Lovely Links

I need to start writing blog post ideas down when they hit me.  For the second week in a row I've had some great ideas over the weekend and then totally forget what they were on Monday night when I'm scrambling to write my post!

Photo Courtesy: freedigitalphotos.net

My attention is all over the place, which means I've been gathering information on a variety of subjects including editing, editors, websites, marketing ideas and plot development.  Anyone who thinks self-publishing is the easy way out doesn't know all what it entails. Heck, I'm just scratching the tip of the informational iceberg and the amount of work is a little overwhelming.  But, guess what?  I'm really happy and calm about it all.  Just busy.

Since I can't really focus on any one topic right now to save my life, I thought I would share with you a couple of the links to blog posts I've read that have been helpful.

First, I've been working on plot development for a second book using the characters from Finding Meara.  I'd always planned to write more about Hazel and Arden, but thought I'd have some time before I needed to start.  Self-publishing wisdom indicates I need to get a second book out as soon as possible after the first, so I'm casting around the dark recesses of my brain for an interesting, book worthy plot idea.  

http://www.robinlafevers.com/books/

With Nano coming up there have been lots of posts around about plotting, but I found the posts Pre-Writing: It's All About the Character and Growing Plot from Character by Robin LaFevers, author of Grave Mercy, particularly helpful. I've got the characters, I just don't have the plot.  The questions listed in the posts have started my brain whirring.  Besides the great posts, I just have to say I love Ms. LeFevers' website. It's absolutely beautiful!

I've worried about marketing ideas for quite a while, even before deciding to self-publish.  It's no secret that the weight of the majority of marketing falls on an author these days.  With self-published books increasing by 287% since 2006, the competition for a self-published author to gain positive attention and readers is at an all time high.  The post The New Path to Writing Success by Jon Bard on the Writer Unboxed site was both enlightening and uplifting, but the link to the post How to Build a Network of Fans on Mr. Bard's own site was marketing gold.  In the post he gives several practical and not at all difficult ways to connect to the ever-elusive reader.  It was after reading this post that I decided I needed to go ahead and get my own website going, and soon.  Hopefully, before the end of November, I'll have a shiny new website to show off, and can start implementing some of his ideas.

Laura Howard

I've also read several great posts on Laura Howard's blog Finding Bliss, and also The Writer's Guide to E-Publishing (WG2E). If you're interested in all things self-publishing, head over to either homepage and take some time to browse.  The series of three posts A Business Plan for Self-Published Authors on WG2E was a real eyeopener for me.

It's quite fun to list Laura Howard today, because I actually met her through the My Name Is Not Bob Platform Building Challenge in April.  Between then and now her blog has become a hot spot for Indie reviews, interviews and information.  She's also super nice!

Have you read any posts in the last several weeks you've found helpful?  If so, feel free to share in the comments!

Funny Photo Friday

Happy Friday, everyone!  I am so glad it's the weekend.  How about you?

Before we get to the pictures I wanted to share a funtabulous opportunity!  The marvelous Heather Webb at Between the Sheets is hosting a pitch workshop/blog hop/contest.  Go here (toward the bottom of the post) for all the details, but basically:

Sign up is from Monday, October 29th through Wednesday, October 31st.

Blog Hop is November 1st and 2nd

Contest is November 5th through November 9th - post your pitch in the comments section at Between the Sheets to enter a chance to get your first ten pages in front of agent Michelle Brower from the Folio Literary Management.

Go take a look and if you decide to participate (which I hope you do!) I wish you tons of good luck!

So, lets see some funny photos!  Last weeks winner was:

Cat News!

And here's the new ones!

The things we do to our pets!

The photo on the right makes me smile because he looks like he's hula-hooping. 

I mostly found this funny because I do get beavers and otters confused...all the time.

The following isn't necessarily funny, but I thought they were cool and had to share them.  

Star War My Little Ponies!

I so want a set--or at least the Darth Maul one.  Look for the Princess Leia in the metal bikini thing she wore in Jabba's Palace.  Too funny!  The Lando one is pretty cute.  I  have to admit I had a little crush on Lando back when I was (maybe) seven years old and The Empire Strikes Back came out.

I'm curious! Who is your favorite Star Wars character?  You can pick more than one, if you want.  

Did you like any of the photos more than the others?

All Men (and Woman) Dream

All men dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds, wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act on their dreams with open eyes, to make them possible.  T.E. Lawrence

Photo courtesy of Freedigitalphotos.net

Children are amazing, because they dream with open eyes.  Anything is possible.  Super strength can be imbued with a breath mint, or their friends can be daylight vampires (my son's favorite).  If they want something (and they have been encouraged instead of demoralized) they will try to get it, to make their dream possible.  They don't think about the other kids who haven't had their dreams come true.  They don't worry if their abilities are sufficient.  They don't contemplate the wisdom of chasing a dream.  They just jump in with both feet and work to make their dreams possible.


When I was born, among other interesting issues, my left hip was not fully formed.  I had to wear a horseshoe shaped brace to keep my hips in alignment until I was a year old.  I couldn't crawl regularly because my legs were strapped out to the sides.  My mother said I'd army crawl around the house, dragging myself along with my arms. She credits this time in my early development for teaching me persistence and determination, all before I even could talk (I did that late, too.)

Maybe she's right.  I do know that if someone tells me "no," my first response is "Oh, yeah? Watch me."  I'm sure other factors in my life (high school) contribute to that defiant attitude, but I believe it's that kind of attitude we have to take if we want to break out of the box the rest of the world wants to keep us in.  We have to be willing to take the lead from children -- jump in with both feet, and make our dreams possible.

What has helped you to develop a "watch me" attitude.

How do you dream with open eyes, and make your dreams possible?