Seriously Folks

If Gallo buyers don't know when they buy a fake Pinot Noir, how could consumers? Says something about the American wine drinker don't you think? Shouldn't someone been able to taste or smell the difference between a vintage and a conglmeration of different wines, like the execs at Gallo? Wouldn't they be the experts? But it was probably a good deal.

But, how often do we get caught up in frauds because something looks, sounds, seems good, but isn't? The old adage, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is, still holds true. That free cruise might just be on a ship that was junked last year, a cruise line that went out of business or doesn't even have cruises to that part of the world any longer.

And we fool ourselves into believing we really should go with that vanity press because we will make the money back, and make a profit and retire rich. We can bypass the uneccessary things like agents and editors. After all, we are great self-editors-not.

How have you fooled yourself or been fooled lately?

Watching

I'm watching the Olympics and wishing I could do the equivelent of a gold medal with my books. But then, right now, if I don't get with the writing I won't have a new book to do anything with. I'm not a medal contender and won't be if I don't get myself back in gear.



So, how can I do that, convince that muse to come back, my hands to play the keyboard like a dulcimer or a painting, words to paint the story picture I want to share? Sheer will-power, tricks, inspirational reading.



Maybe Button, put butt on chair and write. Push through it.



How do you push through when your writing takes a nose dive instead of soaring?

Fun Stuff

Stolen from Yasmine Galenorn-Life on the Fringe@blogspot.com

(x) Shot a gun
(X) Gone on a blind date
(X)Skipped school
(X) Watched someone die
(x )Been to Canada
(x) Been to Alaska
( ) Been to Cuba
() Been to Europe
( ) Been to Las Vegas
( ) Been to Mexico
( ) Been to Hawaii
( ) Been to Florida
(x) Been on a plane
(x) Been on a cruise ship
() Served on a jury
(X) Been lost
() Gone to Washington, DC
( ) Swam in the ocean
(X) Cried yourself to sleep (hasn't everyone?)
(x ) Played cops and robbers
(x )Played cowboys/girls and Indians
( x) Recently colored with crayons. (markers, not crayons)
(x) Sang Karaoke (and I never will)
(X) Paid for a meal with coins only
(X) Done something you told yourself you wouldn't
() Made prank phone calls
(X) Laughed until some kind of beverage came out of your nose
(X) Caught a snowflake on your tongue
(X) Danced in the rain
(x) Written a letter to Santa Claus
(x) Been kissed under the mistletoe
(X) Watched the sunrise with someone
(X) Blown bubbles
(x) Gone ice-skating
( ) Gone snow skiing
(X) Camped out under the stars
(X) Seen something so beautiful that it took your breath away?
(X) have gotten married
(x) Have Children
(X) Had a Pet
()Been skinny dipping outdoors
(x) Been fishing
(x) Been boating
(x) Been water skiing
(x) Been hiking
(x ) Been camping in a trailer/RV
() Flown in a small 4 seater airplane
( ) Flown in a glider
() Been flying in a hot air balloon
( ) Been bungee-jumping or sky-diving
(X) Gone to a drive-in movie
( ) Done something that should have killed you (a few times)
(X) Done something that you will probably regret for the rest of your life
( ) Been arrested
( ) Gone to a nude beach

1. Any nickname? Non.
2. Mother's name? Letitia Florence
3. Favorite drink? Truffle Latte
4. Piercings? ears,
5. Tattoos? Nope, chicken
6. Love your retirement? Wish I could retire.
7. Birthplace? Chicago
8. Favorite vacation spot? Cuchara, CO
9. Been to Africa ? No
10. Ever eaten just cookies for dinner? Duh! Yah.
11. Ever been on TV? Yes
12. Ever steal any traffic signs? No
13. Ever been in a car accident? Yes
14. Drive a 2-door or 4-door vehicle? 4
15. Favorite Number? 6
16. Favorite movie? The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, Practical Magic
17. Favorite holiday? Samhain.
18. Favorite dessert? Chocolate Pie or icecream.
19. Where do you see yourself in 10 years? In my own home, writing full time.
20. Last musical artist or group you listened to? Sarah McLaughlin

How it All Started

People seem to think it's a little strange for a nurse to do creative things like write, paint, play the hammered dulcimer. But, I know a lot of nurses who do just that. In fact, the more you have to deal with life and death parts of nursing, the more you need an outlet for sanity.

Having said that, I've been writing and drawing and immersing myself in music long before I was a nurse. I've been a voracious reader since around the third grade. Loved to write essays in school (other kids hated me for that one.) I wrote book reviews for the library. I listened to musicals and Irish music and continued to draw.

Eventually, as an adult I began writing non fiction articles about medical subjects, pet care, music, clog dancing, anything I could think of. I also began writing fiction. Guess what? Fiction is harder to write and much more difficult to sell. I was well published in nonfiction long before I sold my first novel.

Non fiction is straight forward. You can research, outline, write and it follows logic. In comparison it's flat easier. But fiction is more fun. You can use your imagination, bring characters and places alive, create a world. Get lost in it.

If you go into writing for the money, go for nonfiction. You get to submit directly to an editor. Agents are not involved. When you get paid, you get paid, not your agent. But for a fun, exciting, addicting career, try fiction. Just be certain you have a high tolerance for frustration. I've enjoyed having my name on a nursing text book, my essay in a Chicken Soup for the Soul book, but nothing is as thrilling to me as holding my novel in my hand.

What Happened?

How can it be February? It was just Christmas. Now, my youngest turned 35, Imbolc came and went, Valentines day is almost here and we still have snow on the ground from last week. Craziness.

I have not managed to keep my January goal of writing 300 words a day. February is not looking too good so far. Life keeps on sneaking in ahead of writing. Maybe if I write at 10pm I'll have a better chance. At this rate, my "Dead Fairies" will be dead, gone and resurrected before the story is resolved.

It would help if I didn't feel the need to fix everything, help everyone, all those obsessive things nurse/moms do. I need to spend some time on the things I want to do. I've told myself that before. Now I need to carry through with that.

Who else out there spends more time fixing things for others than helping themselves? Leave me a comment.

Winners of the Tali Cates Contest!!!

Winners of the Tali Cates Mystery Contest!!!

Congrats to the winners of Carol Shenold’s Tali Cates Mystery Contest!!!

Dee Owens

Owner/CEO Personalized Marketing & Promotions

The Effect of a Short Story

Even in grade school I liked short stories. The one that stuck with me was a very short one I read in a comic book. It involved a child coming home after school, reaching her house, finding it dark when she opened the door, calling out and receiving no answer, reaching in to turn on the lights. Instead of the light switch her hand lands on a large spider. She screams, wakes up from the (wait or it) dream, still in class.

After school she laughs at herself for being silly, reaches home, a dark house and no answer when she calls out. This time when she reaches out, touches the spider, she doesn't wake up.

I never forgot the story. Never reach for a light switch in a dark room without the spider visiting me.

I graduated to Poe, Saki and other horror writers, read better crafted stories, but none of them took hold with the same intensity as the first. Of course, even before I read the horror comic, my grandmother prepped me with bed time stories about a killer in the 1940's who scattered body parts in the sewers of Chicago, or the lady who kept hat boxes on her shelf with children's heads stored in them. Both supposedly true stories. If my grandmother had been alive when mother found out about the sweet bedtime visits we had, mother would have killed her.

Now, surprise, I write horror, dark urban fantasy, paranormal mysteries, and love it as much as I loved those first tastes of the macabre. Safe scares, that's what it's all about. And placing characters in the situation of realizing the monster under the bed is real.

Come visit me at www.carolshenold.com