicably linked.  Both were battered and almost demolished by the invading hordes of white settlers, and later by terrible Government policies. Each side feared the other, and when fear rules violence reigns.

Is there an underlying message in your stories?

Absolutely. The  message is universal, yet today it is sadly not often realized:
*Earth is small, and we all need to get along together.
*Empathy and compassion are underused these days.
*Create tolerance and understanding instead of violence.
*Do not fear what is different. Different is often good.
*Let people prove their worth before you attack them.
*Use only what you need, and help your neighbors when they need it
*Don’t allow fear to create violence.

What pulled you to write your particular genre of writing?

It wasn’t a conscious choice.  I was a teacher’s aide, and I often told tales about Aussie animals to classes. It just happened, and I loved writing for children. Many of my books have Aussie Themes or about animals. They range from grade school picture books and stories, to mid-grade reading.

My latest books are:

**Daisy and Bartholomew Q   a MG – a fun fantasy adventure that promotes the use of powerful words and the Thesaurus.

** Oscar is Different a PB – looking or feeling different is not always a bad thing.

**Kobi Borrows a Pouch PB – a small koala discovers the Aussie bush can be a dangerous place.

Aside from writing, what are you passionate about?

My family—3 great grown kids, 4 wonderful grandkids and a husband who is a real treasure. Plus, the state of the US today, and how we should vote to fix it.

How has your background shaped you?

Growing up in Queensland, Australia, has imbued me with much of the Aussie independent spirit. I also love writing about its unique animals and way of life.

What is the one thing you would like to be remembered for?

“Here lies Margot Finke, off on her last Magic Carpet Ride to an uncharted land. Her wish is to hook kids on reading and have children of all ages read and reread all of her books.

If it were possible, what 3 things, other then your loved ones, would you take with you into the next life?

My computer, my thesaurus, and a copy of Alice in Wonderland

Describe yourself in 3 words?

Determined.  Organized. Imaginative.

What would your general day to day routine be?

Promote my books, write a little more, and work on critique client manuscripts. Read in my spare moments. Some garden time!  A possible Skype Classroom Visit.

Thank you so much Conny, for this opportunity to strut my stuff.

* Website:
http://www.margotfinke.com

** BOOK CATALOGUE:  Email for your copy:
 mfinke@frontier.com
For Discounts--Autographs + Cheaper Postage.
* ORDER DIRECT from Catalogue.

* Skype Classroom Visit Details:
http://virtualschoolvisits.blogspot.com/

* Amazon  +  Kindle : 
http://tinyurl.com/j26s6wu

My Pinterest Boards:  Help and Guidance Boards  for Teachers.
http://www.pinterest.com/margotfinke/