Month: September 2018

Guest Blogger- Wendy Tyson

~ patyjag ~ 2 Comments

Giving Back Gives Back

By Wendy Tyson

My family moved from Philadelphia to Vermont last year, and I’ve spent the last ten months getting further acquainted with our new hometown. Small-town living is quite different from life in the sprawling suburb where we used to live. Everyone has been welcoming, and I’ve had the chance to get to know many of my neighbors, including the local florist. She and I found we have a mutual interest in plants and gardening. One conversation led to another and we decided to do a joint event: a book sale and signing at her shop with proceeds of the sale going to a local food bank. She would promote my books through consignment sales, and I would promote her shop by advertising the event. Hopefully the real winner will be the food bank we sponsor.

This obviously is a small event, and writers paying it forward is nothing new. Dean Koontz, Jonathan and Faye Kellerman, J.K. Rowling, John Grisham, James Patterson…these are just a few of the authors who have made donating to charities a priority. But giving back doesn’t have to mean major philanthropy. Looking to get more involved? Here are a few ways I’ve enjoyed contributing to the larger writing community—and the general public:

  • Get to know local libraries and independent bookstores. If I’m lucky enough to have a great indie bookstore nearby, I visit it frequently—attending events, buying books, mentioning it online, and offering to do signings.  Same for public libraries.  I’ve found local libraries to be a great support and resource.  You can offer to help the library by holding workshops and participating in speaking events. I’ve also donated signed books and Greenhous Mysteries-related items for raffles and auctions that benefit the library.
  • Mentor other writers. Once published, other writers will reach out—for guidance, support, even endorsements.  Taking the time to respond to them will mean a lot, even if you can’t do what they’re asking.  We’ve all been new authors at some point.  It can be difficult deciphering the confusing world of publishing, and new and aspiring authors appreciate the benefit of others’ experience.
  • Teach a class. Sharing your insight is a great way to give back. This can be done individually, but also through workshops and at conferences.  If you have a particular skill, offer to teach a class. Writing festivals are often looking for workshop leaders, as are libraries. Teaching is also a great way to make connections.
  • Visit book clubs. I love book clubs, and I’ve found book club visits to be a terrific way to connect with readers.  Plus, in my experience, book club members are incredibly appreciative of an author’s time.  Every time I attend one, I learn something new about my own work—and I make new friends.  You don’t have to go to someone’s house.  You can offer to meet in a public place (such as a library, coffee shop, or bookstore), or you can do it online via Skype or another platform.
  • Help kids. One of my favorite ways of giving back is by teaching kids and talking to kids about writing.  I’ve found kids of all ages eager to learn and excited about the possibilities.  Stop by your local schools and offer to talk to students, or reach out to local libraries or camps.
  • Do you write about a particular hobby? Children’s’ books? Does your day job offer a special skillset? Find a way to use your platform to raise money for a worthy cause related to your work—or a cause close to your heart. I love to raise money for a local animal rescue at my signings. Sometimes fund raising can be as simple as doing a book signing at a nonprofit event or donating proceeds on a given date to a charity of choice.
  • There really are endless ways you can volunteer to use your writing abilities to benefit others.  From taking on a role in a writing organization, to writing brochures for a local charity, to donating your time during a writing convention, you’ll likely find people eager for your help and expertise.
  • Organize around a cause. Last year I was invited to write a short story for an anthology that would benefit survivors of violent crime, especially domestic abuse survivors. The task was straight forward: write a short story that touches on domestic violence. The result was Betrayed: Powerful Stories of Kick-Ass Crime Survivors. Twenty-two crime authors, including Allison Brennan, donated their time and words to the anthology, and many other people gave marketing, design, or other expertise. The book came out last November and I can honestly say it was one of the most rewarding things I have been part of as an author. It all came together because of one woman’s vision and passion. Don’t be afraid to rally the troops for a good cause—or contribute to another’s project.

For me, a writing career has been a life-long dream. The chance to pay that opportunity forward? Priceless.

 

 

Cage match! You against your subconscious!

~ jordainasydneyrobinson ~ 6 Comments

JordainaHey y’all,

What’s the happs where you are? *listens* Cool. Uh-huh, yep. Okay. Let’s talk about me now!

Let me tell you what the happs are ‘round here. The biggest happ is that I have finally finished alllllllllllll of my courses. WOOP!

No, I’ve not just become a fully trained dentist/gardener/pilot/bounty hunter/Tasmanian devil catcher. (FYI, I am a fully trained Sports Massage Therapist and an EFL teacher and some other stuff, but that’s by the by.) The courses I’ve finished were writing-related courses. I say “writing-related”, but that’s a really loose description. I bought them because I thought they could help me with my writing career, but they weren’t necessarily directly related to writing in the sense that they taught you how to write a book.

When I was first starting out I spent thousands and thousands of pounds on these courses that promised to teach me how to do everything! How to write emails, how to get newsletter subscribers, how to master Facebook messaging, how to run AMS ads, how to conquer some other new fad. Every time something like that was advertised to me, I was like “Hell yeah! This will be so useful to me! Quick! Take my money!”. Because when you’re starting something new, it’s overwhelming. And you need a guide.

So, I bought them but never watched the videos or did the work. Ridiculously, right? I was working a day job, trying to steal moments to write so my writing career can take off … and yet, all that knowledge was just sitting on my hard drive, twiddling its thumbs, getting lonely and waiting for me to check in and find a use for it. Why? I was self-sabotaging. I can see this now.

And that’s a big thing to try to overcome because you’re not always aware of it. I wanted to be able to quit my job and write full-time, but a part of me, my subconscious that tries to keep me safe, didn’t think that it was a safe bet. So, she sabotaged me.giphy-10

I know that sounds crazy. And you might be one of these very lucky people who has a carefree subconscious who throws caution to the wind and you go on crazy adventures together. #Luckyyou My subconscious is more like, “Ooooh, do you see that cracked paving stone? Be really careful when you step on it. You might get your shoe caught, trip, completely lose your balance, hit your head on the curb as you fall, roll into traffic and get squished by that oncoming steamroller. Don’t you regret not wearing matching underwear today?”. Which is totally at odds with my conscious mind who happily lets me skip along over all the broken paving stones I want to.

So I’m taking steps to correct it (that makes it sound easy—it’s not easy, it’s an ongoing process!). See, my fully conscious mind was buying these courses because she saw the value in them, but my subconscious mind prevented me from actually completing them because she saw the “danger” in them.

Now, the “danger” was just that I’d get to quit my job and write full-time. And that’s an unknown situation. Hence my subconscious sounding the “Danger! Danger!” alarm.

So, if you have something you’re putting off, courses sitting on your hard drive, a conference, joining a writer’s group, doing something not writing-related at all, then take a moment and think about whether it’s your over-protective subconscious preventing you from doing it or if your reasons for not wanting to do it are genuine.
Now I’ve finished all the courses (there were eighteen!!), I feel awesome. It was hard going cajoling my subconscious the whole time, but I think it’s important to point out that we all self-sabotage. You just have to recognise it.
Until next time …

Jordaina 🙂

Nowhere man

~ sandyfairfax

By Sally Carpenter

My current writing project is putting my first novel, “The Baffled Beatlemaniac Caper,” back in print. Before I send the file to my publisher, I’m editing it for corrections and style. I haven’t read the book since it was published in 2011 and I had forgotten some things about my character, such as the fact he has a scar on his cheek that disappeared in the later books!

Being a little more experienced than where I was ten years go when I started writing mysteries, I’m more aware of clunky writing such as “He called the desk clerk on the room phone.” I changed it to “He phoned the desk clerk.” The story is set in 1993, so the protagonist had to use the hotel phone–cellphones were not yet commonplace.

The story takes place at a Beatles fan convention in which a member of the tribute band has been shot. The setting brings to mind the infamous “Paul McCartney is dead” hoax that has bewildered and amused fans for years. Like a detective story, various “clues” were uncovered that seem to prove the story.

On October 12, 1969, Russ Gibb, a DJ for radio station WKNR-FM, received a disturbing phone call from a caller who claimed if he listened to certain Beatles songs, he would hear proof that Paul McCartney was dead.

Shortly thereafter, Alex Bennett of WMCA-AM in New York told listeners of his radio show that the Beatles themselves had left “clues” pointing to the cute one’s demise.

Apparently Paul had stormed out of Abbey Road studios after an argument with the other Fabs and was decapitated in an auto accident on his way home. Apple Corps covered up the death to keep record sales alive. The missing bassist been replaced by a man named either William Campbell or Billy Shears, who had plastic surgery to resemble Paul. The band stopped touring so people wouldn’t notice the substitution.

In fact, Paul was involved in a car crash on November 9, 1966 while driving home after an all-night recording session, but he survived with minor injuries. In 1993 he poked fun at the hoax with an album named “Paul is Live.”

But the various “death clues” seem conclusive. On the “Sgt. Pepper’s” album cover, a funeral arrangement of flowers forms the shape of a left-handed bass, Paul’s instrument. The small statue in front center is an East Indian goddess, a symbol of rebirth.

Paul holds a black (the color of death) clarinet while the others have gold instruments.

A man has his hand raised over Paul’s head, a sign of blessing.

On the back of the “Sgt. Pepper’s” cover, Paul has his back to the camera while the other three face forward. George is pointing up at a song lyric that reads, “Wednesday morning at five o’clock,” the time of Paul’s death. The back cover is red, the color of blood.

The patch on Paul’s left sleeve says “OPD” (officially pronounced dead). Paul claimed the patch really meant “Ontario Police Department” and was an item he just picked up in a costume shop.

On the “Abbey Road” album cover, Paul is out of step with the other three Beatles and holds a cigarette, which is often called a “coffin nail.” He is barefoot, a sign of death. He wears burial clothes. John is dressed in white as an angel, Ringo wears an undertaker’s suit, and George is in gravedigger’s clothes.

The white VW to the left of the cover has a license plate “28 IF.” If Paul had survived the crash, he would have been 28 years old.

On the back of the “Abbey Road” cover, the word “Beatles” is painted on a wall. A crack runs through the word, a sign that the group has split apart.

The song “Come Together” says “one and one and one are three”—only three Beatles are left. “Come together over me” refers to the survivors gathered around Paul’s burial plot.

In the fadeout of “Strawberry Fields,” John seems to say, “I buried Paul.” But John has always claimed that he actually said “cranberry sauce.”

The sound montage of “Revolution No. 9” from “The Beatles” (White Album) has the sounds of a squealing tires, a fire, and a man saying “Get me out!” as if Paul were trying to escape from a burning car. A voice says “number nine” repeatedly which, if played backwards on an old-fashioned record player, sounds like “turn me on, dead men.”

The original “White Album” vinyl records included a photo poster. Paul’s headshot shows a scar above his lip—the result of plastic surgery on his replacement. (In reality, Paul injured his lip in the auto accident). Other photos on the poster show Paul’s apparently separated head floating in a bathtub and white ghost hands reaching out to grab him.

The amateur sleuth in my book discovers some interesting Beatle-ly clues as he tries to clear his name and find the killer. I’m having fun solving the crime with my hero again.