Recommendation

Over at Romance Magicians yesterday, I posted an article about editing and grammar. A website I would like to recommend is http://www.grammardivas.com/. They have some great advice plus they're wonderful about answering your questions quickly. 

Red Shirt Editing

I'm talking about Red Shirt Editing over at the Romance Magician's blog. Come over and find out what the heck am I talking about?

An Old Tale Made New

I found an old VHS of Disney cartoons for my grandson to watch. There was a little preview at the beginning with the three little pigs. My grandson said, "I watched this one before. It's the three little pigs and the werewolf tries to get them."

Werewolf? Well, it is the sign of the times.

Stupid Cable

Don't you hate it when your cable is out or the cable box screws up? BAH! Of course, that means I can concentrate on writing.

Finally, My Favorite Commercial On YouTube

Inspire

I'm reading a book that helped me think of an idea for my third Shadows book. It only took one sentence and I realized what would work. Wonderful.

Here I go Again

Considering I enter, judge, and coordinate contests along with train judges, I believe I know a few things. I have to say I'm tired of judges trying to change manuscripts into their voices. When you catch yourself changing nearly every sentence and it's not a grammar issue, maybe the voice isn't one you like. So walk away or mention one of two things and then let it go.

Yes. This is one of my little rants. As you guessed I received some scores on a contest I entered (yeah, did not final). One judge said my heroine's emotions were all over the board. The other one said she was consistent.  I believe if a person is going through a trauma and her emotions are steady, then something's wrong.  You didn't expect that, did you? Yes. The former judge meant it bad and gave me a low score.

Let me explain. I've had a gun pointed at me during a robbery (I worked in a drug store at the time. Kind of explains itself, huh?) and I can tell you my mind was all over the board. Scared with snatches of humor (Surely it was a poor joke -it wasn't), I still kept an eye out for an opportunity to run.  And I did when the gun went off. So in extreme situations, unless you're a robot and have no feelings, your emotions will be everywhere.

And I got the comment "this is a romantic suspense." I had entered it in Contemporary Single Title. But when I enter it into RS, they say it's erotica or a thriller. What does that have to do with it? A story is a story is a story.

Oh, and don't count how many times "was" was used. Goodness pick up a book.  It's okay. I swear.

Quote For The Day

Dream and give yourself permission to envision a You that you choose to be.

Joy Page



By the way, my manuscript OUT OF THE SHADOWS is a finalist in the STROKE OF MIDNIGHT contest.  YEAH!

No Joke

Everyone has heard the following joke. In fact, I heard a version of it in the movie EAT PRAY LOVE.

Every day a woman prays to the Lord, "Please Lord let me win the lottery."
Faithfully, she pleads again, "Today, Please let me win the lottery."
Then one day a deep voice from heaven says, "Do me a favor. Buy a ticket."

It's amazing how many people miss the point of this wise joke. 

Lots of people out there say they want to be published, but never finish a book, never try to improve by joining a critique group, never submit a finished one or willingly submit again and again and again.

Editors do not come knocking on your door asking, "Do you  have a book to sell?"  You have to get off your butt and find the editor who wants to buy your book. Of course, first you have to finish that book and make it the best.

Medieval Times

Have you noticed all of the shows set in the medieval times lately? I'm in hog heaven for sure.

Camelot on Starz
Merlin on Syfy
Game of Thrones on HBO

And happy birthday, sis!