Friday Favorite

PROJECT GUTENBERG

Free Books!

Project Gutenberg has over 100,000 books available on-line with 30,000 FREE for the clicking. And they're not crap books either. The current Top Ten list (in terms of most downloaded):

1. The Outline of Science, Vol. 1 (of 4) by J. Arthur Thomson
   
2. The Kama Sutra by Vatsyayana
   
3. Manners, Customs, and Dress During the Middle Ages and During the Renaissance Period by P. L. Jacob
   
4. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
   
5. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
   
6. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
   
7. A Room with a View by E. M. Forster
   
8. Illustrated History of Furniture by Frederick Litchfield
   
9. Fifteen Thousand Useful Phrases by Grenville Kleiser
   
10. Sex by Henry Stanton
    

Except for Number 1, I'd read all those books. In fact, I already have the Illustrated History of Furniture. I keep it with me at all times. ;)

So...which one will you get?

Camping Photos

Watermelon!


Pesto Lasagna in the dutch oven

Lunch Line

Peaceful


Me, happy to be home again

Blog Break Week?

Wasn't that last week? Nope. For some reason, the cosmos seems to have decided for me, it's this week.

I haven't had a spare moment to blog until now, and I'm currenly NOT writing because I'm blogging. Lots of discussion about that going on lately...

Updates:
The Invisible Sister: currenly in first round edits on chapter five. Not exactly a blistering pace we've set. However....my lovely and talented artist friend Heidi is starting on the concept drawing for the cover. I'm very excited to see my main character in person!

The crazy guy who owns the derelict house behind us: Today (it being 98 degrees), he raked the dirt, as per usual, and then had a group of miscreants install new supports (2x4 cast-offs from some construction site) for his plywood planters. The dead tree he planted in the front yard remains really, most sincerely dead. But the dirt he watered last month has sprouted all manner of invasive weeds.

The Knee: I go in tomorrow afternoon to chat with my orthopedic surgeon. I'm expecting they'll want an MRI, but I'm hoping we can just go ahead and scope it instead.

Newest really stupid toy that had to be invented by a guy: The Marshmellow Launcher. Seriously...launching marshmellows? Did we really need a tool to improve food fights?

My W.I.P.: Despite not taking the blog-cation last week to write, I did manage to put down about 1,500 words on my WIP and...shhh....

I still love my book. :)

That's not bragging...is it?

....aaaaand out!

Worked my a** off this week. Had no time to blog. Headed up to Atlanta (Idaho) to camp this weekend. See y'all Monday!

Step-by-Step Marketing Plan

"The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time."
--Thomas Edison (italics mine)

Marketing! The term that strikes terror in the hearts of no one...but should. Those writers who've been through the task of creating a marketing plan know what I mean.

When the glorious day of acceptance comes, we start fretting over edits, dithering over which pen to use for signings (me--guilty) and cringing at the thought of sitting at a table in B&N, with a stack of books nobody wants signed (guilty again). I never gave marketing a thought.

Now, I'm in the midst of creating a marketing plan. Most small presses (like mine) will require you to do a healthy portion of your own marketing. I can tell you, it takes hours and hours of research and planning. Below is a list I received from our managing editor last week on how to begin the process. It is by no means complete, but I thought it might be interesting to read.

1) Set up your blog at http://www.blogspot.com/. Blog about your writing.
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2) Join facebook.com, linkedin.com, authorsden.com, myspace.com, Jacketflap.com, hubpages.com, whohub.com, editred.com, redroom.com, published.com and twitter.com. Complete your profiles.
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3) Write or update your promotional plan:
Start your promotional proposal "The author will give talks and do publicity in the following XX major markets:..." Follow this with a list of the large cities and their satellite cities that you will get yourself to. Give yourself a national tour.
The author will continue to give XX talks a year.
The author will sell X,XXX books a year." First-year sales may be higher than those in succeeding years because your book is new, and you're promoting it. If your book is published as a hardcover, sales may be higher after it's published in paperback. Later sales may also be larger as you become well-known or as your future books build the market for your previous books.
If you can, establish a partnership with a business or nonprofit organization that will commit to buying a large quantity of books, sending you around the country as a spokesperson, or lending its name to the book, make the last page of your proposal a letter from your partner with as long a list as possible of what the organization will do to promote your book.
List what your media/speaker's kit will contain. Give round numbers for the lists of media people to whom you will send the media kit. Indicate which of these people will receive a promotional copy of the book.
List the ways that you will use your Web site for promotion.
List trade and consumer conferences and conventions at which you know that you will be able to speak during the first year after publication.
List your contacts at media who have told you they will do a review, an article or an interview on publication.
List opinion-makers whose names will give your book credibility and salability in fifty states two years from now and thereafter; who will give you quotes for your book?
Consider doing two promotion plans: one for when and after your book is published and a lifetime plan.
End your promotion plan like this: "The author's promotional efforts will be coordinated with those ideas of the publisher."
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4) Set up your website for your new title.
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5) List tie-in merchandise and organizations.
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6) Write your book summary.
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7) Write a back cover blurb.
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8) Write a chapter out-line for each book chapter to prepare for your art work.
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9) Plan your Book Launch. Think in terms of about 18 months from acceptance to tentatively set a date.
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10) Start your sequel.

Friday Favorite!

I LOVE THIS!!

MIT is offering coursework on-line (syllabi, lecture notes, audio and video lectures, exams, etc.) for 1,900 different courses...ALL FOR FREE!! It's through their OpenCourse Ware program.

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I checked into the Spanish I course. There was a syllabus, 24 class assignments, links to the teaching videos, etc. I can't wait to start my own Spanish class!

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Not to mention...what a great resource for us writers!

Photo found at http://www.bcps.org/offices/lis/models/Fever/images/old%20library.jpg

Friday Funny

At camp this week, my son has a lab partner named Camille. Cute girl, about eight or nine. All the kids wear name tags, so I knew her name.

He's been working with her all week, so I was surprised this morning to hear him say her name.

"Camel said our diorama is almost done."

"Did you say Camel?" [trying not to smile].

"That's her name."

"Have you been calling her that all week?" [trying not to laugh]

"That's her name!"

I decided not to correct him. If she doesn't care that he calls her Camel, I guess I don't either.

Photo courtesty of: http://fohn.net/camel-pictures-facts/bactrian-camels.html

Threes for Thursday

Pets:

1. Dieter (the duck) eats dirt.

2. Still no eggs. (That's probably good in Dieter's case. Dirt eggs, ick.)

3. Jose is still alive.

Kids:

1. Hailey gets more beautiful every time I see her.

2. She is worried that her (25-year old) hands look 'old-lady'. "I mean, are they supposed to look like this?!!" she says.

"Smooth and wrinkle-free? Um, yes."

I hid my hands behind my back.

3. Xander and I are watching all five Harry Potter movies before we see the new one. We start Number 4 tonight. It's been a long week.

Misc.

1. Advice from the doctor regarding lingering nerve pain: "Take more medicine. " Oh how novel. I bet I get a bill for that, too.

2. I'm going to have a great Friday Favorite tomorrow. Be sure to check back!

3. I made the 826 Valencia donation on-line -- an even $40 in case a few more people wanted to play, but couldn't. Thanks again to everyone who participated! This is the last I'll mention it.

Back to the Grindstone

I haven't posted about my editing adventure lately. We're still working through the first round of edits, which mostly involve taking out the passive verbs. We're only up to chapter 5. There are 16 chapters in my book. It is taking an excruciatingly long time. But then, why am I surprised? It's publishing after all.



Which brings me to my next (oh-so-tenuously-related) topic: response times on queries.



Who out there has submissions out? Raise your hands. And who out there has gotten a response this year within the expected response time window? Did all the hands drop? Mine did.



I finally received a couple responses last week. There were for mss I queried last year. Both were at least two months past the expected response time. (...and, in case you were wondering, both were rejections--one hand written though, and very encouraging.) I still have four subs out. Waiting. Waiting. Waiting



Can I get a collective UGH! I understand editors are slam busy and that every laid-off computer tech between Bar Harbor and Silcon Valley has suddenly decided they've always wanted to write a book. All I'm asking is that publishers change the estimated response time on their website! If I'm not going to get a response for seven months, just let me know. I can wait; I'm a patient person. (ok...I'm not, but I've learned to pretend after six years writing children's books.)



In other news, I think I tore my meniscus. Playing soccer. AGAIN! So, says my friend who's a doctor, "Please don't hate me, but do you think maybe it's time to...er...stop playing soccer?"



[sigh]



Yes, it's probably true. But I LOVE soccer. When I'm playing, I forget about all the day-to-day stuff and concentrate on one bouncing ball and the back of one net. Tennis is fun; volleyball is great. But they're just not the same.



Anyway, I'll probably get my knee scoped in the next couple weeks. It's been a bad year for us, medically and otherwise. I'd recap it all, but it would only depress me. However...



...in good news, Hailey comes today!! :) My beautiful step-daughter who now lives in DC will be with us for a week, mostly camping and fishing. We plan to celebrate both the July birthdays this weekend and have lots of family get-togethers. Now, I just have clean the house.

36 for 826!

Thanks soooo much to everyone who participated in my Thon-a-Rama! Because of your generous clicks, I'll be sending a check in the amount of $36 to the good piratey folks at 826 Valencia...and more young writers will write!

Since we didn't make our goal of $100 this time, I'll try again in a couple months. In the meantime, we'll return tomorrow to my regularly scheduled blog.

Final 24 Hours!

The Pirate Store -- 826 Valencia

Yay!! Thanks so much to all my new followers! And thanks to Tess and anyone else who's posted a link to my blog! We're up to about $35 in donations.

We still have 24-hours before the Thon-a-Rama closes. Tell your writer friends! It would be great if we could reach $100!!

Anyone who doesn't have a blog to link, can still participate! Just leave a comment by clicking below and posting your name and favorite flavor of jelly. If you're a livejournaler, you can friend my livejournal page instead: HERE.

I swung by 826 Valencia while I was in San Francisco this weekend (photo above). The pirate store was just as fun and funny as ever. As I stood reading the top ten pracitical jokes to play on pirates (5. Switch his monkey with one that pinches), a trap door above me opened and five mop heads fell on my head. Everyone in the store clapped. It was the second time I've been mopped, so luckily I didn't scream. :)

I also peeked into the back room, where all the wonderful writing happens. A few teenagers were hustling around, possibly setting up for a workshop.

It was great to see the space, and imagine it full of kids writing and talking, laughing and sharing their work. We don't have anything like 826 Valencia in Boise, but I wish we did.

Support 826 Valencia and give kids who WANT to write the opportunity. All it takes is a click.

THON-A-RAMA!!

Ok, my last post was a little long, so I'm repeating my offer in a shorter version today.

826 Valencia -- A group that teaches workshops and one-on-one lessons to children 6-18 in several cities across the US. The depend a lot on donations and volunteer time.

All you have to do is "FOLLOW" this blog and I will donate $1 for every person who does (up to $100). Just click on the button to the right above my current followers.

If you DON'T HAVE A BLOGSPOT ACCOUNT, no worries. Just leave me a comment below with your name and your favorite flavor of jelly and I'll still donate $1 for you.

If you have a LIVEJOURNAL ACCOUNT, you can 'friend' me at my livejournal account instead.

All you have to do is CLICK to HELP YOUNG WRITERS FOLLOW THEIR DREAM!!!

(Fellow bloggers, you can help me get the word out with a little 'shout out' on your blog. All for a good cause!)

Friday Favorite

Nope, you haven't missed three days. I'm doing my Favorite early because I'll be in San Francisco on Friday! Hubby and I are taking a no-kids trip with our friends down the street to the City by the Bay. We'll be lingering over lo mein in Chinatown while the kids spend the weekend with the nanny extraoridinaire. I foresee an abundance of popsicles and cervezas, depending on the craving.

But that's not my Friday Favorite. It's this:

826 Valencia

Some of you might have been to the store at 826 Valencia. If so, you'll know what a...er...odd experience it is. The most common question heard by the clerks: "What the heck is this place?" (In fact, you should click here to read the FAQ's for a good laugh.) The place is, in fact, a pirate store. They sell pirate things...like old rope, used candles, lard, glass eyes. Just writing about it makes me laugh. The truth is (shhh) the pirate store is just a front!

This was told to me third hand so the details are sketchy, but the story I heard goes something like this. David Eggers (yes, the author) bought the building and wanted to use it for writing workshops. The City of San Francisco however informed him that the zoning would not allow that use; it had to be a retail space. After much wrangling on Mr. Eggers part, and no budging on the city's part, Mr. Eggers decided to create a pirate store.

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He made a room at the front, filled it with any used, old, broken crap that seemed the least bit pirate-y (think bars of used soap for swabbing the deck) and claimed it was for sale. Needless to say, he didn't make much money on this. But it did leave the whole back of the building to be used for incidental uses, which I guess the City of SF agreed could include children's writing workshops.

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Viola 826 Valencia. Per their website, the group is dedicated to supporting students ages 6 to 18 with their writing skills, and to helping teachers get their students excited about the writing. Our work is based on the understanding that strong writing skills are fundamental to future success and that great leaps in learning can be made when skilled tutors work one-on-one with students.

Look over their website. They do great, great work! And they rely on donations.

Here's the pitch:

I'll donate $1 (up to $100) for every person who 'follows' my blog in the next week. I currently have 16 followers...I'll donate a dollar for each of them, just 'cause they're great people! So, next Tuesday, at whatever time I manage to drag myself to my computer, however many followers I have at that time will be the amount I write on the check.

Tell your friends! Post a link on your blog! With all the children's writers out there, I'm sure we can get to $100 in a week! Click away! :)

So busy!

I have too much going on, and will need to split Monday into two seperate days in order to get it all done.

1. I had a meeting this morning with a client. We decided to tear off the back of his house and add a basement to the addition, which means I have lots more design work to do. (In vaguely related news, my architecture website is up: www.AACArchitecture.com )
2. I have a case being heard at Planning & Zoning tonight. The city staff is recommending denial, so it will be an uphill battle. I hate going in with a denial recommendation.
3. I have to set my hubby up with a cell phone. His new job requires him to have one. Techno-challenged as he is, he's never had one before. I expect lots of calls like, "I dialed the number but it never goes through." ["You have to hit 'talk' after you dial, sweetheart."]
4. I sent off a bunch of revisions this morning.
5. I have to get the X-boy to and from camp. (So happy to see four of his classmates run up when we got there.)
6. I need to review revisions to my WIP that I made over the weekend. (About 1,300 new words! The ms is about 1/3 to 1/2 done. Still really loving the characters.)
7. And lastly, I heard from my managing editor last night that we'll be getting down to work on some things later today, so I left my afternoon as open as possible.

I had planned to post on synopses today, but I'm afraid it will have to wait until tomorrow ... or Wednesday.

Random info: X and I are watching all five Harry Potter movies in preparation for The Half-Blood Prince release on July 17th!

Friday Favorite -- X

X -- See How We Are

I'll bet the vast majority of you have never heard of the band X, or their song 4th of July. I first heard 4th of July on (yes, quite trite) the 4th of July, 1992. A gang of us were hanging out at Bob's Garage...Bob being our friend who lived in a renovated garage across from the university. At some point, Bob yelled something I didn't catch and ran inside to change the music. When he came out, 4th of July was blaring across the small yard. The neighbors must have loved us. Every year since on the 4th of July, I always think of lying on the hood of Bob's old junker bohemeth, listening to X on a warm, humid NC night.

Bob in his garage, second fr. left, Halloween 1990.

Bob died of cancer just a couple years later. He was so young and so full of life, even now I have trouble believing he's gone. In memoriam of Bob, my friday favorite is X's 4th of July. I hope wherever he is, they let him homebrew.

Dropping Eaves

Conversation overheard between my 8-year old and his buddy:


X: Lots of stores are going out of business.

J: Yes, it's 'cause the e-CON-omic is so bad.

X: This will probably be the worst financial we'll ever live in.

J: No, there was, I think, one that was worse.

X: Yeah, but we weren't alive for that, so it doesn't count.


Hmmm....I wonder what their parents have been stressing over...

Lesson for the day: Little pitchers have big ears.

* - * Cause for Celebration * - *

Yay! The doctor finally called back. The results of my second MRI are clean. Nothing is in my head except what's supposed to be there. What a relief!
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Another reason...my hubby and son are going backpacking for a couple days which should give me some writing time! :)

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Today, I'm spending the day with my son then going to my critique group this evening. Sweet!