It's fun seeing my picture in the newspaper. Sometimes it even makes me feel better than seeing my book in print.
Francine Milford, community reporter for the Venice Herald-Tribune deserves kudos. She did a wonderful job interviewing me. She made me sound so good, I'd go and see ME and buy my book. And she took a great picture of me holding my book, LIVING WELL WITH MENOPAUSE. And you can even read the title of the book.
We met by the fountain outside the Jacaranda Library and she took pictures amid the Florida flora. Now, that's what I call low stress. Thanks, Francine. You are a credit to your profession.
I must admit, I've been interviewed under much more stressful conditions. Interviewers misspelled my name, made uninformed comments about my practice and books, and generally made me gasp and go into panic attacks when I saw what they'd written. But, not Francine. She presented the essential me.
Is this what this is all about---ME, ME, ME?
Maybe...
But...
after
*1 person shows up for a booktalk
*50 people show up for a booktalk and no one buys a book
*agents who ask to see my work and then never get back to me or even answer my e-mails after I've sent it
*not receiving the proper royalties and being told I'll get them, then never getting them
*and more---
having someone interview me and take my picture, and treat me like someone who might have something valuable to say... is truly wonderful!
If you want to read the interview and see ME and MY BOOK, go to www.heraldtribune.com/venice for September 28, 2005, Venice Community Central, p. 4B. (You can also click on the Herald Tribune Interview link to the right and be zoomed right there!)
Keep reading and writing----it all does even out!
Best,
Carolyn
Wednesday, September 28, 2005
Wednesday, September 14, 2005
Communicate This!
Living Well
It's amazing how one little communication, be it e-mail or phone can make, and sometimes break, my day.
Am I normal, and is this your experience, too? (Please say yes so I don't have to
commit myself to my local psychiatric facility!)
Two days ago, I got a call back from BAM corporate after I'd called my local bookstore and asked to come in and autograph my books. The cashier couldn't tell me, and the manager asked me to call corporate, which I did. I left a long and involved message on someone's answering machine about my book, me, and the history of the world as I know it.
I thought that was that. Then, wonder of wonders, I got a call back from a wonderful female BAM employee who schedules events at BAM stores. She apologized for not leaving a message on my machine a few days earlier. I was just glad she called back. I learned that she could set up events at the bigger BAM stores by partnering with community organizations---what a great idea! She also told me when and where to do book signings that might even result in the sale of some books.
I hung up feeling as if I'd made a friend, and better yet, made a connection with a PR genius.
Then yesterday, my agent e-mailed that yet another editor had turned down another of my books, and that he may not be able to sell it. The air went out of my balloon in about a millisecond.
Last night, unable to get myself to write a word, I sent out a gizillion queries via e-mail, my favorite communication tool. Immediately I got back three replies informing me, "this is not for me." Okay, at least you're up and working, I thought, but I was still depressed from my agent's comment.
Then came an e-mail just before I turned off my computer companion that sent me into an even deeper depression. She wrote that the beginning just did not pull her in as much as she had hoped, so bye bye.
This after I had just revised the beginning to make it a snappier, more in the middle of the action start. Oh well...
Today, I got a chatty e-mail about my query and how "this sounds like great fun" and other such encouraging comments. Now I'm back on top of the world again. Of course, there is that soft nagging voice in the back of my head...she may change her mind after she reads pages.
I guess I've mastered the art of query letters, but it could be the novel itself that needs work. Back to the drawing, or should I say writing, board.
Before I go, should you yearn for the sound of my voice, you can download my voice video by going to http://home.earthlink.net/~cccwellness. Ah, the wonder of electronics. (Let me know if you find any snafus upon reaching that web site.)
Keep reading and writing...
Carolyn
It's amazing how one little communication, be it e-mail or phone can make, and sometimes break, my day.
Am I normal, and is this your experience, too? (Please say yes so I don't have to
commit myself to my local psychiatric facility!)
Two days ago, I got a call back from BAM corporate after I'd called my local bookstore and asked to come in and autograph my books. The cashier couldn't tell me, and the manager asked me to call corporate, which I did. I left a long and involved message on someone's answering machine about my book, me, and the history of the world as I know it.
I thought that was that. Then, wonder of wonders, I got a call back from a wonderful female BAM employee who schedules events at BAM stores. She apologized for not leaving a message on my machine a few days earlier. I was just glad she called back. I learned that she could set up events at the bigger BAM stores by partnering with community organizations---what a great idea! She also told me when and where to do book signings that might even result in the sale of some books.
I hung up feeling as if I'd made a friend, and better yet, made a connection with a PR genius.
Then yesterday, my agent e-mailed that yet another editor had turned down another of my books, and that he may not be able to sell it. The air went out of my balloon in about a millisecond.
Last night, unable to get myself to write a word, I sent out a gizillion queries via e-mail, my favorite communication tool. Immediately I got back three replies informing me, "this is not for me." Okay, at least you're up and working, I thought, but I was still depressed from my agent's comment.
Then came an e-mail just before I turned off my computer companion that sent me into an even deeper depression. She wrote that the beginning just did not pull her in as much as she had hoped, so bye bye.
This after I had just revised the beginning to make it a snappier, more in the middle of the action start. Oh well...
Today, I got a chatty e-mail about my query and how "this sounds like great fun" and other such encouraging comments. Now I'm back on top of the world again. Of course, there is that soft nagging voice in the back of my head...she may change her mind after she reads pages.
I guess I've mastered the art of query letters, but it could be the novel itself that needs work. Back to the drawing, or should I say writing, board.
Before I go, should you yearn for the sound of my voice, you can download my voice video by going to http://home.earthlink.net/~cccwellness. Ah, the wonder of electronics. (Let me know if you find any snafus upon reaching that web site.)
Keep reading and writing...
Carolyn
Thursday, September 08, 2005
Miss Snark To the Rescue
Living Well
I love Miss Snark. She is quick, quick-witted and snappy!
I queried her about a querying process that has me bamboozled. According to one of my writing listservs, some agents are requesting marketing plans at the time you query them about a book.
That sounded premature, but I'm not an expert on these things. That's why I went to my hero, Miss Snark. I was so happy to find that she agrees, and says you do that after you sign on the dotted line with an agent, and you do it together because (this isn't a direct quote) "I know a helluva lot more about marketing than my clients do and together we'll work out how to position the book."
Here I was thinking I had to go back and get an MBA to submit my ideas. Miss Snark made me feel all warm and fuzzy.
Thank you, Miss Snark!
Keep on reading and writing,
Carolyn
I love Miss Snark. She is quick, quick-witted and snappy!
I queried her about a querying process that has me bamboozled. According to one of my writing listservs, some agents are requesting marketing plans at the time you query them about a book.
That sounded premature, but I'm not an expert on these things. That's why I went to my hero, Miss Snark. I was so happy to find that she agrees, and says you do that after you sign on the dotted line with an agent, and you do it together because (this isn't a direct quote) "I know a helluva lot more about marketing than my clients do and together we'll work out how to position the book."
Here I was thinking I had to go back and get an MBA to submit my ideas. Miss Snark made me feel all warm and fuzzy.
Thank you, Miss Snark!
Keep on reading and writing,
Carolyn
Sunday, September 04, 2005
Insider Information
Living Well
Got a stock rejection from an agent stating, "This is not quite right for my list."
Translation: It sucks.
But, at the bottom, in a PS, was a helpful piece of information, to wit, "I recommend 78 Reasons Why Your Book May Never Be Published and 14 Reasons Why It Just Might by Pat Walsh. I learned quite a bit myself from hearing an editor's perspective on the process."
Loved the advice, expecially that the agent was so human (gosh, they can learn something too!), and willing to share. I'm finding this more and more lately, and I like it so much better than a form letter on poor quality paper that's a third or fourth copy, don't you? Miss Snark is of course, my best example, because she publishes her comments on her blog for all to see, and does it daily. What a dear!
I immediately cranked up my computer to Amazon.com. I found the book with 5 reviews, the majority negative because the author was nasty. I couldn't care less if the advice is good. Unfortunately no sample pages could I find, but at the bottom of that page, in that great little space where it says something like, "People who bought this book also bought..." I found Noah Lukeman's The First Five Pages.
Mr Lukeman or his publisher were kind enough to furnish sample pages. The information in them was elementary (don't send in manuscripts with red marks and coffee stains on them), something I learned in first grade, but I imagine the advice will get better as I read through the book.
I typed in my library's address and found both were available and I reserved them. If they turn out to be as helpful as I hope, I will buy them and put them on my reference shelf. Better yet, I'll place them on my writing table and refer to them often.
Keep on reading and writing!
Best,
Carolyn
Got a stock rejection from an agent stating, "This is not quite right for my list."
Translation: It sucks.
But, at the bottom, in a PS, was a helpful piece of information, to wit, "I recommend 78 Reasons Why Your Book May Never Be Published and 14 Reasons Why It Just Might by Pat Walsh. I learned quite a bit myself from hearing an editor's perspective on the process."
Loved the advice, expecially that the agent was so human (gosh, they can learn something too!), and willing to share. I'm finding this more and more lately, and I like it so much better than a form letter on poor quality paper that's a third or fourth copy, don't you? Miss Snark is of course, my best example, because she publishes her comments on her blog for all to see, and does it daily. What a dear!
I immediately cranked up my computer to Amazon.com. I found the book with 5 reviews, the majority negative because the author was nasty. I couldn't care less if the advice is good. Unfortunately no sample pages could I find, but at the bottom of that page, in that great little space where it says something like, "People who bought this book also bought..." I found Noah Lukeman's The First Five Pages.
Mr Lukeman or his publisher were kind enough to furnish sample pages. The information in them was elementary (don't send in manuscripts with red marks and coffee stains on them), something I learned in first grade, but I imagine the advice will get better as I read through the book.
I typed in my library's address and found both were available and I reserved them. If they turn out to be as helpful as I hope, I will buy them and put them on my reference shelf. Better yet, I'll place them on my writing table and refer to them often.
Keep on reading and writing!
Best,
Carolyn
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