Anita Laydon Miller's Blog

I'm not dead...

2012-02-26T13:16:00.003-08:00

...I'm writing. I am SO close to getting my book done. Thanks for all your support!

Need a book cover?

2012-02-08T10:00:00.000-08:00

I may have told y'all how I'm working on a book titled LIV ON THE EDGE. I told my graphic designer nephew about the book (the discussion was about five minutes long) and he made these awesome covers for it, "Just for fun." I told him that they're awesome, because they are, and that he should make covers for extra cash. Sooo, if you're looking to have a book cover made, get in touch with me and I'll get in touch with him.

Happy Writing!

This writing thing is addictive/sales update

2012-02-02T12:27:00.000-08:00

So, you're probably working on a book, if you come to this blog. Isn't it crazy the amount of time you've put into the book? And you're not even sure how good it is, right? Do you know whether anyone will ever want to buy it or read for FREE? That's how I feel most of the time, and, yet, I still keep writing. It is an addiction. I've actually tried to stop. Told everyone in my life that I've given it up and that I'm happy about not writing. Then I sit at the computer and there go my fingers again. Darn them. Is there a writing rehab somewhere??? Maybe that should be a writers convention workshop session.

SALES UPDATE: Sold hundreds of ebooks in January. Thanks, everyone! If you've read the books and liked them, PLEASE WRITE A REVIEW.

I've written a book on Blogger

2012-02-01T08:45:00.000-08:00

I've written 641 posts here. Let's say the posts average 100 words in length. I've written an entire book's worth of words on Blogger! How did this happen? And there's absolutely no friggin plot!

Word of the Day

2012-01-29T19:25:00.000-08:00

I signed up for Merriam Webster's Word of the Day a couple months ago. Each day, I get emailed a new word. The email includes a definition and all sorts of other neat stuff about the word. This is so much fun, I can't even tell you. What a variety! What great background info! What interesting sentences! Also, did you know that the larger a person's vocabulary, the more money the person makes (usually)?

Anyway, sign up!

The chosen love poems!

2012-01-26T08:36:00.000-08:00

Okay. After considering all the wonderful advice from the previous post I've decided to use the following two poems in my manuscript. Thank you, everyone!

ELIZABETH BARRETT BROWNING
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of everyday's
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints,—I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life!—and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.

PERCY BYSSHE SHELLEY
The fountains mingle with the river,
And the rivers with the ocean;
The winds of heaven mix forever,
With a sweet emotion;
Nothing in the world is single;
All things by a law divine
In one another's being mingle;--
Why not I with thine?
See! the mountains kiss high heaven,
And the waves clasp one another;
No sister flower would be forgiven,
If it disdained it's brother;
And the sunlight clasps the earth,
And the moonbeams kiss the sea;--
What are all these kissings worth,
If thou kiss not me?

I need a love poem

2012-01-25T12:44:00.001-08:00

I want to insert a love poem into my work-in-progress. Do any of you have a favorite? Something that's in the public domain?

Revisions

2012-01-23T07:52:00.000-08:00

Hello! I'm revising my YA now, using a technique that I learned at my last MFA residency. So for me, I discovered that my story lacked a bit in description--from setting to characters to emotional description. I'm also looking for character development and plot development and the building of relationships between characters. I'm going through, paragraph by PARAGRAPH, making sure there is a good flow and progression of these items. When I see areas that need improvement, I write a note about it on a post-it. When I'm done with a chapter, I go back and make the changes that I noted on the post-its. This is slow-going, but the manuscript is improving. When I'm all done, I'll go through the whole thing again for a line edit.

There's an additional piece to this method, which I'll tell you about on a later day...gotta get revising. Yay, post-its!

CHAPTER ONE: LIV ON THE EDGE

2012-01-19T13:35:00.000-08:00

Okay, here's the draft of my chapter one. It's short. Formatting is a little wonky. Apologies there. Let me know what you think.

CHAPTER ONE
I don’t want to look. Just because my grandpa wants me to, doesn’t mean I have to. I mean, Grandpa Patrick is dead and I barely knew him when he was alive. Why should I do what he wants? Fifteen-year-old girls are supposed to be headstrong and contrary, fighting for their independence. Not succumbing to the whims of their dead ancestors.
But it’s morning, right? Morning in a still-strange room that smells of alternating layers of dust and lemon furniture polish. It’s a room in need of fresh air, an open window. And there’s nobody here to open a window but me.
I ease out of bed and follow the gauzy pink sunlight pushing through the curtains. I pull the lace aside and stand close to the cool glass. Heart thumping in double-time, I look out. And instantly wish I hadn’t.
Like Grandpa Patrick pretty much predicted in his letter, someone is at the cliff. Nobody was there last night, thank God. Seeing someone my first night would’ve been a little much. It’s a little much even now.
But there he is. About fifty yards from the house, on the other side of the field, near the cliff edge. A teenager, like me—fifteen or sixteen. He’s hunched at the shoulders. Wearing jeans and a dark jacket. His legs aren’t bent or anything. It’s not like he’s poised to jump. But he might go for it.
I want to slip back in the soft bed and cocoon myself in the handmade quilts. I want to wait for the alarm clock to go off and then straighten my hair for my first day at my new school in my new town. I want to take off my pajama shorts and old t-shirt and put on something that tells people I’m cute and fun, even though I’m round and boring. I want to act like there is no letter, like there is no kid standing at the cliff.
But I don’t slip back in bed. Instead, I slip on my flip-flops. The neon green suckers traveled all across the country with me, and now they travel on my feet down the oak-floored hall, through the kitchen where my big hip hits the table—ow!—and out the back door into the cool mountain air.
Goose bumps erupt on my skin. And I run at top speed toward the boy, across the small patch of lawn and through the pokey native plants. As best I can, I watch for big rocks and clumps of cacti. But it’s the sharp pebbles that get me. The tiny rocks wedge between my feet and flip-flops and hurt like hell.
I’ve got to admit, my top speed isn’t super fast, even when I’m pain free. It takes me a while to get to him and when I finally do approach, still running, he hears me. My pulse pounds in my ears and every muscle in my body is tense, tight.
He stands up tall and straightens his arms out like a traffic cop. Shakes his head no. He doesn’t look like someone who wants to jump off a cliff. He looks like a total fox, actually. And so I try to stop. But I’ve got too much momentum and a pair of shoes that are so not designed for running. I plow into him and we’re both knocked off our feet. Right to the edge of the cliff.

Changing POV

2012-01-17T15:41:00.001-08:00

Okay, I actually learned this lesson about a year ago at my MFA residency: It's not that hard to change POV. Try it. See if it changes your story in a good way.

Now, when my instructor gave the class that advice, I was like, "No way." I thought it would take me weeks to change my POV and the work would probably be a mistake. Buuut, the instructor was so persuasive, I tried it. And I loved it.

My latest WIP went from third person past to first person present. It was a good switch, and at the time (I was about 15,000 words in, I think) it only took about a day of work. Sooo glad I put that time in.

For people writing in first person, one more tip: Read your work aloud watching for the word "I." Of course you'll have a lot of Is in there, but there are ways to creatively take some of them out and have your story read much better. Try it.

Writing tips

2012-01-16T06:51:00.000-08:00

As part of my MFA, I critique a lot of writers' work. At school, we're taught to look for specific problems. One of the problems is distancing. This is when writers use POV and words/phrases that take readers further from the story. Instead of feeling like you're right there with the main character running from the bad guy, you feel like you're Joe or Sue or Davey reading about the scene on your couch.

So how to avoid distancing?

Hmm...I can think of a few ways, right off the bat.
1. Watch for the word "was" and all its forms. This little guy tends to distance rather quickly, and it's usually easy to replace the "was" with something else.
2. Same as above, except for words ending in -ing.
Now, of course, the occasionally was and -ing is okay, but if you look at a paragraph and you've got was in there 3 times, that's a problem.
3. Other words also tend to distance..."felt," "wondered," "thought" are big ones. Instead of having the character feel something, (Joe felt angry), have Joe do something to SHOW the reader he's angry (Joe kicked the chair).

Got it? Okay. I hope that helped.

Holla!

2012-01-13T13:44:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I returned from my MFA residency. And now that I'm finally caught up on sleep, I'm discovering I actually learned stuff at the residency. And not just that Nutella tastes really good on Nature Valley granola bars, but stuff about WRITING. Stuff like maybe I shouldn't use "stuff" so much.

Anyway, while taking breaks from revising, I'll offer my new knowledge to you here. Come hear it if you want, or just chill in front of your TV eating Nutella-covered Nature Valley bars. Whichever.

A European Review

2011-12-29T18:39:00.000-08:00

Hey, I just think this is so cool. I love getting all reviews, but this one (for A SCARY GOOD BOOK) is from Europe! People are reading my work all over the world. And, yeah, I know I'm no JK Rowling, but this is freaking fun. :)

Here's the review:
This scary good book is a great read with loveable, well-drawn main charaters that are easy to identify with and a layered plot that draws you in right from the start. The pace of the book never sags and the balance between adventure and the character development is just right. The 12-year-olds are equally authentic as the adults in their acts and behaviour and they make the story sound real and true. Really enjoyable and fun.

Christmas ebooks sales

2011-12-27T15:08:00.000-08:00

I promised you all a Christmas update:

Since Christmas morn, I've sold about 100 ebooks. It's cool thinking of kiddos all over the country popping open my books. Gives me great satisfaction. Thanks to everybody who has recommended and/or purchased my kids' ebooks!

Randomness

2011-12-22T08:57:00.001-08:00

Have you finished your holiday shopping? I have one little thing left to buy. Middle Daughter wants a Dark Chocolate Mars Bar in her stocking. Husband, however, says "Don't drive anywhere! The roads are horrible!" in an email. So...hopefully there's not a run on these bars before Christmas.

I was at Walmart the other day looking at a maybe-present for Husband. Thought to myself, "I wonder if Husband would like a BLANK." But I couldn't decide. Then these two young men walk down the aisle and stop at the BLANKS. Stare at them. So I grab one and they stare at me as I walk off. I'll tell you after Christmas what it was I grabbed.

Speaking of Walmart...I was there on ANOTHER day getting ammunition for Husband (he likes to shoot at targets) and the guy gave me the ammunition for half off. It's this weird thing about me, but people ALWAYS give me lower prices on things. This guy at Macy's saved me SEVENTY DOLLARS on ornaments a couple weeks ago. This is just a thing with me. I have no idea why it happens.

My parents are impossible to shop for. I got my dad nuts and my mom ham and coffee. I'm hoping they appreciate the humor in those gifts.

I've been reading like crazy. The most recent books: Megan Abbott's THE END OF EVERYTHING (which will be featured in my next GAZETTE column), Meg Howry's BLIND SIGHT (great book for writers...lots to learn from this woman's approach to scenes) and Peter Speigelman's THICK AS THIEVES. I also need to read Jo Nesbo's THE SNOWMAN for my MFA. Will probably wait until last moment for that one.

And we've got a lot of snow here.

And that's all.

Raising writers

2011-12-19T11:27:00.001-08:00

So at the dinner table the other night, I explain how I need to beef up this firefighter character of mine. "He's kind of flat," I tell everyone. "Maybe he needs a hobby?"

Within 10 seconds, I had these suggestions:
Have him collect guns.
Have him make art out of gum.
Give him a green thumb.

:)

I think I'm doing something right around here.

How big is your nose? And Amazon...wow!

2011-12-17T16:10:00.000-08:00

My daughter told me her nose is big. It's not. I asked her if she'd been staring at it in the mirror for a long time. She said yes. I told her that's why it looks big. Because if you stare at something long enough, it tends not to look so good.

My point: For those of you who've been revising for a year...STOP!!! You're done. It looks bad, because you've been staring at it too darn long.

In other news, Amazon has sold a MILLION ereaders and tablets/week for the last three weeks. Man, I hope some of those people buy my ebooks. :)

Outta here.

I love writers, but...

2011-12-16T10:27:00.000-08:00

On Twitter, I follow a ton of writers and a few agents and editors. This is good fun and helps me keep track of what's going on in blog friends' lives and publishing. Buuut, I think it's also fun (and a good idea) for writers to follow other people, too. Expand our minds. Think outside the books. So I follow Bob from THE BIGGEST LOSER. And Kelly Ripa. And AMERICA'S TEST KITCHEN. And several other non-writing related peeps. It's refreshing to read and learn about something that has absolutely nothing to do with writing. And after I read the tweets, I go write. :)

Let me know if you're following someone who's just out-of-this-world cool. (besides me) (hah)

Writing me arse off

2011-12-14T20:58:00.000-08:00

So, in between concerts, plays, recitals and shopping, I've been writing me arse off. I want to get this YA in top shape so I can...what? Epub it? Look for an agent? Sit on it and hope a golden egg hatches?

I don't know what the heck to do with my writing! But I'm still lovin the process. Not sure I could stop if I wanted to (I actually have tried to stop and just CANNOT do it). So, wish me luck with my writing, so I can...what? Oh, let's not go there again.

And, hey, good luck with whatever you're doing, too. (As long as it's legal).

P.S. Do you believe in aliens? I'm thinking about making a video about the subject.

Do you KDP?

2011-12-12T14:14:00.000-08:00

I like to think I'm the only self-pubbed author who got that email last week. Was it only last week...seems like a month ago? Anyway, I wasn't. Everybody got offered the KDP. I haven't taken up the offer. For many reasons, not the least of which is that it would require me to read things. Rules and stuff. I can't even play Candyland because of the rules. Not without a couple cups of coffee.

But have YOU decided to KDP? Either way, what do you think of it? And if you're a writer and you don't know what the heck I'm talking about, please apply Google. Or go write something...you'll probably be better off that way.

The debate.

The bad news about Amazon???

2011-12-08T21:08:00.000-08:00

So Amazon recently acquired 450 children's titles from publisher Marshall Cavendish. Those titles will be converted (quickly, I'm sure) to ebooks. I think those titles will be the first 450 titles consumers will see when they search for children's books on Amazon...because that's how I'd have things work if I were Amazon.

Where does that leave children's books that are not part of the 450? Out of luck. No consumer will search past 450 books. Not unless they're looking for a specific author (probably an already established author...certainly not a new independently-published author), or a specific subject (think explorers of the nineteenth century).

This is happening/will happen in other genres, too.

For the first time in a long time, I'm feeling down about ebooks. The only way I'd feel better is if Amazon bought my ebooks. Somebody give them my number.

Thinking about epublishing?

2011-12-07T07:43:00.000-08:00

Today I'm at blog friend Kristine Carlson Asselin's blog. The topic is epubbing, etc.

Are you thinking about an MFA?

2011-12-05T06:52:00.001-08:00

Today I'm at my friend Tina's blog talking about MFAs. Tina's got hers and I'm working on mine. We're discussing what the process is like and whether it's "worth it." Drop in!

Quick photo from Reading Enhancement class

2011-12-02T15:35:00.000-08:00

Today was might last day. :(

Baring soul at friend's blog today

2011-12-02T06:02:00.000-08:00

Come visit me here, at Heather Kelly's blog!

Naming characters

2011-12-01T06:23:00.001-08:00

Today, I'm at blog friend Lynn Kelley's blog, talking about names and all sorts of random stuff. Drop by!

Reading Enhancement and nano (I triumph)

2011-11-30T14:53:00.000-08:00

So, today I finished my nano draft. Yayyy. And I think the story will be a good one, after I revise...starting that in about two minutes.

And...I wanted to hit 1000 words per minute by the end of my Reading Enhancement class. Yayyy. I did. (see photo...don't know why the date's wrong on it)

Today was a much better day than yesterday. Let's hope tomorrow's even better. :)

Agents on Twitter

2011-11-29T07:48:00.000-08:00

I've had several writers tell me they love following agents on Twitter. The reason? So the writers can weed the agents out based on the agents' tweets. Interesting.

Now, that attitude could come off as snarky, but in the end, it's win-win, right? If you don't like an agent who drinks, don't query them. If another agent comes off as witchy, well, why would you want to work with her? And, hey, the drinker probably wouldn't like a teetotaler and the witch probably wouldn't like a priss, so you're doing them a favor, too.

Someone asked me the other day if I knew any politically conservative agents...ones who represent YA and MG. I couldn't think of ONE, based on tweets, blogs, etc. Also interesting.

Anyway, just another reason to visit Twitter, people.

My favorite book of 2011

2011-11-27T12:24:00.001-08:00

I'll probably read a few more novels by the end of the year, but I don't think any will surpass Ann Patchett's STATE OF WONDER. This book has everything. I may just read it again. As soon as I get my COLORADO SPRINGS GAZETTE book column written about it, I'll post the column here.

Happy Reading!

Price is important

2011-11-25T15:05:00.000-08:00

I read a study recently that detailed how small changes in price can affect a person's decision whether to buy a book. I've always known that to be the case with my own decisions. Most books I buy are less than $10. However, I thought I was just, uh, cheap.

Today, I was at a Black Friday sale at the Gap. A woman was purchasing a sweatshirt. The cashier told her it was 10-something. The woman said, "I thought it was 7-something. I wouldn't buy this for 10-something." Eventually, the sweatshirt was purchased for 7-something. 3 bucks difference on a nice sweatshirt, and the customer wouldn't cave.

Anyway, pricing is a huge concern for books. Many people look for specific books to purchase, but when window shopping online, I think many ereader owners search by price: lowest to highest.

Publishing ebooks for kids: an update

2011-11-21T20:03:00.000-08:00

Hey, all...been busy, lately. Finishing up semester requirements for the MFA, taking a reading enhancement course at the United States Air Force Academy, raising a family.

Anyway, I wanted to give you all an update about the epub process.

Hmm...not selling millions, but selling books every day. When I search Amazon under the category of science fiction ebooks for kids, EARTHLING HERO (as of this writing) is just a few slots behind one of Patterson's MAXIMUM RIDE books. This is cool.

So, do I think the average writer (one who hasn't already had books traditionally published)can be successful in the middle grade ebook market? If by "successful" you mean making millions, well, no. I mean, anything's possible, but that would be highly unlikely. If by "successful" you mean getting books out to hundreds of people (probably more) who you don't know and who seem to enjoy your book, well, yes.

I'm watching the Christmas season closely...just how many kiddos will get ereaders and will they buy books from unknown authors? It will be fun to find out. And so far, that's where I've had the most success in the process...having fun. My family has thought this whole thing has been a big kick...their friends buying my books and talking about them at school, the family thinking up titles and making trailers together. That's fun stuff.

I'll give you all another update after Christmas. And, please, if you've read the books, post a review. And also consider recommending them to your friends.

Feel free to ask me any questions.

Thanks for all your support!

A short review: "Stirred" by Crouch and Konrath

2011-11-18T14:14:00.000-08:00

“Stirred” should come with a warning or two or three or four. Things like “Should not be read by people with heart conditions,” “Should not be read by people who faint at the sight of blood,” “Should not be read by anyone spending the night alone,” and “Should not be read by people who enjoy paying way too much for ebooks.”

This is the first book I’ve read by Crouch and Konrath, but it will not be my last. While some of the gorier scenes made me uncomfortable, I couldn’t stop reading the book.

Kudos to these men for placing memorable characters into an unforgettable story, and offering it to readers for less than three bucks.

Crouch and Konrath

2011-11-15T14:05:00.000-08:00

So, did you hear how Crouch and Konrath offered STIRRED free to anyone willing to review it? The book goes live on Nov 22.

Well, I volunteered to read it. I started it last night and am eager to read the rest...only pressing deadlines keep from it now.

You can believe I'll let you know if I find glaring errors or sub-par writing, but haven't seen any thus far. This book feels like it's way worth the $2.99 readers will pay for it.

Stay tuned.

NaNoWriMo claims a young victim

2011-11-14T19:37:00.000-08:00

I received the following email from Boy today:

Mo m I think you are good as God at cooking and wish you start doing it more because you and dad are good at cooking butt I don’t always want to have dads

Food I some times want to have yours.Send me yes or no will you start again.LOVE YA.

Ebook cover design

2011-11-13T16:22:00.000-08:00

If you're thinking about designing a cover, you HAVE to check out Joel Friedlander's contests. They show a great variety of covers, and he adds his in-the-know comments to a lot of the entries. Very cool of him.

Current favorite lyrics

2011-11-10T19:03:00.000-08:00

I decided not to post the video...that way, you won't blame me for sticking the song in your head. But, man, these lyrics are so crazy they're good.

From MY HEART'S A STEREO:

If I was an old-school fifty pound boombox (remember them?)
Would you hold me on your shoulder wherever you walk
Would you turn my volume up in front of the cops (turn it up)
And crank it higher everytime they told you to stop
And all I ask is that you don't get mad at me
When you have to purchase mad D batteries
Appreciate every mixtape your friends make
You never know we come and go like on the interstate

Writing Randomness

2011-11-07T14:07:00.000-08:00

So nano is haaarddd. All that writing. The pressure of writing a certain number of words every day. People checking on me. Wow. Buuuttt, I am getting the darn book done. So there's that.

Hmmm...have been volunteering in a first grade class and those kids really get story. They're learning about writing maps (the kiddo version of an outline) and have written some good stuff based on the maps. Another 20 years, I'll buy books from these kids.

The USAFA reading enhancement class is inspiring me to read more. Took a trip to a huge library the other day. Freaked me out. I thought about how many books are in a library, right? And then I thought, Do we really need MORE books? Of course we do, but still.

Twitter is awesome. I'm finally getting a feel for when it's best to hit the blog versus Facebook and Twitter. Once November (and this book) are done, I'll get organized on these fronts.

Just read some Updike. Awesome.

And that's all for now!

Doing the nano

2011-11-03T08:25:00.000-07:00

That's right. I've abbreviated it to nano with no caps. That's all I can do, because I'm writing like crazy to get a novel done this month. This is my first nano and I WILL conquer it!

I hope whatever you're doing, it doesn't involve heavy lifting or a doctor (unless you're friends with a doctor).

Happy reading and writing!

Reading Enhancement Lesson

2011-11-01T10:47:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, our instructor handed out sheets to everyone in the class. She said the sheets had instructions on them, and that if we had any questions, we should wave her over and ask them quietly.

My sheet said that she would be reading sentences aloud and that I should rate them according to their ability to form a mental picture in my head. The instructor read 20 sentences and I rated them. An example: The small child sat under the lilac bush.

She then had us turn the sheets over. She said she would ask us questions and we should answer them on the paper. An example: Who sat under the lilac bush?

My side of the room scored very well on the assignment (I got a 19 out of 20 and was able to include adjectives like "small" in my answers), while the other side scored poorly.

Unbeknownst to us until after the test, my side of the room had received instructions to consider whether the sentences formed strong mental pictures, while the other side had received instructions to consider the actual words in the sentences.

The point: if a reader can form mental pictures of the material, the material will be remembered longer.

P.S. I can now read 915 words per minute.

The making of my kids' ebook trailer

2011-10-30T09:50:00.000-07:00

Reading Enhancement: 800 words per minute

2011-10-29T09:31:00.001-07:00

I'm now reading more than 800 words per minute with 87% comprehension. I can't believe it. But I know I can go even faster. My goal is to hit 1,000 words per minute with 100% comprehension by the last class session.

The easiest thing I can teach you all is a technique called "pushing." This is what it sounds like...making yourself push to read faster. A great way to practice pushing is to turn a book upside down and have your eyes go over the words as fast as you can for a minute. Rest your eyes. Repeat. Now turn the book the correct way and read as close as you can to the speed you used when you weren't really reading. When we used this technique in class, all but one of us increased our speeds IMMEDIATELY by about 100 words per minute.

The entire class used pushing to read a 2,600-word short story. We read the pages in 35 seconds and then our instructor asked what we read. Together, in 35 seconds, we'd gotten the entire gist of the story, including the name of the character, the setting, the premise, the resolution, plus amazing details (for example, the story took place in a 65-degrees-below-zero climate)...everything in 35 seconds.

I have no idea why we aren't teaching these techniques at the middle school level, but when I complete the course, I'll work on getting this information to kids.

Any questions?

How much will you pay for books/ebooks?

2011-10-27T08:05:00.000-07:00

There's an interesting discussion going on at agent Janet Reid's blog. People are commenting on how much they're willing to pay for various ebooks.

For me, I'm cheap. Maybe because I get so many free books. Maybe because I use libraries a lot. Anyway, except for "reward" books that I buy my kids...some of those costing around $15.00 for a hard copy, I rarely pay more than six bucks for a book. From talking to my Gazette readers, that's what most people are willing to spend for paper AND ebooks now. In fact, for an ebook, I really prefer $2.99 and lower. And I can get good ones at that price, so why go higher?

What are your thoughts? Feel free to disagree with me. :)

Hey, this is kind of a fun idea

2011-10-26T15:55:00.001-07:00

Some indie authors have organized an online book fair. Yay for them! A SCARY GOOD BOOK is in the fair somewhere, and there are a lot of other inexpensive, interesting books on it, too.

It seems like the indie ebook crowd is finding all sorts of ways to get their work "out there," make their voices heard. There has been so much talk about how it's hard to break through the clutter, but people are making the effort. It's cool keeping an eye on the changes in publishing. And it's fun to be a part of the changes, too.

Happy writing and reading, everyone!

Email capture: does it drive you nuts

2011-10-26T08:39:00.001-07:00

How do you feel about blogs that make you give your email address? Have you ever been to one? Before you comment, you have to leave your email address.

I read an interesting post today about capturing that info, so that regularly (but not in an annoying way), you can email about progress on your book(s).

I'm kinda sorta thinking about using this capture technique, but not if it would tick bloggers off. So...what are your honest thoughts?

What's Your Favorite Scary Book?

2011-10-25T11:13:00.000-07:00

And, no, I'm NOT trying to get you to say my SCARY GOOD BOOK. Really, I'm not.

My answer...hmmm...I have to go with King's CARRIE for adults and THE GRAVEYARD BOOK for kids.

What Do You Want to Read?

2011-10-23T15:58:00.000-07:00

For years I've seen agent and editor posts about what's hot, what they're looking for, etc. But I've never seen anything about what readers want to read. I mean, of course the two answers are hopefully similar, right? But what if they're not? What if I ask this question and everyone answers Sci Fi Erotica?

Sooooo, if you could read a book in any genre, what would it be?

Me: I'd like a YA THRILLER that delivers like great adult thrillers. I'd like an interactive PICTURE EBOOK that makes me laugh, cry and have fun with my kid. I'd like a loooong EPIC LOVE STORY. I remember my mom and aunts talking about THE THORN BIRDS when I was a kid...something like that book.

Halloween Writing Contest

2011-10-20T08:45:00.000-07:00

I think I'll enter this one. Care to join me?

My Choice in Publishing

2011-10-18T21:37:00.000-07:00

So several of us (see list below) have discussed the various choices available in publishing. The discussion has mostly been by email, and we decided, hey, why not share our tidbits with others? And that's what we're doing today.

Several months ago, I was on my way to following a traditional route. I had an awesome agent (I still think she's awesome) and we were submitting manuscripts to publishers. But, long story short, I didn't like the process and I didn't want the stories I loved to be boxed away forever. My agent and I discussed various options and decided to part ways. I then epublished two books. One is a middle grade science fiction (EARTHLING HERO) and one is a middle grade mystery (A SCARY GOOD BOOK).

Husband performed the formatting, starting on the Smashwords site. Smashwords gives great instructions on how to format, and then making a few adjustments for other etailers is fairly easy. Husband insists that the vast majority of people can follow the instructions and do this for themselves.

Together, Husband and I made covers. We've altered the EARTHLING HERO cover several times. Why? Because we can and it's fun and we wanted to see if different covers would affect sales. We used a free program to make the covers. So, if you're keeping track, we've spent zero dollars on formatting, covers and marketing.

Regarding marketing, hmmm. The best thing to do is sell a lot of books, because that moves the book up in Amazon's ranks, which makes the book seen by more people. How to sell books in the first place? I don't freaking know. Our efforts on blog tours, etc. have netted just a few sales.* Most sales seem to come from random people who find the books on their own. Weird, I know. My research shows that reviews are very helpful in selling books, so if you read a book you love (especially one of mine), please review it everywhere. I've been trying to do this for other authors.

If you're writing a book now and have plans to publish it by any means, I recommend you start to develop an Excel spreadsheet of people in your life who would buy your book. These people will be the core group who will help you move your book up in the rankings.

So, am I happy with the route I chose? Yes. I sell books every day (though, strangely, sometimes I sell no books on Saturdays), it didn't cost me anything, and people are reading my books. I'm sure there's a lot I could do to sell even more of the books, but I do have a life. I fit in marketing efforts whenever I have a chance.

I'm writing a YA right now that I simply love. Depending on my MG sales during the Christmas season (I'm hoping to sell bazillions), I'll either epub the YA on my own, or follow the traditional route. I don't think authors have to do one or the other (unless they get boxed into a really horrible publishing contract...watch for that and always have a lawyer look at your contract before you sign), so I say, Embrace the many choices. Support each other.

Regarding my sales figures: My books are only $.99, so I'm not making bazillions. And I refuse to learn how to monitor sales, because I'd probably check them every hour. Husband knows how to check the figures and he gives me updates whenever. We've decided not to share the exact number of sales at this point. But they're about where I thought they'd be.

Crystal ball: Middle graders will be reading more and more ebooks. Can an indie writer reach those readers? I don't know. Our biggest edge right now is price. If we produce good books (and they should be good, people, otherwise don't publish them), then people will buy them for the smaller price tag...some publishers are still trying to charge the same as they do for paper books and that won't fly for long.

Whatever your choice in publishing, good luck! I'll try to answer questions, but will be in and out all day. Oh. Please buy my books. They make adults look younger and children behave better.

*I think blog tours work better for authors who sell books for adults. I think they'll work better for everyone as more people buy ereaders. P.S. Buy a freaking ereader already. They're awesome.

Tom M Franklin
Kristine Asselin
Writing. For Real.

Lynn Kelly
Lynn Kelley: LynNerd's Random Acts of Writing.

Ansha Kotyk
Ansha's Blog - A Writer's View of the World

Tina Laurel Lee
Tina Laurel Lee: Watch Me Practice

Heather Kelley: Edited to Within an Inch of My Life

Tomorrow...

2011-10-18T08:54:00.000-07:00

...a bunch of bloggers are posting under the title "My Choice in Publishing." Is there anything you all want to know about the choices I've made, or have I exhausted that subject?

P.S. The photo shows the outside of my Reading Enhancement class.

Another Reading Enhancement post

2011-10-17T12:03:00.000-07:00

As I've said, many people read just one word at a time. It's really better to read a cluster of words at the same time. To help you start reading in this manner (if you're not already), you might want to use your hand or a bookmark (these are called "pacers" in speed reading circles) under lines of type. Move the pacer along as you read and really challenge yourself to move it quickly. When you first begin to use this technique, don't worry about comprehension...that will come later. Just think about reading faster.

In class, we often read on a computer screen. We type in the number of words we'd like to try to read per minute and the computer gives us a passage to read. The computer highlights (or clusters) several words at a time, so that we get used to reading that way. In only three twenty minute sessions of clustering on the computer, I increased my word speed by 100 words per minute. That's with at least 90% comprehension (the computer tests our comprehension after we read the passage). So the more you practice this stuff, the faster you'll get and the more automatic it will become.

The book that first made me love reading is....

2011-10-14T08:45:00.000-07:00

....(you fill in the blank).

I blatantly stole this idea from Random House, who's running this "first made me love reading" series on Twitter right now. You all should Twitter...it's fun!

Anyway, my answer:
The Trixie Beldon series. I loved that girl (and her brother, too, who I dreamed marrying).

My second Reading Enhancement class

2011-10-11T10:28:00.000-07:00

Wow. I'm learning a lot in this class. But here's some info I can easily share. It's about a little pain in the rear called "regression."

Regression is when a reader stops and goes back to look at something they've already read. Remember how I had the test that followed my eyes? I regressed two times per 100 words. The average person regresses 15 times per 100 words. That's a lot of slowing down. And here's the kicker: research shows that regression does NOT increase comprehension. So all that regressing? It's doing nothing for you. But here's the good news: Once a person knows about regressing and how it does nothing for them, they can really slow down their regressing.

So stop regressing, people! Keep those eyes moving.

We made a book trailer for my kids' ebook mystery

2011-10-08T18:39:00.000-07:00

Do you want to see it?

Kids getting into technology at younger ages

2011-10-07T08:35:00.001-07:00

This is a short, sort of interesting article. Man, I made that sound good.

Anyway, my point is that kids are pretty much born using technology now...my six-year-old checks the weather on the computer and looks up the times of his soccer games on the iPad. I like the idea of embracing this trend as a writer...I like to daydream about how I can make my writing more interactive and available.

First Reading Enhancement Class

2011-10-06T09:51:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was my first class. We started out with introductions. The cadets in my class come from all over the country and many different backgrounds--city girl to farm boy. Most of the cadets want to learn how to read faster, focus better on reading material and remember more from their reading.

We also took tests. I wore goggle-style glasses with components that tracked my eye movement. I read a passage as quickly as I could and then took a comprehension test on it. I also read another passage without the goggles and took a test on it.

(a sidenote: I read sections of page at a time, rather than a word or even a line)

At the next session, we'll discuss our test scores and learn our first technique...something called "clustering."

About the atmosphere: The Academy itself is absolutely beautiful...interesting architecture and miles of blue skies, green mountains, and large open spaces.

In order to get to the building in which the class was held, I was stopped at multiple checkpoints by armed guards and eventually had to temporarily forfeit my driver's license. And I still had to have the instructor let me into the building.

Anyway, the whole thing's very cool and I hope I can eventually pass on some good info to blog readers and the community at large.

Oh my gosh.

2011-10-04T19:27:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow I start a class at the United States Air Force Academy. I'm auditing a Reading Enhancement class. This is a terrific honor and I'm sure I'll love it and will have a lot to share here about it, but at the moment, I'm just concerned about actually getting through security and finding the classroom (and wearing adult-like clothing).

Stay tuned.

Staying up reading

2011-10-04T10:48:00.000-07:00

Last week I missed a night of sleep with THE RUINS by Scott Smith. Last night, I stayed awake until I finished Ted Bell's WARLORD.

When was the last time a book kept you up all night?

Another lesson from my MFA mentor

2011-10-03T07:26:00.000-07:00

One thing I have a problem with is redundancy. I tell and show the same thing in my writing.

Below I show what I initially wrote, and then I show my mentor's suggested change:

"Well," she says, "Olivia here--"

I interrupt her and say, "It's 'Liv.' I go by 'Liv' now."

This is the change:

"Well," she says, "Olivia here--"

"It's 'Liv.' I go by 'Liv' now."

This change is simple, but by going through my manuscript and making similar redundancy fixes, the manuscript is greatly improved.

Tonight I shot a trailer for A SCARY GOOD BOOK

2011-10-01T20:13:00.001-07:00

This was such a fun experience! I hope all the kid ebook readers will like this mystery trailer when it's done. We have so many bits and pieces to put together and not a lot of time in the near future...the goal is to have it done by Halloween...stay tuned.

Because a pivitol part of A SCARY GOOD BOOK takes place in a library, I sought out access to a real library...after hours. Maybe you're like me and you've daydreamed about being in a library when it's pretty much empty and very much dark? Well, let me tell you, it was cool. Loved it.

Husband also shot the "making of the trailer," so unless I think I look old and/or old or maybe old, I'll show the making sometime, too.

My point to tell you about the trailer now is to say, Wow, I really liked the experience and I hope you'll consider making trailers for your book(s), too...unless you've got a fancy pancy publisher who'll make one for you.

Happy reading!

Update! A SCARY GOOD BOOK is now in TOP 20 of Kindle's mystery ebooks for kids!

2011-09-29T21:02:00.000-07:00

I don't want to be one of those authors who's always talking about their books, but c'mon. This is pretty cool. Right?

A SCARY GOOD BOOK is in the top 100 of Kindle's mystery ebooks for kids

2011-09-28T17:13:00.000-07:00

Isn't that awesome?! Still haven't bought your copy? Get one before they run out. Yeah, that could maybe happen. It's a great ebook for kids. And, please, if you've read it, review it EVERYWHERE!

Thanks for your support!

Publishing comments on my blogs

2011-09-28T08:09:00.001-07:00

For some reason, my blogs aren't allowing me to comment. I'll give it a day and check back. Thanks for your patience! I hope you're having a day filled with reading and writing!

P.S. Don't say anything bad about me. :) JONATHON: Stop teasing! Hah!
P.S.S. A great wrap-up about the Kindle announcement.

CHARLIE: You should have emailed me! Husband and I have a rule that he must attend all meetings with men bloggers who I don't know, but he's fun, too. Next time, CALL!

MATTHEW: It lets me type the message, but then when I go to post, it empties the comment box. But I'm staying calm. If it's still like this tomorrow, then I'll freak.

Should you Twitter?

2011-09-27T09:40:00.000-07:00

A couple months ago I told you all that I'd give Twitter a shot and let you know how I like it. Well...I love it!

Twitter is fast and easy to use. When I just want to say a quick something, it's the best way to get the word out. I see a bunch of blogs friends there...some of them are blogging less and tweeting more, which I'm sure frees up writing time. And I find so many links to interesting things on Twitter, like this from Walden Pond Press:

To celebrate the release of BREADCRUMBS by Anne Ursu (pub 9/27/11) we are giving away an Apple iPad and an iPad case with BREADCRUMBS cover art! This giveaway will be run as a Tweetstakes and will commence Tuesday, September 27th 2011 at 9:00 am EST and end Friday, September 30th 2011 at 12:00 noon EST.

TO ENTER: FOLLOW @WaldenPondPress on Twitter (www.twitter.com/waldenpondpress) and TWEET the following message:
RT @WaldenPondPress To celebrate the release of BREADCRUMBS, we are giving away an iPad! RT&follow WPP to enter! Details http://ow.ly/6DdIs

A lesson from my MFA mentor

2011-09-26T07:18:00.000-07:00

So my MFA mentor reads through my pages and makes edits. She tweaks the simplest things, but when she does it all through the pages, the effect is wonderful. And I'm getting to the point that as I'm writing, I can anticipate her tweaks, so that I don't make the "mistake" in the first place.

Below is an example of how she changed the text. I'll give one paragraph first for which there is no change, just to set things up.

I shiver. It's warming up fast, but still, it's like six a.m. in Colorado and I'm in a t-shirt and shorts. I balance on one foot because of the missing flip-flop, and I know my long, dark, curly hair is a long, dark, curly mess. This is so not the time and place for my mom to get nostalgic.

I clear my throat and hope that for once, for just once in her life, my mom catches a hint. She hears the throat clearing. Looks at me and my hair.

Her change:
I clear my throat and hope that for once, for just once in her life, she catches a hint. She looks at me and my hair.

An Amazon tablet?! Which ereader would you choose?

2011-09-24T14:37:00.000-07:00

So, have you heard the rumors that Amazon will soon announce it's own tablet?! I have this question for you: Would you prefer a dedicated ereader or a tablet with more functions?

In my household, we have a basic Nook, a Kobo, a Literati and an iPad. The iPad is the best ereading device, but costs a lot. The Nook has been very reliable. The Literati? Not so much...short battery life...but small price. The Kobo sits around not getting much use...not sure why. I like the iPad #1, but if I were searching out a new ereader, I think I'd spend some time at a B & N...they've got some great recent additions to their fleet that are worth checking out. I don't know much about the Kindle...please chime in, if you do.

I love this new series...

2011-09-23T08:30:00.000-07:00

...it's Porter Anderson every Thursday listing the best publishing "stuff" from the week. I mean, I actually LOOK FORWARD to this thing. It's THAT good.

Porter Anderson

I'm back!!!

2011-09-22T09:37:00.000-07:00

Okay...so where have I been?

Mostly, I've been writing, but not books :( I'm taking a picture book class for my MFA and had to write journal entries (at least 500 words each) for 30 books. You do the math. I could've written half a freakin middle grade. But will I complain? No. Well, maybe to Husband.

Speaking of Husband, we went on a short get-away. It was romantic. And I'm not even talking about the TSA scene (this is when my sequined top made me look like I wore a chest bomb and I got felt-up...which I am fine with, as long as the bad guys get touched, too).

So...now back to the "real" writing, right? Where I get my young adult and a sequel to EARTHLING HERO done by Christmas. Can I do it? Uh. Uh. Uh.

But first, I've got some old blog friends to catch up with. Let me know if you've got a post you're particularly proud of and I'll come visit (as long as wearing jammies is acceptable).

Cyber hugs, everyone!

Taking a break...

2011-09-12T07:30:00.001-07:00

...I'll be back!

God Bless America

2011-09-10T21:14:00.000-07:00

Best article I read about ebooks (and publishing changes) this week

2011-09-09T11:31:00.000-07:00

Here it be.

If I were an agent...

2011-09-08T06:26:00.000-07:00

...I'd want a client like Talli. She is one heck of a marketress.

New Anita Video

2011-09-06T09:26:00.000-07:00

Okay. This is super long. I have no way of knowing when you punch out, so you can say, "I looooved the video, dear friend Anita," and I'd have no way of knowing if you watched all or nothing. The video was made in my closet and I'm sick and wearing no makeup. I'm really making this sounds enticing, aren't I? Anyway, it's me reading the first chapter of A SCARY GOOD BOOK...possibly the best kids' ebook I've ever read. :)

2011-09-04T14:52:00.000-07:00

For my do-over birthday, I requested Husband make me a piece of art. He cut out a guitar shape from wood and we filled the empty space with meaningful things. We thought through each piece carefully, building it in layers. At the last minute, when it was ready to assemble, I culled some things and added others. And when we finally thought it was done, we added the birds. Can you see them? Anyway, the process reminded me of writing a book, with all the editing. You keep working until you can stand back and go, "Yeah. I'm happy."

This morning felt like fall.

2011-09-02T07:29:00.001-07:00

And it smelled like it, too. (Photo is what fall looks like here.) Do you have a favorite season to write? Hmmm. I think mine is fall. And just how many times can I type "fall" in one post, anyway? Fall. Fall. Fall.

Dream agents

2011-08-31T14:08:00.000-07:00

So...shhhh...if you could be represented by any agent, who would it be? Feel free to post anonymously.

I've got the (dance) moves like Jagger

2011-08-30T09:32:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately, because of a recent leg surgery, I won't be able to show you my moves in the Anita vs. Kelly Dance-off, which has been postponed indefinitely. I know. You're crying. I did, too. Then this video made me feel better.

A new cover for Earthling Hero

2011-08-28T21:29:00.000-07:00

For those of you who are new to this blog and/or those of you who only sorta pay attention, I'm a kids' ebook author. The first ebook I independently published is a middle grade science fiction titled EARTHLING HERO. Recently, Husband and I made a couple videos about the process of epubbing. While listening to myself speak on the subject of ebook covers, I realized I hadn't been listening to my own advice. So I fixed that by changing my EARTHLING HERO cover. That's why it looks different to those of you who aren't new to the blog and/or those of you who have been paying attention. :)

Any questions? Seriously, do you have any?

Writing research

2011-08-26T14:08:00.000-07:00

I just Googled "How far can a rattlesnake jump?" What's your lastest weird Google?

Book Recs of the Rock and Famous

2011-08-25T08:32:00.000-07:00

You've gotta follow this one.

Goodreads

2011-08-23T21:12:00.000-07:00

I've recently started a Goodreads account to keep track of the books I read and offer recommendations to other readers. Do you do Goodreads?

Another thing you should know about epublishing: cover costs

2011-08-22T21:12:00.000-07:00

The series continues...

Independent epublishing: Things you should know

2011-08-22T06:58:00.000-07:00

So the other day, Husband and I decided to make a very unscripted video about epubbing. For those of you considering epubbing, you might want to take a look. The video's actually one of a series I've planned about my independent epublishing experience.

Please excuse the gum chewing. And keep in mind I KNOW publishing companies have awesome formatters, editors, marketing departments, etc. I'm not pretending my possee and I can do it better, I'm just saying if you choose this route, here are some things you should know.

Let me know if you have any questions.

A SCARY GOOD BOOK: The cover

2011-08-19T07:42:00.001-07:00

Okay. Now a lot of people will tell you that you have to spend a whole bunch of $ to get a cover made for your ebook. Well, some of you will. Or you'll just keep trying to get traditionally published because you don't want to deal with designing a cover.

P.S. I GET the wanting to be traditionally published and I'm not totally cancelling that from my life goals, but the reason you should want that should NOT be because you can't make a cover. That's just weird. It reminds me of pregnant friends who are worried about getting an IV during delivery. Really? The IV is what you're worried about? What about the 8-pound human coming through your vagina?

Anyway, here's what you've gotta do (about the cover, not the baby):

1. Think about your book. Is there one scene that pulls the whole thing together? How would you depict that scene visually? Because, basically, the book cover is like a 10-second visual pitch.

In A SCARY GOOD BOOK, that scene for me was when the main character, Hannah, finds a message in a library book. The message? HELP ME. So, in the story, readers learn a little about the book Hannah's reading when she finds the message. I went ahead and wrote a couple pages of THAT story and it became the background for the book...I thought that might be cool for kids, if they wanted to stare at the cover until the story became clear.

P.S. My I.T. department (aka Husband) worked on making the words light enough so they wouldn't detract. Very good job, Joel. *applause*

2. Choose fonts, colors. Go easy here, people. Not more than three fonts, I think. Not more than five colors in the whole flipping thing. You don't have J.K.'s team and budget. Don't pretend that you do.

3. Sub-heading. This is what I call the sentence that sorta nails what the book's about. In SCARY, my sub-head is "What's written between the lines could save a life." The sub-head should complement the image on your cover and sum up your book pretty freaking well.

4. Up to this point, you could be putting the whole thing together with a pencil and paper. Now it's time for you to have a glass of wine and play on your computer. Get a FREE program. We used paint.net, but gimp is another good one. Take a tutorial, read the help section and play. Transfer your paper/pencil ideas onto your screen. What you're doing is called LEARNING. And once you learn it, you'll be able to do it again and again FOR FREE.

5. You think you're cover is perfect. Show it to a few friends who wear cool clothes and know your target audience. These friends will tell you your cover is not cool because of X,Y, and Z. Mentally flip off your friends and then make the changes. Now give your friends a hug because your cover is better.

6. Test that the sucker looks good in a thumb-nail and in black and white, because that's how many readers will initially see it.

Do you have questions?

Anyone have good writing news???

2011-08-18T08:27:00.000-07:00

Did you find an agent? Publish a book (whether it's an indie epub or a traditional)? Reach the NYT list? Type THE END? Let me know here...tomorrow's Friday and I need something to celebrate!

What Agent Barbara Poelle's looking for:

2011-08-17T14:24:00.000-07:00

All I know is that when I start to read it, it is like I am sitting in a vat of pudding, eating red velvet cake, drinking a chocolate martini, it is like wayyy too much and yet never enough and then by the end I am standing up, in rage and fury that someone else might get to it before me so I have to throw my chair out of the living room window just to release the anxiety.
--WriteOnCon 2011 Live Chat

Pets and writing

2011-08-16T10:07:00.000-07:00

We recently welcomed a new addition to our family, a beta named Martin. Ozzy the cat loves Martin. And both pets love to watch me write. Or so I like to believe. Do you have a pet who encourages you?

Have you registered for WriteOnCon 2011?

2011-08-14T20:37:00.000-07:00

Do it now!

And speaking of ebooks...

2011-08-13T07:14:00.000-07:00

...a fun essay from Stacey Barney, Editor Putnam Books for Young Readers. The thing about the essay that most made me go "What?!!": the Jane Friedman bit. How did I miss this? Let me research it for you.

I answer some questions about A SCARY GOOD BOOK

2011-08-10T08:14:00.000-07:00

I have had soooo many people ask me questions about SCARY. I'll answer some of them over the next few days. First of all, people have asked how they can help me market the book. If you want to help:

1. Please buy the book. If you don't have an ereader, check out my Ways to Read an Ebook page for options...this will tell you how read ANY ebook.
2. Read the book. It's a fast read, not super long.
3. Review the book. I've already gotten one review (I'll cut and paste it below. And, no, he's not related to me).
4. Whether you buy the book or not, please consider posting info about it on your blog, or on Facebook, Twitter, etc. If you'd like to interview me or have me to do a guest post, I'd love it...let me know!

The review:
5 Stars
Hannah Stone, A Scary Good classic. Oooooppps I mean A Scary Good Book. When I read the summary, I thought romance. However you seemed to make it a combination of everything (suspense, romance, adventure, thriller, fantasy, etc) This is highly impressive, better then playing a game of "Clue." I don't want to go to deep in details about the story because I will spoil it for the next readers.

Also, I got a nice note from the dad of one of my followers. It pretty much made my day, made me want to write, write, write:
I finished reading your latest. My son Rick Daley suggested I read it. Congratulations on a splendid A Good Scary Book. I must still have the imagination of a teenager for it was a fast read, couldn't put the book down until the last page. Let's see, when I was 13 it was 1952. Time has flown by from radio to HDTV, etc. Yet I related to your story with out a pause.

A SCARY GOOD BOOK is here!

2011-08-07T19:11:00.001-07:00

After much writing, editing, revising, formatting and stress eating, my middle grade mystery is now available for sale at the Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords and Diesel ebook stores. To purchase go to My Buy Page.

If you'd like to support me in additional ways, please link to my blog from your blog, Facebook and Twitter. Thank you!!!

And now here's a short description:
Two words change twelve-year-old Hannah Stone’s life forever: Help me. That’s the first message she finds in a library book, but there are more--all pointing to someone who desperately needs her help. So with her best friend, Ollie, Hannah breaks into a library, gets caught in a kidnappers’s web, and is stalked by her own dad’s hit-and-run killer, all to save a life. But will she lose her own?

Going the extra mile with words: a deodorant example

2011-08-06T07:45:00.000-07:00

On Husband's deodorant label:

CONTAINS ODOR-FIGHTING "ATOMIC ROBOTS" THAT "SHOOT LASERS" AT YOUR "STENCH MONSTERS" AND REPLACES THEM WITH FRESH, CLEAN, MASCULINE "SCENT ELVES."

My favorite word here is "masculine." Of course they had to add that.

And now you can find me on Twitter

2011-08-04T18:18:00.000-07:00

I haven't figured out how to do a cute little button, but if you look to the right, you'll see something that reads, "Follow." That's how you follow Anita Laydon Mill on Twitter. So far, I think it's really fun.

My do-over birthday dessert

2011-08-04T09:56:00.000-07:00

So, on my real birthday a couple months ago, I got hospitalized. Yeah, bummer. Good news is, I get a do-over! I take my birthday dessert choice very seriously, and the below is what I'm thinking of. It's a Cook's Country recipe (those always work). If you've got the name of a better dessert in mind, please share and I'll Google the recipe.

Lemon Squares

Why this recipe works:For the crispest crust and firmest filling for our Lemon Squares, we prepared the crust and filling independently, then combined and baked them to marry their flavors and set the filling. Blending both lemon zest and lemon juice in the filling gave us the brightest flavor. We also found that taking the time to strain out the zest kept the Lemon Squares’ texture smooth. We enriched the curd topping with heavy cream, which tempers the acidity of the lemon and lends a lush texture. Finally, lining the baking pan with a foil “sling" made it much easier to remove the Lemon Squares without damaging them.

Makes 9

Most lemon squares are far too sweet and none too lemony. We wanted to reverse that and make a crisp-crusted lemon square with a vibrantly bright lemon flavor. To make the crust without a food processor, grate the cold butter (do not cut it in 12 pieces) on the large holes of a box grater and toss into the flour, sugar, and salt mixture in step 2. Using a fork, press the butter into the mixture until it is the texture of coarse meal. Proceed to press and bake the crust as directed.

Ingredients

Crust
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour1/2 cup confectioners' sugar Pinch table salt12 tablespoons cold unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), cut into 12 pieces

Filling
4 large eggs3 large egg yolks1 cup granulated sugar Pinch table salt1 tablespoon grated lemon zest plus 2/3 cup juice from 4 lemons
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 2 pieces
2 tablespoons heavy cream Confectioners' sugarInstructions

1. For the crust: Adjust rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 8-inch-square baking pan with aluminum foil, leaving overhang on all sides.

2. Pulse flour, sugar, and salt in food processor 2 to 3 times. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal (some pea-sized pieces of butter will remain) and will stick together if squeezed into ball, about fifteen 1-second pulses. Sprinkle dough into prepared pan and press in even layer. Bake until light golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.

3. For the filling: While crust is cooling, whisk eggs, yolks, sugar, and salt together in saucepan. Add zest and juice and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and pudding-like, 8 to 10 minutes. Press through fine-mesh strainer into medium bowl. Stir in butter and cream.

4. Pour filling over crust and tilt to spread evenly. Bake until filling is set, about 15 minutes. Cool to room temperature, at least 1 hour, then, using foil overhang, lift bars from pan and cut into 9 squares. Dust with confectioners’ sugar just before serving. (Squares will keep in airtight container in refrigerator for 3 days. Redust with confectioners’ sugar before serving.)

Memorable word verifications

2011-08-03T19:51:00.000-07:00

Word verifications can be so annoying, but every so often, I get one I love. I've had some raunchy ones I won't repeat here because I don't want crazies camping at my blog. I had one once that read "Anita." I looked over my shoulder after that one.

So, have you had a memorable one?

Wanna help me?

2011-08-02T08:14:00.001-07:00

Okay. I've got this new middle grade mystery that I'll have available for epurchase soooon. So I'm wondering if some of you would be willing to announce it on your blogs. Email me or comment here if you're in, and I'll send you a description, a book cover, the date to post the stuff, and a great big cyber hug. No pressure, though, folks.

Interesting statistics

2011-08-01T06:45:00.000-07:00

93% of traditionally published books sell fewer than 1,000 copies. Can you believe that? Wow.

Do you have an interesting stat--publishing or otherwise?

Twitter

2011-07-29T11:56:00.001-07:00

Okay. I want to take the Twitter plunge. Where should I go to learn everything I need to know? What other advice do you have for me?

So, I was at the library the other day and this was on display

2011-07-28T08:58:00.000-07:00

How did Sony get this in the library? What does it mean? I will try to find the answers.

Next door: A sample of my next $.99 kids' ebook

2011-07-27T08:17:00.001-07:00

So, I posted the first chapter of my next middle grade ebook (it's a mystery) on my middle grade blog. Got a minute? Stop by. Thanks!

What emotions have you seen in another's eyes?

2011-07-26T14:26:00.000-07:00

I just finished Rachel Simon's THE STORY OF BEAUTIFUL GIRL. One of my favorite scenes is when two young sisters are riding together in car. One of the sisters is being dropped off at a state institution. She looks at her sister's eyes and she sees something there she's never seen before: Guilt. Eyes are pretty cool that way.

I've seen all sorts of emotions in eyes. I've even seen questions and answers in them. It's pretty powerful, really, speaking a whole sentence with just a look, but I forget to use that power in my writing. What about you?