Don’t Be Shy

Meeting other writers can be challenging because writing is a solitary activity. Most writers who are serious about their work are more concerned with spending face-to-face time with the computer than reaching out to other writers. For many writers, “networking” is what they hope the Geek Squad will do for them one day.

But writers do need to meet other writers, if only because non-writers don’t give a fig about the overuse of adverbs and dialogue tags. You’ll have to find other writers to talk to if you want to ask questions about the proper way to write a book proposal, how to pitch a story idea, or the best way to learn SEO writing. Whether you are writing as a career or because you simply love to write, finding other writers can be as important as learning how to use Word. Writers are all over the Internet, and for those who prefer to converse with a human, writing groups, workshops, and seminars can be found in almost every city.

Pick your method for meeting other scribblers, and don’t be shy. After eight years as a professional writer, I still get what I call “Author Awe” any time I talk to writers with more experience and better clips than I have. And never, not once, have any of the more esteemed writers I’ve met, in person or on the Internet, been anything other than helpful and gracious. That’s not to say there aren’t some stinkers out there; I’m sure there are plenty of surly and anti-social writers in the world. In my case, however, I can honestly say I haven’t met them.

I’m always surprised when a busy and successful writer takes the time to ask me about what I’m writing. Honestly, the last time this happened, I was shocked. Author Awe hit me. Why would anyone want to talk to a regional writer like me? Well, if you’re a writer, you know that writers are curious. We ask questions. We tend to be nosy. And we like to talk to other writers. After I got over being shy, I had a good e-mail conversation with the other writer (and mostly got over my Author Awe).

If you get the chance to talk (or e-mail) with a more established/published writer, don’t be shy, but don’t overwhelm her, either. To make the most of the contacts you make with other writers, especially those a few steps ahead of you, I recommend:

--Be friendly, but keep it professional. Don’t share your unabridged life story in the first five minutes. Actually, unless you become exceptionally good friends, don't share the unabridged version at all.

--Asking simple questions is fine. Asking the other writer to read your 1,000-page novel and give you a critique is not.

--If you’re at a writing group or seminar, keep your questions on topic. A writer speaking about the techniques of writing narrative non-fiction isn’t there to answer your questions on copyright.

--Be brief. Don’t monopolize the conversation. Every writing group, seminar, or workshop I’ve attended included one attendee who just couldn’t seem to stop talking, and talking, and talking… all while the writer who was speaking tried desperately to get the talker to shut up. If you have a long story or involved question, ask the other writer if you may contact her via e-mail or telephone.

--If you are e-mailing, remember to use proper punctuation, spelling, etc. Every piece of correspondence leaves an impression. Most e-mail correspondence should also be brief.

--If you’ve met on a social networking site (Facebook, Twitter, etc.), a little extra friendliness is fine, even appropriate. Just remember that while your old college pals might think those pictures of you after an evening of Jager Bombs are oh-so-funny, your new writer friend might not.

--Be sensitive to the clues that the conversation/e-mail exchange is done.

Don’t be shy, but don’t be a bonehead, either. Keep some simple guidelines in mind, and you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how willing other writers are to talk to you.
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Picture courtesy of Kylie White at http://www.sxc.hu/photo/550911

A New Boyfriend & Other Writing Prompts

It’s time for some writing prompts! Pick a prompt that grabs your attention, and freewrite for ten minutes. When you’re done, you might have the start of a new story, or you might not. Don’t worry about the end result—just write!

--Linda’s mother had a new boyfriend, and Linda decided she didn’t like him because….
--Have you ever won a contest?
--Bob found his wife passed out in the bathroom, and he mistakenly assumed….
--Are you taking a vacation this summer?

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Picture courtesy of Brenda Lamothe Coulomme at http://www.sxc.hu/photo/353521

Frank McCourt: An Inspiration to Millions

On Sunday, the world lost a very special author, a man with a voice and a story that inspired millions. Frank McCourt’s first memoir, Angela’s Ashes, received the Pulitzer Prize, and he followed up his incredible debut with two more memoirs, Teacher Man and ‘Tis. When I heard he had passed away, I felt like I had lost a friend.

When I meet aspiring memoir writers, I tell them to read Angela’s Ashes. McCourt’s first book is a testament to the power of a well-told story and proof that one need not be famous to have had a fascinating life. If you’re a writer struggling to understand voice, read Angela’s Ashes. McCourt’s voice is lyrical and sad, coarse and delicate; he gave us far more than just the narrative of a childhood filled with abject poverty and challenges that would break many a grown man. He took his readers back in time with him. When I read Angela’s Ashes, I had to stop sometimes because the descriptions and McCourt’s voice were so penetrating, so real, that sometimes it broke my heart to keep reading. If you’ve read Angela’s Ashes, I’d bet that you, too, can still envision the McCourt’s home in Ireland as it appeared in your mind, no matter how long ago you read the book. He gave us not just his story, but his family’s story. He didn’t gloss over anything, and he showed himself to be a fallible human as well as a central figure.

McCourt’s book helped give me the courage to write my own memoir, and I followed his example of showing my own role in my past in as unvarnished a manner as possible. The title of his last book, Teacher Man, describes him perfectly, although I know it’s a specific reference to the years he spent as a teacher in public schools. His words taught many of us, millions of us who never met him in person. He taught us about life, about poverty, about hope. He taught writers that the ugly truth can be beautiful on paper, and that the story of a common man can be uplifting and insightful.

When I was growing up, we had this Irish blessing in our kitchen, and I offer it today in memory of Frank McCourt.

An Old Irish Blessing

May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

Upcoming Events at the Clark County Library

The Clark County Library District continues to bring Southern Nevadan writers terrific (and free) programs. I especially recommend the Nuts & Bolts Writing Workshop (co-hosted by Stephens Press). Just be sure to arrive early; if the last workshop is any indication, they will be filled to overflowing. All the events below will be held at the main library branch, 1401 E. Flamingo Road. Descriptions of the programs are taken directly from the CCLD’s announcement; inserted links are my own doing.

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Sunday, July 19 at 2 p.m. ◊ Norm & Tony Curtis: Inside the Actor’s Studio – Vegas Style:
Norm talks with legendary actor, Tony Curtis, about his life, the movies and his latest autobiography.

Wednesday, July 29 at 6:30 p.m. ◊ Meet the Authors: The Chosen Few: How to Become An Anthology Author:
Local authors Leslie Hoffman, Gregory Kompes and Tena Thompson are some of the chosen few who have had their stories accepted into anthologies on national, international, and local publishing levels. Come join us as they explain how to find an anthology to suit your writing style and common mistakes to avoid when writing a short story.

Saturday and Sunday, August 16 & 17 starting at 1 p.m. ◊ Nuts & Bolts Writing Workshops for Authors:
Join the Clark County Library and Stephens Press as we present 2 days of intensive workshops for writers! On Saturday we’ll focus on the “nuts & bolts” of writing and Sunday we’ll focus on writing memoirs, for pleasure and sales (one of the fastest growing areas in publishing).

Wednesday, August 26 at 6:30 p.m. ◊ Meet the Authors: Kid Lit 101: Breaking Into The Children's Literature Market:
What can authors do today to put the Child back into Children's Literature? Join us as authors Sid Goodman, Stacee Hallquist and Jackie Yoxen discuss their children's books and their writing experiences.

Wednesday, September 30 at 6:30 p.m. ◊ Meet the Authors: Self Publishing and the First Time Author:
Join us as Jo Wilkins, founder of Mystic Publishers and president of the Henderson Writers Group, plus a panel of local writers as they discuss self publishing and tips for writers who are starting out.

Thursday, October 8 at 7 p.m. ◊ A Supernatural Evening with Langan and Sokoloff: Things The Go Bump in the Night:
Sarah Langan (THE MISSING and THE KEEPER) and Alexandra Sokoloff (THE UNSEEN, THE PRICE and THE HARROWING: A GHOST STORY) talk about the dark fiction or horror genre as well as their new releases and their experiences writing and publishing.

Wednesday, October 14 at 6:30 p.m. ◊ Meet the Authors: #2 with a Bullet - Writing Your Second Book:
Join us as Jo Wilkins, founder of Mystic Publishers and president of the Henderson Writers Group, plus a panel of local writers as they discuss the pitfalls and perils of writing your second book.

Friday, October 16 at 7 p.m. ◊ An Evening with Max Brooks: Surviving the Zombie Wars:
Max Brooks, considered by many to be one of the world's foremost Zombie preparedness experts, will take the stage at the Clark County Library to explain the keys to success against the hordes of the undead that may be stalking you right now As we all know, the world we live in has become a rather scary place and the global increase in the number of Zombie attacks isn't helping matters any.

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Photo information: My picture of Stephens Press President Carolyn Hayes Uber, taking questions after the March Nuts & Bolts Workshop.

Cats and Writers

What is it about cats and writers? Think about Hemmingway’s famous six-toed kitties and Cleveland Armory’s "Best Cat Ever." Cats and writers have a connection. Why?

I’ve always had a cat hanging around my desk. A feline is usually laying on the laptop, trying to drink from my water glass, or swatting at my pen. Sometimes we have disagreements. Sometimes we have full-blown arguments, like when my official office cat, Baby, decided to start spraying in the house. (After a stint on house arrest in the office, he’s been released, although he’s definitely still on probation. More about that in a moment.) Cats tend to be both stubborn and mysterious, little four-legged conundrums. Their moods and behavior can flip unexpectedly. When a cat decides that the belly rubbing session is over, he may quickly transform from an affectingly purring pet to a cranky creature with teeth and claws. I believe it’s that independent, unpredictable, inscrutable nature that draws writers to cats. If we could interview a cat, I think they might say the same about us.

Writers are almost as enigmatic as cats, at least to non-writers (and perhaps dogs). Think about it. There you are, working on an idea, mapping out that essay or story, when the phone rings or someone asks you to pass the salt, snapping you back into present time. Do you sweetly respond, or do you snarl, “Can’t you reach the salt yourself?” See, you’re acting just like that cat who has had enough belly rubbing. Just as you don’t know why Mr. Cat’s had enough, the unsuspecting person who wants the salt doesn’t know that you’ve just lost a piece of your plot over a condiment.

Study a cat’s behavior and personality, and you’ll find loads of material for characterization. Don’t get me wrong—plenty of dogs are overflowing with character (take Marley in Marley and Me, for instance)—but dogs are generally people pleasers. They want their people to be happy with them, but most cats couldn’t care less about making their people happy. They’re only a step away from being wild again, and if they could talk, I’m sure they’d tell us that on a daily basis. “Just fill my food bowl, human, and I won’t be forced to eat the poodle.” In many ways, cats remind me of the writing process itself: sometimes difficult, but ultimately rewarding. You know how your cat looks after he’s found a sunny spot by the window, after a good meal and the appropriate amount of petting? He’s purring and watching the birds, utter contentment on his face. To me, it looks like the feeling a writer gets when the story is done, when all the pieces have come together and the words are as close to perfect as we can make them.

Sometimes, however, the writing process doesn’t work out in such a sunny, happy manner. Sometimes it’s more like the day Baby Cat sprayed all over my bedroom curtains for no apparent reason. Even animal lovers have limits about acceptable behavior, and this totally crossed the line. No way could I cope with this, not with three other critters in the house (one of them sick), an almost-out-of-work spouse, and the pressing need to find writing assignments. Nope, that was it—good-bye Baby! You might know the feeling from a writer’s perspective; the story has gone hopelessly awry and you’ve no clue how to get it back on track. You’ve spent days (or weeks, months, or years) working on it. The descriptions are too thin, the plot is weak, or—even worse—it’s just wrong and you don’t why. You crumple up the paper, toss it into the trash, and mutter, “I can’t! I can’t fix this! I don’t know how!” Then the story has a few days to sit. That which seemed unfixable starts to come into focus. An idea pops into your head. You remember how much you wanted to write that story, how much it has burrowed into your soul, and solutions begin to emerge.

I’ve been ready to chuck plenty of writing projects. I’ve resisted the urge to delete my book from my computer, although at the time I contemplated it, it sure seemed like a good idea. After his misbehavior, I was ready to give up on Baby Cat, too, but I realized that urge was born out of frustration. After calming down, I took the time to sit with him, give him lots of love (and a heartfelt apology for threatening to send him to the animal orphanage), and contemplate what might be causing him to misbehave. The answers aren’t always obvious, for either cats or stories. Pushing beyond our limits, whether those limits are on our abilities as writers or as companions to our felines, can make us a little crazy. Accepting the unacceptable and fixing the unfixable is difficult, even painful. But when we move past our previously set limits, we grow.

Afterwards, we can grab that spot next to window and watch the birds.
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Picture information: Baby Cat in the den. Check out that big belly.

Under the Plum Tree

Before I plunged head-first into a freelance writing career, I imagined blissful days full of nothing but writing. I was shocked (and somewhat dismayed) to find that writers who want to be in business for themselves have to do all kinds of non-writing things--networking, research, prospecting for leads. It's a challenge to balance the business of writing against the craft of writing. When I have to escape the gravitational pull of the Internet and telephone, I retreat to my backyard. No Internet. No telephone. Sometimes the hummingbirds get a little pushy when their food is low, and the mockingbirds can be downright obnoxious if my dogs get too close to their nest, but those are minor distractions. Under the plum tree, I can immerse myself in whatever I'm writing. In those moments, being a freelance writer feels like everything I imagined.

Writers: Where do you go when you want to focus completely on your writing?
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Photo information: My outside office, under the plum tree.

A Hot, Sunny Day & Other Writing Prompts

Since it's too dang hot to go outside, grab a writing implement and take a prompt for a test drive... inside in the air conditioning, of course, unless you have a pool and water-proof writing tools!

--The mid-day sun was unbearable, but Derrick still had to....

--When was the last time you saw the ocean?

--"Why do you care if I've had 12 beers?" ranted Anita. "Just be glad I haven't...."

--Have you ever attended a family reunion?

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Picture courtesy of Dan Shirley at http://www.sxc.hu/gallery/fishmonk

Snapped!

Have you ever heard the writing advice, “Start with the day that’s different?” Accidents, arguments, mishaps, and other assorted life incidents can give a writer a foothold into that different day.

For instance, what makes a person snap? Have you ever written a scene (or story) in which the character looses control of his actions, words, and/or emotions? What motivates him, and how can you show it to the reader? Readers want characters who are interesting and complex. Real people lose their tempers and do rash things; the consequences can make an interesting story.

The “day that’s different” strategy also works in non-fiction. True crime stories depend upon a steady stream of logic-defying murders, thefts, and assaults. If we ask the question, “What were they thinking?”, it’s rhetorical. We know they weren’t thinking at all.

Are your characters always calm, or do readers also see them become impatient or angry? Do their actions cause them grief--or relief? What happens on that day, that different day?
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Picture courtesy of David Ritter at http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1191524

Social Networking: Helpful or Distracting?

In the past six months, I’ve done a lot of research into online social networking: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, MySpace. Writers are increasingly called upon to understand this environment. Clients are looking for writers who know how to set up and maintain an online presence on today’s popular networking sites. Additionally, these sites are often places for writers to meet clients and other writers. In pre-Internet days, socializing meant getting out of the house. Now you can chit-chat and network in your pj's.

The good thing about social networking sites (let’s shorten that to SNS) is that those of us who work alone can feel like we belong to a community. I haven't met face-to-face with most of the online writers I know, but I feel comfortable asking them questions and participating in online discussions with them. At Twitter, which I like the most out of the current SNS offerings, you can even join a Twibe—I’m with the writers and the journalers. Twitter’s 140-word limit on entries (a.k.a. micro-blogging) forces you to get to the point, which I really like. Subscribing to other people’s feeds, known as following, is an easy process. I found the learning curve a bit higher at Twitter than at other sites—they use lots of acronyms and symbols, and there’s Twitter etiquette on how to use them all.

I probably under-utilize LinkedIn, which is a great SNS for professionals. I appreciate being able to send e-mails to potential clients/editors with a link to my profile, which includes my resume and references. The site also offers some job postings.

Facebook feels like a cyberspace watering hole to me: chit-chat, silly quizzes and games, lots of fun pictures, flirting. After I set up my Facebook page, I had to admit I was stumped. What on earth was I supposed to do with it? Twitter and LinkedIn had an easy, business-related purpose to grasp, but Facebook mystified me. Was it for friends or business acquaintances? It looked more like an environment for friends and family to me, so that’s how I decided to use it (although there's no escaping some cross-over between friends and business on these sites). My Twitter feed publishes to my Facebook page, and I do my best to spruce up Facebook with pictures. The benefits of staying in touch with people are obvious, but I don't want to spend too many hours on these applications.

Any of these sites can turn into serious time wasters. You can fritter away hours posting witty 140-word blogettes on Twitter, taking quizzes like “What Kind of Storm Are You?” on Facebook, and requesting recommendations from former clients and colleagues on LinkedIn. Online social networking is here to stay, and writers especially should have online presence, but you’ve got to set some limits. Sure, now we can socialize in our pajamas from the comfort of our home offices, but is that always a good use of our time? I remember being in an office when the boss walked through and everyone stopped socializing. Maybe we need a virtual manager to march past our cyber-water cooler and tell everyone to stop talking and get back to work. Now, that would be useful.

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Picture courtesy of A B (aprilbell) at http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1063773

Mowing the Lawn & Other Writing Prompts

Take ten minutes to freewrite about....

--Richard was sick and tired of mowing the lawn, so he decided….
--My favorite vacation escape….
--Anna didn’t mean to hurt Nancy, but….
--What’s one article of summer clothing that you can’t do without?
--Jack was sure he was in love with Lisa because….
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Picture courtesy of Steve Woods at http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1046666

Bad Cat

Oh sure, I know he looks all sweet and loving in this picture. This morning, however, was another story.

Anyone who works at home must learn how to set boundaries while still remaining flexible. Unexpected things happen to everyone. If you work in an office outside of your home, you must deal with meetings, visitors, bosses, and other routine interruptions. At home, your interruptions come in other forms. Furry, misbehaving forms, in this case.

Baby Cat is this deceptively sweet-looking feline's name. Well, that wasn't his name this morning, but I try to keep things family-friendly around here. Baby was my late mother's cat, and one of the last things I promised her before she passed away was that I would take care of him. That was before he started spraying in my house a couple of months ago.

I was getting ready to go to work today, and since my office is at home, this includes a quick tidying of the house. I was in mid-tidy in my bedroom when Baby ran out of the room. Animals are a lot like children; I could tell he had done something wrong just from the wacky way he ran out of my room. That's when I smelled urine. Mr. Baby had backed up to my bedroom curtains and drenched them with pee. While I am normally an animal lover, at that moment all I wanted to do was catch him and tie his peeing parts into knots. He picked up on my angry vibe, and the chase was on.

My 11-year-old son was soon running after me as I chased Baby through the house. Luckily for Baby, he is fast, fat, and strong. I caught him once but he used his feline heft to break my grip and run away again. I was soon cursing and sweating. All I could think of (outside of cat homicide) was, "I haven't got time for this! I'm supposed to be working!" (Add curse words liberally for a more verbatim version.)

I share my office with this bad cat. When he moved in with us after Mom died, that's where he lived until he got used to our family. In an attempt to avert sure death, after ten or fifteen laps around the house, he dashed into the office and hid in "The Baby Cave," a portion of the closet that was created just for Mr. Spoiled. He hissed at me when I poked my head in and told him, "You're out of here! You are going to live someplace else! I will not have an animal pissing in my house!"

My son was aghast. He immediately laid down in front of the office door and announced he was on a hunger strike until I commuted Baby's sentence. "No, Mom, no! You cannot give Baby away! He was Nana's cat!"

All the while, there was the clock... ticking away my Thursday.

I explained to my sobbing child that he would feel quite differently about Baby if the spraying continued. I explained that I would never take Baby to the pound, but that I was going to be calling the no-kill shelters and putting him on a waiting list. I explained that I could understand the spraying in the garage, and I could understand the spraying in a cat toy that another cat had used, but I could not understand spraying in my bedroom on my drapes. "I hate you," was his response. Baby Cat felt pretty much the same way.

I left a message at the shelter and waited for them to call me back. "Come downstairs so I can fix you something to eat," I called up the stairs.

"No! I'm not moving or eating until you let Baby stay." Great. That's what I get for teaching him about civil disobedience.

The lady from Heaven Can Wait called me back and broke the bad news to me about my bad cat. When I asked her about a waiting list, she said, "Oh, I'm afraid we're beyond that. We're not even taking names." They are overwhelmed with unwanted and abandoned cats. I asked her if the other shelters in town are in the same boat, and she sadly answered, "Pretty much."

I went back upstairs to tell Gandhi and Baby the Spraying Devil Cat that a reprieve had been issued. I put Baby Cat on house arrest in the office until further notice, and then I fed his valiant protector.

When I worked a 9-5 in an office outside the house, I regularly groused about stupid meetings, talkative visitors, and other office time wasters. As annoying as those things were, I never, ever had to deal with a cat pee interruption, nor did any of my employees lie down and refuse to eat until I changed my mind about a decision. All of which is why working in a home office will prepare you to handle just about any kind of interruption or delay. And, what the heck, I got a good story out of it after all.

BAD CAT UPDATE: Baby is still restricted to one room while I research his spraying problem. So far, I haven't found much information that I did not already know--namely, that spraying can be a notoriously difficult habit to break once it's started. The behavior may be a result of health issues, like urinary tract problems, which I read are more common in big fellas (15+ pounds) like Baby. I think it's also possible that his behavior may be jealously over our other cat, who has been sick recently. (Or maybe he and my dog who has colitis are in collusion; the dog has ruined all my carpeting, so maybe Baby offered to chip and and ruin the furniture and drapery.) I removed anything in his room that smelled like the other cat and have been giving Baby extra attention and affection. I'm going to try Feliway next, and we may be visiting the vet to rule out health issues. Fortunately, he has forgiven me for chasing him through the house. As I type, he's stretched out on the floor, purring.

Proofreading: The Blogger’s Bugaboo

The only thing that gives me comfort about typos and other icky errors in my blog posts is the knowledge that I am not alone. In this new age of blogs (and other types of self-publishing), mistakes like typos and misspelling can easily slip through the proofreading gaps to mess up a writer's perfectly brilliant post.

Murphy’s Law comes into play for me, because whenever I’m sending out loads of proposals and queries (all with links to my blogs), that’s when I find big, fat, embarrassing mistakes that ruin my punch lines or points. Yesterday I fixed some whoppers, and if a friend hadn't e-mailed me about my garbled words, my mistakes might have gone uncorrected for a long time. What’s a writer to do? How can a blogger keep her work clean and error free?

Here are a few of my strategies for avoiding (and correcting) those cringe-inducing mistakes:

1. If a post can wait overnight before it goes on your blog, let it sit before you give it a final proofing. This is the technique I use with all my print articles, and so far it's kept my print work very clean (and my editors happy). Unfortunately, the immediacy of blogging means it's not always possible/desirable to wait until tomorrow. If it can’t sit overnight, let it sit for at least 30 minutes, preferably longer. Your brain’s proofreading abilities work much better when you put some time between creating and correcting.

2. Proof from a hard-copy, if possible.

3. Read your work out loud.

4. Ask a writing (or English-savvy) friend to proofread your posts; this is what I do. Unless you ask for proofing help, some folks may be reluctant to tell you about your mistakes. (And we all know a few people who are just delighted to point out errors. Proceed with caution if you choose one of them to be your proofer. That’s a topic for another post.)

5. Re-read your own posts frequently. In fact, re-read large chunks of your blog on a regular basis to make corrections and/or post updates.

6. Know your weak points. In my case, if I become passionate about a topic and compose on the fly, right there on Blogger’s posting page instead of in Word, I tend to hyper-focus on the topic and miss errors. (My post on book banning became a grammar victim due to this hyper-focus.) I also have a tendency to leave words behind when I’m cutting and pasting in the throes of editing, which makes my sentences read like alphabet soup.

7. Accept that you will make mistakes. Put a good proofing system in place, and use it. I tell my writers that their work can be published or perfect, but rarely will it be both.
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Picture courtesy of Piotr Lewandowski at http://www.sxc.hu/photo/428206

Attention Las Vegas Crime and Mystery Writers

I almost overlooked the upcoming conference for crime and mystery writers because of its unassuming name. The Public Safety Writers Conference is hosted by the Public Safety Writers Association, which is a group of writers who share a background in emergency response, either as participants, writers, or both.

The PSWA Conference is scheduled for June 18-21 at the Suncoast. Writers may attend for one day, or for all three. Sunday only is $80 for PSWA members ($92 for non-members) and the full three-day conference is $300 (non-member price). Sessions range from "Writing for Trade Publications" to ""Putting Comedy in Your Mysteries." If you are a Las Vegas writer working in this genre, check out their web page for more information.

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Picture courtesy of Julie Elliott-Abshire at http://www.sxc.hu/photo/190777

Book Banning: Ignorance Hard At Work

Our democracy may come complete with free speech, but America has plenty of people who think that only applies to speech with which they agree. Writers everywhere should be concerned about censorship and book banning; these practices are just as troubling (and dangerous) as the collapse of the newspaper industry. In May, a Michigan high school teacher was directed to remove Toni Morrison's The Song of Solomon from her advanced placement English class. The protestors objected to the novel's profanity, sexual references, and violence. I don't know what's more absurd -- pretending that high school seniors somehow need to be protected from reality when America has some of the highest teen pregnancy rates of any industrialized nation, along with shocking levels of violence and incarcertaion -- or that in the name of "morality" it's a good idea to ban the very type of intelligent discourse that might prevent social ills.

Read this blog post from January Magazine for more details:

http://januarymagazine.com/2009/05/toni-morrison-novel-banned-in-michigan.html

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Picture courtesy of Johanna Ljungblom at http://www.sxc.hu/photo/778658

Robert's Mother & Other Writing Prompts

Today was the last day before summer break for the Just Write Writing Group here in Las Vegas. In view of that, I wrote some extra prompts. If you’ve been here before, you know how this works, but if you haven’t tried a writing prompt, then prepare to pick your writing implement and take an idea for a test drive. Find a prompt that intrigues you and freewrite for ten minutes. No stopping, stalling, or second-guessing. Who knows where the prompt will lead you? Just write!

* * *

Robert’s mother’s voice blasted through the phone. “You’re a grown man! How many times do I have to tell you….”

--Would you consider having cosmetic surgery? Why or why not?
--Alice was baking cookies when she found out that Jason had decided to cut his own hair. Half of the child’s blonde curls were on the floor when she discovered him. “Good grief,” Alice said. “What are we going to tell your mother? I guess we’ll just have to….”
--How do you stay cool during a Las Vegas summer?
--You’re stranded on that proverbial desert island, and you can bring only three books with you. What do you bring?
--“I should have known better than to trust you,” Chad snarled at Lisa. “Now because of your big mouth, I’ve got trouble with….”
--Combine railroad tracks, a broken window, and a can of white paint in a story or poem.
--He was ready to file for bankruptcy on the day he got the call from….

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Photo courtesy of Mateusz Atroszko at http://www.sxc.hu/photo/573633

Clark County Library Events

Some nice person at the Clark County Library District is kind enough to send me e-mails about writing-related events. The events for June and July are listed below (with thanks to the CCLD). They have some great (and free!) events scheduled, so get out your calendar to mark a few:

Friday, June 05 at 7 p.m. ◊ An Evening with Laurell K. Hamilton: Anita Blake, Las Vegas and Skin Trade, Laurell K. Hamilton, New York Times number one best selling author, returns to the Clark County Library to discuss the 17th novel in her popular Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series, Skin Trade.

Saturday, June 20 at 7 p.m. ◊ An Evening with Augusten Burroughs: Augusten Burroughs discusses his renowned memoir, Running With Scissors, his unusual life experiences, and the fame achieved as one of the most celebrated modern writers in the US.

Wednesday, June 24 at 6:30 p.m. ◊ Meet the Authors: When the Handshake Is Mightier Than the Pen, a Writers Group Open House: In June, this "Meet the Authors" series hosts an open house and "open mic" where authors can mingle with writers from a variety of local writers groups.

Monday, July 06 at 7 p.m. ◊ Urban Fantasy Superwomen: Chicks Who Kick A#$ : Vicki Pettersson (The Sign of the Zodiac) and Caitlin Kittredge (The Icarus Project), who have made a name for themselves in the explosive Urban Fantasy genre, come together to speak about their superhero series, the appeal of the paranormal in contemporary fiction and why readers can't seem to get enough of kick-ass female protagonists.

Sunday, July 19 at 2 p.m. ◊ Norm & Tony Curtis: Inside the Actor’s Studio – Vegas Style: Norm talks with legendary actor, Tony Curtis, about his life, the movies and his latest autobiography.
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Photograph: My picture of the exterior of the Clark County Library at 1401 E. Flamingo.

Vacation & Other Writing Prompts

Are you ready for summer vacation? Go there in your mind for prompt number one. Or skip on down to find something else that takes your imagination elsewhere for a moment. Write for ten minutes without stopping, stalling, or second-guessing yourself. Don’t form expectations about what you’ll wind up with—just write!

--Beth was excited about summer vacation because….
--What’s your favorite breakfast food?
--John’s computer crashed just as he was finishing….
--Do you remember the first wedding you attended?
--“Why on earth would I want to visit you?” snapped Betty. “After what you did, I never want to see you again. As a matter of fact, I hope….”
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Picture courtesy of Johanna Ljungblom at http://www.sxc.hu/photo/588866

Step Away From The Computer

Sunday is supposed to be my husband’s day in the office. Time in the office has to be booked ahead because that’s where I work every day, and I get cranky about anyone bothering me while I’m working. When you work at home, you have to set very clear boundaries about your work hours/routines and what justifies an interruption. At my home, during my posted office hours, I am not to be interrupted except for valid reasons: compound fractures, excessive bleeding, dignitaries arriving unexpectedly, etc. Interruptions for other reasons aren’t tolerated so well. This is why we decided Sunday would be David’s day to take care of his paperwork. First, he protested about not getting office time during the week. Then he and my son told me they thought I should be barred from the office and the computer on Sunday. Completely.

At first, I thought this was vey sweet. They loved me so much that they didn’t want me to be in my office, away from them. Then I realized we don’t spend that much time together when I’m away from the office. In fact, they’re usually doing something and I’m… cleaning or cooking. My husband loves to build things and tinker in the garage and yard, and my son might be doing anything from playing video games to building Lego creations to helping Dad turn a pen on the lathe. I wasn’t telling them that they shouldn’t spend time doing what they wanted, but they objected to me being in my office, doing what I love to do. My initial feelings of flattery turned dark. What the heck was wrong with them?

I walked down the hall and asked my son, who was playing a video game, “So, if I’m not supposed to go in the office on Sunday, on what day are you not going to play video games?”

I immediately had his attention. He said, “What are you talking about?”

“This thing about me not going into the office on Sunday, that’s what I’m talking about. If I have to give up a day of writing, then you should give up a day of video games. And Dad should give up a day in the garage.”

“But that’s different! I like playing video games,” he said.

“Well, I like to write. When I’m in my office during the week, I might be doing anything. I’m not always writing.”

“I thought it was always work, so I thought you should take a break. Shouldn’t you have a day off?” he said. “I always thought it was stuff you had to do, not anything you wanted to do.”

I spend a lot of time doing all sorts of things in my office that involve writing, but that are not the kind of writing I yearn to do. I spend hours looking for work, researching topics, submitting proposals, editing, and other writing-related tasks—none of which are the wide-open, blank Word screen that I long for. If my son thought I was doing something I didn’t want to do in my office, what did that say? I realized that I’d let the business side of things overshadow the value of my writing. I like being a writer, but I don’t want my writing to always be work.

That afternoon, I found a way to hook up my laptop and write in the backyard. I made sure to enjoy the bird song and my blank screen, and I wrote about whatever I wanted. No one had objections to letting me work—oops, I mean, write, that day.
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Photo courtesy of Kriss Szkurlatowski at http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1159420

Cora and Irene & Other Writing Prompts

You’ve heard of love at first sight—how about dislike at first sight? Maybe you can get to the root of Cora’s reaction to Irene. If not, move on to another prompt. Freewrite for ten minutes without stopping, stalling, or second guessing your work. Don’t think about where you’re going… just write!

--Cora was a friendly person, and it bothered her that she disliked Irene from the moment she met her. Cora thought Irene was pretty, but….
--Are you afraid of bugs like spiders, beetles, and wasps? Or do you have a peaceful relationship with the insect world?
--“I’m 30 years old!” Alice told her father. “Why do you care if I….”
--The wedding was going beautifully, right up until….
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Picture courtesy of Moi Cody at http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1177833

Disappointment & Other Writing Prompts

Freewrite for ten minutes on the prompt of your choosing:

--Denise was disappointed, but not surprised, when she got the news that….
--What do you think of the advice, “Follow your bliss”?
--Clarence heard scratching outside the door, and when he checked it out, he found….
--The one place I never want to visit again is….
--Janet knew she shouldn’t drink coffee because it kept her awake all night, but today she was guzzling java because….
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Picture courtesy of Glenda Otero at http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1080946