nanowrimo.org (to challenge your creativity)

ourecho.com (to share your stories)

writingfix.com (writing prompts)

copyright.gov

grammarbook.com

sfwa.org/beware (avoid scams)

aaronline.org (Assoc. of Author Reps)

writersweekly.com (great tips)

absolutewrite.com (great resource)

fundsforwriters.com (excellent market list)

writersmarket.com (another great market list+)

writersdigest.com

sfwa.org (sci-fi)

freelance-zone.com

coffeetimeromance.com

booktour.com

authorsden.com

March 18, Thursday: Watermark Books, Douglas & Oliver, Wichita, KS 7:00 PM (reading and signing)

March 20, Saturday: Barnes & Noble, Bradley Fair, Wichita, KS 2-5:00 PM (signing)

April 3, Saturday: Border’s Books, 21st & Maize, New Market Square, Wichita, 1-3:00 PM (signing)

The key to good dialog is good listening skills. I took a playwriting class in college and one of our assignments was to go to a public place (restaurant, the mall, bookstore) and eavesdrop.  It was great fun having permission to eavesdrop, because my folks didn’t approve of that when I was growing up.  The rest of the assignment was to write it down and develop a story around it in play format.  It worked. I listened and it peaked my imagination as well as my curiosity.

Writing a play, which is basically all dialog, is much different than writing a novel.  But the dialog element is the same.  Write with honesty and a clear voice. If the character wouldn’t curse, then don’t put it in your dialog. Write the words you hear your character saying as if they are talking aloud to you.  Listen carefully to their phrasing and intonation. If they speak in clipped tones, then the dialog should be short, clipped sentences.  If they tend to drone on a bit, then write longer more descriptive sentences in keeping with the character.

The next time you’re in a crowded restaurant, listen to a piece of the conversation going on at the table beside you.  Write it down.  When you get home, write a story around it. It’ll be a fun learning experience.

You can also order Feisty Family Values on-line from Borders.com, Barnesandnoble.com, and Amazon.com.

My first book signing is coming up soon, March 18th at Watermark and March 20th at Barnes & Noble Bradley Fair.  Both stores have put a blurb about the event on their web sites, plus there is a detailed list of appearances under “Calendar of Events” on this web site (right menu, about half way down).  Very cool.  Barnes & Noble have Feisty Family Values on order now.

I’m looking forward to seeing you at one of my appearances. Thank you for your interest in Feisty Family Values, I hope you enjoy the story.

I’ve spent many hours with the Kansas Writers Association and Scribbler’s Writing Group in the Watermark basement meeting room.   Sunday a short review of Feisty Family Values was posted under “New and Recommended” from Watermark on the Eagle Book page.  It made me smile and Sarah Bagby checked in today to make sure I’d seen it.

I love bookstores. They are my favorite place to write.  I spend lots of hours at the Borders Bookstore near my home, and often arrive early for a meeting at Watermark just so I can write. My former critique group used to meet at Barnes and Noble weekly, I love them all. There’s just something about the atmosphere in a bookstore that is conducive to writing (for me).  And once I have my favorite latte and settle back into a story, the sights and sounds become comfortable white noise.  AND, you have only to look at my personal library to know that I don’t just write at bookstores, I buy books, too.  Lots of books.

So, spend some quality time in your local bookstores and you’ll find that they totally rock!

Once you find that publisher and you’ve signed a contract you begin editing again.  If you’re lucky you get to consult on the cover art, the catalog information, and the jacket blurb.  You’ll do a little more editing perhaps, some formatting, then the final manuscript goes to the next step. 

You receive your “advanced review copies” and start the process of obtaining reviewers not already notified by the publisher.  You show your ARC to everyone and fill the thrill of having the product almost complete.  You begin developing a marketing and promotional plan, ordering bookmarks, give aways, and visiting bookstores in your area. 

The book gets released, which means it ships to the distributors who ship it to the bookstores, who display it or ship it to the customer like Amazon.com.  You set up readings and signings, targeting your audience for those that would enjoy your story.  You agree to speak to groups interested in you, your story, or some of the topics your novel covers.  You buy a few books for those events not sponsored by bookstores, obtain a sales tax number and off you go.

Every step is exciting and new.  You meet wonderful people along the way.  You learn and teach and gush with pride when someone loves your book.  The journey truly is a many step success, filled with joy and tempered with a little fear.  Let’s hope when I start to do my speaking and such my hair cooperates.

Write on, my friends.

“All time spent writing is good time.”

“There’s nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so.” – William Shakespeare

‘Nuff said.

In Active Aging you’ll read about 2 SPECIAL OLYMPICS VOLUNTEERS who have made a huge difference to the community through a group called Wichita Independents.  They’ve been involved over half their lives and even found each other at a Kansas Special Olympics sporting event.

You can pre-order copies from Amazon.com, Borders.com or BN.com (Barnes & Noble) and any independent bookstore near you.  Local Wichita stores will no doubt be stocking it, but if you don’t live in the area you may need to order it, which isn’t a bad idea.  The nice thing about ordering it from your local bookstore is you don’t have to pay shipping.  But Amazon and Barnes & Noble are discounting it, so it may be a wash.

For those of you that want to purchase a copy from me, signed of course, send me an email at bd@bdtharp.com and let’s discuss the logistics. I will have to charge shipping, though.

Thank you for your interest and for your support.  To all my writing buddies – keep writing, dreams do come true!

BD

We all want to be best sellers, and Oprah’s Book Club has been a great way to launch a book into the national public eye.  Would I be willing to go to Chicago and camp outside Harpo Studios?  Not on my budget and besides I have a day job.  I’ll have to hope that somehow Oprah finds Feisty Family Values and likes what she reads.  Wish me luck – and yes, I do dream big!